Alan Shearer - from pundit to manager

With all the transfers now done and dusted, it was time to preview the up coming season which starts in just 10 days ...

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Well, we've been given a fairly decent start in terms of our fixtures.

However, after the Swansea and Crystal Palace game we then have a horrendous run which see's us up against Man Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool.

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The pundits seem to think we'll have a fairly comfortable season by finishing mid table. I think this is fair and although I'll be looking at finishing slightly higher than this, I know it will be tough.

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I think the board expectations are pretty fair to be honest. They expect a mid-table finish in the league which should be more than achievable.

They also expect a Quarter final finish in both cup competitions. I'll be looking at doing well in both cup competions which is something Newcastle have neglected to do in recent years.​
 
Its here! The first game of the season ...

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I'm really looking forward to this fixture as I feel both sides are fairly close and will have the same ambitions for this season.

Just before the game, I was summoned for an interview for the clubs website ...

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Reporter - So Alan, all the preparation is done, how do you feel about the match?

Alan Shearer - I can't wait to be honest! I'm confident the lads can get the job done. Although I really expect a tough game, Swansea can definitely cause us problems.

Reporter - How are you looking at lining up today? We've not had the team sheets yet but any early clues?

Alan Shearer - You'll have to wait and see. Picking the side was the hardest job today, I've had to leave out a few lads who have had brilliant pre-seasons.

Reporter - Right, good luck Alan. There's nothing else to do now, it's all down the players.

Alan Shearer - Thanks. ​
 
Bullardinho said:
No worries. I like that you are actually signing our transfer targets for the next season. Also loving the signing of Solano as back room staff! Cheers mate, weren't sure what peoples perception of it was!
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Yeah well Wijnaldum looks a pretty decent signing to be honest. I remember Solano when we was playing up there, great player and really brought excitement to the club.

It's great, some imagination to think of it all. Wonder if a move to Newcastle will ever be on the cards?
 
Great start and presentation - Newcastle are an interesting team to manage, let's hope big Al can get them back fighting for the title like in the 90s!
 
SeanKeaney said:
Great start and presentation - Newcastle are an interesting team to manage, let's hope big Al can get them back fighting for the title like in the 90s!
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That would be awesome! Although I think we're some way off that haha! Thanks for the feedback though :)
 
As the lads walked into the locker round after a warm up on the pitch, before the Swansea game, I put up the team sheet. I wanted the lads to know who was playing as late as possible, hopefully this won't affect anyone.

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Most of the lads were quite happy with this as it was pretty much expected.

I decided to play a 4-4-2 diamond formation, lets really see if the 4-4-2 is a dinosaur approach.

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I've put faith in Rhodes and Perez up front who, given service, should be able to finish chances. Wijnaldum also makes his debut, partnering Sissoko in central midfield, this should give us plenty of energy in midfield. New signings, Oviedo and Vlaar also start in a new look back four.

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We handed the sheet into the referee straight away. Swansea's was already waiting for us ...

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I'm a bit surprised with Swansea's decision to start Modou Barrow up front on his own. They've only just signed the lad from the Swedish Premier League so is very untested ... he really could be anything!

Obviously the danger me will be coming from deep for them, Sigurdsson, Shelvey and Dyer are the real one's to look out for.

Should be a pretty even game. - Lets see ...

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A very good way to open the season.

Ayoze Perez will take all the headlines with this brilliantly taken brace but it was Sissoko who was the star performer and man of the match winner.

We started brilliantly with Sissoko running the show from the off. For the first goal Sissoko got the ball on the inside right position, took on two defenders and fed through Perez one finished one on one.

We ended the first half well with the sides going in with us leading 1-0.

We then had a brilliant chance on 55 minutes which Cabella just skewed wide, he really should have scored.

Minutes late Swansea broke and fed through Barrow in the penalty area, Coloccini should have just shown him wide but he stupidly fouled him and gave away a penalty. Sung-Yeung converted with ease.

It was the Sissoko again who pulled the game by the scruff of the neck by running with the ball down the right channel, he then put in a great ball for Rhodes who finished from just 8 yards out to regain our lead.

Then just minutes after that, Cabella found himself with the ball just inside his own half, we then played a ball over the top for Perez who was immediately one on one with the keeper ... there was only one outcome.

