Squad Numbers 2011/12 Season

On Friday the squad numbers were announced for the new season, with the biggest mover being Hatem Ben Arfa who has picked up the number 10 shirt. Danny Simpson also changed from 12 to 5. Another season started with a striker with the number 9 shirt!

1. Steve Harper
2. Fabricio Coloccini
3.
4. Yohan Cabaye
5. Danny Simpson
6. Mike Williamson
7. Joey Barton
8. Danny Guthrie
9.
10. Hatem Ben Arfa
11. Peter Lovenkrands
12.
13. Mehdi Abeid
14. James Perch
15. Dan Gosling
16. Ryan Taylor
17. Alan Smith
18. Jonas Gutierrez
19. Demba Ba
20. Leon Best
21. Fraser Forster
22. Sylvain Marveaux
23. Shola Ameobi
24. Cheik Tiote
25. Gabriel Obertan
26. Tim Krul
27. Steven Taylor
28. Sammy Ameobi
29. Haris Vuckic
30. Nile Ranger
31. Shane Ferguson
32. Ryan Donaldson
33. Ole Soderberg
34. James Tavernier

 

2010/11 Season Review

First season back into Premier League (where we belong, I must add) and obviously at the start of the season we were very much tipped to go straight back down. We did not really make many signings or at least proven in the Premiership players. We brought in James Perch who became quite the scapegoat amongst the fans. Dan Gosling on a free transfer, but would be out until at least Christmas due to injury. Sol Campbell who was already clearly past his best, and would just cost us money. But then an exciting new player would be signed on loan (but then permanent in January) Hatem Ben Arfa who looked fantastic but suffered a horrible injury when he had his leg broken after a Nigel de Jong tackle. So those being the new players brought in not really much was placed on them. We had to rely on the team who done so well making the Championship look easy the year before. Not forgetting of course our signing and possibly player of the season Cheik Tiote.

 

ooo Coloccini you are the love of my life!

Fabricio Coloccini captain on the day rescued the Toon a point on a day when I am happy with a draw – happy with a draw I hear you ask . . . well before the game I wanted and we needed the three points. But we really were just shockingly bad! Yet again another former player came back to haunt us, this time it was Charles N’Zogbia who left on pretty bad terms really claiming he was bigger than the club. Well he certainly enjoyed his two goals, which I am going to place a lot of blame in the direction of James Perch (who is possibly one of the worst EVER players to put on a black and white shirt, yes big statement but he has already cost us a few times this season). Perch is not good enough to play in the premier league lets face it! Constantly caught out of position and recklessly diving into tackles, he is a liability rather than an asset. I cannot believe I am wanting Danny Simpson back as I’m still not convinced about him but I reckon he can do a better job than Perch.

A real turning point today came from Shola Ameobi – yes really! He was much more of a threat than Peter Lovenkrands who must have touched the ball two or three times. Shola took his headed goal very well, and that was to pull a goal back for us making it 1-2. While we looked more threatening going forward, our back line was still very worrying. I usually like the link up play between Enrique and Gutierrez but today they seemed to slow the play down and not really create much from the left side of the pitch.

We had to wait until the 3rd minute of added time before we would manage to pull of what seemed impossible, our second goal from none other than Coloccini who was captain today. It really was a brilliant moment scoring so late on, the crowd was going totally mental and yes I was one of them, such a shame that it was not the winner but we were so bad for most of the game in the end a draw was a good result. In the long run we have to hope that it does not impact on how our season will end. But no doubt about it . . . we are in the relegation scrap!

 

Squad Numbers 2010/11 Season

The club has today confirmed the official squad numbers for the 2010/11 season. The big announcement of Andy Carroll becoming the new number 9 was made the other day. The only other changes I can spot is the younger players being given lower numbers.

1  Steve HARPER

2  Fabricio COLOCCINI

3  Jose ENRIQUE

4  Kevin NOLAN

5  –

6  Mike WILLIAMSON

7  Joey BARTON

8  Danny GUTHRIE

9  Andy CARROLL

10  Wayne ROUTLEDGE

11  Peter LOVENKRANDS

12  Danny SIMPSON

13

14  James PERCH

15  Dan GOSLING

16  Ryan TAYLOR

17  Alan SMITH

18  Jonas GUTIERREZ

19  XISCO

20  Leon BEST

21  Fraser FORSTER

22 –

23  Shola AMEOBI

24  –

25  Kazenga LUALUA

26  Tim KRUL

27  Steven TAYLOR

28  Tamas KADAR

29  Haris VUCKIC

30  Nile RANGER

31  Shane FERGUSON

32  Ryan DONALDSON

 

Sign James Perch

Earlier this week the club announced the signing of defender James Perch from Championship side Nottingham Forest. I shall be the first to admit that I had never heard of him, yes I did not pay much attention to anything in the Championship last season. But from what I have read since we signed him, he did not play much until January and can apparently play anywhere across the back.

A Forest fan even said he isn’t anything special – and that was based on playing in the Championship. So are we planning for next season already? I hope not!!!

 

Pre-Season Training

Newcastle United started pre-season on Monday . . . for which is going to be a very difficult season, back in the big time of the premier league. I am already sorted out with tickets for Carlisle (away), PSV (home) and Rangers (away). So shall be making a couple of trips before the season really kicks off! Howay the TOON!

The first game is Saturday 17th July, the day after my birthday 1pm kick off and I shall be in the terraces!