Preferred XI
Rafa made changes over the weekend, but there were a few who failed to grasp their big chance, so I can see us returning to our tried and trusted side for this one.
I can’t see it happening, but here’s the side I’d like to see Rafa try out tonight:
The Opposition
Aside from the obvious (Kane, Eriksen, Alli, Son), here’s a few players I’ll have my eye on tomorrow:
Davinson Sanchez – An outstanding athlete and highly impressive centre-back on his day, but he’s quite erratic when put under pressure. Capable of making a big mistake if he’s put under enough pressure (you know what to do Ritchie, Gayle, Diame, Perez..)
Huge Lloris – Has been criticised by several Spurs fans recently after a few too many errors. Testing him early doors could be a wise move to make the Wembley crowd even more tense.
Moussa Sissoko – He could start given midfield options Dembele, Dier and Winks have all been ruled out. We know what he’s like. Limit his space on the ball and he’ll struggle to do much more than make 5-yard passes.
Predicted Spurs XI – (3-4-2-1) – Lloris – Sanchez, Alderweireld, Vertonghen – Trippier, Wanyama, Eriksen, Davies – Alli, Son – Kane.
For an inside look into tonight’s opponents, take a look at the latest edition of the ‘Opposition Opinion’. Another good insight into this weekend’s opponents.
Form
Newcastle – 10th (41 pts) – Last 5 in the league – Won: 2 / Drawn: 0 / Lost: 3
Tottenham – 4th (71 pts) – Last 5 in the league – Won: 2 / Drawn: 1 / Lost: 2
Team news
Atsu and Clark have been ruled out of this one once again, with the former set to miss the final two games of the season. Slimani has returned to Leicester after being handed a three-game ban, so he won’t be in the squad.
Eric Dier is suffering from illness and will miss out, but Jan Vertonghen is available despite coming off injured late on during Saturday’s late defeat at West Brom.
Midfield maestro Mousa Dembele is out, as is right-back Serge Aurier and midfielder Harry Winks. (Via BBC)
Match Prediction
Unfortunately, it feels like we’ve switched off for the season. Securing a top 10 finish and pulling off a shock win at Wembley are our two main motivators tonight, but Tottenham’s urge to secure Champions League football could trump that in this one.
I think we’ll be a little more switched on than we were on Saturday (we’ll have to be!), but I see Spurs having too much for this in this one – especially when they’ll be out to avenge their late defeat to West Brom at the weekend.
I fancy us to score and aim to unsettle them from the off, but the gulf in class in the final third makes me believe they’ll comfortably outscore us.
Prediction: Spurs 3-1 Newcastle
Howay the lads!
Are we playing Barcelona tomorrow? Maybe a combined all time world 11 with Gerd Muller, fat and thin Ronaldos and Messi as a front 4.
Why?
Coz I checked the odds on NUFC.com and we are:
16/1 win
6/1 draw
2/11 loss
Spurs are a good team but they did just lose to West Brom FFS.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So, this is who the bookies think we are up against today:
Gerd Muller
Ronaldo Pele Ronaldo (fat)
Cruyff Messi
Marcelo Moore Beckenbauer Lahm
Neure
Eric Sykes(Quote)
May as well not bother turning up.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
16 to 1 seems way off. 6 to 1 maybe?
I don’t bet so maybe somebody who does can enlighten me.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So, Spurs are Man City now? And Man City just drew with Huddersfield.
16 to 1?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Darren Moore. Totally deserved. Pards 🙂
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5705051/Darren-Moore-wins-April-Premier-League-manager-month.html
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Martin Keown = Moron.
It is hard to even think of how stupid you have to be to write this article. Rooney saved Everton according to Keown. His goals saved them, coz he has 10 like. 4 were penalties Martin.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5706047/Dont-write-Wayne-Rooney-plenty-offer.html
Eric Sykes(Quote)
BTW I am not saying we will win, just that the odds are a bit off.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Keown also wrote articles before the Euros that Wazza was world class and England’s best player and also said he was fundamental to Man U before he was let go. I think he also said that Wayne walked on water, invented the wheel and helped Beethoven out with his 9th symphony.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
16/1 in a 2 horse race is an insult. I’ll be having money on us. Spurs have a couple of problems in midfield too. They’re not having a great run either.
