WilliamPS

Almiron and Wilson were probably just knackered. Almiron is still on his way back from injury

A whole generation have missed out on what’s it’s like to be in the CL and watch your team take on the best teams in Europe. I was lucky enough to go to a fair few of the games in both the previous stints and it’s pretty amazing to watch Newcastle play the very best teams from Europe. The PL wasn’t as dominant in those days so I guess the balance of quality is a bit different but still - it would be class.

I think it was Danny Finkelstein who did an analysis of this and the ‘on the beach’ effect and got the same results- teams tend to lose against the teams above them as they just aren’t as good, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s the first, tenth or last game of the season

Oh come on! Imagine how bad it will be for them, scrapping against relegation whilst their rivals are in Europe and (hopefully) fighting for silverware. Imagine their feelings going into games against top 6 teams desperate to win to stay up but wanting to lose to spite Newcastle - tremendous stuff

I’d like to see them back, good for the region. And the Newcastle hotels and restaurants will get to enjoy some bigger away crowds! The derby would be a bit of fun but it won’t feel as important as it did in the Ashley days, more like in the Robson era when you want to win but the big games are the European nights and the CL rivals. No interest in Boro though

No Holding starting for Arsenal, disappointing Is Partey injured or just dropped? Play with the right intensity and there’s a result here

Now Allardyce is involved I’m all in for Leeds going down. Nowt against the club but it’s Allardyce

Allardyce is the bottom of the barrel, only hired as pretty much every other manager has already been hired/fired this year

Hiring Lampard might even be Chelsea’s worst decision this season, an impressive achievement. And this little tenure has probably finished off Lampards career. Everton could have been blamed on the club, but making Chelsea worse takes real skill

Looking at the two teams tonight on paper it’s pretty wild they are both in the relegation zone and been so hopeless this year. Not saying they are good sides, just that they shouldn’t be this bad

What the confident lot don’t realise is that us worriers get double from each win - we get to enjoy the victory and the relief that it’s another game without the teams below closing in.

I like them now they’ve been beaten. Will like Arsenal, Leicester, Leeds and Brighton if they get beaten too

Funny, I remember the Cissé run of goals, the Enrique winds ups etc but that season didn’t ‘feel’ as good as this one - either as everyone knew it wouldn’t last or as it was too close to the years and years of regular European football

There’s only a handful a clubs that could tempt players the club want to keep - as opposed to players the club would be happy to sell at the right price (E.g. Shelvey wasn’t for sale but at the right price for him and the club he left). Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man City and maybe Bayern/PSG and that’s about it. If Newcastle are in the CL why would anyone go to Liverpool?!?

Gordon needs a goal, will help him get his decisions right

How bad can Lampard get away with being and still make it to the end of the season as manager?

One of Liverpool, Villa, Spurs or Brighton will pull a really strong finish together - not all of them will but at least one. So Newcastle need to get the 4 wins to do it, but in the 7 games it’s achievable

Not been watching them play recently but Chelsea playing such a defensive line up it looks crazy. 5 defenders plus kante, Fernandez and Kovacic, against Brentford at home?

Been remarkably lucky with injuries at the back this season, be crazy to let an experienced back up go. First thing the club would need to do if he left is replace him

Forecast is for rain, so expect a scrappy game where they try and drag it down The ideal scenario would be an early goal and some crowd frustration on their part. Basically give the home crowd nothing and make it a totally forgettable 90mins and I think Newcastle win comfortably

Have to hope Brighton win the cup really, but today ideally we see extra time and penalties to put as many miles in these players legs as possible

Are West Ham favourites for the conference? If they win it and get into the Europa league overall their season will end up a big success

If you’re worried about Villa I imagine you must be shitting it about Brighton!

England had Shaw and Trippier after Chillwell got injured Burn is simply not an England international level footballer. He is effective in the role he’s doing for Newcastle though. His limitations are well known and have been there all season (Man Utd away game for example), just when there’s a defeat it’s re-examined, when it’s a win it’s glossed over. Howe has accepted these weaknesses as part of his team selection as Howe sees the benefits of having Burns strengths as more important. There is no sudden realisation from opponents that a massive CB playing at LB is going to be exposed against pace

Arsenal may well be looking at a DM, for reasons… They are linked with Rice in the Times today - but that might be just because they’re playing each other.