nortoon 0 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Yes I half expect Shola to start with Ba in the Best-role on Sunday, but eventually we might have the front 3 of Ben Arfa - Demba - Demba. I did say IF he starts scoring at once, which some strikers do. We could look really special. Apart from the Shambles that is Shola-Best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaythesouthernmag 0 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Think Arsenal win,Stoke draw,Man U and Spurs win. Hope Blackburn can get something at Arsenal but can't see it. We need to beat Villa, no slip ups Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ally 0 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Getting Ba back will be a massive boost we are dreadful upfront without him. Hopefully Cisse can integrate quickly and Best/Shola can fulfill a role of 'run the clock down' substitutes. I think we'll have done well to finish 6th or 7th. As good a season we're having I can't see Arsenal or Liverpool not having a good run. Fair play to Pardew's comments though, if we're sitting 5th he can't really come out and say 'i'll be happy with 7th' can he? European football should be the target to keep the squad motivated, if that means aspring to finishing 4th then so be it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaythesouthernmag 0 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 I don't think we will finish in the top 4 but its a credit to how well Pardew and the players have done to get us in a position where its being discussed. I would love it if the table looked like this after 38 games with us being above Liverpool and Arsenal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeazesMag 0 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 We have 8 or 9 possibly 10 players good enough to play in the CL, either because they've played there already, qualified for it or their form is objectively good enough (e.g. Krul). we've got 5 or 6 players that are good enough for Newcastle United, if it were up to me that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 3997 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 The other plus in our favour is that all the others are "expected" to achieve CL football. That will bring its own pressures. Its a bit of a jolly for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeazesMag 0 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Oh my fucking God Your worst nightmare on the horizon. my 3 year season ticket gives me first option on my seat, when all the part timers, attracted by the trophy signings and big games, return. Which won't happen, but I won't dampen your bright eyed enthusiasm any further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeazesMag 0 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) The other plus in our favour is that all the others are "expected" to achieve CL football. That will bring its own pressures. Its a bit of a jolly for us. as it is impossible for us to challenge the 2 bankrolled clubs and therefore get anywhere near the top 4 places ever again [think about it], just imagine what could have been if he had even attempted it ? Edited February 3, 2012 by LeazesMag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 The other plus in our favour is that all the others are "expected" to achieve CL football. That will bring its own pressures. Its a bit of a jolly for us. Agreed Our players shouldn't need any motivating at all. Like Pardew says, 15 cup finals and they shouldf be busting a gut for the champions league place. Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal have the burden of expectation and players with a divine right complex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 3997 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Oh my fucking God Your worst nightmare on the horizon. my 3 year season ticket gives me first option on my seat, when all the part timers, attracted by the trophy signings and big games, return. Which won't happen, but I won't dampen your bright eyed enthusiasm any further. You managed 1 minute, well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawD 31 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Aye but what about March, April & May? I agree that we'll be clinging on to the top 7 not pushing away from 5th. We have a patchwork team most games. Thankfully getting Tiote back will help and of course now having Ba and Cisse. Even if we did qualify (which we wont) we aren't good enough to compete and its no good saying the money would bolster the squad as we all know the answer to that one. First of all we are slowly assembling a decent squad. We have strengthened again in January and we will strengthen again in the summer. Wouldnt half help get a few transfers over the line if we could promise CL football. Also without derailing into the usual LM fest, so far no money has been taken out of the club so I see no cert that suddenly he is going to pocket any CL money. Mind not for a moment do I think he would derail our new fiscal set up based on one CL qualification and rightly so. Dont get me wrong, Im not in the camp of thinking Ashley pockets the money. It wouldnt surprise me if he toko out little chunks at a time money of his own that he has put in to the club, but I cant say factually either way. FFS/H&S took money out as dividends on a regular basis so I dont see the big deal if he did? Anyway, thats a side issue. More what I mean is I dont think (again, my opinion only) that they have a pot for transfers and sales/purchases come to and from this pot. I think if cash is needed to fund another part of the business then it is. Much like Arsenal. Look at their spend since getting the new stadium. Money had to come from somewhere. If we did qualify (which we wont ) I do think we would add a couple of players of the same ilk (well scouted, £5M-£7M) but I wouldnt expect a sudden influx. Anyway, its a moot point. We wont qualify and if we did we dont have the squad for it. But hey, there's no harm in trying and what an achievement to even be talking about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16503 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 If we did Pards for Manager of the season tbh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 6295 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Start of the season top 10 was a realistic target. The start we had gave an oppotunity to re-assess that target and it's fair to say that given how we performed over the first half of the season, anything less than 7th would be a disappointment. Conversely anything more than 7th has to be looked at as a bonus. Champions League - it's not impossible but it's not likely. The top 3 are way ahead of us and I think Chelsea have the edge on us. We're on a par with Arsenal and Liverpool if we're truly honest with ourselves. We've still got to go to Stamford Bridge, The Emirates & White Hart Lane not forgetting the small matter of