The following article is this weeks contribution to :- http://www.clubfanzine.co.uk/newcastle_united/index.php , those of you not interested in the toon should also consider having a look as they're linked up with a load of other football sites. It might also be worth contacting these sites if you fancy writing articles that will be seen on a national basis - just a thought like.
I was going to start this week by mentioning the events at Middlesbrough and the subsequent press hysteria about something that goes on every week at every other ground in the country but I don’t wish to give any more publicity to the obvious sensationalism and bandwagon jumping that has been employed by various tabloids and even broadsheets (particularly one that employs a bitter mackem) that should know better.
So I’ll simply ignore that lopsided and obviously biased reporting of events (how come slagging someone off for being an Aussie isn’t racist?) and stick to the football. We’re four games in, another clean sheet and still unbeaten, I’m sure we would all have liked another win in the league but looking at it dispassionately five points from a start that included two away games isn’t bad at all. I also noticed from the Boro game that Big Sam has no fears about changing the formation if he feels that there’s just cause – the switch to 442 in the second half was a refreshing reminder that our new manager knows what he’s doing. I have to say as well that seeing Mike Ashley in a Newcastle shirt in the director’s box was a heart warming sight and must have been a slap in the face to those southern based hacks that have been trying to stir up dissent amongst the ranks ever since he bought us out. He was also sat next to Big Sam last night (wearing his ‘Smith 17’ shirt again-smudger must be chuffed) at the Barnsley match – so much for never leaving his house eh?
We’ve got Wigan rolling up on Saturday and, despite their reasonable start, we should really be looking at taking all the points in this one. Sibierski and Bramble will probably get different receptions, particularly ‘Super Sib’ after his comments about scoring past the makems. I think it’ll be a touch hard on Bramble if he gets booed as he has had some good games for us in the past and scored the odd vital goal, but I’m sure he won’t care much anyway, you could queue up to slag me off for a salary of thirty grand a week and I wouldn't give a monkeys!
While we’re on the subject of mackems I notice that Roy Keane has just spent another nine million of the paddy’s cash on the footballing gods that are Kenwyne Jones and Danny Higginbotham – yeah I don’t know who they are either. I make that roughly twenty eight (28!) million pounds that ‘the next Fergie’ (how many times have we heard that about ex Man Utd players) has spent on top class talent such as Chopra, Richardson, Gordon, Higginbotham and now Jones. He wants to be careful, those lads from over the water don’t mess about when a punishment’s required, when it all goes pear shaped he could end up like the bloke with the tar and feathers in the papers yesterday!
Anyway, enough of the circus down the road, we’ve negotiated our way to the fourth round of a cup we’ve got a chance of winning (honest!), we’re unbeaten in the league and we’ve got a home game against a team with Titus Bramble at the back – let’s get into them.
Howay the lads
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4 comments:
Chopra and Gordon have both made good starts for Sunderland so don't be too eager to slag players off because they aren't big names. No-one had heard of the defenders you've signed this season before you got them (and i still couldn't them them now.)
Only one of the defenders we've signed cost more than 2.5 Mill. Chopra will not make it in the prem, neither will Richardson or Higginbotham...ask Fergie that's why he got rid of them. My point is that they've spent nearly thirty million quid on 'potential' - it's a risky gamble and one that may well eventually cost him his job.
Chopra cost less than Smith and his wages are probably a third of Viduka'. We'll see who scores the most out of the three of them at the end of the season.
As for your comments about Ferguson getting rid of players may i draw your attention back to Smith - he's never really set the premiership alight even during his time at Leeds, when even the likes of Bowyer looked good.
Viduka (who was free) has to compete with Owen and Martins just to get a game, Chopra is guaranteed a place at Sunderland - if he doesn't score more than him then I'd be surprised. Smith is primarily used as a midfielder these days and a holding one at that - he won't score many but then he's not meant to. I just think Keane has spunked an awful lot of cash on players who aren't worth it, something Newcastle have been guilty of a lot, and this will cost him long term.
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