New Year’s Day last week also marked the half-way point of the 2011/12 Premier League season and Newcastle’s players New Year’s resolutions were put up on the Official Newcastle United site. Many of them were about family, some of them were unobtainable (Gabriel Obertan scoring his first goal for Newcastle for instance!) but a couple might just happen. Fabricio Coloccini is hoping for a top six finish, while Tim Krul is aiming for 60 points, which would pretty much seal the captain’s resolution, but can these dreams become a reality?
On 1st January 2012, Newcastle United were sitting on 30 points in the Premier League table, placing them nicely in 7th position. One week, three points and a fantastic performance against Manchester United later and the optimism is back at St James’ Park after something of a difficult December. Newcastle’s effort against Man United was top class and if Alan Pardew’s men can play like that more often than not for the rest of the season, then the Magpies will only be looking up the Premier League table.
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As it stands in the Premier League, you’d have to think that the top three, Man City, United and Tottenham are away and clear, with Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool fighting for the fourth Champions League spot. But should Newcastle be ruled out of that scenario? The Magpies are only four points off Chelsea in fourth after all, and the Christmas fixtures showed that nothing can be taken for granted in the Premier League.
Newcastle are currently four points above Stoke in eighth, who are another four points above Norwich in ninth. Although the next few weeks will be tough with Demba Ba and Cheik Tiote going to play in the African Cup of Nations, hopefully Pardew will be able to bring a couple of players in and mount a serious challenge for the top 6.
Tim Krul is after 60 points, which based on last year’s table would give Newcastle a sixth-place finish, which is just what captain Fabricio Coloccini wants. Youngster Haris Vuckic is a bit more reserved and wishes for a top ten finish, which, given Newcastle’s start to the season, anything less would be a big disappointment, and maybe a shot at the Europa League. Add a decent FA Cup run to that and it would be a great season for Newcastle, but can they make the top 6, or maybe even higher?
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