Newcastle United: How Is Eddie Howe's System Doing?

Newcastle United have started their third full season with Eddie Howe as manager. I’ve now watched Howe lead the team to victory in over 50 matches. I have seen what works and what needs improvement. And while I am not a good football analyst by any means, Howe’s style, tactics, and his wear and tear on the squad are now apparent. So after 18 months of not writing about Newcastle United, it’s time for me to briefly share what I think about the Eddie Howe era.

Under Eddie Howe’s leadership, Newcastle United is a team that plays HARD. They don’t over-perform. If they truly over-performed, they would advance to the knockout state of the Champions League last season (although they nearly did). Ten years ago, we Newcastle fans were sad, just wishing for a team that tried. Now we have a team that plays very hard. Last season, I think that led to too many injuries.

Now Newcastle find themselves starting a season that demands they finish in the top four, or at least the top six. That’s a tremendous amount of pressure. Oh, and they have to do it with a rotation of defenders and right wingers because their last summer transfer window focused on regulation-mandated sales. They acquired one very good left back / center back in Lloyd Kelly. And that was it.

The results have really been all over the place, as Newcastle have displayed an unsustainable mixture of poor passing. defensive mistakes and an offence essentially led by three players, Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes.

I used to think that Eddie Howe has a system, and he just forces his players to fit into that system. But in most matches this season, I don’t think Howe has been sure of who he wants to start. The system has not been fully enforced. Howe’s system demands speed, intensity and full use of the sidelines up and town the pitch. That’s not possible with a low pass completions rate, as we’ve seen in the first month of this season. It’s also not possible if the squad can’t run as fast as they did in the previous two seasons.

In order for Howe’s system to be enforced, it needs to be sustainable and the players need to be fit. We’re starting to see fitness levels rise in the last two matches against Manchester City and Wimbledon. We need to see a trend. But two objectively solid performances matches is a start.

Newcastle United Go Into The Final Stretch Of the 2022-23 Season

Newcastle United Eddie Howe had an incredibly difficult period to deal with between the World Cup and last week.

Howe had to come up with game plans to remain undefeated through at least the Arsenal match in January, while keeping his non World Cup players conditioned. At the same time, he and his men needed time for themselves and their families. The stress levels must have been intense. Howe did all that. He kept his squad undefeated until they faced Liverpool of February 18.

Now, after notching two consecutive wins, Newcastle enter the warmer Spring months to play 11 final matches over the next 8 weeks. There will be no tears shed if Newcastle fail to finish in fifth place or higher in the EPL table.

When I sip the Newcastle United Kool-Aid, I yelp “win it out!” Just win the remaining matches! Yeah! And no team in this league, except for the top two, can pull that off in April and May.

Injuries have piled up, which we Newcastle fans won’t be updated about until Sunday April 2 when the Lads host Manchester United.

In this league, two consecutive wins can keep a team up in the table for weeks. Newcastle just did that. Now they will want to do it again. And at some point, once more. And so with that, here are my predictions for the remaining matches of the 2022-23 season:

Sunday April 2, Manchester United, Newcastle to win, 2-1

Wednesday April 5, at West Ham, Newcastle to win, 2-1

Saturday April 8, at Brentford, Newcastle to win, 2-0

Saturday April 15, at Aston Villa, Newcastle to win 1-0

Sunday April 23, Tottenham Hotspur, Draw 2-2

Tuesday April 27, at Everton, Newcastle to win 1-0

Sunday April 30, Southampton, Newcastle to win 2-0

Sunday May 7, Arsenal, Newcastle to lose 2-0

Saturday May 13, at Leeds, Draw 1-1

Saturday May 20, Leicester City, Newcastle to win 2-0

Sunday May 28, at Chelsea, Newcastle to win 2-1

Well, call me an irrational optimist. I have Newcastle going on a tear, earning 26 points over 11 matches. That would bring their points total to 73, and should firmly place them third in the table and qualifying for the Champions League this September.

Objectively, every club Newcastle are yet to face are beatable, even Arsenal. And Newcastle has a recent history of surging in the Spring. Since 2018, they have finished their seasons strong. Newcastle won 4 straight matches in March and April 2018 (before then ceasing to try and dropping the next four). In the immortal words of the now-indicted Donald J. Trump, “we’ll see what happens!”

Newcastle United Emerge From The Ashes Of The Mike Ashley Era

I think last Monday night (May 16) was incredible, given that NUFC were up against a younger squad that had something important to play for. I will argue to my dying day that what we saw was more significant than what we saw in 2011 when Pardew's squad drew Arsenal 4-4. That match was far more entertaining, and unforgettable. But this match was a glimpse of what NUFC will do when they are a good club. Were they good in 2011? I don't think so.

Monday night was a heavyweight bout, and Newcastle bruised and battered Arsenal. They bruised Martinelli. They sprained Tomiyasu. They cut Lacazette. And our Callum Wilson nearly lost a front tooth. It was a game of pain, and Newcastle outlasted Arsenal in the ring.

Know what's amazing? Monday night wasn't even the best match of the season. I think that honor goes to the 2-1 comeback win against Leicester. No, wait, the comeback win against Everton on February 8! Ryan Frasier with the winner in that one. Trippier scored the final goal on a free kick, and he would do it again against Villa the following week (and fracture his foot).

The goals against Arsenal were not pretty, but they were earned. And man, had that Wilson lob gone in, people would have been having flashbacks to 1996 and 2002 Alan Shearer. I think everyone can agree that the score could have been 4-0 Newcastle. They bossed the Gunners. I am seriously going to miss Newcastle football this summer. 75 days without seeing this squad. At least we could see 4 new signings. And soon!

A big thank you to Wor Flags. St. James' Park is looking like the best stadium in European football these days. The display and planning is impressive. Keep those flags waving.

Newcastle Are Finally Going To Be Relegated, For Real This Time

After years of close calls, season after season, Newcastle are finally on their way down.

There's actually no shame in going down, considering how much time we’ve had to prepare. This club has been warned repeatedly that this was going to happen. Newcastle has been skirting the relegation zone throughout Steve Bruce's tenure. Now it's unavoidable. Amazingly, this collapse has come just as the sale of the club was finalized. If the sale had to wait until January, would it still be on at this point?

In a way, this is fair to all parties. Previous owner Mike Ashley got his asking price. The new ownership still got a good deal. They thought they were buying into the EPL at a low price. They were mistaken. They were buying into the Championship at a low price. But they will still get richer. Worry not.

This club is going down. I have accepted this already. I suggest we all do. If Newcastle were to earn 35 points starting after the November international break, it would be a historic season save. A surge in points that would be remembered for years. But that's not happening.

