Newcastle (A) 2/3: Build-Up & Match Thread

[The Bear]

Gaz will play Bellegarde instead of Hwang, but I'd also start Fraser and give the kid a chance.

Gaz said that he now gets to play "who do I put as a No. 9?" on his whiteboard. Well you have an out and out striker just sitting on the bench Gaz. You just need the balls to use him. He can't do much worse than some of the others who've tried to play there.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Watching the highlights from last night again, that was a really good "assist" from Bellegarde for the goal, great skilful turn and he showed excellent pace.

He does have it in him, just hasn't been consistent enough.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Well you have an out and out striker just sitting on the bench Gaz.

To be fair, he was pretty poor last time he did use him.

I'd rather play Neto, Sarabia and Bellegarde as a fluid front 3.

 

[Carrotdude]

Feels like he’s always stumbling over the ball. Strange player, I can’t quite work him out.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Feels like he’s always stumbling over the ball. Strange player, I can’t quite work him out.

Yeah he seems to run stooped forward, which makes it look like he's always about to fall over.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Watching the highlights from last night again, that was a really good "assist" from Bellegarde for the goal, great skilful turn and he showed excellent pace.

He does have it in him, just hasn't been consistent enough.

It's where you play him more than anything, he still disappeared loads last night as guess what, he's not a forward.

He has enough skill, athleticism and quality about him to have a chance but he doesn't fit how we set up.

 

[Alan]

Better should have been made from the cross he put in that Mario... we'll say "misjudged".

He looked pretty indecisive on the dribble for the most part though; seems to me he's not used to defenders being as good with their feet as most Prem defenders are these days. That's an adjustment he can hopefully grow through.

 

[1986]

Another option would be to leave Santi in (very good last night as he has been in all his recent appearances), move Toti to LWB and have RAN on the left of the front three. Leaves you without any physical presence at all up top though.

Was delighted for Santi last night , have been beating that drum before , and it does as you say give you an option with pushing RAN more forward .
Doyle did well last night though . I can see Gomes , Lemina and Doyle together with Sarabia and Neto up top with one of the midfield trio pushing forward more often than not to offer support .
It does get messy though without 3 up front , running the risk of just being too narrow and unable to press effectively .

 

[1986]

We're unbeaten in our last 6 away matches ( cup and league ) as a matter of interest..........4 wins , 2 draws .

 

[Sniffer]

Watching the highlights from last night again, that was a really good "assist" from Bellegarde for the goal, great skilful turn and he showed excellent pace.

He does have it in him, just hasn't been consistent enough.

My main concern with him last night was that he always seemed to want to take a touch rather than give a relatively simple first time pass that was on at the time. There was an incident first half where RAN bust a gut to go on the overlap however he went inside and lost the ball and there were similar incidents in the second half. Not only did it stop decent break away situations but it left players ahead of the ball with Brighton therefore attacking with a numerical advantage.
I agree that he has it in him. Hopefully he can improve on the training ground and find a position that he's more suited to.

 

[Banjo]

Was delighted for Santi last night , have been beating that drum before , and it does as you say give you an option with pushing RAN more forward .
Doyle did well last night though . I can see Gomes , Lemina and Doyle together with Sarabia and Neto up top with one of the midfield trio pushing forward more often than not to offer support .
It does get messy though without 3 up front , running the risk of just being too narrow and unable to press effectively .

I worry that a back three of Kilman, Dawson and Santi could be a bit too immobile with Toti then at LWB instead of RAN.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I worry that a back three of Kilman, Dawson and Santi could be a bit too immobile with Toti then at LWB instead of RAN.

Yep, I would agree. The additional "non CB" work that Toti does is what makes us so flexible and difficult to play against, and it effectively gives RAN a free role.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Hwang confirmed as out.

No problem with Joao Gomes, was just cramp.

 

[Jinky]

Gaz presser:

- Hwang out this weekend. Had some issues with players in the week with some players but "Channy" wasn't one of them and was good to go v Brighton, so frustrating injury. More scans over the weekend and no timeframe yet.
- Joao Gomes trained today and is fine. They haven't done much training since Wednesday and travel up to Newcastle this afternoon so it's been a tough week.
- The area in the pitch where we have the injuries is the area we have the least cover, which is a shame.
- Didn't even mention Nathan Fraser in his "5 senior attacking options" list, so wouldn't expect him to be starting.
- Togetherness vital. We've had to really dig in with the squad size & having tough tests, even more so with players missing.
- Pedro has been used as a 9 in the past and they're comfortable with him being used across the front line (would assume we'll line up with him through the middle and Sarabia just off him)
- Thinks Newcastle have suffered badly from injuries & believes that's the reason they've had a tougher time, especially with the European games. Namechecked Isak.
- Knows Eddie Howe well - played with him & then the Bournemouth connection. "Very impressive manager". Tough job with a lot of expectation at Newcastle and he's done great work.
- Hoping we can push on in the league and FA cup, but not setting any expectations. Happy with what he's seen from the players and the levels of effort.
- Worked so hard over the season so far, so will give it everything we can over the next 12 weeks and see where we end up. Doesn't want the work put in so far to be for nothing.

 

[Sniffer]

- Didn't even mention Nathan Fraser in his "5 senior attacking options" list, so wouldn't expect him to be starting.

Well he's not senior is he so whoever asked that question....

 

[Hereford Wolf]

My sister goes to every game home and away. She and her mate are spending the weekend in Newcastle. They are presently stuck in a snowdrift on the M62!

 

[Dire Wolf]

My sister goes to every game home and away. She and her mate are spending the weekend in Newcastle. They are presently stuck in a snowdrift on the M62!

Well it's 6 degrees and cloudy but no snow up here. Feels colder though with the wind chill. The locals might wear a long sleeved top down the Bigg Market tonight.

 

[Jinky]

Hwang confirmed as out.

No problem with Joao Gomes, was just cramp.

Such a half arsed effort. Stick to the quizzes, sunshine.

 

[Dire Wolf]

Yeah Deutsch, come on, that was lame. You'll never make a writer...

 

[The Fish]

Well it's 6 degrees and cloudy but no snow up here. Feels colder though with the wind chill. The locals might wear a long sleeved top down the Bigg Market tonight.

The lads might, but the girls will most definitely not be.

Saw someone say the Strawberry is a home pub, and it is, but away fans are fine as long as they don't act up. Only saw bother with a group of Arsenal fans who'd clearly been dabbling with Colombia's finest.

Anyone staying over who wants a curry, I'd recommend Khai Khai or Dabbawals.