It finally happened. The stars aligned, angels sang, limbs flew, and the back injury I sustained when Fernandez scored against Southampton which I though was just about healed…..well it’s knackered again but who cares. Miggy!!!!!
Get in! Never have I wanted a Newcastle player to score more than our diminutive Paraguayan whippet – and what a moment it was for him, creating memorable scenes as the Gallowgate End erupted into complete pandemonium and sheer joy.
A great 3 points before Christmas and another big win at St James’ Park that sends us into the top 10.
I don’t think there was a single anew astle Newcastle fan who knew what to expect today, the glorious 7 point haul from a possible 9 came to an abrupt and unceremonious end at Burnley, with a woeful performance. It’s always a long week after we lose a game and despite Palace being injury ravaged and not in the best form, I still thought it could be a long afternoon. We all knew Saint Maximin and Willems would be a loss, but seeing a back line including Schar and Lejeune was a nice sight.
Our returning, strapping, tall, bionic French centre back (can you tell he’s my favourite player) was a joy to watch on the ball, Manquillo was outstanding, Almiron and Shelvey looked up for it, and in the first half at least some of our approach play was very decent, but sadly the final ball was lacking. Dummett always gives his all but he isn’t a wing back. We even managed 50% of possession! I thought I needed a lie down at half time.
The second half was a very tough watch to be honest. Palace took the initiative, moved the ball quite nicely while we laboured, but they couldn’t find a way through, with our defence, work rate and team spirit again carrying us through. Carroll tried playing every position on the pitch instead of centre forward, and him and Joelinton seemed to think they were on the pitch as part of a training exercise to give Palace the ball as easily as possible and then try and defend it.
On the one occasion Carroll did get in the box, he knocked down a brilliant Manquillo cross and then….absolute scenes. The fact Almiron’s first goal was at St James Park and got us 3 points made it even more special.
25 points at Christmas. A simply fantastic return from the boys and Bruce despite some bad days, and here’s to continuing our good form into 2020.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year you all of you. HTFL!!!
I was going to be the Christmas Grinch and say, another ugly win … but:
Another home win
Another clean sheet
25 points before Christmas
9th in the league ….
and ALMIRON ON THE MARKER!!!
It ain’t pretty, but it’s affective.
Sharpy17(Quote)
It’s great we’re on 25 points already but Jesus Christ it’s *****. I mean it is just so bad to watch. Why would you even go and waste 2 hours of your life even when it’s free?
Anyway, glad for Miggy. Hope it gives him the confidence he needs now.
Stuart79(Quote)
Oh and btw the fact we’re 9th and only 4 points from top 4 is embarrassment for the PL in my opinion.
Stuart79(Quote)
One thing I keep reading is that we are ready to let Manq leave – I hope that’s just talk coz he’s been excellent for us so far this season imo.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I have always rated him mate, don’t understand why a lot of folk never rated him.
kimtoon(Quote)
Wonder which Manure and Everton will turn up and which Toon too for that matter.
kimtoon(Quote)
Can’t help but feel there is a large part of our fan base that is disappointed that we are doing well. I’ll take an ugly win over a unlucky loss any day. Still some people are never happy. Well done to Bruce and co..
Aussie(Quote)
The Toon are always the same. About 30% possession, playing terrible football and somehow gathering the points. Strangely pleasant. Manqillo had a great game, would be daft to let him go. He’ll move to the left if Jetro isn’t fit.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio – at the moment he’s making that right back spot his own!!. He’s not a cover player anymore, he’s first choice right back for me
Sharpy17(Quote)
I thought this season would be a cluster f*ck so I am ecstatic with how we are going. Ball possession is never a good indicator of whether a team should have won or not. Happy days as far as I am concerned.
Aussie(Quote)
Hi Aussie – good to see you back on. How’s it going with all the fires and that heat?
georgio(Quote)
Aussie – good to see you back fella.
I agree – but there’s a but – and here’s where I think fans are entitled to twist a bit. You’ve gotta want more from our front player?!.
I’m not expecting every effort to hit the back of the net, but they need to be far more clinical than they have been so far don’t they?!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Glory, Glory Man United.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
We have a 3 man booth for Spurs/Chelsea. There is nothing worse than Arlo White telling you every FACT he has on his legal pad apart from having to listen to 2 fcking co-comms yapping.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Hey Georgio, fires are terrible, thankfully nowhere near me. Feel for the poor buggers caught up in it all.
Aussie(Quote)
Agree about the front man issue but at the end of the day it’s a team game. If everyone of our wins comes from goals from defenders I won’t really care. I am enjoying the moment.
The lack of effort from Joelinton is a real concern tho. He should be sat on the bench for a spell I reckon.
Aussie(Quote)
40 million Aussie mate. don’t knw if he is worth that but you cant sit him.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Yes you can Eric. You don’t want high price players thinking they are undroppable. Hopefully Joelinton will come good. It’s a tough league to adapt too.
