By Neil Brock
December 5 2005

After a horrid week for the club and with a disappointing season almost halfway over already, Neil Brock ponders just what is that 'One Thing' which has been missing for Newcastle United so far this season.

After a week most Newcastle fans would prefer to forget, the half way point of the season is looming, and it would appear the Holy Grail of Champion’s League football looks further away than ever. Graeme Souness, depending on which sources you read, is 90 minutes away from the doll queue, (or Rangers, again depending on your sources) and every half-decent or otherwise manager from George Burley to Kevin Keegan has been linked with the most pressurised job in English football.

So as the New Year approaches, just what exactly is next for the Magpies? It wasn’t that long ago we were preparing for the opening day of the season, away at Highbury, a tough task for any side. But Newcastle rose to the challenge, and after the first quarter, Arsenal were shirking away from a bruising encounter. However, by the end of the afternoon, one debateable penalty and one misguided red card and the long road home wasn’t softened by any points.

A few weeks later, Souness and Freddie pulled of the shock coup of Luque, Solano and Owen, the apparent boost our season needed. Yet all three go on to pick up injuries whilst Carr, Dyer, Emre, Moore and Taylor, to name just a few, soon join them on the sidelines as the games tick by.

Moving on to the most recent weeks and we have seen stonewall penalties at Chelsea and Everton waved away. In both games the second half proves a half too many and again these lacklustre displays provide no points. Then, perhaps the game to sum up our season. Wigan Reserves work ethic play us off the park, Emre goes off injured, and despite Shay’s heroics another penalty (that even in the most prejudiced light can only be called ‘soft’), costs us another route into Europe and a confidence-boosting win. 

So mix ill fortune with poor displays and what is the result? The mid-table obscurity the club currently sits at.

But things are often more than meets the eye.

The Champions League, as things stand is just 8 points away. Contained in the Newcastle United squad are: One of the top 5 goalkeepers currently playing in Europe, a young centre back who finally looks capable of filling Woodgate’s shoes, two top class midfielders in the shape of Emre and Parker who don’t have the distraction of the World Cup to preoccupy them (unless Sven gets a lobotomy), and England’s number one striker.

Everybody is well aware, if this squad clicks in the way it’s capable of, the Premiership big guns will be looking over their shoulder. With players fit, and that ‘one thing’ being so clearly missing all season, why not contenders again?

Some people believe that ‘one thing’ is Souness’s head on a stick, some believe it is Bramble and Boumsong in a row boat with no oars down the Tyne, some that Shearer hangs up his boots, puts on his flat cap and sits with the fans rather than making a fool out of himself on the pitch. Me? I just think a little bit of luck for this squad, could go a long long way. 

With Arsenal at home next game, you’d be forgiven for thinking the season has come full circle. Well perhaps it has, perhaps now is the time lady luck will smile our way and that ‘one thing’ will fall into place. For all we know, maybe it already has. Just ask Gareth Barry.