Newcastle (H) - 26 Dec- Pre-match thread

[Spudulike]

On 12/11/2022 at 23:21, tom27111 said:

As it's Xmas, can we just have a trophy parade of everything we've won since Newcastle last won something?

 

Multiple league titles, including the biggie, 2 League Cups, 2 Community Shields, an FA Cup and the moral high ground 

 

 

We've won 3 League Cups since Newcastle won anything domestically. That said, they've probably won the second tier a couple of times. 

[FosseSpark]

13 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

The tune he's got out of Almiron who'd done absolutely nothing in the 3+ years he'd been here and converting Joelinton in to a CM has been very very impressive.

 

Isak has barely played and certainly not on this recent run of wins, neither has Saint-Maxim.

 

They have momentum and confidence and a good blend of ability and as you say solid PL players.

Almiron - yep, but he's got England's right back behind him playing out of his skin, Guimaraes spraying him the ball and Wilson terrorising defences, so it's no wonder he can play facing forwards with confidence. That's bought out the £20m player in him. When he's got Javier Manquillo behind him and Wood to cross to - slightly less world class!

Joelinton - shifted out wide under Bruce so not entirely Howe who moved him away from centre forward. Certainly starting to look more like his £40m price tag now though.

[volpeazzurro]

2 hours ago, Mike Oxlong said:

I think his brother Joe is the better of the Linton boys 

🤣🤣 now you come to mention it I think you're right 🤣

[Guest Mickyblueeyes]

I wish this was next week instead of 6 weeks from now. We are in the right bit of form to really compete with them. 
 

Just looking at the fixture list, if we can get anything out of this and the Liverpool game, we go into four winnable games. It might have me thinking that relegation survival is no longer the priority and a top 6/7 charge is achievable. 

[HybridFox]

I'd be happy to see a similar team to yesterday with Maddison back in the fold

[FosseSpark]

We have to go same 4 at the back and need to win the midfield

 

Ward

Castagne Amartey Faes Thomas

Soumare

Tielemans KDH

Maddison Vardy Barnes

 

Subs Ndidi Perez Evans Daka Iheanacho Mendy Iversen

[Pliskin]

I think we will win this. Newcastle are the one team I think will drop off in the second half of the season.

[RowlattsFox]

Part of me would be relatively satisfied with a point to get the ball rolling again but we do need to make sure we win our home games. I think it will be tight. 

 

Hopefully Maddison is back today and then be able to start. I'd imagine Daka and Dewsbury-Hall come in to the side as well. 

[Foxes96]

Not sure Maddison will be back from the start for this one. Belgium down the right flank, academy down the left. 

 

 

                            Ward 

Castagne - Amartey - Faes - Thomas

        Tielemans - Soumaré - KDH

      Praet     -     Vardy     -     Barnes

Edited 21 December 2022 by Foxes96

[Ginger_Filbert]

Really struggling to get excited about this unfortunately. 

[CosbehFox]

Could do with a win cos expecting those Brendan submissive tactics at Anfield 

[ARM1968]

We’re not winning this people. Grinch here. 

[weller54]

2-0 defeat incoming..

MERRY CHRISTMAS 😁

[CosbehFox]

Despite my early comment, I actually think it will be a really good game of football with both teams at about the same level 

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

4 hours ago, Pliskin said:

I think we will win this. Newcastle are the one team I think will drop off in the second half of the season.

 

Depends if their owners will appreciate this is a massive chance to get ahead of the curve and give Howe the proverbial war chest in Jan; absolutely no chance did they envisage possible Champions League so soon.

 

[KrefelderFox666]

Leicester 2-1 Newcastle

[Chelmofox]

2 minutes ago, KrefelderFox666 said:

Leicester 2-1 Newcastle

We've let in one goal since the 8th October. Gonna take something special to get one past us!

[Spudulike]

4 hours ago, Foxes96 said:

Not sure Maddison will be back from the start for this one. Belgium down the right flank, academy down the left. 

 

 

                            Ward 

Castagne - Amartey - Faes - Thomas

        Tielemans - Soumaré - KDH

      Praet     -     Vardy     -     Barnes

Whilst Soumare has clearly improved this season I would still play Wilf ahead of him (if fit). He looked almost back to his best in that first half against Notts Forrest until he did his hamstring. 

[Lambert09]

10 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

Whilst Soumare has clearly improved this season I would still play Wilf ahead of him (if fit). He looked almost back to his best in that first half against Notts Forrest until he did his hamstring. 

there’s always someone who ruins christmas 

[Ric Flair]

44 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

Whilst Soumare has clearly improved this season I would still play Wilf ahead of him (if fit). He looked almost back to his best in that first half against Notts Forrest until he did his hamstring. 

Massive fall from grace for Ndidi, he's no longer an important and essential first team player, more of a squad player. I've criticised Soumare a fair bit but his use of the ball is far superior and that seems to be the difference for Rodgers.

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Massive fall from grace for Ndidi, he's no longer an important and essential first team player, more of a squad player. I've criticised Soumare a fair bit but his use of the ball is far superior and that seems to be the difference for Rodgers.

It's noticeable how much faster and easier we're able to play our way up the pitch without Ndidi and also imo Evans, who isn't a bad passer necessarily but takes an eternity on the ball whereas Faes and Big Dan are quicker and more incisive with it. I don't think either of them get into our best team currently which up until fairly recently I would have thought was madness.

[HybridFox]

36 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Massive fall from grace for Ndidi, he's no longer an important and essential first team player, more of a squad player. I've criticised Soumare a fair bit but his use of the ball is far superior and that seems to be the difference for Rodgers.

I just get the feeling Soumare will bag a goal at some point too. N'Didi seems to have lost his shooting ability as years have gone by

[coolhandfox]

39 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Massive fall from grace for Ndidi, he's no longer an important and essential first team player, more of a squad player. I've criticised Soumare a fair bit but his use of the ball is far superior and that seems to be the difference for Rodgers.

Think that could change if we get a RWer in, at the moment we are essentially playing with 4 CMs which helps cover up Soumare weaknesses. 

 

With a RW you can't fit, Tielemans, KDH, Maddison and Soumare in the side. I could see us going back to someone more defensive player alongside Maddison and Tielemans, if we get that elusive RW

Edited 21 December 2022 by coolhandfox

[st albans fox]

49 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Massive fall from grace for Ndidi, he's no longer an important and essential first team player, more of a squad player. I've criticised Soumare a fair bit but his use of the ball is far superior and that seems to be the difference for Rodgers.

Wilf hasn’t been in any form for ages - that means he wasn’t even doing his screening job effectively. If he gets his form back then rodgers does have a decision to make ……

Edited 21 December 2022 by st albans fox

[Stevosevic]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

Massive fall from grace for Ndidi, he's no longer an important and essential first team player, more of a squad player. I've criticised Soumare a fair bit but his use of the ball is far superior and that seems to be the difference for Rodgers.

His contract only has 18 months to run also. 
 

Be interesting to see what we do here - do we move him on this summer or extend?