Football 2024/25

[charlierc]

3 hours ago, gazzared said:

At start of  play I would've taken a draw but f me spurs are terrible in defence 

They are a thoroughly strange football club. Top scorers in the Premier League, one of the few clubs with a goal difference over +10, decent enough home record, beat Man City 4-0 when we thought Man City were just in a blip then a full on meltdown, and yet here we are with them in the bottom half at Christmas. 

[balti-pie]

18 hours ago, gazzared said:

At start of  play I would've taken a draw but f me spurs are terrible in defence 

Spurs are missing four of their starting back five through injury, and just havnt been able to rest anyone at any point, playing twice a week every week. If they get a nice midweek rest (next spare midweek is between the 29th and the 4th of jan) then they might be able to improve a bit, and perhaps even get a couple of players back. The squad is too thin obviously, but nobody could absorb that many injuries.

Lots of pundits think spurs should just defend deep and cut their cloth accordingly, but they'd lose anyways - its the going for it that's led to positive results, so why not continue to go for it? is 6-3 tons worse than 3-0? i dont think so, and its their first defeat by more than one goal this season. 

[charlierc]

6 hours ago, balti-pie said:

Spurs are missing four of their starting back five through injury, and just havnt been able to rest anyone at any point, playing twice a week every week. If they get a nice midweek rest (next spare midweek is between the 29th and the 4th of jan) then they might be able to improve a bit, and perhaps even get a couple of players back. The squad is too thin obviously, but nobody could absorb that many injuries.

Lots of pundits think spurs should just defend deep and cut their cloth accordingly, but they'd lose anyways - its the going for it that's led to positive results, so why not continue to go for it? is 6-3 tons worse than 3-0? i dont think so, and its their first defeat by more than one goal this season. 

Feels like a January must is at least a centre-back to make up for no Romero and van der Ven. Plus I can guess Forster being more limited with a ball at his feet than Vicario really hasn't helped, even if he is still an alright shot-stopper.

 

Any expectation of when these defenders will be back? After Newcastle come to the Spurs Stadium on January 4th, perhaps?

[thetime]

Dyche not been given enough credit at Everton. 2 defeats in the league since 14 September.

 

i thought they would be in the bottom 3 come today. Last 3 games city, Chelsea and Arsenal and stayed defeated. 

 

A lot of draws, but good turnaround. 

 

Getting in there posting, before the Newcastle love in. 😍

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 26, 2024 by thetime

[charlierc]

5 hours ago, thetime said:

Dyche not been given enough credit at Everton. 2 defeats in the league since 14 September.

 

i thought they would be in the bottom 3 come today. Last 3 games city, Chelsea and Arsenal and stayed defeated. 

 

A lot of draws, but good turnaround. 

 

Getting in there posting, before the Newcastle love in. 😍

 

 

The habit of Newcastle fans (especially me) being a bit much in the chat huh. Though with 3 wins in a row and now 5th in the league, things are starting to click together rather well after the slow patch. So, yay. Even if today we were helped by Duran's attempt to win the ball off Schar being given the biggest possible sanction, somewhat harshly.

 

I have been burned before, but daunting games on paper for Newcastle away at Man Utd and Spurs either side of New Year's Day are suddenly looking winnable given neither of those are looking in good nick. Bruno Fernandes being sent off today, and indeed by the two yellows route meaning that they can't appeal (never understood why), could be helpful too.

[Skip997]

8 minutes ago, charlierc said:

Bruno Fernandes being sent off today, and indeed by the two yellows route meaning that they can't appeal (never understood why), could be helpful too.

Fernandes sent off! Really? 
TBH no idea how he survives so many games 

[charlierc]

Seven points ahead of the rest of the gang having played a game less means that, while I know the gap will have a point shaved off if Arsenal beat Ipswich tomorrow (something you'd imagine they would do), it's beginning to look like Liverpool's pole position is even more comfortable.

 

Certainly, if a flatlining Man City were to win the league from here despite their still confounding loss of form now reaching 1 win in 13 and a sense they might need to do a January rebuild to even qualify for the Champions League, that would be a story. An unexpected and unlikely one, but a story nevertheless.

[charlierc]

14 hours ago, Skip997 said:

Fernandes sent off! Really? 
TBH no idea how he survives so many games 

You say that, this is his third red card of the season already. Even if the one he was shown against Spurs was later rescinded.

