Why Joselu will keep Mitrovic and Gayle at bay once again vs Bournemouth on Saturday

Newcastle slumped to a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Burnley on Monday night. We of course remain in a strong position in the table and sitting in the top half at this stage of the season keeps us well ahead of schedule. The main area to improve after our trip to Turf Moor is certainly our options going forward; we didn’t carry enough threat or looked like getting in behind the Burnley defence.

After another sluggish display and blank in front of goal, yet more question have been asked of Spanish striker Joselu. Calls for him to be dropped on Saturday are justifiable, but here’s why I’m expecting him to retain his place for Bournemouth this weekend

Our home record with the Spaniard up top

It is worth noting since coming in from Stoke, Joselu has started four games at SJP with us winning three and drawing the other.

He got his name on the scoresheet against West Ham and Liverpool and has, at times, held the ball up well, putting himself about up in what has been quite a thankless task at times.

The alarming part recently has been that the chances have dried up for him, but with such a good home record with him in the side, is Benitez is likely to change the team? Probably not.

Rafa doesn’t seem to do knee **** reactions with personnel. He didn’t panic after losing our first two games and didn’t drop Joselu on the back of a 1-0 defeat at Brighton, so I’m not sure he will after our similarly disappointing display at Burnley.

He will go back to the tried and trusted team and formation, that has worked wonder up to this point at SJP, and try and get another three points against the Cherries this weekend – something we managed to do against West Ham, Stoke and Palace with Joselu up top lets not forget.

Rafa’s lack of faith in his alternatives 

On the face of it, we have a Serbian striker in great form for his country and one of the most lethal strikers in the Championship last season in Gayle waiting in the wings.

However, clearly they are bot out of favour under Benitez. Mitrovic has never really gained the trust of the gaffer, due to his temper lack of consistency and trustworthiness perhaps. Rafa focuses on tactical discipline and small details and you sense the temperamental nature of Mitrovic means he is unable to fit into Benitez’s very specific system.

Gayle was nearly sold to Fulham on deadline day and has looked severely out of sorts in the brief cameos he has had this season. It unfortunately looks like he is another who isn’t quite able to step up to the top flight, however it appears as though his niggling injuries are starting to get to him. I remember seeing Gayle having a real spring in his step, sprinting at full speed to close keepers and defenders down, however he’s looked quite jaded and lacking in sharpness even during 10 minute appearances from the bench this season.

The fact Rafa signed Joselu in the first place suggests he wanted another option to give him something different to these two, so don’t expect a few poor games to change his mind any time soon.

Systems are king for Rafa

Like any other top manager, Rafa is rightly stubborn in his beliefs. Personnel have to earn his trust and it has been revealed on several occasions just how much time he spends on tactical shape and the small details in training. He has been ruthless in dismantling the squad since arriving and it is clear not following his instructions puts you out the team; Mbemba being a prime example.

He sticks to his trusted formations and Joselu has enabled others to deliver and get the points we have in the bag so far. He may not be the best striker we have had but Benitez seems to believe, like Perez, he is a big part of what we do as a unit.

His link up play and ability to win aerial duels has gone astray in recent weeks and, like any striker, he could do with another goal for his confidence levels, he generally holds the ball up well and as long as he continues to perform to how Bentiez wants the team to operate as a whole, expect him to keep his place in the side.

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Simon Riddlesden

Lifelong Newcastle United fan and East Stand season ticket holder. Observations from a supporter who has followed NUFC during Champions League participation and through relegation, taking me from Milan to Scunthorpe.

74 thoughts on “Why Joselu will keep Mitrovic and Gayle at bay once again vs Bournemouth on Saturday

  1. 5 reasons to change (Thanks Ryder):

    1. Perez has 1 goal.

    2. Joselu has 2 goals. One a scuffed shot and the other a lucky rebound.

    3. If you don’t score, you don’t win.

    4. I am getting a bit bored with “defending from the front”. How about attacking from the front?

    5. Ermm… I don’t like these 5 things I learnt things. Can I just stop at 4?

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  2. Where is Troy anyway? I need an explanation of why Lee Clark was good enough for NUFC but failed at Huddersfield, Birmingham, Kilmarnock and Bury.

