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2012/2013 Season Thread


Scootray

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Surely the only worries about you can have about Newcastle can be "If and when" they sell the best players? Tiote, Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Cisse, Ba? After the season they had last year?? In my opinion Newcastle were THE most entertaining side in the league last year, they were never going to surpass that this year?, plus theyve had injuries / suspensions and obviously the "suposed" unrest of Ba?

Get Shearer back in!! i can almost hear it now ( J )

We may lose our best players but I have complete confidence in the scouting team to keep coming up with cheap gems, so I'm actually not massively worried about that. Don't get me wrong, I'd probably have a mini-meltdown if Tiote or Colo left, but it'd only last as long as it'd take to get a replacement in.

I think newcastle fans ought to factor in the Europa League and how critical an impact European competitions have on clubs (even the top ones) in general. Newcastle don't exactly have strength in depth; they have a pretty solid starting 11 (with one or two excellent flair players) which ought to win more games than they lose. However, beyond the first fully fit 11, Newcastle do not have many quality players who can make a positive difference in a game, and that's just the way it is really. Pardew got his excuses in before the WBA game regarding Europa Cup hangovers and how little time he actually had with his team to prepare for the league game following the Europa Cup game. And although my initial reaction was "Wise up Pardew, and stop making fucking excuses before the fact - you're a professional and ambitious football club and you ought to cope", but actually, I think he's correct to point out that, at best, he has less than 2 days with the players to prepare for the next league game on the Sunday after games in Europe. That is not a long time to work on drills related to the forthcoming game.

Newcastle were a relatively pressureless club last year, and that undoubtedly aided their progress and their style of playing in most games. This season their fans are more expectant (just see Murr's post), and with that comes considerable pressure, especially when coupled with the lack of signings and more competitive games to play. It's the same team as last year, but they have more games to play at awkward times, and the club might take a few years to settle into being a regular team in European competitions. It's not just that the players will be fatigued following the European exploits, but it's the lack of time the management team have to prepare their players for the following league game. One day of training to prepare is not nearly enough for a club who largely had between 3 and 5 days to prepare for EPL games last season. Each match requires a different strategic approach depending on the opposition, and one day is hardly enough to impart all of the instructions, work on set-plays, team shape, passing range/tempo, and defensive line. I think all of the above factors are contributing to Newcastle's relatively poor performances this season, but they are still picking up a healthy number of points and I think they'll perform more fluidly as the season goes on.

Just remember where the club has most recently come from. The Championship.

The only expectations I have of my football team is that we don't embarrass ourselves and continually strive to improve our performances. That's it. I loathe when people trot out the "Newcastle expectations" spiel (I'm not saying you did, btw... because you clearly didn't) because it's complete toot.

I have genuine concerns about Alan Pardew's management of the team. I am not calling for his head, nor do I think he should go. That'd be ridiculous after that he achieved last season (the most enjoyable I've ever had as a football fan, for the record). He is unquestionably making bad calls this year and I hope that he is smart enough to learn from them. The one positive is that we've played very professionally in Europe, so I hope that continues.

I'd be very happy with a top ten finish and a good run in the Europa League this season. Nowt else.

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Think Tiote is the only one i'd expect or be fearful of leaving, Man Utd are screaming for that kind of player, suprised its taken this long, guess thats testament to how Ashley is running the club latetly, he seems to have changed peoples opinions of him quite dramatically. But to be fair, Newcastle did most of it without Tiote last season! so no worries there.

As for the old "were a big club, we should be winning stuff" atittude, i think that went after the relegation, and good riddence. Some might argue, its the best thing that couldve happened at the time. ( it certainly saved you Alan Shearer in management spell :) Im really looking forward to watching the Toon do the business in Europe this year, semi final...maybe even a final!! ( touch wood ).

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Langfield had a good game last night I thought. We gave St Mirren a good run last night; as soon as Cammy Smith went up to take the penalty I knew we'd lost. I really really like Smith but there's no way a 16-year-old can take that much pressure. For a manager who constantly goes on about experience I don't know what Brown was thinking there.

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Yeah there was a tiredness issue in the second half of his first season then after that he lost a bit of form and then seemed to lose all confidence in shooting.

On last nights performance though he looked very lively, he was tireless in the game and on that performance deserves a shot in some first team games.

Giroud changed the game when he came on made a big physical impression and scored a great header. I'm not sure why commentators are riding him so hard when he plays (finding it hard to settle etc). He just hasn't got a run of games yet in a row. He's scored 3 goals in 9 games and got 4 assists. He's hardly doing awful. At least a third of those games are as a sub as well. Scored a good goal for France as well the other week when they played Spain, earned them a point.

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