There has been little improvement in our results yet I would argue NUFC have improved massively under Steve McClaren.
If you watched in isolation our performances away to Man Utd, home to Chelsea and Norwich, and the first halves at City and Sunderland you would not believe we are a team sitting in the bottom 3.
In these games we've played some of the best football we have seen for 18 months. Our passing, movement, team shape have all improved. We have individual players who have come in and raised the team level - Wijnaldum, Mitrovic and Mbemba in particularly. Everything sounds great - except the obvious lack of points we currently have.
Yes football is a results business and we do need to start winning points but I really do believe we are doing a lot of things right on the pitch, and usually when you do the right things on the pitch the results will come. Everyone outside the city of Sunderland and even some within if they are being honest saw that we are a much better team. We were better than City for 45 minutes and Chelsea for 75. The results will come and for that reasons I am pleased to see there is no mass call for McClaren to be fired.
Not everything is rosy - we need to improved defensively - we need a new centre back and captain as Collocini is not up to either job right now. This needs to be addressed in January along with a top quality left back and Charlie Austin must be brought North 6 months after he should have arrived. McClaren remains safe right now but he knows that Mike Ashley will protect his investment and will not allow us to drift too far before he makes a leadership change.
Our club has done a lot wrong over the last 7 years but slowly there seems to be small signs that we might be approaching a corner and potentially might even start to turn it.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Monday, October 19, 2015
Our season has started
Newcastle United's 6-2 victory over Norwich yesterday has certainly lifted the clouds of doom and gloom which have hung over Tyneside for most of 2015. This must be a spring board to bigger things and not just a temporary respite.
Steve McClaren took a lot of stick after he made the "Our season starts now" comment. For me this was unfair criticism and it was obviously meant to put a positive spin on what has been a tough start to the season - I say this has been harsh as I can only really think of 2 results which have been poor. We've had an awful fixture list and other than the Watford and Sheffield Wednesday games the results have been predictable. Not many teams will take points away at Swansea or West Ham yet we got unexpected positive results against Man Utd and Chelsea.
McClarens "our season starts now" statement was blown out of context and should be filed alongside the old football classics like: 'A 6 pointer' or 'Its like a cup final'
Wijnaldum is a special player - I really feel he will eclipse everything Yohan Cabaye achieved with the club - he can really be the leader and future of our club. Our front 4 were excellent and will be a match for any team. When Moussa SIssoko puts in an attacking performance like that he is unstoppable - we just need to see this on a regular basis.
Yes we were still a little sloppy at the back and that will improve with time but right now we look like a Keegan team in that rather than defend we will just out score you.
This is the ideal performance and result in the build up to the Tyne / Wear derby next weekend and our players must be buzzing with confidence and a belief they can take all 3 points at the Stadium of Light.
Steve McClaren took a lot of stick after he made the "Our season starts now" comment. For me this was unfair criticism and it was obviously meant to put a positive spin on what has been a tough start to the season - I say this has been harsh as I can only really think of 2 results which have been poor. We've had an awful fixture list and other than the Watford and Sheffield Wednesday games the results have been predictable. Not many teams will take points away at Swansea or West Ham yet we got unexpected positive results against Man Utd and Chelsea.
McClarens "our season starts now" statement was blown out of context and should be filed alongside the old football classics like: 'A 6 pointer' or 'Its like a cup final'
Wijnaldum is a special player - I really feel he will eclipse everything Yohan Cabaye achieved with the club - he can really be the leader and future of our club. Our front 4 were excellent and will be a match for any team. When Moussa SIssoko puts in an attacking performance like that he is unstoppable - we just need to see this on a regular basis.
Yes we were still a little sloppy at the back and that will improve with time but right now we look like a Keegan team in that rather than defend we will just out score you.
This is the ideal performance and result in the build up to the Tyne / Wear derby next weekend and our players must be buzzing with confidence and a belief they can take all 3 points at the Stadium of Light.
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