Number 1
16 years ago
10 months ago
3,650
Between more takeover talk, more evidence the strikers at the club aren't fit for purpose, and all the other crap, can't really see this season being anything other than just never ending tedium.
terriersmad
16 years ago
3 years ago
744
I've been very encouraged today. We certainly didn't deserve to lose to Spurs. For the most part, we were the better side and, again, with a little more luck we could have won the game. Hitting the woodwork yet again was frustrating - we're 4th highest in the league for that stat (4) and at some point those are going to start going in rather than bouncing out.

The officials settled the contest, there can be no doubt. They somehow contrived to miss clear fouls in the build-up to both goals, as well as an offside in the build-up to the first and Rose's spectacular dive for the penalty. They may as well have worn Spurs shirts all afternoon - they took the piss. We all know that you're not going to get a decision against the top six, but to also somehow miss Löwe being wiped out in the Spurs box inside the first five minutes on top of the other game-changers was an absolute joke. Their decisions robbed us of what would have been a well-earned point.

Last week we can complain about the offside goal allowed to stand. Two weeks ago, we can rightly say Zaha should not have been on the pitch when he scored after his five-minute temper-tantrum featuring him spitting at Mooy, flattening Hadergjonaj and two clear shows of petulant dissent. To say we've been dealt a buff hand this season is an understatement. Decisions haven't gone our way at all. The bounce of the ball has just gone against us. We're working hard, doing the right things, and results haven't reflected performances. We do have a problem putting the ball in the net, but the last four games have seen us create plenty of chances and it's just not gone in. Deflections, fine goalkeeping, poor finishing and just plain bad luck have gone against us.

I do think we'll go down, but we're by no means as bad or as doomed as the press seem to paint us. We've had a hell of a tough start - barring Cardiff and Palace, all our our first 9 fixture are against last season's top 9 - and we've played OK. A bit more luck sees us walk away with a handful more points. Today's performance was good - intense, in their faces, showing no respect and getting into them and causing real problems - and it's a sign that if we do go down, we'll go down fighting. Can't ask for more.
Shola
15 years ago
5 years ago
2,708
Between more takeover talk, more evidence the strikers at the club aren't fit for purpose, and all the other crap, can't really see this season being anything other than just never ending tedium.


Tbf our tactics rely on us having Didier Drogba upfront. - They don't work unless we have Didier Drogba.

Just focus on finishing 18th. I think we can finish above Huddersfield and Cardiff. - Southampton may get caught in but they'll get a short term bounce for sacking Hughes and that'll get them up to the 32 points or so needed. - There's also the fun possibility of being relegated with the best goal difference ever.

I'm certain we're playing a strikerless formation anyway. - Joselu as a number 10 with Perez in CM and Shelvey & Diame as DM's
BR.
17 years ago
2 years ago
1,896
Brighton 1-0 West Ham, almost HT.

Interesting game Sunday, Liverpool-City. Liverpool certainly know how to beat them and City haven't won there for yonks. Liverpool have had some difficult games though recently and City are probably coming into it in better form, Liverpool's front three haven't clicked yet either this season - though it wouldn't be a surprise if they did on Sunday!
VP.
13 years ago
1 week ago
25,271
Liverpool will win due to being the home side but still think Man City will go on to win the league.
Number 1
16 years ago
10 months ago
3,650
Fuck me that last 20 minutes was depressing.
Shola
15 years ago
5 years ago
2,708
They're terrified of winning.
Number 1
16 years ago
10 months ago
3,650
I don't know what it is but this has the air of a season, much like 2008/09, 2014/15 (or at least outside everything October-December), 2015/16 or the relegations in the 1970s and 1980s, where nearly everything that can go completely fucking wrong does.

If we repeat today's first half performance and goalscoring in other games, then we should get something, but the longer we wait for a win, the further risk we have of this hole being too deep to climb of, and that's even before the fact it feels like we're repeating the late-Pardew/Carver trick of always just being slightly less good than our opponents. Its basically a limp until January and hope the purse strings will be loosened sufficiently, and even then, could well be too late.
VP.
13 years ago
1 week ago
25,271
Could see Newcastle would lose that game within 5 minutes of the second half starting, looked nervous and had no idea how to see the game out. Though in all fairness they should have scored 7 goals before that.

