Newcastle Thread - 2022/23

[Bluemoonadam]

I said they'd go into free fall after losing in the cc final, they've proved me wrong and I Hope they keep it up. Although they will be a major threat soon to us I'd still prefer them to keep the scousers or spurs out of the top 4.

 

[Gazza]

Newcastle getting the CL means they can go up to the next level financially, bad in the long term but funny to see Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs trying to undermine them because they've got 'their' CL spot due to dirty oil money and it's not fair.

 

[Mick_]

I said they'd go into free fall after losing in the cc final, they've proved me wrong and I Hope they keep it up. Although they will be a major threat soon to us I'd still prefer them to keep the scousers or spurs out of the top 4.

We weren't in freefall, but we were feeling sorry for ourselves as we couldn't score and because of that we were always under pressure. Lapses in concentration at the back didn't help our cause as we seemed to be switching off for a couple of minutes and being punished by letting in a couple of quick goals against both Man U and Liverpool.

We’ve only lost to yourselves and Liverpool this season in the league, so we’ve done quite well although we’ve drawn far too many goals. I believe that we’ve drawn so many games due to not having Isak and Wilson both fit together often enough and poor squad depth which needs a few more transfer windows to put right.

I can see us spending North of £100 million in the Summer, hopefully that will go on a quality defensive midfielder and a quality forward/winger. We could also look to bring in a young player or two with potential to develop throughout the season, players who are happy with the bench in the league and cup ties mid-week if we can get a couple of good cup runs going.

It’s no coincidence that our change of fortune in front of goal came about by a change in our starting 11.

Isak has only just started to look back to his best after his injury and he now looks match fit, unlike Wilson. Dropping Almiron has also had a positive effect on us as he’s played too many games and it’s no surprise that he’s now picked up an injury because tired players usually do.

Murphy isn’t the best player in the squad but he’s better than an out of form, tired Almiron. I don’t understand why Howe didn’t tell him to take a week away from training to switch off but I guess he was trying to get to the international break.

Our squad members who are not away on international duty are away in Dubai so hopefully they’ve had more rest than training. Some of our players have played far too many games because of our poor squad depth. When we pick up a couple of injuries we’re in trouble. Like most teams, we’ve always got an injury or two to contend with and our squad depth means that we’re totally screwed if the injuries are to players in the same position. Our bench against Forest had a keeper plus 6 players who are either defenders or players who can play in defence. 5 of the 9 subs have played at left-back for us at some point during the last couple of seasons, how shit is that? Only Wilson and Anderson are not considered to be defenders out of our sub’s that night.

Our next 4 games are crucial to our season, I think we’ll do OK because Howe always looks at one game at a time which will keep our focus as 3 away games in a row is never easy, especially with one being mid-week.

 

[Mick_]

Newcastle getting the CL means they can go up to the next level financially, bad in the long term but funny to see Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs trying to undermine them because they've got 'their' CL spot due to dirty oil money and it's not fair.

The problem with getting to the CL will mean that we have to wait for the money to come in from that so we'll not have extra money to front load any participation. Having said that, we might be able to get more sponsorship money in quicker than expected which might help us in the January transfer window. We're still waiting for the club to announce who our new shirt sponsors are going to be. I guess we'll be covering every possibility with the contract to make sure that we'll bring in more cash if we go further in cup competitions.

It’s crazy that our sleeve sponsorship brings in more money that our main shirt sponsor and we’re also being ripped off with our kit supplier being an Ashley contract which is by todays standards, chicken-feed. I’ve read that we’re stuck with Castore for another 3 years which is poor because the terms are shite and Castore are shite as they can’t keep up with demand and I’m not even sure if we get extra money for selling more shirts.

We are hopefully going to go back to Adidas after Castore because we had a good long term relationship with them before Ashley arrived. We received good money at that time and we got more money for selling more kits and the quality was good. The problem was that Adidas and Ashley hated each other so that was never going to work for either side. Here’s a BBC article about Ashley and Adidas if anybody is interested as I’m not posting anything about his shitty shops.

