Second Wind? or Gone With The Wind?

After salvaging a late draw at home to S*nd*rl*nd and falling to defeat away to Arsenal, the season is Newcastle United's to throw away now.

Promising results have been consistent yet surprising for the Magpies this term and the current league position reflects that rate of performance.

However with the likes of Liverpool, S*nd*rl*nd, Everton and Fulham all sitting just below in the standings and finding more momentum in picking up points than the Geordies, I for one am beginning to worry.

A sexy sixth spot could very easily transform into a tenth or even bottom half finish if heads drop and a 4-5-1 timewasting and defensive show is continued to be put on between now and mid-May.

It appears that things are turning stale in Alan Pardew's camp and there was little entertainment for a Newcastle fan watching the dour gamplan enforced by the Toon Army and I was falling into the belief that the black stripes were actually red and it was Stoke City playing and not the exuberant team I've watched all season.

The Gunners' 21 shots to the Magpies sparse 5 tell the obvious story and as a result kept an in-form and fired up Tim Krul busy. Unfortunately because of that, I cannot sit here full of excitement and will be antipaticing a very nervous finale to the campaign.

Howay the lads!

Thrown To The Wolves

Yesterday's home tie against Woverhampton Wanderers has been playing over and over in my mind ever since the final whistle.

I cannot make sense of the events that took place during the game.

After 45 minutes of nothing less than total domination from the black and white striped shirts, half time arrived and Alan Pardew delivered his second briefing of the day to a team who were leading 2-0 courtesy of Papiss Cisse and Jonas Gutierrez.

From there on, the only explanation for what happened between the 45 and 75 minute mark is that the two teams swapped shirts (disregarding the possibility that Wolves gaffer Terry Connor's first ever half time team talk was miraculous).

Wanderers' winger Matt Jarvis cut inside from the left flank on 50 minutes before finessing a shot that took a dipping deflection off Toon right back Danny Simpson prior to planting in the back far corner of the net.

It is a pity that Simpson didn't have the bravery to open up his body and block the shot as Fabricio Coloccini or Steven Taylor would have because if he had, the ball would have ricocheted away from danger.

Newcastle's change in fortune cannot tagged as unlucky.

If there's one thing someone in professional football should know then it is to avoid making a substitution just before defending a set-piece.

Thus the fuel to my frustration after witnessing Pardew proceed with the intended double change after conceding a freekick 25 yards out. I still cannot believe that the tactical swap wasn't halted until the danger was neutralised.

I'm not disputing that the Magpies needed to rehash their strategy but Pardew takes all responsibility for the equalising goal which was crossed into the box and knocked down before being poked over the line by Wolves' Kevin Doyle.

It is evidence to all that the introduction of one or more substitutes can provoke an unorganised ethos amongst a set-piece defending team.

Danny Guthrie chasing shadows.

Unfortunately Danny Guthrie's entry to the field on the 65 minute mark saw him perform without the same energy or nature that has been seen in recent weeks and he made a range of wayward passes that became increasingly uncomfortable to watch.

It was positive to see the squad nearly back to full strength, the return of Cheik Tiote, Cisse on the scoresheet and Gutierrez lash in a thunderbolt.

Pardew has proven himself to be an intelligent man and this continued in the post-match interview when putting a clever spin onto the flavour of the questioning by plucking out a positive that was to add to the team's four match winning streak at home, albeit that started nine games ago!

Match of the Day football fans are made only aware of the highlights and passages of play that the BBC Director wishes to broadcast and unfortunately this can be misleading.

The match was not relayed to viewers accurately as to how the goals and game was thrown to the Wolves to feast on taking the bones of a point back to Molineaux with them.

Whitewashed By 'Arry And Co.

This instalment should be kicked off with a critical review of Saturday’s whitewash defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur and that’s exactly what’s going to happen.

After a week of media microscope treatment for Harry Redknapp, the whole nation was tuned in to watch Newcastle United throw away a match in record time and gift title-hunting Spurs a generous three points.

I have a sixth-sense for identifying complacency but to be quite frank it didn’t take that to predict an embarrassment last weekend.

The run of good form Alan Pardew has instilled into the club has been highlighted throughout the season and rightly so but in turn as the good PR heightens so does that imminent fall from the sky. Everybody knows the current NUFC squad is at worst a top half team and no better, something that ‘Arry and co enforced a reminder of.

Hull City manager Nick Barmby was approached by Sky Sports with a proposed weekend feature piece but the crew were turned away in a bid to keep the spotlight off the Tiger's good run of form to prevent the football world from picking up on how well they had been playing, all to avoid that 'fall from the sky'.

All the talk of ‘top four/five/six’ had understandably gotten into the players heads on Saturday and as a result had forgotten the things that originally brought all that talk about. A team cannot cross the white line just expecting to play well by default.

I didn’t manage to cast my eyes over the team's warm-up but I imagine it was lacklustre, light-hearted and lightweight because the troops certainly weren’t rough and ready to battle from the first whistle on Saturday.

