Consortium of one

was one of the brightest lights in an embarrassing display.

My dislike for Shelvey grows game by game.

Looks like the NFL trying to officiate PI calls. Video review has its plusses and minuses. The big minus being when you use and feel like you have to nitpick the minutest bit of action. VAR should be used to overturn egregious errors only. I thought we played better in the 2nd half but were still turboshit. Darlow was great. The passing was horrible all game. A sad point won.

Son 4 Newcastle 1

I’m desperate for stats on this going back over 20 years Good luck with that. They probably still record everything on 3x5 index cards.

Dubs Manq Lascelles Fed Lewis Hayden Hendrick ASM Almiron Big Joe Wilson I think more of a 424 would be be best. Hayden and Hendrick play deeper holding roles but Hendrick can move further up to supplement the attack. I think he's a heady player with good positional sense and awareness. Problem is I think both ASM and Miggy are better on the left. Could also see us in a 4321 as well. Would really love a guy like Doucore in the squad. He would supercharge the midfield

we're gonna get reamed.

Tactical masterclass.

We could win the Leeg off the backs of this kind of performance. Big Joe Golden to win the golden boot!

"Tactics? I just told the lads to play on their front foot!"

Big Joe? Is this an alternate universe?

Milik on the table? I doubt it will happen but if it does...it would indicate that someone is calling some shots behind the scenes.

Good at spotting talent. 100% right about not kicking on after finishing 5th. Story confirms that Charnley is a muppet.

You know what would be sweet to see with this formation? Merino in the Shelvey role. Or even Longstaff when he first came in to the squad. Even when (mildly) defending Shelvey you can't escape that he's a statue. If he moved any slower he'd be bronze and have bird shit all over his head!

Shelvey is emblematic of everything that is wrong with this club. He's slow but not just slow of pace but he thinks slow and his feet move slow. When he has a chance to step in and make a challenge and seize a loose ball you can watch him move seconds late and then hang his head as play passes him by. Shelvey lacks the tactical ability spot a pattern and suss it out, each situation unique within the short term memory of a gnat. He can't anticipate anything adequately be it defensively or offensively. On the ball the only forward passes he completes are to players who are already wide open. He lacks the vision to unlock a player with his long balls. Those opportunities never register, instead he'll satisfied to ping a long ball directly into the heart of the defense and stands dully watching it headed away (or easily controlled) until the fact that he's failed fully registers inside that bald pate of his. And like Shelvey, the club is always a step or two off the pace. The club always lacks vision and anticipation. The club always plays it safe unless it takes a wild shot in the dark which invariably fails, not spectacularly, but fails in a desultory, morose fashion. Even the times to be joyful are tinged with a sour look and a crappy aftertaste in our mouths. The steak is overcooked and like shoe leather. The vegetables are soggy and limp. The coffee is tepid and the desert obviously has sat out for far too long and was only just an afterthought, anyway. When I play as NUFC in FM, the first thing I always do is sell Jonjo Shelvey when in reality he and the club are indeed two peas in a pod.

I'm 59 years old. I've followed sports all my life. Newcastle has had a succession of managers that I wish players that I like...didn't have to play for. That has never happened before.

What a cad.

Pair Hendrick with Hayden and play them deeper. Go 4231 or 424. Let Almiron be the creator. He can drift to the center in the 424 and let Lewis overlap down the left. Or play Almiron in the hole with ASM on the left and Fraser on the right. ASM and Lewis worked well together. Have Fraser play wider and Manquillo overlap less. Hayden stays deeper and so does Hendrick but let Hendrick time some late runs to the box.

He'd been hopelessly outcoached before the first ball was kicked. Then he was helpless to stem the tide.

Bruce thinks a ball playing center back stands around and fondles himself.

I think SL could learn a bit from watching Hendrick. Hendrick does a good job finding space between the lines and that would serve Longstaff well. I just don't see him as a regular 10. Pair him with Hayden in a holding role but let him get forward a little bit and then arrive at the box for a longshot option.

Maybe Joelinton was the favor and this is payback... I wish.

Big Joe does all the little things so well that no one even notices.

There is no comparison between Rafa and Bruce, none. Credit to Bruce for a good window and a good opener. Let's see where are in November. I want the club to do well and I want Ashley gone.

More suited to 3 at the back rather than 2? Injuries haven't helped either.