Newcastle (H) | PL | Post-Match Thread

[Keeper!]

They got extra extra time in both those games so maybe they should have lost this season too

Why, don't goals in extra time count?

 

[Dribble]

Simple solution to me is move Kev out wide and Phil in the 10 role, the crosses he can provide out wide will create loads for Haaland. Inverted wingers don’t have the same deliveries and not as threatening to me.

Isn't this what Grealish was alluding to when saying he's been used to playing with an overlapping full back at Villa?

Inverted wingers were meant to go hand in hand with overlapping FB's to create the jeopardy of opposing full backs not knowing which way the ball will be played.

As it stood, we had Cancelo & Grealish occupying the same space, with Walker/Lewis moving alongside Rodri meaning we've been short of overlapping wide players all season until Aké essentially replaced Cancelo at LB. Even then I can only recall Aké making one telling cross yesterday. \0/

 

[Protein Junkie]

They come from a one club city.

Like us :-)

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

A couple of points from the game... Having watched the match back, is it just me, or is anyone else anxious up until the point Haaland scores?

I'm absolutely sick & fuckin tired of hearing about Haaland's "2 game scoring drought" & City's constant failure to slide a through-ball into him, & the player being pissed off with his lack of service.

Even if we win without the Viking scoring, the media term it as a crisis with stories emerging about him looking for the exit door in the summer. If the constant "City failed to find Haaland again" stories are doing my head in, imagine the effect on the squad? :-/

Since the loss at home to Brentford, it's been highly noticeable that clubs are playing narrow against us, packing their central defence & defensive midfield, only leaving space out wide, with very little or no direct routes to goal.

KDB, Gundog, Bernardo & Rodri are supreme passers of the ball. If they're struggling to find through balls to Haaland, isn't this more a case of the opposition have found ways to cut off Haaland's central supply, rather than a wholesale loss of form by our entire midfield?

I think we should be giving the opposition more credit for finding a solution to the Haaland problem. As for Haaland, he's now playing in the toughest, most high profile league in the world, where any one of seven teams could realistically win the title.

If Haaland wants to be rated as the world's best striker, he's in the right place to claim that title if he can succeed in the EPL.

There's three ways this "Finding Haaland" issue will work. Either City adapt to Haaland. Haaland adapts to City. Or we meet halfway & adapt our style to better suit Haaland & Erling adapts his game to be more Harry Kane-like to better suit City.

Solving this Haaland puzzle will also go some way to resolving our midfield's perceived lack of form. We've seen it take Grealish 18 months for him to "Get City".

In respect to scoring, Haaland's hit the ground running, however in terms of playing, he's yet another in a long list of players who it'll take a season or two for him to also "Get City" & Guardiola's way.

In a recent match, Haaland kept moving to the right, which wreaked havoc for the opposition defenders who didn't know whether to track him or leave him.

This created the central space for our midfield to operate & perhaps Haaland being more mobile across the front & dropping deep is our best way forward.

Haaland will hopefully accept that assists from him are as important as his goals to City, even though it may effect his scoring stats.

I'll play devil's advocate here and say it's the same old media looking through red tinted glasses..

Aguero's gonna fuck off to Spain in 3 years
Pep's gonna fuck off to Spain in 3 years
Erling's gonna fuck off to Spain in 3 years

They can't seriously like playing for the oil money club can they? Fuck there must be something under the table.. Manufactured Oil Club must be relegated to stop shitting all over the Reds!

Well umm hate to break it to you journos:

 

[Man-chester copperpot]

One of the Newcastle “Youtubers” has put a video up - headline “Awful Fan Support”who can’t understand why the stadium was half empty on 85mins!

It’s all right when your stadium is in the middle of your city centre

 

[levets]

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.

I’m not confident in him… seems to be front and centre of every goal we conceded recently. His concentration isn’t great either and his passing is a bit iffy. He’s ok for 5th choice for me, but Pep seems to have a blind spot regarding him.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

I'll play devil's advocate here and say it's the same old media looking through red tinted glasses..

Aguero's gonna fuck off to Spain in 3 years
Pep's gonna fuck off to Spain in 3 years
Erling's gonna fuck off to Spain in 3 years

They can't seriously like playing for the oil money club can they? Fuck there must be something under the table.. Manufactured Oil Club must be relegated to stop shitting all over the Reds!

Well umm hate to break it to you journos:

They were right about David Silva though. He couldn’t hack it in the premier league and fucked off back to Spain after three years.

Didn’t he?

 

[Dribble]

Ah, all makes sense now mate, you definitely watched a different game than the rest of us if you were anxious until Haaland scored……

Read my post again...

At every opportunity commentators are babbling on about balls not reaching Haaland. City not passing to Haaland. Haaland cutting a frustrated figure. Haaland hasn't scored yet etc... They've even hinted at there being squad tensions with players not wanting to pass to him!

It's been going on all season & I can't recall a similar obsession with how many passes reached our previous front men. Added to the media narrative of "Haaland seeking the exit door in the summer" "Haaland's agent names his next club", I was merely stating it's been doing my head in & have wondered the effect it's having on the squad.

Even during the press conference, Pep snapped when asked about Haaland's agent's comments about his next club.

In essence I wasn't being specific about yesterday's match, I was talking in general. I suggest you fully comprehend posts before letting your paws loose on your keyboard... \0/

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

One of the Newcastle “Youtubers” has put a video up - headline “Awful Fan Support”who can’t understand why the stadium was half empty on 85mins!

It’s all right when your stadium is in the middle of your city centre

They're probably the quietest away fans to visit us this season, in their most successful season in 30 years, coming into a crunch period of the season where they probably need their fans more than ever. So I won't be taking any fucking lectures on the quality of our support from them.

 

[Dribble]

I'll play devil's advocate here and say it's the same old media looking through red tinted glasses..

Aguero's gonna fuck off to Spain in 3 years
Pep's gonna fuck off to Spain in 3 years
Erling's gonna fuck off to Spain in 3 years

They can't seriously like playing for the oil money club can they? Fuck there must be something under the table.. Manufactured Oil Club must be relegated to stop shitting all over the Reds!

Well umm hate to break it to you journos:

Agreed 100% & it does my fuckin nut in! However, years ago a wise friend once said to me the time to start worrying is when people stop having a go, because it means you're no longer a threat.

I suppose there's that, but I'm sick & tired of hearing crap about my team... \0/