Sports Direct calls for probe into Nike and Adidas dominance

The Mike Ashley-owned retailer says the "must-have" brands hold too much market power.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Bluemoonadam]

We weren't in freefall, but we were feeling sorry for ourselves as we couldn't score and because of that we were always under pressure. Lapses in concentration at the back didn't help our cause as we seemed to be switching off for a couple of minutes and being punished by letting in a couple of quick goals against both Man U and Liverpool.

We’ve only lost to yourselves and Liverpool this season in the league, so we’ve done quite well although we’ve drawn far too many goals. I believe that we’ve drawn so many games due to not having Isak and Wilson both fit together often enough and poor squad depth which needs a few more transfer windows to put right.

I can see us spending North of £100 million in the Summer, hopefully that will go on a quality defensive midfielder and a quality forward/winger. We could also look to bring in a young player or two with potential to develop throughout the season, players who are happy with the bench in the league and cup ties mid-week if we can get a couple of good cup runs going.

It’s no coincidence that our change of fortune in front of goal came about by a change in our starting 11.

Isak has only just started to look back to his best after his injury and he now looks match fit, unlike Wilson. Dropping Almiron has also had a positive effect on us as he’s played too many games and it’s no surprise that he’s now picked up an injury because tired players usually do.

Murphy isn’t the best player in the squad but he’s better than an out of form, tired Almiron. I don’t understand why Howe didn’t tell him to take a week away from training to switch off but I guess he was trying to get to the international break.

Our squad members who are not away on international duty are away in Dubai so hopefully they’ve had more rest than training. Some of our players have played far too many games because of our poor squad depth. When we pick up a couple of injuries we’re in trouble. Like most teams, we’ve always got an injury or two to contend with and our squad depth means that we’re totally screwed if the injuries are to players in the same position. Our bench against Forest had a keeper plus 6 players who are either defenders or players who can play in defence. 5 of the 9 subs have played at left-back for us at some point during the last couple of seasons, how shit is that? Only Wilson and Anderson are not considered to be defenders out of our sub’s that night.

Our next 4 games are crucial to our season, I think we’ll do OK because Howe always looks at one game at a time which will keep our focus as 3 away games in a row is never easy, especially with one being mid-week.

No I didn't say you was in freefall but I thought you was going to collapse and go in to freefall after the cup final loss and you haven't so fair play, I hope you get 4th or even better 3rd! All the best.

 

[SambaStyle]

At the moment they are a mix and match of World class players and Championship /lower prem players.

 

[Mick_]

At the moment they are a mix and match of World class players and Championship /lower prem players.

At the minute I think this is where we stand:

Pope - Good enough for a couple of years and then will need phasing out as he's 31 in a couple of weeks’ time.

Trippier - Will probably need phasing out after next season as he's another one getting on and will be 33 early next season.

Schar - See Trippier comment although he's almost 2 years younger than him.

Botman - Build our defence around him, he can play for another 10 years as he's just turned 23 and is class.

Targett - Can't get a game at the minute but is better than Burn who should start on the bench every week. We still need a quality left-back.

Bruno - We should build our team around him, I think he would get in any team in the league and is only going to get better with experience and better players around him.

Joelinton - He should start every game for us when fit and free from suspension. He hasn't got the skills of Bruno but he can and will run for 90 minutes, he can cover ground really quickly, he can break up play and spots danger well. He should play in the middle with Bruno but is being used to protest Burn who isn't very good.

Willock - He's getting back to his best after struggling after his illness which was probably Covid. He's another I would play in the middle alongside Bruno and Joelinton and Willock can tackle, he can cover ground well, he's good at running and protecting the ball to take us from our own half into the opposition box, he also has goals in him.

Gordon - No idea as he's hardly played so it's too early to make any sort of appraisal.

Isak - He's getting back to his best and we should build our attack around him as he is top class when physically fit and match fit. Isak could be one of the best forwards in the league but we don't know yet as he hasn't played enough games.

Saint-Maximin - I'm not sure he has a long-term future at the club as he can't keep fit for long enough, he always seems to be coming back from an injury so is never match fit enough to settle in to a team.

