Come on people. If I believed all the doom-mongerers on here today and least week I would have us down for certain relegation.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Answers

Arse Piss!!!!

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Sorry DeB.....I think we're gonna be thereabouts.....definitely not gonna hit the heady heights of 11th....we fluked too many wins early last season (Leeds/Liverpool and MORE!), we'll get found out this year....

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Don't you think that we cannot possibly have the same amount of injuries as we did last year and therefore we should have a more settled side and therefore a better season than last?

Last season was pretty damn awful for a number of reason but the amount of injuries was crucial to our performaces.

Couple this with the fact that Robson seems hell bent on getting some sort of left midfielder in the side, I think we will fair better than last season.

I don't think we fluked wins last season, especially the home Leeds game. Pure endeavour saw us through a few wins.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Me

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Nope i think it's definitely possible for us to have the same amount of injuries as last year and I really do believe that we fluked at least 9 points in the first half of the season that we didn't deserve....as Softie quite rightly pointed out on another thread, we've got strikers with no pace or heading ability who don't often get in the box, we've got our best ball passers who hide when we've got the ball and we've got Warren Barton....

Ok I added the last one on cos Softie would never have said that but it's true ;))

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

luckily the opposition is crap ... Leicester and Villa were amongst the worst sides I'd seen at Newcastle for years. Everton are hopeless. Southampton aren't very clever. Bolton need to invest heavily and I'm not sure they will. West Ham are losing players, have a new manager who's never shown anything, and whose appointment has upset a few. Derby, Charlton, Boro are all fragile, and then we all know that the kickers are going to struggle soon.

I think basically the Premiership outside the top5 is crap.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

I seem to remember saying at the start of every season that our injury situation can only improve and it never seems to :(

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

If the pessimism on here is shared by all the season ticket holders, we'll be lucky if about 56 people renew for next year.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Just because I think we're gonna struggle badly doesn't mean I won't be going :)) of course i'd rather we weren't gonna struggle!

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Injuries were certainly contributory to our problems last season DeB, but most teams suffered injury problems to some degree or other. What really hurt us was the lack of squad depth, and the blank refusal to do anything about it.
What happens this season will imo depend on who else we bring in, and what kind of start we get.

People like myself, Softie, and swifty are greatly worried, were not expressing those concerns just for the sake of it.
We've skirted with relegation for 3 consecutive seasons - that tells me the squad is not good enough. Without new signings I believe the squad is weaker now than at the start of last season - and that squad wasn't good enough. A number of experienced players have been sold and players like Bassedas, Acuna, Luax2, and Quinn have not improved the squad.

We are starting this season in less than ideal circumstances - pre-season preparations have been thrown into disarray by the InterToto thing. Already players like AS and Dyer won't be fit to start the season, and right now it is doubtful whether Lee, Cort, Acuna, Griffin and Solano will be either - that is one- third of the senior squad.

We will go into the InterToto with a depleted senior squad plus a few kids. The InterToto games will undoubtedly be physically competitive, and if we were to pick up three or four injuries to say players like Dabizas, Speed, and Ameobi - we could be in serious trouble going into the season.

Obviously, if we were to sign another 3 or 4 decent players this could diminish these concerns. However, I have real concerns about present efforts to strengthen the squad, and have to tell you that right now I don't have warm feelings about the new season.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Pre-season preparations have been thrown into disarray by this intertoto thing....can't see that myself but I agree with everything else....oh but I still haven't seen anything that says nobby is seriously injured....

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

So to rephrase, who thinks we will do better than last season? In the Prem only I'm tallking about. I think we'll improve on our position as I'm blindly optimistic at the moment.

Gav seems to think we'll flirt with relegation, Clarky seems to think we will suffer again next season, so is there anyone on here that actually honestly believes we will improve on our performances of last season?

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

The Boudewijn Zenden-saga seems depressingly symbolic for how unattractive the club has become for top players. We're seen as a graveyard rather than as a club going places. Unless there are some unexpectantly good signings I anticipate a bottom half finish. Not relegated but not much better. Not good enough for a club the size of Newcastle United.

Still if we do go down with Wayne Quinn, Andy O'Brian and Craig Bellamy we do have the makings of a decent first division outfit....

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

yes.i do.but only if bob has a rabbit up his sleeve, if the status quo rocks on (bellamy well included) then we are 16th.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Me too. (probably)

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

I do!!! Last season we never had a settled side, and I mean settled. The first 15 games I think we had the same number of pairings at full back, that cant be good. Hopefully Bobby will let griffin start the season and use Barton as back up. I think Obrien will improve his partnership with dabs/hughes and left back is the only real issue I see in defence. Midfield, if we get a left winger or use bellamy (seen reports hes best as an attacking midfielder from the left side) and sort out dyer/solano issue then midfield should be able to cope with dross most of the premriership has to offer. Up front, shearer and cort, would be nice to see them play more than 2 games together before getting injured.

