Relegationometer

[HaydnNUFC]

Obviously could all be different after this weekend but still think we'll be fine.

 

Yeah same. Previous seasons I always maintained that we'd stay up due to the ability of Benitez as a manager. Think this time its because of Fulham's form and their run in after the weekend, which is depressing. Here's their remaining games and ours

 

Fulham

Sheff Utd (h)

Palace (a)

Liverpool (a)

Man City (h)

Leeds (h)

Villa (a)

Wolves (h)

Arsenal (a)

Spurs (h) (date tbc)

Chelsea (a)

Burnley (h)

Southampton (a)

Man Utd (a)

Newcastle (h)

 

Newcastle

Man Utd (a)

Wolves (h)

West Brom (a)

Aston Villa (h)

Brighton (a)

Spurs (h)

Burnley (a)

West Ham (h)

Liverpool (a)

Arsenal (h)

Leicester (a)

Man City (h)

Sheff Utd (h)

Fulham (a)

 

I've done both generous and harsh predictions for our games and I'm yet to have us picking up fewer than 12 points, which will more than likely see us safe.  Probably blind optimism like.

[The Prophet]

Even if they beat Sheffield United, it isn't the end of the world.

[Ikon]

We could be without Almiron for a few games next month too. Great!

[Ben]

I don't have faith in Bruce to win any more games, I still believe his victory's this season are more to do with how poor the opposition have played rather than how well Newcastle have done, we have also been let off on countless occasions from getting a good beating by teams taking their foot off the gas and going through the motions.

[Fantail Breeze]

Bruce needs sacking after Wolves, to give the new guy chance to put things right. If they leave it late, throwing the new manager a fixture list of Liverpool (a), Arsenal (h), Leicester (a), Man City (h), Sheff Utd (h), Fulham (a) will be too little too late

 

[HaydnNUFC]

We could be without Almiron for a few games next month too. Great!

 

From .com.

 

The resumption of international football in March brings with it renewed fears of COVID transmission - and contingencies in order to try and limit that.

 

Amongst that is a FIFA exemption rule that allows clubs to prevent players from honouring national team call-ups, if they would then be subject to an extended period of quarantine on their return.

 

Amongst a clutch of Premier League players facing the situation is Miguel Almiron, with Paraguay scheduled to play World Cup qualifies away to Chile and at home to Colombia in late March.

 

Both countries are on the UK Government "red list" of countries that require a 10 night quarantine to be observed - with no exemption for elite sports.

 

The issue has been raised among PL clubs with the proposal of a joint move that would see them all invoke the regulation.

 

Were Miggy to link up with Paraguay though, he'd potentially miss our first two games after the international break: away to Burnley and home to Spurs.

 

PS: The situation regarding other PL players travelling for internationals is less clear and complicated by various European countries setting different parameters - a situation that has seen European club competitions moving some games to alternative venues this week.

 

Newcastle players potentially leaving the UK on international duty in late March include Jamal Lewis (to Italy), Ciaran Clark & Jeff Hendrick (to Serbia), (Emile Krafth to Sweden & Kosovo), Ryan Fraser (to Israel) and Martin Dubravka (to Cyprus & Slovakia).

[brummie]

You're not going to go down*

 

To say you're not at threat of relegation, though, is of course the absolute faintest of faint praise for the manager, and shouldn't be anything like the benchmark your manager is working to.

 

 

 

* although, Fulham, like.

[The Prophet]

Even if they close the gap to three points at the weekend, we still have plenty of opportunity to put points on the board. We've shown we're capable of doing so since Jones came in.

 

Fulham have now drawn with us, West Brom, Burnley and Brighton. Unless they find a way to start winning games they're knackered.

 

Obviously relegation is still a massive threat, but it's not as likely as some would have you believe.

[Collage]

On Sunday Fulham may be 3 points behind. It will go down to the wire, 50/50 for me.

[Ketsbaia]

Only hope for Sheff Utd is that Fulham might be tired from these two games, plus Wilder's lot have started to win and regain a pulse.

[PlymouthGeordie]

On Sunday Fulham may be 3 points behind. It will go down to the wire, 50/50 for me.

 

Everyone was saying they'd be a point behind us come Sunday. Now it's they'll be 3 points behind us.

 

Currently they're 6 points behind us and averaging 0.8 points per game so if they keep true to form it'll take 8 games for them to get to 25 points.

 

Saturday is Sheff Utd's last hope of staying up so they aren't just going to roll over. Long way to go before we need to start panicking.

[Candi_Hills]

I can’t see us winning a game without Wilson. Gayle’s a 2nd division player. Joelinton’s a taxi driver.

[et tu brute]

I can’t see us winning a game without Wilson. Gayle’s a 2nd division player. Joelinton’s a taxi driver.

 

 

Gayle is no Wilson, but, he can score if given the chances. However, to play him on the right wing is just absolute nonsense. If you’re going to play him during Wilson’s absence, then he has to be in the centre forward position.

[The Prophet]

I can’t see us winning a game without Wilson. Gayle’s a 2nd division player. Joelinton’s a taxi driver.

 

We desperately need to keep ASM fit. Losing Wilson was a blow, but pretty much everything positive we do goes through ASM, he's vital.

