SOLANO: WE COULD WIN PREMIERSHIP by Nic Evans

PERUVIAN winger Nolberto Solano is ecstatic with Newcastle's stunning start to the season and believes they have the squad to compete for the Premiership title.

Despite manager Bobby Robson playing down The Magpies' chances of winning the league, Solano mirrored the new found belief on St James' and claimed 'This is what I came to Newcastle for'.

Newcastle find themselves third in the league and travel to Highbury in an attempt to cure their 'London jinx' which has seen them fail to win in the capital for four years, however Arsenal will surely provide the North Eastern side with a searching examination of their title credentials.

Solano said: "It is possible for us to win the championship.

"The competition is so great it will be very hard to win the title this season. But it's possible for us to do it.

"Blackburn were champions six years ago with a hard-working team, so why not Newcastle? This is the best Newcastle team I have played in.

"Most of us have been playing together for two years. We are performing well and working hard. I know the team was very close to winning the title with Tino Asprilla and Les Ferdinand before I joined but for the last couple of years we have been in the middle of the table.

"Now we have to believe that we can challenge again. It's what I came to the club for. We just have to keep going and stay up there.

"People talk about a London jinx but our away record is good this season.

"We have only lost twice in eight away league matches and it doesn't matter to me whether we play in London or somewhere else. Charlton have won at Highbury this season so why shouldn't we have a chance?

"It's not a mental thing, it's coincidence, and it's about time we stopped it.

"I'm more concerned about trying to wipe away the bad taste of last season's defeat."

Arsenal thrashed Newcastle 5-0 in a game that saw Ray Parlour score a hat-trick against a somewhat weakened Magpies defence.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2001

Answers

I'd have preferred him to use a victory tonight as then justifiable platform for such laudable enthusiasm.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2001

Exactly the attitude we need IMO. Let's hope it rubs off on the rest of them, but not so they start getting too cocky.

And even if it still isn't going to be our night, as long as they go down fighting, that'll do me.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2001

No doubt the rest of the PL will laugh at us and say we're deluding ourselves (I can't remember the RTG URL but I'd lay a decent bet that Hughesie's and Nobby's comments have caused some mirth on there) but the truth is, we can do well this season: look at Chievo's escapades in Serie A, beating Inter at the San Siro on Sunday. If we aim high and fall short, then it will still have been a decent season. Last season, the fact that the lads had no faith and gave up in November was the disappointment. Several of us on here are openly pessimistic but each and every one of us secretly believes that we can win any given game: we just don't want to say so.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2001

Whatever the makem's might say, being 3rd in the league is closer to winning it than 13th

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2001

True, Dougal. The pain doesn't last as long if I keep my expectations low. Or something like that. ;-)

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2001

can't remember the RTG URL but I'd lay a decent bet that Hughesie's and Nobby's comments have caused some mirth on there

Good. They've not had much to laugh about this season have they poor lambs.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2001