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Reasons To Be Optimistic Ahead Of The New Season |
Newcastle-Online comment: 24th July 2004
Optimism among the Toon Army was at it's lowest in a long while after
the 1-1 draw at Anfield back in May brung an end to a Season that
promised so much but delivered so little. No Champions League football
meant no big name players, no money and possibly one or two of our
own leaving to fulfil their ambitions. Bobby staying on for another
year, rumoured splits in the camp and a rift between the management
had us all hoping for the best in 2004-2005 but not expecting much.
In fact the only thing we expected was much of the same - long ball
football, injuries, pampered players under performing and fighting
it out with the likes of Birmingham, Villa and Charlton for that 5th
place. Nothing to write home about eh?
Two signings later and a Season soon upon us however seems to have
lifted the air of doom and gloom that clung to the skies of Tyneside,
and albeit still muddied with doubts, I sense a growing belief amongst
the ranks that this coming Season will be much much better than the
last and maybe with good reason too.
10 Reasons to be optimistic:
1: Defensively we are pretty decent, in fact we are
more than decent, we are very good in that department, we only lost
8 times last Season to equal our lowest ever tally of defeats and
we only lost by more than the one goal on one occasion in the League
all Season - away to Chelsea. We have become a hard team to beat and
I for one don't fear a hammering that I once did. Sure Bramble gives
me palpitations in the same way a Dabizas raised hand did but even
with Titus in the back four we did OK last season (more often than
not).
2: Injuries played a huge part last Season. Missing
the likes of Woodgate, Dyer, Bellamy, Bowyer and Jenas for large chunks
made it difficult to get any rhythm going, to get any consistency
going. Different partnerships at the back one week to the next made
our defensive record even more impressive. It's a big if, but if these
players can stay injury free for the majority of the season we will
have a group of players that not many teams can call on. In Woodgate
we have arguably the best centre-half in the Premiership. In Bellamy
we have a player that scares the living daylights out of the opposition.
Two massive massive players for us - having those two fit for the
entire Season would be like having two new players.
3: Form, like injuries, played a huge part last Season.
Some players just didn't get going and when they did they soon dropped
back to a sub-standard level of performance. Again it's a big if,
but if those under performing players up their game by even 30% we
will have a much better Season. Jenas can't continue his poor form,
he has to hit a purple patch. Dyer with an injury free campaign and
in a settled position could deliver what he has always looked like
doing but never quite managed. Bellamy showed last Season when he
had a run of games that he can hit the back of the net and Robert,
well, could this be his Season? Lots of if's and but's I know, but
it's rare for such a number of players to all have a huge dip in form
at the same time. There is hope.
4: Lee Bowyer was played on the right for the majority
of the games in which he played last Season and didn't he do well...not!
It was clear to all that his best position was in the centre - all
but Bobby, but in typical Bobby style he eventually got the message
and when he did play Bowyer in his favoured position we got all-action
combative performances with goals added to the mix - something we've
lacked from the centre since Speed (sigh) was converted to a more
defensive midfielder. I don't know about you but Bowyer excites me
in that position. It was great to see goals from that area and if
he remains injury free and Bobby sticks him in the centre period I
can see him getting into double figures for the Season. An extra 10
goals from the centre would have saw us finish 4th last Season!
5: Alan Shearer will play out his final ever Season
in football and he has two golden carrots dangling in front of him.
That elusive trophy with his beloved NUFC and Wor Jackie's goal record.
Not even a betting man would bet against him achieving this. The odds
are stacked but haven't they always been for Big Al? Shearer will
want to bow out in style and for those who believe that Shearer isn't
so concerned about smashing Wor Jackie's record - think again. The
man lives for goals and every ounce of effort will go into grabbing
the 28 goals that he needs.
6: Bobby Robson, like Shearer, is heading into his
final ever Season in management (you would imagine) and last Season
hurt him and hurt him badly. He is as desperate to bring a trophy
to NUFC as we all are and he will have hopefully learned from his
own mistakes last Season. If he can ditch his long-ball tactics, stop
playing players out of position and get tougher with those who under
perform instead of sticking with them we will have a much better Season.
Can an old dog learn new tricks? Lets hope so. One thing is certain,
he now knows what he has to do and what he mustn't do.
7: James Milner may only be 18 but his presence in
the camp has already made an impression. According to Leeds fans,
Milner with his running, tireless work, bundles of energy and passion,
was one of the main reasons why they clung on in to the bitter end
before succumbing to the inevitable. That liveliness and freshness
is often underestimated in football and boy could we have done with
some of that last Season. Milner can give everyone a lift and add
impetus to our squad. There is no doubt he has talent, bags of it
but what's so impressive about him is his lack of fear and self confidence.
This can rub off on others. Furthermore he is so versatile he will
give us the options we lacked last Season and hopefully he will be
act as a kick up the arse for Robert.
8: Patrick Kluivert brings with him an aura that
all big name players have - an air of sophistication and class. Players
want to play alongside players of Kluivert's class and players like
Paddy bring the best out of others. He can either bomb or take the
Premiership by storm - I'm backing the latter and the prospect of
him and Big Al terrorising opposition defences is mouthwatering in
the same way that Big Al and Sir Les had us on the edges of our seats.
I'm excited and I hope you are too. Kluivert will give everyone a
lift, from Bobby to the players to us supporters.
9: The Toon Army, me you and our fellow supporters
didn't do ourselves justice at St. James' Park last season regarding
creating an atmosphere and lifting dropped heads - in reverse we actually
contributed to those dropped heads with our booing, sneering and whinging.
When the lads needed a pick up we let them down as they let us down
with their poor performances. A new Season and new faces brings about
a clean slate and I personally feel we will rise to the challenge
and cheer on Sir Bobby, Big Al and the lads a hell of a lot more than
we did last Season. We have to, we must - it's our duty. We will do
it.
And finally...
10: Hunger was severely lacking in many of our players
last Season. In short we had no hunger whatsoever (except the obvious
few). Now they all have something to prove. Those blighted by injuries
will want to prove that they aren't injury prone, that they can play
a full Season. Those who quite simply didn't perform will have something
to prove. Dyer will now know that our patience has ran out, that he
has no more chances left to fluff - he has to perform now. This goes
for everyone. Bowyer will want to prove his England class, he will
want to prove that he is the goalscoring box-to-box midfielder that
he once was. Bramble will want to prove that he can concentrate, that
he is not a waste of money. Ambrose will want to prove his doubters
wrong. Jenas will want to prove he is no flash in the pan. Shola will
want to prove that he can play a bigger role than the bit-part role
that he is used to playing. Bellamy will want to prove that his knees
aren't knackered and that he can score goals. Robert will want to
prove that he has the bottle and the fight. Shearer will want to prove
those who claim he and Kluivert can't play together wrong, he will
want to become the greatest goalscorer in our history. Kluivert will
want to prove he is a world-class player and that he can play in the
Premiership. Bobby will want to prove that he hasn't lost it, that
he can send a team out to achieve success. Newcastle United will want
to prove that last Season was a mere blip.
Even with all our problems and our shortcomings, if there is a hunger
and desire to succeed then we have nothing to worry about. Lots of
if's and but's of course but 19 other clubs will have equally numerous
doubts so there is hope to be optimistic. |
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