The game then petered out after this with Swansea offering very little.


​
 
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After that great win against Swansea, we had another tough test against Crystal Palace.

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We started very well here in what turned out to be a very even game.

Jordan Rhodes opened the scorer with a great finish from just 6 yards out, although Rhodes will take the credit for the goal it was Cabella who made it by beating 3 defenders and laying the ball off to Rhodes who finished well.

Marouane Chamakh then levelled the scoring after Puncheon crossed in the ball from the left wing, Chamakh rose highest and beat Krul with a pin point header.

The game then continued to flow end to end before Chamakh scored once again from another Puncheon cross. This time the cross came from the right, Chamakh peeled off from the back post and found himself in space, he again nodded the ball past Krul. I was sure he was offside but the decision wasn't given.

We then went all out attack trying to find the equaliser, and it worked. Janmatt played the ball down the line which Cabella picked up, he took the ball wide and allowed 2 defenders to follow him. This opened space in the box for Perez who finished with ease from 6 yards out.

There wasn't really enough time for any more meaningful attacks.​
 
After those two testing league games, our attentions turned to the League cup where we drew Brentford in the second round ...

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We just about got away with this one.

We were poor here, especially in the first half where we saw Brentford take the lead after just 6 minutes. A poor clearance from Steven Taylor allowed Andre Gray in on goal who didn't disappoint the Bee's fans by finishing well.

I then tore into the lads at half time and got some sort of a response. I brought on Cabella and Rhodes shortly after half time and they really made the difference. Cheick Tiote won the penalty shortly after the hour mark after a clumsy tackle, Rhodes stepped up and duly finished to score his 3rd goal in his 3rd appearance.

Unfortunately, we couldn't find a winner in the first 90 minutes so the game went to extra time.

We stepped up our performance here but our chances were seriously hampered when Tiote was shown his second yellow card for a silly challenge on half-way.

We still went on to score our second and go in front. Emmanuel Riviere scored in his first start of the season. He had actually been poor up until this point but finished very well.

The numbers were then evened up when Alan McCormack was also show his second yellow with just 5 minutes to go. We held on quite comfortably in the end to progress to the next round.​
 
Our next league game came against Man Utd who were unbeaten and top of the league.O

Our preperations certainly weren't great anyway ...

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The first injury to be reported was that of Daryl Janmaat who was ruled out for 3 weeks with a pulled hamstring. We're really going to struggle filling this position now with very little competition. We'll have to look for a replacement before the transfer window shuts.

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Steven Taylor is ruled out with the same injury and will be out for the same amount of time.

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Coloccini becomes the second center back to be injured for the Man Utd game. This leaves just Mike Williamson to as the only option to partner Ron Vlaar.

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The biggest injury concern was for Jack Colback who is injured for 6 weeks with strained knee ligaments. This is a massive blow, although Colback wasn't a starter every week he was a good option off the bench.​
 
Man Utd at home next and a real chance to prove we can mix it with the big boys ...

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So close yet so far away!

We had to deal with so many injuries/suspensions here that we never really had a chance. We were without Daryl Janmaat, Fabricio Coloccini, Steven Taylor, Jack Colback and Cheick Tiote (suspended).

That left us having to play Mike Williamson at center back, Bryan Oviedo at right back and Haidara at left back, not ideal !

The first half was definitely Man Utd's as they peppered our goal, we only had Tim Krul to keep us in the game with a string of good saves.

The sides went in at half time at 0-0.

We then took a shock lead after Perez fed through Rhodes who had his shot saved by De Gea, this save however fell back to Rhodes who finished into an empty net.

Then came 8 minutes of madness where Man Utd were just unplayable, our goal just seemed to anger them into life. Van Persie, Falcao and Rooney with the goals.

Gouffran gave us a glimmer of hope by scoring from a very good strike from 20 yards out to make it 3-2. Sadly we just couldn't find an equaliser.​
 
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GOSSIP: DEDE, GIVEN, ZOMORA, KHEDIRA and more.

PSG are preparing an offer for out of favour Real Madrid midfielder, Sami Khedira.

Weslney Sneidjer is poised to join Italy champions Juventus.

Highly rated Brazilian defender, Dede is set to undergo his medical at Old Trafford before the deadline shuts this evening.

