Paul Merson gets it wrong on Newcastle United – Not for the first time | OneFootball

Paul Merson speaking as Eddie Howe’s team are preparing for their next match.

A 3pm kick-off on Sunday afternoon.

Newcastle United having put together a run of 12 wins in 15 games.

A massive match at St James’ Park on Sunday.

Paul Merson discussing the possibilities for Newcastle United in their home match against Nottingham Forest.

A win for Newcastle would mean they’d be only three points adrift of Forest and third place in the table..

Paul Merson talking to Sportskeeda ahead of Newcastle v Nottingham Forest:

“I was disappointed with Newcastle last week.

“They opened the game up against Manchester City thinking they are flying at the moment.

“Newcastle wanted [Man] City to have a go at them and they got demolished in the process!

“The thing with Newcastle is that at some point will start to think of the cup final.

“These players could go down like legends and that is too big a temptation to not keep an eye on.

“I turn 56 next month and I’ve never seen Newcastle lift a trophy!

“So the players will have one eye on making history and I don’t blame them for doing that because these games don’t come around very often.

“Nottingham Forest deserved to lose against Fulham. But they have always bounced back after defeats in the league this season. After suffering losses against Arsenal and Manchester City they, they responded with wins.

“Forest must ensure they win again because I expect most teams close to them to get three points this weekend.

“Prediction: Newcastle United 1 Nottingham Forest 1”

Hmmm,, not for the first time, Paul Merson gets it wrong about Newcastle United.

He clearly didn’t watch our match last weekend, Paul Merson declaring about Newcastle United; “They opened the game up against Manchester City thinking they are flying at the moment.”

That simply didn’t happen, Newcastle United actually started the game in a a controlled and disciplined way. Not overly defensive but clearly wanting to keep it tight, going man to man, but not doing a high press nor throwing bodies forward. Looking to not concede and to grow into the game, hit Man City on the counter when the opportunity allowed and only then getting numbers into attacking areas. That was all undone when a long kick from Ederson was misjudged by Trippier, then with Dubravka never confident of coming out and helping his defenders by sweeping behind them, he stayed in his penalty area instead of coming out to clear the ball and ended up in no man’s land, inviting the Man City player to lob him for an easy finish. The next 14 minutes seeing some poor defending and two more goals killed the game, though at no point was this due to United having ‘opened the game up’…

Not the only thing Paul Merson gets wrong.

Apparently he doesn’t even know how old he is.

Paul Merson was born on 20 March 1968 and will turn 57 next month, not 56!

It is also not true that Paul Merson has “…never seen Newcastle lift a trophy!”

On 11 June 1969, Paul Merson was almost 15 months old as Newcastle United won the second leg of the Fairs Cup 3-2 against Ujpest Dozsa, lifting the trophy thanks to a 6-2 aggregate win.

I can just imagine Paul Merson watching Newcastle United lifting that trophy on TV, balanced on his dad’s knee, his father declaring; “Cor blimey guvnor, those bloody Geordies have just gone and won yet another trophy!”

That was Newcastle United’s eleventh major trophy, having already won six FA Cups and four league titles.

Paul Merson is a lifelong Chelsea fan and at the point Newcastle United picked up that eleventh major trophy in June 1969, any guesses on how many trophies Chelsea had won in their entire history?

Chelsea had won the league in 1954/55 and then the League Cup in 1965, that was it. Indeed, they had still won next to nothing in their entire history until Roman Abramovich came along and was allowed to do whatever he wanted with his dubious riches, buying Chelsea trophy after trophy.

Indeed, at that point in June 1969, only Aston Villa had won more trophies in their history than Newcastle United.

At that point, Manchester United had also won eleven major trophies, comprised of seven league titles, three FA Cups and a European Cup.

As for Liverpool, they had won eight major trophies by June 1969, seven league titles and one FA Cup.

With Arsenal, they had won 10 major trophies by June 1969, seven league titles and three FA Cups.

Exactly why then Newcastle United have gone (almost) the entire lifetime of Paul Merson without winning any more, is a big question. Generally a case of incompetence and lack of ambition from the NUFC owners, with the exception of some very brief periods of time across more than 55 years.

Paul Merson predicts a draw on Sunday but Newcastle United you feel, really need to win this one, to close the gap to Forest and third to three points.

Like the rest of you, I am dreaming of Newcastle United doing the double this season, victory at Wembley in March (and/or May!) and qualification for the Champions League via the Premier League.

Sunday 23 February – Newcastle v Forest (2pm) Sky Sports

Wednesday 26 February – Liverpool v Newcastle (8.15pm) TNT Sports

Sunday 2 March –  Newcastle v Brighton (1.45pm) – FA Cup fifth round ITV1

Monday 10 March – West Ham v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 16 March – Newcastle v Liverpool (4.30pm) Carabao Cup final! Sky Sports