Last season’s heroics and the Toon Army’s European adventure are starting to feel like distant memories as this year’s patchy form continues. Finishing in a European spot will still be a priority for Eddie Howe, but mounting injury concerns will be a worry.
Anthony Gordon is the latest star to be injured, lasting just 30 minutes in the 3-2 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Gordon’s form has been a highlight of Newcastle’s season, and losing him for important games against Fulham and West Ham could be a real blow to Eddie Howe’s preparation.
Newcastle are waiting for more news on Gordon’s knee injury with Howe saying the star man was in a bit of pain and it did not look good. This will also come as a huge blow to Gordon who looked like he was in contention for an England call up. (more…)
Newcastle United squad have certainly had their problems with injuries recently, and suspensions too, the most notable being Sandro Tonali’s huge 10 month ban for innapropriate gambling activities. But how does it compare with other Premier League sides? and more specifically, is it because of European competition?
On the first question, even with the return of Alexander Isak and Miguel Almiron, as of 26th July, the Magpies still have the joint worst injury list along with Manchester United, with both teams missing 13 players from their squads due to injuries and suspensions according to (more…)
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester. Date: Sat 7th Dec, 2013. Kick off: 12.45pm. Referee: Andre Marriner. UK TV: BT Sport.
Well both teams go into this one still reeling from defeats in midweek.
For the Magpies, Alan Pardew’s four game winning streak was brought to a shuddering halt after a tactical masterclass in adversity from Swansea’s Michael Laudrup. After losing their third striker Alvaro Vazquez to a groin strain, Laudrup reacted by bringing on Nathan Dyer and using Jonjo Shelvey in a so called ‘false nine’ role. They went on to transform the game with a goal each, with Shelvey also forcing Mathieu Debuchy into scoring an own goal for a 3-0 defeat.
Newcastle United are still roughly where they should be in the league though, seventh. Meanwhile, Manchester United certainly aren’t after their midweek defeat to Everton. The Red Devils thought they’d try a grumpy Glaswegian as manager for a change, but now find themselves languishing two places below the Magpies in ninth place with only six wins from their fourteen Premier League games so far. (more…)
Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle. Date: Sat 30th Nov, 2013. Kick off: 5.30pm. Referee: Phil Dowd. UK TV: Sky Sports 1.
Could we be celebrating four wins in a row this evening?
If the Magpies do manage to wrestle a juicy three point worm from the Throstles at tea time, it would be the first first time they have managed such a feat since March and April of 2012. Back then, they beat Norwich, this evening’s opponents, Liverpool, Swansea, Bolton and finally Stoke in a 6 match winning run, before finally succumbing to a 4-0 hammering at Wigan.
Although that was in the Spring before last, the side had an unseasonal 4-3-2-1 ‘Christmas Tree’ formation with a potent ‘delta force’ of Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse and Hatem Ben Arfa up front. During the West Brom game in that run I jokingly referred to Alan Pardew as ‘Alan Pardiola.’ The Guardian’s North East football correspondent, Louise Taylor, actually took me seriously and the phrase stuck amongst spme fans for a while. (more…)
Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle. Date: Sat 23rd Nov, 2013. Kick off: 3.00pm. Referee: Mike Dean. UK TV: None.
Chris Hughton’s Norwich City seem to be a team in transition at the moment.
Despite bringing in quite a few new players in the last transfer window and very creditable 11th and 12th placed finishes in their last two campaigns, they still have a very modest squad by Premier League standards. Both Hughton’s predecessor Paul Lambert and Hughton himself punched well above their weight, so much so that some Norwich fans have become rather unrealistic about the squad’s real strength, with some ingrates even calling for Hughton’s sacking when, for the first time since they were promoted, they were about where they should have been, third or fourth from the bottom of the table.
Quite a bit if this has probably been due to the two managers difference in approach. Whilst Hughton’s predessor Paul Lambert would have a go, I think it could be said Hughton’s approach to get Norwich punching above their weight in the League was somewhat more cautious and ‘defensive’ in his first season at Carrow Road, albeit with very similar results in the League for the two managers. (more…)