A few more signings by Bobby will bolster the situation and we shall progress, which is what we all want. Little by little I think is what we need, weve had the boom and bust of the thatcherite years (keegan et all),its now time for labour (wor Bobby) to have a go!! AM

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Thank you AM. A voice of reasoned optimism. For what little it's worth I still think we'll see a couple of major signings in the next two weeks. Patience lads and lasses, patience.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Careful, Careful, two consecutive half optimistic postings will soon bring back the return of the Doom Mongerers. Don't let them get you down!!!!!

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

We will be in the bottom 6.

If lady luck is on our side then we may have one more season of Premiership football before our inevitable relegation in 2003.

I see no reason to be more optimistic than that

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

It all depends on Dyer, Solano, Shearer, Dabs, Given and A.New.signing. If they click, top 8 is a distinct possibility. Doomy enough?

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Swift... you missed Craig out of your list!

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Bellamy and Speed.Premier defences beware.I bet Stam is scared stiff.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

..... and I mean Bellamy not Albert

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Perhaps you would care to elaborate on the reasons for your optimism DeB. I've explained at length the reasons why I'm a worried Mag - NOT a "doom-monger" if you don't mind.

We were one of the poorest teams in the PL last season, and so far have signed an injury-prone FT man from the Nationwide, and last years "flop of the season" who hopefully will do better in a new environment. We still have no midfield, still lack any dominating presence in defence, there are lingering doubts about the long-term fitness of our top goal-scorer, and the squad is still paper-thin.

What are we missing DeB?

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

I think what is irking people most is the bloody minded approach i adopted this morning. Give him time, why damn him before he's even played, black n white stripes etc,
bollocks to that, we've bought last years "flop of the season" i'm entitled to be a bit fed up.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

We may have fluked a couple of matches, but we don't have identical seasons year after year. Other teams change, we change, players change. Shearer could have easily put that penalty in against Sunderland and may well have picked up points elsewhere.

I honestly can't see us getting relegated. Our team isn't worse than last year by any means, we have sold no-one who made any real impact (except for Gallacher maybe, who only scored a couple)

Griffin's new contract suggests he will be played week in week out, and we have a bag full of strikers to choose from so there shouldn't be any real problem there.

Dabizas and O'Brien made our defence look the best it has in a while and we have a couple of players with a bit of invention in Dyer and Solano, who can creat chances.

No, we won't be relegated next season

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

You always get what you deserve in the League. You may be able to claim bad luck here or there but it should balance out over 38 games. (Cup matches are different).

We did get some unexpected wins, like Leeds away and Liverpool at home, but we did drop some daft points. This is no different from any other year. I think the difference last season was just how bad we were when we lost. I thought our 3-1 win over Coventry was the worst defensive display I'd seen since McFaul was manager. Other games we displayed all the concerns of poor midfiled, no width, no strikers, poor defenders. We all know that. We didn't play well more than once or twice at home.

If/When we get Elliot it is more of the same and a challenge to Quinn.

Bellamy was too good for our defenders last season but not good enough for our goalie. I've seen and understand Swift's concerns. My only hope is that he was a victim of circumstances at Coventry.

I have no feel for whether Bellamy will be an out and out striker or a midfield attacker. Which ever it does not address the wide left and centre half problem. Dabizas is a lovely lad, tries his heart out but we know what he's capable of under pressure.

In midfield we need either or both of Acuna and Bassedas to come good with a Solano sort of improvement. The worst thing for me is still the presence of Gary Speed. The only hope I have there is that Viera will leave Arsenal and they look to replace him with the very best and we won't be able to turn down the money they pffer for Gary.

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

I hear Marcellino is actually a brilliant midfielder who has been misunderstood and played completely out of position by 2 NUFC managers. I bet Arsenal could snatch him away from us quite cheaply. ;-)

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

And seriously....no, I don't think we'll be relegated next year. I do think we'll flirt with it again at some point in the season. Probably during the first 6 weeks. :-o

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

No. Last year was the dark before the light: it's onwards and upwards from now on. I do, however, reserve the right to panic in about October...

