So many positives, is this really Newcastle?

There are so many positives with NUFC at the moment, it is hard to believe that I am talking about our club.

You know the one, the club that is in meltdown, all the best players have left or will be leaving, useless puppet of a manager, signed all those Frenchies (none of whom will be able to adapt to the Premiership), got rid of all the players that kept the team spirit alive, signed a load of injury prone players and are relegation certainties. Yes, that's the one!!

So how good is it that we have had such a tremendous start to the season, through to the 4th round of the cup, unbeaten in the league, Krul, Saylor and Colo are in great form, Tiote is getting back to last year's impressive form, Cabaye looks tremendous, HBA is back and looking good, Marveaux is beginning to look impressive with Abeid putting in a solid display last night, and Best is still continuing his excellent goals/games ratio.

Most of us on here know only too well that our beloved club is always only a heartbeat away from controversy, and we have come to expect Ashley and Llambias to drag our name through the mud, but lets just enjoy this moment in the "sunshine of positivity".

Of course we must not allow ourselves to get too carried away, and there is still plenty that needs improvement, but we have every right to be proud of Pardew and the boys.

 

Remember how miserable loads of people were after the QPR performance - how quickly things change! A win v Blackburn and there will be euphoria!

 

I'm loving things at the moment. If we win on Saturday we are on 12 points. That is pretty much a third of the way towards the survival total and considering we have been written off by all the pundits to be on that many points after six games would be amazing!

 

...and Wolves to follow. A minimum of 4 points is a conservative estimate for the two matches. Six is possible with everyone fit.

 

Trying not to get too ahead of myself . Although that is very difficult and there is a realistic chance that we will avoid defeat in the next four games! Imagine being unbeaten 9 games into the season, that would be class! But as I say lets just look to the next game

 

I think Villa was a good marker, given our performance in the last few seasons at Villa Park it gave us all a boost to see how we played, especially in the second half and shows we're progressing well.

Yeah, probably best not to get to ahead of ourselves - just enjoying the feel good factor. Think how happy we all are with the season so far and some of the performances - the players must be buzzing.

 

I think that realistically 4 points would be an excellent return from our next to games, Blackburn (h) and Wolves (a). But as we said yesterday, it is important that we get points from games against team like these.

Confidence within the squad must be very high and when the team really gels, and HBA and marveaux are playing regularly, we should see some pretty decent football being played by our lads.

 

Really chuffed with the start we've made to the season, we've had a couple of results where we've rode are luck but I'll still take the results.
Only games I'm looking at are the next one, Blackburn at home. A team that we seem to struggle against, but looking at their team and their performances we should be getting a result out of.
I think the result against Arsenal has papered over the cracks for them, 2 OG's and an offside goal is more than just riding your luck.

On a slightly diffrent note did anyone listen to the 5Live Extra commentry of the match last night?

The commentator and Dean Kyle we very complimentry of the players we've brought in (Marveux, Ben Arfa, Cabaye) and thought Pardew has done well in the market and league considering the players that have left.
Not used to people complimenting the team!!

 

However Dean Kiely was blatantly 'tugging' over the thought of a threesome with Greening and Miller.

 

Have to say it's a bit optimistic to expect at least 4points in the next 2 games. When was the last time we beat Blackburn at home? And wolves are doing ok this year

 

Blackburn are very poor at the moment and we have been unable to beat them due to there physical nature and there route one football. They no longer play just route one and they pass the ball a lot more and if both teams are playing 'football' we will win because we have better players. Also we drew away to Wolves last season, so why can't we again? They have lost two in a row at the Molineaux as well.

 

I agree and have said that 4 points would be an excellent return, but this is not impossible. Blackburn always give us a tough match but they are not playing well this year and I am hopefull of 3 points. Wolves away are a different prospect and I would be more than happy with a point.

 

He was a bit excitable about Greening

 

Simon. You asked "is this really Newcastle", the answer will be in the next turn in the road, which will be either be left, right or over the cliff edge.

Thats the thing about supporting Newcastle, you never know which way things will go next and you can't rule out the totally ridiculous.

 

Think we've done well so far although slightly dissappointed we didn't beat QPR & Villa, from what I've seen of us this season we should really have beaten them.

 

Villa - Yes

QPR - No lucky to come away with a point IMO, if they had a striker that could hit the target that night we'd have been humilated.

 

OK was a bit of a generalisation and the way the game played out you're correct but we really should be beating the likes of QPR, although they do have the lad who left us who for European football. Also same could be said of us, if we'd put our chances away we would have won the QPR game.

 

Listening to Villa match it sounded like we should have won but I agree that QPR on the night were the better team and we were fortunate that they couldn't score for toffee.

 

Don't all get your hopes up, Alan Smith will be back from injury soon to reck our cup run!