A number of clubs including Man Utd, Ac Milan and Chelsea are weighing up a deal for Swedish superstar, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

QPR are on the verge of signing Chris Gunter from Reading for a reported £1.5 million fee.

Newcastle are set to announce two new signing this afternoon, Matt Lowton and Stephen Quinn, both signing on loan.

Fitz Hall is set to join League One side Bristol City on a two year deal.

Fitz Hall is due to sign for the Bristol side after current defender Aiden Flint set to join Championship side Wolves for £500k.
​
 
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NEWCASTLE BRING IN TWO:

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Stephen Quinn signs on loan from fellow Premier League side, Hull.

Quinn had fallen down the pecking order at the KC following the good form of Huddlestone and Livermore.

It is widely believed that Quinn will join the club as back up with both Sissoko and Wijnaldum taking the central midfield roles so far this season.
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Matt Lowton becomes the last addition to the Tynesdie as the deadline day gong rang.

Lowton joins former teammate Stephen Quinn in joining the club, both signing on loan. Lowton and Quinn were playing partners during their time at Sheffield United where they were both members of the play off losing side.
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When asked about the signings, manager Alan Shearer had this to say, "I'm delighted to bring both lads in so late. The Lowton loan deal was very last minute and a bit touch and go towards the end"

He went on, "Both lads know they've come here as back up to the current first teamers but they'll get their chance. If they play well, they'll keep the shirt"

Both players are in contention for the clubs next game, against Arsenal.​
 
We then had an equally tough game against Arsenal who hadn't had the best of starts to their league campaign with only one win from their opening 3 games ...

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Really really happy with this!

At 2-0 down I really feared the worst, especially against this Arsenal side who really can score goals at will.

However, Sissoko scored from a really good counter attack which was started by Gouffran and finished by the French midfielder.

Then, whilst Arsenal were on the roped, Rhodes equalised. Janmaat put in a outswining cross which was met by the head of Rhodes as he was pack-peddling. His header just looped over the keeper and nestled in the back of the net.

Arsenal then had a couple more good chances late on and really should have won it but our defence stood tall.
​
 
I like this story man, Shearer is a true legend! Hope to see Newcastle winning titles under him ;)
 
clarky1683 said:
I like this story man, Shearer is a true legend! Hope to see Newcastle winning titles under him ;)
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Thanks mate :) Shearer's my fave ever Prem player so thought a story with him was in order! We're a long way from challenging for the league though haha
 
It looks like you have a decent team being built I'm sure you'll be doing very well as it goes on. Best of luck.
 
bnpwp1979 said:
It looks like you have a decent team being built I'm sure you'll be doing very well as it goes on. Best of luck.
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Thanks :) We've actually got a few good players now but still need strengthening in certain places :) thanks for following
 
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A great, great win over a very good side.

The draw against Arsenal obviously improved our chances and made us think we could mix it will the big boy boys.

Cabella opened the scoring with a very good finish after Wijnaldum fed him through brilliantly. We then doubled our lead shortly after half time through Jordan Rhodes who has now scored 6 in 6. Up until this point, Rhodes had been poor, his build up play is non-existent but give him the ball in and around the box and he finishes as good as anyone.

Mario Balotelli then got one back for Liverpool only 3 minutes later after a deflected shot gave Tim Krul no chance.

Liverpool then had 10 minutes where they out the pressure on and if I'm honest I really thought they'd equalise.

That was until we countered brilliantly and Wijnaldum played through Oviedo who's first strike was saved but the deflection fell straight to him and he couldn't miss ... 3-1.

The game was pretty even but I think we deserved the win and we can really be proud of ourselves here!

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A pretty routine win here against a weaker Championship side.

Ferreyra opened the scoring fairly early on which makes his stats, 2 goals in 2 games.

Aleksandar Mitrovic then scored his first of the season to double the lead after great ball in from Matt Lowton.

Ron Vlaar then also went on to score his first of the season. For some reason, he took a freekick, 20 yards and smashed it in the top corner!

We didn't thrash Fulham but totally deserved the win.

Shortly after the game, we learned who would face us in the 4th round ...

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A pretty good draw against another Championship side, this time Bolton at home. This could be another chance to give some of the youngsters a chance, although it's a great chance to progress to the Quarter Finals.​
 
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