After two wins on the trot at St James’ Park, we could’ve probably done without an international break to disrupt our momentum, however we must be coming into this one the more confident side.
The first few months of the season were hard to watch and devoid of any real positives at times, however we look in better fettle than Burnley – a team who’ve failed to win in their last five, looking tired and not nearly as tough to beat at Turf Moor.
I still expect a tough and tight game, but I have a feeling we’ll be on the right side of a low scoring match in this one.
A lot may depend on two things. One being how we cope without Paul Dummett, with us lacking cover at left-back and it being easy to forget what a good job he does for us defensively, and the other factor being Salomon Rondon. His presence and ability to get the ball to stick in the final third was something we’d lacked all season in the win over Bournemouth.
Anything like a repeat performance and we could be in business here, with him giving us a platform to build on in attack, but if he doesn’t turn up I wonder how it could affect the likes of Perez, Kenedy and Ritchie – three players who thrived from his brilliant hold up play.
Our form may be picking up, but we’re still just a point above the drop zone as it stands, so it is vital we make the most of this generous run of fixtures between now and Christmas – especially when Burnley look very much like a possible relegation rival
Preferred XI
As ever, here’s the team I’d like to see, followed by the side I expect Rafa to go with:
The chances of Rafa going with the above team/formation are unlikely, but it could make a lot of sense in Dummett’s absence.
Now, there’s every chance Lascelles won’t be fit in time for this one, however Ciaran Clark could fill in as one of the three centre-backs if the skipper doesn’t make it.
This formation is something Rafa has tried before and it seems suitable given A) Our lack of alternatives to fill in for Dummett at left-back and B) the fact we have plenty capable centre-backs and two players I believe would be ideal wing-backs in Kenedy and Yedlin.
Kenedy always played as a left wing-back during his time at Chelsea and this position could also suit Yedlin well, also allowing for the fact we have several quality centre-backs. If Lascelles wasn’t fit I’d be less inclined to do this, but Benitez has shown already this season that he isn’t afraid to play Clark.
Rafa is far more likely to make minimal changes and just put Clark in for Dummett at left-back, however he struggled badly last time he played hear in our early season cup defeat at Forest, so I really wouldn’t fancy him up against Aaron Lennon!
(4-4-1-1) – Dubravka – Yedlin, Schar, Fernandez, Clark – Ritchie, Ki, Diame, Kenedy – Perez – Rondon.
The Opposition
Here’s a few ‘ones to watch’ in this Burnley side:
Predicted Burnley XI – (4-4-1-1) – Hart – Lowton, Long, Mee, Taylor – Lennon, Cork, Defour, Gudmundssson – Vyrda – Vokes.
Team news
Paul Dummett has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, with Jonjo Shelvey, Jamaal Lascelels and Yoshinori Muto also doubts after failing to complete a full training session so far this week.
Florian Lejeune is back in training but it will be a few weeks before he returns after a 4-month layoff following a knee ligament injury.
For Sean Dyche, star centre-back James Tarkowski has been ruled out, while ex-Boro skipper Ben Gibson will also miss out.
Match Prediction
I fancy us in this one. We’ve won two on the spin, while Burnley haven’t won in their last five – with them seeming far more fragile and beatable than they were last season.
That being said, we’ve generally struggled for goals this season and we may be weakened at the back, with Paul Dummett ruled out. For me, the game will depend on our ability to cope without him down that left-hand side and whether or not the real Salomon Rondon shows up.
If we cope without Dummett, Schar and Ki perform and Rondon turns up then I’m very confident we can come away with a solid win, but knowing how we tend to work it won’t be as easy as that!
Prediction: Burnley 0-1 Newcastle
Howay the lads!
Not a good goal for us that.
Stuart79(Quote)
I watched the Huddersfield game and they were better than Wolves. Maybe Wolves were overhyped because they spent so much money?
It looks like it will be 3 from the bottom 7 and it will probably change weekly. Now we need a result tomorrow just to keep pace with Huddersfield who most had tagged as relegation certs.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I don’t really see Rafa starting either Lascelles or Shelvey as they have not been back in training. Hopefully they will be on the bench as that desperately needs an upgrade from the Bournemouth game which was:
Darlow
Clark
Manquillo
Hayden
Atsu
Murphy
Joselu
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And why did Muto go to Japan? They had 2 friendlies and he wasn’t in either matchday squad. I also thought he was injured.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Muto might have missed the Sushi, Eric.
