The College Dropout

Big opportunity missed there. Worried.

6/7.

Nah Manquillo cannot defend very well. Paully D in the side with Lascelles, we'll start picking up clean sheets. Despite that Manquillo wasn't usually at fault when we conceded, and he does carry the ball better than Dummett. Manquillo rarely stops crosses coming into the box. Dummett does. That helps out the CB's and especially Yedlin at RB who can be targeted in the air. I'm certain with Lascelles and Dummett - we'll concede less goals than what we have done previously. He stays fit and plays 17 or more games we improve defensively.

I'm talking athleticism. He has none. He makes getting up and down the pitch look like hard work. His entire career he's battled with fitness and stamina. I remember Jenas running the entire length of SJP to miss an absolute sitter in about 10 seconds in the 89th minute. Jonjo is incapable of that athleticism. While he is lazy he does seem physically incapable of moving around the pitch like a Merino. You are over-rating his physical condition. Tackling requires technique to do well, Jonjo doesn't have it. He's also a coward. Yes.

Nah Manquillo cannot defend very well. Paully D in the side with Lascelles, we'll start picking up clean sheets.

Kills our ability to play sexy, free-flowing football we have been used too down the left.

Disagree. Titus had all the raw ingredients of a top player. Strength, good pace, good in the air, good natural tackler and pretty comfortable on the ball with both feet. Jonjo Shelvey is really good at mid-to-long range passing. That's it. There's nowt else of value to his game. You get a CM to get on his toes, he's completely done. No, you’re just reinforcing my point. Shelvey has a lack of intelligence yes but his biggest failing is his lack of character. He has the size to boss a midfield, but no character to be tough. He has the skills to make a difference in a game but not the character to impose them. There’s nothing about him. Titus wanted to do well for us and boy could he have been something if he had the intelligence to read the game better and the concentration to not make massive mistakes every second game. He had all the tools, pace, power, size (must have been at least 17 stone?!?) I could list a bunch of other players who were “almosts” as well. We’ve had a load of them. Im not reinforcing your point. Shelvey is not athletic.... at all. He has slow feet. He's not seeing a 34 year old Tugay for example. He's not a goal threat. He's likely to be sent off. He can't tackle well. Off the ball he's awful. He's not missing 1 or 2 ingredients... he's missing 5 or 6. While offering 1 great ability. Titus Bramble had it all except for 1 thing. Titus could read the game fine. It was only concentration. He could play 2 or 3 games in a row, absolutely perfect, everything you want from a CB. Then he would airkick it or drop another type of clanger leading to a goal. He would spread panic with his mistakes. 1 mistake would lead to another.

This is obvious, no? He's our best defender and a real leader and organiser. I've not looked it up for any other player, so I did have an idea. I must say though that nearly half our goals conceded in the five (five!) matches he missed exceeded my expectations. We were getting slapped 3 goals or more every single game he was injured lol. And it stopped immediately upon his return.

This is obvious, no? He's our best defender and a real leader and organiser.

Their squad needed much more of an overhaul though. Before Guardiola coming in some of their squad building was absolutely crap. Than Man Utd? Disagree. Pep had Aguero, KDB (and Sterling). Man Utd prior to last season.... not the same level of class.

IMO they should discourage it as it's a terrible spectacle - Sky that is. But it was the best thing to do for Newcastle United imo. I would hate it from other managers tbf.

Clean sheet here. Like the look of that back 4 minus Karl Disaster.

Tbf City have spent £80m more while already having KDB & Aguero on the books.

Nah Elliot doesn't let in significantly weaker efforts than Darlow. Darlow's no more better at commanding his box. No more better at kicking. It's not a few times a season. He was directly at fault for multiple goals in the games he started this season. And he also let in some questoinable efforts.

Disagree. Titus had all the raw ingredients of a top player. Strength, good pace, good in the air, good natural tackler and pretty comfortable on the ball with both feet. Jonjo Shelvey is really good at mid-to-long range passing. That's it. There's nowt else of value to his game. You get a CM to get on his toes, he's completely done.

