The Club:
It is not always the most positive news coming out of Newcastle, which is a shame for their passionate followers. The Magpies don’t appear to have a strong enough squad at the moment, and cries for some quality signings can be heard loud and clear. They have lost more than they have replaced so far in the transfer market, so they are really going to have to fight hard for their Premier League survival as it stands. A couple of good signings may change all that, but Newcastle, as a club are in a delicate position right now. The boss is not the most user-friendly when it comes to player management, and with a ruthless board behind the scenes wanting to take the club forward, there is likely to be more clashes off the pitch in Newcastle. While fans will remain optimistic, reality for Newcastle this season may be a different matter altogether. Newcastle Premier League betting may see the Magpies battling it out at the wrong end of the table for most of this season.
Players/Manager:
Well, boss Alan Pardew is one of the front runners to be the first Premier League manager to get the boot. It all points to unrest and long season ahead. He is 12/1 at Blue Square (third favourite) to be shown the door first. Why, after Newcastle had had a decent 12th place finish. Well, Pardew is quite an abrasive chap and not a favourite of many. He did a pretty solid job after taking over on Tyneside, but with just two wins in their last eight games, their season petered out just a bit. It could have been much better, and to his credit, Pardew did make Newcastle a tougher side to beat than his predecessor. Is Pardew the man to take them forward though? He has already fallen out with midfield Joey Barton, who looked ready to depart the club, but now the door has been opened by Pardew for Barton to continue his career at Newcastle. It’s all handbags at ten paces stuff, but it shows how tough Pardew can be. He does rub people the wrong way, but he is quite adventurous and likes things done his way and his way only. That may or may not work in the favour of Newcastle in the long run. Pardew insists that the Newcastle squad is stronger, but we are in disagreement here. Newcastle need to sign a handful of players if they are going to more than just survive in the Premier League. For starters, they desperately, without a doubt have to find a replacement for Andy Carroll who went to Liverpool in January. After losing Kevin Nolan as well to West Ham in June, Newcastle are extremely light weight up front. That is the biggest issue which needs addressing, and they do need help at the back to stiffen the defensive line as well. They have bought in Demba Ba from West Ham, but that is not going to be anywhere near enough for them to survive comfortably. Newcastle have also failed in a bid to bring Neil Taylor over Swansea in defence.
Last Season: 12th
Not a bad finish at the end of the day, but they couldn’t live without the presence of a fully fit Andy Carroll. They had no one who could fill his boots. Pardew has a tough challenge ahead in finding a striker that is going to serve them well. Newcastle were hit and miss, and you could always expect plenty of goals in their Premier League matches, as they weren’t exactly proficient at keeping clean sheets. They conceded one more goal than they scored, and it was those defensive woes in the end which kept them below half way. It could have been so much better if a fit Andy Carroll had been there, Kevin Nolan carried the can so well, but without either of them for the new season, there could be trouble a brewing.
2011/12 Newcastle United Premier League Betting Odds Projection:
Newcastle are likely to struggle for long periods of this season’s Premier League and them getting sucked into a relegation battle does not seemed too far fetched. They have bolstered their midfield ranks and do get Dan Gosling and Ben Arfa back to fitness after injuries last season, plus they have bough in a clutch of midfielders to fight for competition. That is all well and good, but without any deadly combination up front, Newcastle are going to struggle for goals, and their back line does not look strong enough to keep many clean sheets. Without the firepower to compensate for defensive weakness, it could be a long season for the Magpies. They need some quality, stand out figures in their squad, something they are lacking. They will work hard, they will probably throw the kitchen sink at visiting teams, but they don’t look to have enough quality at the moment to avoid finishing in the bottom half again. So boss Alan Pardew is in a tough place, the money is not there to attract huge names to the club, so they need to find a diamond in the rough. We can’t find it at the moment.
Finishing Position: Threat of Relegation
Premier League Relegation Odds:
6/1 at Totesport
First Three Fixtures
August 13th: Newcastle v Arsenal
August 20th: Sunderland v Newcastle
August 27th: Newcastle v Fulham
