Newcastle United have been pitch poor in nearly every way for most of 2014, and one of their best players is speaking out after making his return in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Swansea City.
The Magpies have lost five-straight Premier League matches for the first time since the league began, and outside back Mathieu Debuchy’s return to the lineup couldn’t fix things.
Newcastle has lost those five games by a combined score of 13-1, and Debuchy’s been forced to watch much of the abysmal stretch.“I have never known five defeats in a row,” Debuchy said. “It is something which isn’t acceptable for a club like Newcastle United and a squad like ours. It is something we simply should not be doing.
“I watched every match while I was injured and it has been tough, very tough. I find it difficult because whether I am injured or suspended, I just want to be out there playing, helping my teammates and giving them everything I can.”
The losses have been embarrassing, and it’s easy to forget these players have been on elite teams their entire careers... and that a run of five straight losses may literally have never happened to Debuchy until now.
NUFC manager Alan Pardew had been under fire for the squad’s performance even before he headbutted David Meyler -- his suspension just ran its course this weekend -- and now the club’s stated goal of finishing in the Top Ten is in question.
With players like Debuchy saying their play is unacceptable and the team failing to achieve its goals, could the Premier League’s second-longest tenured manager be out the door at season’s end?
