sixx

Not too bad. We’ve had the best chance and we’ve contained them well. Our midfield (understandably) look like they’ve never even met each other. Second half will be interesting.

I really, really don't understand Chelsea's approach these days. Their most experienced players are Silva who's ancient and hasn't really been there for very long and Reece James who's permacrocked and really not that experienced either. The player turnover is absolutely insane and even the manager is new. On top of that they're throwing away homegrown players like Hall, Tomori, Guehi, Livramento, Abraham, Gilmour et al who surely can be legacy players for years to come. Been a detestable club for 20 years now but never more than now. Thanks for Hall though.

I want to get drunk.

What the hell is going on with our substitutions providing goals and assists. 

DJ Ötzi at full time is a thing that has to stop.

We miss Longstaff’s manic running in our build up play. Couple of times now we’ve been found out because of a lack of options in our build up. 

I was a bit too young for the entertainers at the time. But I’m here to witness these. What a time to be alive and loving Newcastle.

His overall play is getting ludicrous. He’s literally good at everything and just ran that game today back to front. If someone were to ask me right now who’s a better player Bruno or Joelinton I’d be very unsure what to answer.

Well that’s a very sharp Villa side and obviously tactically well prepared for this. But we can do this. Bring on Longstaff and Almiron and maybe Wilson later on. Win a few more 50/50s. Force Mings into something stupid. A bit more composure on the ball.

Joelinton man of the match. Especially when he was moved centrally.

2 hours ago, LionOfGosforth said:

I see a lot of posts in here about how Maddison "wouldn't fit with how we play" and "won't work in our system". I think people are forgetting that EH is a fucking tactical genius and, if we did sign him, would get the best out of him. Also, do people actually think we will always play the same way, all the time, forever? Howay man, teams, tactics and coaching evolves constantly.

 

We will evolve under EH as well, he knows if we don't, we effectively stand still, particularly when teams catch on. Because we currently play a high energy, high pressing 4-3-3 without a 10, doesn't mean we won't ever play without a 10, or find ways to effectively utilize elegant creative players, which Maddison certainly is.

I used to be in this camp - that Maddison wouldn’t fit in our system but you’re dead right.

It would be humiliating to our current midfielders to bring in McTominay. None of our midfielders really deserve to be replaced at the moment but to do it with McTominay would be a degrading gesture towards them. I don't dislike McTominay but do it well or don't at all.

One of the best players I've seen play for this club and if he can work at this level for a couple of years more he'll become the club's most important signing ever. Just a perfect signing at the perfect time. Dictates our play, never shyes from receiving the ball under pressure, amazing set piece delivery, quality, experience and leadership. 

YAAAASSSSSS! Three points in the bag. Anderson looks great, been saying he doesn’t need a loan. He just needs a Foden/Rashford style integration. 

Laughable. If those are the rules the rules of the game the rules are anti-goals.

I want Joao Palhinha. Badly. A midfield trio of Bruno, Palhinha and Joelinton/Willock would be brutal. 

Howe doesn't seem very keen on buying foreign players from abroad does he? Only did so a handful of times at Bournemouth. Has of course brought in Bruno, Isak and Botman but it seems like the players we're continually linked with are either UK born or have considerable PL experience.

I think I can also confidently assume that Isak and Botman spoke good English on arrival while Bruno barely spoke any and was blooded very slowly into the team. Maybe English proficiency is something he places a lot of emphasis on. Just a thought.

I want to see 4-4-fucking-2 again with him and Wilson up front and ASM and Almiron out wide.  Really liked to see him drop between the lines and get the ball at his feet and he seems to have a good understanding with ASM. I'm also quite confident that Joelinton and Bruno are more than capable of holding down the fort in midfield without Willock/Longstaff. Get Targett in to help ASM on the left wing. Go a bit hell for leather with two strikers.

Our formation with a single striker and Trippier acting as a bit of a playmaker from the right back position isn't quite working any more this year. We need to try something different and Isak has to be the key to that.

Heartbroken. But I want to get used to these occasions.

Can’t really fault much in our performance. Burn isn’t quite up to standard and Wilson is completely lost. Still proud of everyone of them. And the support today. Man alive. On to the next one.

No place for dejection now. This is theirs to lose. We need to match their aggression and get an early goal. We can do this fucking come oooooon.

We'll have Bruno back, Karius is probably pound for pound the best goalkeeper in the world(?) and ManU will underestimate us. I'm trying my absolute hardest to gaslight myself into this being going well. 

We need Targett in. He’s not a threat from set pieces and he’s even been suspect defensively for the last few games. Needs some rest.

I like Gibbs-White a lot. Not entirely sure why.

Makes such a difference having a player looking up while dribbling at defenders. 

I’d expect Howe to make changes during the break.