    And why Alan Pardew was an “average manager” when he has failed in every job he has had?

    And why Ugly John was a “safe pair of hands”?

    I know you read this blog Troysta. You are just too afraid to comment any more because of your 100% record of being wrong.

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  3. 5 things I have learnt in the past 2 years:

    1. Timmy the Hoof was not good at distribution. Maybe he should work for the post office?

    2. Fat Boy Quinn is not a “Legend”.

    3. Joselu is a bit ****, actually. That was a mistake Rafa, and it will become more of a mistake if you continue to play him.

    4. That Kate Upson woman has big tits.

    5. I don’t like writing “5 things I know” and will leave it to my friend Lee from now on.

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  4. Sorry, I take that back:

    5. Joselu looks like somebody just stomped on his kitten (copywrite Harry and Paul) and has been sent to bed with no supper.

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  5. I’m not sure you can make a mistake if you’re only spending £5m on a PL striker! We weren’t likely to get anyone else better for £5m were we? But I do think it’s timw for a change. Maybe Gayle.

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  6. Stewart: of course you can make a mistake on a 5 million pound striker!

    You can make a mistake on a 1 million pound striker.

    You can make a mistake on a 1 pound striker.

    — If you bought me. I am 50 years old and put me in the NUFC team that would be a massive mistake.

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  7. Stu, Gayle looks spent and disinterested which I kind of understand given we tried to flog him. All the same he is paid well to perform and if he could recapture his form it would help secure a decent move.
    Mitro needs another chance, you never know he could be the answer short term.

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  8. A tree might do as well as Joselu! I might score more than a fluky shot and a deflection. I am pretty tall.

    I think “sad eyes” needs to be benched.

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  9. For me the change should be Gayle for Perez. Gayle can run round as much as Perez does but is much more of a goal threat.
    That way Rafa keeps Joselu as his industrious target man, but the fans get to see a forward ready to run in behind and hopefully on to one or two Joselu flick ons.

    Shelvey can play those balls for Gayle to run on to and Gayle, Atsu & Ritchie’s pace would be a real threat I think.

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  10. Ice – yeah I think your boy is pricing himself out of a toon move like. I did read the other day that we had bid £17.5m but they wanted £20m. But if he keeps scoring at the rate he is, they will want £30m before long.

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  11. So Jenas didn’t like his stint at the toon coz he couldn’t get anyone to cut his hair. I tell you what, if he used my barber he’d be happy to travel back to bloody Nottingham!!.
    Fortunately I’m thinning out now and do my own ?

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  12. Sharpy17:
    So Jenas didn’t like his stint at the toon coz he couldn’t get anyone to cut his hair.I tell you what, if he used my barber he’d be happy to travel back to bloody Nottingham!!.
    Fortunately I’m thinning out now and do my own

    Shouldn’t have used that wash and go mate it does vanish using that *****,or done the same as me and grown a ponytail you can then bring it over the top when your top goes lol

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  13. Icedog: Shouldn’t have used that wash and go mate it does vanish using that *****,or done the same as me and grown a ponytail you can then bring it over the top when your top goes lol

    ? I use the example that Alan Shearer and Jason Statham have lost their hair too – but in truly I’m closer to Al Murray ?

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  14. Icedog:
    Real manager will be sackedweek for sure

    Yeah, he only won 2 CLs and 1 La Liga. I think he won that world trophy thing as well.

    Real Madrid are insane though, so who knows? They sacked Rafa when he was top of the CL group and 3 points behind the leaders in La Liga.

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  15. Eric Sykes: Yeah, he only won 2 CLs and 1 La Liga. I think he won that world trophy thing as well.

    Real Madrid are insane though, so who knows? They sacked Rafa when he was top of the CL group and 3 points behind the leaders in La Liga.