What we should be passionate about is the rebuilding of the club and the plan to get it back into the EPL as a strong contender for cups. We won't just come back. We will dominate the lower half of the table and get back into the Europa League.

The next 20 months and beyond are going to be entertaining and very enjoyable compared to the Ashley era. Enjoy it, Lads. We will fall and rise together. Enjoy the ride. Alan Shearer will, despite his slightly intoxicated gaffe, below:.

Newcastle Stay Afloat Again

Fuck this fucking club. Fuck Steve Bruce.

Name another FIFA-licensed manager in any professional league who has his squad play like this up two goals and with an extra man on the pitch? Name another manager who wouldn't start Joe Willock, one of the best players on the roster?

Enough. I have had enough. I want the murderous Saudis to buy this club now. Yes, I resisted. I don't care about human rights anymore. I want new ownership yesterday.

Do not step inside the stadium until there are new owners. This is not football. This is not a normal club. A normal club with this roster would be comfortably finishing 12th.

And I know what you Geordies say. I respect you. You know this sport better than any other city in the UK. You will say, 'piss off, we know, we've heard it all before.' But you need to hear it again. Your country invented professional sports. But here in the States, even the worst-run MLB, NBA and NFL teams have a faint level of normalcy in their front offices. Even the Washington Department of Football and the New York Knicks. Newcastle are not normal.

How many more times must a club this big, with a giant fan base, barely stay afloat in the English Premier League? Why does there have to be a relegation scare every December through April? Because the owner, that’s why. The owner and his transfer policy. The owner and his neglect of the youth academy. The owner and his neglect of the training facilities. And that all led to a once great club unable to attract a competent coach to mange it. Rafael Benitiez was a saint. He tried in vain to make Newcastle normal. But it can’t be normal until it is sold. It’s time to sell the club and give this city a normal sports franchise.

Newcastle Rescue Themselves

Newcastle have rescued themselves from relegation for the second consecutive year. Last year it was an improbable home win against Manchester United. This year it was an even more improbable win against a red hot Manchester City. In both matches, Matt Ritchie scored the winner.

Newcastle are too good to be relegated this season. I didn’t believe that a few months ago, but it is apparent now. Even when they were failing to win points, their defense was holding together. Their back four have helped keep their goals allowed total one of the lowest in the league. And they were unlucky. They’ve lost points due to final conceded goals in injury time. They have drawn matches that they should have easily won. They’s been an odd team, finding more success on the road than at home.

They practically got a new midfield in January. Issac Hayden, who repeatedly asked to be transferred, accepted his situation and decided to focus on his football. He got selected to start more as a result. Back in September, their best passer was arguably Jonjo Shelvey. Now, with Shelvey on the injured list, their most expensive signing ever, Miguel Almirón is in charge of counter-attacking. Together with wonderkid Sean Longstaff, Issac Hayden and Matt Ritchie, the Newcastle midfield is getting balls closer to goal, and is driving wins.

Before Almirón joined the club, Newcastle whupped Cardiff on their home pitch. Another big step towards safety.

Then with Almirón, Newcastle pulled themselves within 6 points of safety with back to back wins over Huddersfield and Burnley on just 2 days rest.

Their dominance over Burnley was notable. The first half brought the goals, and the second half closed the clean sheet.

There are nine matches remaining in Newcastle’s season. They ought win four of them. I think they only need to win two and draw some others. I will see half of one of their future matches in the Toon next month.

Newcastle’s talent and growing English Premier League experience have gotten them through another season in the top league. The question remaining is whether Rafael Benítez will give the club another year to find a new owner. Newcastle never do anything the easy way under Mike Ashley.

Welp. Newcastle Will Be Relegated

Newcastle United are too far behind to pull themselves out of the relegation zone. It’s too late to catch the bus. The bus is gone. They are going down next spring.

How quickly Newcastle have failed this season. And how accurate was manager Rafael Benítez, when he warned everyone this would happen.

Today’s performance in Southampton was emblematic of Newcastle’s hopeless season. There was no attack. There wasn’t a single shot on target.

I’m not sure if Rafael Benítez will be allowed to finish his contract, which expires at the end of May, 2019. Indications are that he will, as the candidate to replace him, Brendan Rodgers, is poised to complete a somewhat disappointing season at Celtic. Also, the Newcastle ownership and board have no desire to stay up in the Premiership, despite the extra revenue for doing so They seem perfectly content to watch this club go down.

Newcastle United's Summer Was A Success

Last season ended with a bang, but the Summer 2018 transfer window was silent for Newcastle, until the final stages of the FIFA World Cup. 

Last season, Newcastle over-performed, winning most home matches from February onward, and finishing 10th in the table. Pundits credit manager Rafael Benítez for that surge, and predict that Newcastle will finish around 13th - closer to where they should have finished last season.

The manager and the supporters knew that the Summer 2018 transfer window would be similar to last summer, with more players being sold than being brought in. But I think that had to happen, as there were players of low quality or who didn't have the trust of Benítez. No one wanted Jack Colback on the payroll anymore.

In the summer window, which closed last week, Newcastle sold the following players:

• Aleksandar Mitrović (striker)
• Mikel Merino (midfielder)
• Chancel M'Bemba (center back)
• Adam Armstrong (midfielder)
• Ivan Toney (reserve striker)
• The club declined to renew contracts for Massadio Haïdara (left back), Curtis Good (center back), Jesús Gámez (right back) and Stuart Findlay (center back).
• They also loaned out Jack Colback (midfielder) and Dwight Gale (striker) to serve out their contracts with other clubs. 

Newcastle brought in the following players:

• Martin Dúbravka (keeper)
• Sung-yueng Ki (midfielder)
• Kenedy (left winger, on-loan)
• Yoshimori Muto (striker)
• Fabian Schär (center back)
• Jose Salomón Rondón (striker, on-loan)

The loanees in particular are crucial signings, considering their talent and crucial roles. Kenedy, since joining the club on-loan in January, has proven himself to be the best left winger at the club since Jonas Gutierrez. Rondón was signed as part of a rare player swap. Newcastle loaned Dwight Gayle to West Brom, and they loaned Rondón to Newcastle. It is the hope of both clubs that the strikers will find more success with the change. I liked Gayle. But he wasn't the Number 9 striker Benítez needed. The manager is looking for a guy who can get over 10 goals per season. For a club that doesn't score often, that would be a start.

For the second consecutive summer, Newcastle sold or released more players than were brought-in. But the quality of this year's arrivals are higher than last year's, at least on paper. Newcastle have a star goalkeeper, a star winger (if temporary), a deeper midfield and two new strikers, who have replaced the ones the manager did not trust.  

