Hughton talks wobble.
Posted on November 12th, 2009 | 46 Comments |
Speaking on the team’s fairly recent rocky patch (a couple of defeats preceded by a pair of lacklustre draws), Toon’s Cockney Colossus said:
“I think expectations had got higher and higher after our start to the season, but the little slump was a timely reality check. It reminded everyone that we are not going to simply walk this division. We are not going to run away with it.”
“We have a six-point cushion again and that is good, but we have to maintain our recent form. We have seen how difficult this division is now because we didn’t know too much about it before we actually got into the games. If you look at the season so far, everyone is taking points off each other.
“If you look at the teams that came down from the Premier League, Middlesbrough have found it hard, particularly at home, and West Brom have lost games they weren’t expected to.”
Indeed, last years champions, Wolves, lost a whole ten games last season, the year before, West Brom lost eleven, and the year before that, a certain team of vagrants from the lesser side of the North East lost a mighty twelve and still won that very pretty little Football League trophy. The last team to really ‘storm’ the division was Reading in the 05/06 season when they lost only two games. They did draw quite a few though.
But I digress. Getting back to Hughton, he went on to say:
“So, although we have lost games, to be top of the league is pleasing at this stage, but there is still a long way to go. We are six points clear of the play-off places – that is a good position to be in.”
Stating the obvious a little in parts, perhaps, but, with the indifference he gets from many Newcastle supporters for his sterling work over the last few months, perhaps they need a reminder.
Even Manure has lost a few games on the path to winning many of their titles…. Losses are worring but we can not hit the panic button when they occur.. If the boys on the park give it their all and lose, so be it… 1/2 arsed efforts can be a little harder to stomach!! I for one am over the moon with the teams performance this season… keep it up lads..