[Optimistic Nut]

Obviously could all be different after this weekend but still think we'll be fine.

 

Yeah same. Previous seasons I always maintained that we'd stay up due to the ability of Benitez as a manager. Think this time its because of Fulham's form and their run in after the weekend, which is depressing. Here's their remaining games and ours

 

Fulham

Sheff Utd (h)

Palace (a)

Liverpool (a)

Man City (h)

Leeds (h)

Villa (a)

Wolves (h)

Arsenal (a)

Spurs (h) (date tbc)

Chelsea (a)

Burnley (h)

Southampton (a)

Man Utd (a)

Newcastle (h)

 

Newcastle

Man Utd (a)

Wolves (h)

West Brom (a)

Aston Villa (h)

Brighton (a)

Spurs (h)

Burnley (a)

West Ham (h)

Liverpool (a)

Arsenal (h)

Leicester (a)

Man City (h)

Sheff Utd (h)

Fulham (a)

 

I've done both generous and harsh predictions for our games and I'm yet to have us picking up fewer than 12 points, which will more than likely see us safe.  Probably blind optimism like.

 

I’d just assumed that after Saturday, Fulham had a stinking run-in. That’s the first time I’ve seen it. Apart from the City/Liverpool double-header and Arsenal, Spurs & Chelsea, there are points for them to be gained there.

[Superior Acuña]

Stroke of genius for us to lose to Sheff U to get them going and give them confidence going in to the Fulham match. We're two steps ahead.

[TRon]

Fulham don't strike me as the sort of team that will win enough games to put us under serious pressure.

 

They only need to win one more than us up until our showdown with them. Considering we are without a functioning striker for most of our games against struggling teams, I'm surprised more alarm bells aren't ringing. I'm reading more and more national journalists talking about Fulham targeting us. They can see the writing on the wall.

[Optimistic Nut]

If we had Wilson, those winnable games would be winnable. The system change that’s seen us improve the last few games though isn’t the same without him. I don’t rate Gayle but I felt sorry for him at Chelsea he was so far out of his depth playing that role. Carroll can’t do it, Joelinton is the closest but he’s turd. We’re in danger.

[Whitley mag]

It shouldn’t be rocket science for a competent manager to find a formation with the players we have. In my eyes the problems are glaring, if you play 2 in the centre then you can’t play Shelvey. In fact I’d argue Shelvey is the major problem at present, in the modern game he is redundant. A five at the back with Haydon and Willock centrally would work. If we’re playing 4 at the back it’s a straight forward 4-3-3 similar to Liverpool with Gayle in the centre and a combination of Either Fraser/St Max/Almiron either side.

 

Obviously Bruce is the thickest least competent manager I’ve ever known in my lifetime, we can only hope Jones sees this and is reporting back to Graham Carr already that the 3 Steve’s are ducking clueless and need pedalled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[loki679]

I’m just angry seeing all the comments about “ cheering for Burnley” and “Bruce is so lucky fans aren’t allowed at the stadium”

 

Well fans were allowed for his first game when he replaced Rafa yet 80% turned up and didn’t say a cross word to him. This s*** was always going to be the outcome with Bruce. If not this season then next.

 

We really deserve all we get.

 

Is this that Fitzgerald nonce?

 

Aye, same knacker back on his 10th account or something.  Tedious wanker, he'd get more respect if he just owned his shit and stopped creating endless alts.  As it is I wish he'd just fuck off.

[samptime29]

I’m just angry seeing all the comments about “ cheering for Burnley” and “Bruce is so lucky fans aren’t allowed at the stadium”

 

Well fans were allowed for his first game when he replaced Rafa yet 80% turned up and didn’t say a cross word to him. This s*** was always going to be the outcome with Bruce. If not this season then next.

 

We really deserve all we get.

 

Is this that Fitzgerald nonce?

 

Aye, same knacker back on his 10th account or something.  Tedious wanker, he'd get more respect if he just owned his shit and stopped creating endless alts.  As it is I wish he'd just fuck off.

 

Agreed.

[Paully]

I'd say 1 for me - Fulham have won 3 in 24 and they probably need to win 6 in 14 as we'll get at the very least a few wins and draws!

[alexf]

With Wilson out and to a lesser extent, but also important, no manquillo and schar.

I'm back to wondering where our next point is going to come from. ASM seemed all out of sorts against Chelsea, which is understandable coming back from a long time out. But we need him flying if we are to have any chance of winning games without Wilson.

[TRon]

If we had Wilson, those winnable games would be winnable. The system change that’s seen us improve the last few games though isn’t the same without him. I don’t rate Gayle but I felt sorry for him at Chelsea he was so far out of his depth playing that role. Carroll can’t do it, Joelinton is the closest but he’s turd. We’re in danger.

 

Agree. A front three of Gayle up top with ASM and Miggy out wide should be enough to get some points, but I have no idea what we were doing against Chelsea. If Gayle was pushed out wide then someone needs shot with shit for making that decision.

[Optimistic Nut]

It’s the role Wilson’s been playing. We’d needed a change of system to accommodate Gayle. Might have to, which risks all the ‘promising’ signs we’ve shown the previous 3-4 games going to waste though.