[kaosmark2]

On 12/26/2024 at 4:43 PM, thetime said:

Getting in there posting, before the Newcastle love in. 😍

😁

At least unlike a certain other club, we post even outside the good form

[thetime]

1 minute ago, kaosmark2 said:

😁

At least unlike a certain other club, we post even outside the good form

 

Very true. 

[charlierc]

I have no idea what to make of the Mags' trip to Old Trafford tonight. Newcastle's record at Man Utd is historically sh*t, having won once in league games there since the early 70s - we've actually won more FA Cup semis in that time at Old Trafford - and looking at the trends, Newcastle don't tend to win games close to or on my birthday, which is coming up tomorrow.

 

Still, given how incoherent Man Utd have looked of late, this feels like a game to go for the win and pick up, especially given Newcastle look in their best form this season so far. Guess we'll find out tonight.

 

Certainly will be helpful if Man City are now winning games again and Forest are still defying gravity judging by the fact they're second and even if Chelsea & Arsenal win their game this week they'll still be 4th.

[Gnomicide]

18 minutes ago, charlierc said:

I have no idea what to make of the Mags' trip to Old Trafford tonight. Newcastle's record at Man Utd is historically sh*t, having won once in league games there since the early 70s - we've actually won more FA Cup semis in that time at Old Trafford - and looking at the trends, Newcastle don't tend to win games close to or on my birthday, which is coming up tomorrow.

 

Still, given how incoherent Man Utd have looked of late, this feels like a game to go for the win and pick up, especially given Newcastle look in their best form this season so far. Guess we'll find out tonight.

 

Certainly will be helpful if Man City are now winning games again and Forest are still defying gravity judging by the fact they're second and even if Chelsea & Arsenal win their game this week they'll still be 4th.

 

If you could give them a good kicking, to further shatter their confidence ahead of the weekend, that would be nice. Thanks.

[kaosmark2]

38 minutes ago, charlierc said:

I have no idea what to make of the Mags' trip to Old Trafford tonight. Newcastle's record at Man Utd is historically sh*t, having won once in league games there since the early 70s - we've actually won more FA Cup semis in that time at Old Trafford - and looking at the trends, Newcastle don't tend to win games close to or on my birthday, which is coming up tomorrow.

 

Still, given how incoherent Man Utd have looked of late, this feels like a game to go for the win and pick up, especially given Newcastle look in their best form this season so far. Guess we'll find out tonight.

 

Certainly will be helpful if Man City are now winning games again and Forest are still defying gravity judging by the fact they're second and even if Chelsea & Arsenal win their game this week they'll still be 4th.

I'm optimistic. They just look farcical right now. It's also a whole 4 days since our last match so hopefully the players will be fairly fresh and rested.

[thetime]

56 minutes ago, charlierc said:

I have no idea what to make of the Mags' trip to Old Trafford tonight. Newcastle's record at Man Utd is historically sh*t, having won once in league games there since the early 70s - we've actually won more FA Cup semis in that time at Old Trafford - and looking at the trends, Newcastle don't tend to win games close to or on my birthday, which is coming up tomorrow.

 

Still, given how incoherent Man Utd have looked of late, this feels like a game to go for the win and pick up, especially given Newcastle look in their best form this season so far. Guess we'll find out tonight.

 

Certainly will be helpful if Man City are now winning games again and Forest are still defying gravity judging by the fact they're second and even if Chelsea & Arsenal win their game this week they'll still be 4th.

 

15 minutes ago, kaosmark2 said:

I'm optimistic. They just look farcical right now. It's also a whole 4 days since our last match so hopefully the players will be fairly fresh and rested.

 

If you can't beat this utd side, that pretty much is on Newcastle. 

 

In a very average season quality wise, Newcastle should be aiming for top 4 minimum and 2nd place is certainly up for grabs. 

 

Top 4 or the Carabao? 

[kaosmark2]

35 minutes ago, thetime said:

 

 

If you can't beat this utd side, that pretty much is on Newcastle. 

 

In a very average season quality wise, Newcastle should be aiming for top 4 minimum and 2nd place is certainly up for grabs. 

 

Top 4 or the Carabao? 

