Howmanheyman

@sammynb "Agonisingly close, yet also frustratingly far away. That magical 46-point mark is still within sight. Newcastle United are three points short of that magnificent milestone. True, that has been the case for the past 10 days but three successive defeats and a ballooning injury list have seen a tantalising tally which, at one stage, looked inevitable appear eminently unattainable. But, in their remaining fixtures at Brighton and Hove Albion and at home against Liverpool, the champions, Newcastle must accrue those final three points. Otherwise, this season has been an indisputable write-off. That is how it has been portrayed by some, at least. For reasons passing comprehension, the “success” or otherwise of Newcastle’s entire campaign is dependent upon them reaching that target. Why an arbitrary 46 points, I hear you ask? Well, because that is one more than last season’s tally under Rafa Benitez. So, as well as facing the other 19 Premier League teams this season, Steve Bruce’s Newcastle are also, in the eyes of some, fighting against the 2018-19 incarnation of themselves. This is, of course, ludicrous. Even if Newcastle as a club does so often appear to be wrestling with itself, the barometer for progress should not be a painstaking comparison between the current and former managers. The debate that has raged about whether Bruce’s Newcastle are better than Benitez’s Newcastle has become as tedious as it is pointless. It is almost as wearisome as the interminable takeover saga, which continues to leave the club in damaging stasis. There is no Bruce vs Benitez. There is no Newcastle United Mk. 2019-20 vs Newcastle United Mk. 2018-19. Or at least there shouldn’t be. It isn’t, and shouldn’t be, that superficial. It is Newcastle United against the rest of the league, most specifically those teams immediately above and below them — just as it was last season and is during every campaign. But that is not been how it has been presented in some quarters, by those pundits, including Sam Allardyce, Chris Sutton and Jamie Redknapp, who seem determined to compare them at every possible juncture. This season-long debate was frustrating to begin with and, as it has continued across the course of a campaign that has lasted almost a year, it has become thoroughly exasperating. Does it really matter if Newcastle finish with 43 points? Or 46 points? Or 49 points? Other than a few million in prize money here and there, it is almost utterly meaningless. Will this season really be viewed as a success or a failure depending on whether Newcastle better last season’s points tally or position? No, it will not and it should not. For a start, it is a completely false economy. Points are compared between seasons but they are only one measure — and, to be perfectly honest, they are a fairly poor one at that. In 2001-02, when Newcastle finished fourth under Sir Bobby Robson and qualified for the Champions League, they accrued 71 points. The following season, they picked up two fewer, with 69, yet they finished a position higher in third. So which was the better campaign? When Newcastle finished fifth in 2003-04, they did so with just 56 points. But, under Alan Pardew, they ended the 2011-12 season nine points better off with 65 points — yet that still only saw them finish fifth. This season, Liverpool could end with fewer than the 97 points they reached when they finished second last year. But this time, they have won the title at a canter. It is impossible to solely use points alone as a metric to contrast one campaign against another. It is, to an extent, irrational and even counterproductive. Now, this is certainly not intended to denigrate anyone at the club who uses an increased points haul — or a desire to better last season — as internal motivation. Far from it. That is exactly what should happen. Every club, and members of staff within them, should strive for constant self-improvement. Newcastle are coming towards the end of their third season back in the Premier League and so they should, in theory, be better than last year and the year before that. But this is not a normal club. The Mike Ashley regime have never given off the impression that they themselves hold such aspirations of advancement. Survival seems to suffice, even if they have failed even to achieve that twice. However, the coaching staff and the players certainly do want to progress. Bruce himself reiterated again this week that his goal is to “take the club forward” and that is what now needs to happen. Bruce, his coaching staff and players deserve credit for comfortably keeping a team many feared would be relegation fodder in the Premier League. It was chaotic at Newcastle last summer once Benitez departed and he was followed by Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez, who between them, scored 54.8 per cent of Newcastle’s 42 Premier League goals in 2018-19. And, although £65 million was spent on four permanent signings, £40 million of that was lavished on Joelinton, a forward whose head coach even admits feels “more comfortable” out wide and is “not a natural goalscorer”. The only recruit made over the past 12 months who has undoubtedly improved the starting XI is Allan Saint-Maximin, who has injected pace, excitement and, recently, end product into this Newcastle side. It has been anything but aesthetically pleasing — for most of the season, the football has been painful on the eyes — but the ends have, to an extent, justified the means. Belatedly, Bruce has even tried to evolve Newcastle’s style. In the deflating context of what Newcastle have become under Ashley, that warrants recognition. That does not mean this season has been a “success”, just as last year was not a “success” and nor, particularly, was the 10th-placed finish in 2017-18, either. In fact, Newcastle, who are 13th with 43 points after a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur which left them with an injury-ravaged squad and two fixtures merely left to fulfil, are pretty much on course to finish off what will be yet another indifferent season under a regime that appears content with mediocrity. Across the 10 full Premier League campaigns throughout Ashley tenure, Newcastle’s average finishing position is 12.9th in the table, with 44.3 points. A middle-of-the-road return for what, under Ashley, has become a middle-of-the-road, survival-will-do football club. Some fans have even come to ask the question of: “What is the purpose of Newcastle United under Mike Ashley?” If 46 points this season really is the zenith that it has been portrayed, then Newcastle United really are going through an existential crisis." Chris 'I survived Ryder' Waugh.

