Andy Carroll & Wayne Routledge: Debt, promotion and the fans.

Posted on February 18th, 2010 | 39 Comments |

Routledge: Revelation against Coventry.
Routledge: Revelation against Coventry.
After last night scintillating 4-1 win over Coventry City, it’s only natural that we are going to hear a few snippets from the players, especially given the pressure the lads were under to get a result last night after a sequence of less than impressive performances over the last few weeks, Cardiff aside of course.

And it seems that the feelings of our fans are a factor that are driving the players forward. I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that after relegation, and in the run up to it in fact, that I was appalled with the seeming lack of effort and willing from the players. It’s just my opinion, but you can only blame what happened behind the scenes so much. After that, it’s up to the players to put on a performance when they ‘cross the white line’, something which a lot of them didn’t.

That’s just what the players have been doing this season. At times it hasn’t been pretty to watch, at times we have lost, but on the whole it has been very effective and that is the reason why we are sitting 3 points clear at the top of the league with 15 games remaining. Come on, if you’d have been offered that at the start of the season you would have snapped their hand off? I would!

Anyway, one of the ‘shining lights’ of recent weeks has been the goal-scoring form of Geordie skyscraper Andy Carroll. The local lad was only really a bit-part player last season but is flourishing this season in what is effectively his first proper season as a regular starter. Speaking to the Chronicle, Carroll had this to say;

“Getting relegated last season was a real downer for the whole city. We owe it to the city to get promoted because it will give the entire place a massive lift. It will lift the fans and the players too.”

“We need to get up and stay up and that’s what we are planning to do. We just need to keep working really hard in the last 15 games to do it.”

Great words from Carroll. At times he has not exactly been easy on the eye, lacking the skill of an Asprilla or the clinical finishing of a Shearer, yet he has been scoring goals. I feel he may have eyes on the vacant No 9 shirt, and if he can keep improving on the pitch and keep his head off it then why not? Talking about his recent purple patch in front of goal, Carroll added:

“I’m happy to be scoring goals and winning matches. At the moment they are coming on a plate for me and I’ll keep on taking them.”

“I’m doing what a striker should be doing. To be on 10 goals with 15 games left is a great feeling. I want to get many more but I know that winning for the team is the most important thing.”

Perhaps a reason for Carroll grabbing more goals is the inclusion of recent signing Wayne Routledge. The right wing wizard has been somewhat of a creative force since his arrival, setting up 4 against Cardiff, earning the penalty last night against Coventry and also grabbing his first Newcastle goal.

Im not sure if many people have seen the goal yet, but it was a cracking 25 yard volley into the bottom corner, and it came at such a crucial time for The Toon after just going a goal down. Describing opening his scoring account, Routledge said;

“It was an unbelievable feeling. The ball came out to the edge of the box, and I caught it quite well. It went in, and the crowd erupted. It was just a nice feeling to get back in the game as quickly as we did.

“I said when I came here I do make goals, but obviously I’m trying to improve my scoring as well. If I can score more and make more, it’s good for me and the team.”

After the performances and results in our last 2 home games, and with the visit of Preston North End to St James’ Park on Saturday to come, I guess the message from all of us is “more of the same please”. Realistically though, any win on Saturday would do. We are at a point in the season now where slip-ups could be costly and we should be seeking to build on a good solid win with another one straight away.

Let’s see if the players keep to their word!

NUFCBlog Author: toonsy toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.

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39 Responses

  2. Both last night, callers on the legends and radio Newcastle are mentioning trouble behind the scenes after the Swansea game and also in the dressing room last night before the game, some are suggesting Smith has spat his dummy out, anyone got any further on this?

  6. BBB – How do you mean, spat his dummy out.

    Is he unhappy with the recent performances, or because he was dropped.

    I can understand if it’s the former, and if it’s ‘cos he was dropped then I’m also not really bothered about that, everyone should want to play every game – especially the captain.

    However, if it’s something else, not is not the time to disrupt the dressing room, particularly when he was supposed to be so instrumental in galvanising the players during close season.

  8. If it’s true, either through poor performance or stepping out of line, at least it shows Hughton does actually have the balls to drop a senior player.

  9. toonsy says:
    February 18, 2010 at 7:21 pm

    “at least it shows Hughton does actually have the balls to drop a senior player.”

    Why wouldn’t he have the “balls” to drop a senior player, toonsy? I thought that he had already anyway.

  10. worky – Perhaps I should have worded it better.

    At least it show the Hughton haterzzzzz that he has the balls to drop a senior player.

  11. toonsy says:
    February 18, 2010 at 8:04 pm

    “worky – Perhaps I should have worded it better.

    At least it show the Hughton haterzzzzz that he has the balls to drop a senior player.”

    Aye, I knaa toonsy, but they just ignore everything anyway, or rationalise it and turn it around: eg when Hughton sorted out the dressing room and opened new channels of communication between management and players, they said that the players had taken over running the team because Hughton was incapable of leadership. Prejudice can make people think all kinds of silly things.

  12. Eee bah gum, trouble at mill is it ?
    Hey! dont worry fighting over playing time is a healthy sign, every team should have such a problem.
    Probably tempest in a tea pot.
    Whats with Carroll, looks so ungainly and awkward, but he`s putting them away like they are going outta style.
    We may just have got ourselves a real bargain in Routledge, could be a late developer.

  13. toonsy – great link to last nights goals, thanks man….did anyone notice a great defence splitting ball from Guthrie to Nolan (great run by Nolan too I may add) leading up to Carrolls goal… not bad for a couple of numpty’s being constantly slagged of by all…howay and keep the faith lads and lasses…

  14. Chuck – Whats with the Yorkshire “Eee bah gum, trouble at mill is it”?

    I see Best did well, his dummy for Taylor’s goal was brilliant ;)

  15. Chuck says:
    February 18, 2010 at 8:34 pm

    “We may just have got ourselves a real bargain in Routledge, could be a late developer.”