Anderson - Forest was the first game when I've watched him and thought that he might make it as a player at this level.

Wilson - He's a great forward but is never fit for long enough and is always one sprint away from an injury, I'd sell if anybody made a semi decent offer.

Almiron - He's 29 and has probably peaked and it might be a good time to cash in on him.

Longstaff - He should never start over Bruno, Joelinton or Willock. He offers very little other than to cover grass which most people in the crowd could do. He has no pace, he's terrible in front of goal most of the time and he needs far too much time to think. You can see him when he tries to chase a player who has the ball, he's often run to where the player was rather than where the player is or is going to. I don't know what his tackling stat's are like but they can't be good for a midfielder.

Ashby - No idea as we haven't seen him play. He can hopefully learn his trade from Trippier, it's just a pity we don't have any cup games to play him in.

We have 16 players above who I have mentioned and could play for us and that means were 9 players short if we are to have a functioning 25 man squad in the near future. I guess we could include Karius as goalkeeper cover if we extend his contract as I wouldn’t keep Dubravka after he bottled a fight with Pope to become No1. Dubravka would rather have gone to Man U and sat on their bench, twat, and I don’t know why he’s come straight back on to our bench with Karius going back into the wilderness after doing nothing wrong.

 

[GoatersLeftShin]

If you get into the CL, it will open up a whole new level of player who will join you. The problem you will have in summer (outside the CL) is that the best players want to play in the CL and simply won't join you until you're in it. Also, the flip side is that players like Guimaeres, Botman and Isak will want to play in the CL! If you don't look like getting there, they'll move on. The club will know this so
I honestly think you'll spend BIG in the summer.

Howe has done a far better job than I expected and I think a few genuine top class players will turn the draws into wins. I'm not sure who's available but I'm sure the board will make sure you don't lose out because of fees and wages. I think if anyone becomes available, you'll be in for them.

I think the trick we had - and looks like you've done with Botman - is to pick up players who grow into becoming world class players.
When we got Kompany, Zabaleta, Yaya Toure, David Silva, KdB, Aguero etc no one at the time realised that they'd become the players they did. They all have a top-class absolute will-to-win and that separated these players from the likes of Adebayor, Robinho etc. I think City, on the whole, got the right personalities in rather than throwing money at "showmen".

I really hope you can push on and shake the league up a bit. It's a great stadium and crowd up there and I'd love you see yous finish 2nd behind us :)

 

[TinFoilHat]

We've really fallen off a cliff over the last few weeks and Howe has to take some of the blame for that as he has favourites who he would probably play even if they were injured. We've lost our last 3 games 0-2 and I think all of those games remained at 0-2 because the opposition were happy with that scoreline. If we'd scored 2 yesterday, you would have scored 4.

My opinion of our starting 11 yesterday is:

I’m fine with Pope starting every game as long as he’s fit as he’s the best we have in his position but I have no idea why Dubravka was back on the bench yesterday.

Trippier is no longer delivering and hasn’t since the World Cup. He gets easily beaten for pace and his crossing has dropped off massively as he doesn’t often beat his first man, his passing is also sloppy for somebody with his experience.

Lascelles played better against Man City than I expected and he’s OK to cover for Schar who is OK but his passing can be wayward and he’s a bit light in the challenge, he seems to pick up a head injury at least once every game.

Botman is fine and we should build our defence around him, even though he’s put the ball in his own net two games in a row. He’s had no option but to try and make a block, he’s been unlucky.

Burn has no pace and the turning circle of an aircraft carrier. He’s been quite solid when he can play on his outside which is his left foot but that’s gone recently because he’s been found out and is being targeted. He offers absolutely nothing going forward I think he’s realised that he can’t get forward. Targett has returned to fitness and he really should have started yesterday and I will be very pissed off if he doesn’t start next weekend.

Joelinton is fine in the centre of our midfield as he covers so much ground and helps build up play. He’s now banned for the next 2 games so that probably means more of Longstaff.

Bruno is head and shoulders above anything in our team, he makes us tick and is being let down by others around him.

