Two questions.
One, which team is the biggest surprise package of this autumn?
Two, name half a dozen of their starting XI?
And, no, the answer isn’t Norwich. Though I strongly suspect 90% of Premiership punters living outside Norfolk would struggle with question two.
The answer – to my mind – is Newcastle United, who after last night’s 3-1`win at The Britannia Stadium strode into third place on the back of now 13 games unbeaten in the Premier League. That, in itself, is the longest run of games without a top flight defeat they have enjoyed in 61 years.
They entertain Everton this weekend; on current form, it would be a reasonable bet to see them extend that run to 14 games unbeaten in front of a slightly disbelieving Toon Army.
On my frequent visits to Tyneside this autumn, that is certainly my impression – that no-one was quite expecting Alan Pardew’s Black and White Army to be where they are; in fact, quite the reverse on the back of Andy Carroll’s big money exit to Liverpool over the summer and the whole Joey Barton circus leaving town.
And hands up now – I had Newcastle down to struggle this year; from a distant vantage point, they looked the basket case as the fans and Barton lined up in one corner and the less-than-loved chairman-owner plus his ‘puppet’ manager stood in the other.
But given we are now ten games into the season, Newcastle’s position in the league table is no fluke; they are where they are for a reason.
The question is, what is that reason?
And I think part of the answer lies in the second question – name six first team players.
I’m no anorak when it comes to Premiership players; perhaps I’m not the best one to quiz. Steven Taylor, I’d get; Shola Ameobi is another – though he was on the bench last night; Leon Best. Norwich once fancied Ryan Taylor.
Jonas Gutierrez? Danny Guthrie? Gabriel Obertan?
They don’t roll off the tongue in the way that a Given, a Barton, a Speed or a Nolan did.
And go back over the last decade or so and Newcastle have always had their ‘stars’; big name players who were the whole Premiership part.
Barton, of course, was the classic example. He was, by many an account, Newcastle’s best player last season. His Twitter following almost matched his weekly wage bill.
But even Barton failed to inspire a run of games like the one that United are currently on; nor inspire the kind of formidable defensive record that Pardew’s men currently boast.
What if the answer lies in the suggestion that Newcastle are more of a team than they have ever been of late because there are no Bartons or Givens in the mix? That there are no stand-out ‘stars’ around whom the world revolves.
Alan Shearer would be another; Gazza, Beardsley, Keegan… the list goes on and on.
And yet here are 16 lads doing as well as any Newcastle team has for a generation in a side that barely has two household ‘names’ to its credit.
Perhaps, to coin that horrible phrase, it is the ‘team’ that is the star; that – for once – they are, indeed, all in it together, as opposed to a rag-tag of bit-part players struggling to impress in Joey’s wake.
The parallels with the team that Paul Lambert has built at Norwich ought to be obvious.
As mentioned above, I would suspect most non-Canaries would struggle to name six starting players at Norwich.
Likewise, ask a pub in Liverpool to name Norwich’s ‘star’ player and I would imagine you would get half a dozen answers – or else, just the one. Grant Holt. And he’s still to command a regular starting place, hero that he is.
Would Russell Martin cross many a lip? Bradley Johnson? David Fox?
I guess Demba Ba would be deemed Newcastle’s ‘star’ turn after last night’s hat-trick took his tally for the season to eight. But, again, I suspect if you put that question to a pub in Portsmouth, you’d struggle to find one answer.
It is interesting. Because what if the experiences of both Newcastle and Norwich this season are starting to prove a point to both managers and chairmen alike? Let alone the supporters – traditionally fed a big name star.
That certain Premiership ‘stars’ are way more trouble than they are actually worth – be it on the pitch or off it. Titus Bramble might be one whose arrival on Wearside might be cause for regret; Barton’s baggage is weighty; are Chelsea getting full value out of John Terry?
Of course, if you have the level of resource that Manchester City have, then you can live without the circus that follows Carlos Tevez about – ‘Whatever…’ can be your fall-back position.
A team of Newcastle’s means – certainly under this latest regime – however would far rather get shot of such bothersome top-earners and pay a team of relative nobodies relative peanuts in the hope that one team can, collectively, achieve far more than 11 Big Charlie individuals.
And right now, on the banks of both the Wensum and the Tyne, that policy appears to be working a treat…
It was shola on the bench it was his younger brother Sammy, who will be one hell off a player
Good article, but it was Sammy Ameobi on the bench last night, Sholas brother. And just to say, 50% of geordies thimk shola is terrible, contrary to popular belief
newcastle have taken a sensible approach by bringing in proven winners from the french league where the transfer market and salaries are less inflated. It is testament to the club and the players that they have managed to settle in so quickly and be so effective on the park over the opening ten games (although some tough tests lie ahead – including those against Norwich who are quietly writing their own headlines with some excellent performances)
Good post, although it was Shola’s younger brother sammy ameobi who was on the bench last night, not Shola, he is injured.
