Inflicting a Moyes’ men despite the
NO, scoff not you cynics. The possibility is there even if it is stretching credibility given West Ham’s current soaring fourth-top Premier League place.
After all the dross served up match upon match, Newcastle United can tomorrow lunchtime actually achieve back-to-back doubles in what has been an often joyless season.
Indeed the Mags could rise from their bed of nails and make it a hat-trick of home-andaway victories.
Having done doubles over Everton (2-1 here, 2-0 there) and Burnley (3-1 home, 2-1 away) a visit from the happy Hammers offers up another chance, however high the mountain.
Remember Newcastle journeyed to the Smoke on the opening day of the season and triumphed 2-0 before both clubs headed in opposite directions – West Ham up to fourth-top, United down to fourth-bottom.
I know, one rare win following a good draw and some people start talking silly!
However, no excuses NUFC. It unexpectedly happened at Goodison against stacked odds because of a determined attitude and theoretically can happen again with the same approach.
Yes, by all that is sane the impetus and odds lie firmly with the visitors – but then football is a game of hope and dreams.
The Mags have drawn four and won one of their last six Premier League matches which at first observation is far from shabby despite a contradictory set of stats which reveal the much more sobering fact that only three victories have come in their last 22 fixtures. However, Geordies are not getting carried away by recent limited respectability. Pain is lasting and not easily forgotten. United’s biggest asset this season remains Fulham. When survival is finally guaranteed, as it surely must be after an agonisingly slow crawl, let no one start crowing about ‘job done.’ Neither Mike Ashley upon handing over a healthy financial bonus, nor Steve Bruce upon receiving it
Geordies are not getting carried away by limited respectibility. Pain is lasting and not easily forgotten John Gibson
for completing what he was tasked to do. Keeping a club like Newcastle in the top division is hardly a lofty ambition!
Especially when initial talk had been of a top-10 finish.
What Toon foot soldiers really hate is outsiders telling them how their pain is misplaced.
Take the latest ill-judged outpouring by Gabby Agbonlahor.
“I have said all through the season that Steve Bruce deserves people to get off his back,” he informed the world gushing after victory over fellow strugglers Burnley.
“Newcastle fans will owe him an apology for the way they have treated him.”
Per-lease. Supporters ought not to complain about the purgatory served up month upon month according to the gabby Gabby but understand and appreciate the sterling efforts made in their name!
Really, if you don’t live it, don’t say it.
If anyone should offer up a “sorry” at the season’s end – and they certainly should – then I would suggest Newcastle fans are bottom of the list.
West Ham is a challenge way above that presented by West Bromwich, Wolves and Aston Villa when United could only manage to draw each time but then Allan Saint-Maximin’s sorcery is back in full flow – he has to start – and Callum Wilson only requires more match time to sharpen his armoury.
There is a dollop of hope offered up by those on the field.
The Saint changed everything at Burnley. United were heading for yet another defeat offering up a typical lacklustre performance before he came on with all his feints and flicks backed by power running. He is Newcastle’s great hope just as Jesse Lingard is theirs.
Incredibly, West Ham have carried most before them despite the fact England international Declan Rice and top attacker Michail Antonio have both been missing recently through injury.
To his credit David Moyes has got a tune out of their replacements – 33-year-old Mark Noble, who played his 400th PL game for the
Hammers last time out, and Jarrod Bowen, who was at Hull with Bruce. His greatest success, however, has been the capture of onloan superstar Lingard who has burned up the Premier League.
Was Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wrong to throw Lingard out or Moyes a magician to snap him up and coax him back to what he once was?
Moyes must take great applause, both for Lingard and West Ham’s dramatic revival of course. No question about it.
Mind you, he has to be both delighted and a little concerned at one and the same time.
Why? Because of the way his gung-ho side has been operating.
In their last three games the Hammers have stormed to a 3-0 lead with super exciting football and then almost chucked everything away. Arsenal became 3-3, Wolves 3-2 and Leicester 3-2.
Fast starters and dodgy finishers? It would appear so – West Ham’s last 14 league goals have all come in the first 48 minutes of games while none of their last 17 conceded have arrived before the 30th minute.
Exciting stuff, something like the Entertainers of old for neutrals, with Moyes rightfully hailed after piloting one of the season’s relegation favourites up to fourth place with just seven games to go.
Now that is something to crow about... not keeping Newcastle up with a fourth-bottom finish!