Which Premier League manager will get fired first

Tuesday 17 August 2010

Up Against It

Wrapped in nostalgia to queue for a show
Back to Trafalgar, One kiss then I'll go


Newcastle United returned to the big time last night and due to the cruelty of the fixture computer resumed their familiar refrain of losing at Old Trafford. February 12th 1972 was the day they last got 3 points at Old Trafford and they haven’t won since I was born 10 days later. While it may be mere coincidence that Newcastle haven’t won away at Manchester United while I’ve been alive (and if it isn’t then it will be a long time until they do) as a United fan it is really rather fun looking forward to what seems to be guaranteed points every season.

The main problem for Newcastle fans is that while they are the eternal optimists they can’t help looking back and comparing the current squad with teams of yore whether it bee the FA Cup winning side of the 1950s, the Malcolm McDonald led side of the 1970s or more recently Kevin Keegan’s irrepressible side of the 1980s and the problem this time around is the current squad doesn’t even have better players than the side that got relegated 2 years ago. A lot of the blame is directed at Mike Ashley since he decided that NUFC would be run like a business (i.e. have to make a profit or at least break even) and that Keegan would waste the transfer money he was given unless someone else scouted out the players for him. The first was an excellent idea the second a fatal mistake that led to the Geordies spiralling down into the Championship on the last day of the season.

The key question this season is do Newcastle have a good enough team to stay up and do well? It is hard to judge on last night’s performance as United were excellent with Paul Scholes imperious in central midfield but you do fear that Andy Carroll is not a number 9 in the mould of Andy Cole, Alan Shearer or Les Ferdinand and unless a more prolific striker comes in then they may suffer, especially if they continue with the defensive generosity that Keegan’s team were noted for. It is a lot easier to outscore the opposition if you have a partnership of Cole/ Beardsley or Shearer/ Ferdinand up front that if you are starting with Andy Carroll and Alan Smith.

I also have some concerns about how inventive the team is. There is no David Ginola, Rob Lee, Ruel Fox or Scott Sellars type player to provide the invention needed and there is some doubt that Gutierrez or Routledge can fill that gap satisfactorily. I have no doubts that Newcastle will stay up but it will be a long hard slog and unless they get some invention and guile into their forward play rather than having Carroll as a human battering ram then they will be up against it or otherwise with their penultimate game away to Chelsea as they go past Trafalgar Square it may be one season then they’ll go.

You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/adampsb but I'm busy pretending to be pop stars I don't like and cancelling all their concerts. (sorry Axl)

13 comments:

  1. Decent read as ever, although i prefer my blogs more depressing and aldershot focused. That young ginger lad united have signed is a breath of fresh air... but why fergy has put a campbells meatball upfront beffudles me.

    I think Newcastle will do well as high as 11th but no lower than 15th.

    Oh and did you see Aldershot destroy Southend... Peep the stats if you dont belive me... very luck it were only 1-0.

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  2. You still cheated for the goal - was almost assault on our keeper - bloody refs

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  3. Hi Adam,

    First time I've read your blog or seen your pic. You look like one of those kind men that I see now and then taking a blind dog for a walk. Ruel fox? Ahem . . !

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  4. Typically bias blog. If I wrote a blog it'd be just like this one.

    Just one question, wasn't it only 2 points for a win back in the days when yer Mother was feeling her first contractions? And then, shortly after you'd stopped suckling, Man U got relegated. Funny old game.

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  5. we may have got relegated and yes it was 2 points but it wouldn't flow right and yes we were relegated but so were they and also they didn't win when we were

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  6. I think Newcastle will struggle, the team is weaker then the "too good to go down" lot that were deservedly relagated two seasons ago. A relegation dog fight is on the cards me thinks.

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  7. Adam, so the barcodes were up against it, so they should be against the favourites to finish 2nd again

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  8. Nice read mate. It's just I've just gotten to it, but I'll beef up my comments when i get home. Ciao for now, I've introduced a few mates of mine to your blog, same as RBA so soon you's gon have yourselves some stalkers

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  9. But I don't do twitter, I tried it and realised Paris Hilton had a twitter page, so I opted out coz i was scared i'd loose the last bits of my mind left....... And because I use my mind for work, i didn't wanna get fired for stupidity

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  10. Boo!

    The problem with Newcastle?

    There is no problem with Newcastle. They're shite.

    For your info. I'm not Irish. I'm a red-blooded (but not ginger), Dundee United supporting, canny Scot. Och aye the noo and all that.

    BTW, IMHO The Last Boy Scout is one of the most under-rated movies of all time. Brucie gives the performance of his career, fuck me, even Damon Wayans is hilarious in it. Favourite scene:

    When Brucie boy kills the guy that keeps punching him when he wants a light for his fag. One of the best movie scenes ever. Including Milo and the dead guy's mate.

    Keep it real

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  11. Tone you're right they should be teh underdogs against this season's likely champions (yes it is biased but I have to be optimistic). I just think they will tsruggle against a lot of sides unless they get some craft in there.

    Hopefully Blackpool can be this seasons Birmingham City

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  12. ha ha with the benefit of hindsight.....the magpies have just beaten the villa 6-0 with a carroll hattrick........i still think they are shite though.

    well done fulham.....GAAAAAAAAAA! As soon as i saw it was Nani stepping up to take the pen, i winced.

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  13. was not happy with that. As SAF said afterwards why didn't Giggs take it - 2 points thrown away this weekend

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