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2014/2015 EPL season preview: Newcastle United

Newcastle United face a relegation fight in the second half of the Premier League season.
Expert
11th August, 2014
5

Newcastle’s season in 2013/14 was a tale of two halves, with the club storming up the table before dropping like flies in the final six months. What we can expect this year is anyone’s guess.

What happened last season
Newcastle lost to Man City 4-0 on the opening day, and then went on to win ten of their next 17 matches, surprising everyone to occupy sixth spot on Boxing Day.

Yet after the loss of influential midfielder Yohan Cabaye, the club spectacularly lost all interest and managed to undo all the hard work in the second half of the campaign.

While a 10th place finish was not a terrible outcome, and was indeed the club’s aim, the inconsistent performances left fans visibly irate. As soon as the club’s safety was confirmed, the players simply took their foot off the pedal.

They recorded just five victories in 2014, and it looked like many players were more concerned about avoiding injury so they could concentrate on either passing a medical in the off-season or keep fit for the World Cup.

Newcastle Infographic (Image: WhoScore.com)

What happened in the off-season
Signings, and more signings. Given owner Mike Ashley’s unpredictability, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised. But his insistence on selling top stars for inflated prices and holding onto the proceeds was getting customary for Toon fans.

Yet Ashley has given Pardew a war chest to rebuild a squad that has continually had its best players ripped from beneath its feet. And how the hell they have secured such top quality players this off-season is a testament once again to Newcastle’s exceptional head scout, Graham Carr.

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Siem de Jong already looks the part, and has shown that he has the leadership qualities and ability to partly replace Cabaye. Daryl Janmaat is a worthy replacement at right back for the departing Mathieu Debuchy, with the Dutch defender impressing during the World Cup.

Rémy Cabella has also arrived, and he is perhaps the most surprising signing. The attacking midfielder is one of France’s most promising talents, and how he ended up at Newcastle is a mystery.

Add the strikepower of Emmanuel Rivière and Facundo Ferreyra, and Newcastle have a fine squad shaping up for the 2014/15 season.

Pardew has been alternating between a 3-5-2 (it’s the flavour of the month it seems) as well as the standard 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 in preseason. How he plans to pick three quality centre backs from his current squad is debatable, so it’s likely he’ll go with a more orthodox line-up.

Pardew also raised eyebrows with the following comments, suggesting that the club still have high hopes to make it back among the European elite.

“If you don’t make the Champions League, then the big teams come for your players – look at Southampton,” he said.

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“We are pushing every year to try and build to hopefully get to a stage where we make it without losing our players.

“We have pitched in and signed players that we think give us a chance for Champions League.”

[Loic Remy Newcastle Infographic (Image: WhoScores.com)

Why Newcastle fans should be excited about the 2014/15 season
They shouldn’t. When Newcastle fans get excited, the team inevitably disappoints. It’s probably best for Toon fans to just hope for some goals at home, which were a rarity last season, and to see some young talent come through the ranks.

However, the fact that Pardew has been given substantial funds to strengthen the squad will inevitably lead some to hold high hopes for 2014/15. They have reasons to be optimistic, not the least because of the impressive signings.

When it comes to Newcastle though, there’s only ever one certainty – it will never be dull.

For all Pardew’s detractors, and there are many, he does have an ability to get the best out of players. But in every club he has managed, there has always been a downturn. The Newcastle gig seems to be the first time he’s been allowed a chance to overcome such a loss of form.

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This season will define him as a manager. He has the squad and he has the team spirit, he just needs to prove himself at a tactical level to cement his status as a quality manager.

The club also has some promising talent coming through their youth system, in particular Adam Armstrong and Rolando Aarons. Meanwhile, Socceroos fans will be hoping young defender Curtis Good gets some game time this season.

The main man that can carry Newcastle’s 2013/14 hopes
Siem de Jong. Newcastle need a new Yohan Cabaye, and although De Jong is nowhere near the Frenchman’s skill level, he can have the same influence on the team.

The former Ajax man has been a revelation in preseason, and it’s hopeful that a calf injury won’t keep him out too much longer, with the start of the EPL season fast approaching.

Verdict – Fighting for Europe
It is entirely plausible that Newcastle can once again push for Europe, just like they did in 2011-12. The squad is strong enough, but it depends on how their new charges settle in.

Really, anything is possible. A bottom half finish would not be a surprise, but at least relegation and a top-four finish should be well off the cards.

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Manager: Alan Pardew
Home Ground: St James’ Park – 52,405
Nickname: The Magpies
Captain: Fabricio Coloccini
Players In: Daryl Janmaat, Rémy Cabella, Ayoze Perez, Jack Colback, Siem de Jong, Emmanuel Rivière, Facundo Ferreyra, Jamaal Lascelles, Karl Darlow
Players Out: Mathieu Debuchy, Dan Gosling, Shola Ameobi
First five matches: Manchester City (H), Aston Villa (A), Crystal Palace (H), Southampton (A), Hull City (H)

Full Newcastle squad to compete in 2014/15
Goalkeeper: (42) Jak Alnwick, (21) Rob Elliot, (1) Tim Krul.

Defence: (2) Fabricio Coloccini, (36) Paul Dummett, (33) Curtis Good, (19) Massadio Haidara, (na) Daryl Janmaat, (3) Davide Santon, (16) Ryan Taylor, (27) Steven Taylor, (6) Mike Williamson, (13) Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.

Midfield: (39) Mehdi Abeid, (8) Vurnon Anita, (10) Hatem Ben Arfa, (20) Gael Bigirimana, (na) Remy Cabella, (na) Jack Colback, (na) Siem de Jong, (31) Shane Ferguson, (18) Jonas Gutierrez, (7) Moussa Sissoko, (24) Cheick Tiote.

Forwards: (28) Sammy Ameobi, (na) Ayoze Perez, (49) Adam Campbell, (9) Papiss Demba Cisse, (na) Facundo Ferreyra, (11) Yoan Gouffran, (25) Gabriel Obertan, (na) Emmanuel Riviere, (29) Haris Vuckic.

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