Aussie(Quote)
Aussie. I have adjusted my attitude about Aussies. when I was younger I met some (plenty) that caused trouble but now I think differently. I think Ritchie Benaud and Barry Humphries and Ricky Pnting are some of the best.
Ponting is the new Benaud. I think he is great. Seriously. No **** take.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Yeh, I was watching the Ashes and Ricky Ponting was so correct with everything he said.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I am glad Punter has helped change your mind about Aussies Eric.
Aussie(Quote)
Wow, I feel like that was a real moment there boys ????
Sharpy17(Quote)
So, NUFC are 8 points ahead of where we were at this stage last season. After OLd Trafford we will still be AT LEAST 8 points better off because we got beat 4-0 at Anfield last year on Boxing Day.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And Man U got beat by the bottom club! Imagine if Lord Ferg had been manager 🙂 It wouldn’t just have been a hairdryer in the dressing room it would have been a flame thrower and a bowling ball thrown at De Gea’s head rather than just a boot at Beckham,
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Aussie – I think it’s great that as many goals have been spread throughout the team. In passed seasons I don’t think our defenders and midfielders in particular have contributed enough.
But, our forwards need to be doing more. Great for Almiron getting off the mark, but he should really be on 5/6 goals already – same with Joelinton.
The stat nerds tell us he’s created the most chances for us with 14 so far – but I’m not sure we spend £40m for chances created.
But, we have 3 new forwards (Almiron not so new) all still getting used to each other – and little else behind them in terms of competition (Gayle, Carroll, Atsu)
Sharpy17(Quote)
Even though we are not playing good football this has to be our best chance of winning at Man U in 20 years. They really are pretty **** considering the money they have spent and how much money they make.
I will be DELIGHTED for Brucie. If he does nothing else in his time at NUFC a win at Old Trafford would be nice for him. “Delighted” is Bruce’s favourite word.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I will repeat myself because it is worth it 🙂
Sunderland are 13th in Divivion 3. Their worst league position in their history. How do you like that you dirty Mackems who loved the chancer and con-man Stewart Donald until a couple of months ago when he needed to “take a break” from the club. Just when it was all turning to even more **** at the SOL he turned his back on them. Top Bloke.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I think Donald is worse than the Fat Man. Ashley at least bought Shelvey and Townsend when we were in trouble and hired Rafa, who could, and should have kept us up with that squad.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – there was a good stat on MOTD2 last night. Man Utd have only won 1 game when they have had 50% possession or more.
They really struggled to break us down earlier this season and young Matty got his bucket list moment, and I expect us to have a similar approach again.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I don’t mean to p!ss on all of the boycotter/Rafa lovers but when Benitez arrived he could put this team out (including Sissoko who had a good WC and Poch has turned into an excellent defensive midfielder):
Elliot
Janmaat Lascelles Dummett MBemba
Shelvey Sissoko Wijnaldum
Townsend Mitro Perez
I reckon that is probably better than our current team and we were still relegated.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And Tiote was still alive and at NUFC
Eric Sykes(Quote)
One Fine Day from Eds – I am banned from there for calling spades spades – Tsunki and Lesh specifically. No profanity or even that many unkind words. Just seems the Harrisons do not like free speech unless it goes along with their agenda.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – I occasionally have a look on that site, but really do find the posters on there full of **** (to not mince my words). I can’t remember his name, but his avatar is Bruce in a Sunderland scarf – the kids a fool.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: that is Tsunki. He changes his name every now and again.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Dummett injured but looks like Willems will be OK. I will be fine with 35% possession at Man U. The possession stats are often misleading anyway apart from teams like Man City, A lot of the others just knock it around meaninglessly and aimlessly in their own half. Arsenal are the most guilty of this at the moment which is probably why Emery was sacked. Man U do it as well. I don’t think Bruce will do a lot of rotation and will leave that for Everton.The team:
Dubravka
Manquillo Schar Fernadez Lejeune Willems
Shelvey Hayden
Almiron Gayle Atsu
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The Christmas fixtures coming thick and fast might let Bruce “rest” Joelinton.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – I’ll take your word for it mate. ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Reasons to be Cheerful 1-2-3:
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Jesse Lingard
Man U got beat by Watford
Man U only know how to play on the counter. I realise I am tempting fate but when they are asked to pass it around they normally pass sideways and back. They have lost 5 games against the 12 teams below them and one of those games was NUFC. They are unbeaten against the 7 teams above them. They like to play on the counter and cannot break teams down which should suit us.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Think about that. Man U have lost 5 games against the bottom 12 and we are not even half way through the season. Fergie’s teams usually lost fewer than that in the entire season and they NEVER lost to the bottom club.
David De Gea. Best goalie in the world – yer ‘avin a larf, mate.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Liverpool have won all of their games this season bar 1 draw. I am not a Liverpool fan at all but the Mancs have been so boastful over the Fergie years that it must be sweet revenge now.