    Large paypacket short time job wise.

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  16. Ice:

    I went to a Real Madrid game in February and they were booing their own players. Specifically, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo.

    HOW FUCKING STUPID DO YOU HAVE TO BE?

    That would be like a NUFC fan booing Alan Shearer and Peter Beardsley.

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  17. It was totally mental. I was like, seriously man, you lot are booing Cristiano Ronaldo. FFS get a clue, as they say over here.

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  18. And Bale as well. He scored the equalizer in the CL final against their cross town rivals in the 89 minute and they were booing him.

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  19. I think we would put a statue up of somebody who scored in the League Cup Final! Is it the Cinnamon Bun cup now? I can’t remember?

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  20. Eric Sykes:
    It was totally mental. I was like, seriously man, you lot are booing Cristiano Ronaldo. FFS get a clue, as they say over here.

    My son worked in Spain for a couple of yrs,so I went to the Barca games a couple of times,Spanish fans are idiots from what I saw and heard

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  21. Icedog: Real Madrid should spend a day walking in a NUFC’s fans shoes.

    The Police confiscated my girlfriend’s tic-tacs from her bag as we went into the stadium. She speaks fluent Spanish so was asking why but is too nice to challenge them. They probably would have confiscated my tickets if I spoke Spanish!

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  22. I mean fluent Spanish. He parents are Cuban, so she is fluent in Spanish and the Cops still confiscated her tic-tacs.

    Then the next day we went to Toledo on the train and they had a metal detector that allowed her to take on 8 inch chef’s knives onto the train (gifts, and Tolsedo is famous for knives like Sheffield is or Solingen)! The detector worked because the Police sent her out to wrap the knives up in brown paper.

    I am guessing tic tacs are more dangerous than 8 inch knives in Spain.

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  23. Eric Sykes:
    I mean fluent Spanish. He parents are Cuban, so she is fluent in Spanish and the Cops still confiscated her tic-tacs.

    Then the next day we went to Toledo on the train and they had a metal detector that allowed her to take on 8 inch chef’s knives onto the train (gifts, and Tolsedo is famous for knives like Sheffield is or Solingen)! The detector worked because the Police sent her out to wrap the knives up in brown paper.

    I am guessing tic tacs are more dangerous than 8 inch knives in Spain.

    ???

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  24. Eric, that’s mental, tic tacs wtf did they think she’d do with them. 😆

    As for JJ and the haircut issue, words fail, they really do.

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  25. Back to the last thread and a spot of Arma bashing. The kid’s been stuck out on the left wing all season in a truly **** team. He spent last season in another one. These loans won’t work if the kids aren’t allowed to play in their best position and build confidence. They’re being used by this system and not benefitting.

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  26. Armstrong has played 6 games on the wing and 7 as striker and produced sod all.

    He has to take some of the blame for his poor form and is definitely not up to the PL on current evidence.

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  27. shamrock:
    Armstrong has played 6 games on the wing and 7 as striker and produced sod all.

    He has to take some of the blame for his poor form and is definitely not up to the PL on current evidence.

    spot on mate

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  28. Rafa must be able to see what we can see. Previously the knock on Joselu was that he was not taking his chances now he is not even getting chances. I had also seen that if we started someone else we would ruin his confidence. Who cares! It is a failed experiment that cost 5 million pounds and Rafa is pragmatic enough to move on. If you look at his record at Liverpool he bought some duds there as well but he also bought Xabi Alonso. The lesson learned is that it was a gamble and it didn’t pay off and we move on and move Joselu to the reserves. I wouldn’t even have him on the bench.

    This may sound like a Rafa criticism but it is not. He is not infallible and we should accept that. He is not Pardew, Ugly John or Schteve either so I have every faith he will see that maybe there really was a reason why Joselu was playing in Stoke City’s reserves.

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  29. shamrock:
    Armstrong has played 6 games on the wing and 7 as striker and produced sod all.

    He has to take some of the blame for his poor form and is definitely not up to the PL on current evidence.