Longstaff is really garbage and a waste of a pair of underpants. He can’t tackle, he’s slow in movement and in thought. I don’t know if anybody has noticed but he ends up behind play when he goes to make a challenge because the game has moved on and he’s aiming for where the ball was. He gets into good positions as times but needs to much time to think, he doesn’t have an instant reaction. Willock is better than Longstaff at everything he does and should never start on the bench while Longstaff starts.

Gordon hasn’t played enough for us for anybody to work out how he’ll do going forward but I don’t think he should have been brough into the starting 11 in place of Saint-Maximin who didn’t deserve to be dropped yesterday.

Wilson has gone right off the ball since the World Cup and should not be starting for us until something changes with him. He had Covid before the World Cup and hasn’t been his normal self since although he looked to be improving against West Ham.

Almiron is back to his normal self and I hope that we’ve given him a new contract to keep his value. He’s unlikely to ever repeat his early season form and we should take money for him if we get a good offer.

My starting 11 yesterday would have been Pope, Trippier, Schar (if fit), Botman, Targett, Joelinton, Bruno, Willock, Gordon, Isak, Saint-Maximin.

Howe has said that he can’t change a winning team, we’ve now lost our last 3 and he’s made some strange selections. He played Anderson against Liverpool, the kid has done nothing at Newcastle to suggest that he should be starting games in our midfield and it was no surprise when we were so poor against Liverpool, Gordon would have been an obvious starter.

Against Man U we should have started Targett for Burn, Willock for Longstaff and Isak for Wilson.

Eddie is under a bit of pressure from a small number of fans and he’s bringing it upon himself because of his team selection. The players will get the blame if he picks our best 11 and get nowhere, he’ll get the blame if he keeps picking his favourites regardless of their performances.

If I was you're owners I'd thank Eddie at the end of the season and go balls out for Conte.

They'd back him and he'd give you the step up Bobby Manc did with us.

 

[jimharri]

We weren't in freefall, but we were feeling sorry for ourselves as we couldn't score and because of that we were always under pressure. Lapses in concentration at the back didn't help our cause as we seemed to be switching off for a couple of minutes and being punished by letting in a couple of quick goals against both Man U and Liverpool.

We’ve only lost to yourselves and Liverpool this season in the league, so we’ve done quite well although we’ve drawn far too many goals. I believe that we’ve drawn so many games due to not having Isak and Wilson both fit together often enough and poor squad depth which needs a few more transfer windows to put right.

I can see us spending North of £100 million in the Summer, hopefully that will go on a quality defensive midfielder and a quality forward/winger. We could also look to bring in a young player or two with potential to develop throughout the season, players who are happy with the bench in the league and cup ties mid-week if we can get a couple of good cup runs going.

It’s no coincidence that our change of fortune in front of goal came about by a change in our starting 11.

Isak has only just started to look back to his best after his injury and he now looks match fit, unlike Wilson. Dropping Almiron has also had a positive effect on us as he’s played too many games and it’s no surprise that he’s now picked up an injury because tired players usually do.

Murphy isn’t the best player in the squad but he’s better than an out of form, tired Almiron. I don’t understand why Howe didn’t tell him to take a week away from training to switch off but I guess he was trying to get to the international break.

Our squad members who are not away on international duty are away in Dubai so hopefully they’ve had more rest than training. Some of our players have played far too many games because of our poor squad depth. When we pick up a couple of injuries we’re in trouble. Like most teams, we’ve always got an injury or two to contend with and our squad depth means that we’re totally screwed if the injuries are to players in the same position. Our bench against Forest had a keeper plus 6 players who are either defenders or players who can play in defence. 5 of the 9 subs have played at left-back for us at some point during the last couple of seasons, how shit is that? Only Wilson and Anderson are not considered to be defenders out of our sub’s that night.

Our next 4 games are crucial to our season, I think we’ll do OK because Howe always looks at one game at a time which will keep our focus as 3 away games in a row is never easy, especially with one being mid-week.

Yeah; 11 draws in 26 games is way too many. If you could have turned 5 of them into wins and split the other 6 equally between draws and defeats, you'd be (by my dodgy maths) 7 points better off now.