Is it the same again from Newcastle this season?
With Newcastle looking like they could be heading for another slump, I’d thought I would have a quick look at the entire Magpie spectrum.
Newcastle lined up with Cheick Tiote as captain – a player who is temperamental form wise and who possess a fuse shorter than Michael Owen’s hamstrings. I thought the occasion against Sunderland had the potential to turn the occasion into a cauldron about to reach boiling point, so naturally I was worried for Newcastle before kick-off, but to be fair to the Ivorian midfielder, he was imperious at times and was probably Newcastle’s best player on the pitch. Although he did lash out on Seb Larsson and did appear to strike him. Another loss to Sunderland was a blow to the Geordie club and I fear it could be the start of a rough time for Pardew and his merry men.
I don’t think Newcastle are helped by the fact their main striker, Papiss Cisse, seems to be a shadow of his former self and hasn’t scored in what seems to be a lifetime. I like Newcastle, but It seems they possess some players who just don’t really want to be there. You look at club captain Coloccini stating he wanted to leave last season, the same as Cabaye fluttering his eyelids at Arsenal and such. Hatem Ben Arfa just looks overweight and the club have probably the most unlikeable pair at the helm in Alan Pardew and Joe Kinnear. I still hold out for the day when they return to the stature they once held, with Alan Shearer, David Ginola and Les Ferdinand in the ranks, but they just seem to have settled for mediocrity for the time being. Maybe until the “Cockney Mafia” – headed by Mike Ashley – sells the club.
I think their recent transfer activity has been a problem, too, with only Loic Remy being the only notable acquisition (but only a loan, though.) Yoan Gouffran is incredibly patchy and Moussa Sissoko has dropped off after his fine start to his Newcastle career. Then the REALLY bad signing of Debuchy at right-back, who I think has the worst positioning I have ever seen, closely followed by Kyle Walker. Luckily for Newcastle, Pardew only signed his eight year contract last year and have a long time to appreciate everything he has done/will do. Maybe they’ll be alright, but Newcastle only seem to do really well or incredibly bad.
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