Newcastle (H) Post Match Thread

[OB1]

As things 'currently' stand, I see us falling well short of the required it will maybe take this season.

If anything, the early performaces remind me of the defence under Pellegrini, winning games such as Southampton on the opening day, more through some of our individuals, than as a cohesive team with the intensity a couple notches down?

Granted, a World Cup is a valid excuse but nobody can console themselves with that if we can't crank into top gear very soon.

Sorry, but Mendy doesn't cut it for me. His delivery is phenomenal but I never rated Beckham that highly either.

Teams are already keeping the pitch wide against his side of the pitch and Mendy is rendered effectively useless when a winger is occupying his space.

He simply becomes a body caught too far up the pitch or inside when a team with some modicum of passing transition can get the ball.

We miss De Bruyne like a hole in the head, obviously, but we need to be closer to fifth gear than third these next couple of months to hopefully welcome him back and see Sane click.

Massive positives are Stones and Laporte.

Stones makes this team considerably better. His outstretched leg near the end saved a certain goal.

I don't think anyone doubts we will have to play better if we are to retain the title but I don't believe it's even worth trying to assess too much at this point. I defended Pellegrini long and hard but I wouldn't even mention him in the same breath as Pep and we have a significantly superior squad now.

As for Mendy, I think he was far more useful yesterday than you allow. He played several positive ball forward into attacking areas, not all were successful but neither were David Silva's against such a tightly packed defence and he played one or two lovely cross-field passes to the right flank.

 

[Blue Til Death]

It’s a slow burner to start this season but we are bagging the points which is all that matters.. A few more weeks and we will start purring again, 10 points from 12 is fine and dandy considering how off the pace we are at the moment ...!

 

[waspish]

As things 'currently' stand, I see us falling well short of the required it will maybe take this season.

If anything, the early performaces remind me of the defence under Pellegrini, winning games such as Southampton on the opening day, more through some of our individuals, than as a cohesive team with the intensity a couple notches down?

Granted, a World Cup is a valid excuse but nobody can console themselves with that if we can't crank into top gear very soon.

Sorry, but Mendy doesn't cut it for me. His delivery is phenomenal but I never rated Beckham that highly either.

Teams are already keeping the pitch wide against his side of the pitch and Mendy is rendered effectively useless when a winger is occupying his space.

He simply becomes a body caught too far up the pitch or inside when a team with some modicum of passing transition can get the ball.

We miss De Bruyne like a hole in the head, obviously, but we need to be closer to fifth gear than third these next couple of months to hopefully welcome him back and see Sane click.

Massive positives are Stones and Laporte.

Stones makes this team considerably better. His outstretched leg near the end saved a certain goal.

How did our early games go last season? I see a similar picture

 

[OB1]

No we are playing like we did this time last season.

Yup, quite similar. Last season it was our fifth game at Watford where things really started to get into gear.

 

[OB1]

I'm going to repeat what I said last night: we have, I think, lost just 3 league games out of the last 60 so it's far too soon to be showing any lack of faith in this team or its manager.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

We didn’t look much better at this stage last season after arguably easier fixtures.

Seriously bizarre to write Mendy off given he has 4 assists in 3 games.

Team selection was off yesterday, think we would have fared better with Bernardo in from the start instead of playing both forwards. Nothing wrong with winning games without playing well mind.

I've written him off in terms of his defensive nous.

Assists seem to be handed out these days for practically anything?

His one yesterday for Sterling isn't an assist, in my eyes, as Raheem still has loads to do.

I love Mendy's personality and delivery, but he leaves us with our chin sticking out.

Last season we had intensity from the off, Brighton and Everton (ten men), there was a team desire for all to see, perhaps less so at Bournemouth.

What I have seen so far is maybe more of a selfish stream, with some players deciding they can do it on their own, a bit like the first season under Pep?

It was clear yesterday that Sergio's incredible scoring record was in his head, with his running from deep and choosing the wrong option at times.

Mendy firing balls into the midfield that were never on and even Mahrez feeling the need to try and impress too much.

It was third gear again, like Wolves.

The league has just the amount of teams who, unlike last season, feel they can get something against a third gear City just by staying in the game.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

I I love Mendy, I think he’s such a special attacking talent, but he cannot defend. He has 0 positional awaresess and this is why I think we need to play 352 when he’s in the team. A back three of Kompany, Stones and Laporte, with Stones stepping up into DM when in possession. Mendy and Walker wing backs. Dave, Kev and Berny or Gundogan in a midfield three, and Serg with any one of Jesus, Sterling, Sane or Mahrez up top.

With this formation there is a little less pressure on Mendy defensively, but it would still be a little worrying as he really is useless at defending.

Fernandinho needs to be used more sparingly this year.

I don’t know if I like Walker’s delivery enough to have him be our main width on the right. I’d sooner play Walker at right centre back in such a system, or have him on the bench like v Huddersfield.

But my preference is to play Delph in our normal formation.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Mahrez has started meekly , god forbid they allow him to take a free kick,( he is a specialist) he is clearly not making the right calls, and trying to hard to impress, all traits of a man desperate to show why we bought him. i am sure he will come good when he settles. and have no fear we will see the best when Pep has bedded him in At a risk of being lambasted by Karen i think those who have seen glimpses of Jeorginho must surely realize that not moving quick enough as we did for B Silva, could prove costly , whilst we have chosen to put great pressure on Ferdy, by not covering a position we badly needed we have indirectly allowed one of our major competitors with Kovacic and Kante in situ to have a midfield imho as good if not better than ours I Certainly dont thank Real Madrid for allowing Kovacic to be a sweetner in the deal to land Courtois

I think we would have made 1000 passes & scored zero goals if Jorginho had been playing.

 

[bluemcr]

We miss de bruyne massively. He is a game changer and first name on the team sheet for me. I think we look a bit lightweight in midfield with fern and gundy a bit off. De bruyne drived this team forward last season.

 

[blue_paul]

I expected a slow start form wise after the World Cup but we’re picking up points and that’s the main thing.
We’ll be more clynical and individually, players will improve.
Liverpool haven’t been that impressive either and they’re the only side to keep an eye on.