Newcastle United (a) pre-match thread

[alexmcity]

Zero pace right through the middle. Take Sterling and Walker out of that starting line-up, pretty much zero pace full stop.

Confident Jesus will score if Kev can get the ball to him.

I don't like it too and would prefer to hav eFoden in there, but if you think for a moment, Pep's Barca didn't have much pace in the middle, Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta weren't pacy at all.

 

[dickie davies]

Zero pace right through the middle. Take Sterling and Walker out of that starting line-up, pretty much zero pace full stop.

Confident Jesus will score if Kev can get the ball to him.

This game won't be about pace. Newcastle will sit so deep that it'll be about clever intricate play

 

[G-Star Medium Rare]

There’s only one way we are ever going to make a proper judgement on mendy and that’s him playing plenty of games. Hoping he improves on recent form and should be a really good chance today to shine.

I don't think Mendy, with Raz on the left works. He gets in the way of our getting the ball out quickly for Sterling to use his pace to attack. But what do I know. In Pep we trust !

 

[simon23]

I’m not really impressed with Rodri at all so far. Gundo in DM is by far the better choice. He passes the ball forward for a start.

Too many people base their opinion on Gundogan from all his games but he’s an average attacking mid and an excellent defensive mid. If we only ever saw Gundo on DM we’d all think he was magic. I can’t remember a game where he didn’t play well there.

The key today is if we get enough energy from Silva and de Bruyne because we’ve lacked energy in attacking mid and aren’t swept up well with lack of pace in DM without Fernandinho.

If Silva and de Bruyne can be tenacious all game Gundo will play well behind them as he can find key forward passes where Rodri can’t.

I completely disagree with you.

Most of Gundgans passes are either sideways or backwads (yes he is capable of some excellent forward passing - a delicate chip over the top last season in one game that led to a goal sticks in the mind - but more often than not he is a safe passer and thats it). You are correct in that he is an average attacking midfielder (and well below average when compared to what we have in the two silvas, KDB and fodden)

He doesnt have the energy or pace or tackling ability of Ferna (Ive watched him back out of tackles or go in half hearted)

He rarely if ever grabs games by the scruff of the neck......there may have been the odd one but it is rare and most of our poorest performance sunder Pep hae come as a result of him having a poor game....(along with Mendy) he is a massively weak link in our squad and if all our fit he gets nowhere near the starting 11

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Gundog's been brilliant for over a year now. Probably our best midfielder in terms of consistently delivering 7/8 out of 10 performances week in week out

I agree.

He played a huge part in those 14 wins in a row in defensive midfield. He was probably the most consistent player in our whole team, not just midfield, in the second half of last season.

And he made a big difference when he came on against Chelsea the other day.

In his time with us so far, while he’s looked alright in patches, Rodri has been caught in possession and given the ball away too much or because of both of those things doesn’t have the courage to play the forward passes we need from that position.

Gundo will make those passes.

 

[paulchapo]

"Newcastles front two only have one goal and assist between them this season" 5Live reporter.

Just put a quid on barcode hat trick.

Nailed on their new signing scores today.

 

[alexmcity]

He was talking about stones,i was talking about cb's,these are fit young me,the fullbacks changing every game is really not necessary

Cancleo played two games in a row, Mandy isn't at his physical best yet, etc. There are good reasons to play with Mendy and Walker today. Cancelo is still finding his feet in the league.

 

[city saint]

joe cole telling everyone how to beat city.i hope all the prem managers arnt watching ffs

 

[Deleted member 77198]

I completely disagree with you.

Most of Gundgans passes are either sideways or backwads (yes he is capable of some excellent forward passing - a delicate chip over the top last season in one game that led to a goal sticks in the mind - but more often than not he is a safe passer and thats it). You are correct in that he is an average attacking midfielder (and well below average when compared to what we have in the two silvas, KDB and fodden)

He doesnt have the energy or pace or tackling ability of Ferna (Ive watched him back out of tackles or go in half hearted)

He rarely if ever grabs games by the scruff of the neck......there may have been the odd one but it is rare and most of our poorest performance sunder Pep hae come as a result of him having a poor game....(along with Mendy) he is a massively weak link in our squad and if all our fit he gets nowhere near the starting 11

Opta rated him as the most effective player in Europe from February onwards last season. Above Messi, CRonaldo, any of the rest of our players, or any of the Liverpool players.

You don’t get that rating if you’re a weak link.

 

[Eccles Blue]

Come on City, the Boys in Blue never give in, they fight to the end. We can take the bar codes.