Is our season in the balance?

There is a feeling going around suggesting that these next few games could define our season. I happen to agree.

The next two games, against Birmingham this evening and at home against Bolton in a little under two weeks time, could define where we are heading this season and where we end up come the end of May.

A positive result, say four points from the two games, and we could be looking up at a top ten finish, but two negative results, like just two points for example, could very well leave us looking over our shoulder and fighting a relegation battle from now until the end of the season.

It could be argued that the way Newcastle have played at times this season would make it unfair if we were to be embroiled in a relegation dogfight, but I don't buy into that. If we get involved in a battle then we have ourselves to blame for not getting enough points on the board. Football is a harsh game, and that is the harsh truth.

I personally think that we will be ok, but it's getting too close for comfort at the moment. I believe our home games against Bolton, Everton, Wolves, Birmingham and West Brom should give us enough points on their own to keep us up, but it could have been very different had results, injuries and some other stuff including something to do with some Liverpool player gone our way.

Alan Pardew has been talking about the importance of the games in this month, of which there are now only two left :roll: and echoes the sentiments that I have just writtten.

“The whole month is important – Birmingham leads us into two home games,” Pardew told the Sheilds Gazette. “In some ways, it’ll determine whether we’re looking up or down, and I hope it’s looking up at the end of the month."

I think we all hope that we are looking up rather than looking back over our shoulders from now until the end of the season. But until that gap is widened, or until it is mathematically assured that we are safe, the concerns will understandably continue.

The positive thing is that the team are still looking confident and are still looking capable of getting a result. We're having trouble finding the back of the net at the moment, but if we keep doing the basics right and keep being defensively solid then the luck will fall our way at some point.

Hopefully.....

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