Newcastle starting to look just a little nervous

Following their game against Stoke on Saturday – an encounter which saw the Potters romp home 4-0 winners – Newcastle manager Alan Pardew did his best to put on a brave face. He spoke of not being overly concerned, and stated that it would be the next three games against Wolves, Villa and Blackpool as being the games which will make or break his season – but one couldn't help getting the impression that he was perhaps sheltering his players from the truth. The old adage goes that the league table never lies, and if that is indeed the case then someone had better tell Pardew, because his side have taken just eight points from their last nine Premier League outings – and that's relegation form and anyone betting football money should remember this.

The news that both Leon Best and Steven Ireland were also out on the town the night prior to the game will have shocked many – although they shouldn't panic because the two have denied enjoying any of that delicious alcohol that footballers like so much. Following the calm that was instilled at the club under Chris Hughton's regime, a few tell-tale signs are creeping in that perhaps Newcastle are back up to their old tricks, and anyone who follows the football news will know where that ended last time.

The truth is that Newcastle – despite their plaudits in the first half of the season are not out of the woods yet, and until they get over the magical forty-point mark, they will need to be scrapping and battling just like the sides around them. Two years ago they proved that they weren't too good to go down, and were then arguably equipped with better individual players.

Take for instance Sol Campbell's horribly un-athletic display at centre-half, Newcastle effectively started the game with ten men such was his inability to compete for the ball in the air, and against Stoke you will get beaten unless you match them in this area. Couple a leaky defence with a weakened strike force following Andy Carroll's departure, there is a long way to go yet – but should they still be on 36 points after the Blackpool game, then it's all but guaranteed that they won't still be in mid-table.