Newcastle fans are flush with Ashley's takeover and Big Sam's appointment - neatly forgetting that Owen and Martins could leave this summer and that Big Sam is a budget manager and you don't win much with budget managers unless you're world class.
Where do you think Newcastle will end up next season? top 4? top 6? top 8?
with a little bit of luck and with wins against the top 4 plus spurs, I reckon a top 4 finish may be within reach. I remind you that they bought Viduka (he's had a great season) and barton (he hasn't). Top 8 is more realistic though.
Newcastle, with Sam Allardyce in charge for the first time, could end up finishing in top 5 in 2007-8 Premiership season; and thus qualify directly for UEFA Cup in the 2008-9 European season...
Anonymous
Posts: 21
Hmm. It'll be an interesting one, I think. Sam's a good manager and both Barton and Viduka are good signings, plus there could be more on the way. I think a top seven finish this season is a rather realistic target and maybe that could be built on the following seasons. This Ashley fella does seem to harbor rather high expectations though and so I'd be interested to know just what he's expecting this season.
i agree . i think top 5-8 is very realistic. big sam is a very very good manager, and its wrong to call him a budget manager because he hasnt had any money to spend at all at bolton. what money he did have though he spent wisely and he always gets the best out of players. just look at what he did for le sulk , who had played absolute crap since leaving arsenal until he went to bolton and got into big sams grasp. i think barton is an excellent signing and sam will get the very best out of him and wont put up for none of his bullshit. there will be more great signings im sure and with sam allardyce as their manager im sure newcastle can go a long way.my prediction- top 6!
Must be pretty high if they think a top 4 finish is likely.
Possible, but unlikely
OK lets speculate, Man U & Chelsea are shoe ins for the 1 & 2 spots in no particular order... Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham the 3 , 4 & 5 spots, again in no particular order... So basically if the Geordies are lucky they might land the #6 spot, the #5 spot is they work their arse off!
yea, funny how the top 5 are taken...so #6 to #8 are in contention, I think #8 for Newcastle should be acceptable - anything less and its not good enough, more and they've done well.
My dream is have newcastle to win Premiere Leaugue trophy 2007/08. Never knows, Newcastle may be a black horse for the top 4 and 'steal' the trophy from Man utd and others. Newcastlr united , YES!!
I believe Sam can do the MAGIX!!and there will be a few surprise buy approaching the end of transfer period. Not toforget, he still have GBP40++million transfer kitty in hand!
I think we'll make top eight - but really hope for top six. We'll be happy to get into Europe for the following season - think that has to be our main goal for next season - and we've got a good chance at achieving that.
I believe Sam can do the MAGIX!!and there will be a few surprise buy approaching the end of transfer period. Not toforget, he still have GBP40++million transfer kitty in hand!
It's all well and good having the money, you need to be able to attract players to the club. Might do better in the next window if the injuries stop piling up and you get a good run in.
But yeah, Big Sam has a knack for getting good quality players for very little cash.
Don't forget Newcastle also have a new signing this season in Michael Owen. If you add in a new manager, (hopefully) take away the worst injury list in the league last year and add in Viduka, Barton plus a new defence then I think pretty much anything is possible but more realistically on the edge of the top 4. I for one would be pretty disappointed to finish behind Spurs. We have an equal if not better strikeforce, much superior midfield and goalkeeper, it just depends what Sam can do with the defence between now and August 11. He has already added Geremi and Rozenhal and promised a new left back and another center half so we should hopefully be at least on a par there.
We have Shola and Michael back from their injuries, signed Mark Viduka and we have Obafemi Martins in the squad gives me a potent and terrific strike force, lets see how far they can bring the club to break in top 4. CHris Mort also implied of big name signings this season for Newcastle United
1) you can't play all 4 strikers, only 2
2) owen and martins vs terry / carvalho, carragher / agger, toure / gallas, rio / vida...
i'd take the defenders every single time.
You could say that about any team in the division but I'd personally take 2 of Newcastle's 4 strikers ahead of any other partnership in the league. Viduka and Owen will be the starting pair.
Anonymous
Posts: 21
Dunno about that one Phil. Owen wasn't the same player before he got injured and he's unlikely to have improved. You'll find he's probably lost even more of his pace. Martins isn't that great either. I can name some better partnerships - Berbatov and Keane, Drogba and Shevchenko, Van Persie and Adebayor/Eduardo but it's no doubt a good starting point and you do have a good manager now. Get the defense sorted and Newcastle could enjoy a good season.
Viduka scored more goals per minute on the pitch than anyone last season, alongside even a 90% fit owen I would take those two above your other partnershops with ths possible exception of Chelski if Shevchenko comes back to his best.
Hey but it's all opinion and only 38 more games will tell us the answer.
yes, top 8. BUT, they still need time. i wont say they will be at top 8. take a look at westham! u know.
a bit pessimistic to be hoping for top 8. Newcastle deserve top 6 at least. With the team they have, they shouldn't be aiming for 8th place. If the Arse or the 'Pool have a bad season than Newcastle can claim 4th place (with GREAT GREAT difficulty) but the material's there.
Damien Duff, Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins in top form are a tough trio to beat. And I'm sure Allardyce will make sure their potential is lived up to the max.
They have the stuff to be on odds with Tottenham. I say 5th or 6th place for Newcastle, if they get lower then they can kiss their asses goodbye to me.
a bit pessimistic to be hoping for top 8. Newcastle deserve top 6 at least. With the team they have, they shouldn't be aiming for 8th place. If the Arse or the 'Pool have a bad season than Newcastle can claim 4th place (with GREAT GREAT difficulty) but the material's there.
Damien Duff, Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins in top form are a tough trio to beat. And I'm sure Allardyce will make sure their potential is lived up to the max.
They have the stuff to be on odds with Tottenham. I say 5th or 6th place for Newcastle, if they get lower then they can kiss their asses goodbye to me.
yes, they hav the qualities! but that doesnt mean they can stay at top 6 or 5th. i think westham has the qualities too, who knows last season how they gone up to. best of luck to newcastle united. really love to watch them play @ europe in the future.
I think top 6 or just outside it is very possible for the bar codes. If their star players stay fit, they'll do very well. They need a couple of more signings in defence though, coz at the moment it's crap.
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