Since the beginning of December, promotion-chasing Newcastle United have played seven Championship games, winning four and losing three. You’d be forgiven for saying that’s not scintillating form.
The loss to Nottingham Forest was farcical. United ended the game, undeservedly, with nine men but fans remained positive. The players fought, scrapped, hassled and ran more than ever before.
Three consecutive wins followed against Birmingham, Wigan and Burton. Eight goals scored, one conceded. Then there was an unexpected mishap; a 1-0 home loss to Sheffield Wednesday.
It was a very poor performance from a team missing their key man. However, the Magpies bounced back with a 3-1 victory against Forest. They had their revenge on the play-acting, trouble-provoking ensemble.
Before the defeat to Blackburn, a portion of United fans moaned and groaned about a series of ‘poor displays’. Forget the wins, they weren’t convincing. That was the logic they adopted.
The disheartening loss at Ewood Park served one purpose for those who discussed a supposed ‘crisis’ at Newcastle United; ‘We told you so’.
I’ll tell you what a crisis is. I’ll tell you what plunges the future of this football club into doubt; Winning one game out of our opening eight in the Premier League.
Publishing a ‘letter of support’ from the players to Steve McClaren without their knowledge, creating a losing culture, sucking the life out of the club through inept appointments, spending more than three quarters of a season in the relegation zone, not caring about the fans.
Perspective is a commonly used word in life and in football. Newcastle United are in the automatic promotion spots with a squad that no longer contains those who see the club as a stepping stone.
Rafael Benitez, one of the greatest managers of the last twenty years, a Champions League winner, is spearheading the attack for promotion with pragmatism and ruthlessness.
Loyal supporters have begun to enjoy and look forward to away trips again. They are no longer travelling across the country to see a toothless side turn over without any fight or pride.
The players are happy, they are honest, and they speak up when defeated. United have the best goal difference in all four English divisions.
Isaac Hayden talked about “laughing the negativity and doubters off” earlier this week. He is absolutely right in having that attitude. There is no crisis at Newcastle United whatsoever.
This is a club on the up. This is a sleeping giant slowly waking up from a decade-long nightmare. After the two consecutive defeats to Fulham and Huddersfield at the beginning of the season, fans would have snapped your hand off to be in this position.
Promotion is the goal and Newcastle are on their way to achieving it. But any talk of a crisis, any unnecessary belittlement of the direction in which the club are going, certainly will not help.
Sometimes a change of perspective is all it takes to see the light. I’m happier than ever as a Newcastle United fan and if this is a crisis, I cannot wait to see the opposite.