However, it's not all good news on Tyneside. Benítez is in the final season of his contract, and will not renew under the current ownership and board. The club needs to be sold, but it can't if the owner keeps "loaning" cash to the club and refuses all offers under £400 Million. The key loanees, Kenedy and Rondón, are bound to leave unless a new owner can come in and put the big money down to sign them to contracts. If someone is going to buy Newcastle united this season, they will have to pay more than the club is currently worth, approve some big contracts, and accept that it will take a while for the club to climb to a £500M valuation. It's going to take a new owner, a new board, and more patience - the kind of patience that Benítez has shown with this current regime.

Despite a frustrating loss to begin the 2018-19 season, the squad is positive and is poised to get their first win soon. They go to Cardiff next. 

They and we are United.

Newcastle United: The Slowest Start

The story of Newcastle United's 2017-2018 season is that it took months to get in gear. That was, until February 11, when they stunned Manchester United at home. Newcastle’s season finally began this week.  

This season had stalled a couple of times. The first stall nearly killed their season, when Newcastle failed to win between October 21 and December 23. Then a less severe stall occured after Christmas, when Newcastle could only draw against Brighton, Swansea, Burnley, and Crystal Palace. During that time, they also beat Stoke. But 7 points out of a possible 15 was a massive missed opportunity to achieve safety. Of course you have to take whatever points you can get, and 7 points is not insignificant. But had Newcastle won 2 of those 4 draws, they would probably be safe today.

And bad luck happens to teams that are in a slump. Newcastle had victory taken away at Palace due to a very soft penalty.

But sports karma is a funny thing. The Jets helped create the Patriots dynasty when Mo Lewis injured Drew Bledsoe and forced the debut of one Tom Brady. While not nearly as dramatic, Newcastle put all those frustrating draws behind them when Chris Smalling dove in front of Jonjo Shelvey and the referee. Newcastle were awarded a free kick. Shelvey and Lejune delivered the ball to Ritchie’s feet, and he calmly put the ball in the bottom right corner for the only goal of the night. Luck had nothing to do with it. The Lads had done it. They beat Manchester United all by themselves. Man U lacked creativity and sustained attacking. Still, Man U could have scored four goals with their swift counterattacks. But the Newcastle defenders and new keeper, Slovakian International, Martin Dúbravka, held the line.

Watch full highlights of the match (minus Smalling's dive) here.

No one on the home side had a bad game. Florian Lejeune was heroic in his long-awaited return from injury. Paul Dummett was a hero. Dwight Gayle made a goal line block with his legs. Twice. Mo Diamé’s fine recent form continued. Jonjo Shelvey was brilliant. And Jamal Lascelles showed us again why he is the captain - the best team captain in many years.

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Jose couldn't complain

And with this win, their most thrilling since 2015 or so, Newcastle’s season has begun. There are 11 games left. They only really need to win 2 of them. But look at the table now:

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A general rule in football is that a team needs to draw or win against teams that are beneath them in the table. Newcastle have upcoming matches against Huddersfield, Southampton and West Brom. If they win those 3, they will be fine. If they win just 2, I think they are still fine. What they cannot do is lose to any of those teams. They are not out of the woods yet.

But their season has just begun. And Islam Slimani makes his debut on February 25 at Bournemouth.

Newcastle United: Goodbye, Premier League

 [I tried writing this post on October 5, and I failed to delay it being published before it was ready. And while Newcastle's situation has improved somewhat as of October 18, I am leaving this up. Unprofessional, sure. But this isn't a professional blog.]

I regret not posting any opinions about what was the most exciting transfer window for Newcastle United since the summer of 2012. But now I can offer a more accurate prediction of where Newcastle will end up next June: one league down, in the SkyBet Championship. Newcastle are doomed this season.

Before I give my take on the 2014-15 campaign and the objectives for 2015-16, you should read Phil's post over at I Wish I Was A Geordie. When he published his piece, I realized that he summed up over half the points I wanted to make here, and he did a better job than I would anyway. My opinion here is still that of a Yank supporter trying to criticize and analyze the club objectively, except I will try not to repeat Phil. So here goes.

In the 2013-14 season, Newcastle were saved by a leased striker, Loic Remy. He scored 14 goals while on loan. Without him, they wouldn't have the goals required to earn their 49 points and finish in a remarkable (and undeserved) 10th place. They were also helped, at times, by the likes of Davide Santon, Yojan Cabaye, Mathieu Debuchy, and Moussa Sissoko. It was also a season brought serious trust and reliability issues for their captain, Fabricio Coloccini, and an astonishing season for the other central defender, Mike Williamson. With both Taylors injured at various times, Williamson was the unlikeliest of heroes in the backfield. The club had an over-performing defender, a prolific striker, and some inconsistent, but overall good players on the wings. That earned safety and the chance for the club to make significant improvements in-between campaigns.

However, the club instead chose to blow that chance, in favor of enhancing its profit margin. There was no summer shopping spree. Instead of setting the stage to give Alan Pardew a clear chance to fix his tactical mistakes, the club undermined Pardew through the unnecessary hiring of Joe Kinnear as Director of Football. This would be the first of two similar blown chances in a short period of time (the second would come just 6 months later when manager Alan Pardew resigned). In the summer of 2014, the club needed to buy one or two central midfielders. They needed to at least consider getting a defensive midfielder to replace the injury-prone Chiek Tiote. They needed a first-team quality striker. Of those three requirements (and surely there were more), they only completed the last one - the signing of Siem De Jong. That would have helped if he wasn't injured so often. So the team relied on it's other striker signed in the summer of 2014, Ayoze Perez.

The summer of 2013 was similar. Thee were signings. But it wasn't like Pardew's first summer, when Cabaye, Obertan, Santon, and Marveaux were signed. A summer without strong signings can lead to a thin, demoralized squad when the injuries and losses pile up. Then the relegation battle begins. 

How did such a big club get here for the third season in a row? And why do I think they cannot save themselves from relegation in this third drop to the bottom? Well simply put, they should have been relegated last season, and a new manager, a new system, and new signings are all too late to save Newcastle. Steve McClaren will try to keep his club calm, but the 10 wins needed to secure safety are not coming. Goals are not coming. And this team seems doomed to concede the first goal in nearly every match.

And even when this team does score the first goal (improbable first goals to boot), they still fail to win. 

