Where we'll be by January (in theory)

Hehe, take a picture and print off a 100 copies and stick them up all over your town center.

 

We will be above Everton thats for sure!

 

I think Tiote and Cabaye will do a good job against Modric and Van der Vaart, to be honest I think we have the perfect team to counteract Tottenham and think we can definitely beat them.Fancy Ba Best and Ben Arfa to cause them problems. As long as Simmo can keep Bale away from our box of course....

 

Agreed and I believe we will 3-1

Remember when we went on this mad run of smashing them 3-1 haha

 

I'd like to see Ban Arfa start on the right up against Assou-Ekotto, think he could tear him up.

 

Ben Arfa has it in him to tear any defence apart. Be great to have him fully fit and doing what we know he can do.

 

this simmo at rb would leave me bricking it every time the spuds attacked though santon is a must at lb aswell

 

I don't know if I agree with your position however I just looked at our fixtures and we have a very tough November on the cards. We have City (A), United (A) and Chelsea (H) on the bounce, not to mention Stoke away on Halloween!

 

Given how tactically inept Pardew is, I think we'll still be struggling around second or third place.

I honestly can't see us topping the table whilst he's in charge, however if we get Fat Sam back then I could see us really challenging.

 

Looking at your table, I know you're saying that it's "in theory", but I don't think there's ever been, in the entire history of the game, 6 teams who had amassed 40 points or more at the half-way stage of the season. Nor do I think there has ever been an occasion when a team had only dropped 2 points at the half-way stage either. Put it this way - at the half-way stage of the season last year, only one team had managed to exceed 40 points - United, who had 41. The year when Arsenal went the entire season unbeaten, even they had "only" amassed 45 points at the half-way stage.

And I don't think there's ever been a time, certainly not since 3 points for a win, when 3 teams hadn't reached double figures at the half-way stage either.

To the poster who suggests that 15 points from 12 games would be poor, put it into context. 30 points at the half-way stage would, considering that form can be maintained, equal 60 points come the end of the season. Even after Newcastle's superb start, I'm sure most of you here would jump at the chance of finishing the season with 60 points. Only twice, since the the top flight season consisted of 38 games, would that total have seen a club finish outside of the top 8. And on 12 occassions (out of 24 seasons), would see a team finish 6th or higher.

 

if we did the unthinkable and got something from those games, i might just be tempted to put a bet on a top 6 finish

 

I think Spurs are the strongest they've been in a while, but for some reason they have always found us a difficult game. They can comfortably beat teams even better than ours, but when it comes to us, for one reason or another, they find it difficult.

It might just all come down to the playing styles of each team.

Anyway, the only away games Spurs have won this season are against Wigan and Wolves, and considering how well we seem to be playing at home with the fans behind us, I think they'll face a tough test.

 

We've got a reasonable run of fixtures between now and the end of the year. To be sixth, seventh or eighth come the end of Decembers isn't that unlikely.

Spurs (h) - 1 point is realistic. Spurs are getting stronger but we generally do alright against them at SJP.
Wigan (h) - 3 points, we should have more than enough here and seem better against lower placed sides this season.
Stoke (a) - 0 points, trying to be realistic although we could come away with a point.
Everton (h) - 3 points, Everton have a threadbare squad and no strikers. A win here is very realistic.
Man City (a) - 0 points.
Man Utd (a) - 0 points.
Chelsea (h) - 1 point. Last year we showed we can match the best at home. 1 point maybe.
Norwich (a) - 1 point / 3 points. Very unsure here, on paper we should win but it could be one of those games.
Swansea (h) - 3 points. Swansea are very different away from the Liberty Stadium.
West Brom (h) - 3 points. Very winnable fixture.
Bolton (a) - 1 point. They'll improve, given our humping there last season I'd take a point.
Liverpool (a) - 0 points. Not gonna happen.

So around another 16 points. If we're on 30 points come January I'll be delighted.

 

"Anyway, the only away games Spurs have won this season are against Wigan and Wolves"

To be fair mate, they've only played 3 away games - to win two of those (the other being a loss against Man United) isn't exactly bad!!!

 

"So around another 16 points. If we're on 30 points come January I'll be delighted"

Why aye Cabaye - I think your predictions are pretty good all said and done. I can see Newcastle suffering a "shock" loss against a team they'd be expected to beat - maybe Norwich (who look decent at home), but by the same token, I can also see Newcastle getting a win against (one of) Chelsea, United, and City. Chelsea being the most likely (if only because that game is one that you're at home). Also, Everton may prove a difficult game - they've given us - City - our hardest game of the season so far, but (again by the same token), you are, in my opinion, too strong for Bolton so I reckon you'll win the game at the Reebok.

Around 15-16 points is not an unreasonable return from those fixtures by any stretch. So if you do manage that points return, well, if I were a Newcastle fan, I'd be delighted. Any more than that and I'd be over the moon.

 

bit biased...

 

Would have been happy with 7th at the start of the season but looking forward to much more now.

 

Sunderland 05-06
Derby 07-08

 

The quantity is largely irrelevant. The only away games they've won are against Wigan and Wolves, and they aren't really the largest threats in the league, are they? For that reason, I see no evidence yet that they're going to be too difficult at home, and especially at SJP.

 

The quantity is hugely relevent. Put it this way, it may ONLY be Wigan and Wolves they've beaten away, but by the very same token, it's ONLY United who've they've lost to away from home also.

No team can do any more than win a game. You say that you see no evidence that Spurs are going to be too difficult to beat at home, well, again by the very same token, there is really no evidence to suggest that Spurs WON'T be difficult to beat at SJP. Unless you think losing to United at OT is somewhat out of the ordinary.

And let's use your own logic against you - who have Newcastle faced who can be considered to be the "largest threats in the league"? Answer - no one, with the arguable exception of Arsenal. But then, although you didn't lose that game, you didn't win it either. So in that respect, again using your own logic, Newcastle's own start to the season really isn't that impressive is it? Are you prepared to follow your own logic and admit that?

Seriously, I can't believe you've just wrote what you just have. If you really do believe Spurs won't be difficult to beat, you're getting a little too far ahead of yourself. Ask anyone one of your players if they would feel the same...