I'm optimistic about next week

And I actually put your name forward as a Newcastle mod at one time.

You've got to be optimistic to be a Newcastle supporter, otherwise we wouldn't have any supporters.

 

And I actually put your name forward as a Newcastle mod at one time.

You've got to be optimistic to be a Newcastle supporter, otherwise we wouldn't have any supporters.

 

Contender for post of the year my eyes are taking a piss

 

We lack bite in midfield

 

There was plenty of structure and plenty to like about the first half on Saturday. It was a cracking performance. We just need to show some minerals and repeat that over 90mins. The players have to stop feeling sorry for themselves and get on with the task in hand.

 

If we only play well in one half we're unlikely to win. So there is just as much reason to be pessimistic as there is to be optimistic, depends how you want to look at it to be fair.

Having said that have you seen Pardew praising Mbiwa & Taylor as our two best players second half? If so does that not concern you given that you've labelled their second half performance as awful??? A point would be a fantastic return providing Villa lose tonight. I think a point might just be achievable as Suarez is missing for them.

 

Massively worried by those comments. I realise they defended fairly well, and he is going to look after his players but tactically they were awful as a pair. Neither showed any game knowledge and he couldn't have been that impressed because him and his coaches were screaming at them in the 2nd half to get out! So what he is saying pubically is not ringing true and whilst you can get at them behind closed doors, sometimes you have to expose them a little.

I like what I saw first half. We were smart, oragnised and moved the ball well. What I saw 2nd half was terrible, mainly from the players though. They need to accept some responsibility, and I'm not sure Pardew defending them in the media will encourage that.

 

I happen to agree with you that he has never once openly been critical of the players. I do disagree about the reason they sat deep second half but I do think Pardew should let the players publicly shoulder some of the blame, if only to remove himself from the spotlight for a bit. All of the flack is going his way and at this moment in time he simply can't handle it. After all the players are grown men, earning vast amounts of money so the very least they should be able to do is take a bit of a public "get your act together" from their manager rather than him making himself look a fool by listing every excuse known to man for our failings.

 

Reluctantly, I have to agree with both of these posts. I can only see us struggling in this one, Suarez or no Suarez, for many of the reasons given by SBRJOD and Seahorses above. I would be delighted to be proven wrong again (I predicted we'd beat the Mackems 3-1 FFS), but I have a bad feeling about this.












I hope that my reverse psychology works and we now thump the dippers 3 nowt!

 

I'll never understand this modern mentality of "everything is the managers fault". The players are actually on the fecking pitch! They play football every day of their lives. Why do they not have to shoulder blame anymore? They are so wrapped up in cotton wool its unbelieveable. I can't understand why Saylor or Mapou couldn't work out they need to just squeeze the game. Even if we disagree on why it happened, it wouldn't have done any harm to try something different instead of waiting fo the inevitable.

Bloody hell, when I was playing football at a Northern Alliance and even Sunday League we had players who were smart enough to change things on the pitch. You have to lead. I don't think Ferdinand or Vidic need SAF to tell them to get out, they just understand football.

Those two worried me on Saturday in game management terms.

 

I reckon we'll win 3-1.

 

This is why I have such concerns about the Liverpool match. With their movement and Gerrard's vision/passing, our defence will be all over the shop.

IF Colo is back, IF, then we have a chance.

 

One day, we might actually win a game 3-1 and then the weekly prediction won't be so funny!

 

I'll be giving it a try this week.

 

Do, or do not. There is no try.

So just flaming well get the bloody three points please! Thank you!

 

It's strange to be fair, as although I'm not optimistic about the Liverpool game I am optimistic that if we stay up and get a brave, attack minded manager that we could actually challenge for the top 6 next year with the addition of 2-3 new players. We have such a talented team/squad which is what makes our current situation all the more frustrating.

 

Yes Obi, certainly Obi, whatever you say Obi sir.

 

Hehehehehehe bite you amaze me sometimes

 

Are you all Mr T in disguise ?

Since the January transfers came on baord, we've managed 19 points out of 11 games. That equates to 66 points over 38 games, which is one more than we got last season.

Sunderland hurt. Yesterday had a feel of anticlimax about it but our form with the current crop of players is very reasonable. Especially if you factor in dumping two good sides out of the Europa League and coming within one kick (HBA, 89th minute) of dumoping out benfica.