This is going to a difficult one. Tough place to go. Will be an intense match.
6 Likes
Slotās toughest test yet.
6 Likes
Referee: Andy Madley. Assistants: Wade Smith, Craig Taylor. Fourth official: Anthony Backhouse.VAR: Stuart Attwell. Assistant VAR: James Mainwaring.
Howie sending Andy and Stuey
2 Likes
I donāt really see much with Madley.
Attwell on VAR will find something he always does.
1 Like
According to Slot Ibou and Bradley out for a few weeks and he doesnāt expect Kostas back next week.
1 Like
3 games in 6 days, could do with no one getting suspended for the derby. Iād be resting Robbo where we have 3 games in a week to allow more time for recovery and maximise the games he does play.
Kelleher
Trent Quansah Virgil Gomez
Grav
Szobo Jones
Salah Nunez Gakpo
I think the biggest trouble is we donāt really have a left-back alternative in the youth teams. I know @Sweeting thinks Mabaya can do a job at right-back, but Premier League level looks a little challenging?
We will probably just be looking at a similar rotation as we had today.
1 Like
Itās more the next week that is key.
Maca is still on a yellow warning effectively.
Iād certainly experiment against Soton and Girona.
Though those comments from Slot donāt sound as concerning as some discussion around these two and Tsimikas for that matter.
2 Likes
This game and Everton away were the ones Iāve been dreading. St James Park under the lights, and Everton will be feral in the last derby at Woodison Park. Also expect the latter to try and injure more of our players.
Newcastle are a bit all over the place. Can definitely cause us problems. Thankfully, Isak is out, so one less issue to concern ourselves with.
4 Likes
Arneās first real test.
9 Likes
They will finish what Joelinton starts on Wednesday.
2 Likes
Being a crybaby while his team get demolished? Yes please.
Can we face a team that isnāt wounded or feral or any other description.
If City were wounded I think the diagnosis maybe to end their life.
5 Likes
Iām really worried that this or the Everton game will wipe out our remaining defenders. Do we have someone in the Milner mould that could fill in at full back?
Joseph Gomez
5 Likes
Thatās one of the ones they could wipe out.
2 Likes
Jokes aside, this wonāt be easy. Mainly because weāre coming off two big highs and itās extremely hard to constantly play at a high level. Having 5 defenders for 4 positions in the busiest period isnāt ideal either. Theyāll be up for it too and the crowd will be pushing them.
Hopefully, Slot keeps us pragmatic enough to take 3 points without too much drama.
6 Likes
Have been reading about a lot of the recent Sandcastle games, and listened to commentary whenever possibleā¦ The one word bandied about more than any other in reference to them, is āSluggishā.
Sluggish Magpies need creative spark
Unfortunately for Newcastleās travelling fans, the Magpies started Saturdayās game the way they finished Mondayās disappointing home defeat by West Ham.
Sandro Tonali, handed his fifth league start of the season at Selhurst Park, was one of their better performers in a holding midfield role, while Fabian Schar and Burn produced a number of crucial clearances to keep Palace at bay.
But too many of their team-mates looked sluggish in and out of possession as Newcastle struggled to make any inroads whatsoever in the final third.
Indeed, they are only the eighth side on record (from the 2003-04 season) to avoid defeat in a Premier League game in which they attempted one shot or less, and the first since Leicester against the Magpies in May 2023.
There was little sign of a breakthrough from them until a well-worked free-kick routine involving Tonali and Lewis Hall ended with Guehi turning Gordonās cross over the line.
The visitors abandoned all attacking intent late on as Palace pushed for a late equaliser, which finally came in the fourth minute of added time.
āIt was a strange game,ā said Newcastle boss Eddie Howe. "We didnāt have any goalmouth action, but I felt we were good in the game. I felt we nullified them pretty well. In the main, I think we controlled it pretty well.
āItās really gutting to concede the goal at the end. I felt like weād weathered the storm and would see the game out. We defended crosses well, but one moment cost us. In [our last] two games weāve let a lot of points slip.ā
Things are not about to get any easier for Howeās side, with league leaders Liverpool visiting St Jamesā Park on Wednesday, before the Magpies head to Brentford next weekend.
Interesting that their home and away form is evenly split.
Piece of piss.
2-0 to the Tricky Reds.
3 Likes