Up to the task?Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew says we have to find new ways of scoring goals now that we’ve sold all the people that scored them for us last season.
It already seems like a geological time era has passed since the last Newcastle match and we still have to wait until Monday. There seems to be a general feeling of post-transfer window depression amongst Toon fans and we need a match to – preferably a winning one – to help lift the gloom.
Whilst Alan Pardew has allegedly ‘got over’ the disappointment of not signing the striker he was after in the transfer window, he does still seem a little unsure where our goals are going to come from. Pardew said:
“We are going into the unknown to a certain degree because a lot of the goals we created and scored last year are not in this team.
“But we have got a lot of new talent and that new talent is exciting and they have shown that in games. We are going to be leaning on them to make us look a little bit different and to create a different type of goal.” (more…)
Time to rough it in Mackem landHello and welcome to NUFC Blog’s match banter feature for the one we all wait for, though not for long this season. I am of course referring to our twice yearly derby game with Sunderland.
With Sunderland having home advantage this time at the Stadium of Blight, they will be far more accustomed to playing on a pitch which can often be an obstactle course of abadoned carrier bags, polystyrene fast food containers etc. Hence, Sunderland haven’t lost to Newcastle at home since the 2005/2006 season, when the Magpies triumphed 4-1 with goals from Chopra, Shearer(P), N’Zogbia and Luque, with Hoyte managing a consolation goal for the Tramps. Of course, most of you will remeber that last season’s results were a glorious 5-1 victory at home under previous manager, Chris Hughton, and a more modest 1-1 draw back at their place. Incidentally for more stuff looking forward to the big match, check out Jimbab’s excellent match preview. (more…)
Alan Pardew has the final sayNewcastle United manager Alan Pardew talks about Joey Barton’s potential selection for Saturday’s game against Arsenal and a dispute between the board and players about bonuses.
It appears that there will be no further ‘boardroom revenge’ against Joey Barton for his renegade Twitter activities beyond the fine he has already received and that Alan Pardew will have the final say as to whether he plays against Arsenal on Saturday.
The usually reclusive Pardew gave an interview for once and had this to say when asked whether he needs to clear Barton’s selection at board level:
“It’s my decision. I’ll probably talk to Joey before the start of training on Friday but I’m not sure whether he’ll start on Saturday, whatever answer he gives me.”
On whether or not Joey will actually see out his contract at Newcastle, Pardew said:
“Only Joey will determine that.
“I’ve said to Joey that he won’t play for me and I won’t include him unless I think he’s pulling for us. He’s in the process of weighing up what he needs to do.(more…)
He speaketh againNewcastle United manager Alan Pardew thinks we’ll have a strong side once it settles down.
Alan Pardew may have been conspicuously silent up until the end of last week, but he’s making up for it now.
In an interview with The Sunday Sun, he has been countering his earlier, rather pessimistic statement – in which he intimated that Europe is beyond our grasp for financial reasons – with a slightly more upbeat assessment of things.
When asked about where he thinks we’ll finish this season, he said:
“To be honest I’m not going down that line until such time as I see one or two players coming in. Our expectations I will gladly give you on August 31.
“We need one or two in for the squad to say ‘Hello, we’ve got all this and now we’ve got these as well’.”
Eh? Not really sure I understand that last bit, although it’s a cracking quote that had me spluttering Earl Grey for a while. Still, never mind, I’ll look forward to his estimate of our expectations on August 31st (I wonder if he fancies entering our Prediction Competition … I might email him). (more…)
Finds his voice againNewcastle United manager Alan Pardew returns to the public eye today with comments about Barton, Enrique, Twitter and Tranquillo Barnetta.
Inevitably Alan Pardew eventually had something to say on the whole Barton debacle. Allegedly the Newcastle manager’s tongue had to be put in a splint following an accident as it attempted to break the land speed record, but it’s now back in action. Pardew said:
“I’ve never closed the door on anyone and I’m not closing the door on Joey.
“He trained with the development team today and, who knows, he may train with the first-team soon.”
Who knows indeed. Pardew continued:
“It’s a situation I didn’t envisage being in.
“Joey is a great player and you want great players in your team. It’s very important as a football club that you are all pulling in the same direction – at this moment of time where Joey is not pulling in the same direction. That’s not to say that can’t change in a short period of time.
“I’m still reflecting on the situation, as is Joey at this present time, on how best to resolve this issue. I think that is important at the moment.” (more…)
