HawK

For me there's three issues to work on / resolve for second half : There is no link-up at all between Burn and Gordon. Gordon stays high, Burn plays so deep he's basically on his own byline as he's terrified of being beaten by Foden again. This is creating huge spaces for City to play in when they have the ball, and we have no support for Gordon when we do have the ball. Suggest we resolve by replacing with Targett. Wilson is being post-World Cup Wilson, easy resolve in bringing on our attacker with the most quality, Isak. Almiron's not even in the game, and not being mentioned because of other more glaring issues. When he is on the ball, he only cuts inside against Ake who loves him doing this as he can just stand there and watch Almiron play it back. Where has Almiron's confidence gone to try and take a man on and take a shot? Seems to have evaporated since Christmas. Would like to see Maxi on the right to go outside Ake, stretch the pitch, and whip balls in. Positive points : Our midfield three, aside from transitions, have largely stopped City playing through the middle very effectively and have looked very good. Lascelles has looked effective defensively. Joelinton has looked class.

There's an easy argument to be had there but it serves no purpose point taken though, would rather it not be the exception to the rule though. If he regularly contributed more in the build up play I think the mood in the room would be completely different.

Longstaff just Sunday leagued that back casually, come on man I defended you just 2 pages ago

If a poacher isn't scoring his chances, you're playing 10v11. He offers nothing outside finishing chances. He was an elite level poacher, not sure what he is now.

I was first in line to criticise Wood's finishing and positioning in build up play, and positioning in the box or where he would stand in relation to defenders, or how he headed a ball, or how confident and enthusiastic he looked, or how he struck the ball. But, he genuinely did receive the ball at feet or chest level sometimes on the half way line on the break and lay it off, sometimes more than once per game. There is a false narrative that's used to defend Wilson that often revolves around that he 'held the ball up well'. I've never seen Wilson hold the ball up. This would involve receiving the ball and retaining possession. In the 10% of occasions he receives the ball back-to-goal and doesn't lose it immediately, he never looks for the pass, he actually tries to use his 'pace' to beat the man, and just gets crowded out.

Good spot

There is no link up on the left, burn won't overlap so there is no dynamicism to get Gordon dropping back. Were crying out for Targett who can do this with aplomb and underlap with confidence too.

Wilson you've been falling over all season why do you think it's going to work now. Glue factory beckons

I disagree, I think it's a confidence/mentality thing. In every game we play, he gets at least one clear cut chance in the box. That's one more than any one of our other players gets every game.

Burn petrified of being on the ball under pressure in the opponent's half, makes it so much harder for Gordon and Maxi playing in front of him. Seeing now why Murphy had joy, he basically played as a wingback.

Longstaff is genuinely amazing at finding the right spot in the box, he's Kevin Nolan levels of good. Finishing more on par with a Man Utd-era Forlan though.

Hoping this lineup allows Howe to think about Maxi-Isak-Gordon at some point today

Don't think bruno had any choice there, foul or take the ball. Take the ball you risk taking the man, getting a card guaranteed. And you risk missing the ball, and I would have put money on ilkay scoring there.

Older version of the forum handled nested quotes much better though

He has a lot more value to us than he would have for any other club, I do think we're going to let him go at all.

It's obviously our best line-up on paper. I really miss Targett at left back, he was brilliant coming forward and getting into dangerous areas, let alone the options from set pieces he gives us. Burns out of form at the moment but he's been part of the team that's got us to the final. Everything about Howe's management screams loyalty so I don't see any scenario where Burn isn't starting.

Watching highlights from other recent PL games, it strikes me how static we are in the final third. In transition we regularly stop and check back across the whole front three, rather than looking for incisive through-balls or clever one twos on the transition. It's like we wait for them to set up their defence and then we try and break it down.

Must be Steve Bruce's son, just can't tear himself away from the 'abuse'

He's the most likable Newcastle footballer I've ever known. Would love to know what other clubs' fans think of him tbh, or is it just us that lives in a deluded world where only we think he's the second coming of Viera?

Not sure I'd have agreed on that prior to that interview though, he's always come across to me as 'don't you dare ask me questions, I'm a manager of 1000 games!' or similar. I thought he had genuine delusions of grandeur.

We all know how much he lies through his teeth and creates fantasy narratives to suit his own ends, but if there's a slither of truth to what he says at around 50s in : 'When the owners came in, they were great with me, they asked if they could help me. I said my time's up here because the only negative thing that's left now is me'. Back to form, the rest of it he seems to claim credit for Eddie Howe. But in that one sentence, not only has he recognised that he was part of the problem, but also indirectly stating that the ownership were the cause of negativity as well. Not like Bruce to burn bridges mind... Anyway, thought that titbit was interesting to me.

-----------Wilson---------- Gordon---Isak------Almiron ---Joelinton---Longstaff--- vs Liverpool, see how it goes.

@Kid Icarus listed this stat specifically in his post above if you take a look

Agreed 100% on that if I wasn't clear in my post. But I can't help feel that there must be friction there because of it, with Maxi likely saying he needs to play with more spontaneity, and Howe wanting patterns of play rehearsed in the training ground. There's gotta be a happy middle, I just hope he wasn't laying it off knowing that no-one was there, just to prove a point.