robbo_11

Llambias has experience in the bread business + Nick DeMarco posts a lot about bread = fake news. Most likely nothing in it, but reputation of Llambias is poor and wouldn't change anything. With recent tribunal decisions during his time as managing director you would think he would fail a 'fit and proper' person test if anything was proven around financial irregularities in 2011.

They will just say the ref was due to show a red card anyway and VAR had nothing to do with it.

It will be interesting to see Thursdays press conference. There has been a shift in the media over the last few seasons and I think it becomes apparent who the quality journalists are purely due to the limited number of them. I'd love to see them research comments or quotes from previous statements and hold the management to account. I know they've said previously that the club haven't responded to requests, but surely there must be a way to take control of the narrative away from the club?

Almost 80 minutes in, players are probabaly gassed, but the plan was to sit back which they've done. At no point did anybody press in this position and surely in the week running up to the game you know which Man United players can strike a ball from distance. As a team its poor play, but entirely predictable - no lessons will be learnt and can expect a rocket from Raphinha on Friday night if he is playing!

The difficulty yesterday was every kick from Woodman was directed towards him and as you've said he isn't a target man. 50% of the time he will either bring it down well on his chest, but mainly it is a flick on to no one or he gets crowded out and its totally ineffective. It looks like the meticulous plan is for us to take an age distributing from our keeper towards Joe or for our defence to play a long ball down the flanks in the hope that ASM/Wilson can get the ball. The planning suits absolutely no one and the fact it has been 5 games so far without success is showing a lack of management, ability and motivation to do anything about it.

Newcastle boss Steve Bruce tells Sky Sports: "We had some really good opportunities but the difficult is that we gave poor goals away. It was our Achilles heel today. "That is a the goalscoring instinct for a centre forward, Cristiano Ronaldo was on the end of it and it was a tap-in. If there is a genuine superstar in among us, it is him."

It didn't feel like a 4-1 performance, but you go off results. Woodman will be dropped for the Leeds match and can see some further changes if a couple of knocks picked up by Willock and Joelinton. We're just not quite good enough and have an awful knack of switching off performance wise towards the end of a half. Expecting Bruce to get an easy ride after that one as everyone thought we'd lose and it will mainly be about the Ronaldo appearance/goals.

Woodman does that anyway - even at home to Burnley at 0-0!

The game is going with the Ronaldo narrative, misplaced comments from the pundits/commentators with the reasons why NUFC fans don't accept managers. Can see 2-3 more goals in the second half.

Minimal if any deflection on that shot, Woodman has to do better - postioning wrong and tap in for Ronaldo.

After watching that short clip, if we get hammered tomorrow and then have the Friday night match and play poorly it won't be long before he struggles to keep his emotions from showing. The statement has hung him out to dry after his positive comments after the Willock deal. For all he won't resign etc after convinving the players to come to the club, I hope it's not too long before it gets unbearable for him. To the journalists - ask the probing questions, he struggles massively!

It will be Lee Ryder, the way his face scrunches up...he hates him.

Exactly this. A roll of the dice and aiming for 17th.

I look forward to the next press conference as unfortunately he has backed himself into a corner this window so can't express any disappointment regarding missing out on any players. Club is in absolute tatters.

I don't know if COVID has made me numb to this, but have we always been this bad when playing at home? Just looking at our record since the 2017/18 season and we've got progressively worse at home, but improved our away form. This being said we're still midtable overall and prone to a spanking on the goal difference when playing away. While not a fan of Bruce it is clear that the chronic lack of investment from the owner is ultimately contributing to this rotten feeling of supporting Newcastle United. This could be quite the season for all the wrong reasons...

Direct quotes from Brucey!

"They are entitled to their opinion. I find the whole thing disappointing as anybody would. The first half wasn't good enough. I will accept that."

I've no faith there is anymore interest in us from Ashley to make this decision. If he didn't get sacked following Brighton away last season and the pressure that came with that then a 2-2 draw is probably seen as a point gained.

I've missed the match today, but just put SSN and sounds like this might be the season that Bruce's luck has ran out. 3 penalties conceded in 3 games is shocking!

If it is suggested, hopefully NUST put pressure on the club as surely would be extremely unfair on those fans whp have purchased arrangements based on it not being selected for TV. It might even be worth doing a joint one with MUST.

There was mention of a fee agreed - I'd imagine potentially a compensation amount as opposed to a similar amount that we got for Lewis Gibson off Everton.

Generally his distribution has been okay, actually looks like he aims his kicks towards one of our players rather than an aimless punt. He had no chance with the finish from Ings and a penalty is a lottery. He actually has made some decent saves and forced the forward into a decision through his positioning, however yet to see him leave his line or collect a cross convincingly within his 6 yard box. Ulitmately he is two games into the Premier League so quite harsh to judge write him off just yet.

I haven't said that, the majority have predicted we wouldn't have a good start based on last season and transfer business.

Generally our opening games have been boring from a performance point of view. It is only right to discuss the decision making from officials today. Arguably the Lascelles hand ball should have been given as I would have been disappointed had that been at the other end. However the issue last week was the West Ham penalty wasn't reviewed at all leading to the inconsistency. Martinez was not in control when he made the challenge on Wilson and although they had Mings covering ot was reckless and endangered the player, probably should have been a red card. He is slightly offside before it, but again the thickness of the lines from last season looks no different and therefore no advantage to the striker at all. It's a worrying start - not something anyone has predicted against and with arguably our strongest XI it is going to be a long season. There has been a marked change from the officials this season to let certain fouls happen that last season would have been pulled back.