HaydnNUFC

Someone shite at home, pls.

No idea but the logistics of getting to and fro that ground are lifting. In the middle of nowhere and only really accessible by car or train, the latter of which gets staggered due to overcrowding. Must be an awful away day even without the shite results we always get for a some reason.

BAYER 04 LEVERKUSEN @ BAYARENA It got to a point during the Champions League draw back in August where I thought that they were giving us so many sides we've played before in Europe that they'd pull out Anzhi, Maritimo or AZ Alkmaar at one point. It's why I thought of the last time out parts of these previews. Until we beat Union SG earlier this campaign this was the site of our most recent away CL win. With a bit of a patched up side admittedly, but they were honking at the time. As I'll revisit below; LAST TIME OUT? Our much fan renowned 2002-03 Champions League campaign saw us qualify for the second group stage (aye, there were two group stages between 1999-00 and 2002-03. A format that I'd prefer to this one if they're so desperate for more games) where we were joined by Barcelona, Inter and this lot. Leverkusen had in 2001-02 reached the Champions League final, that they lost 2-1 to Real Madrid in Glasgow. They also finished 2nd in the Bundesliga, but in 2002-03 their form dropped off a cliff. Though they boasted some players like Dimitar Berbatov (who was not in the squad for either game against us) they could only manage a 15th placed finish in the Bundesliga and finished rock bottom of this second group stage, losing all 6 games. We went into the trip to the BayArena off the back of 2 defeats to start our second gorup stage. Again. Getting battered 1-4 at SJP by Inter where Bellamy was sent off and Shearer was suspended for elbowing Cannavaro and a loss at the Camp Nou. With Leverkusen's domestic form and them also losing their opening two games, we had to go there and win despite having no Shearer or Bellamy. The .com report with some great pictures. And of course, the 3-1 win we came away with; The teams that night; B04: Butt, Preuss, Cris, Simak, Basturk, Franca, Balitsch, Ojigwe, Brdaric, Neuville, Kleine NUFC: Given, Hughes, Bramble, O'Brien, Bernard, Dyer, Jenas, Speed, Robert, LuaLua, Ameobi WHAT ABOUT THEM NOW? Leverkusen famously went an entire season unbeaten in all competitions up until the Europe League final in 2023-24 under Xabi Alonso and being the first club not called Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund to win the title in Germany since 2009. It was the first title in their history and they also managed to complete the domestic German double. Their first trophies since 1993. Last season they were able to finish 2nd and retain the German Cup. This season however has been one of change. Many of their big players have left; Wirtz, Frimpong, Tah, Adli and Xhaka. And Xabi Alonso left to manage Real Madrid, replacing him with that bald Dutch pervert Erik ten Hairs who only managed to oversee 3 (three) first team matches before getting sacked. They replaced him with Kasper Hjulmand who most recently managed Denmark before them. Since then they've done okay. They've only lost 4 domestic matches and currently lie 4th in the Bundesliga. They did however lose their most recent match, 2-0 away at Augsburg on Saturday. Their CL form is a bit more indifferent however. They have won 2 matches, 0-1 away at Benfica and 0-2 away at a much changed Man City, drawn 2 to Copenhagen and PSV and lost 2. One of those defeats was a 7-2 home defeat to PSG. HOW WELL DO WE DO IN GERMANY? 2023-24; lost 2-0 v Dortmund (Champions League) 2006-07; drew 0-0 v Eintracht Frankfurt (UEFA Cup) 2002-03; won 3-1 v Bayer Leverkusen 2001-02; won 3-2 v 1860 Munich (Intertoto Cup) ANY TIES BETWEEN THE CLUBS? One of the club's from Malick Thiaw's youth football days was Leverkusen, though he was only there for a year at the age of 9-10. Other than that, no player has played for both clubs and no manager has managed both clubs. A big chance for us to basically get ourselves in the seeded part of the knockout play off stage but a win here and I don't see why, with PSV to come and a trip to PSG who may have alerady qualified, we can't make a push to get into the top 8. Another trip where I'm jealous of those going, here's hoping yous bring 3 points back. Howay the lads!

Fully agree. It’s fucking awful. Not just playing it but the players coming out to Hey Jude It’s actually made the already regularly poor atmosphere even worse imo.

I agree, there appears to be many who use how many years they’ve been going to matches as the barometer for how much of a mint fan they are regardless of their contribution (or lack of it) to the atmosphere. I’d wager a few are still ingrained in the mentality of the match being the worst part of their day out on the drink as they may have to watch a couple misplaced passes or a miscontrols rather than being there to support NUFC. Being an East Stand regular, that’s unfortunately common outside of those I try and sit with and a few around my old ST seat. No easy way to solve it though. ‘I’ve been going/had this seat for three millenia, I’ll do what I want.’

Whilst there is an issue with the atmosphere in the main, I do find anyone thinking that it was going to be anything other than flat at home to newly promoted Burnley as wishful thinkers. Would be the same at every other PL club who’s expected to win fixtures like that.

Was pleased at Dubravka being given his flowers by the fans. Those players through the Championship, Benitez days in the PL, Bruce those other dark days I’ll always have a soft spot for.

A shake up to our approach in the transfer market is really needed, like.

I agree tbf, think it’s just frustration and amazement at that last 10 minutes of nonsense.

We are fucking arse to watch, like.

I turn 25 in 2.5 weeks.

The rat unfortunately is an absolute cert to be in a non English PL XI for us. I’d argue Schär over Coloccini until the cows come home as well.

Had a look at what I've spent since 23/24 and this isn't even particularly accurate, as at times I've sat in the Milburn last season and the one before so the totals are probably a little bit lower than actuality. 2023–24: £1,345 2024–25: £1,267 2025–26 (so far): £730 Honking stuff. If they go up again I'll almost certainly have to knock a few on the head.

Tough enough, the debate of who gets into either team.

It helps PSR (it doesn’t) and if you won’t pay it I will iirc. Our prices are a fucking disgrace tbph and it proper fucks me off that so many of our lot either actually go into bat for them (even seen that on here) or are just meh about it.

Rumours?

Goal for Auschwirtz.

They look a really good side. Fair play to them.

Isak is fucking shocking. My word.

Our mentality as a club has been honking in fixtures like this for years. Not a single win of any kind since 1995, ffs. Same with Man City (no league win since 2000) and Chelsea (two wins between 1986 and now) Losing to these at home is looking like an awful result as well even with 10 men.

This is our last 3pm kick off until February.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRskXpODO7w&pp=ygUVbmV3Y2FzdGxlIDMtMSBidXJubGV5

If Elanga gave the ball away like Joelinton did in that second half I dread to think what this thread would be like.

Don’t get why his thread is top of the page after that Joelinton showing tbh.

Immediate thoughts after coming out the ground; That was an alright performance where we just didn’t take chances. We’ve played worse in other home games this season. However that’s 2 points thrown away. That Spurs side is fucking honking and we couldn’t beat them. The amount of late goals at home we’re conceding now is getting stupid especially after we’ve put 3 centre halves out to see those games out. How Joelinton stayed on the pitch for the whole game is beyond me, especially when Ramsey was ready to come on before the pen. Looked like a competition winner. Kick off, pass to Joelinton, pass out of play. Ah whey. I’d have taken 7 from Everton, Spurs and Burnley after the Man City game. We just take them in the most backward way possible. Assuming we turn up on Saturday of course, but this season in the league is the most inconsistent we’ve been under Howe.