Another disappointing defeat at the hands of Championship Nottingham Forest on Wednesday ended our hopes of a morale boosting league cup run this season. Newcastle do return to action tomorrow at St. James’ Park for a rare but traditional 3pm kick off.
We have had a week of negative press, more unfounded transfer rumours and members of the media all having a say on NUFC. It is important we get a result to get off the mark and dispel some of the negativity on and off the field at the moment. Newcastle fans will deliver another great atmosphere as usual, which will hopefully make all the difference in a game between two sides who have started the season poorly.
Newcastle team news
Midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is still suspended after his red card against Spurs. Former Stoke striker Joselu could make his first start for Newcastle; Rafa has a big call to make on whether it is he or Dwight Gayle who leads the line. Mitrovic scored a good goal in midweek but just doesn’t appear to be in the manager’s plans.
Aarons is a slight doubt for Saturday after going off with cramp in midweek but could well start after an impressive showing. He will be vying with Atsu and Ritchie to start and it will be interesting to see if he persists with Perez in the number 10 role.
In defence, Dummett remains out and it looks too early for Lejeune to come back yet too. Yedlin may return, which would be a boost, but it is likely to be the same back four that played in the defeat to Huddersfield.
Rafa may opt to go with the same side as our last league game, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see an unchanged side; giving the current crop another chance to impress before new recruits hopefully arrive before the end of August.
Predicted Newcastle XI: Elliott, Mbemba, Clark, Lascelles, Manquillo, Merino, Hayden, Perez, Ritchie, Atsu, Gayle.
West Ham team news
Record signing Marko Arnautovic continues his three-match suspension for a straight red at St Mary’s for an elbow.
Key players such as Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta and Michail Antonio were rested midweek and are expected to return to Slaven Bilic’s side. Youngster Declan Rice may continue in the middle of the park while the Irons try and bring in a new midfielder, with former NUFC target William Carvalho linked.
Saturday will come too soon for Winston Reid, who is now targeting a return after the international break. Manuel Lanzini and Andy Carroll are fitness doubts, despite the pair resuming full training. Expect another mixed resorption for big Andy if he does come off the bench.
West Ham XI: Hart, Hart; Zabaleta, Fonte, Ogbonna; Antonio, Noble, Rice, Obiang, Cresswell; Ayew, Hernandez.
Danger man
Javier Hernandez is a proven Premier League striker after a successful spell at Manchester United and again underlined his quality with a brace at St. Mary’s last time out during the Hammers 3-2 defeat to Southampton. Newcastle need to watch him carefully to get anything out the game.
Previous results
In the last 13 meetings at St James’ Park between Newcastle and West Ham, the Hammers have won just once.
That victory, a 1-0 success in November 2012, was ensured by Kevin Nolan who of course was a former toon skipper.
Newcastle’s Premier League home record against the Hammers since 2000 is seven wins, five draws and that sole defeat.
Prediction
It’s a tough one to call and already feels like an important game this season. Both sides are winless and won’t want to lose. Newcastle need some positivity and momentum and any sort of result will hopefully get things going again. I am in danger of going with my heart and not my head here but I think it may end in a draw.
1-1
What is your prediction?
Howay the lads!
Gayle tells Rafa he wants to stay
Icedo(Quote)
Nah Stuart. I think they have a hard job with Rafa because he plays his cards close to his chest. Still apart from Joselu they haven’t known about anybody until their is a picture at the airport, station or of them having a medical.
My main beef with The Chronic is the lack of anything new, or interesting or in-depth. They are like a tabloid playing down to the lowest common denominator and that is reflected in their writing style and the 5 things I know mentality. It is sort of not their fault in the age of 24 hour news and social media where most want their news in bite sized chunks and move on. That’s what get the hits and pays the electric bill at Chronical House.
I know I go on about Ryder but that is because he is chief sports writer. I could take the 5-things-I-know if just once in a while he gave us something that wasn’t formulaic. Maybe used a big word now and again to show he actually studied English or Journalism. He’d probably get trashed in the comments section though for being bookish and highbrow 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Lejeune was on the radar as well so I was a bit harsh.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So the Ox turns down a move to Chelsea then.
kimtoon(Quote)
So Reading sign Aluko from Fulham so presumably Fulham will be wanting a forward in, talk is it will be Gayle.
kimtoon(Quote)
So Fulham have bid £15m for Gayle. We’re wanting £20m. Even then it’s a huge risk. I just do not see Penfold and Jabba’s chief cheque writer securing a replacement in just over 24 hours.
