Danger, danger...As a portion of the football world still await us tripping up and falling flat on our faces, Newcastle United continue to do what we’ve done best so far this season. A clean sheet and three points in the bag! Tonight’s 2-0 victory over Coventry City, meant it was our fourth clean sheet in a row (twelve in total) and our seventh win on the trot. The last time we did that, King Kev was in charge over 13 years ago. Let’s hope our season doesn’t turn out the way that one did though…
Would you credit it though? We were again outplayed for long periods of the game and yet we did the important thing which was to come away with a win. Despite being outplayed overall, Newcastle started well and with the confidence expected of the league leaders. Hughton also rang the changes from the previous game and with Nicky Butt coming in for Nolan, Pancrate in for Guthrie and Ameobi back from a long lay-off, there were three players buzzing to impress. Andy Carroll didn’t get involved at all.
This was another match for which Radio Newcastle were my eyes on the game, but with our defence looking shaky again to begin with, Jonas Gutiérrez gave us some respite against a Coventry side seeking a first win in ten league games. Fabrice Pancrate appeared to struggle against the pace of their other full back. (more…)
Sho or no-sho on Satda?Newcastle United’s usually mild mannered supremo, Chris Hughton, has come out with some fighting talk in the run up to Toon’s home clash with Swansea City on Saturday. In the interview, he spoke of Swansea’s fine defensive record this season (second only to Hughton’s own), and vowed to go in with all guns blazing in an attempt to break down their defensive fortress. Speaking to the Sand Dancer’s Gazette, he roared:
“Their record speaks for itself, they’re a tough team with a good shape, and they’re difficult to play against.
“We’re the home side, and we’ve got to force the issue. We can’t afford to take them lightly – they are where they are on merit.
“They’ve played some good teams, and come up trumps with some good results. We’ve got to make sure we’re on our game.”
Meanwhile, on the return of Fenham hitman, Shola Ameobi, Hughton told the club’s official website:
“We’ll make our mind up over the next couple of days but we’re fortunate that we’re on a good run at the moment and there’s not that pressure to bring him back.” adding: (more…)
Jus' chillin'?Chris Hughton has admitted that he is pretty laidback as the hour approaches and the ‘temporary loan signing’ window shuts at 5pm tomorrow night until February.
It has long been reported that Leon Cort has been on Hughton’s radar but Hughton has been telling the Chronicle that he’s not in any rush to sign players just for the sake of it:
“You never know, but realistically looking at the squad I don’t really expect to bring anybody in during the next month or so.
“Of course, all sorts of things can happen in the next 24 hours, and phone calls will be made on Thursday with players potentially becoming available.
“Some clubs might make a decision that some of the players who weren’t available earlier in the season are now there for loans. But we’ll see.”(more…)
World Cup dreams alive?And I’m not just talking about spending some hard-earned cash to go and cheer on The Three Lions. Shola’s talking about actually playing in the World Cup 2010. I know, I know, this is a kid who could barely get in the Newcastle first eleven until this season and has repeatedly underacheived year on year.
However, after coming into good form at the start of this season, he’s been giving some thought to representing Nigeria, his country of birth and where he lived until he was six when he moved to Newcastle. Having played for England at Under-21 level, originally that’s where his international dream lay, but in giving himself a more realistic chance of making the finals, he’s turned his attention to his home nation for whom he is still elligible to play.
Although I was blissfully ignorant to the fact, or at least had forgotten it happened, the Nigerian FA chiefs have tried to call him up to represent Nigeria before but it is only now that Ameobi has expressed an interest in doing so. Ameobi said:
“It was a great honour for me to represent England at Under-21 level and my mum and dad were so proud of me.
“But they would love to see me play for Nigeria. I see myself as Nigerian, I was born and bred there.
“It’s not about changing allegiances. I’ve got Nigerian roots and I’m proud of my country, the country where I was born and spent the first five or six years of my life.(more…)
Injection of pace?In contrast to Chris Hughton’s recent statement that he was more than happy with the squad he has leading into the festive period, it’s being reported that Newcastle are interested in signing what be the latest in a line of French wingers.
Apparently following in the footsteps of David Ginola and Laurent Robert, Fabrice Pancrate could be joining us if rumours are to be believed. The reports are coming from France Football, who are generally well regarded in the game with regards their information. Basically, they won’t mention it unless there’s any truth in it.
Of course they are some French boots to fill as both Ginola and Robert offered something unique and exciting to the team. Admittedly, I don’t know anything about this fella but he’s described as a striker/attacking midfielder. He’s currently out of contract after his deal ran out at Paris St Germain, although he’s still training with them. He’s had a loan spell at Real Betis and is apparently being pursued by a number of French and English clubs. He was pursued in the summer by Portsmouth, Everton, Sheff Utd and Burnley.
The suggestion is that our pursuit has come out of the blue and that we now stand at the front of the queue with potentially a deal being struck quite quickly. He’s apparently like **** off a stick, so that could be the pace we’ve been crying out for this season. (more…)
