Magpies soaring

The new Premier League campaign has got off to a largely predictable start, with Manchester United and Manchester City setting the pace at the top of the table and Chelsea just behind.

Tottenham and Liverpool are going fairly well, while the promoted clubs are battling hard and Arsenal's stuttering form is not a complete surprise considering what a turbulent summer it has been at Emirates Stadium.

But there is one team that has exceeded expectations, having been tipped for relegation in some quarters ahead of the big kick-off.

Newcastle currently sit fourth in the standings, proudly occupying the final UEFA Champions League spot after extending their unbeaten record with an impressive 3-1 victory over Blackburn on Saturday.

Rewind a couple of months and Magpies supporters could be forgiven for feeling very anxious about their prospects going forward, following a series of typically baffling stories during the close season.

The sale of Kevin Nolan to West Ham raised eyebrows considering his influence last term, while Joey Barton and Jose Enrique were both critical of the club's board prior to sealing moves elsewhere.

There were not the big-money signings that were promised following Andy Carroll's £35million switch to Liverpool in January, with the players that Alan Pardew did recruit exciting but mainly untried in the Premier League.

Pre-season hardly ran smoothly on the field either, as their game against Darlington was marred by crowd trouble and a pitch invasion, the clash with Fiorentina was abandoned because of bad weather and performances hardly inspired confidence.

With lingering resentment towards owner Mike Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias, boss Pardew struggling to match predecessor Chris Hughton in the popularity stakes and a group of players lacking obvious star power, even fans were unusually downbeat ahead of the season opener at home to Arsenal.
Sense of optimism

Barton was still at the club at this point despite being made available for transfer and perhaps inevitably stole the headlines following incidents involving Alex Song and Gervinho, but the most important thing gained from that match was a sense of optimism following a hard-fought goalless draw.

The Magpies went on to beat North East rivals Sunderland away from home a week later, which will always produce a lasting feel-good factor, and have carried that momentum through to the end of September.

They have claimed creditable draws away to Queens Park Rangers and Aston Villa, whilst also beating Fulham and Blackburn at home, but where has this good form come from?

Well, for starters, Newcastle look a well-balanced, hard-working team, prepared to dig in when under pressure like they did against QPR but also capable of providing an attacking threat.

A strong defensive base is always the first thing a manager looks for and Pardew will have been delighted with the way his back four have played so far, conceding just three goals in six games.

Captain Fabricio Coloccini and Steven Taylor, back to full fitness after an injury nightmare in 2010, have been imperious in the centre and have been well supported by Danny Simpson and Ryan Taylor, with Tim Krul growing in maturity between the posts.

At the other end of the pitch the cutting edge has been delivered by Leon Best and Demba Ba, two strikers that may have been unfairly considered journeymen prior to the season but who complement each other nicely and have shown predatory finishing to date.

Pardew deserves credit for bringing in a player such as Ba, having spotted that he had something to offer during a stint with relegated West Ham last season.

The signings of Gabriel Obertan and Yohan Cabaye in midfield have also proved shrewd acquisitions, swelling the French contingent at St James' Park and adding a new dimension to their attack.

Cabaye, in particular, has linked up well with Cheick Tiote in the middle of the park to give Newcastle the right mix of steel and creativity in such a key battleground, while the return from injury of Hatem Ben Arfa will bring further flair as well as increasing competition for places.
Blinkered

It is still very early days, though, and Pardew has told his players not to get carried away with their unbeaten start.

The fixture list has been fairly kind to Newcastle so far and at this stage of the season a team can plummet from fourth to fourth-bottom in the space of a few weeks.

So, the question arises, just how high can they set their sights this season?

Even the most blinkered of fans will accept that Newcastle are not going to finish in the top four, while fifth or sixth may be out of reach too if other clubs with stronger squads perform as they should.

Relegation certainly should not be a worry and, with a few new arrivals in the January transfer window, the Magpies can realistically aim for a top-half finish and perhaps a little better.
Seventh place in the Premier League or a long run in one of the cups would be good enough for the majority of supporters, so dreams of Europe may not be too fanciful after all.