This post was written on October 5th, and at the time, Newcastle's next 6 games looked winnable, on paper. Well, so were 3 of their first 8 legaue games this season. For this reason, I am calling it: Newcastle are going to be relegated. Relegation would be devistating. It would set the club back 5 years, financially. It would mean at least another 10 years without Europe tournaments. I know how bad it would be. But a part of me knows that Newcastle would deserve it. Relegation would make the owner hold on to the team longer, but it would force players out who need to go (Tioté, Sissoko, Coloccini).

Only in retrospect, after 3 years, do we know how the club got here, even though it has been happening before our eyes since the winter of 2013. Who or what is to blame? It isn't the owner. It was never the mangers after Sir Bobby Robson. It was and is the failed transfer policy. That shouldn't be a surprise, because we heard that three-word phrase as early as the summer of 2013. Couple that with a failed summer transfer strategy, and you have a disaster. I will try to explain.

This past Summer, Newcastle signed 5 players at the cost of £52.6 Million before salaries. Of those, 3 are proving themselves to be capable of playing and succeeding in the Premier League. The rest are development players with Premier League salaries and needing at least a year to get up to Premier League fitness and strength. And still, the team needs new central defenders and a true defensive midfielder.

Manager Steve McLaren has acknowledged this. He has been upfront that he doesn't see a roster full of players he needs until February 2017. But we fans are convinced that he isn't choosing the new players. We don't think any Newcastle manager since Allerdyce has been involved in player scouting and recruitment. That work is done by chief scout, Graham Carr.

What has Newcastle done under Carr? It has "bought for value." The team has brought in promising mainland European talent, who have ended up in a few, fairly predicable scenarios. Some have proven to be capable of succeeding in the Premier League, which eventually attracts a profitable bid from a bigger club. Some players become unhappy, and see their time at Newcastle as an audition to play for a more famous club. That would be okay if they were engaged and played hard in every appearance (that's you, Moussa Sissoko). Then there are the flops. The Ben Arfas. The Marveauxs. The Cabellas. The Thauvins?

When a team brings in flops, and the best guys are sold, you are left with a second-tier team in a top-tier league. If the new arrivals don't start producing - if service to the strikers doesn't improve - and if Wjindulum and Mitrovic don't increase their goal rate, this team is going down.

NUFC: Winning Is No Longer Accidental

Newcastle 2, Chelsea 1

What is it with Newcastle's success against Chelsea under Alan Pardew?

How many times has Pardew beaten Chelsea? He has done it four times; once each year since 2011. And if you go back to September 2010, when Chris Houghton was in charge, Newcastle have defeated Chelsea in five consecutive calendar years. Each time has been a rush. I treat myself to quality meat when it happens. I celebrated Newcastle's improbable upset victory at Stamford Bridge in the 2010-2011 League Cup with a filet mignon at SushiSamba. I celebrated this latest win with a bacon cheeseburger at the Piper's Kilt. 

In October and November, Chelsea looked unstoppable. They are arguably the best team in Europe.

How about this match? It evolved. It had transitions. It had a transfer in the balance of power, confidence, and control. If you are into tactics and grit, this was your must-see match of week.

The match began with Chelsea making crisp passes and creating chances. However, almost all of their early shots were off-target. Newcastle were struggling to create chances, and their attacks were being broken up well before they could get to their opponent's area. Newcastle's first big chance came in the 32nd minute, and it should have ended with a goal. Ayoze Pérez made a brilliant back-heel pass to Jack Colback in front of the net. Colback had a ton of net to aim at, and yet missed. He put his forehead down on the pitch, knowing that it could have been his team's only real chance of the day.

But then the game transitioned. Chelsea didn't control the match the same way they did in the first thirty minutes. Newcastle finally had some sustained attacks. There still weren't any shots on target, but they were holding onto the ball more.

During added time in the first half, Newcastle keeper, Rob Elliott, tore a thigh muscle while kicking the ball down-field. Seconds later, a cross from Sammy Ameobi didn't connect, and the half ended scoreless. Newcastle had few chances, were lucky not to be down a goal, and had lost their second string keeper indefinitely.

My feeling at that point was that Newcastle had a chance at a draw. So long as they did not concede the first goal, they were going to hang on for a point. There was no need to panic. Even with the third string goalkeeper, 21 year-old Jak Alnwick, taking over from Elliot, I was not nervous. On Facebook, I posted the following status:

“It’s going to be a thrilling 45 minutes of football as Newcastle attempt to hold off Chelsea. Defense!”

I thought half of the midfield did extremely well. And that half was named Jack Colback and Moussa Sissoko. In my notes, they shared the man of the match honors. They were involved in almost every big play. Which brings us to the 57th minute. Sissoko had possession and charged with the ball into the left side of the area. He rolled the ball to Sammy Ameobi, who quickly crossed the ball through Chelsea's Cahill and Terry to Cissé, who was perfectly positioned, and just had to stick out his right foot to score. St. James' Park came alive. Suddenly there was a game and Newcastle had a lead to protect. Cissé had come in to replace Remy Cabella in the 53rd minute. It had to be energizing to to see him make an almost immediate impact on the game.

The defense then stepped-up. Janmaat, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, and Dummett all did their jobs. With each minute, Newcastle seemed to gain a little confidence. 

Then things became shaky. Eden Hazard hit the post in the 78th minute. But Newcastle did one of the things they do best: they counter-attacked. In a stunning sequence that immediately followed, Colback, Pérez, Sissoko, and Cissé all combined to score the crucial second goal. It was a sequence that pretty much summed-up Newcastle's offensive capability this season. Colback began the counter-attack with a stiff-arm tackle and took possession. There was no whistle for that. From there, Colback passed the ball to Pérez at midfield, who was fouled hard into the air and down, but not before he made a short pass to  Colback. The referee made the call of the match. He gave Newcastle the advantage, and let them play on. Colback connected to Sissoko in the left side of the area with a magnificent through-ball. Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois came out to meet him, and almost got the ball. The attack looked over. But Sissoko managed a last-millisecond pass, through Courtois' hands to Cissé who calmly tapped it through a row of three defenders into the empty net. It was game over.

Except it wasn't. Of course not. This club? It's a roller coaster.

While Diego Costa and Fábregas lost their nerve and were both carded two minutes later, a Newcastle collapse was on the horizon, as Steve Tayor mad a bad challenge in the 81st minute, and picked up a second yellow card. He had been booked early in the second half for pulling down Willian. And this foul was no less intentional, as he ran over Schurrle 25 yards away from the Newcastle goal. It was cynical and reckless, and he was off. On the next play, Drogba headed the ball pass Alnwick on a free kick. The ball was visible from beginning to end, and Alnwick was not in the best position. Newcastle would be spending the next 9 minutes, plus 6 minutes of extra time, hanging on to a one goal lead. And they just hung on for the win.