    Sham – Harry Kane went to Leyton Orient and scored 5 in 18, and at Millwall 7 in 22 – not too many thought he was fit for the PL then either mate.
    It took Tim Sherwood to say no these boys get a chance. He put Kane in along with the likes of Townsend who also had a long spell in the loan wilderness. Sherwood essential lost his job because he wanted Townsend in ahead of Lamela – Levy didn’t spell £30m on him for that to happen so Sherwood was toast.
    But the point is mate, yes Armstrong needs to take some responsibility, but the club need to take some interest too. If he’s being played on the wing – take him off Bolton!!.
    We haven’t sent him there to make up the numbers – just like Chelsea will have looked for assurances from Swansea about Abrahams – we should be about our boys.

    Armstrong is a talented young lad – far better than what we’ve had come through in the past that for sure. He likely isn’t ready for the PL yet – but we need to be proactive in his development. How much of a pre-season did he have with us?. How many times will Rafa have seen him play or train in person?.

    We questioned why young Gibson went off to Everton in the summer. It’s probably because he sees how we develop youngsters and what kind of opportunity they get with us.

    Let’s not forget the lad is still only 20 and has a lot to learn. But how much is he learning being dumped out on loan each season?!.

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  30. I’ve just checked and Armstrong is the same age and Calvert-Lewin. Everton haven’t loaned him out and are regularly starting the lad – 10 PL appearances so far this season … and ZERO goals (3 assists).
    Does that mean he’s not PL standard or is it part of his development?

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  31. Tammy is also the same age. He has also had 10 PL appearances but has 4 goals so far. Personally I think he’s been far better developed by Chelsea, but I also think he’s a better forward – a different type of forward, but a better player non the less.

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  32. Sharpy17:
    So Jenas didn’t like his stint at the toon coz he couldn’t get anyone to cut his hair.I tell you what, if he used my barber he’d be happy to travel back to bloody Nottingham!!.
    Fortunately I’m thinning out now and do my own

    Jermaine Jenas always talked a better game than he played. I watched him for NUFC on TV and never quite understood what the fuss was about. I couldn’t see what he did. Then England came to Chicago to play a friendly so I got the chance to see him live. I was there with my ex-wife and she has watched a bit of football but not a lot. Jenas was starting and I said to her to watch him because he was a Newcastle player and was supposedly a special talent. After about 60 minutes she said “what does he do? As far as I can see he runs from side to side usually without the ball and when he gets it he passes sideways, and oh, he points a lot”. 2 minutes later he was subbed. I also figured out she knew more about football than I gave her credit for.

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  33. Sharpy17: Sham – Harry Kane went to Leyton Orient and scored 5 in 18, and at Millwall 7 in 22 – not too many thought he was fit for the PL then either mate.
    It took Tim Sherwood to say no these boys get a chance.He put Kane in along with the likes of Townsend who also had a long spell in the loan wilderness.Sherwood essential lost his job because he wanted Townsend in ahead of Lamela – Levy didn’t spell £30m on him for that to happen so Sherwood was toast.
    But the point is mate, yes Armstrong needs to take some responsibility, but the club need to take some interest too.If he’s being played on the wing – take him off Bolton!!.
    We haven’t sent him there to make up the numbers – just like Chelsea will have looked for assurances from Swansea about Abrahams – we should be about our boys.

    Armstrong is a talented young lad – far better than what we’ve had come through in the past that for sure.He likely isn’t ready for the PL yet – but we need to be proactive in his development.How much of a pre-season did he have with us?.How many times will Rafa have seen him play or train in person?.

    We questioned why young Gibson went off to Everton in the summer.It’s probably because he sees how we develop youngsters and what kind of opportunity they get with us.

    Let’s not forget the lad is still only 20 and has a lot to learn.But how much is he learning being dumped out on loan each season?!.

    Chelsea have not had a first team regular developed from their reserves since Ambramovich got there so using them as a model is a bit of a stretch. Last “one of their own” they developed was John Terry. They did develop players for Man City and Man U though – De Buyne and Lukaku.

