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Beren

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  1. Interesting post I don't think 50%+ average possession is the gloryland personally. I don't think any possession stat is isolation is the measure of success, or what I was getting at, but it's an interesting bit of data. For example, I'd be more than happy to let Brighton pass it along their backline for 60 minutes while sitting on a 2-goal deficit vs Newcastle. Meaningful possession during meaningful parts of the game is less easy data capture though. Also, I'm not surprised Villa's stat is reasonably low either and I'm not a big fan of their style of play either. FWIW, I don't think NUFC are inherently "just runners" and they've showed on numerous occasions what they're capable of, which makes it all the more galling when the "running game" is leaned on too heavily. I also strongly disagree that it's just about players. I think coaching/strategy have the biggest impact - especially when you're NOT in the position to a have a squad like Man City's or Liverpool. Evidence of this is what Howe did with the likes of Murphy, Longstaff and Almiron last year who under a different system were in a relegation battle.
  2. This got me. Does feel at times like he is a General just sending bodies over the top until they don't come back.
  3. The commitment was there IMO, but it all looked quite jaded. The season has been plagued by injuries, but there are now a lot of bodies back - there has been a diet of one game per week, or playing other teams with the same number of games, for quite a while now. It's like a person in their very late twenties still blaming their parents. There's still an element of players finding fitness, but it's just the attritional style of play which seeks to generate opportunities from harrying defenders, rather than retaining possession which does it IMO. Not against the likes of Man City, of course, other teams - Newcastle seem to play in an overly direct style of play (always seeking an immediate killer ball) and then chase way too hard for a comparatively modest return in possession turnovers/chances. My hope for Howe and the team is they use the rest of the season to address this, but I've been waiting for 3-4 months. Man City's football may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's more sustainable in the long run - you don't want to be running full throttle for 90 minutes every week for a whole season. Have bursts of it in games, sure. Or for certain matches.
  4. Thought Newcastle were alright-ish in parts, but Man City were very much in first gear.
  5. That's my biggest gripe, really. No real green shoots of progress even. I thought we reached the point last season where even if Newcastle aren't at their best, or are outgunned, they'll be competitive, organised and won't get blown away. There's not a team in the league that would surprise me if you told me they beat Newcastle by 3 goals. CHRIS WOOD SCORED A HATTRICK. CHRIS FUCKING WOOD. My thought from last season feels like a distant, distant dream.
  6. Really good by Chelsea in those final six minutes tbf.
  7. Players are putting in a shift. Can't fault the commitment, but it's been easy for Chelsea frankly. No shape, no steel, lack of imagination going forward. You can only blame Joelinton being injured for so long. He's been out for fucking ages now. More worrying signs.
  8. Sell everyone* and use the proceeds to clone Tino 20 times. * - not Isak
  9. Newcastle have been much better when trailing this game. Not sure if that says more about Newcastle or Chelsea. Probably a bit of both.
  10. Yorkie man, legit wish I had your half glass fill mentality
  11. Pretty low quality half overall from both sides IMO. Murphy and Isak have been good. Well, Isak for his goal
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