Incredible. Jose Mourinho didn't take it very well at first, but was classy in the end. Sort of. As Gabriele Marcotti of ESPN pointed out, Mourinho is very clever, and selects his words very deliberately to help steer the English sports media.

Now how did this improbable victory happen? Was Newcastle better prepared? Did Chelsea see their trip up to the chilly northeast as a nuisance? Or was this yet another example of Newcastle relying on counter-attacks to stun a bigger, better club?

That's Matt's argument over at I Wish I Was a Geordie. Let's accept his argument that Newcastle are built to bite bigger squads through counter-attacking. After all, he's a pundit, unlike me. But then how do we explain that Newcastle have done it against 4 teams in just 2 months (City, Spurs, Liverpool, and Blues)? Do their opponents not watch footage and scout them? If Matt is correct, we can expect Newcastle to have similar success against Arsenal and Man United before this month is over.

On the flip side of Matt's argument, he has an excellent point. If Newcastle play a 4-4-2 diamond with a counter-attack mindset against dominant squads, how come they fail to get three points when they play a 4-3-3 formation against a more equal side? Why couldn't they beat West Ham or Burnley last month? Is it a lack of motivation and consistency?

Still, isn't it time to give Alan Pardew credit for this recent turn-around in form? What if Pardew's tactical plan against Chelsea was to get a draw? Then clearly his squad exceed expectations by scoring two unanswered goals against the best team in Europe, yes? Furthermore, can we explain how Newcastle effectively attacked Chelsea down the left side in both halves? Didn't Pardew do his homework? A good team needs to take advantage of lapses and mistakes by their opponents, and that's exactly what Newcastle did. And like everything else in team sports, the next game will tell us more about this squad, and how far they can go this season.

And so, how does Pardew and his players prepare for their trip to Arsenal with over 10 players unavailable due to injury or suspension? The back four appears to be set with Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini (or Dummett), and Haïdara. But the midfield and strikers are anyone's guess. The consensus is that Newcastle are going to have to play Tioté, Cabella, Colback, Gouffran, and Anita in the midfield at some point in the game. So why not use a 4-3-3 formation? Have Colback be the center of the midfield, and Cissé be the center forward, with Pérez on the wing?

Here's a guess at what is possible on Saturday:

Now on to the pundits.

Jim McMeachin, Coming Home Newcastle: 

“Fabricio Coloccini and Steven Taylor had the unenviable task of stopping Diego Costa, who so far as we know is still living in Captain Colo’s back pocket.”

Michael Fox, ESPN: 

“It’s easy to say Cisse should have started, but he wouldn’t have offered such an outlet when Chelsea were piling on the pressure in the opening stages. Perez played that role nicely; Cisse then provided an instant impact. It worked perfectly, and sometimes managers — even Pardew — deserve the credit.”

NUFC: Another Team Effort Makes It Six Wins In A Row

Newcastle 1, QPR 0

Five league wins in a row. Six wins in a row. Three consecutive clean sheets. Fifth place in the Premier League table. Are you kidding me? Is this happening?

Newcastle put on an impressive display in the midfield, as Jack Colback and Remy Cabella led the squad to edge QPR in both chances and possession (the first time NUFC won over 50% possession in a while).

Ryan Taylor was also an early leader, with an electrifying performance in his first start in nearly 1,000 days. But a pulled muscle sent him off after a little over 30 minutes. With tears in his eyes, he feared the worst. But hopefully, his will return in early 2015.

The midfield battle, the team's consistent performance,  and in-game substitutions proved to be the difference in this one. When the winner finally came, it was a stunning shot by Mousa Sissoko, to notch his second game-winning goal in less than 30 days. He had a monster of a match, leading the defense with Cabella. When Ryan Tylor had to leave the match, the captain's armband was transferred to Sissoko for the second time this season, and he acted very much like a captain should.

Alan Pardew's critics argue that these last six victories have been accidental. They have involved luck, to be sure. But I find myself agreeing with those who argue that the club is doing better than expected with a weak system in-place. 

We have seen years of management by Pardew to understand his mindset and overall tactics. The last two seasons have shown us that Pardew has improved in his player selections, and the team is relying less on long passes. However, Pardew's system still relies on counterattacking, and whether intentionally, or due to bad luck, he relies too much on one striker. Pardew has not had a striker tandem since Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse in the spring of 2012.

There is another way to analyze this win streak, and it has to do with personnel. Pardew was not allowed to strengthen the team during the summer. He was only allowed to replace what had been lost, and get a couple of prospects for future use. Furthermore, we fans have no idea if Pardew has any input on who is being scouted and recruited (he assume he has no say). Due to injuries and the team's desire to keep the win streak going, Pardew has let the young guys play. 

Rolando Aarons and Ayoze Perez were not expected to get more than a few appearances, let alone starts. But now they are the new stars of the club. The players brought on board to be the new stars, Cabella and Riviere, have not yet reached their expected levels of production. But Cabella, Janmaat, and Colback have become stronger, working together in most matches. And finally, Massadio Haidara has gotten experience starting at left back, and he has gotten better. At age 21, he is showing the potential to be Newcastle's best left back since Jose Enrique. 

In short, Newcastle did not plan to become a deeper squad, but they now have depth thanks to a positive attitude, and the willingness of young players and the manager to give youth a chance. Add the fact that the team has stopped conceding the first goal for the time being, and the wins have stacked-up. 

It is on to East London now. If Newcastle can win or draw against West Ham, they will have their second consecutive undefeated November, and they will be firmly in competition for a spot in the Europa League. Winning is like a drug, and this team is the happiest and most confident it has been since the spring of 2012. Maybe next time they are in Europe, Newcastle can see a tournament as an opportunity rather than a distraction.

The story of this season is "let the kids play."

Two More Shutout Victories Propel NUFC To Eighth Place

West Brom 0, Newcastle 2

NUFC notched their fifth straight victory and have leaped over several teams to eighth in the Premier League table. It was a second straight comfortable win, following last week's shutout of Liverpool at home. When their well-organized 4-3-3 formation put pressure on the Baggies, the opposition virtually lost its ability to mount an attack. Aside for a 7 minute stretch halfway through the first half, West Brom didn't threaten Newcastle for any sustained period.

Their goal differential has improved to -2. Tim Krul got his third clean sheet of the season (and his second straight).