Next two games have a big influence on top four. I think this is the only way we’ll have involvement on top four issues…
Eric, I can’t see Huddersfield getting anything tonight. I see Swansea bearing Stoke so it’s all down to Arsenal and Huddersfield. Arsenal haven’t won away all year but it’s Wengers last game so maybe they’ll be up for it. I think Huddersfield are deep in the ****…
Stuart79(Quote)
So Rafa reckons we need to break our record to sign a decent striker. Who knew!!! Well, apart from Jabba!
I think this shows it’s not just about money for Rafa. It’s about ambition, intent and acting like a football club. Jabba will struggle.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: I rechecked the odds on NUFC.com because I thought it might be one of the deals when you get extra back for signing up with a bookie. But here are the odds from somewhere else.
Again, I don’t think we have much chance on form and our London record but we are not a pub team either 🙂
https://betting.betfair.com/football/premier-league/tottenham-v-newcastle-odds-betting-tips-preview-wednesday-09-may-070518-719.html
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Odds on Sir Harry Kane being sent off – 15 million, billion, billion to 1.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
What odds are Huddersfield to get relegated, Eric?
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: if Hudders go down on goal difference it will give an even bigger stick to beat Neville and Carra with when they were saying we were a disgrace to set up defensively against an City.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
11/4 at betvictor.
Were 5/1 after Man City draw.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Its a tough one Stuart. You have to assume a Swansea win and 2 losses for Huddersfield. But you called it a long way out so I won’t argue.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
By the way. Guess who Phil (the idiot brother) Neville predicted to be relegated? All 3 promoted teams. Not only did he predict it but he mentioned it during the City/Huddersfield game.
Just a quick note Phil. If you are totally wrong on something that you are supposed to know something about, best not broadcast it to millions of people.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
England to win World Cup at Skybet – 16 to fcking 1 🙂 🙂 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
NUFC to beat Spurs the same as England to win the World Cup. Hmmm…
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I don’t mean to go on a rant here, but that is insanity.
I would say we are about 6-1 to beat Spurs and 100-1 to win the WC. I would say we are about evens to get out of the easiest group after the easiest qualifiers.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Just listening to George Caulkin and he says the club have said to Rafa that if he doesn’t sign a new contract we would struggle to sign new players… Great Podcast from true Faith by the way. Brilliant insight.
Stuart79(Quote)
I am not saying NUFC will beat Spurs. But…
If you gave me a pound and said which bet I would take? England to win the WC at 16-1 or NUFC to beat Spurs at 16-1?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
What! You forgot to say “respected journalist”.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Post a link and I will give it a listen.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Post a link and I will give it a listen.
Replied to myself. Is that the definition of insanity?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, just go to ITunes and get True Faith Podcasts. They’re good stuff
Stuart79(Quote)
Pards:
http://www.football365.com/news/west-broms-relegation-the-damning-statistics
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Interesting journalists claims lately linking us with a defender from the leakiest defence in the league, Dawson, and I really can’t be bothered today Shaqiri from the bottom club. It’ll be bringing back Sissoko next or Torres. We’re in for a summer of this twaddle.
georgio(Quote)
Given that we need to replace Clarke and Mbemba as back-ups we will be linked with defenders.
PremAndUp(Quote)
Stu – to be fair they are probably right. He’s the biggest draw for any decent player signing for NUFC – and if they don’t know if he’s going to be there beyond next summer they may be put off.
But then that means it’s down to them to do whatever’s needed to get Rafa to sign – it’s not Rafas problem, he’ll only be there one season ??♂️
Sharpy17(Quote)
Nice try by jabba putting our ability to sign decent players on Rafa signing like.
