johnny tightlips

I just got straight into the article. Georginio Wijnaldum is at a loss to explain very Newcastle United are nervous out on the field, stating: “Why not give your best and try to change things?” The Magpies crashed to a 10th successive away defeat with a 3-1 loss at Southampton, a result which left United six points shy of safety with only half-a-dozen games remaining. Inside four minutes Newcastle found themselves behind after Shane Long was allowed to ghost past the defence and slot past Karl Darlow. Graziano Pelle added a second after further defensive mistakes, while Victor Wanyama was able to smash in a third when Newcastle failed to react to a quickly-taken short corner. Confidence visibly sapped out of the Magpies players with every goal they conceded at St Mary’s, and midfielder Wijnaldum was at a loss to explain why United continue to be affected by nerves. The Dutch international has not scored away from St James’ Park this season, and has netted just twice in 2016. Wijnaldum himself was poor once again on the road, failing to influence the game in any positive way at St Mary’s Admitting Newcastle had folded away from home before this season - they have collected just seven points away from home in 2015-16 - the 25-year-old was cleared frustrated and angered by United’s continued poor displays. “I don’t understand why we’re nervous,” Wijnaldum said. “We’re in a situation now where we’re second-bottom of the league. “We know if we play without confidence, and if you’re nervous, it’s going to be not good. You’re going to play bad. “Why not give your best and try to change things? “That’s something I don’t understand. It’s not the first game that this has happened. “It’s difficult to win a game in this situation. “The way they make the goals, it doesn’t look like they have to try their best to score.” The manner of the goals Newcastle conceded on the south coast clearly angered Wijnaldum too. Southampton barely had to break sweat and could easily have scored a greater number if they had not eased off during the second half. That is simply unacceptable, admits the Dutchman. “It’s very disappointing,” Wijnaldum added. “It’s always disappointing if you lose a game, but we lost it without confidence. “We conceded in the fourth minute. That’s not good. “The way we’re giving the goals away is not good. “It looks like they don’t even have to try their best to score a goal.”

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/why-not-give-your-best-11164667 and the lack of self awareness award goes to...

As I remember it basically Ashby had decided in advance that Ginola was a diver and he wasn't going to give him anything so there were fouls that should have been yellow cards where we didn't even get a free kick until eventually Ginola lost it. I think I read somewhere later that this was a tactic they had agreed in advance.

I don't feel as strongly as that, mainly because I've got a good mate who is an Arsenal fan and is a nice lad but they do seem to attract more than their fair share of Wednesday night football fans. "I moved to London 5 years ago and I've never actually been to a game but look at me in my replica shirt watching the Champions League in the pub".

I hadn't realised that. Only 5 years after that game. That's cheered me up

I used to feel the same about Arsenal after that cup game where Ginola was sent off (still the worst refereeing performance I have ever seen). Gradually I came to realise it was George Graham I hated not Arsenal.

deja vu - not just in the words of the OP but looking at that video, great though it was to see the old ground and mick quinn in action, that must have been one of the least inspiring teams I can remember

Great memories - a sad loss

Fantastic website and great to see the old ground. It looks like it didn't change from the 1930s to when i started going in the late 60s

As HF says - it makes perfect sense execpt it never seems to work in practice. All of the people named above will look like a manager in waiting from the moment they arrive. Its a shame we can't find someone ( a healthy SBR would have been perfect) who could come in and help CH without looking like they would leap into the job given half a chance.

Beardsley, Gascoigne and Waddle there but the only Newcastle player is Roy Aitken

What's annoying is having to deal with dickheads who get their views of newcastle fans from pieces like this. i got it last year - people saying "I really hope Newcastle go down - your fans are so deluded"

Was thinking about posting this link about how it didn't take long for the lazy stereotyping to begin when I saw the Daily Mail stuff above. This is from [url="http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/newcastle-fans-to-resume-inexplicable-self%11confidence-201004062618/"[/url] Maybe I should write a piece for the Daily Mash "Spoof site produces exactly the same "joke" as the site it is spoofing". NEWCASTLE FANS TO RESUME INEXPLICABLE SELF-CONFIDENCE 06-04-10 NEWCASTLE United fans resumed their adorable self-confidence last night by insisting their team was on course to win the Premier League next year without conceding a single goal. Oh yeah, and Newcastle is the best city in the world, apparently The Magpies clinched promotion yesterday after the rest of the Championship allowed them to be promoted just to see how funny it will be when they go straight back down. Nottingham Forest manager, Billy Davies, said: "We had a meeting last August and agreed it was worth sacrificing a promotion spot just to see the looks on their fat little faces when they lose 7-0 at home to Birmingham." But Wayne Hayes, secretary of the Newcastle United Supporter’s Club, said: "It's been a long hard year of not being able to make ridiculously confident predictions based on nothing. "But that's the price you pay when you give your heart and soul to the biggest and most successful football club that's ever existed." He added: "I've told my local tattooist to order in a big bucket of black ink so I can have 'Champions Of Europe 2011' etched into my stomach next week." Meanwhile owner Mike Ashley has thanked manager Chris Houghton for winning promotion by immediately firing him and scouting for a household name who will be utterly useless. Ashley said: "We're already in talks with Cheryl Cole's people and I've asked that actor who played Brian Clough to be her assistant." He added: "Wait a minute - what about Nelson Mandela?"

Surely if he does that he's just reducing the value of the club. instead of having £xm a year we have £1k. Basically he would be taking value out in kind (free advertising) rather than cash (revenue or a more valuable club if he sells). Of course we'd still be stuck with it on the front of our shirts

This is my new comfort blanket. I've finally accepting that we are not a decent manager and two good signings away from competing at the top again but that Ashley has created a time machine and shipped us back to the 70's - long term mediocrity, best players want out, bobbong around midtable at best and nothing to look forward to after January. The faint hope is that he stabilises our finances before the shit hits the fan for football He hasn't done that (yet!!) all he's done is maintained the position/trend Shepherd had us in (albeit fiscally better off - sort of) What he hasn't done is moved us forward or arrested the slide, and THAT is his crime. I seriously doubt that the Owen or Given situations would be much different if FFS was still at the helm, we wouldn't be doing a Villa, that's for sure. I am equally sure we wouldn't have any money to spend, the biggest mistake the custodians of the club have made in recent times was not strengthening in the "Bowyer Summer", been downhill since. Its a heart thing rather than a head thing. Over the last few years its always felt like we could pull something out of the hat, some good signings, class manager, long term run of form. Suddenly, for me at least, it doesn't. it feels like the 70s and 80s. Nobody expects anything spectacular anytime soon. Maybe Ashley has got it right, by good luck or by good planning, and we will be fairly secure while the bottom drops out of a few other clubs. Its just not the sort of approach that gets the fans excited