The Toon and English football fans alike welcome back domestic football this weekend as the Magpies take on Brentford at St James’ Park. Their opposition the Bees have enjoyed a solid start to their Championship campaign and currently sit in 7th position in the table.
On the back a stern rearguard has been where Saturday’s opposition have built momentum; they have conceded just 9 goals so far this season and have lost just three games – the same amount as us.
Up top they also have quite the bite with dangerous striker Scott Hogan netting 7 goals for them this season. Of course, the absence of Alan Judge after his horrific broken leg injury will help ease the work load in the centre of the park.
Where the game will be won or lost
From all accounts, Brentford have not been a side to ‘sit back’ and rest on their laurels this season. Whilst sides such as Huddersfield have come to St James’ and sat deep to claim a victory, it’s likely Dean Smith’s men will want to take the game to us from the off.
This in my opinion, with the pace we have on the break, will only play into our hands. Brentford have only conceded 9 goals this season but with us being the league’s most dangerous side going forward, I do not think this will be a case of the ‘immovable object meets the unstoppable force’.
Brentford’s admirable stubbornness to play football the ‘right way’ may in fact be their downfall tomorrow afternoon. With this in mind, I’d like to see Rafa field a high attacking line and have plenty of bodies forward for when we do break on the attack.
With Mitro’s fine international form and Diame’s questionable club form, I’d like to see the latter dropped this weekend and see a front two of Gayle and Mitrovic deployed by Benitez.
Prediction
Despite my 1-0 prediction the other day, I believe this match will have more goals in it than originally expected. I still think we’ll win, and indeed I still think the margin of victory will be narrow but a scrappy win akin to the one we got against Rotherham will not be on the cards tomorrow I feel.
Therefore, as a result, I’m plumping for a 3-2 win in Tyneside this weekend.
With a little over 24 hours to go until kick off, feel free to get the banter and discussion started in anticipation for tomorrow’s game in the comments below.
Incredible crowd in the championship vs a side like Brentford.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
GETINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGAYLE AGAIN
kimtoon(Quote)
Yeeeesssssss… Gayle again! 3-0 get iiiinnnnnnn.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
3-0
Fans Should Own the Club(Quote)
Now this is the performance I’ve been hoping for!!!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
The answer my friends is blowing in the wind, it’s blowing in a Gayle force wind 🙂
kimtoon(Quote)
****
Dubai Toon(Quote)
FFS
kimtoon(Quote)
Brighton level now, Norwich still winning
kimtoon(Quote)
Arsenal 3-1 up now
Dubai Toon(Quote)
What were the subs?
Fans Should Own the Club(Quote)
Lascelles off and Hanley on
Dubai Toon(Quote)
strange–Lascelles injured?
Thought I heard something about Shelvey coming off.
Fans Should Own the Club(Quote)
Sounds like Atsu not having a good match today.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
No Shelvey still on
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Nice–Arsenal 3-2 Swansea
Fans Should Own the Club(Quote)
Apparently Scum have had 2 players sent off for fighting !
kimtoon(Quote)
Wow! With each other?
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Red card for Xhaka. The kid seems to love him some trouble.
Fans Should Own the Club(Quote)
Atsu off for Yedlin… sounds like a good switch
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Scrap that, someone on a windup
kimtoon(Quote)
What odds for Yedlin to score and Big Bald Bob Bradley to win at Arsenal? A good day for the yanks!
Fans Should Own the Club(Quote)
Need to see Mitro for Perez now I think
Dubai Toon(Quote)
brighton, Norwich and Steves Derby all winning
kimtoon(Quote)
Lazaar for Gouff. So no Mitro today.. be interesting to see what Lazaar can do
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Bournemouth 6-1 up now vs Hull ?? 😯
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Several chances for Swansea at Arsenal. Could get an equalizer.
Fans Should Own the Club(Quote)
5 mins ffs !!!!!
kimtoon(Quote)
Dropped a clanger last time he came on, don’t think Rafa trust him
kimtoon(Quote)
Yedlin’s in midfield ahead of Anita?
Fans Should Own the Club(Quote)
That’ll do me. Nice 3-1 win, though it should’ve been 4…
Dubai Toon(Quote)
great result, didn’t I tell you all I had a good feeling about this game 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
Everything has gone through Shelvey again today like.
This was exactly the performance I was referring to a few weeks back.
Yes we’ve conceded but we’ve never looked like loosing this game. Good result but excellent performance IMO
Sharpy17(Quote)
you did mate,i wasnt so sure on this on,Barnsley got thumped today as well 😉
icedog(Quote)
Atsu had another good game today as well, but where was Ritchie? – not even on the bench?!
Sharpy17(Quote)
he was sick mate,some sort of bug
icedog(Quote)
They rested Ritchie Ice. He played both games for the Jocks.
SMBs goin’ down.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
8 games, 2 points. Moyes for Scotland.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sunderland 2 – 3 Crystal Palace
Sunderland 1 – 1 West Brom
Stoke 2 – 0 Sunderland
West Ham ? – ? Sunderland
These are the games that they needed to win. 🙂
DJG(Quote)
I thought Ritchie must have been knackered to not even make the bench.
Just watched the highlights/goals on SSN and Shelvey gets assists for 1st & 3rd and plays the killer pass into the box that lead to the goal – real quality.