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  34. Icedog: this one is for you. It is a scathing attack on Keys and Gray. You don’t have to read it but it says a lot about them. I watched this show and had to mute it as it was such a self congratulatory, xenophobic c@cksucking fest.

    I don’t even know why I watch it. Perhaps so I can do the exact opposite to this lot.

    You’re great Andy, yes we are Keysey and so is Big Sam. Let’s sit on this couch in Doha, getting extremely well paid, getting even fatter and complaining about foreigners. And here’s John Cross of The Mirror, Britain’s bestest journalist to talk about Arsenal for 20 minutes and decide if he wants to sack Wenger this week or not.

    If I didn’t know they meant it I would think it was a parody of how overindulged
    “football men” act.

    https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/nov/01/keys-gray-allardyce-football-brexit-marina-hyde

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  35. Sharpy17:
    Tammy is also the same age.He has also had 10 PL appearances but has 4 goals so far.Personally I think he’s been far better developed by Chelsea, but I also think he’s a better forward – a different type of forward, but a better player non the less.

    Maybe Calvert-Lewin is playing because he has shown his manager that he has something to offer at this level?

    Abrahams is the same age as Armstrong and absolutely smashed the Championship on loan last season, in a side not expected to challenge at the top. Compare his season to Arma’s. 2 players of the same age, in the same league at clubs similar in stature. Arma with previous experience in the NUFC side, yet Arma bombed and Tammy earnt himself a big money move, on merit – by performing when he was given a chance.

    If Arma is good enough, his potential will shine through combined with work rate. It is not. My guess is he is not up to it, yet at least.

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  36. Since I am ranting about commentators and journalists I will list a few I do really like to show it is not a one way street (I know nobody cares).

    Clive Allen is great.
    Rabecca Lowe who is a presenter over here is great.
    Phil Shoene, even though he is a Yank, is the best commentator I have ever heard.
    Lee Dixon is very good.

    There are many others but I will stop there. I am not even riled up. I just don’t get how some of these sycophants and blowhards have the jobs they do. I suppose it is to be expected in a world where Donald Trump is President and governs by Twitter.

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  37. shamrock: Maybe Calvert-Lewin is playing because he has shown his manager that he has something to offer at this level?

    Abrahams is the same age as Armstrong and absolutely smashed the Championship on loan last season, in a side not expected to challenge at the top. Compare his season to Arma’s. 2 players of the same age, in the same league at clubs similar in stature. Arma with previous experience in the NUFC side, yet Arma bombed and Tammy earnt himself a big money move, on merit – by performing when he was given a chance.

    If Arma is good enough, his potential will shine through combined with work rate. It is not. My guess is he is not up to it, yet at least.

    Sham: you have been going on a few rants recently. You don’t want to become me. I just rant to try to stoke up a but of conversation when it gets all quiet on here. I could go to Uncle Ed’s but they all talk in circles about the same thing every day.

    Did I mention I am not keen on Lee Ryder or Keys and Gray 🙂

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  38. Sham: I think there is a bit of frustration that NUFC have not developed a single player of real quality in over 15 years. Steven Taylor and Paul Dummett, the Ameobis? Dummett is Ok but mid-table PL and the Amoebis are really nice lads by all accounts.

    I love Peter Beardsley but if you cannot even get a player onto the subs bench after 10 years in the job there is something wrong. Maybe recruitment is the problem, maybe coaching, maybe a lack of organizational skills? But something is a amiss and Saint Peter is the one constant in an era of absolute failure for the U23s (21s?).

    Perhaps Keegan was right and we shouldn’t even have an academy? How far has it got us in the last 15-20 years? It seems there are players built up to be the next big thing – Armstrong, Chopra – but it never happens. The latest are Barlasser and Woodman. Keep your fingers crossed because if past is prologue…

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  39. Sorry, there was Andy Carroll who I think is a good player. So it wasn’t total futility for 15-20 years.

