Usually when I’m asked to write something, I’ll tend to file my copy straight away so I don’t have a mountain of furious messages sent to my inbox or Twitter account. However, I thought I’d leave this one as long as I could as I had at least the Leicester game to ponder how Newcastle would respond after the most surreal wins against Bournemouth.
The pessimist and optimist view come out in me. We did deserved the points after a solid performance against Stoke at home and even more after the Sunderland game when one decision made us collapse quicker thanks too tedious decisions by the officials; Bournemouth at least showed that when we can score with shots of target that are almost as rare as seeing a mackem in Milan, but the lack of shots on target when goals win games.
On one positive, the defense could at least handle a battering, even if it was Rob Elliot showcasing himself for possible squad inclusion in the Irish team for the coming Euro 2016 tournament.
Leicester was always going to be tricky and I was hoping that their form was down to the team collectively getting all their points for the season and spending the remainder sticking out 0-0 draws with James Vardy getting snapped up by a foreign club for silly money and reverting back to his mediocre best. But in the process, getting a few more England caps to treasure instead of Premier League winners medals (like the majority of our squad to be fair).
So seeing Vardy on the attacking front wasn’t a surprise and once he scored his goal to equal a record that means nothing more than people who collect statistics like football cards. Even though results haven’t gone exactly to plan, I at least thought I’d see a team still with a bit of belief like the one who didn’t give up against Arsenal despite going down to ten men when Mitrovic nipped off for an early shower. Worryingly, it just seemed to be lacking with nobody showing any remorse for conceding yet more goals. All a distant memory of seeing a team performance fight not just for a point but a win against Man U.
Seeing your team getting beat is one thing, but how about some emotion from a few players which shows they feel the fans frustration? Whilst we have half time to moan with an overpriced pea and fancy plastic pint, our beloved squad can at least console themselves in a decent weekly wage that any Geordie native would take in a second and put in triple the graft some of our starting eleven are in currently giving.
I know I haven’t answered the question yet, but so far I’ve not seen the supposed new manager effect that usually comes with supposed fresh ideas, values and thinking. It’s happened at Leicester and dare I say it, Crystal Palace are embracing Pardew culture. At the clubs core, I can only think that something else is wrong. Maybe the players don’t get what they want from the canteen, the wrong brand of tea in the morning, spats over carparking spaces or as I’m beginning to think, the Newcastle players see what they’re doing as most people reading this view their own jobs; a place of employment.
All I want for Christmas is some honesty. Cut out the fancy club PR inspirational quotes with a well photoshopped image. The same goes for the live training feeds via Periscope. I’d swap all of that to see some change of dynamic. It’s almost like Steve McClaren has been brought into be a less comedic manager than that John Carver. Everything still seems to be the same; dire player mentality bar a few new recruits who have so far not looked the part, constant injuries and confusing team selections.
Poor Florian Thauvin must be this seasons Facundo Ferreyra, all be it from a couple of sub appearances and a dazzling display against Northampton Town which he’ll certainly tell his grandchildren about one day. Perhaps in January we’ll see more players shipped in who are nothing but the people Graham Carr has scouted. Alan Pardew, John Carver, Steve McClaren or the bloke who runs your local Sunday league team could be in charge and still get the same ‘exciting’ prospects or ‘hidden gems’ that’ll get flogged off when their stock reaches dizzy heights.
Until something changes, I can’t see anything else apart from another season of holding on to nothing but my cup of Bovril for comfort whilst I watch the same dire style of playing and the security of Premier League football within the last sixth games of the season.
Who wants to book the local social club as we finish at the dizzy heights of sixteenth? At least TV rights have been sorted for the Champions and Europa League for the 2016/17 season. We can go back to laughing at teams like Man City getting upset by Norwegian clubs like Molde.
Though we’d all like it to be ourselves badly singing along to the theme of the Champions League and don’t shout it loudly, even attending a Europa League game on a bitter cold Thursday night. At least Sunday home games means you can make a day of it.