Newcastle return to action in the Premiership on Saturday Afternoon following the International break. The past few weeks haven’t been great for the Magpies losing 3 of the last 5 including a dismal 2-0 defeat at the Valley against struggling Charlton Athletic and being thrown out of the UEFA Cup by AZ Alkamaar.

(more…)

Graham Poll of Tring in Hertfordshire is the man who will take charge of our Premiership clash with Manchester City at St James’ Park tomorrow. Poll was appointed to our fixture at Charlton a fortnight ago but had to withdraw due to an injury he sustained in the Blackburn-Arsenal Cup Replay, and was replaced by Dermot Gallagher.

His only other United game this season was our 0-0 bore draw with tomorrow’s opponents, at the City of Manchester Stadium, while he has refereed this corresponding fixture on 2 occasions, with us winning both (2-0 in January 2003 and 1-0 last season).

Something of a hangover match that seemed to relive the horrors of the AZ Alkmaar tie saw us sink to a lowly Charlton side at the nadir of our season. Depression has been immersed by apathy in some quarters and innumerable displays are beginning to coalesce into something that has no real beginning or end, just the same toothless, mediocre monotony. The road ahead is long it seems, and there is much to be done before the club is at where many feel it should be.

(more…)

So where did it all go wrong? We lost very comprehensively, and we didn’t
lose to a particularly good side. Over the two legs, there were elements of bad
luck and individual errors, but on reflection I think some of the explanation
lies in the battle, psychological as well as tactical, that took place between
the two managers.

(more…)

There’s no easy way out as Newcastle fashioned another lifeless performance that will no doubt be lost amongst innumerable others, falling, as they did, to a Zheng Zhi header and a Jerome Thomas penalty at the Valley.

What went wrong this time? What can be done? What replacements would you like to see? How long will it be before Newcastle are where you want them to be? Where should our expectations be at right now? What do you hope for this season? You’ve seen the cloud, can you see the silver? Have your say.

A pitiful display from both manager and playing staff on Thursday evening saw Newcastle crash depressingly out of the UEFA Cup for the third time in four years. A gutless and bored performance from the Magpies, complete with insanely negative tactics from the laughable Roeder, had the 1000 travelling supporters suspecting the worst from only the first few minutes. Newcastle had kissed their European prospects goodbye for yet another year, literally from within the opening stages.

(more…)

A goal either side of half-time from Shota Arveladze and Danny Koevermans gifted AZ qualification to the quarter-finals on away goals, as Roeder’s tactical plans were ridiculed time and time again in a match where Newcastle were thoroughly dominated.

Does Roeder have any defence? Does our defence have a defence? Where was the midfield? Is there anything left in the season? Where do we go from here? How do you feel about Newcastle, football and life, in general, right now? Have your say.

Newcastle take a relatively slender 4-2 lead over to Holland, where they face one of the deadliest home sharpshooters on the continent. Hostile and nerveracking, the 17,000 capacity DSB Stadium plays host to AZ Alkmaar and their opponents, as the Dutch attempt to claw a way back into the tie, and ultimately the quarter-finals.

(more…)

A scintillating first half performance from Newcastle saw them overcome dangerous Dutch counterparts, AZ Alkmaar by an impressive four goals to two on Thursday night. Obafemi Martins was a pinnacle figure throughout, scoring two goals before half time, both of them sublime finishes.

(more…)

A crazy and enthralling encounter saw Newcastle develop a speedy 3-0 lead through an own goal from Steinsson and goals from Dyer and Martins. Former Rangers man Shota Arveladze pulled one back, before Martins slotted in Newcastle’s fourth. A cross fired in at Taylor’s arm saw a penalty awarded to AZ, and though Given saved Dembele’s first effort, Koevermans rebound found the net to give AZ Alkmaar two crucial away goals. With both attacks looking lethal, the tie is set up for a pulsating and exciting finish in one week’s time.

What did you think of this mad match? Did Roeder triumph over Van Gaal, or were the away goals the defining statistic of the game? How should we approach next week? Should we concentrate on keeping it tight? Who should we play? Who performed well? Who didn’t?

There’s a lot of meat on this one, so by all means, have your say…!

Newcastle go into the game with AZ Alkmaar on the back of two highly disappointing results in the Premier League. The results, and the performances to match, witnessed against Wigan and Boro are hardly those that will fill the Geordie nation with confidence. In general, things do not look too promising for Newcastle, going into a game against a side who have scored 93 goals so far this season.

(more…)

The excellent Swiss referee Massimo Busacca will be at St James’ Park on Thursday night to take charge of our UEFA Cup Round of 16 1st Leg clash against AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands. Busacca took charge of 3 matches at the World Cup in Germany last summer: Spain’s 4-0 victory over Ukraine and England’s 2-2 draw with Sweden (both in the Group Stage), and Argentina’s 2-1 extra time victory over Mexico in the second round. Busacca, 38 and fluent in 5 languages, is a Managing Director from Monte Carasso in the Italian speaking area of Switzerland.

(more…)

Saturday’s goalless draw with the Smogmonsters saw Newcastle muster their first Premiership clean sheet in a ridiculously long stretch. What perhaps should have been a break from these articles, however, has instead become the mammoth of all catch-up articles - owing to the correction of long-standing technical difficulties behind our wafer-thin scenes, here at N-O. Alas, everyone can, once more, find out… how to score past Newcastle.

(more…)

The St. James’ Park faithful witnessed Newcastle beat their heads against a wall in what was ultimately a fairly stale goalless draw with a Middlesbrough side who travelled up intent on playing for a point. Real creativity was found somewhat lacking, and frustration all too familiar, as Newcastle dropped another two points at home.

Was there much Roeder could have done to have secured the win? What did you make of Milner and N’Zogbia? Were you impressed with the back line? What of the front two? Who should start from now on? Have your say!

Steve Bennett, from Orpington in Kent, is 46 years old, and takes charge of his 4th Newcastle match of the 2006/07 season as Middlesbrough travel to St James’ Park today to face us in the “Tyne-Tees derby”. We have a bit of an unhappy history with Mr Bennett, who has made several controversial (but not necessarily incorrect) decisions against us in the past.

(more…)