Can Shearer Break Wor Jackie's Record?
With 6 goals in 8 games thus far (all competitions, including sub
app.), Alan Shearer is on course to break Wor Jackie Milburn's magical
200 goals for the Toon record. Having notched a hat-trick last night
over in Tel Aviv Shearer now has 179 goals - 21 short of equaling
the record and of course, 22 shy of beating it. If he keeps up this
goals to games ratio he will smash it.
Obviously he won't play in every game and there will be games where
he won't get on the score-sheet, but Al is gunning for it alright
and he will no doubt fancy his chances. Since Souness took over Shearer
has bagged 4 goals in 4 games and is playing much better of late.
Can he do it? He certainly deserves to and it would be a fitting end
to his career to come out, after all his injuries and those years
where he carried us, to end up as United's all-time record goalscorer.
On the European scene, Shearer is way ahead in the goal charts with
20 goals and he can expect to add to that tally before he hangs up
those lethal boots of his in May.
His hat-trick also pushed his tally past the 350 League & Cup
career mark to 352 goals. Add his haul of 30 for England and by the
time he calls it a day, he will almost certainly have notched over
400 goals in top flight football, both domestically and internationally.
Not bad for a sheet metal workers son from Gosforth...
One For The Anti-Kluivert Brigade To Chew On...
A 67 minute old partnership between Big Al and Patrick Kluivert was
wrote off the following day after our 2-1 victory at St. Mary's as
one that just wouldn't work. One newspaper, the Daily Mirror, even
hailed Kluivert as the most expensive flop in the Premiership.
That Partnership is now 205 minutes old and in those minutes the two
have managed to score 7 goals between them, with Shearer grabbing
4. That's 7 goals in 2.25 games. In the world of the media where they
don't actually watch football, just pontificate over it, Kluivert
is being judged on, wait for it...his cost to Newcastle United. With
6 goals in 5 starts he has been worth every penny of that ZERO transfer
fee and his reported 60K + weekly wages.
Strikers are judged on goals and so is a partnership, 7 goals in just
over 2 games is phenomenal by anyone's standards.
There was never any doubt that the two couldn't play together and
although their partnership is still in it's early stages and that
they both have a lot do to get a greater understanding going, 7 goals
regardless of the opposition, is proof that given time, the right
balance will be struck and when that happens, which it will if Souness
persists, the Toon will reap the rewards.
Kluivert is an unselfish player who takes as much joy in creating
goals than taking them and this alone will dovetail perfectly with
Shearer's clinical, selfish style. Last night Kluivert, with two goals
to his name already, bore down on goal with just the keeper in his
way, instead of grabbing himself a hat-trick he tried to lay it off
to his strike partner who just had the one goal to his name. The pass
didn't quite come off but that unselfishness is what will see to it
that this is one partnership that will succeed.
And what of Shearer? Well 4 goals alongside the Dutchman tells it's
own story really. In the 205 minutes that the pair have played together,
Shearer has drifted out to the flanks a lot, reminiscent of his game
when he had Sir Les as his partner. He seems to enjoy those channels
where he can hold the ball up and use his strength and cunningness
to win corners and free-kicks. Shearer's not daft, who is going to
benefit from set-pieces? Why the master himself.
As a result of this blossoming partnership, poor Bellamy looks the
odd man out now. Often heralded as Shearer's legs and with good reason
given Big Al's tally and resurgence alongside the little Welshman
but as already stated, strikers and partnerships are judged on goals
and as long as our No.9 and Paddy keep banging them in, Souness will
have to stick with them as he has done and looks to continue to do.
With 4 wins in 4 now for the new man, he has no option but to stick.
Whether we as a team play better or not without Bellamy on the frontline
so to speak, remains thus far, purely speculation.
Either way, it's safe to say that everything is rosy in Geordie's
garden at the moment. Lets hope it keeps that way.
A Costly Night For Kluivert In Tel Aviv
Despite coming away with two goals to his name and plaudits ringing
in his ears from Tel Aviv to Tyneside it appears Kluivert's work in
Israel wasn't so profitable after all with the Dutchman apparently
losing a £4,000 diamond ear-ring somewhere on the Ramat Gan
Stadium pitch during a training session the night before the match.
Luckily for Souness and Toon supporters, our very own collection of
expensive diamonds didn't go missing. Hard luck Paddy... |
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