Yeah Chema. Because it was 100% intentional and 100% unnecessary. It's not improvised at all. He's seen the ball coming and decided long before it's come that he's going to volley it with about half a dozen team options. He's not running on to it or anything. Also the reaction of his teammate to celebrate then hold his head in amazement is hilarious too. I normally go for beating players like Messi did over volleys and long strikes but that edges it.

Nah Elliot is better. He'll make routine saves. Not throw it into his own net. Darlow - only marginally a better shot stopper. IMO is often too low and getting beat by balls shoulder height. And he's far more likely to throw it into his own net

5 is being kind. I can recall 2 personally.

He’s not even that good on the ball. Needs time and space to get his passing on. He not a Carrick 1 or 2 touch into feet or space type. We rarely have teams penned in and he’s no KDB. But in the first half 3 or 4 times KDB got the ball deep, 2 quick touches at the most and he’s. Putting accurate dangerous balls in behind our already deep defence. Shelvey NEVER does that. Most o his best passing is from very very deep. Rarely into the box or frequently enough into a space where the player can cross or something. He’s had 1 full PL seasonish with us now across 2 half campaigns. Think he’s put in maybe 5 solid performances in. He can be overrun in games by the likes of Tom Cleverley. If we could get N’Zonzi for Shelveys fee and wages I would do it instantly.

Exactly. You know that if they get anything from this game, it'll all be "ooh little Palace gave Arsenal a game, Newcastle didn't even try last night" Arsenal's strike force is probably worth thrice the amount. 55m gets you Lacazette only. Don't let the fact we don't even want to compete blind you from what is still a significant gap between the top 6 and the rest of the league. There is a massive gap obviously from the top 6 and the rest, but (on paper at least) there is a sizeable gap between the likes of Everton, Leicester and Crystal Palace and possibly West Ham to the rest. Obviously Burnley are currently sitting in 7th but you have to ask yourself how many of our players would get into Palace's side? 2 of their players are arguably the best that we've had in the Ashley era and then Benteke and Sakho cost more than £50m between them - our first team is primarily dotted around with £4m or £5m players (Yedlin, Manquillo, Lascelles, Elliot/Darlow, Diame, Joselu, Atsu, Clark, Hayden) - figures we were paying more for 15 years ago signing the likes of Titus Bramble and Carl Cort well before the current vast inflation. Even Warren Barton cost £4m 22 years ago for some perspective. Palace have 2 left backs that they paid more than £25m for. They are definitely operating on a different financial level to the likes of Newcastle, Swansea etc. Huddersfield & Brighton both spent 40m net in the transfer market. Crystal Palace are the norm for a fairly established PL club. Watford 20m on CM's. 30m on attackers. Bournemouth 30m on a defender and a GK. There's us and Swansea - everybody else has tried to invest (Burnley are an anamoly). That's why you look at the league table and apart from Swansea, every other team has some proper quality. West Ham, Palace & Stoke probably have too much to go down with any decent management. Then you look at Bournemouth, defensive signings not been brilliant so far. Don't score many either. WBA big signings have barely scored in the league. Then you're hoping Brighton and Huddersfield go on a terrible run or Stoke, Palace or Wham suffer from terrible management.

Must add Wilshere has been great in the last 2 games going forward.

Would still take Cabaye. Don't know where he's been but i'd take Paddy Van Aanholt too.

Exactly. You know that if they get anything from this game, it'll all be "ooh little Palace gave Arsenal a game, Newcastle didn't even try last night" Arsenal's strike force is probably worth thrice the amount. 55m gets you Lacazette only. Don't let the fact we don't even want to compete blind you from what is still a significant gap between the top 6 and the rest of the league.

Palace have far too much quality to get relegated imo. Keep Zaha fit and they'll be fine.

Solid as ever. Looked comfortable at CB. Glad he’s back. He and Lascelles stay fit we’ll get more clean sheets.