    Of course we have Chuck. He’s a Premiership player who’s had a bit of bad luck.

  16. Hougton has the balls to drop players , since january hè has the squad to do it with the new players in. Before then his hands where somewhat tied with à smaller squad and less options to implement changes.

  17. Toonsy
    Give the guy a chance, he will come good.
    Kid contributs a lot,a team player.
    Not easy to come on during the latter stages and expect to do anything spectacular.

  19. Hmm, so if you don’t care for CH’s style you’re either a hater or a racist? That’s about as dumb as our ownership so I guess you must be one of them.

  20. acroosthepond says:
    February 18, 2010 at 10:56 pm

    “Hmm, so if you don’t care for CH’s style you’re either a hater or a racist?”

    Who wrote “racist” acroosthepond?

  21. acroosthepond > Hmm, so if you don’t care for CH’s style you’re either a hater or a racist? That’s about as dumb as our ownership so I guess you must be one of them.

    Yeah mate it seems that way and its pretty sad that if you voice a concern over CH’s tactics or selection then you have become a hater in some peoples minds.

  22. Carroll has 10 goals and Lovenkrands has 9, who is going to be first to get to 20 this season? My money is on Carroll. And you never know Fabio might just do a Sven.

  23. Big Dave – You know full well what I meant mate, don’t try to twist it.

    You’ve seen me slating Hughton before yourself. However, in some peoples eyes he will never be able to do anything right. They’ll gun him down when things don’t go well and disappear when things do go well, until the next time there is a need to question him.

  25. Big Dave – I didn’t mean to sound snappy but when racism is mentioned in a post regarding me then of course I’m not going to be pleased about it.

  26. Toonsy :lol: I have heard you and I have heard you saying bad things about chubby chops aswell ;)
    Toonsy I feel for CH as I think he has been threw in at the deep end to a Job he was never really after. I wish he was still a coach or a no2, I just dont think he has that ruthless side to him to allow him to make hard decisions and let people down just my humble opinion.

  29. Big Dave @ 26 – And that was my point. If Hughton is shown to have stood up against a senior player then it shows he is capable of making a tough decision.

    For the majority of the season, tactically, he has played to what we have available. Yes we have been awful in games but I remember back in 95/96 people were wishing we could grind out results, despite the fantastic football. Appointments such as Souness and Allardyce were greeted with commenets such as “at least our defence will get sorted now”. We have that now and I think Hughton has done well overall this season.

    I still don’t have the confidence in him for next season mind ;)

  31. toonsy says:
    February 18, 2010 at 11:31 pm

    “Big Dave – I didn’t mean to sound snappy but when racism is mentioned in a post regarding me then of course I’m not going to be pleased about it.”

    It wasn’t your comment Toonsy. You were the “haterz”, I wrote that some people are “prejudiced” against Hughton, and acroosthepond seemed to associate that entirely with racism. There are many reasons for prejudice, for example quite a few Geordies are also prejudiced against people from London, and Chris Hughton is from Stratford in the East End of London, and played for and coached London teams for the whole of his career (Spurs, West Ham and Brentford). They see him as part of some “Cockney Mafia” who want to destroy the club. Some people really are prejudiced agaist him because he is black. They see him a some kind of ‘slave boy’ for Ashley, and as a weak, stupid, subservient man who is incapable of leadership. Some people are still obsessed with Alan Shearer. There are many reasons for the whispering campaign against him.

  32. worky – Do you think it goes that deep? I think it’s because;

    a) Hughton was appointed in the middle of the aftermath of the summer under Ashley and being the only one who will take the job is seen as a yes man (something I have also levelled at him).

    b) He isn’t a ‘name’.

  33. My apologies if racism was not implied in the “prejudice” remark. My perceived prejudice about CH is all about ability. If in fact we’re promoted that’s great and he deserves much credit for the effort. That doesn’t, however, mean that he should be above criticism, which also extends to the team. Blind loyalty is not loyalty at all, it’s just laziness. It’s just that the Geordies deserve the best efforts of all involved and if that’s not forthcoming those responsible should have the stones to get the hell out.

  35. CHIRS HUGHTON IS DOING A GOOD JOB U DONT WIN ANYTHING WITHOUT SORTING OUT YOUR DEFENCE FIRST, AND THATS WHAT THE MAN IS DOING.

  36. toonsy says:
    February 19, 2010 at 12:13 am

    worky – Do you think it goes that deep? I think it’s because;

    a) Hughton was appointed in the middle of the aftermath of the summer under Ashley and being the only one who will take the job is seen as a yes man (something I have also levelled at him).

    Toonsy, everything is that deep, humans are complex creatures.

    So anyone who had the nerve to take on Newcastle United and tried to save it would immediately be derided as being a “yes man” and unfit for the job? If so, that’s just a completely self destructive cul-de-sac which would drive most managers away.

    acroosthepond says:
    February 19, 2010 at 12:17 am

    “That doesn’t, however, mean that he should be above criticism,”

    Of course it doesn’t, acroosthepond, but some of the stuff has got completely out of hand. All this stuff about the club being in complete anarchy with the players running the team, that Hughton will never have the capability to be a football manager, that he is a spineless “yes man” for Ashley, that Newcastle are the only club that would ever employ him in that capacity, that he has no contacts whatsoever and would be incapable of persuading any players to sign for the team is just ridiculous and shows what ingrated buffoons we really are.

  37. couldn,t give a toss if routledge is in debt,it,s his own daft fault for letting their lass run wild with his credit card.