We're 8th but . . .

. . . we're closer to second than 10th.

There's beginning to be a noticeable gap between the chasing pack and the rest of the league. At the moment we're in the pack. If we can get something from the next 2 games, we may even be able to stay there.

On the one hand, happy days. On the other, it does make the points dropped to Hull and the mackems all the more galling. But on the whole, happy days.

 

I suppose the world is not perfect so you get results like Hull and Sunderland. Hull was solely down to complacency. Sunderland was more a case of a struggling with the nuances of a derby and lack of composure to pick the right passes to take advantage when we were on top. Two games we threw away 6 points being truthful. Not that we deserved more from them, more that we didn't do what we should have. West Ham at home too. To balance it, I think you could easily say that Spurs deserved something from the game with us too.

It really is crucial we make our next two games count. WBA will be tough and so will Swansea. I don't know what will happen with WBA, but with Swansea I think we might get something as they have a tough run up to it.

 

I expect 4 points from the next two games and if we get that we could even be top 6 by mid December.
Not getting carried away at all but of all the seasons.. this has to be the one where we dine near the top of the table surely?
All we need is for fatty to dip his sausage fingers into his clowns pocket and spend in January.

 

I don't see the Hull and Sunderland games as dropped points anymore as they were made up in the Chelsea and Spurs games. We are where we should be really. My biggest disapointment so far this season was the bore fest against West Ham.

 

What's really interesting is that now the league has stretched to having a "Big 6". On top of that, Everton and Newcastle would both count themselves as having an outside chance of breaking that elusive group, and this season in particular so do Southampton. So what you have now is a big set of NINE clubs each taking points off each other. If you took it that each one would win their home match, but lose their away fixture, these clubs are now only looking at 24 points from a possible 48. With only 60 points available from every other fixture, it's never been tighter at the top. The interesting thing is that this season every side has slipped up in crucial matches...except Arsenal. Arsenal only need to be better than "the rest" and provide consistency and they walk to the title. If Newcastle sort out their inconsistency and keep taking points from the likes of Villa, Cardiff and Norwich, then it's actually feasible they could still be in the mix at the end of the season.

Who'd have thought that too much money at 6 clubs could give the likes of us a sniff!!

 

WBA at home will be very tough, because they're a very efficient counter-attacking side. A draw wouldn't be the worst result in the end, and neither would one at Swansea.

 

What do people think the impact of CL football would be on Newcastle United? Personally, I think it would have about as much impact on us as it did on Spurs. Next to none, because unless you're backed by bottomless pits of money, you're forever playing catch up regardless of the competition you're in.

 

European football will always have a negative effect on league form for a club with our ambitions. CL would be slightly less than Europa. Not to worry, we won't be in either next year.

 

A 'Big 6' has certainly developed over the past 3 years. Spurs have been among the top-spending clubs for 35 years, Chelsea and now ManC have a bottomless pit of untold wealth, Arsenal and ManU have status and largely self-generated massive spending power, while Liverpool have a handy combination of commercial power and an ambitious owner.
It's always difficult to see how the status quo can change in the future, but Villa, Everton and us are the 3 clubs which theoretically could/should compete with the aforementioned 6 clubs if and when the stars collide.. But West Ham - with their geographical location and their government-funded state-of-the-art Olympic stadium - will surely grow in stature.

 

Not if Sam finds a way to take them down. His "style" will always handicap a side moving any further than mid table. The days of direct football breaking the top end of the table are long gone, regardless what stats and fitness outputs may tell him. I do think he is learning though, he does seem to play a bit more football these days.

 

Got to disagree on West Ham, mind. They haven't yet secured that stadium and their catchment of fans and global appeal is severely diminished by a mass over-balancing of London interest elsewhere.

Villa may punch their way back if their youth turn our right, which could - theoretically - create a big 6 + 4. If those 4 establish consistent credentials, it will be very, very interesting to see how the league pans out.

 

A big 6 plus 4 - - suddenly everything that's above average is elite.

 

I Wouldn't really say its a big 6, Liverpool & Spurs wont win the title. Its a big 4 and the 2 closest

 

If it's a big 6 then you've got to count Everton, bearing mind the last two seasons they've finished higher than Liverpool.

 

I think many believe Liverpool have progressed past Everton, but you have to remember Martinez has always openly said he prepares his teams to be better in the 2nd half of the season when teams other teams falter or get weary. Given he always managed this with limited resources at Wigan, you'd have to imagine he will be able to replaicate this at the very least. Liverpool may have edged past them but you can't really tell at this point. Liverpool do have a more ambitious/aggressive policy transfer wise though.

Spurs I thought early doors had clicked. It now seems that maybe isn't the case. A blip now is not horrific but we'll certainly know where they stand in the next 5 weeks.

Still just a big 4 to me. Arsenal, Man C, Man U and Chelsea. I do think Man U still look vulnerable. Like Martinez though, Moyes teams often improve over the season. All the changes at Citeh, Chelsea and Man U was what led me to whacking a bet on Arsenal. I did so before Ozil came in, but did on the basis they would make at least one big signing. That is looking a good bet at present but they have fallen from grace more than enough times to make me far from confident. However I do think the other may have given them a soft lead which may not be pegged back.

 

4 points difference from Liverpool in 2nd place to Spurs in 9th. There's still a lot to play for.

 

It would be grand to think that come the new year we could be sitting comfortably in the top half of the table.
However, my concern would be that doing well and having a respectable league position will only give credence to the Fat Controller and his sidekick in justifying the stance that, "the squad was strong enough".
This gives Ashley carte blanch to keep his mitts firmly in his pocket and refuse to strengthen in the January window. I hope they see that we are just an injury/ suspension away from doing really well and or dropping like a stone. We definitely need reinforcements and l truly hope they don't use our current good form as an excuse not to bring them in.

 

^^^^^^^

A vote for common sense.

 

That's the worry, if I was Pardew I would be telling Ashley now we have a chance of Champions League and that the club needs strong backing to get there, let's face it his job will be safe even if we finish 10th this season, which we are certainly on track to do better than right now.

 

As always, the club will live well within its' means. We may (or may not) buy a centre forward, which has always been on the cards, and a young right back to support Debuchy. This is the 'space' we have in the squad at present. Any further strengthening would be in 'swapsies', as in Obertan out - Ince in. We have always done that, it's one of the manager's key areas to keep slightly improving each position. Simpson is alright, Debuchy is better, but we as a club don't keep both when those with higher aspirations would.

Shola's emergence may hinder us in January in buying a CF. As far as Joke/Ashley are concerned now, we probably have the quota of 4 attackers in Remy, Cisse, Shola and Ben Arfa.