Highlights of our disappointing 4-2 defeat at the hands of Delia Smith’s Canaries at Carrow Road. As usual, I will endeavour to update these when better, longer ones become available.
Alan Pardew went into this game matching his opponents with a two big lads upfront appraoch, forsaking Ben Arfa for the silky skills of Shola Ameobi. However despite their good work upfront, a patched up Magpies’ defence found themselves outmuscled in the air by the powerful Norwich frontmen, Steve Morison and Grant Holt, who scored three goals between them in this 4-2 victory for the home side.
Newcastle did settle into the game more quickly than Norwich in the first ten minutes, but there were no big chances either way. The first real shot coming from Cabaye in the ninth minute after a fairly poor lay off from Ba, but it was straight at the Norwich keeper. However there was a scary moment for the Magpies fairly early in the game when Davide Santon handled the ball in the area. The referee didn’t give a penalty, but after looking at it a few times, both Santon and Newcastle United were very lucky to get away with that one! (more…)
Same master plan for world domination.In the wake of Newcastle United’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur this afternoon, Managing Director, Derek Llambias, has released another club statement.
The statement once sgsin highlights the clubs finances, summer transfers, youth development, managing / coaching staff, training facilities and supporters. Basically, I’m still struggling to dissect the differences between this statement, and the recent Q&A with the Evening Chronicle a few months back.
Either way, it’s good to have some communication from boardroom to fans, and below I have included the whole statement for your viewing pleasure. I hasten to add also that the statement, unsurprisingly, has a little bit of information about our new under-soil heating.
Enjoy…
Introduction
Now that the summer transfer window has closed and the new Premier League season is underway, the board of Newcastle United Football Club wish to present this review of our progress and set out our aims for the 2011/12 campaign and beyond. (more…)
New look midfield: Cheik Tiote and Yohan Cabaye in actionAfter the comings and goings of the ‘off season’, some of them obvious,, predictable, profitable and manufactured, it’s safe to say we now have a far more fluid midfield.
On top of the fluidity, we have also aquired a hell of a lot more pace. We seem very midfield focused at the moment, what with the possibilty of Yohan Cabaye being missing for the upcoming Spurs game. We also will lose the services of one Cheik Tiote when the African Cup of Nations swings around in January. No doubt losing his services a week or so before, as he meets up with his Cote d’Ivore team mates.
Both players will definitely be missed whenever they don’t play, whether by injury or suspension, but can we fill the sizeable gaps left? We have midfielders like Hatem Ben Arfa, Sylvain Marveaux, Dan Gosling, Haris Vučkić, Danny Guthrie to come in, not bad stand-ins, if you ask me. We also have versatile players like Ryan Taylor, James Perch and Shane Ferguson to come and ‘do a job’ if we get Davide Santon, Mike Williamson back into the defensive fold. So, as I was saying: We have a much more fluid arrangement from midfield to defence. (more…)
Enrique: Showdown talks break down.Alan Pardew has now confirmed that Left back, Jose Enrique, is refusing to sign a new deal at the club.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United’s pursuit of Swansea’s Neil Taylor, who was, reputedly, being lined up as a replacement for ‘El Toro’ seems ever more doubtful as the Swans’ manager, Brendan Rogers claims that Taylor is “very very close” to signing a new deal at the club.
Speaking of the Enrique contract imbroglio after seeming breakdown in previously reported showdown talks on a new contract, Newcastle United manager, Alan Pardew said this:
“He’s made it pretty clear that he still won’t sign a contract and that his future may be elsewhere.
“I’m not really comfortable with that, but we will have to deal with it.”
However Pardew refused to give up hope completely on keeping the player at the club adding: (more…)
Pardew: Looking forward to US trip.Newcastle United manager, Alan Pardew is looking forward to the team’s forthcoming 3 game tour of the United States.
Speaking to the club’s official website, he spoke of the trip as a chance to “focus completely on our job without any distractions”. He will also have a chance to get a good look at the club’s recent signings, and also some of the younger players who may be pushing for a place with the big lads. Pardew said of the trip:
“I know the facilities are top, top drawer, it’s good and accessible for our fans to see us.
“The training conditions are perfect, the competition will be good, and importantly we can focus completely on our job without any distractions – the food, language and climate won’t take any adjusting to and we can just get on with things.”(more…)