Pardew and Steve Stone need to ensure that the pre-match preparation hard work is followed through in the warm-up and consequently not thrown into the gutter on the ten minute mark because a clinical team like Tottenham Hotspur will capitalise on that mistake and... embarrass you.

No FA Cup fixtures remain to bolster the fixture list which is somewhat saddening because with both Manchester City and United out of the fold, it could be anyone’s to lift this year. I can’t help but wonder.

Senegalese duo Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba

However a free-weekend for the squad to do whatever they like to rest up and recharge will do no harm (excluding any Joey Barton/Andy Carroll/Nile Ranger-esque misdemeanors), especially for the returned African trio of Papiss Cisse, Demba Ba and Cheick Tiote.

I for one am becoming ever more impatient by the day to know how the Toon Army's season is to conclude.
Will it be a disappointing finish to an encouraging start or will last weekend prove to be nothing more than a blip with the team defying all odds by pipping Liverpool and Arsenal to the European post?

We can dream.

Cloud Nine

Following on from my previous instalment, the biggest talking point on Tyneside is still the overachievement of Newcastle United and long may it continue.

I was under the impression that recent statements of expectation would come to a halt but it is par for the course as they roll on in parallel to the club’s form guide. I had hoped that it would be Alan Pardew and not me taking to the lectern to tell the world the team need take it ‘game by game’ until the death.

This wasn’t to be.

After an expected three points at home against a struggling Aston Villa side, the spiel of the Europa League continued and dare I say it, a VIP pass into the ‘big four’ was even suggested.

I am no pessimist but the Magpies fly down to White Hart Lane for an evening kick-off on Saturday and I am certainly not alone in fearing that a disappointment at the hands of ‘Arry Redknapp could begin a rolling snowball into a decline from the ecstasy in which the Toon Army have experienced so far this term.

Our remaining fixtures behold contests against Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City as well as an additional four matches to be played away from St. James’ Park. My view is that we have a tough run-in and attaining anything over 20 points will be a success.

Tottenham Hotspur Manager Harry Redknapp

Saturday’s encounter has been made all the more interesting after Fabio Capello relieved himself from the post of England Manager yesterday. The vacancy has already been filled in the eyes of players, supporters and the media as they bizarrely united as one in sounding out ‘Arry as the only desirable candidate to take on the most difficult job in football.

The same day saw Redknapp exonerated from charges attached to him regarding tax evasion, this news paved the way for him to take the reins and at the grand age of 64 it could possibly be his last chance to take on every manager’s dream job.

It is unlikely that the FA will move as quickly as the weekend to replace the Italian but either way, the manic activity surrounding the Spur’s boss has come at a brilliant time for the Toon Army and I hope that victory can be stolen this weekend as the focus of Tottenham personnel lies elsewhere.

I cannot go on without mentioning that Alan Pardew has been promoted by the bookies as the strongest candidate after diamond geezer, wheeler dealer Redknapp for the Three Lions job. No surprise there because the only other English Premier League manager is Woy Hodgson, need I say more?

NUFC did ever so well in the latest transfer window to keep hold of all prized assets and again I won’t be alone in hoping that will be extended in retaining the services of Gaffer.

Cloud Eight

The overachievement of Newcastle United this season has heaped further expectation and pressure onto the team.

It is time that someone, preferably Alan Pardew, takes a step back to highlight the following:

1. Man City (54pts)
2. Man Utd (51pts)
3. Tottenham (46pts)
4. Chelsea (41pts)
5. Arsenal (36pts)
6. Newcastle (36pts)

NUFC prop up only five teams and any level-headed Geordie would not be surprised to see those clubs above us especially at this stage in the season.

The attractive sixth spot comes as a result of a few factors:

• The Premier League adopting a pattern, the same which has run its rule over the Championship in recent years with it becoming so difficult to predict the outcome of any fixture.

• Two or three players at NUFC hitting 'Player of the Year' form to claim points which would ordinarily have been lost.

• Alan Pardew instilling a die-hard ethos into the playing squad as well as doing what he can to eliminate any high maintenance personnel who bring negativity towards the club (the exception is Hatem Ben Arfa who has outspoken about his prolonged bench-warming duty... understandable).

• A pinch of luck.

AP has turned NUFC from a club that is less stable than the coalition government into one that is now the surprise package of the season.

Newcastle United Manager Alan Pardew

AP hasn’t yet seen a campaign through from start to finish with Newcastle and he now speaks of the Europa League but in doing so he is lumping unwanted expectation onto not only the club but himself.

There are many potential hazards that could harm the club's domestic form e.g. the unavailability of Cheik Tiote and Demba Ba as well as The FA Cup padding out the current fixture list.

Last year, Premier League survival was all that any Geordie wanted to achieve and to escalate those targets within one year to qualifying for the Europa League is unrealistic despite current form.

