Nov 03 2008
Newcastle Move Off the Bottom Again
On October 28th 2008; Newcastle United moved off the bottom of the Premier League and left the drop-zone to 15th position with a 2-1 home win over West Brom. After Bolton’s 2-0 win against Manchester City yesterday however, Newcastle once more hit rock bottom of the English Premier League.
Tonight, a Setanta televised home game against high-flying Aston Villa once more saw the club climb off the bottom of the league and this time the club has lifted itself into 14th position, just three points behind seventh place Everton. It’s phenomenal just how close the English Premier League is at current, and with only six points now separating bottom club Tottenham and seventh place Everton; any side that can string a few wins together can easily enter European contention at current.
Two second-half goals from Obafemi Martins saw Newcastle overcome Aton Villa at St James’ Park tonight, both sides had their chances, ultimately it was Newcastle that took theirs however and this therefore led to a reasonably comfortable win for The Magpies in the end. Both teams hit the woodwork throughout the game, and had Martin Laursen’s early shot hit the back of the net rather than the post then it could have been a completely different game. For Aston Villa it just wasn’t to be, this game had given the team a chance to enter the top three ahead of Manchester United and Arsenal, due to defeat Aston Villa remain on 20 points however, ahead of Hull, and just behind Arsenal; only goal difference separating these three sides at current.
Newcastle United have once more freed themselves from the drop-zone, moved off of the foot of the table and began to climb the slippery slope that is the English Premier League. There’s still a long season ahead and at current the three relegated teams could be any of fourteen such is the tightness of the league; two wins in a row has definitely done Newcastle good though and is just the confidence boost the team required.
Newcastle have moved off the bottom again, Tottenham Hotspur have returned there, and also currently filling the bottom three with Spurs are the two teams of West Brom and Bolton. There’s likely to be a lot of movement down near the bottom of the league over the coming weeks and months, the bottom three is subject to change, and there’s just no telling which three teams will be present in the drop-zone come Christmas. I have a feeling that the morale at St James’ Park has been sufficiently lifted now and that Newcastle United probably won’t be one of the bottom three teams for Christmas, with the gap so marginal between the bottom fourteen teams it’s just so hard to say however, and only two things are really sure at current; no one is safe, and anyone can beat anyone.