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Things look bleak. No-one of quality wants to sign for us. We are not considered a top European side. YBR may have a great rep and be very likeable but NO Champions league + NO guaranteed UEFA + NO real stars + NO recent history of success make it near impossible to attract players of quality. Those with Premier league experience may be swayed by positive experiences at SJPark. Those without.... forget it. I live in Barcelona. To give an example, Zenden is very much out of favour here. He is a good player but nothing special. Would he do well at Newcatle? Yes. At least I think so. Is he interested? No, at least not unless no other large clubs show interest. If we can't attract an unhappy, unwanted, middle-of-the-road player from a club which has MASSIVE problems at the mo. and has struggled to reach the Champions League... well, it puts Newcastle's position in perspective.

I bleed black and white. I am SICK of making excuses. But facts are facts. We are either a fortune or a miracle away from being a force in European or even English football. I hope this summer proves me wrong. I'll be flying home for games regardless. But I have a horrible feeling that the 'glory days' are behind us... Outside of NUFC forums and NUFC fans I will continue to be relentlessly positive and optimistic. But I'll be faking it. Again...

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2001

Morning all. I think the reason for a majority of the pessimism on here is the expectations. I don't expect us to qualify for the Champions League next year but I expect the team to improve their position in the Prem.

Considering where we finished and how bad the season was on the whole. I see no reason why we can't get into the top 7/8, which would be an improvement.

Last season was tinged with horrendous injuries, players wanting to leave the club, players not wanting to play, Given being a big kid, no strikers with Premiership experience for ages, a midfield with no balance in which three of the four regularly changed position week after week, around Easter we had one match then two weeks off, one match then two weeks off.

Sure some of these things may reoccur but the reason for my optimism is that surely they cannot occur with such frequency.

It may be blind optimism but christ somebody needs to have some faith around here.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

i'll be faking it too

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Shock, horror ..... "Barca boys fake it"

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

"We are either a fortune or a miracle away from being a force in European, or even English football....."

Excellent post SteveT - sums up the situation perfectly.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

What happened? Has Daglish returned?, I came on here thinking of how to get away with a trip to cheer on our ads for their European jaunt and after reading the posts I am left wandering whether the team should even turn up.

This could be a year of overacheiving for our lot, and with this mindset I intend to try and wangle an Intertoto match (please be Belgium).

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

With regard to Steve T's 'excellent' posting, we are kidding ourselves if our realistic expectations for the coming season are to be a force 'in English football'

We should be aiming to hoefully qualify for Europe and provide a basis for a further marked improvement in the following season.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

I'd guess Ipswich are going into Europe hoefully

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

I do, however, reserve the right to panic in about October...

Fair enough Dougal but I do recommend that you at least take out an option on all the other months from August July to May. :-)

THIS time I really think it could be wor year ...

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Seeing as though the Bellamy thread is back to the top, I thought I'd make a few more people eat their words

Dizzy heights of 11th?

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002

Kegsy you're a tosser! ;))

Yup we've done much better than I thought....why is it though that I still feel that we can throw away much of the good work in these last few games? if anyone can.....we can....

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002

Haha Gav

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002

Sudden, don't laugh, he's not joking :-)

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002

And seriously....no, I don't think we'll be relegated next year. I do think we'll flirt with it again at some point in the season. Probably during the first 6 weeks.

Well we were somewhere near the bottom the first week of the season! ;-))

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002

You guys must have been reading too much Mark Lawrenson.

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002

I'd like to claim a level of positivity in my postings, and a fair classification of the relegation candidates although Villa did better than expected.

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002

Me too Macbeth, my post was pretty non-negative.

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002

I must have been too weighed down with pessimism to post on this thread :-D Funny how these things turn out.

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002

A year ago I asked the boys at NUFC.COM what they wanted from the club if the FLC ever had some influence ..... the best one is DO NOT ENTER THE INTERTOTO

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2002

Sorry Gav, couldn't resisy ;-)

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2002

Aha, I can at least claim to have been right about the benefits of entering the Inter Toto......one good call in a an ocean of clangers salvages a small modicum of self-belief.

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2002

God, my posting was like a look into the future. As I said last year, progress little by little. This year we are guaranteed to be in Europe, the academy finally gets the go ahead, bobby's signings are starting to come good, I include Luax2 in that as the last 4 outings he has really impressed me, we have sold barton and lee and if luck holds our way we may even be in the champions league next year. All in all an excellent season, now we need to sell dabs, elliot and wayne quinn. Buy emerton, duff, quinn from southampton and we will progress further again!!! AM

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2002

I was in the FOR camp for the InterTooToo as well....so i got bellamy and that right and our league position very badly wrong....

I'm more than happy to be wrong with my pessimistic postings...I much prefer that to be right!

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2002

I was also for the Intertoto last year. Now I'm beginning to think we're making a mistake going back to meaningless preseason friendlies this summer now that we won't be participating in the Intertoto. ;-))

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2002