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#156069 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
It did seem like playing him when he sounded unfit would be a bit of a risk, and one that has backfired spectacular.
I missed the first 20-odd minutes of the second half but that Skrtel handball at the end was a ridiculous one both in terms of it happening and the fact only the cameras spotted it. But I daresay the upshot of all of it is that Liverpool are now the favourites.
Makes it interesting if Norwich win next Sunday.
#155989 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
#155968 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
Maybe that's why I don't bet.
Good control and finish from Sterling though.
#155965 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
The problem is you have to change expectations as you go along, and a long bad streak when you've surpassed your minimum expectation can yield trouble. Look at West Brom - they were 4th in November last season with a team built around a loan striker (Lukaku), then coasted to the end, and never really got out of that coasting spiral. This streak of poor performances is not conductive to a good mood.
The relentless streak of excuses Pardew comes up with to justify defeats is also not helpful. Yes, Stoke had a lucky wind-assisted goal and yes, we should've had a penalty, but he never accepts the premise his team have played poor, or that he picked the wrong team/tactics/both. At some point, you just stop believing everything he says
But like it matters. I don't imagine him leaving the club anytime soon.
#155871 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
While this is true, the fact is also that we were 6th after beating Stoke on Boxing Day and had a legitimate shot at, if not quite a top 4 challenge than at least holding our own for a high finish. Barring one or two exceptions, the performances since have been painful and I daresay four months of frequently poor football has finally drained the optimism away.
I accept top 10 is preferable to last season, when it took us 37 games to make sure we were even able to stay in the league. But its been astonishing how flat 2014 has been so far - the only two genuinely impressive performances were at West Ham (Cabaye left within 10 days) and Hull (tainted by that stupid head-nudge). Pardew's ridiculous truth-bending doesn't help our mood with him.
Still, the relegation battle does make for compelling viewing. Sunderland look to have used up all their lifelines, but elsewhere, its anyone's guess. Be quite something if Norwich, Cardiff and Fulham all survive.
#155817 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
Yes. We've lost more games by 3 or more goals than we've actually won in 2014.
#155737 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
Pardew blaming the local media, the wind and the referee is yet more deflecting from the central issue that his team selection, tactics and performances since the reverse fixture have been (barring one or two exceptions) fucking useless.
#155494 Newcastle Thread
Number 1
It is interesting to read this idea that they wanted to amass some kind of Geordie Galactico XI, particularly when played against the fact they replaced Robson (a very capable manager) with Souness (worse than useless).
But I did say that the business model was a mess that was going to end poorly - they did make themselves very wealthy, while borrowing a ton of cash from Barclays and advancing adidas and Northern Rock sponsorship fees to fund trophy signings with limbs made of felt, thus causing problems on and off the pitch. What's depressing to read, however, is that we were actually making more sponsorship and matchday money while they were driving the club off a cliff. The stats are there - in 2006/07, we had matchday and commercial income of around £61million, whereas in 2011/12, the same income made around £37million. So while it made more overall turnover, nearly all of it was Sky TV money and on those two merits, the club is a failing business: http://www.themag.co.uk/tyne-talk/ggg/
Yes, I guess it was a sham resignation. Plus the fact Douglas Hall's dad was owner meant the shares were never going to be taken away from him or his mate Fat Freddy. I suppose its naive to have expected him not to weasel his way back to the top. Also interesting to see a lack of anything about this time reproduced.
We'll probably never know.
#155327 2013/14 Kit Thread
Number 1
I was thinking that. adidas really have embraced designs with a "WTF" feel - bit like some demented '90s revival gone too far.
#155088 Newcastle Thread
Number 1
I'm guessing he was missing the £750k a year pay packages he had for himself. I mean, Ashley is clearly not interested in us beyond free promo space for his business enterprises, but a return for Shepherd would hardly be progression.
#154808 Newcastle Thread
Number 1
#154804 Newcastle Thread
Number 1
#154382 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
True - I thought they'd blown any hope they had of a title with the twin defeats at the Etihad and Stamford Bridge after Christmas.
I don't know if they're gonna win it or not but a win next weekend will mean they're the title favourites, like it or lump it.
#154329 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
They're playing us on the final day of the campaign. If they're gonna drop points at any time, its not going to be then.
#154246 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
Is nine Premier League sackings this season a record?
#154158 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
#153844 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
No, I get that - least it would show a slight of attacking life. Aside from Cisse and sometimes Ben Arfa, we recently haven't looked like providing a goal. Gouffran certainly looks like he's given up and is only playing due to lack of genuine alternative.
Lose all the remaining games in a similarly inept and woeful fashion?
That'd be genuinely troubling - Swansea and Cardiff should be easy home wins, and being mauled by Stoke would also be a kick in the face.
#153821 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
Wait for Rooney and RVP to come back and you'll get your wish.
Its all usually PR guff but there's a problem all round at the moment on Tyneside - this was the 6th time in 2014 we've lost be three or more, and a lot of the players yesterday were either making errors or completely useless. Providing entertaining football is one thing but providing a team capable of playing football is a more fundamental basic and at times recently, we've looked incapable of doing that.
#153557 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
#153210 2013/14 Kit Thread
Number 1
Terrible ad campaign, bizarre kit colour choice. Also good luck using that against Liverpool.
#153151 2013/14 Kit Thread
Number 1
#152491 Transfer Rumours 2013/14
Number 1
#152412 Champions League 2013/14
Number 1
#152184 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
I know Southampton think they can someday win the Premier League but it would take huge funding, keeping all their best players from other teams that try to cream them off and a shit load of luck. Even in trying to break in, you'd have to try and take advantage of the teams having the off season (Spurs and MUFC) and then make sure you can cope with Europa League, which seems to be a draining tournament.
So, yeah, like fuck is Big Sam going to leave.
#151820 2013/14 Kit Thread
Number 1
#151797 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
I seem to remember him tracking back in the 5th place season and a few times earlier this one as well, although probably not regularly enough. Even so, he does seem to be wasted more often than not. Thought at least he's getting game time, unlike the likes of Sammy Ameobi, Marveaux and (the admittedly useless) Obertan, who seem to have gone missing.
But the team is carrying an alarming number of passengers in search of either a formation or motivation. Seems to be that they think this top 10 bonus Ashley promised means that they can do just enough to secure it (12 points on 11th place means we probably already have done enough) and then just turn up for the other games.
I mean, 4 wins in 14 since Boxing Day is unacceptable, not least given a number of the defeats have been maulings.
#151758 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
But it seems as though AVB wanted different players to the ones Baldini recruited, and when he got the ones he wound up with, had no idea on how to play them with his more defensively-minded strategies. So it was a combination that was perhaps always going to end badly, one way or another. Even then, they were six points from 4th at the time, so its not as if they were that significantly off the pace. Its fairly clear that after the initial promise, Sherwood has not exactly been an improvement.
Consensus seems to be HBA is going to leave in the summer, and who can blame him - he's never given a chance to play in a position he might influence proceedings, and usually seems to be the scapegoat when things go awry.
Tactically, Pardew really has problems. Yanga-Mbiwa is not a right back, Sissoko is not a right-winger, Gouffran is seemingly restrained, we frequently have nobody on the pitch that can deliver a coherent corner or free-kick and we seem to be reliant on Cisse (form really seems to have gone), Shola (useless and going) and de Jong (somehow worse than Shola).
I get the feeling if Man United get beaten by Bayern we're going to be a very compliant stress relief tool.
#151609 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
#151608 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1
#151219 Barclays Premier League 2013/14
Number 1