Newcastle United: Really Good or Really Bad?

After Newcastle's 2-1 win over Cardiff City before the international break, manager Alan Pardew came out with an interesting line in his post-match interview: 

"Now everyone can go away for the international break and our fans can try and work out whether we're really good or really bad" said Pardew.

There was a cheeky smile growing across the 52-year-olds face as he came out with the line, referring to his side's inconsistent start to their Premier League season. 

The Newcastle manager definitely knew the meaning behind his words, as Magpies fans have been frustrated and thrilled in equal measure in their seven Premier League games.

A 4-0 defeat on the opening day against Manchester City and a 3-2 loss at home to Hull City left Newcastle fans fearing the worst for their season but fine away wins over Aston Villa and Cardiff have restored hope.

The inconsistencies were summed up perfectly when Goodison Park played host to one of Newcastle's worst 45 minutes in recent history, followed by a greatly encouraging comeback that came up narrowly short against Everton.

Newcastle's defensive frailties have been their undoing of late, but with Steven Taylor closing in on  a return to the first-team, Pardew has an extra option to find a solution to the problem. Taylor could replace defensive lynchpin Fabricio Coloccini, as the Argentine recovers from a muscle injury picked up on international duty.

The form of Loic Remy has been a boost, too, as the Frenchman sits top of the top scorers list for the Magpies with five goals in as many games. The on-loan striker has dragged his side through some of the fixtures this season and had it not been for his goals, Newcastle would almost certainly be in the category of the latter of Pardew's statement.

The Toon manager will be hoping to find the answers to his questions when his side resume domestic action after the international break, when Liverpool are the visitors to St James' Park. Last time the sides met, the Reds ran out 6-0 winners. Hardly an easy fixture for Newcastle to figure out which camp they lie in.

Quite whether Newcastle are, as Pardew put it, "really good or really bad" remains to be seen as the season settles down but the Magpies have certainly shown both sides of the argument already this campaign.