The dangers of sitting on cloud nine are that everything is seen through rose-tinted spectacles and if somebody doesn’t turn down the pressure levels sooner rather than later, I predict that AP’s head will be on the block and once again the club will be back to square one.

It’s no secret that the Geordies have high expectations but there is absolutely no requirement for these expectations to be rocketed.

Can everyone please take one step back on to cloud eight and accept;

‘We are overachieving, enjoy it and build on this form game by game without that reluctance to prematurely rework our targets.’

Strike A Match

Newcastle United, a Premier League club with a history and a reputation for prolific strikers. How can it be that a player of Shola Ameobi’s calibre has remained on Tyneside for 12 years?

It became quite clear by the time Ameobi hit his 24^th birthday that his potential had been overrated and lost in the wash, his legs still remain as gangly as ever. However I must admit he does offer the side an ‘X’ factor in that he may run riot with his physical presence but more often than not, he is a gamble and nothing more than a contingency plan to Demba Ba.

Peter Lovenkrands, Leon Best, Nile Ranger and Xisco were the only remaining forwards on the club’s payroll before yesterday’s signing of Papiss Demba Cisse from Bundesliga outfit Freiburg.

The point being that even a rocket scientist could tell you that excluding our Senegalese front two, the rest are not talented enough to wear the Premier League lion on their sleeve.

Lovenkrands – The Danish hitman was signed on a 6-month deal after a successful trial period back in January 2009, only to find himself surplus to requirements at the end of that contract. However due to a lack of both striking options and time in the following transfer window (no surprise there) the red-faced Toon hierarchy reverted their initial decision and strangely offered him nothing less than a three-year contract.

Best – A surprise signing given that the 25 year-old had never scored more than ten goals per season in the divisions below the Premier League. I assume that he can only have been acquired as nothing more than a stock player but the offering of his long contract may dint my theory.

Ranger – This young man has more notches on his rap sheet than his goal scoring chart. Late cameo roles have shown raw talent and promising physical attributes but likewise to the ongoing revelations that surround Toon target Ravel Morrison, the baggage he carries probably outweighs his talent - probably why is he out on loan and publicly excluded from Pardew’s plans.

Xisco – The Spaniard has spent more time on loan in his home nation than on Tyneside since his arrival and it’s a big surprise to me that more hasn’t been made of his outrageously big transfer fee (£5.7million) which has seen a return of nothing more than nine appearances and one goal since 2008! I do wonder about the scouting mechanisms that club’s employ.

I long to see a clear-out of deadwood in the summer, namely the above and of course Alan ‘Smudger’ Smith who continues to pick up £50,000 per week until at least this summer.

On the up, we have a potential deadly duo in Demba Ba and Papiss Demba Cisse but no doubt the football world will be at the ready to shoot them down but I have faith!

Blue Monday

It’s ‘Blue Monday’ today, the most depressing day of the year according to experts.

The start of a new working week is upon us with all winter festivities long gone and the realms of summertime far from reach.

However the Toon Army are an exception to the rule this year.

The Sports Direct Arena @ St. James’ Park was witness to the Magpies' collection of three points and in opposition to the traits of the black and white bird - the win was certainly not stolen.

Yesterday’s encounter between NUFC and QPR provided the perfect platform for Alan Pardew to select at team that would expectedly win and win they did, 1-0.

A home tie against a newly-promoted outfit was a no brainer for the bookies, fans or neutrals in backing Newcastle for the victory, ultimately mounting all the pressure onto the Tyneside outfit.

With top-scorer Demba Ba and engine room Cheik Tiote both unavailable, as they flew out in search of lifting the African Nations Cup for Senegal and Ivory Coast respectively, any sceptical Newcastle supporter would have been wary of an unpredictable QPR side.

This was a team in the perfect position to exercise the ‘new-manager-syndrome’ and come up trumps for Mark Hughes, likewise to the Mackem Muffins since Martin O’Neill's arrival.

Leon Best stole the headlines yesterday after his nifty footwork sent Rangers’ defender Luke Young for a custard pie before he slotted home into the bottom bin in collected fashion.

The Gaffer now has a team selection headache in ranking his forwards come the return of big DB. It was quite clear that before yesterday Shola Ameobi was the favoured option over the former Coventry City man but yet another sluggish performance from Ameobi and with the club quite openly seeking a new centre forward, it could be one of his last turn outs.

On the upside though, Danny Guthrie showed once again that he has technique, range of passing and a dynamic style of play that keeps the ball moving in the right areas.

With players like Tiote and Yohan Cabaye fighting for the same position, it is always going to be a losing battle for him to keep his place in the central midfield berth. His efforts are appreciated but his general reward is being stuck out on the flank in the return of the formers, only for one bad game to see him dropped again.

Surprisingly or unsurprisingly, to date the Scouser hasn’t sounded out his displeasure at being overseen, something that is quite an anomaly in football today.

That’s it, my first thoughts splashed straight down onto the page after yesterday’s game.