Money, money, money, margins, profits, cash flows and current accounts, savings, budgets and more. Great news for the once financially worried Newcastle faithful but Southampton on Saturday is a more pressing topic of discussion. Opposite ends of the table, sliding into abyss facing a second relegation in less than a decade, what has gone wrong? 50,000 fans every week, a world class stadium, experienced managers, millions spent on players and still nothing. Southampton could brush this team aside because they in the words of the Toon Army lack heart, cohesion and a desire to play for the name on the front of the shirt rather than the one on the back. Knocked out of both the League and FA cups at the third rounds, languishing 6 points adrift of safety with 7 games remaining and maybe not even Real Madrid's ex manager can pull this one off. Our remaining fixtures are as follows.
Southampton, away, this team have so much to play for including a place at the European top table or Europa League spot. Some pundits even consider them still in the running for a potential title challenge, optimistic. We could be dismantled on the south coast but a draw might just happen.
Swansea, at home, a chance here to pick up three precious points, shaky enough team and one who may already think themselves safe at this juncture. We have to win this game.
Man City, at home, this we will more than likely lose. City are a Champions League team and want back in the competition under Pep Guardiola. If even to keep Man Utd out, the blue side of Manchester will fight hard to take all three points against our shaky defense.
Liverpool, away, Benitez comes home to Anfield, possibility of a draw here, we may have enough fire in the bellies to push this through or just hold on for dear life with the Kop faithful expecting European football next season again.
Crystal Palace, home, have to win this, really do, the team are sliding, lacking confidence and surely some of Pardew's former troops would like to remind him what he is missing.
Aston Villa, away, 3 points against a team whose players prefer to party in the Gulf than practice their defending. We have no choice here.
Tottenham, probably lose this one with so much for Spurs still to fight for whether it be a title on the last day or a Champions League automatic place.
My verdict- 11 points from a remaining 21 to play for. Leaving us on 36 points, Finishing 18th and missing out on safety on the last day of the season.
As for what happens next, Benitez can exercise his exit clause in the contract he took a few weeks back, using the excuse “I did my best but couldn't undo damage done previously”. We drop down a division. Rafa heads to a bigger European team and we will lose a lot of players, some good, some bad and some we forgot about.
This summer we could easily see the exit of the following players if relegated.
Goalkeepers:
Tim Krul- Sold to the likes of Man Utd or Liverpool or another top ten team for- 8 or 9 million.
Elliot, Darlow and Woodman will remain on.
Defenders:
Colocinni will head back to Argentina for 1 million or so and that will be that
Janmaat will go to an Arsenal or Tottenham and play in the Champions League costing- 10 million.
Haidara could return to France for the 2 million we paid for him.
Dummett, Lascelles, Mbemba, Taylor, Good and Mbabu to stay.
Midfielders:
Sammy Ameobi to be sold to a Championship team, Leeds etc,- 1 million pounds
Cabella back to France for good, probably Marseille- 5 million pounds
Vuckic to a European team playing in a decent league like Austria, Switzerland or Turkey, - 2 million pounds
Thauvin a French return- 8 million pounds if we are lucky
Sissoko to PSG or Lyon or similar- 12 million pounds
Wijnaldum to a top 8 EPL team - 13 million pounds
Tiote to China- 5 million pounds
Anita back to Holland- 5 million pounds.
Gouffran- 2 million to anyone that will take him
Obertan- 2 million same as Gouffran
Colback, De Jong, Shelvey, Aarons, Townsend, Marveaux, Saivet and Bigiramana could stay put.
Forwards:
Cisse to Turkey or Greece- 5 million pounds
Doumbia back to Roma
Perez to Manchester United or Chelsea- 12 million pounds
Mitrovic, Riviere, Armstrong, Toney carry on.
If NUFC go down and a clean out is done similar to my prediction, 90 million pounds will be taken in which can be used to either prop up Sports Direct or reinvested into a Championship title challenge in the hopes of returning to the Premier League.
Our starting 11 would be as follows.
Elliot
Taylor, Lascelles, Mbemba, Dummett,
Townsend, Shelvey, De Jong, Colback
Mitrovic, Riviere
This 11 should get us back to the Premier League, scoring goals and defending solidly in the second tier of English football.
The likes of Gary Monk may be tempted to take the reigns if Benitez returns a top European team. All hope is not lost, going down may clean out the closet a little and let us start again and build from the bottom up with almost 100 million more in the bank. Maybe we need a summer of change?