Welcome to the North-East hotbed of football. Yeah right, three Premier League teams, three teams in the bottom half of the table and three teams in danger of being relegated. What a wonderful season this has turned out to be!
I had such high hopes back in August, didn't you? Sunderland had just been promoted on a wave of optimism under Roy Keane and Newcastle had got a highly-rated manager in Sam Allardyce and had finally seen the back of former chairman Freddie Shepherd. I'd just got back from a very enjoyable holiday to Majorca and, so I thought, there were plenty of good time ahead.
I wasn't too bothered about Middlesbrough, to be honest who outside of Teesside is, but I've always liked Gareth Southgate, who seems like a nice guy and Julio Arca is a player I enjoy watching, so even the Smoggies were in my good books.
However, with ten games left the only excitement we have is a potential relegation battle between the North East neighbours and the possibility that, whoever loses the Tyne-Wear derby at St James's Park next month, will crash head first into the Championship. Should make for a decent atmosphere at least!
I was at Derby County at the weekend and travelled to the Midlands confident the Wearsiders would beat the Premier League’s worst club and boost their safety bid to the tune of three valuable points.
I travelled back up the M1 believing the Black Cats are right back in the sssshhhhugar. (It’s a family show ladies and gentlemen and while most 10 year-olds know every swear word in the unofficial swear book that doesn’t mean I’m allowed to use such colourful language here. I’m sure you know what I mean.)
The hope that Sunderland might surprise people this season and "do a Reading,� finishing just outside of the European places had been crushed before the summer suntans had faded, but if there was one comfort for Newcastle fans at the weekend it was that their bitter rivals look in even more trouble.
The form book will show Sunderland have considerably out-performed the Magpies in 2008, but they have arguably the toughest run in of all the teams in the relegation picture and their next two home games come against Everton and Chelsea.
Roy Keane’s side have been almost totally reliant on results at the Stadium of Light to get them out of trouble this season but their only home game against a side in the bottom half of the table is Middlesbrough and they are also in need of the points after their shock defeat to Reading.
Sunderland continue to struggle to score goals and they aren’t creating much either. I still don’t think they will go down, but they will give their supporters an almighty scare before May.
As for Newcastle, from what I can gather it was a much better performance against Blackburn, although I also understand that Joey Barton was pretty dreadful again. Shock!
What was that? Alan Smith had a header on goal. Still 29 games and counting without a goal then Smithy, but at least you look like you care I suppose. What on earth is wrong with Mark Viduka? Oh, that’s right, it’s winter and he feels the cold. (look at his career history and see how many games he has missed during the winter months.)
However, improved performances don’t count in the table, although I wouldn’t be too upset by Owen’s missed chances. Easy for me to say I know, but he will score more often than not and it’s just good to see the team creating those sorts of opportunities again.
Alarmingly, however, with a trip to Liverpool next weekend and with the following game at Birmingham City (absolutely vital they don’t lose that one) on Monday night, Kevin Keegan’s side could travel to St Andrew’s already in the relegation zone. Scary thought huh?
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