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  40. Sharpy17:
    Tammy is also the same age.He has also had 10 PL appearances but has 4 goals so far.Personally I think he’s been far better developed by Chelsea, but I also think he’s a better forward – a different type of forward, but a better player non the less.

    Tammy Abrahams scored over 20 goals for a struggling Bristol City last season in the Championship.

    As for Calvert – Lewin he was selected for the U 21’s in the summer and had a good tournament.

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  41. ERIC cannot stand the two arseholes on Bein,spoil and good show,if you cannot work for sky shows how bad they were as we know how many doe-heeds there are on there

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  42. Stuart79: Tammy Abrahams scored over 20 goals for a struggling Bristol City last season in the Championship.

    As for Calvert – Lewin he was selected for the U 21’s in the summer and had a good tournament.

    So did Jacob Murphy.

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  43. And Simon: I don’t care that Rafa has a Champions League and 2 La Ligas and likes a certain system, I can identify a shyte player when I see one and Joselu is shyte. Not good enough, never will be.

    Rafa will see this soon. Now go out and score a hattrick against Bournemouth to ram these words down my throat.

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  44. Eric Sykes: So did Jacob Murphy.

    Yep and he’s not out on loan but not getting a chance so much but then again we went unbeaten for 7 games. Maybe he’ll change it a bit now.

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  45. shamrock: Maybe Calvert-Lewin is playing because he has shown his manager that he has something to offer at this level?

    Abrahams is the same age as Armstrong and absolutely smashed the Championship on loan last season, in a side not expected to challenge at the top. Compare his season to Arma’s. 2 players of the same age, in the same league at clubs similar in stature. Arma with previous experience in the NUFC side, yet Arma bombed and Tammy earnt himself a big money move, on merit – by performing when he was given a chance.

    If Arma is good enough, his potential will shine through combined with work rate. It is not. My guess is he is not up to it, yet at least.

    Sham – I refer back to Kane as my other example though mate. He wasn’t tearing up trees on his loan spells either. Armstrong has alwaya been on loan and I question what opportunity his had to impress Rafa personally.
    The kid is probably totally disheartened – particularly from last season. Being loaned out to a championship club, when your parent club is in the same bloody league.
    Yeah I don’t disagree, he needs to dig in and get on with it. But I look at how other clubs develop youngsters and we are ****!!.
    I’ve seen enough of Armstrong to think that worse case he would be a decent squad player to have round. I think having him with us now and learning from Gayle who is a similar forward who probably be more benefit than playing left wing for Bolton.

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  46. Stuart79: Yep and he’s not out on loan but not getting a chance so much but then again we went unbeaten for 7 games. Maybe he’ll change it a bit now.

    Stuart: I got a bit frustrated during the last 2 games because they were difficult to watch – low quality from us and the other teams. I trust that Rafa is doing all he can. The Palace and Burnley games have been so short on entertainment. BUT, 3 points from 2 games on average will have us mid-table.

    It was quite funny. I was in a bar for both games and by like 55 minutes people started to ignore the game unless there were big cheers from the TV. It had become so boring that we were not watching what we had gone to see. It was like a Theresa May speech, you know you should pay attention and it is important to you, but it is so deathly, mind-numbingly dull.

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  47. Sharpy17: Sham – I refer back to Kane as my other example though mate.He wasn’t tearing up trees on his loan spells either.Armstrong has alwaya been on loan and I question what opportunity his had to impress Rafa personally.
    The kid is probably totally disheartened – particularly from last season.Being loaned out to a championship club, when your parent club is in the same bloody league.
    Yeah I don’t disagree, he needs to dig in and get on with it.But I look at how other clubs develop youngsters and we are ****!!.
    I’ve seen enough of Armstrong to think that worse case he would be a decent squad player to have round.I think having him with us now and learning from Gayle who is a similar forward who probably be more benefit than playing left wing for Bolton.

    Which other clubs Sharpy? Man City and Chelsea spend the most and do not have a single player from their academies in their teams. Not now, not in the last 5 years. The production line has even dried up at Southampton.

