It's all ifs and buts for Newcastle at the Cottage
IF Newcastle United can continue to carve teams open like they did at Fulham on Sunday and be that little bit more ruthless in front of goal then it's a fair bet they will not be relegated this season.
But if they put in many more disjointed defensive displays against the teams that are battling with them to stay in the Premier League, then fears that United will be playing in the Championship next season will only intensify.
Once again in the world of Newcastle United, it's a story of ifs and buts.
Whether Mike Ashley can find a buyer or will come up with a new strategy to steer the club from danger remains to be seen.
And while the uncertainty pollutes the air on Tyneside, another season is gradually being wasted during a time in which we all dared dream of success again under a whole new era.
There was certainly plenty of uncertainty in the air at a rain lashed Craven Cottage though.
And the lack of communication from two players from South America.
The Cacapa and Fabricio Coloccini partnership was only meant to be for the afternoon after Steven Taylor missed the trip to Fulham.
But my word didn't Newcastle miss Taylor?
The first blunder was when Cacapa headed the ball off the back of Coloccini before Andy Johnson smashed home the first.
That was 1-0 but after United had worked hard at the start of the second to get level through Ameobi, the Toon self destructed.
Cacapa was then muscled out by Johnson which left Coloccini to deal with the nippy former Everton man.
Coloccini perhaps didn't have much choice to upend him leaving Danny Murphy to roll home the pen.
That's the sort of dodgy defending that makes Newcastle an easy target.
But then when you look at how Newcastle turned the tide it's no wonder Toon fans get so annoyed.
At times before and after Shola's leveller, Fulham were ripped open on both sides.
And then when Michael Owen arrived as sub, the supply line seemed to stop!?!
All of it baffling, all of it so typically Newcastle United, all of it pointing to win a couple then lose a couple and all of it pointing to another rollercoaster ride for the rest of the season.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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Lee Ryder - Proudly born and bred on Tyneside, the Chronicle's chief sports writer has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.
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You can lay the blame at the feet (and head) of the defence - or one defender in particular. On the other hand, you can be more honest and note that no-one was carving open the Fulham defence for the first 30 minutes; in fact, it was almost as if we hadn't turned up. It's annoying, because we've probably got the players to do the job, but you've got to look at JFK and wonder why on earth Bassong wasn't playing in the first place or at least why he wasn't brought on after Cacapa's first rick. You also have to wonder why he took off Jonas, a player who continues to scare defences; why he left Duff on (I mean, yeah, he had that shot, but not a lot else) and why Charlie remained on the bench; and why he insists on playing two central midfielders who play a similar game.
While I'm at it, why was Faye sold over the summer? He was a hell of a lot better than Cacapa and Edgar and, on occasion, Taylor.
Sorry but you have to look at a game over 90 minutes not 25 and Fulham were the better side, thy are a decent team at home and no pushovers.
Joes pathetic comments about the ref did him no favours, the ref was not at fault, the defenders were.
Wrong. Joe's tactics and team choice were at fault.
I agree with all the points above...we have no one to blame but ourselves for loosing, Cacapa looked weak all game and it was his fault for both goals. How Johnson managed to out muscle him is a joke...not a foul just weak defending!
I still think the main fault is Joe's tactics. We where all over them before and after scoring, only one team looked like winning at that point, we were winning the game down the wings, especially with Jonas down the left. When he was brought off everyone played narrow and all the width went, and but started to hoof the ball up, why change something that was working well...i dont understand! I agree Duff was the weaker of the wingers, you could see Charles warming up at the side, i was waiting for him to come on for duff and i think we could have won it. Really frustrating...its worrying times when we miss Taylor so much, basically we only have two central defenders. Cacapa's legs and head have gone :(
The toon army were amazing as always, the stomping on the stadium floor made an amazing noise...we deserve better than this!
CACAPA SHOULD NEVER PLAY FOR TOON AGAIN, NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
JOE KINNEAR SAYS THAT "WE" (NOT SURE WHO WE WERE) DECIDED CACAPA WAS THE BETTER PLAYER BETWEEN HIM AND BASSONG, WE SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT JOES JUDGMENT ON THAT SCORE.
AS FOR THE MICKEY MOUSE REFEREE TAUNT, JUST KINNEAR LOOKING FOR A SMOKESCREEN TO DEFLECT BLAME FROM HIMSELF AND HIS USELESS, OUT OF DATE AND CHAMPIONSHIP LEVEL TACTICS AND APPROACH.
DEAR GOD WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO DESERVE THE LAST 4 YEARS? DID SOMEONE REFUSE TO BUY A BAG OF PEGS AT THE DOORS OF SJP?!
I agree with Lizer, its all the teams fault really, had the game in their hands and lost it....awful...
Cacapa looks about 50 and plays like it too.
Playing him for the full 90 minutes beggars belief and Kinnears timing and use of substitutions are baffling.
Ashley will have to do something soon if he hasn't a buyer lined up, because I think we are real relegation contenders.