The old Chris Hughton discussion thread

[midds]

It's not 'pointless negativity' though, is it? It's completely justified negativity.

 

We've barely strengthened a poor squad. We're going to struggle. 

 

Just as our poor squad had no chance against psv the other day

 

It was a friendly.

 

Let's see where we are come November and if you're still really positive then you can bump this post.;

 

Deal? 

[Guest firetotheworks]

People seems to forget that it's not how good or bad we are, it's how good we are in relation to the other teams. We have just as good a chance as the other shit teams of staying up, so maybe stop being so hopelessly, needlessly, and pointlessly negative?

[QBG]

Think we might just survive tbh. The squad isn't great but its still better than WBA and Blackpool and I think Wigan will finally bite the dust this year.

[merlin]

Anyone using the PSV result as a guide to the performances in the PL is living in cuckoo land. If we had been playing PSV in, say, Euro competition, we would have lost - simple as.

 

They are a far better side than NUFC and the reason we got a draw was that they weren't bothered ; they were away from home, had showed what they could do in the first half and the onus was all on NUFC as the home side in the second half. PSV are closer to their starting League programme and so didn't want any injuries.

 

As some lads have said, there are serious questions as to how NUFC can improve on their last showing in the PL simply because there have been no major additions to the squad who will make the difference, esp in the early days. Gosling is a non-starter until Christmas, Perch will be on a par to what we have now or slightly better at RB, and only Campbell may be an early success but that will NOT address the problem of goals. No major striker signing is likely so unless we get Cleverly on loan, the weight on Carroll's shoulders

will be enormous. I do NOT expect Nolan to get anywhere near his goals total of last season...do YOU !??

Are there any youngsters who look as if they will add significantly to the team's performances this season?

 

We will, rightly be among the favourites to finish between 16th and bottom purely on those facts. I also disagree that Wigan will be any worse than NUFC. the best hope we have is that teams like Wolves and Brum get off to bad starts or suffer a spate of injuries(not that you wish that on any player), because that will then give us a breathing space if we can pick up a few early points.

 

Anyone who is struggling at Christmas usually has a tough job getting out of it - blind optimism is stupid, but so is blind pessimism - I have seen none of the latter because most if those preaching caution are using logic and the performances of the players when they were last in the PL. Just because Owen and

N'Zogbia have gone doesn't mean the side suddenly becomes more capable of succeeding in the PL...

[mrmojorisin75]

People seems to forget that it's not how good or bad we are, it's how good we are in relation to the other teams. We have just as good a chance as the other shit teams of staying up, so maybe stop being so hopelessly, needlessly, and pointlessly negative?

 

this and merlins posts are key for me - i think we have a better chance this year of beating the other teams around us, which is what will tip the balance in the end, hughton has got the team at least looking something like a unit and able to battle...the shambles that saw relegated shouldn't unfold again

 

to get 40 points you need to win 13 games or mix it up with draws: wolves, wigan, west ham, west brom, stoke, bolton, blackpool, blackburn, birmingham are nine teams we are capable of getting results against and we play them all twice (obviously)

 

there will be points from the likes of villa/spurs and so on too, plus the unexpected 'performances' against bigger teams at home that usually crop up

 

we should be alright, it might be a struggle but i think we'll probably just make it assuming there are a couple more key additions

[Decky]

I think we will finish above West Brom and Blackpool, we need 1 more team and theres a lot of shite ones to choose from. We are of course shite as  well when compared to the better sides and we will probably get turned over by some of them, but I wouldnt rule out us beating some of them too (see Villa at home the season we went down). We need to be better than the likes of Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn, Sunderland and Wolves this season and who is to say we wont be? If the mackems lose Bent for example, they will be in a worse position than us and could be the 3rd team we are looking for.

[David28]

I think we'll stay up without any real big problems. Only if injuries hit us like they did in previous years to key players we would struggle badly.

 

Saying that, I also would have never ever thought we would go down till it was game over at Villa that day. 

[Yorkie]

It's not 'pointless negativity' though, is it? It's completely justified negativity.

 

We've barely strengthened a poor squad. We're going to struggle.

 

There's a month of transfer window left.

 

If we don't sign anyone else i reckon there's a good chance we'll go down.

[oldtype]

Doom-mongering right now is the safe option.

 

If we stay up, we stayed up so you're happy.

 

If we go down you can start blabbering on for the next year about how you "said this would happen from the beginning" and feign amazement at how "certain posters" couldn't see it coming.

[JH]

I think we will finish above West Brom and Blackpool, we need 1 more team and theres a lot of s**** ones to choose from. We are of course s**** as  well when compared to the better sides and we will probably get turned over by some of them, but I wouldnt rule out us beating some of them too (see Villa at home the season we went down). We need to be better than the likes of Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn, Sunderland and Wolves this season and who is to say we wont be? If the mackems lose Bent for example, they will be in a worse position than us and could be the 3rd team we are looking for.