The players of the match were at the front and back. At the front, young Spanish striker, Ayoze Perez, scoring first again for the Magpies with a morale-crushing, sublime, back-heel re-direction at the end of the first half. At the back, defenders Janmaat, Coloccini, and Dummett provided the tackles and a much improved aerial attack. The crossing and corners by Newcastle in this match were the best they had executed in months, perhaps years. Janmaat's cross to Coloccini's header put Newcastle ahead 2-0 early in the second half. West Brom nearly stopped playing, and the visiting Geordie fans made The Hawthorns sound like St. James' Park with their chants and singing. Newcastle need to continue to improve their air attack and set plays if they want to keep climbing the table.

The man of the match had to be Janmaat with both assists.

I think Newcastle must defeat QPR back home on November 22. Then they will regroup for a trip to West Ham November 29. They are two matches away from an undefeated November. This second international break of the season will be a lot less stressful than the first. 

Last year, an unbeaten November and a guy named Remy saved the season. This year, an unbeaten November could help punch a ticket back to Europa.

NUFC Defy Odds And History To Advance To League Cup Final Eight

League Cup, Fourth Round: Manchester City 0, Newcastle 2

No one thought Newcastle could advance in the current League Cup after drawing Manchester CIty away.

But tonight, Newcastle won their first ever match at the Etihad. And they did it with several of their reserve players. It was almost a youth squad. It was incredible. More significant, it was deserved. Newcastle's kids outplayed Man City for 98 minutes.

It was Newcastle's biggest win in the League Cup since upsetting Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in September 2010.

Man City dominated possession, 60 to 30 percent. However, they suffered from the same bug that inflicted Tottenham on Sunday. They couldn't get quality shots on goal, while Newcastle's defense and Rob Elliot stopped all the others. 

Ryan Taylor made his first appearance in over two years, since tearing a cruciate ligament in his right knee. He led the defense, while Gabriel Obertan (man of the match) was the most defensive of the midfielders tonight.

Oh yes, who did Pardew select to play tonight?

Newcastle were deployed in a 4-3-3 formation, with two teenagers, Adam Armstrong and Rolando Aarons, leading the way. There were six changes made compared to their last start at Tottenham. And it payed-off brilliantly. City were vulnerable early, and Aarons made them pay with a goal in the 6th minute. From then on, Newcastle played with intensity, and City just couldn't take back control of the match.

Paul Dummett, normally a left back, was asked to play as a center back, and he held up fairly well. Massadio Haïdara might have had his best match yet as a Newcastle player, putting in a full 90 minutes shadowing James Milner, and making the most interceptions of any player in the match.

City suffered injuries during the match, so an already weakened squad became weaker as the match went on. Defender David Silva limped off in the 8th minute. But that has no effect on the judgement of Newcastle's stellar performance. 

Pardew and company knew they could virtually guarantee victory with a second goal, and so they began the second half almost the same way they began the second half at White Hart Lane, with a pre-kickoff substitution of an existing striker (Aarons) with Sammy Ameobi. Aarons had a tremendous first half, but I suspect he ran out of steam, and was not getting firm control of the ball after he scored early.

Newcastle sealed the deal with two substitutions in the 65th minute. Moussa Sissoko came on for Janmaat, and Emmanuel Rivière came on for Armstrong. 11 minutes later, Sissoko dribbled through the left side of the area and blasted the ball to the far right side of the net. He looked angry after scoring. You could tell he had been waiting to score for months.

The Mags could still blow it, of course. There were 6 minutes of injury time added. Riviere could have made it three when the ball crossed inches away from him in the box. Newcastle could have sat back during those final minutes, but Haïdara, Obertan, Coloccini, and Taylor all finished strong on defense.

And there's no need to bring up the officiating blunder, is there? Obertan was on-side, and about to receive a pass at the top of the box, when Aleksandar Kolarov took him down before he made contact with the ball. There was no whistle and no penalty kick given. There wasn't even a free kick given. Replays from every angle show that it should have been at least a free kick, and at most, a PK and a red card. It was outrageous. But it's moot now. Also, how nutty is it that Obertan was nearly in alone on goal at the Etihad, with his team up a goal? This is how Newcastle drives us fans crazy. But what a fun two weeks this has been.

On Saturday, Newcastle host the Reds at what surely will be a loud, and slightly wild St. James' Park. Liverpool are suffering from morale and confidence problems at the moment. Newcastle must remain confident and organized. Their 4-3-3 formation held very well against City. They need to maintain their form as the first team players, led by Tim Krul, take the pitch in less than 72 hours.

Alan Pardew was, shall we say, smug? He couldn't quite contain himself in the first interview for Sky Sports. He settled down for the team video (the second video below).

Now on to some more links.

Alan Pardew:

“I do know what I’m doing.”

Neil Cameron, The Evening Chronicle: 

“The team was set up perfectly in that whenever they broke, they did so in numbers, Whenever City attacked there were at least six black and white shirts in front of Rob Elliot, who had a fine game himself.”

Phil, I Wish I Was A Geordie:

“The manager deserves all the credit in the world for how he lined the team up. Paul Dummett at center back and the returning Rolando Aarons and Ryan Taylor all came up aces for the manager. Even his substitutions were flawless.”

NUFC: Inspired Second Half Delivers First Away League Win Of The Season

Alan Pardew made changes both before and during the match at White Hart Lane, and got a result. It was an injury to Papiss Cisse that forced Pardew to change his attacking formation and striker selections. But it was the changes made at halftime that helped flip the game. 

I was going to title this post "Inspired Second Half Delivers Dramatic Comeback Victory Away." The point is obvious. Newcastle United had not come from behind to win a league match in over a year, and they had not won an away league fixture since March 1,  2014.

What happened? Well, let's start with the team Alan Pardew selected after confirming that his star striker was not available due to injury. Pardew once again ordered his team into a 4-2-3-1 formation. For the second straight match, Anita started in place of Cabella as the attacking midfielder.

Pardew's selections were precisely what Phil predicted over at I Wish I Was A Geordie.

Even a casual tactic observer like me knows that Obertan is more effective on the left side. He proved that in Europa League matches back in 2012. Regardless, this is what we got at kickoff, and right away, both teams under-performed for different reasons. Tottenham could have easily scored 2 or 3 goals, but lacked confidence in their final balls and touches, and they were not playing at full speed. 

What happened next might not be entirely true, but what was visible speaks for itself. Alan Pardew says that he yelled at his team, saying that they were playing like a small club, and that they had to change their attitude:

We needed to offer a threat. We’re Newcastle United. We’re not a small club. We’re a big club and we were playing like a small club.