I grew up when Liverpool were dominant and don’t remember them being d!cks about their team as much as the Mancs were. Maybe because social media and Sky didn’t exist back then.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And “The Class of 92” were really only Scholes and Beckham. Giggs was already in the team and the Nevilles and **** were probably slightly above average and only ever got England caps because they played for Man U. If you wrote down a teamsheet when they played they would be 10th, 11th and 12th. **** and PNev would vie for 11 and 12.
**** was pretty shyte for us except for that 1st game against Boro.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Before Man U, Watford had won 1 of their last 21 PL games.
Watford had not led a PL game since last April, until Man U.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Liverpool are 24 points ahead of Man U with a game in hand. And 24 ahead of us for that matter, but we do not have OFFICIAL noodle and tractor partners.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
NUFC have won more games (7) than Man U (6).
Eric Sykes(Quote)
God, I hope we get a good result on Boxing Day because I am reveling in the demise of Manchester United.
Keep Ole at the wheel.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Ole has less points than Jose had when he was sacked. And he has managed more games this year.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I admit to not having had a lot of confidence in Bruce. We have done a lot better than I thought we would. The football has been dire to watch at times but under Benitez it was never Keeganesque. It would appear that the players like Bruce and are playing for him and never mind the tactics. Having players playing for you is more than half the battle. Just ask Jose Mourinho.
Groucho(Quote)
Man U are in their lowest position at Xmas since 1989.
I hope I am not jinxing us with all of these stats.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I really think this is the worst Man U team I have seen in the last 20 years. Or maybe the most inconsistent. But if you go through it player by player there really isn’t much there. Not even Rashford who can be brilliant but is so up and down. Same with Pogba. And De Gea has let in some terrible goals for club and country when he used to bail Man U out week after week.
Then you have Lingard who is ****, McGuire who is possibly the most over-priced player of all time, and the less said about Martial the better.
McTominay is probably their player of the season so far and he’s only about a 7 out of 10 and I really don’t think he is any better than Hayden.
I know you could go through the NUFC and MUFC teams and most would pick their players. But is this on reputation alone? And you have to think about resources. Man U make more than 3 times as much as NUFC. They have spent as much as City and much more than Liverpool and probably 10 times as much net as us.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And Pogba is probably the most flatter to deceive player in history. His flicks, tricks and pirouettes only come off about a 3rd of the time. That was OK at Juve where he had the best defense in the league and he could strut his stuff and be the show pony. But Man U do not have that sort of defense. McGuire and Shaw are better going forward and who knows what Baily is? W@an Bassaka is 19. This is our best chance at Old Trafford for ages, especially because if it doesn’t go well for Pogba he just gives up and wanders aimlessly around the pitch – and he is supposed to be their best player. Worth 150 million according to Woodward.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
This may sound crazy given our record at Old Trafford but I am actually looking forward to the game on Boxing Day. I know it will probably come back to bite me on the **** but I think we have a chance.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I have very little confidence in ya winning any game we play. Even when we have 25 points. I just can’t remember us playing well at any time this season. That’s a good enough reason for not being confident in any game.
I can’t see Carroll playing again so that means Joelington back to striker (which he isn’t) and Atsu back on the wing. Man U still play ok at OT so it’s going to be tough. Can’t see a win as I can’t see ya scoring many goals.
Merry Christmas everyone
Stuart79(Quote)
Two games in two days requires a really good squad.
Bringing in Joelinton is proving a huge mistake and I can not see Carroll being up to play in both games.
Gayle should now be fully fit and I am hoping that he gets to start at Old Trafford.
I think Gayle and Almiron could play well together and get a goal or two , so I am hoping that Bruce does start them both and that we get at least one point from the game.
A win against Everton would then be the icing on the (xmas) cake.
Have a merry Christmas everyone .
sidekick(Quote)
Eric… with all these stats ur throwing at us you sound like them commentators you carnt stand that u keep tellin us about haha.
Coutts(Quote)
Merry xmas to one and all! 1-1 at OT!
georgio(Quote)
Coutts: I don’t do it every game though. Where do you think I am getting the stats from? Commentators and web writers. I didn’t plough through Man Us record, I just watched the last game and read a couple of reports.
Normally I wouldn’t do the stat attack but normally Man U are not this bad. I expect us to be this bad. I never had any faith in OGS and still don’t.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The website Football365 which is owned by Sky have a quote/tweet from this very website. They have rated Bruce as the 6th best PL manager of 2019 and quote one of the writers from here saying they are glad to eat humble pie.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
NEW THREAD
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2019/12/24/man-utd-a-pre-match-thoughts-team-news-predicted-line-ups/
Man U preview!
Hope you all have a lovely Christmas folks! 🙂
Olly Hawkins(Quote)