 

Because we weren't the last time, with a better squad.

[dinotheprehistoricgeordie]

A question for the pessimists. Do you think we would have gone down with the squad we had if Keegan had stayed? People don't seem to understand that the season we went down moral was horribly low and none of our players played near their best. What we have know is a squad which is determined and harmonious. I really think that we could stay up with the squad we have know and with the addition of a few more players (Cleverly) we will do better than most people think. I am an unashamed optimist though 

[Guest BlacknWhiteArmy]

Anyone using the PSV result as a guide to the performances in the PL is living in cuckoo land. If we had been playing PSV in, say, Euro competition, we would have lost - simple as.

 

They are a far better side than NUFC and the reason we got a draw was that they weren't bothered ; they were away from home, had showed what they could do in the first half and the onus was all on NUFC as the home side in the second half. PSV are closer to their starting League programme and so didn't want any injuries.

 

As some lads have said, there are serious questions as to how NUFC can improve on their last showing in the PL simply because there have been no major additions to the squad who will make the difference, esp in the early days. Gosling is a non-starter until Christmas, Perch will be on a par to what we have now or slightly better at RB, and only Campbell may be an early success but that will NOT address the problem of goals. No major striker signing is likely so unless we get Cleverly on loan, the weight on Carroll's shoulders

will be enormous. I do NOT expect Nolan to get anywhere near his goals total of last season...do YOU !??

Are there any youngsters who look as if they will add significantly to the team's performances this season?

 

We will, rightly be among the favourites to finish between 16th and bottom purely on those facts. I also disagree that Wigan will be any worse than NUFC. the best hope we have is that teams like Wolves and Brum get off to bad starts or suffer a spate of injuries(not that you wish that on any player), because that will then give us a breathing space if we can pick up a few early points.

 

Anyone who is struggling at Christmas usually has a tough job getting out of it - blind optimism is stupid, but so is blind pessimism - I have seen none of the latter because most if those preaching caution are using logic and the performances of the players when they were last in the PL. Just because Owen and

N'Zogbia have gone doesn't mean the side suddenly becomes more capable of succeeding in the PL...

 

 

 

[David28]

A question for the pessimists. Do you think we would have gone down with the squad we had if Keegan had stayed? People don't seem to understand that the season we went down moral was horribly low and none of our players played near their best. What we have know is a squad which is determined and harmonious. I really think that we could stay up with the squad we have know and with the addition of a few more players (Cleverly) we will do better than most people think. I am an unashamed optimist though 

 

This.

 

I always said, we didn't go down because of bad quality but more because of lack of confidence/team-spirit.

 

After Keegan left everything went wrong. Kinnear had some good influence and recreated some fighting spirit and (like Butt and Owen used to say that time) steadied the ship. But after he went ill it was like fighting a losing battle. Hughton didn't had it in him that time and Shearer came in far too late and wasn't the right manager to turn things around that quickly.

With Keegan we would have been top 8 that season, with Kinnear we wouldn't have gone down.

 

There were just too many setbacks in one season. It wasn't a normal season, even for Newcastle standards where one manager change a season seems quite normal.

[Dave]

I think we will finish above West Brom and Blackpool, we need 1 more team and theres a lot of s**** ones to choose from. We are of course s**** as  well when compared to the better sides and we will probably get turned over by some of them, but I wouldnt rule out us beating some of them too (see Villa at home the season we went down). We need to be better than the likes of Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn, Sunderland and Wolves this season and who is to say we wont be? If the mackems lose Bent for example, they will be in a worse position than us and could be the 3rd team we are looking for.

 

Because we weren't the last time, with a better squad.

 

We were relegated by one point - one goal even - and after the single most ridiculous series of events anyone could ever come up with. I can't see how it's comparable in any way, shape or form.

[Guest BooBoo]

Top 8, give over man.

[David28]

Top 8, give over man.

 

No. Under KK we would have been better than Fulham, who finished 7th. Better than Spurs who had a shit start to that season under Ramos.

[Guest BooBoo]

Just because KK stayed, it would have not made our defence any less porous, Jonas any more creative or Owen and Martins less of a pair of twats. We would have stayed up under KK but to speculate on a top 8 place? There's little evidence to suggest that would have happened.

[JH]

I think we will finish above West Brom and Blackpool, we need 1 more team and theres a lot of s**** ones to choose from. We are of course s**** as  well when compared to the better sides and we will probably get turned over by some of them, but I wouldnt rule out us beating some of them too (see Villa at home the season we went down). We need to be better than the likes of Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn, Sunderland and Wolves this season and who is to say we wont be? If the mackems lose Bent for example, they will be in a worse position than us and could be the 3rd team we are looking for.