Having watched England in the week – arguably the kind of passing missing in the midfield.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Another good three points. Performance was good too. Keep leaving games thinking we should have scored more which is a good sign.
Shelveybwas immense today but I hope we aren’t too reliant on him.
Stuart79(Quote)
Sharpy17
Shelvey is sometimes a bit clumsy and slow, which is maybe why he only has one cap. He’s technically far superior to Henderson though! Henderson just doesn’t kick the ball like a footballer IMO, it’s like he’s in the wrong sport.
DJG(Quote)
I see Villa drew again. They don’t seem to be able to get a win..
Dubai Toon(Quote)
DJG – don’t get me wrong mate, I’m not saying that Shelvey is a superior midfielder or that it’s a travesty he’s not in the England squad. Just saying there is nobody in the England squad that can pass a ball like that a set an attack away so quickly. Dwight Gayle must be loving his life at the moment, playing in a team where someone can spot his runs and place the ball on his foot most of the time.
Sharpy17(Quote)
25 points from the last 30 available. That’s bloody impressive. Even more so considering we lost our first 2 games.
Stuart79(Quote)
Are we still paying Tiote’s wages ?
Munich Mag(Quote)
Here’s the goals ….
http://eachgoal.com/2016/10/newcastle-united-vs-brentford-3-1-highlights/
Munich Mag(Quote)
I’d like ‘boro to beat Watford today and stay up TBH. They deserve any bit of luck they can get after what has happened to steel manufacturing etc. Plus there is the chance that we could swop places and never play each other for aboot 15 years.
DJG(Quote)
If everything goes to plan we’ll see the legendary de Jong brothers running out on Wednesday at the Allianz Arena for PSV Eindhoven against FC Bayern. Champions League…. now that will be worth watching…. ?
Munich Mag(Quote)
Watched MOTD this morning and boy are the Scum poor.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim – there’s not a Sunderland fan I know that hasn’t already accepted they are in the Championship next season.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sheff Wed are winning at Huddersfield with 10mins left. We’ll stay 2nd if they don’t score.
DJG(Quote)
Good little weekend for us, of the teams in the play-off positions; one team drew and the other three lost. We’re still in check with Norwich but I can’t see them dropping many points. As long as we are second that’s all that matters but a long way to go. Maybe Huddersfield will drop away somewhat now after their amazing (but unlikely) start. I would like to challenge Norwich for the title though, especially after the result at SJP. 🙂
DJG(Quote)
Huddersfield lose there first home game,love it 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
We just have to pray Shelvey doesn’t get a knock. Remember our struggles last season with a midfield of Colback and Anita. Doesn’t bear thinking about.
Georgio(Quote)
Georgio – I do think with Diame and Hayden our midfield is stronger. But I agree that Shelvey offers something different – something most other clubs (including PL clubs) don’t have.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Tables looking tidy isn’t it lads and lasses 🙂
kimtoon(Quote)
hows your house carry on going mate,tidy i hope 😆
icedog(Quote)
Ice, got my buyers surveyor coming on Thursday, apparently he’ll be here up to 3 hours ! Holy cow he’s gonna find so many things wrong 😳 Them reports are designed to scare the ***** out of first time buyers not to mention justify their bloody fees. 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)
Ice, with this hacking cough I got going on I’m hoping he’ll be wanting to get out the house asap 😆
kimtoon(Quote)
crooks everywhere you turn mate but what can you do 😥
icedog(Quote)
😆 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
Ice, I’m not gonna sweat on it mate, it is what it is, if I’m meant to move I will, that’s the way I see it. I would prefer it done before xmas comes though if it’s gonna happen.
kimtoon(Quote)
It’s like last time, where it was basically between us and West Brom. Huddersfield had a go but I can’t see them staying at the top for the whole season. I’m surprised at how poor Villa are though, another point yesterday but they will be lucky to make the play-offs with Brucey and it’s only 1/4 of the way into the season. 😛
At the start of the season I went to the Huddersfield game and I got the impression that we were poor and couldn’t go forward, not that Huddersfield were particularly good. It was a bit of a smash and grab from them and they only seem to lose by one goal or win by 1/2 goals. Just look at our GD compared to theirs… Form temporary, class permanent. 🙂
DJG(Quote)
Yeah I was saying a week or so ago that they are at the top on very little goal wise. Can’t keep relying on 1 goal wins or margins . They have had an amazing start though but I would be surprised to see them sustain it.
kimtoon(Quote)
“For the first time this season we are doing better than Chris Hughton’s Championship winning side of 2009-2010 and after 12 games played we have 25 points, which is one point more than we had seven years ago after 12 games played.”
From Ed’s. Put’s some perspective on it actually – I thought we’d still be behind. Add in the fact that our squad then must have been on even bigger wages and the championship itself is a much tougher league than it was 7 years ago and we are plugging away nicely. It’s a shame Norwich are as well like but so long as there’s only two teams in it i’m not fussed, automatic promotion is all I care about.
Newkie(Quote)
Sup guys, new thread by myself coming this eve regarding the Brentford game.
Andy Magpie(Quote)
New thread ≥>>>>>>>
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2016/10/17/st-james-park-in-the-late-1940s/
Shamrock(Quote)