As a Geordie in Norfolk, I have a fondness for the canaries, and a thorough appreciation of your article. We have a long way to go, and a prima donna-free side. Keep playing good football, norwich, and we’ll keep trying to upset the big money fancy boys.
I know you might be excited, but ‘as well as any team in a generation’ ? Just nine years ago we finished the season in third, and just a few years before that we were second twice.
So, while we are doing very well at the minute, we still have some work to do to match Robsons team, or Keegans for that matter, both acheived within the last twenty years.
love your articles,very well said.
best wishes Sean
http://www.norwichcityfanzine.co.uk
Shola Ameobi was not sub last night it was his brother Sammy, Shola is out for 6 weeks with an injury
yohan cabaye plays for france
check totie plays for ivroy coast
Gutierrez plays for argentina
santon is italys under 21 captain
ben afra plays for france
these are all quality players its not just about having a good team we actully have some very very good footballers
Good article Rick. The trouble is that one or two of our better known players – Tiote and Coloccini – are being spotted by the Big Guns of the Premier League and, as they did with Andy Carroll and Jose Enrique anyway, looking to prise them away. This time round, we’re hoping Mike Ashley will hang on to them so that our recent success can continue. All credit to Alan Pardew though for having developed the current team spirit and style of football. And speaking of credit, the other ‘N’ team of the Premiership down in East Anglia must be a close second to the surprise of the season so far. Well done!
nice article, not used to seeing that as a nufc fan,a lot of egos shipped out,for a mixture of reasons football, money and club politics. Although our spending in the summer was minimal the signings were shrewd if lacking in numbers, Ba has been superb on a free when west ham paid £6m, Cabaye £4.5m current France player release clause valued at £12m, Santon £5m from inter italian international and u21 captain, to name a few, Current players Argie internationals Coloccini and Gutierrez have been immense and Krul our Dutch keeper arguably been the best in the epl this season. the lack of injuries has helped as the squad isn’t massive but there are some excellent players good youth players on the fringes Sami Ameobi, Vukic, Ferguson, Gosling but the two main things that are noticeable are the fitness/workrate and the excellent team play when defending which was very apparent against Stoke, the whole team closes down form the strikers to the wingers working back. We’ve become very hard to beat with a resolve i’ve never seen in previous nufc sides and that attitude fitness and team spirit has to go down to Pardew. We may very fall away from our lofty position but the team has matched or bettered every result in the same fixtures of last season which surely shows a huge improvement, if we could finish 7th as best of the rest would be a massive effort anything above and Pardew should be manager of the year.
Good article!
(From an equally surprised NUFC Fan!)
PS – I got Bradley Johnson, but only cos he’s in my Fantasy Team LOL!
Shola never starts for the toon and Guthrie same. Our midfield is Gutierrez,cabaye,tiote and Obertan and our strikers are best and Ba. Defence is simpson,s Taylor, coloccini and r taylor with Tim Krul in goal. We are punching above our weight but will take it as we’re only 6 wins from safety. Although we do have a certain hatem ben arfa due back to full fitness soon so who gets left out god only knows. Both our sides doing well though which keeps my son happy as he’s a Norwich away season ticket holder but a toon supporter so he saw Blackburn twice in 4 days. Good luck to the canaries this season except in December and march.
Rick
Always nice to see an article on the Toon from supporters of other clubs and definitely some interesting points made.
Always had a soft spot for the Canaries, especially after the Delia war cry (to my mind that was pure class).
Good luck this season, except, obviously, against NUFC where I will keep fingers crossed for 6 points 🙂
Good article – Yohan Cabaye future legend
Nice article, I agree’d with 90%. there’s definatley a harmony and team spirit at the club these days, which is almost certainly down to the removal of certain ego’s. However, some of our players may not be household names just yet but make no mistake, collocini, Tim krul, tiote, cabaye are “world class”. We’ve bought very well and a lot of that is down to our amazing scouting system headed by Graham carr.
Can’t even get Shola right! He is injured, it was his brother Sammy on the bench at Stoke. A much faster and in my opinion a much better prospect than Shola was at the same age. If you are going to write articles get your facts right!
No no no. Get your facts right if you are going to write about the toon. It was Shola’s brother Sammy that was on the bench at Stoke. Shola is out injured for six weeks (again)
good article,