So give Rafa a reason to sign then mike. Not getting the decent players is the least of jabbas problems if Rafa fails to sign or walks away, the clubs value will lose millions without a world class manager at the helm, I suspect that’s what’s really bothering the fat ****. Since when has signing quality players bothered him anyway, cheap profit earners are his way.
kimtoon(Quote)
Here’s an idea Mike, sell up, then RAFA signs for new owners and we get decent players, simples.
kimtoon(Quote)
Oh, and we are gonna lose tonight.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kimtoon: I wasn’t saying we are unlikely to lose, I was saying the odds are off.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It seems like Rafa is taking the game seriously as is Poch because he is playing Sir Harry Kane.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Huddersfield might yet be saved by Arsenal’s complete and utter pathetic away form…
Stuart79(Quote)
He picks up useless paper and puts it in his pocket
I’m trying hard to keep my fingers clean
I can’t remember tell me what’s his name
MY NAME IS (SIR) HARRY KANE
And all I wanted was a word or photograph to keep at home
And all I wanted was a word a photograph to keep.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
We have Chelsea v Huddersfield on here. Another fat, bald Ref.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I am watching him now. Anthony Mason. He looks like he is off on a Sunday afternoon stroll with Jack Wilshere and Wayne Rooney.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Can’t waste chances like these
kimtoon(Quote)
We do though, Kim. It’s what pisses me right off! With a decent striker and better support we’d be top 7 this season.
Stuart79(Quote)
Rafa keeps telling jabba the same think,does he listen NO
Icedog(Quote)
Jabba will be watching this and thinking why does Rafa need better players, we’ve stayed up and are playing well against Spurs!
Stuart79(Quote)
Right on cue. This will boil Rafa’s ****. This is why he should consider his future.
Stuart79(Quote)
Fucking Kane, knew we’d get punished for missed chances first half.
kimtoon(Quote)
We’ve been unbeaten at the new Wembley for a while so it had to come to a end sometime…
Stuart79(Quote)
So pissed off, trying to get onto the club sit3 to listen to th3 match and they have changed log in… need to register again… they didn’t send an email to verify so cannot log in… trine a million (almost) times to resend email to verify… nothing.. the site is as fucking useless as our team. Stuck in hotel room in Italy with no way to watch or listen, only sky sports super slow newsfeed. And Kane scored… ?????????????
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Great stuff from Huddersfield. Really amazing considering their final three fixtures. Great that all promoted teams are staying up.
Would be a warning to most normal owners…
Stuart79(Quote)
https://www.nufc.co.uk/nufc-tv/live/live-audio
kimtoon(Quote)
Something tells me Wagner won’t be at Huddersfield next season. Maybe NUFC???
Stuart79(Quote)
Has this ever happened, all 3 promoted teams staying up ? anyone know.
kimtoon(Quote)
Hi Kim, thanks that’s what I tried to use, but it says I have to re register… not much point now though I guess missed it all.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
How can we be good one half and so poor the other. Oh for a quality finisher.
kimtoon(Quote)
Only 3rd time in PL history that three promoted sides all stayed up 2001-02 (Blackburn, Fulham, Bolton) & 2011-12 (Swansea, Norwich, QPR)
Dubai Toon(Quote)
So Swansea down then, even if they win their goal dif is ****
kimtoon(Quote)
Cheers mate, knew it couldn’t of been that often. good effort by all then .
kimtoon(Quote)
Same old same old story all season – 14 attempts and only 3 on target.
I know it’s only paper talk linking us with defenders, but if Rafa doesn’t clear the decks of our forwards and get a new set of forwards in, it will be another long hard season next season I reckon.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – I think, considering Rafa’s efforts (wasted) in January that attacking players are a priority. We need a striker, no 10, winger and a defender.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – we need at least 2 strikers and the rest of the players you mention there mate.
I have no great concerns with Clark or Mbemba as back up CBs but major concerns with Manquillo as a back up full back .
But CFs – Gayle isn’t good enough, Joselu was a waste of a fax never mind the £5m or whatever he was, and Mitrovic isn’t wanted by Rafa. So for me, that should be 3 out and ideally 3 in – but at least 2.
Sharpy17(Quote)
NEW THREAD
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2018/05/09/tottenham-1-0-newcastle-another-reminder-why-ashley-must-back-benitez-this-summer/
Post Spurs thoughts – another perfect advert as to why we NEED a new striker
Olly Hawkins(Quote)