“We will all be proud if we create a new record. I know it sounds boring to say we score goals as a team and defend as a team but we do.
“Goalkeepers tend to get a lot of credit when you keep a clean sheet. But you look at Steven Taylor earlier this season and he was very impressive, (Fabricio) Coloccini has been outstanding and José Enrique and Patrick van Aaanholt when he came in.
“Fitz Hall was outstanding against Scunthorpe, Danny Simpson has done well and then there are the midfield lads. When we lose the ball we get behind it and are hard to score against.”
Manager Chris Hughton insists a determination not to get beaten is a bigger factor in Newcastle’s parsimony than any defensive tactics. “For me the most important thing is to have a good team shape,” the boss says.
“Around that you want to make yourself harder to beat. When you’ve got good individual players like (Jonás) Gutiérrez and (Danny) Guthrie and whatever front players we have, you know you’ll always have possibilities to score goals. What was important was that we had a good, solid shape.
“Alan Smith playing in midfield for the majority of the season gives us a little bit more defensive shape in midfield. He’s been important in some of the big away games like Preston and Sheffield United.
“There’s also a real desire to not want to concede. Team shape is the most important thing, and a mentality that we don’t lose. We’ve also got quality in the side to score goals.”
It sounds like a recipe for success – and as if Newcastle’s critics will have to find a different stick with which to beat them.
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