Phil Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Was also at the 1997 home defeat against this lot, remember them singing always look on the bright side of life to us after they'd won, rascals... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeordieDazzler Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 1 hour ago, QBG said: The three teams on 6 points are Benfica, Pafos and Union. They play Juve, Chelsea and Bayern respectively this week. Copenhagen and Napoli on 7 points play each other. We're almost certainly through. PSV are a good side, but we can attack this like we have all our CL home games this season. Should be an open game that, at least from an attacking standpoint, will suit us much more than yesterday did. We'll be fine. Hopefully Miley back at right-back as I thought Trippier looked knackered towards the end yesterday. Would guess Ramsey comes into the midfield after not playing. Maybe a start for Elanga based on him looking competent when he came on. If PSG win this week and any one of Inter, Atleti, Real or Liverpool lose they are guaranteed top 8 too. Obviously will still be a tough game but you’d expect them to heavily rest especially with CWC fatigue catching up with them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turnbull2000 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Fucking hell, yet anther game Then Villa at the weekend is it. The run of away games after that I don't even want to contemplate. The excitement of games is now wearing thin, as you can almost guarantee a poor, exhausted display. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holloway Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Are you ever excited for games though, you're usually dreading them aren't you Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaj Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 During the Liverpool game they played it out from the back every time and I thought not particularly well at the beginning of the game. If we get at them with a high press early on I can see us getting an early goal. If we allow them to settle then I think it will be a difficult game as they are obviously a very good team. As mentioned we are pretty much through already according to some sites that have done the maths. If we win here though we give ourselves a chance of top 8. PSG should be guaranteed top 8 as long as they beat Sporting so could well rest players against us. Although their kids will probably beat us at home judging by our away performances! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 "Already through".. to the play-offs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteV Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Say we win, would people take results going our way, so we had a realistic chance of Top 8, meaning we go flat out v PSG (who might already have guaranteed Top 8), or them going against us, so Top 8 became very unrealistic, and we decide to semi-sack off PSG? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Zaius Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Did the time when the CL was two group stages feel a bit tedious too? That was obviously more games, but I guess with more jeopardy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nufc123 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 23 minutes ago, The College Dropout said: "Already through".. to the play-offs. How much extra do we get in money if we reach the play-offs? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armchair Pundit Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 I reckon we go all out against PSV, make sure we're getting the extra money, we don't need extra games from a play-off. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lush Vlad Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 13 minutes ago, Armchair Pundit said: I reckon we go all out against PSV, make sure we're getting the extra money, we don't need extra games from a play-off. I think even if we win on Wednesday. We will struggle to not be in the play-offs. Top 8 is looking unlikely based on who they are all playing and the fact we're away to the current holders in our last game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earp Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 1 hour ago, Vaj said: During the Liverpool game they played it out from the back every time and I thought not particularly well at the beginning of the game. If we get at them with a high press early on I can see us getting an early goal. If we allow them to settle then I think it will be a difficult game as they are obviously a very good team. As mentioned we are pretty much through already according to some sites that have done the maths. If we win here though we give ourselves a chance of top 8. PSG should be guaranteed top 8 as long as they beat Sporting so could well rest players against us. Although their kids will probably beat us at home judging by our away performances! we dont see capable of a high press anymore Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohmelads Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 We're 4 pts clear of Benfica in 23rd and our GD is 9 goals better. Theyve got Juventus and Real Madrid in their last 2. Even if they win both those, another 12 teams need to also climb above us. Opta say 10 pts (our current total) almost certainly guarantees a playoff spot. If we go for every game with the strongest team we can, we'll keep getting battered and get injuries. We have to rotate and prioritise. I'd rotate say 5 out for PSV with the focus being on a strong team for Villa at the weekend. I'd do the same against PSG. Chances are extremely slim we get top 8 in the CL and also extremely slim we drop out of CL. There is the momentum argument but I think only smart rotation gets us through this next month without a load of injuries and defeats. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteV Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 10 minutes ago, Earp said: we dont see capable of a high press anymore I’d refer you to the first half of the Chelsea game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Dancer Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 7 minutes ago, SteV said: I’d refer you to the first half of the Chelsea game. That's the problem though, isn't it? You are referring to a half a game against Chelsea 4 weeks ago, but apart from that where's it been? Even in that game as soon as we stopped we allowed them back into the game and to take a point, despite leading by two. Naturally we can't press all game every game, and there's probably the PTSD of 23/24 when we were riddled with injuries. I'm pretty sure our Sports Science minds will have been in Howe's ear about it, but that was our identity. Over time, you will have to adapt in some ways but you should really be sticking to the principles that got you there. We are absolutely at our best when we are playing on the front foot and in the faces of the opposition, but he vast majority of games we've been piss poor to watch and we've quite quickly became a very dull team. In defence of the dullness, most teams seem very dull and boring now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramirez Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 1 hour ago, Doctor Zaius said: Did the time when the CL was two group stages feel a bit tedious too? That was obviously more games, but I guess with more jeopardy. I can only talk about our one campaign during that time but I liked it, meant you were guaranteed a further 6 games, both groups went to the wire although Leverkusen were hopeless in the second one, plus someone who went to loads more aways back then it was good for planning trips in advance. As a neutral though I suppose you'd rather watch ko games with a chance of penalties etc and more drama than a second group stage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earp Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 23 minutes ago, SteV said: I’d refer you to the first half of the Chelsea game. fair enough, but we can't seem to sustain it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam P Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Does it really need explaining that a sustained high intensity press is now not part of the majoirty of our game plans? Its only implemented in sections of games and only in certain games. The bigger game plan is called the season plan which involves lower intensity game plans due to sqaud size and depth. Implementing these low intensity game plans has been one of our problems. It may be the main problem, hard to tell with e.g. Tonali's passing accuracy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRC Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Banging on about the first half of the Chelsea game is an anomaly at this point and since we haven’t replicated it at all is probably more down to Chelsea than us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUPERTOON Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 These lot any good ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaj Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 1 hour ago, Chicken Dancer said: That's the problem though, isn't it? You are referring to a half a game against Chelsea 4 weeks ago, but apart from that where's it been? Even in that game as soon as we stopped we allowed them back into the game and to take a point, despite leading by two. Naturally we can't press all game every game, and there's probably the PTSD of 23/24 when we were riddled with injuries. I'm pretty sure our Sports Science minds will have been in Howe's ear about it, but that was our identity. Over time, you will have to adapt in some ways but you should really be sticking to the principles that got you there. We are absolutely at our best when we are playing on the front foot and in the faces of the opposition, but he vast majority of games we've been piss poor to watch and we've quite quickly became a very dull team. In defence of the dullness, most teams seem very dull and boring now. I could be very wrong but I would be shocked if you don't see a high press on Wednesday night from the off, not saying it will last the whole game but it will be in place. Since Chelsea at home (ignoring away games because for some reason we never press from the front), we have played Palace, Leeds, Bournemouth and Man City at home. Palace and Leeds both play more of a long ball game to big strikers so there isn't the opportunity to press from the front. Man City for two games in a row at SJP have not played it out from the back at the start and have gone long so we can't press and I can't comment on the Bournemouth game because I missed it. PSV will play out from the back and we will press them hard from the start, in my opinion. We don't see the press as much at home now because: A) We can't keep that level of intensity up when we have so many games, and; B) Most teams recognise that it is our main strength at home and therefore take less risks from the back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infinitely Content Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 52 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said: These lot any good ? Put 6 past Napoli, 4 past Liverpool at Anfield. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonas Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 At least I'm looking forward to this, even if misguided and just the placebo of it not being a league game. Never really know what you're getting in European games, they could be better or worse than expected. The two games under Dalglish were abominations. 3 hours ago, Doctor Zaius said: Did the time when the CL was two group stages feel a bit tedious too? That was obviously more games, but I guess with more jeopardy. Wasn't for us but that was because our arse was on the line throughout. Think 94-99 was probably the sweet spot. Before that the group semi-final stage didn't really work either. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 You would be crazy if you weren't looking forward to it TBH. What's the point in being a Newcastle fan if you weren't? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallsendmag Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Just now, AyeDubbleYoo said: You would be crazy if you weren't looking forward to it TBH. What's the point in being a Newcastle fan if you weren't? Champions League nights were occasions we could only have dreamed of during Mike Ashleys 14 year tenure. They need to be savoured because we aren't an Arsenal, Man City or a Liverpool. We don't get there season in, season out. After this it could be a very long time before we get another crack at it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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