Some shit on display despite doing ok at times. Just announce the fucking takeover.

Fucking Schar again.

Keegan walking into a room with the targeted player and his agent, NUFC tracksuit on and just starting to talk about juggernauts or massive ships steaming past small boats etc. Five mins and big funds later and he'd be walking out the room with a big net over his shoulder and an entangled M'bappe not knowing what hit him.

Ahem, cough.....'Pimms drinking' shithouse if you please?

The EFL (AKA 'Mysterious Tyneside businessmen') meeting deciding a club who finished outside the playoffs went up instead of Sunderland..... (Pictured).

Tyldsley going over the top a bit, he's still commentating for them......what?......Sam Matterface is replacing him?.....What a fucking disgrace, Clive! Yee get 'em telt wor kid!

Ewerk and ant are your men. I'm not even sure if both my kids would get one unless I did?

Irish passport looking likelier by the day.

'Didn't get Gemmill's cum, used salad cream instead.'

No wonder evertonian's are so bitter.

To be fair to De Courcey/nookie bear/Tames, I once saw him in fluid and he walked in with a camera and started asking questions to random NUFC fans. Now I'm not exactly an avid watcher of Tyne Tees or look north but thought he'd retired years ago. Anyway, I was full of blooter and grabbed a hold of him and said something along the lines of how he always had a massive hard on for Bernie Slaven and his commentary always said shit like 'The Holgate/Fulwell/Gallowgate absolutely erupts' whilst he was obviously in the studio editing it? He looked a bit uncomfortable to put it mildly and fucked off pretty sharpish. Anyway, maybe he was on the lookout for similar encounters?

The lad singing, man.

Not sure of the season but pretty sure it was White's record. My mate went on a chartered plane to Southampton a few years ago organised by Harrison, said he was good crack and a bit of a character. Went from intentions of going to take the piss about his commentary skills back in the day to singing his praises by the time he got back.

McFaul bought Goddard when we were in serious relegation trouble and he kept us up. Heard Darren Jackson praising him to the hilt the other day on Wraith's YouTube show. Was a good listen to be fair even if you discount friend of the krays, Steve.

Goddard wasn't playing for us when Charlton managed us? I take your point about his style when you had Waddle and Beardsley playing, he wasn't really for us and followed a popular manager which didn't help. Anyway, was more on about his character overall than his NUFC record when as has been mentioned he was trying to be as part time as he could? It didn't take much for him to chuck it when it comes down to it.

The fans being shown watching the game, man. What the fuck's all that about?

How shit have we been 2nd half?

Some fucking gaps on our left. Pretty unimpressive stuff from Rose.

RTG has at the time of this have around ten times the posts on our match thread than ours.

Roses are red Lettuce is green Watford are by far the greatest team That Hemel Hempstead has ever seen.

He let the miners in SJP for nothing when the strike was on which I'd forgotten about. Seen him out and about like Gemmill and thought it was radge as well seeing him strolling about Eldon Square not that long after the WC in Italy. He brought a NUFC team to the dome in Walker as well and everyone was just wandering amongst them and he was no bother whatsoever, it was as if it was a working men's club were playing and he was their manager. Loved his voice and him saying he'd have chinned Rijkaard if he'd spat at Jackie. RIP big man.

Probably. I lose track of who I tell what, tbh.

Elton's B side to that Diana tribute was also a tribute to Mother Theresa who passed away in the same week. Not many people know about 'Sandals in the bin' for some reason?