entertaining Citeh and Liverpool at SJP. If we get anything more than 5 points out of those games we'll do well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16503 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Start of the season top 10 was a realistic target. The start we had gave an oppotunity to re-assess that target and it's fair to say that given how we performed over the first half of the season, anything less than 7th would be a disappointment. Conversely anything more than 7th has to be looked at as a bonus. Champions League - it's not impossible but it's not likely. The top 3 are way ahead of us and I think Chelsea have the edge on us. We're on a par with Arsenal and Liverpool if we're truly honest with ourselves. We've still got to go to Stamford Bridge, The Emirates & White Hart Lane not forgetting the small matter of entertaining Citeh and Liverpool at SJP. If we get anything more than 5 points out of those games we'll do well. As much as it hurts me to say I think the top 6 will be:- 1. City 2. Ure 3. Spuds 4. Dippers 5. Chelsea 6. Gooners Yes, Dippers in 4th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monroe Transfer 0 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) Has anyone mocked CT for the hideous abuse of the Queen's English in the thread title? As for the Champions League - we're definitely in the running, unlikely but not impossible. Main problems we'll face is clubs moving up a gear towards the end of the season (as all top teams do), and our lack of depth. On the other hand by the end of next month we should have everyone back fit except for Steven Taylor, so who knows. Haven't read the rest of the thread but I bet there are some miserable idiots laughing at the possibility, always doing their best to assume the worst and discredit our successes this season. Edited February 3, 2012 by Monroe Transfer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manc-mag 1 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 I saw this thread title and I saw the name of the thread starter and honestly, my heart just sank. Anyone else have the same reaction? No need for this sort of shit in all honesty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monroe Transfer 0 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) Our success has been built on a fair bit of luck. The Blackburn game the other night wasn't the first lucky result we've had this season. People say stuff like this like we're the only club that gets a bit of luck. Not only is that incorrect, it also gives the impression you're ignoring all the times we've been unlucky. Off the top of my head, we've been particularly lucky to get anything in only 4 matches out of 23 (QPR away, Blackburn away, Man Utd away, Wolves away). Edited February 3, 2012 by Monroe Transfer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16503 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Man Utd are the luckiest team in the Premier League! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 6295 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Start of the season top 10 was a realistic target. The start we had gave an oppotunity to re-assess that target and it's fair to say that given how we performed over the first half of the season, anything less than 7th would be a disappointment. Conversely anything more than 7th has to be looked at as a bonus. Champions League - it's not impossible but it's not likely. The top 3 are way ahead of us and I think Chelsea have the edge on us. We're on a par with Arsenal and Liverpool if we're truly honest with ourselves. We've still got to go to Stamford Bridge, The Emirates & White Hart Lane not forgetting the small matter of entertaining Citeh and Liverpool at SJP. If we get anything more than 5 points out of those games we'll do well. As much as it hurts me to say I think the top 6 will be:- 1. City 2. Ure 3. Spuds 4. Dippers 5. Chelsea 6. Gooners Yes, Dippers in 4th. I reckon: 1. Man Utd 2. Man City 3. Spurs 4. Chelsea 5. Liverpool 6. Arsenal 7. Newcastle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 6295 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Man Utd are the luckiest team in the Premier League! I think the difference is that Ferguson knows what it takes to win the league - those at City don't. Mancini is showing massive signs of cracking IMO - on a par if not worse than KK did back in '96. I reckon Man Utd will sneak the title, City will win nothing and Mancini will be out on his arse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monroe Transfer 0 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Mancini has 'been there' in Serie A, to be fair to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manc-mag 1 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Man Utd are the luckiest team in the Premier League! Aye, greatest workrate=luckiest team. Even in spite of my absolute hatred of them I've had to concede that. As a rightminded person, intent on keeping my sanity you have to. That's what we've done-work harder, due to better attitudes of professionalism. Pundits have remarked on it. We're not used to seeing it as fans so that's why we're a bit taken aback by the luck we've witnessed. It's a by product of it though. Even when we're under the cosh and the weaker team in the contest, shots on target are still pressed more, so they're not the same easy chances we're accustomed to seeing being walked in without any pressure by marauding attackers. Simpson is clearing them off the line where they'd usually just be nestling in the back of the net cos nobody could be arsed busting a gut. 'Luck' is just disrespectful to the work ethic, which is there for all to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wykikitoon 16503 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Thats why Man Ure score so many late goals, they play to the final whistle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monroe Transfer 0 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Even in games we've been pretty toothless in, we've generally defended well. In all honesty only the QPR away game (with decent strikers they would have won that, undoubtedly), Liverpool away and the second half of Fulham away have seen us put in an awful performance (from back to front). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChezGiven 0 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 We have 8 or 9 possibly 10 players good enough to play in the CL, either because they've played there already, qualified for it or their form is objectively good enough (e.g. Krul). we've got 5 or 6 players that are good enough for Newcastle United, if it were up to me that is. Some players good enough for CL but not good enough Newcastle? Krul, Colo, S Taylor, Santon, Cabaye, Tiote, Ben Arfa, Ba are definites. Cisse and Jonas (based on international pedigree) are tbd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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