Steve Harper's exit: Strange and baffling.Of course, as most of you will already know, Steve Harper’s one month loan move to Brighton was confirmed earlier today, with ex Charlton keeper, Rob Elliot now replacing him as the full time backup for Flying Dutchman, Tim Krul.
Speaking on the move in a rare interview, Newcastle United’s Silver Supremo, Alan Pardew, said:
“The paperwork isn’t finalised but in principle, I think he’s likely to play in this evening’s game. Harps is very keen to play and obviously he’s a top goalie. It’s an opportunity to him to play and that’s what he wants to do.
“For Brighton, it’s a real coup for them, so we’ll just see if it all gets confirmed later.
“He’s sat here behind Shay Given for so long and is so unfortunate to have a top young goalie come through the ranks like Tim to push him to one side.
“But he is a goalie who’s going to play for the next three or four years at the top level, so it’s an opportunity for him to show his wares.”
“Show his wares” could imply that Harper is being lined up for a permanent move from the Magpies. Some might also say, alternatively, that Pardew wants to see what he can do in proper competitive matches. However, the second seems unlikely as Harper has already more than proved himself at Newcastle United, and Pardew comment that he would be showing his wares to play “three or four years at the top level” tends to suggest that a permanent move to another club is on the cards eventually. (more…)
NUFC - Showing our credentials ths season?Many critics have spoken about Newcastle’s fantastic start to the season, and merely dismissed our position due to the teams that we have played.
To coin a phrase that is normally reserved for the top four (well we are now anyway), “They can only beat who is put in front of them”. So I thought I would preview a few of our upcoming fixtures.
Sky TV continually shoves this “greatest league in the world” down our necks at every opportunity, often followed by the obligatory “no easy games in this league” statement.
Yet why are Newcastle United still not getting the credit they deserve?
I believe that against Spurs last week we really showed our credentials, twice coming from behind to draw with a team which on paper is far superior to ours. Let’s not get carried away, we know that we aren’t going to win the league. But attempting to emulate that Manchester United never say die spirit will go a long way to helping boost the Toon’s fortune. (more…)
Key player?Newcastle United appear to have ‘options’ in many areas at the moment as Shola’s substitute appearance last Sunday seemed to prove, but is there any player we simply couldn’t do without?
Remember Ultravox? They were a lively and ‘edgy’ band when John Foxx was driving things but, when Foxx left, Midge Ure introduced a brand of commercial bland that concomitantly ruined their music and launched them to commercial success. ‘Vienna’ was a big success for Ultravox whilst John Foxx skirted the lower borders of the top 40 singing about ‘Underpants’* (click click drum).
The point, though, is that Ultravox survived the change of personnel and it seemed there was no one person without whom they were in the mire. In my warped and befuddled brain, this is just the sort of analogy that leads me on to Newcastle United and whether or not there are key players without whom we’d be rowing up the creek of excrement without any paddle-shaped objects. (more…)
Ben Arfa: Ready for a starting place?Hatem Ben Arfa has had a somewhat unfortunate time on Tyneside thus far, but with his injuries now hopefully behind him, will we see him make his first Premier League start this weekend against Wigan Athletic?
You may remember the 3rd of October 2010, when a psychopathic Nigel De Jong decided to attempt a ‘tackle’ on our French-Tunisian play-maker, resulting in Ben Arfa sustaining two breaks in his right leg (tibia and fibula). The road to recovery was long, and despite Alan Pardew’s hope of Ben Arfa returning before the seasons end. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see him in action again that season.
Pre-season began prior to the 2011 – 2012 season, and Ben Arfa played in our first friendly, a 2-0 victory at Doncaster. Ben Arfa lined up as one of a midfield five, playing just behind loan striker Leon Best in a 4-3-2-1 formation. As United began their tour of the U.S.A, many of us must have thought it would be the perfect opportunity for Hatem to settle back down into the first eleven. Unfortunately again, he was victim of another injury, this time damaging his ankle in a match versus Sporting Kansas. (more…)
Ashley:Turned his back on Pardew for two months?It’s somewhat of a rare occurrence to hear from Alan Pardew, as it’s not often he conducts interviews…
Obviously, I’m being extremely sarcastic, and Alan Pardew has been talking once again, this time in regards to Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias. I’m not entirely sure where the interview originated from, but I picked it up via the Sky Sports website.
Interestingly, Pardew not only talks inevitably about the “efficient” job Mike Ashley is doing with Newcastle United’s finances, but also there is a little bit about last seasons final game, the 3-3 draw at home to West Brom. That game consisted of Newcastle having a 3-0 lead at one stage, only to be pegged back. This resulted in Newcastle dropping from a potential 8th placed finish, and ending up finishing in 12th.
Rumours circulating at the time said that Mike Ashley was extremely upset with the failure to protect that three goal lead, but these rumours were quickly dispensed. From Pardew’s recent comments I’ve included below, you’ll see that Ashley was indeed slightly annoyed with the result.
