No fun at the fair for Toon fans tonight!Just when you thought we’d turned some sort of corner, Blackpool go and ‘tango’ us. Well admittedly, I had to rely on the eyes of the commentating duo of Mick Lowes and John Anderson but the performance sounded as bleak as the conditions and there was nothing pleasurable about the trip to this beach. And the 2-1 reverse, might well have spoiled the plans of some Mags intent on North West revelling.
The first half sounded pretty much all Blackpool as we struggled to contain a busy and industrious side, clearly willing to take the game to us. Boasting forward players with top flight experience in Brett Omerod, Jason Euell and Bouazza, there was always a risk of conceding and with former Rangers midfielder Charlie Adam driving the team from the middle, a goal seemed inevitable after Blackpool spurned a number of chances, including a disallowed goal by Bouazza, for offside. (more…)
Head and shoulders above the restAlreet, so that’s a bit of a bold statement but doesn’t it feel like it at the minute? Not quite literally, but I mean we were relatively average today and yet I didn’t doubt the outcome swinging in our favour at any point and it’s been a long time since a black and white first eleven had me thinking that way.
Confidence breeds confidence and it’s flooding through the squad and team at the moment and to the spectator they look as if they feel unbeatable. I’ve long been a detractor of Coloccini but today he stuck my opinion right where the sun doesn’t shine. Not just because of his well-earned and well-worked winner but for the sheer guts and determination he showed in his defensive duties, and he wasn’t alone. The entire squad looked like they’d be prepared to play until they dropped to protect the win and I genuinely couldn’t see Cardiff breaking through and much of that was due to our dogged defending and endeavour.
Perhaps again, much of today’s result was about toothless opposition as it was about our own display. Certainly they had prolonged periods of possession after the half hour point but I was always felt comfortable. It wasn’t exactly ‘total football’ again either but a win is a win, especially when you’re travelling to the likes of Cardiff. They had some talent on show but ultimately were fairly blunt in the final third. (more…)
Strength in numbersThe slant on this is two-fold. I’m talking both about the new found optimism and feel-good factor surrounding the team on the pitch, and also about our ability to keep that pitch chock-full of experienced professionals.
Clearly our start to the season has given cause for genuine surprise throughout the football world, none more so than up here. To land on our feet and start making progress in the right direction was probably the last thing we expected.
So we can also probably safely assume it was also the last thing the media and our detractors were expecting. Therefore a pleasant surprise, as it’s a bit of a two-fingered salute to them.
Sunday’s game against Cardiff City could well prove to be the biggest challenge yet but ultimately if we succeed, it’s yet another piece tacked onto our new-found and developing cloak of pride. Even if we manage a draw, our reputation will be upheld and so there is a lot to be look forward and much to be gained in that game. We just seem to have picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves down and started getting on with it, everyone putting in a hard, honest and decent shift. For every point we pick up that goes towards our tally in the league table, we also pick up a voucher of dignity that will hopefully be redeemed in the near future. A day when we hold our heads high and we’re regarded as a proper football club again, for the right reasons. (more…)
Is it really a year?It was about a year ago today, just after the 2008 summer transfer window closed, when Newcastle United went into the free-fall it has yet to recover from.
To be fair, the club wasn’t exactly setting the world alight before that and, arguably, the last period of stability ended when Sir Bobby Robson was given the sack. Freddie Shepherd had been spending the club into debt and had installed the revolving door for managers with both Roeder and Souness serving for less than a season before Shepherd settled on Sam Allardyce.
Then along came Ashley. Initially he was partnered by Chris Mort, who had helped Ashley with the takeover, and in January 2008 the pair sacked Allardyce, sensationally appointing Kevin Keegan as manager. A lot of people felt Mort was a good communicator who built important relationships with the fans, keeping them informed of the goings-on at St James’s Park and setting up things like the Newcastle United Foundation to bring the club into the community. Mort left in June 2008 and was replaced by Derek Llambias and thus began the regime of ‘Dastardly and Muttley’ at Newcastle United and it has been like Wacky Races ever since. (more…)
Hughton making the most of itWe waited with bated breath, following weeks of anticipation, even though the outcome was almost inevitable. Despite rumours of several incoming loans and transfers, today’s 5pm transfer deadline passed with only one addition to the squad and undoubtedly the biggest positive most fans took from today was that it appears that we managed to keep hold of everyone currently signed on.
Peter Lovenkrands proved to be the only body we managed to get on board before the summer transfer window slammed shut. Opinions of Lovenkrands are fairly high, ranging from those who think he’s canny squad player to others who think he will set The Championship alight. I’m at neither end of the spectrum but I suspect he will get more joy at this level than he did in The Premiership.
The problem is, that he represents what’s wrong with this football club, like they’re making it up as they go along. It seems both we and Lovenkrands flirted with the idea of a longer contract but could never agree and yet we had to go back, cap in hand because the situation was so dire that we had few other options. He’s a good option, no doubt, but it’s frightening that’s he so far the sum total of all our transfers-in activity. And how much has Hughton been kept in the loop as his public statements have cried out to the board to signal the arrival of new recruits while at least his pleas to stave off the sale of anymore of the current squad presumably were honoured. Who knows what ideas Hughton had and how many of the names mentioned in the public domain were on his wishlist? (more…)