Pardew began the second half with two halftime substitutions. Sammy Ameobi replaced Gouffran, and Remy Cabella came in for Anita. Newastle kicked-off to start the second half. Colbeck held the ball, backed up to the circle, with his back towards his keeper, and launched a perfect, 30-yard lob to a charging Sammy Ameobi, who controlled the ball on the left side and put the ball into the far right of the net. In just seven seconds, the match was level. And Newcastle took over the match.

From that point forward, Newcastle had the better passing and defense. They were shaky. Often, they went back to their habit of hanging back, when Tottenham was not putting on any high pressure at all. The Spurs became disorganized. Almost all their shots went wide. And then Remy Cabella did what was expected of him when he was acquired by the club. He put up a lovely cross, and Ayoze Perez, who had been in the correct position all match, but couldn't get the final ball, headed it past a defender and the keeper. 

Ayoze Perez had been keeping up with the more muscular, more experienced Premier League players all day. But he lacked finishing. He was not having a productive match. But that all changed when he got his first league goal, which proved to be the game winner.

The rest o the match was more typical Newcaslte United of late. Perez was replaced by Haidara, who interestingly played forward a lot, when he job was to break up passes and defend. Sammy Ameobi was electrifying as he broke up several passes by the opponents. Throw in some key blocks by Taylor and Coloccini, plus a couple of key catches by Krul, and it was game over.

We Toon supporters were shocked, and I think so was the manager.

Now on to what more expert pundits had to say.

Kevin Christie, The Mag: 

The Newcastle manager has his faults and the stats show just how poor his side have been since last Christmas but if he continues to be brave and throw caution to the wind, Pardew may just win one or two fans over once again.

Matt, I Wish I Was A Geordie:

There was no apparent strategy other than packing it in around goal. Then Ameobi came on at halftime and scored six seconds after the whistle, and suddenly Newcastle decided it felt like playing.

See more Pardew post-game comments here.
 

NUFC: A Turning Point In The 2014-2015 Campaign?

I have been away for far too long. I finally got around to upgrading this blog to Squarespace 7. And while I am still ironing out the new template, Newcastle's first victory of the season demands that I write about it.

And of course I missed it. Lady Serling and I were up in Newport, touring The Brakers, eating fried seafood, and doing the cliff walk.

I woke up this morning to jokes about After Eights on Facebook, and it took me a while to figure out what that was about.

I only knew one thing: Newcastle pulled off a must win. Could this be a turning point in their frustrating, under-performing season?

Tim Krul got a much needed clean sheet. Anita got a solid start. Armstrong was left on the bench, where he belongs. And Gabriel Obertan, arguably the hardest worker on the pitch all season, got the goal he deserved.

Suddenly Newcastle are one upset victory away from mid-table. They play Tottenham next in the league, and that would qualify as an upset, if they won.

Again, I did not see this match, but I understand that Alan Pardew continues to push his players into a 4-2-3-1 formation. Vernon Anita started as the center midfielder in place of the struggling Remy Cabella. Moussa Sissoko has not contributed in the midfield at all, but did play the full 90 minutes. And Newcastle had some chances. This could have ended 2-0 or 3-0. Key saves by Krul preserved the shutout. And the back four held together, with Ryan Taylor in place of Mike WIlliamson. 

Next match is Saturday October 25 at White Hart Lane. 

NUFC: Another Summer Of Discontent

This this time of year,I try to write a post about Newcastle United's summer transfer activity and strategy for the new season, which begins just over a month after the FIFA World Cup concludes. 

I began writing this post on June 8 at San Juan International Airport. I was in the same terminal in June 2011, which was Alan Pardew's first summer with the club as manager. In that month, Pardew embarked on his strategy of buying undervalued French players and trying to develop them into Premier League starters. Newcastle had bought one such player before Pardew was hired. That player was Hatem Ben Arfa, an under the radar deal completed by Pardew's predecessor, Chris Houghton.

Pardew's four purchases that June signaled an attempt to build a new midfield. He brought in Sylvain Marveaux (left wing), Gabriel Obertan (right wing), and Yohan Cabaye (attacking center), the man who could become Newcastle's next number 10, to lead the offense. The hope was that Marveaux could replace Jonas Gutierrez, and Obertan could start cup matches, giving the injury-prone Ben Arfa rest in what could have been a run of seasons in the UEFA Europa League, as well as a possible League Cup run.

Well, Newcastle supporters knew what happened after that. The club had a season in which they overperformed, due in large part to their defense and it's rising star goalkeeper, Tim Krul. That gained them entry to the Europa League. However Pardew and the club almost immediately regretted playing in Europe. In match after match in that tournament, Newcastle showed resiliency in the backfield, but an inability to score up front. While Cabaye and Ben Arfa proved themselves to be the most talented offensive players, there were strong signs that they didn't fit with the other players. Also, it had become well documented that Pardew was deploying 3-3-4 and diamond formations because he recognized that he lacked natural strikers who could be used in a 4-4-2 formation.

Despite Pardew's occasional encouragement of diamond formations, the squad lead the league in long passes, rather than the short, triangular passes that can sustain attacks and produce chances. The squad gradually replied on counterattacking for goal scoring opportunities, no matter which midfield players Pardew chose to start. It wouldn't be long before knowledgeable supporters recognized that the squad's problem was not a matter of incorrect player selections by the manager, but rather a failed strategy.

Pardew and the board brought in talented players who were not attracting too much interest from bigger clubs. Simply put, they were making value conscious purchases. If one of them proved to becomes quality starter in the EPL, such as Cabaye, then he became a profitable sale opportunity. Conversely, if he was not trusted or utilized by Pardew, he became dead weight, and lose value, as was the case with Marveaux.

All the while, Newcastle's inability to score proved to be the biggest concern. They dropped from sixth to sixteenth in the table in just twelve months, saving their 2012-2013 season with a lucky win against QPR in the penultimate match.

Players who fell out of favor were felt away, with unsuccessful attempts to replace them during transfer windows. Furthermore, the last two summer transfer windows before this current one were not productive. It was about about cashing in rather than building. A spurt of purchaes in January 2013 helped save that season, and until this month, there had been no new acquisitions.

Which brings us to this current round of purchases. Basically, Pardew and company lost an entire year in maintaining their squad. What we are seeing today, with the purchase of two players, should have occurred a year ago. However, that was blocked by the asinine hiring of Joseph Kinnear as Director of Football, who essentially blocked Pardew from doing what he needed to do to right the ship (putting aside the probability that Pardew doesn't have a chart to navigate his ship).

Now Pardew finds himself in a very similar position he was in last June. He has lost talented players. His squad cannot score, and is in terrible form. Pardew has become the sixth consecutive manager since the Sir Bobby Robson era to fail to steer the squad to a positive goal differential in the EPL.