 

Because we weren't the last time, with a better squad.

 

We were relegated by one point - one goal even - and after the single most ridiculous series of events anyone could ever come up with. I can't see how it's comparable in any way, shape or form.

 

Because we deserved it (as a team, not fans). I remember alot of people saying that if we'd stayed up, it would have been luck and not because we earned it.

 

And at the end of the day, it's the final table that matters. And in that instance, Sunderland, Blackburn, Bolton, West Ham and Wigan all finished above us making them better than we were.

[Yorkie]

We'd have definitely been top half.

[Dave]

I think we will finish above West Brom and Blackpool, we need 1 more team and theres a lot of s**** ones to choose from. We are of course s**** as  well when compared to the better sides and we will probably get turned over by some of them, but I wouldnt rule out us beating some of them too (see Villa at home the season we went down). We need to be better than the likes of Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn, Sunderland and Wolves this season and who is to say we wont be? If the mackems lose Bent for example, they will be in a worse position than us and could be the 3rd team we are looking for.

 

Because we weren't the last time, with a better squad.

 

We were relegated by one point - one goal even - and after the single most ridiculous series of events anyone could ever come up with. I can't see how it's comparable in any way, shape or form.

 

Because we deserved it (as a team, not fans). I remember alot of people saying that if we'd stayed up, it would have been luck and not because we earned it.

 

And at the end of the day, it's the final table that matters. And in that instance, Sunderland, Blackburn, Bolton, West Ham and Wigan all finished above us making them better than we were.

 

But that's the point though; we were utter shit and did deserve it I agree. And lady luck still nearly bailed us out.

[Guest Brummiemag]

We may stay up because there are several other very poor teams in the division.

 

My concern is that even if we do stay up we will be no better position the season after or the season after that because Ashley is not prepared to invest in players. If we dont invest in players we are unlikely to progress, after all, everyone has a youth policy and scouting system, why should ours be any better than anyone elses?

 

I fear Ashleys 5 year plan and the height of his ambition is to keep us in the Premier League by the skin of our teeth whilst spending the minimum amount possible, with the safey net of a further 4 seasons of funding if the plan fails and we get relegated.     

[Guest BooBoo]

We'd have definitely been top half.

 

What you basing that on though? Even in his good run the previous season the only decent side KKs side beat was a clearly not arsed in the slightest Spurs. Every time we played another top half side we were comfortably beaten.

[David28]

Just because KK stayed, it would have not made our defence any less porous, Jonas any more creative or Owen and Martins less of a pair of twats. We would have stayed up under KK but to speculate on a top 8 place? There's little evidence to suggest that would have happened.

 

Owen and Martins were 10 times better than what they were under all the other managers. We could include Viduka in there as well.

 

The defence looked solid against Man Utd and Bolton. And Jonas looked like a different player once he played again under Kinnear (in a negative way)

[JH]

I think we will finish above West Brom and Blackpool, we need 1 more team and theres a lot of s**** ones to choose from. We are of course s**** as  well when compared to the better sides and we will probably get turned over by some of them, but I wouldnt rule out us beating some of them too (see Villa at home the season we went down). We need to be better than the likes of Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn, Sunderland and Wolves this season and who is to say we wont be? If the mackems lose Bent for example, they will be in a worse position than us and could be the 3rd team we are looking for.

 

Because we weren't the last time, with a better squad.

 

We were relegated by one point - one goal even - and after the single most ridiculous series of events anyone could ever come up with. I can't see how it's comparable in any way, shape or form.

 

Because we deserved it (as a team, not fans). I remember alot of people saying that if we'd stayed up, it would have been luck and not because we earned it.

 

And at the end of the day, it's the final table that matters. And in that instance, Sunderland, Blackburn, Bolton, West Ham and Wigan all finished above us making them better than we were.

 

But that's the point though; we were utter s*** and did deserve it I agree. And lady luck still nearly bailed us out.

 

I know. I'm not saying we'll definitely go down this time, just that on paper it looks likely that we will (when last time on paper it looked like we'd stay up) - what I'm saying is how can people criticise those being negative when the last time we got relegated, it looked at this point of pre-season that we'd stay up comfortably.

 

Who knows, we could strike lucky and end up finishing 10th

[JH]

We may stay up because there are several other very poor teams in the division.

 

My concern is that even if we do stay up we will be no better position the season after or the season after that because Ashley is not prepared to invest in players. If we dont invest in players we are unlikely to progress, after all, everyone has a youth policy and scouting system, why should ours be any better than anyone elses?

 

I fear Ashleys 5 year plan and the height of his ambition is to keep us in the Premier League by the skin of our teeth whilst spending the minimum amount possible, with the safey net of a further 4 seasons of funding if the plan fails and we get relegated.      

 

Oh no, what will we do