I doubt Lascelles will play. But Shelvey might as he’s been here for two weeks and Rafa tends to rest players who have been on international duty. But I’d play Ki and Diame.
Stuart79(Quote)
Well, I think Ranieri saying Mitro is one of the best strikers in the world is good psychology. His scoring record for Serbia actually puts him at that elite level.
Compare that with Mourinho who seems to have lost the plot. He’s calling some of players immature and spoilt which is true but he didn’t have to name them. He should stick to being angry with the press but now seems angry with the world. What the hell is he doing still living in a hotel anyway after 2 and a half years?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I fancy us to get something tonight then I remember Southampton and Cardiff away. We were absolutely dire when three points seemed achievable. 1-1 and I won’t be disappointed.
georgio(Quote)
Muto had paternity leave.
georgio(Quote)
Cheers georgio. So it was a complete coincidence that Japan had 2 home friendlies. I couldn’t figure it out and hadn’t seen anything about paternity leave.
Any news on his injury?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Should be interesting t hear what Gary Neville has to say tonight as he hates NUFC and Rafa.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Be happy with a draw but we really should be looking to win this one.
kimtoon(Quote)
I watched about half an hour of this Almiron kid from Atlanta yesterday and he looks really good. They won 3-0 and there is a second leg and probably the final. I will try to watch these to see how he does. Of course there is the caveat of the quality in MLS but there have been a few successes like Donovan and Dempsey.
MLS are getting South Americans in because the American college kids they usually draft have been a bit **** for a few years. This kid is from Paraguay and is probably hungry to prove himself in a better league.
They don’t get paid that much either. The MLS teams spend all of their money on the aging ex-super stars. Coming to NUFC Almiron could probably get 10 times his current wages.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Who picked Burnley/NUFC as the featured Monday Night game? They couldn’t have seen either of us play this year. It is not even an enticing match up from how we both were last year.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, that Almiron lad has been linked with Arsenal for a while now and a few other top clubs, I think it highly unlikely we’d get him, especially as he would mean us breaking our transfer record too.
kimtoon(Quote)
Probably on the back of Burnley’s form last season as these games get decided quite early on I think.
kimtoon(Quote)
NUFC wages 4th lowest in the PL. Told you Fatman was preparing us for relegation! Chronic are still quoting that manipulated number in the Championship accounts as a real number though.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-uniteds-first-team-wage-15467606
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Quite staggering that there is only one club in the PL with a lower wage bill than ours. Burnley!
Can someone explain to me how it’s possible to have fallen so far behind?
Stuart79(Quote)
I see Darlow is injured in training…. will Rafa put Woodman on the bench I wonder?
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Sorry read it wrong. 4th lowest – is still a joke.
Stuart79(Quote)
Ashley is fattening the bank balance in case we get relegated. That meant getting rid of high earners, replacing them with lower earners and making a profit in the transfer market. 2 years of PL TV money gives Ashley a buffer in case we get relegated/Rafa leaves.
He might have a plan B to keep us up and we would certainly have the money. He could buy a couple of players and pay them the same as our top earner (Shelvey?). That would probably be competitive if they came from mid-table Germany or Spain or Portugal. Not the PL.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It has been evident al along what he has been doing with salaries but the Chronicle chose to believe the PR guff they put out about last years accounts.
It actually makes NUFC even more attractive to a buyer with a low payroll and cash in the bank. IF WE STAY IN THE PL.
When the accounts came out I said they were manipulating them and when those idiot finance professors were saying NUFC were worth 200 million I said they were idiots as well. It all comes out in the wash in the end.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Kim – Ramsey’s on his way out too so this guy could be his replacement.
It would be great if we could get him, but I think highly unlikely.
As we already have our maximum loan signings in, I’m preparing myself for a sod all January window – then anything else is a bonus.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Oh and my mam has just lost her job thanks to fat Mike Ashley – so I now only hope for bad things to happen to him and his, the glutinous piece of $hit.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Very sad, Sharpy. Although I’ve been hoping for this for the last 10 years!!
Stuart79(Quote)
kickoff delayed for 30 mins
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Shelvey on the bench, lascelles not.
I always thought it would be unchanged except for Dummett whatever Olly said 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Well that rules me out. Kick off will be 12.30am now for me… I’m going to bed. ☹️ I’ll find out the result tomorrow morning. Good luck …
Dubai Toon(Quote)
One positive of the late start is that at least we’re not losing yet.
