Matt Oldfield
When a team loses their captain, vice-captain, talented left-back and star striker within the space of eight months, the natural reaction is pessimism. When the money accrued from these transfers is then pocketed by the club owner in exchange for some little-known Frenchmen, doom descends. At least, it usually does; but Newcastle United are so far proving the exception to this highly-specific rule.
Without the talents, egos and off-the-pitch antics of Kevin Nolan, Joey Barton, Jose Enrique and Andy Carroll, Alan Pardew’s side are thriving. After a 2-1 away win at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle hit fourth place in the Premier League and were unbeaten in the process. At present the Magpies’ are enjoying their best start to a season in 17 years. But how has the Pardew revolution turned adversity into triumph?
Where will the goals come from?
In the 2010/11 Premier League season, Carroll, Nolan and Barton accounted for over half of Newcastle’s goals. And after Carroll’s January move, Pardew was left with a depleted strikeforce of Peter Lovenkrands, Shola Ameobi, Leon Best and Nile Ranger. Nine goals scored in the last 15 league games of that campaign was not a terrible output from this underwhelming quartet, but Newcastle fans were desperate for owner Mike Ashley to bring in a star attacking signing during the summer transfer window.
But rather than a big name arrival, the only forward that landed was Demba Ba, the Senegalese striker who had almost saved West Ham from relegation with seven goals in 12 games during the previous campaign. While he had proven his Premier League pedigree, Ba was not the expensive hitman that the Geordie supporters expected. In fact, the 26-year-old was signed on a free transfer. The £35M brought in by Carroll’s sale to Liverpool had not been spent. Large sections of fans feared the worst.
Newcastle grabbed nine goals from their opening seven league games, but with Ba blasting home a hat-trick against Blackburn Rovers, the future looks promising. Strike-partner Leon Best has also been amongst the goals, with important strikes against Fulham and Aston Villa. Pardew was forced to put his faith in the strikers he has after missing out on several summer targets, and they are starting to repay him in style.
How will we win the midfield battle?
As well as scoring goals, Barton and Nolan provided Newcastle’s engine room and playmaking dimension, starting a combined 64 matches last season. Nolan was the hard-working link between attack and midfield, while Barton created nine goals and had a hand in many, many more. With these midfielders gone, there were genuine concerns over where the creativity and steel would come from.
Frenchman Yohan Cabaye has emerged as a very shrewd signing, forming a highly efficient partnership in the middle of the park with robust Ivorian Cheick Tiote. While Cabaye is yet to find the net this season, he poses a great attacking threat with his powerful long-range shooting, which was proudly on display in the 1-1 draw against Aston Villa, with the former Lille man forcing Shay Given into several top-class saves. Inconsistent wingers Jonas Gutierrez and Gabriel Obertan have also been in good form, providing attacking options from the flanks. But it is the imminent return from injury of talented French winger Hatem Ben Arfa that will further add to Pardew’s attacking armory.
In their seven Premier League games to date, Newcastle United have only twice out-passed their opposition, averaging just 48% possession. While Pardew will hope for improvement in his side’s passing game, he will be content with their solid, clinical approach so far.
Will our defence be solid enough?
While Jose Enrique was no lynchpin in the Newcastle backline last season, he was nonetheless a top performer whom, it was appreciated upon his departure to Liverpool, would be difficult to replace. Former Inter left back Davide Santon was handed that task and the Italian looks a good option once he recovers from injury, if he is able to rediscover the form of old, but in the meantime, utility player Ryan Taylor has been filling in splendidly; the former Wigan man scored the winning goal against rivals Sunderland in August with a wonderful curling free kick.
The Magpies conceded 57 goals in last season’s Premier League, just one less than relegated Birmingham City. A settled backline – Tim Krul, Danny Simpson, Fabricio Coloccini, Ryan Taylor and Steven Taylor are all ever-presents so far this season – has led to three clean sheets already. Krul is developing into a top-class keeper, while centre back Steven Taylor, highly rated on Tyneside, is returning to the form that saw him considered for England before he was sidelined by a series of long-term injuries.
How far can we go?
It is important for Newcastle not to get carried away. Of the Premier League’s top seven teams, Pardew’s men have so far only played an under-strength Arsenal. Up next is an in-form Tottenham Hotspur, while November sees trips to both sides of Manchester. The Magpies must not grow complacent. To date, they have been fortunate with refereeing decisions, both in terms of opposition red cards and disallowed goals. Newcastle must score more goals, and any injuries to Best or Ba could seriously hamper their progress, making Pardew’s task of finally signing another goal-getter in January an urgent one.
However, all credit must go to Pardew and his players for their fantastic start to the season. Against the odds, Newcastle have looked solid at the back and inventive at times going forward. While none of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham, Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers are title contenders, they remain Newcastle’s rivals and are thus must-win games for the Magpies. Newcastle have emerged from these mid-table clashes unbeaten, and deserve praise for this.
Taylor and Cabaye have spoken of renewed team spirit; Leon Best is hungry for more wins. These are happy times at St James’ Park. Peace has brought harmony, which in turn has brought success.
