Top of the table by a respectable, though admittedly not as great as it could have been, 3 points. Newcastle United in terms of the table are doing very well, and to even tell of half of the off-pitch antics in the circumstances, would put their position in an even better perspective.
Lately though, with a goalless draw to Bristol City and 1-1 draw with QPR, that dominant, killer instinct Newcastle have displayed in games such as a 4-0 drubbing at Ipswich has faded slightly. Now, hit by injury to 4 key players, Newcastle will look to the International break as a time out in order to regroup, recover and reassess their promotion campaign.
With Shola Ameobi scheduled to return around early December, Marlon Harewood will look to catch up to the striker's early season impressive goal tally and prove a point to Chris Hughton. Marlon has already got himself a goal since arriving on a 3 month loan and from his movement and physical ability, looks a player who can do very well again in the Championship, after leaving a respectable record in the league with previous clubs.
Jose Enrique is expected to shrug off a minor injury and be available for the Nottingham Forrest match after the international break. However, I can't help but feel that this is a sign of things to possibly come, and despite Enrique technically not missing any games, this highlights that had the International break not came at such a time, we would have been without a recognised left back for another game. This is surely something Hughton, Ashley, or any prospective buyer must look at putting funds towards; cover on the left. My personal reccomendation would be a player like Armand Traore from Arsenal; an experienced Premier League player, who is an attacking left back, so if needs be can fill in up the pitch in that left wing spot that Jonas Gutierrez can unfortunately too often flatter to deceive.
Joey Barton has, not by his own fault, just gave Newcastle fans another negative thing to discuss against him, with an estimated 4 month time out for a foot injury. The news however shouldn't be looked upon too badly, as at centre midfield Newcastle are most adequately covered, with Butt, Nolan, Guthrie, and a reformed Alan Smith all natural players for the position. Barton's performances since dropping down a league have seemed to drop a league themself, and maybe this time out can be used for him to get his mentality and sharpness back. Whatever works for him, we hope he'll prove himself to be a player we're glad we've stuck through after jail, more offences, numerous injuries and below par turn outs.
So come the Forrest game, we hope NUFC players have used the 2 weeks wisely, and we see a convincing victory with some goals to make up for a lack of clinical finishing lately.
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Keegan Saga Concludes, Moat Takeover?
Kevin Keegan earlier this week walked away with £2million obtained in a bitter court case between himself, current owner of Newcastle United Mike Ashley, and former Director of football Dennis Wise. The details of the case have been widely published and we see Kevin has bagged himself £2million from the whole ordeal. However, figures being banded about from Keegan's side during the ongoing proceedings grew to an astonishing £25million, which certainly drew Keegan's love for the club into question.
The figures being touted by Keegan's side in the case surely must have been made accessable to potential bidders for NUFC, who's identities remained for the most part secret, after Mike Ashley put the club up for sale after a torrid season ending in relegation. This could only have served to put off prospective buyers, after Ashley himself stumped up a £100 million for sale sign outside of St. James' Park. With the numbers adding up, at the end of the day it seemed nobody was prepared to shell out possibly near over £150 million, for what is on the surface, a troubled championship club.
Troubled it may be right now, but looking past all of the jokes from people outside of the area and the majority of press created tosh, Newcastle United is a club with a 52,000 seater stadium, with 10 internationals in their squad and may as well be crowned the best supported in the UK. How can Portsmouth be taken over twice in what, a month, and us left stranded with an owner who doesn't want us, and potential new owners who seem hesitant to put the final stamp on the deal?
However, the press have had another stab at doing the impossible... Predicting the next move in this drama. It is has been reported that Barry Moat, already heavily assosciated with Newcastle by owning a suite at the ground, will step into Mike Ashley's shoes soon and take over as owner of the club. Those shoes will hardly take much to fill, and if Moat comes in he only has to read a timeline of catastrophic events in the Ashley era as a guidebook of "How Not To Treat NUFC and 52,000 Loyal Fans".
We can only pray that Moat, if he really is to become the new owner, will take note of Ashley's failings and connect the club better with the fans. Not to mention, we hope that should that (hopefully inevitable) promotion come, he has the funds and chooses the right manager wisely to keep us back in the league we should be; the Premier League.
This is my first post so obviously not going to be my best, all comments and feedback welcome, and constructive criticism will definitely be taken on board, thanks for reading and tell your mates about this blog! I'll do my utmost to update as often as I can, pending college work and other stuff doesn't get in the way, cheers lads.
The figures being touted by Keegan's side in the case surely must have been made accessable to potential bidders for NUFC, who's identities remained for the most part secret, after Mike Ashley put the club up for sale after a torrid season ending in relegation. This could only have served to put off prospective buyers, after Ashley himself stumped up a £100 million for sale sign outside of St. James' Park. With the numbers adding up, at the end of the day it seemed nobody was prepared to shell out possibly near over £150 million, for what is on the surface, a troubled championship club.
Troubled it may be right now, but looking past all of the jokes from people outside of the area and the majority of press created tosh, Newcastle United is a club with a 52,000 seater stadium, with 10 internationals in their squad and may as well be crowned the best supported in the UK. How can Portsmouth be taken over twice in what, a month, and us left stranded with an owner who doesn't want us, and potential new owners who seem hesitant to put the final stamp on the deal?
However, the press have had another stab at doing the impossible... Predicting the next move in this drama. It is has been reported that Barry Moat, already heavily assosciated with Newcastle by owning a suite at the ground, will step into Mike Ashley's shoes soon and take over as owner of the club. Those shoes will hardly take much to fill, and if Moat comes in he only has to read a timeline of catastrophic events in the Ashley era as a guidebook of "How Not To Treat NUFC and 52,000 Loyal Fans".
We can only pray that Moat, if he really is to become the new owner, will take note of Ashley's failings and connect the club better with the fans. Not to mention, we hope that should that (hopefully inevitable) promotion come, he has the funds and chooses the right manager wisely to keep us back in the league we should be; the Premier League.
This is my first post so obviously not going to be my best, all comments and feedback welcome, and constructive criticism will definitely be taken on board, thanks for reading and tell your mates about this blog! I'll do my utmost to update as often as I can, pending college work and other stuff doesn't get in the way, cheers lads.
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