Come Back Pog! All is Forgiven!

By: Daryl | January 23rd, 2009

Managing: Newcastle (still)
Date: 27th March, 2010
Progress: Out of all cup comps, but 5th in Prem after 30 games (no hope of breaking les quatre grands though)
Addictedness rating: “Real football managers don’t need food” (Big Sam disagrees)

Remember how we all thought it was awesome that Liverpool didn’t make the Champions League last seaosn? Well now I wish they had. Because Rafa’s men have dumped me out of the Europa League (sounds odd now, but that’s what it’ll be as of 2009/10).

Over two legs against Rafa, I lost 2-1 at home (Xabi Alonso in the 91st minute) and 1-0 at Anfield. Never really had a chance. Ho hum, but a decent little European adventure. Now it’s time to concentrate on the league, and on bedding in my new talent.

I’ve promised the board that we’ll qualify for Europe through our league position, so now it’s time to deliver.

vs ‘Boro (home) W 2-0
This is why Shay Given is captain and – very literally – the first name on the teamsheet every week. It was 0-0 in the 16th minute of the North-East derby, when Jose Enrique gave away a pen and Andriy Shevchenko (yep, Boro got him for £400k) stepped up…

… and he’s still rubbish.

Now, remember all my problems with The Pog and his insistence on blasting every shot high and/or wide? Well, I asked him three times to try something else, and three times he said no. But, as Colin suggested in the comments, The Pog’s worth sticking with.

And he proved that in this game by setting up Salomon Kalou for a 50th minute finish (his first for the Magpies) and then scoring the second himself.

The Pog also scored in the next game (the first leg against Liverpool, see above) but just as I was starting to appreciate him again the big fool went and damaged his foot. Out for two weeks.

So, Lewandowski (who’d gone off the boil) was back in.

vs Blackburn (away) W 1-0
And he scored the winner in a tight game. But it was Marquinhos who did all the work. The £12.2 million Brazilian is settling in and coming good. Check out the absolute roasting he gives to Blackburn’s new Portuguese left back Antunes before squaring for Lew.

Happy days.

This was followed by two disappointing 0-0 draws vs Everton and then Birmingham that made me miss The Pog even more. Having real problems finding the net folks, and starting to think that the defensive mid plus two centre mids is overkill.

Eight games left to secure fifth place. Next up, a must win game away to Spurs that has me genuinely considering a tactical alteration, possibly to a 4-4-1-1 with Marquinhos as playmaker. Fingers crossed.