We haven't been tested yet

That is the argument that keeps getting knocked around in the media. Maybe not as much now, because beating Stoke away is a massive achievement, that even the media recognises. Now I know people keep making articles about this statement, but even if it is true what can they say in three weeks time. We will have played the two hardest fixtures of the season, away to Man City and away to Man Utd. Now, if as expected, we lose both of these fixtures, where will we be in the league?

Chelsea would more than likely jump ahead of us, they should beat Livepool and Wolves at home, so that is down to fourth. That means that Liverpool would not go ahead of us as they would have lost to Chelsea and then have a tricky home match against Man City. Arsenal are currently six points behind us with a goal difference of seven weaker. In there next two games they have an easy home match against Fulham, but a tricky away match against Norwich, where I would fancy Norwich to get a point. That means we would still be fourth. Tottenham would need to win two of there three games to go ahead of us, with a goal difference swing of five. They have away to Fulham and West Brom and at home to Villa. You would expect them to win two of them, but you never know. So after my predictions there we would be between fourth and sixth. So lets say we will be fifth, around 15 points ahead of relegation, with the two hardest fixtures of the season out the way. What can the media say then?

The point to this article is that although we may not have played away to any of the big teams, we have built up enough points to be in an extremely good position after playing the biggest two.

Additionally we now have 18 points extra this season out of the games we have played in comparison to how many points we got in the corresponding fixtures last season. That is amazing. We have improved in every game this season bar one, where we got the same result (Arsenal at home). This does not include the QPR game. So overall we are having a truly amazing and unbelievable season, even if we lose our next two games.

 

I don't understand how we haven't been tested yet. Surely if only playing the manchester clubs and chelsea means we've been tested then we're technically the 4th best club in the prem?

 

Exactly, that's what I say to everyone that questions Newcastle. The commentator at the game yesterday mentioned about us not being tested and said something along the lines of, 'but surely every game in the Premier League is a test, that is why it is the best league in the world'.

 

If or when we lose the headline will read Toon on the slide. We are where we are on merit. Yes we have had some luck but all teams get that but we have also played well, played as a team and Pardew has got his tactics right.

 

I was looking to post a similar article with a league table at some point, but from my very rudimentary maths the very worst we can be after City, United and Chelsea is 7th, and thats assuming we get nothing and everyone below us gets maximum points. I'd be very happy with that, especially since we've yet to play 2 of the promoted teams.

Plus I'll eat my hat if we don't pick up a cheeky point somewhere, and I'll eat Leazes balls if Liverpool get maximum points...

 

I hope for your sake that this doesn't happen. A diet of testicles and a hat can't be good.

 

Boiled, fried or curried?

 

If I lose weight I'm going to start selling it on QVC.

 

"A diet of testicles and a hat can't be good"

I'm not sure about that.....A knackerbowler glory is a very popular sweet.

 

Maybe he could kill two birds with one stone and eat a bollocklava...

 

Anyone been watching Sky Super Sunday?

The early kick off was Nobody 3-1 Nobody, what's everyone's predictions for the 4 o'clock kick off (Nobody vs Nobody)?

 

Villa have 15pts and they are 8th, so just from that if we lose the next 3 games and every team in the top 7/8 wins (haven't checked whether some are playing eachother) then we can only go down to 7th at very worst as we are on 25pts.

But as I say you might get Liverpool v Chelsea or something like that which could work to our advantage.

I hope that made sense.

 

Of course it made sense, its exactly what I said an hour before...

 

The only test i can see and have been saying is how we react to a loss whether that is to manure or Norwich is irrelevant as for being tested by other clubs I'd say stoke away is probably one of the hardest tests in the league that so called bigger teams than us have failed/will fail but which we passed so comprehensively this season.

 

Yeah but I think that we're the only team in the league that haven't played either City, Manure or Chelsea yet..

 

British media is built on knocking people. I'm expecting the recognition of overcoming the stoke test to be reduced now that a 'poor' Bolton beat them 5-0 today. If Man city beat us then we've been put in our place, there will be no mention of our injury troubles. We get any points and it will be all about how poor city were or lucky we were. I'm just getting on with enjoying it. It's nice to view a big game (Man U, Chelsea) and not be worried what a hammering will do to our goal difference because I know games against the other 14 teams could end in a positive result for us. We've spent too long playing well and losing against the top 5 then ****ing it up against the rest. A good season this year and we could get the everyones second team tag back. What difference does it make though?

 

Think we will draw at Man City and Man Utd then beat Chelsea. No problems

 

It's a fact that Newcastle United have now completed more than 25% of our Premier League fixtures, and yet we 'haven't played anyone yet' ? ...

Total ****ing bollocks.

By this logic, a quarter of the teams in the PL are **** and not a test - so I guess the media are saying we're playing in a poor league?

<****sville>

 

more like half, since we've played 25% but we play each team twice

 

It would be hilarious if we came out of the next three games unbeaten

Mind you, sunderland put up a fight against Man Utd there and could have had a point, so considering how we seem to play our best football when we're considered underdogs, I'm not automatically putting us down for defeat just yet.