About this blog

Blog on the Tyne is dedicated to bring Toon fans everywhere the most up to date NUFC views, opinions and comment.

The author Lee Ryder, proudly born and bred on Tyneside, has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.

From the high octane atmosphere of St James' Park to the Premiership grounds up and down the country and into Europe - this Blog has been there.

But the coverage doesn't stop at first team level.

Blog on the Tyne is also proud to be there to witness the future of the club with regular coverage of Newcastle United's reserve side, as well as all things black and white.

Recent comments

Recent Posts

Sponsored links

Archives

Links

News Now
For Love Not Money

Advertiser

Sponsored links


All we want for Christmas is 12 points!

Posted by Lee on December 22, 2006 7:56 AM | 

Well it may well be Christmas but the clash with Chelsea has actually knocked the stuffing out of some of us already.

Blowing one of our big chances of finally getting some silverware in the cabinet to go alongside the Intertoto Cup, The Japan Cup and a dusty looking 1969 Fairs Cup has resulted in somewhat of a hangover before the festivities really begin - and it's a Carling one at that!

Even the larger than life Steven Taylor looked like he'd been beaten up (in the emotional sense that is) on Wednesday night which showed exactly what progress in the competition meant to Newcastle - he's assured us though in the style of Arnold Schwarzenegger....he'll be back.

And let's hope that's against Spurs tomorrow, along with his team-mates too.

Defeat against Chelsea was hard to take.

Only inches prevented Oba Martins blasting home a goal that would have set St James' Park on fire and scared the living daylights out of the Londoners.

But, oh no, not for Newcastle.

Fate decided it would hit the bar and bounce out to safety not that Scunthorpe linesman referee Dave Babski kept up with play anyway.

And then after when ref Chris Foy was conned into Chelsea's diving antics, yes Arjen Robben you, he failed to notice at the time the Chelsea boys nicking five yards on a free-kick before Didier Drogba smashed home.

Then just for good measure Foy decided that Antoine Sibierski wasn't pushed over at Gallowgate for a late penalty, well it would have meant a longer night for Foy and his chums so close to Christmas had the Toon belted in the spot kick wouldn't it?

And why didn't he book Sibi for diving? It's a foul or a dive. That's simulation these days Foy, do you not apply the rules?

But forget about it.

It's Tottenham now and with two away games in the Premiership before the visit of Man United on New Years Day it's an important one.

Spurs are actually about where Newcastle should at least be in the table but if United can pull off a festive special and win, they'd be just three points behind Martin Jol's men.

There will be no sign of Jermaine Jenas, out injured, and no Robbie Keane, also crocked, but in Dimitar Berbatov and Jermain Defoe in rich goalscoring form - 20 between them - 10 each - they will be no pushovers.

We know the festive period is vital in any season.

But it couldn't be more vital for United now after an indifferent start to the season.

Twelve points on offer over the holidays, Spurs first, Bolton away, Everton away and Man United at home.

Take half of those points and it puts United in decent shape going into 2007.

Take less than half, it could be a long hard winter and take more than half we could be looking at a different story, depending on who comes through the door in January.

The only problem with Newcastle United, though, is you can just never tell - can you?

Merry Christmas everyone, have fun.

Comments (1)

oxboy wrote...

Lee, please you'll have me crying with your hard luck story. Truth is, against Chelsea, when the big boys came out to play we were swatted away like an annoying fly!
Martins may have been unlucky with his only shot of the game but was he on the filed in the second half? Shay hardly had a shot to save but his wall for the free kick was woefully undermanned.
Men against boys I'm afraid but it shows how even Chelsea rely on a few players and their reserves are not as effective as their regular first team players - maybe Duff and even Parker illustrate the point!
Saturday Spurs are beatable but we must start with Sib up front as he is the only player we have who can hold the ball up front and lay it off effectively.
I expect Dyer to be more involved than on Wednesday but please, please Glen dont play Emre as a second striker.

Posted by: oxboy  | December 22, 2006 7:56 PM

Post a comment

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)

Advertiser