Credit where credit is due. Fantastic start to the season. You can only play what is in front of you and they have done that extremely well. Does anyone else feel frustrated like me? We HAVE spent more yet are just getting our act together now (hopefully). It doesn't make sense x
Its a game of catch up now.. They have a hard run now for 5-6 games, lets see how the cope with the Mancs and Chelsea, But still, Pardew has got them looking canny impresive.
We have Everton at home, City and Manure away, Chelsea at home, then after that we have Norwich, Swansea, WBA and Bolton. If you come anywhere near us during our 3 really tough games, we'll shoot straight back up with the 4 winnable games after that Cheers for the articles though lads
The best bit last night.. Stoke fans sing.Denba Ba's a ****er, Denba Ba's a ****er Ba scores 3 Silence
Stoke fans are a joke. Booing Ba because Pulis won't sign him just like when they booed Ramsey when he played against them after his injury.
That had me chuckling away last night. Also the vitriol towards Ryan Taylor for using Rory Delaps towel Class support
Must admit I did not understand that, Ba did not turn them down they turned him down, cant see why its his fault.
Whats this? Didnt know that. They actually booed a player because he had the misfortune to have his leg snapped by one of their thugs?
Yeah but don't forget, Syd, we're talking about fans who boo players that have the audacity to get their leg broken in front of them.
It isn't really a catch-up though with the rough patch. Every team has to face everyone, so whilst we have Man Utd, Man City and Chelsea in which you guys could close the gap, when you go to face those teams, everything will be evened out again. The only difference is if one of our teams gets points in those tough matches where the other side don't. If we lose against Man Utd and Man City it really isn't a big deal as long as we pick ourselves up again. Not many teams outside of the top 4 (if any) will beat them this season, especially at their home grounds. I certainly wouldn't feel like we were at a disadvantage against the other teams if we do lose. Some right ****ish Stoke fans though last night.
Of course its catch up, we've gotta try and catch your lot up.. Don't forget you have to face the mighty Norwich and Swansea (i can hear you quaking from here)... Watched your match last night, and i even guessed the correct score (look at argus thread)...Bastard night games, kick- off 3am..
We've got a predominantly British team and it takes three months to gell. Newcastle is like the United Nations and they're third and playing like a real team. Both have had gut-wrenching departures, and one of us is still using that as an excuse. The other has put it behind them and is getting on with business. Frustrated? - bloody right. There's more bull excrement coming out of the SoL than you see at the entrance to an abattoir.
Well yeah, it is a catch-up, but only really through to the end of the season. Any rough patches of games eventually get evened out as everyone faces each other. 19 games in will be very interesting. I believe it's when we've all faced every team at least once, so both Newcastle and Sunderland will have tried their hand against Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs, whilst also getting a pop at the weaker teams to pick up points. Can't find the Argus thread. If you really did predict the correct score then well done They would have been cracking odds as well if you're a gambling man.
As youve have discovered tho mate winning/not getting beat is a good habit to be in and so a few games against top class opposition you may feel you can not pay much attention to if you lot dont pick anything up however it can have a bigger effect than you think. Take us last season, no1 was too worried when we went through the start of our poor run as we had played Chelsea, Spurs, Everton, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City and sumwhere in there im sure we played Stoke away back to back. I for one was simply saying lets not get too carried away, we'll pick up points against the lesser opponents, however then loses to West Brom Birmingham and Fulham followed as the pressure was on to make up for prior loses and confidence was low. As has already been said tho credit where credit is due, cracking start to the season for you lot. Says a lot for simple effective transfer policy and tactics, whilst continuity also plays a massive part. Keeper in the form of his life, same back 4 played week in week out, two out and out wingers, holding midfielder and a creative midfielder and two strikers, one of whom is in marvellous form. Doesnt seem like too much of a tricky formula to setup, hopefully we can follow suit and implement something similar and pick up a few points and make it a bit more interesting, getting really old you lot winning!
I've noticed that Bruce has FINALLY went with a 4-4-2 which actually seems to be working much better. I bet he feels like a right tit now.
There can be no doubt that they have achieved this by playing well in the 10 games so far but it has to be remembered that many teams have gone off like a rocket only to be pegged back. However, even a moderate next 28 games should see a top half finish possible, which should be applauded and is. We need to be much better in our next 28 games to reach the top 10 finish that Bruce will ultimately be judged on but much can happen between Saturday and May 13th 2012 and it will be interesting to see hopw the season pans out from here. In the meantime, I do congratulate the mags for their first quarter 3rd place. It would be churlish and pointless to do anything else to be honest.
Critical difference imo is whether we buy in January, and I honestly think we will. Ashley isn't stupid, and he knows the foundations are set for a cracking finish if we bolster the squad.
Just plain stubborn mate. He towed the line about 'protecting' young connor which may fly if he hadnt 'protected him' from Brighton in the Cup, a level which he had played against week in week out for the previous season and a half. Hopefully the message has got through that 4-4-2 isnt so bad and playing a 5ft odd striker up front on his own may not be the way forward, hestitate to say that even if that 5ft odd forward had been David Silva he would have been made to look more like Jon Stead than the Spanish genius that he is.
