Holmesy

I was thinking about this after the game - would the fanbase take another Keegan-esque era? Exciting games like that, loads of goals but never winning anything because of defensive nativity. For me, that feels like how it will go under Howe. (For those that point out our defensive solidity last season, that is feeling more like a fluke than by design as every week goes by. Also see the rest of Howe’s PL career). Or would they rather we won something but perhaps did it in a slightly more conservative way?

You base your player judgements on one game? Bit harsh! His stats are consistently good, mostly in a struggling Southampton team. This season he’s got more assists than goals, and then you can rely on him from set pieces as well. He would be a massive upgrade on Longstaff! I don’t want him, but to suggest he wouldn’t improve our midfield is crazy.

I’m not suggesting I want JWP, but the step up from Longstaff to him is absolutely massive. The original post suggested otherwise. 90% of the chances and final balls Longstaff fluffs, JWP wouldn’t. Anyway, no point in us signing him because we can do better, but to suggest JWP wouldn’t improve our midfield is nuts.

Instead of Longstaff?! Have you been sniffing marker pens?

I don’t think we win that with many other managers at the helm. Hats off Eddie. Absolutely class! But I also don’t think we have the 5th worst defensive record in the league, only behind West Ham and the 3 relegation teams, with many other managers at the helm. His defensive management all season has been shocking! He never learns, never changes it and makes himself look foolish when players he won’t start come on and look great. That is where the criticism of him is 100% warranted. It will ultimately be his downfall as Newcastle manager, if anything is. You never win anything shipping 3+ goals a game, and our owners want to win. Eddie Howe deserves praise, but he also deserves criticism. If you can’t deal with that reality without throwing knicker-wetting fits, fuck off somewhere else.

Nope!

Overtraining, bad nutrition, some new stretch, massage technique or snake oil exercise machine they’re using, new boot/stud technology, new recovery routines. Fuck knows, but apparently muscle injuries are up 25% across the PL this season. We’re a heightened case, which is maybe caused by the ‘we train as we play’ and ‘intensity is our identity’ approach. The initial injury crisis can maybe be put down to bad luck. But we’ve had players consistently coming back from injury and getting re injured straightaway, and 2-3 players going down with muscle injuries per game. That’s not bad luck, it’s bad something else - conditioning, fitness, advice from the medical department etc.

Bad luck?! Seriously?! There’s no way this is down to luck. Something is going on behind that scenes that is causing this.

They just need to give us a few set pieces near their own box and leave a pacey player on the halfway line. Stick another pacey player on the right wing and you can guarantee 3 points. Job done! Elite level sport!

It’s starting to feel like that. He’s a student of the game who doesn’t learn from his own mistakes, so not a very good student really.

It was said approx 2 games into our fatigue-era and nothing has been done in the months since. If Eddie deserves criticism for anything, it’s that. Tactical fucking suicide!

Hopefully we’ve done some passing drills during half time.

Just sack them all and get some park refs to replace them. Or pay them like commission-only sales people. You only get your match fee if you don’t ref like a blind cunt with betting debts.

Jesus Christ, we’re fucking rubbish all over the park. What is Murphy doing there, the fucking glake!

I’ve always thought football looks easier when you pass the ball to your own teammates. We should definitely try that!

He looks like he’s playing against Sunday League players in half of those videos. Undoubted talent but looks destined for a couple of settling seasons in a top league before it’s fully realised, similar to Mudryk in that respect I guess.

Fuck me, this is rubbish! Southgate masterclass! His inability to change a game in any way is Bruce-esque

What other options do we have at left back because we’re going to have to explore them?

There’s no embarrassment in losing by 2 goals to city. But for better first touches and a bit of luck we could’ve had 2 ourselves. They would probably have kicked into another gear and won anyway though. What I’m disappointed and frustrated with is that the game left me with more doubt over Eddie’s decision making. Largely I think we had all come to the conclusion that Hall must actually not be very good. Burn has been a disaster this season and yet Hall and Livra have stayed on the bench while the former has consistently cost us goals. It was only a short glimpse admittedly, but Hall looked more than ready. We know Livra is more than ready. So what the fuck?! How can we do anything but question Eddie when he will not replace one of the worst players in our team with a better, more mobile, faster, more positive and more effective option?

He actually looks like he could positively impact games, similar to Trips and Tino. Why the fuck are we being punished with Burn every week?

Don’t get used to it.

At times it looks like our players have never played together. On 4-5 separate occasions tonight they’ve nearly run into each other ffs! It doesn’t scream organisation.

His first two touches have been class

Who’s the little blonde lad coming on? Looks familiar

I’ll be a happy man when Dan Burn is no longer in the first team. Might have to wait a few years unfortunately.