Stuart79(Quote)
NUFC 360 Retweeted
Lee RyderVerified account @lee_ryder · 21m21 minutes ago
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#nufc don’t want to sell and Gayle has told club he wishes to stay.
kimtoon(Quote)
£18-20m and he’s gone and no time to replace him I bet.
kimtoon(Quote)
Rafa has all
Rafa his ducks lined up. Bids agreed, just awaiting go button. One out one in from here on in.
Premandup(Quote)
Do you know something mate ?
kimtoon(Quote)
well we wont get Kenedy then??
icedog(Quote)
Ice , you about? have you heard from your mate today?
kimtoon(Quote)
Premandup – Quite a leap of faith that.
Stuart79(Quote)
heard nowt mate,think he must still be in bed as he hasnt texted
icedog(Quote)
Very disappointed about Mitro. Harsh I think.
See the deadline day winding itself into a whirlwind of . . .? Nothing, although nice to see some of the dross departing.
georgio(Quote)
Ice, cheers.
Beats me why deals get left so late in the day, especially given the sums of money involved.
kimtoon(Quote)
Then get your head out your **** son and start playing!!. Hit 15 goals this season and show you are worth that new contract.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ice – good. Get the Argie LB and loan either Remy or Batshuyi if he becomes available for loan.
Sharpy17(Quote)
https://twitter.com/NUFC360/status/902822356321800193
kimtoon(Quote)
Sharpy, the Argie lad won’t happen, there are work visa issues according to his agent and unlikely to happen. Real shame like, he looked a low gamble with potential.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim – we should still buy him at that price and loan him to a European club so he qualifies for the work permit next season then in that case. That is no fee to pay for a player of that quality.
Yes it’s a position that needs strengthening, but I think between Dummett, Clark & Mbemba LB could be covered.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy, that’s a good ideal but our lot won’t think of that or won’t pay to loan out.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim – I know, and that’s the big bloody shame with this club!!. Rafa must have contacts in Spain & we have his assistant at the Italian club we played in the friendly, so there must be a European club we could deal with to get these players loaned out.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Gayle is one of those players who has had a chance in the PL and wasn’t good enough. 10 goals from him in the PL would be a good result in my opinion. Can’t see him getting 15 for sure.
Most of the signings we’ve made have been kept under wraps pretty well, so I’m sure there are a few Rafa deals close to completion that we don’t know about. Question is, how many of them can we actually complete.
Good to see some fringe players going. There’s no doubt that we need backup players, but I want the backup players to be good enough for the PL at least. Nothing wrong with being a top 10 PL team and having players that are only good enough for bottom 6 PL teams to come in when you need them, but pointless having players play in the PL when they’re only good enough for a mid-table Championship team…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Regarding the Argentinian LB, this could be just paper talk anyway.
As for signing him and loaning him out for a year, it’s a bit more tricky than that. Either they need to setup a relationship with a club where they become a feeder club for NUFC and they will guarantee a certain number of games for players we loan to them, or we need to know a club that is actively looking for a LB like this lad and isn’t in a position to buy him themselves. There are only a few top clubs that seem to do this, I don’t think I’ve heard of other clubs doing it.
Plus, it could potentially be a lot of money to invest when we don’t see the benefits for 12 months.
What we NEED to do is to establish ourselves in the PL, then establish ourselves in the top 10.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Well the Gayle bid seems to be all over the net. Should we sell? It’d be a profit and we’d get rid of an injury prone player who’s head never seems in the right place. A player who also has a poor PL record. I’d say yes even if an instant replacement can’t be found.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio – Would be a bit foolish if we had £20m in the bank but got relegated because we only had Mitro and Joselu as strikers. We can’t sell him without a replacement.
Stuart79(Quote)
Hi guys, new thread here ready for deadline day…
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2017/08/30/deadline-day-drama-on-tyneside/
Thanks for all your comments as always, let’s hope we are smiling come tomorrow evening!
Simon Riddlesden(Quote)