Was quite hilarious seeing Man Utd fans celebrating as if they'd just won the quadruple though.
King Luis
17 years ago
1 month ago
3,111
Happy to have that horrible run of games out of the way, all things considered i'm happy with how it went. Napoli loss was disappointing but we should still qualify, we've not played anywhere near our best yet and we're still unbeaten in the league having played 3 of the top 6 along with some of the tougher teams outside of the top 6.
Number 1
16 years ago
10 months ago
3,650
Bloody hell that Ramsey goal that made it 3-1 at Fulham was a fantastic goal.
terriersmad
16 years ago
3 years ago
744
At some point we're going to get the luck we deserve. We've hit the woodwork six times. We haven't scored at home in a quite frankly ridiculous 120 attempts. We've had every decision possible go against us. The performances have deserved more.

It's not helped by the officials. Today we've been desperately unlucky. The Milner handball is a penalty - Michael Oliver plays advantage, presumably thinking that it's just outside. Firstly, there's no advantage there. Secondly, it's inside. It's stonewall. I do wonder whether officials are told not to give any kind of marginal call against the top six, because when you compare what we haven't got against the top six compared to what they have, it's a bit of a piss take. Sterling, Sanchez and Rose have dived - penalties, all. Identical challenges in the same game have been treated differently (Quaner nudged from behind in the Liverpool area - no penalty; Salah nudged from behind in the Town penalty area - penalty). Pritchard is flattened in the Chelsea box - nothing, and then Chelsea go down the other end and get a penalty when we've clearly won the ball. Löwe is wiped out in the Spurs box - nothing. And now Milner playing basketball in the area with nothing given. The other way around, I suspect that's given. And I suspect that's true for the majority of the rank and file against the top 6, just we've really suffered from it this season. At 0-0 v both Chelsea and Spurs, we should have had penalties, and at 1-0 v Liverpool we should have a penalty. Perhaps we don't go on to win games, but it's a damn sight easier to do that if the officials do their job properly. Perhaps it could have been worth 3 more points. Neither does it help when calls are going against us in every other game - Leicester's equaliser was marginally offside, Tarkowski should have been sent off for his stamp on Depoitre, Zaha should have been off before he scored a few weeks back, with the same going for Calvert-Lewin before he equalised at Goodison.

As for the offside, it isn't. Simple as. Van Dijk's body position is such that Pritchard is onside - daft as it is to say, Van Dijk's trailing leg means that all of Pritchard is on (despite what those utter morons on MOTD say). It's a brilliant little finish. 1-1. I can deal with the handball not being given if the goal stands. But as it is, we've not got the point we deserved from another very good performance. Can't ask for more from them at the moment - a little more composure, perhaps, but in terms of attitude and spirit we've been tremendous of late.

But I go to football to be entertained. At the moment, we're entertaining without end product. The first win is coming - hopefully next week v a very decent Watford side.
Number 1
16 years ago
10 months ago
3,650
I could bemoan the fact Brighton's goal came from a corner that wasn't and via a major deflection, but really, our lack of a strikeforce is the bigger problem.

We somehow finished 10th despite a run of 1 point in 2 months last year, but with such a crap start and a weaker overall squad, breath is not being held for a recovery any time soon.
Shola
15 years ago
5 years ago
2,708
I could bemoan the fact Brighton's goal came from a corner that wasn't and via a major deflection, but really, our lack of a strikeforce is the bigger problem.

We somehow finished 10th despite a run of 1 point in 2 months last year, but with such a crap start and a weaker overall squad, breath is not being held for a recovery any time soon.


https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRm266y9ouxsvsEkP3iwgWN9xnfvic3aKEgopTNawZIYo2N_PUe3Q

The King needs to return.
Shola
15 years ago
5 years ago
2,708
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/AnFxuTbHgMdNJIp8f5tk79wyh8kchLBsVqpadPPJ.png

Remember when Newcastle were 8th and everyone was really upset with the manager? (Despite having no where near the money Benitez has available or the ability to be in control of transfers).

Remember the following season when our main goal scorer Remy fucked off and Pardew was given Facundo Ferrerya and Riviere to compensate? (And we were like 9th or something when he fucked off)
Eric Portapotty
14 years ago
1 week ago
3,322
Imagine being a Pardew apologist in 2018
Shola
15 years ago
5 years ago
2,708
Imagine being a Pardew apologist in 2018


Its genuinely mental. How warped people are by the media and twitter. I think this is Newcastle worst start to the season. and Newcastle's worst home run since the 1950's. Benitez was a good manager 15 years ago - he doesn't seem to be any more. - This is currently sub-John Carver stuff. - We're on track to break Derby County's PL record.

Under Pardew Newcastle were consistently doing better. Fairly consistently challenging for the top ten. While having less resources. Getting Newcastle relegated, Getting them Promoted with the largest ever second division budget, doing alright for a season and then getting relegated in a whimper? We could have just got in Steve Bruce for a 10th of the money.

