Newcastle (H) | PL | Post-Match Thread

[mac]

Seems theres a growing band of posters with a downer on Akanji who, for me, has been excellent from day one.

He has had a few below par performances but on the whole he is a 7 out of 10. 15 million as well. I thought he did OK yesterday

 

[blue cigar]

Grealish unreal yesterday. Had the ball fired at him tight in the touchline against an aggressive full back and just kept on taking it and keeping possession. I would imagine pep loves him, he ran the game yesterday.

 

[JWCH-99]

Isak left him for dead at the byline and he was also marking fresh air when Wilson missed his second sitter after the break.

I'm not sure what Akanji is good at, apart from passing under no press?

He's weak as shit in the air and positionally, very poor.

I think we go up another couple levels again now Stones is fit and can play alongside Ruben.

Otherwise, Laporte has to play.

Agreed he regularly struggles with knowing when to be aggressive and when not to be. He seems to go charging in sometimes when he doesn’t need to, but in the same respect sometimes he looks so passive especially in aerial duels

 

[NMB]

The result yesterday for Arsenal was huge, let's not kid ourselves.

What I take from yesterday’s games is that Newcastle showed enough for me to believe that they can take points from Arsenal when they meet at St James Park. I’m also confident that Arsenal will drop points at Anfield and in at least one of 4 derby games they have coming up (Palace, Fulham,West Ham,Chelsea). It goes without saying that we need to beat them at the Etihad but all to play for I think.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

Exactly mate, there comes a time where it’s not so much what you can still do, but more what you can recover from, and 2 full-ish games in 7/8 days is way too much for most players 30 and over let alone 3, especially midfielders, even Kyle (who’s a world class athlete), can no longer do those marauding runs AND get back like he used to all game.
No way Kev (and Ilkay) have that in their legs these days, they’re not 90 minute players any more, it’s sad, but still a testament to their quality that they still manage to impact so many games.

Quality and experience never dies.

Pep will manage their game time and give them sufficient rest and recovery time if we have a full and fit squad.

Phil & Bernardo can provide options but Kev and Gundog will still play key roles even if it’s sometimes from the bench.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Agreed he regularly struggles with knowing when to be aggressive and when not to be. He seems to go charging in sometimes when he doesn’t need to, but in the same respect sometimes he looks so passive especially in aerial duels

The word I think you are looking for is shit?

 

[Paul1970]

Grealish unreal yesterday. Had the ball fired at him tight in the touchline against an aggressive full back and just kept on taking it and keeping possession. I would imagine pep loves him, he ran the game yesterday.

Could he do what Kev does ?

 

[grim up north]

Very unusual for him.

Newcastles press was excellent yesterday causing Ederson to go long. But obviously all 10 other outfield players can miss a pass and nothing is ever said

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

He has had a few below par performances but on the whole he is a 7 out of 10. 15 million as well. I thought he did OK yesterday

If he's a seven out of ten, then ten doesn't count for much these days?

He's so poor. Gets dragged out, gets outjumped, never senses danger.

I thought in his first couple games, certainly at Sevilla, he looked very assured, but he's a headless chicken when put under any type of pressure or movement.

He was criminal for the Rashford goal the other week and even the players were thinking what the fuck in the win against Villa, when he failed to react to their goal.

Hardwood Bellis should not be loaned out again at the expense of Akanji remaining.

 

[train man]

Newcastles press was excellent yesterday causing Ederson to go long. But obviously all 10 other outfield players can miss a pass and nothing is ever said

Hang on, Eddie's long passing, usually a very strong suit for him, was atrocious yesterday when under no pressure whatsoever, and even from deadball positions. I had to wonder whether he had bet on himself to fluff 80% of his distribution.
That said, kdb had a similar percentage of incomplete passes, a shocker from him.