Not always pretty viewingWell, on a night when Chris Hughton made Nile Ranger a second half stranger, all the points almost went to Queens Park Rangers and their pacy danger but the game ended all square at 1-1. This was arguably the best side I have seen Newcastle up against so far this season and with pace throughout their team and Routledge always a menace, QPR could well have nicked the win. They were neat and tidy and industrious and with more of a clinical edge in the final third, they could be strong candidates for promotion.
So with that in mind, we had our work cut out but rather than counter it, we seemed to give them a helping hand on a night where several players were not at the races.
Hughton started with the same back four that finished the Ipswich game except Danny Simpson returned from injury to slot into right-back as replacement for the injured Coloccini. Guthrie returned on the right side of midfield in the absence of Ryan Taylor, and so we began the game with four central midfielders playing a compact and narrow formation with Nolan pushing in behind the front two. (more…)
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…)
Kwai Chang NUFC I was quite upset a few weeks ago when David Carradine died. I was an avid fan of the ‘Kung Fu’ TV series in the 70’s, so it was a shock to read that Kwai Chang Caine is no more. I particularly liked the way he used to preach pacifism, tranquility and peace but always ended up kicking ten bells out of someone before the end of the programme.
Kwai Chang Caine was a Shaolin Monk of the Zen Buddhist persuasion and such people believe that all suffering in life is caused by craving and expectations. If you don’t crave anything you won’t suffer when you don’t get it, if you see what I mean.
Bear with me, I’m getting on-topic now.
It is fair to say that Newcastle United supporters could teach Zen Monks a thing or two about suffering. Since the era of Sir Bobby Robson – and possibly even before that – things have been steadily getting worse for our club, mainly, I’d venture to suggest, because it has been run by clowns. First it was Freddie Shepherd rigging up the bucket of water to fall on our heads and then it was Mike Ashley ensuring we were never short of a custard pie in the face. Oh how we laughed, and so on and so forth.
But you know all that. What I’m wondering is what constitutes a realistic set of expectations from here on? (more…)
The glamour of it all.With the fixtures for next season due to be published tomorrow, it’s a nasty reminder that we need to be ready for battle to commence in just seven weeks time.
How scary is that? With a club up for sale, no manager, no assistant manager, possibly no first team coaches, all the first team squad currently up for sale, no preseason friendlies organised, no communication from the club, NUFC a national laughing stock, we really are up the proverbial creek without a paddle. (more…)