This summer, Pardew is faced with the additional problem of a broken defense (something I doubt he recognizes nor cares about). Last year, the defense was a key injury away from being broken. Fortunately, Mike Williamson surprised everyone and became the squad's most improved player. However, this squad cannot rely on Williamson in the season ahead. Every defender, with the arguable exception of Dummett and Williamson, is no longer helpful. Coloccini wants to leave. Steven Taylor has served his purpose. Matthieu Debuchy wants to reunite with Cabaye at PSG. And Davide Santon, once one of the best offensive defensemen in the Premier League, has become a liability. This defense, ideally, needs to be completely rebuilt.

But time was lost last year, and now time is being lost this year, as the World Cup has the whole football world shelving transfer news for the next month. And the stack of things to do over at the club is higher now than it was in May 2013. Last year, Newcastle arguably only needed a new defender, midfielder, and a striker. They only managed to get a quality striker on loan. This summer, they need 3 or 4 new defenders, 2 or 3 new midfielders, and 2 or 3 new strikers. But that won't happen. They are already running out of precious time.

Before the World Cup, Newcastle was able to make two small purchases. They purchased second tier Spanish striker Ayoze Perez. Days later, they acquiredJack Colback on a free transfer after his contract had expired at Sunderland. Now transfer season is on-hold for Newcastle until the World Cup is finished. What ar the next moves, Alan? The league fixtures have been announced, and the clock is ticking.

Will Pardew Ever Figure Out His Midfield?

No.

And I much as I want to like this guy, I can't trust him as a manager if he can't figure what should be a good problem for a manager to have. His problem is, he has too many midfielders, but doesn't know where they should fit, and in which formation.

Where do they fit?

We have learned an awful lot since things fell apart last October after a season start that had Newcastle on pace for an 8th place finish. A year ago, Yohan Cabaye and Cheik Tiote were the core of what could be one of the best midfields in the English Premier League.

Flash forward to last month, and it clear to many armchair analysts like myself that Canaye and Tiote should not be on the pitch at the same time. Tiote is a defensive midfielder, and enforcer. He strikes me as someone you bring in to defend a second half lead (something Newcastler were terrible at last season). Cabaye is supposed to be one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe. But for reasons most pundits don't know, his passing simply disappeared last season. Couple that with Cisse's poor year, and the offense was effectivly disabled. 

What can bring the triangular passes back? The simple passes that generate scoring chances?

If there are zero expectations for Jonas at left wing, why keep starting him? Surely Marveaux can take over?

And can Hatem Ben Arfa at right wing ever be trusted? Yes, he's a magician when he runs with the ball. But a rebuilt midfield would not include him, would it?

We fans and pundits have the correct questions. Alan Pardew does not know the answers.

What Newcastle United Must Do In The Next Four Weeks

Well, the answer to the question is obvious, isn’t it? Newcastle need a few more players. Maybe only two more if they don’t lose Yohan Cabaye.

It appears likely that Newcastle United are close to their first major signing of the summer transfer window. While I really like Gouffran and Sissoko, their two newest forwards signed in January, they need additional strikers to make up for the gap left when they lost Leon Best and presumably will lose when Papiss Cissé leaves the club.

The best striker, as things stand, the best available striker is Bafétimbi Gomis. Newcastle have expressed interest in him, and better still, he has reciprocated. So get the deal done, right?

Well, not so fast. Since 2011, Newcastle have not been quick to buy any new players in the summer season. No one really has an answer as to why this is so. The most pessimistic of Newcastle supporters fear that the four signings from January are the new summer signings. Considering what happened last summer (one signing), they have every right to be concerned.

Newcastle need two new strikers, with our without Cissé on board, and at least one of them needs to be world class. The clock is ticking. Get it done.

NUFC: This Is Not The Change We Requested

This is a very late post. But this blog needs to repeat it, as if the point hasn't been made enough.

While we wait for Newcastle's first significant signing of the summer (if there is going to be one at all), it just needs to be acknowledged that Newcastle United Football Club have arguably the worst front office in all of professional sports.

As an American, I know there are some really bad front offices here. Actually, there is a long list: The Chiefs, Knicks, Mets, Pirates, Bruins, (Arizona) Cardinals, Twins, and Royals, just to name a few.

So apparently there has been a power struggle between manager Alan Pardew and chief scout Graham Carr. Alan Pardew, of course, has recently finished one of the most disappointing seasons in recent Newcastle United history, with a 16th place finish in the table, and a staggering 45 league goals conceded.

Having signed an 8-year contract last October, it is understandable that the board would put Pardew on a short leash. But their next move has the press, fans, and even the competition confused and bewildered. The club hired former manager (and arguably one of the poorest managers in the top flight in recent years) Joe Kinnear as Director of Football.

The news of Kinnear’s appointment leaked on Sunday June 16, just a week after I returned from my annual visit to Vieques, and around the time I was hoping to hear that Newcastle was preparing a few bids for players once the transfer window opened on JUly 1. Newcastle fans remember how disastrous Kinnear’s tenure was with the club as manager. But it still came as a shock when Kinnear walked into a radio station on Monday June 17, before the club had confirmed his appointment, and declared himself to be the final word on new signings, as well as Alan Pardew’s boss. He also declared, before the official announcement, that Managing Director Derek Llambias was on his way out. Oh, and it was simply offensive and bizarre.

Derek Llambias did indeed resign. Friendly with fans, and seemingly on board with Pardew’s French and African recruiting plan for the club, Llambias’ departure set off alarms all over Tyneside.

But when Pardew broke his silence after his summer vacation on July 8, he showed no sign of wanting to quit, and expressed his commitment to the new power structure in the front office. He even said that he and Llambias didn’t work well together.

It would appear that Alan Pardew has the toughest task of any Premier League manager in the 2013-2014 campaign. He has to use the squad he currently has, plus or minus no more than 4 players total, and deliver a top 12 finish, while being overseen by one of the least successful and most despised men in all of English football. Joe Kinnear hadn’t been re-hired by any top flight club since being fired by Newcastle in 2009. His being re-hired by the club that should know how terrible he is makes this story all the more extraordinary.

It will be, in words of The Guardian’s Louise Taylor, a minefield.

UPDATE, July 21, 11:00 EDT, The Mag reports that Kinnear has just hired former Sunderland and Newcastle player, Mick Harford, as a coach. He had agreed to join East London club Milwall as a coach just last month. This probably puts additional restraints on Alan Pardew, and not just because Harford used to wear red and white stripes. These are interesting times, indeed.

UPDATE, July 22, Harford has rejected Kinnear's job offer. Smart move, Lad.