I still think City will rally and get top 4. Unless they make no signings or get a points deduction or something.

 

But if I had my choice, the cup win. Trophies matter and we haven't had one since 1969.

[charlierc]

1 hour ago, Gnomicide said:

 

If you could give them a good kicking, to further shatter their confidence ahead of the weekend, that would be nice. Thanks.

With the form Liverpool are in and judging by how much West Ham were sliced through last night, I don't think you need help. Even if Man Utd are in a morale slump and have a lot of square pegs in round holes.

[charlierc]

1 hour ago, kaosmark2 said:

I'm optimistic. They just look farcical right now. It's also a whole 4 days since our last match so hopefully the players will be fairly fresh and rested.

 

1 hour ago, thetime said:

 

 

If you can't beat this utd side, that pretty much is on Newcastle. 

 

In a very average season quality wise, Newcastle should be aiming for top 4 minimum and 2nd place is certainly up for grabs. 

 

Top 4 or the Carabao? 

It may well be that I'm still thinking in my head that people were talking us up as having an easy win in the league match at OT back in May only for us to lose and that result ended up costing us 6th, which would've got us Europe (yes, the Conference League, which we can't keep a separate starting 11 for like Chelsea are, but still).

 

My ambition before the season was to finish in the European places. So I'm happy with a top 6 spot. If we can beat Arsenal in the Carabao semis, that would be pretty awesome but one step at a time, especially as it's plausible the final will be against a very good looking Liverpool side (well unless Spurs go to the good end of their batshit scale).

[Neil]

On 12/22/2024 at 10:10 PM, charlierc said:

They are a thoroughly strange football club. Top scorers in the Premier League, one of the few clubs with a goal difference over +10, decent enough home record, beat Man City 4-0 when we thought Man City were just in a blip then a full on meltdown, and yet here we are with them in the bottom half at Christmas. 

sh*t owners

[kaosmark2]

7 hours ago, thetime said:

If you can't beat this utd side, that pretty much is on Newcastle.

😏

[charlierc]

Think it says a lot about my muscle memory being worried about a comeback. Not least the precedent in 2018 when the Toon were 2-0 up at Old Trafford at half-time, and were still 2-0 up with 20 minutes to go only to lose. Although even then that was a team with talents and one that would probably beat the current one.

 

Eriksen & Casemiro as a central midfield pairing was a bold pick that really didn't work and it's hard to see how Zirkzee recovers from that humiliation. 

[Ryan1984]

I didn’t see it but it sounds like the reaction to Zirkzee was harsh? Apparently one of the few Man Utd players that were trying.

[Gnomicide]

Hopefully over the coming weeks games against us, Man Utd will play like they did in the first half and Newcastle will play like they did in the second half.

[charlierc]

2 minutes ago, Ryan1984 said:

I didn’t see it but it sounds like the reaction to Zirkzee was harsh? Apparently one of the few Man Utd players that were trying.

I'm aware I could be seen as throwing stones from a glass house given Newcastle fans have been arsey to players in the past. But they really went for it in booing him off and I'm not convinced he was the biggest reason why they were just so sh*t in the first half hour. Casemiro-Eriksen as a CM pairing was a puzzling choice, Lisandro Martinez looked hopeless and they seem to be playing wide wing-backs that aren't really wing-backs - positions you suspect Amorim will want as priority in the upcoming window.

 

Rumours of Zirkzee going back to Italy have been doing the rounds in the past few weeks. Maybe that's something that'll transpire.

[thetime]

3 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

😏

 

Nothing to be proud of mate, we are relegation threatened fodder. 

 

 

[thetime]

1 hour ago, charlierc said:

I'm aware I could be seen as throwing stones from a glass house given Newcastle fans have been arsey to players in the past. But they really went for it in booing him off and I'm not convinced he was the biggest reason why they were just so sh*t in the first half hour. Casemiro-Eriksen as a CM pairing was a puzzling choice, Lisandro Martinez looked hopeless and they seem to be playing wide wing-backs that aren't really wing-backs - positions you suspect Amorim will want as priority in the upcoming window.

 

Rumours of Zirkzee going back to Italy have been doing the rounds in the past few weeks. Maybe that's something that'll transpire.

 

Unfortunately utd fans have been doing it for years, it's nothing new.