The big boys can't batter NUFC!
It's been an odd season this season.
We've struggled to get wins against those at the bottom of the league yet we've managed to be somewhat of a pain in the arse to most of the sides at the top of the table at some stage or another. It's not supposed to be like that, but that is how it's worked out which has left us nervous and delighted at various points throughout the season.
The saying is that you must beat the teams around you, which we've done, especially in the second-half of the season. If you do that then you'll generally be good enough to survive. However it's been our results against some of the leagues brighter lights that have perhaps been one of the most impressive aspects of this season.
Only one of the top six sides has managed to do the double against us. That side is Manchester City, and they only managed to do that after nobbling one of our players and reaping the benefits of a blind referee at the City of Manchester Stadium earlier on in the season.
The rest have been stung by us at various stages throughout the season. When the odds are against us we seem to be able to pull something out of the bag, which was kind of typified by the weekend game against Chelsea. So how have we fared against the current top six? Let's take a look.
Man Utd 3-0 Newcastle
Man City 2-1 Newcastle
Arsenal 0-1 Newcastle
Newcastle 1-1 Chelsea
Newcastle 3-1 Liverpool
Newcastle 1-3 Man City
Tottenham 2-0 Newcastle
Newcastle 1-1 Tottenham
Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal
Newcastle 0-0 Man Utd
Liverpool 3-0 Newcastle
Chelsea 2-2 Newcastle
That's 11 points from our 12 matches against the top six sides in the league. Quite simply we'd be relegated without them points in the bag so they have proved to be vital. Five defeats in 12 games against those sides is not bad at all when you consider that many of us wrote off our chances before we kicked a ball, including me.
All of those points dropped at home to the likes of Blackpool, Stoke, Blackburn and Wigan have been balanced out by our points gained against the so-called big teams, or Sky TV's Super Six if you prefer. Without meaning to sound greedy, imagine what could have been if....... Ah well, this season has been good enough for me anyway.
It seems odd that we've managed to be a pain in the backside to the majority of the top six. I enjoy it as I'm surrounded by glory fans of those clubs who have to ask me for directions to their own home grounds. In some cases I even have to inform them when they are playing :roll:
So the aim next season is to do the same against these teams. Get into then, f**k them up, and prove a point to the doubters. The other aim is to gain points where we've lost them this season - against the "weaker" teams, which I'm sure we will.
Howay the lads!