Stuart79(Quote)
I’ve had enough of Ginola rabbiting on now like ?. Get this game kicked off FFS!!.
A different note – toon legends playing Gateshead at Gateshead Stadium next April – it’s on my 40th birthday with the likes of Howey, Fox, Beardo and my favourite toon player Rob Lee. Might take the boy along and bag a few birthday selfies ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy, rotten luck for your mum mate that. 🙁 right on top Christmas too. Lew’s stairlift broke this morning got to pay £188 to get it fixed tomorrow. Then our hazel broke her key off in her front door and had to pay over £100 to a locksmith ! Lew is ill again with his 4th cold in a row too, so a bad start to the week all round.
Anyway
HWTL, for gawd sake change all our luck with a win.
kimtoon(Quote)
sounds like a plan 😀
kimtoon(Quote)
Good start, nice early goal
kimtoon(Quote)
Get in!!!
Stuart79(Quote)
*** it’s only Clarky 😆
get in lad
kimtoon(Quote)
Burnley ending the half with more about them, need another goal for sure.
Martins positioning all wrong for their goal.
kimtoon(Quote)
Oh well. Pretty standard. We don’t do easy do we…?
Stuart79(Quote)
Kim – nowt to do with luck, it’s all thanks to that fat $hit refusing to pay the rent to the Metro Centre for the house of Fraser store. 63yrs old and the only wage going into her house – but at least his daughters boyfriend has something to play with (other than his daughter). I’d never wish ill health on anyone, but I wouldn’t mind his house burning down the ar$ehole that he is.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Kim – sorry to hear about your (more) misfortunes and poor Lewis seems to have been poorly for ages bless him. Hope it clears up soon so yous can enjoy a festive period – sounds like you all deserve it!!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I like the width this formation gives us, but Mo and Ki have been pretty ineffective in the first half so hopefully they can get more involved.
Hells Bells Ritchie!!!!! I was on my feet there
Sharpy17(Quote)
How the **** did he miss that 😯
kimtoon(Quote)
Sharpy, it’s been a pretty ***** year even by my standards 😀
63, it’s a difficult age to get another job too, poor lass.
kimtoon(Quote)
We really need that 3rd goal
kimtoon(Quote)
Well there’s our goal threat going off 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)
Well I wouldn’t be signing Rondon on a permanent deal unless he agreed to quit international football. Might sound harsh but he looked jaded tonight and I’m sure a lot of that is to do with all that travelling.
God this is going to be a long 15mins now!!
Sharpy17(Quote)
jesus wept how did he not score there ffs
kimtoon(Quote)
Jesus Christ! I’m calling home Misselu from now on.
Stuart79(Quote)
tfft
kimtoon(Quote)
Jesus wept! That was hard work!
Stuart79(Quote)
12 points, looking bit better now.
kimtoon(Quote)
What the hell was Hart doing?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
13th
kimtoon(Quote)
He travelled 16,000 miles. Japan and Doha.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Jabba will be putting his wallet away now. He will think all is well and no need to spend.
Stuart79(Quote)
We probably deserved to win.
I didn’t see Ritchie and Kenedy switching wings coming.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
What do you mean putting it away?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I did predict 2-1 to NUFC. It was predicated on the fact that almost all of the pundits predicted 1-1 and when there is such a consensus it hardly ever happens.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Well he might have got it out of his pocket. Not opened but taken out.
Rafa in his post match interview given the clearest hint yet that the reason why he’s not been given any money was because he hasn’t signed a new contract. “Important to remember that good players bought will still be here whether I am or not.” Or words to that effect.
Stuart79(Quote)
Well, I ended up watching the match last night anyway… went to bed, couldn’t sleep as I’m loaded with flu, so the wife says put the match on and just watch in bed … how to argue with that?
Great result but a pretty gash match to be honest. How the hell Ritchie and hoss missed those chances I’ll never know, but happy to get the win. Onwards and upwards…
Dubai Toon(Quote)
I think I just saw a tumbleweed rolling past…. ?
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Terrible, DT. We won and yet only a handful of comments after.
Stuart79(Quote)
Aye Stuart, the site has fallen a long way since the Toonsy days of hundreds of comments post match…
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Sorry lads, forgot to post new thread in the main group here…
Here it is incase anyone missed it:
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2018/11/26/burnley-1-2-newcastle-a-fully-deserved-win-despite-miss-of-the-season-three-in-a-row-for-nufc/
Olly Hawkins(Quote)