It's the exact same energy as Trump. People have invested in them Trump/Benitez so will defend literally anything they do. Even if it means completely re-writing history. Newcastle needs to lose its arrogance and learn its lessons. Arrogantly mocking finishing 8th because the manager isn't fashionable enough. - Imagine how much of a cunt makes that you? We fucking deserve relegation. And to be honest I think I want it. Benitez to leave and a manager who wants to be here is brought in and about 10k of 'fans' to completely fuck off - hopefully forever.


Number 1
16 years ago
10 months ago
3,650
The less resources line is bollocks - Pardew nearly got relegated in 2012-13 with a better squad than we have now, and still presided over the clusterfuck ending to 2013/14 when we blew a real shot at the top 6, even if selling Cabaye didn't help. He didn't get approval, but given his ideas apparently included Darren Bent and Colin Kazim-Richards, he didn't have that bad an alternative. In any case, 2018 might be the wrong time to stick up for him given he's probably torched his PL career for a little while after the Palace/WBA clusterfuck. Although Ashley probably would be mad enough to give him another go.

Rafa is not bulletproof - at the end of the day, he picks the team and right now, the team is doing shit. The timid caution against Cardiff, Palace and Leicester in particular was not great and made for shit watching on highlights. But even so, the team did come 10th last year despite having a squad that wasn't that good, which indicates the manager was able to do some good, and given Ashley declares "every penny" will be spent, you'd think there would be a decent bit of cash to give a go at improving a squad that got a top half finish in such a ludicrously wealthy league. Hell, if Brighton, Huddersfield and several Championship sides can spend big cash, surely the club with the retail billionaire could?

But no. Instead, we've made a player trading profit and have a squad that is shitter, particularly in attack. I'm aware it wasn't Ashley's fault that Benitez didn't get on with Mitrovic or wanted an upgrade on Gayle, but hell, who wouldn't have gone for something else if they thought they might get upgrades rather than a half-fit loanee who didn't score that many for WBA last season and someone who was never that prolific in the Bundesliga to begin with. But at the end of the day, Ashley never fucking learns. I know things on the pitch are bad and they are by no means entirely excused by the off-pitch nightmare, but Ashley is still making exactly the same mistakes he made with Keegan, Hughton and Pardew, even if the latter seemed more willing to take the punches. There is no merit to his continued presence. The mood might well improve if he cuts his losses and goes to ruin some other club.

Incidentally, it appears Pardew was on Goals on Sunday yesterday and said that Benitez is in the same place he found, in that Ashley is very much not helpful and doesn't help his managers with appropriate funding. It remains a bit shit the only manager he's really backed with funding was Steve McClaren, whose dreadful form in the first two thirds of 2015-16 with a squad much better than our current one on paper - if not in motivation, clearly - makes him a bigger reason for that demotion, even if it was Benitez in post when it was too late.

… that went on longer than I thought it would do.
VP.
13 years ago
1 week ago
25,271
Liquid football.
BR.
17 years ago
2 years ago
1,896
Arsenal going well. Expectations for this season VP? Get back into the top 4 or are you starting to aim higher?
KEZ_7
17 years ago
20 hours ago
1,875

What a goal that third one was
Number 1
16 years ago
10 months ago
3,650
I wonder how much longer Spurs' new stadium is going to be... looks nearly ready from the recent photos.
Dawg1
5 years ago
1 year ago
38
I wonder how much longer Spurs' new stadium is going to be... looks nearly ready from the recent photos.
2019 but no exact date
Grimnir
16 years ago
2 months ago
2,727
Lots of sad news today.

First, Glenn Hoddle collapses in the BT Studios and is rushed to hospital. Then, Leicester's owner's helicopter crashes just after take off.

Hopefully everyone is alright and recover quickly.
terriersmad
16 years ago
3 years ago
744
All a very grim weekend.
Eric Portapotty
14 years ago
1 week ago
3,322
Awful stuff this weekend
King Luis
17 years ago
1 month ago
3,111
Really enjoyed watching Arsenal this season but how on earth is Xhaka considered a professional footballer?
Number 1
16 years ago
10 months ago
3,650
Seeing official confirmation of the tragic news from Leicester does not make it any easier to hear about. Its an appalling situation for all concerned.
Eric Portapotty
14 years ago
1 week ago
3,322
Really enjoyed watching Arsenal this season but how on earth is Xhaka considered a professional footballer?

Why the fuck did someone Thank you for this
BR.
17 years ago
2 years ago
1,896
Return of the PL tomorrow, crunch game down the bottom with Ranieri's Fulham v Southampton. I'll always stick up for Hughes given the job he did here but yeah, if they have one or two more bad results he'll be in big trouble.....

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