Keagen to the rescue
Newcastle started last season with Allardyce on the bench but Big Sam joined the list of coaches that failed to lead Magpies higher. Allardyce was requested by the former owner so it was expected that he will soon be left to Ashley's mercy. The fans were impatient, the management waited for a mistake, the players were either injured or out of form, and Newcastle once again showed that chaos rules inside the club. Keagen came as a rescuer instead of already hated Allardyce and managed to keep the club in the elite. In the end of the season they came in 12th, which, although Toon Army refuse to admit it is the objective extent of the squad.
Management's moves are not quite clear
Newcastle management makes some confusing decisions. Coaches get sacked, the players keep piling up on attacking positions, while some other positions in the team have no solution, and buy average players that can't improve the club's quality. Gutierrez from Mallorca, Bassong and Guthrie won't improve the quality either which was seen in the preparation games. To make the situation even worse for Keagen, attackers are still struggling with injuries, so even with the excellent attacking trio Viduk, Martins, Owen Keagen will start the season without the forward solution. Defense is as, usually, a problem. Keagen hopes that Collocini's arrival would solve the problem, but that transfer is still uncertain, just like Tiago's transfer from Juventus who should be the solution for creativity problems in the midfield. With these two players Newcastle would definitely be much stronger but it would be no wonder if these transfers didn't happen.
In
Gutierrez (Mallorca), Guthrie (Liverpool), Bassong (Metz)
Out
Rozehnal (Lazio), Emre (Fernebache)
Groundless optimism
We can say that the groundless optimism is usual state of mind for Newcastle's fans before each season. Their goals are not high, but already after few rounds Toon Army realize that the summer acquisitions are not as good as everyone thought. During the summer, Newcastle weren't brilliant in the friendlies against pretty weak opponents. The situation with the attackers is alarming, so it is very hard to predict what the Magpies can actually do when playing with the complete squad and in good form. Keagen's first aim should be avoiding a disaster at Old Trafford on the season opening, for if the play and result from the last season repeats itself, it will affect he next matches. We don't expect Newcastle to do more than they did last season. The midtable is their maximum, and the relegation battle is not an impossible scenario.
Our tip: Newcastle to finish in bottom half
Odds 1.90
Bookmaker: Bet365
CL
CLQ
UEFA
RELEG