    Everton? They are doing really well aren’t they 🙂

    The England U17 and U21s got to World Cup finals but as yet these players are not in the PL.

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  48. Sharpy I just cant buy excuses that players are disheartened and therefore not playing well. He should be more hungry for it than ever.

    Kane is an extremely rare exception, but he did jot get a sniff at the first team until he was 21. Arma has had more than he had by age 20.

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  49. OK. I was just on Uncle Ed’s site and saw this scary picture. Paul Merson does have a giant balloon for a head. I have said it before but his head looks like some 5 year old has taken a marker and drawn simplistic eyes, nose and mouth on a big orange balloon. If ever there was a face that matched a personality and intellect it is Merse.

    http://www.nufcblog.com/2017/11/02/paul-merson-disappointed-in-newcastle-predicts-surprise-result-for-saturday/

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  50. Mind that was a shock Evra sent off during warm up for kicking a fan in the head ffs,sent off before the game started

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  51. I just have to laugh at Everton, but more so the journalists and pundits. I don’t really have anything against Everton but they bought Rooney thinking it was a good idea and he plays every game even though it is clear he is past his sell by date. Still, his mates, such as Koewn, Redknapp and Gerrard were defending this saying things like he still had a lot to offer and would be a mentor for the young lads at Everton and a catalyst for more success. They have shut up now though after his dalliance with the slapper and drunk driving arrest. Role model, mentor 🙂 Not quite.

    They were not the only ones, every national journalist said Everton “won” the transfer window. Sorry to gloat, but I saw this coming.

    They are now bottom of their Europa League group with 1 point and out with 2 games still to play.

    Man City will win the premier league and champions league. I said it months ago and I am more sure of it now.

    AND, despite the bad Merson karma, NUFC will win on Saturday.

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  52. Icedog:
    Mind that was a shock Evra sent off during warm up for kicking a fan in the head ffs,sent off before the game started

    Ridiculous mate, what ever was he thinking.

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  53. Sharpy17:
    David Unsworth is Everton’s John Carver

    Yep, and Ronald Koeman was the Everton Pardew. He got them to 7th, which is the new 5th. Wonder if they will hire Schteve next just to keep this thing going. I have heard he is available. Ex-England Manager, won the Dutch League.

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  54. You have to laugh. Guardian writer and Mackem Louise Taylor writes an article about Sunderland and has to put in a mention of them beating NUFC during their struggles. They really are obsessed. It appears to me that only one result matters. Maybe she should have also mentioned the Adam Johnson fiasco? You can take a girl out of Sunderland but you can’t take Sunderland out of the girl.

    https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/nov/01/are-sunderland-unmanageable-club

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  55. The Mail reporting there has been no surprises in due diligence checks,there is only the price to be agreed

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  56. My final word on young Arma – the kid scored 20 for Coventry when he was 18. He’s since played in two **** teams, sometimes out of position, and no one looks great then. How many chances has he missed? I’d wager very few. It’s really easy particularly for a striker to look good in a good team. Take Iheanacho. Scored for fun at City, can hardly buy a goal for Leicester and cost over £20m. I’d bring Arma back in Jan and give the kid some game time up front.

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  57. georgio:
    My final word on young Arma – the kid scored 20 for Coventry when he was 18. He’s since played in two **** teams, sometimes out of position, and no one looks great then. How many chances has he missed? I’d wager very few. It’s really easy particularly for a striker to look good in a good team. Take Iheanacho. Scored for fun at City, can hardly buy a goal for Leicester and cost over £20m. I’d bring Arma back in Jan and give the kid some game time up front.

    That’s never going to happen and it shouldn’t imo he’s a mile away even for ccc

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  58. Rafa that article guesses as much as the next. They know nothing, just like we dont. We are never going to have an open cheque book in the event of a takeover, but I doubt the new owners will want to stand still either.

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  59. I’ll just be grateful to see us bought nevermind a big transfer kitty. Worry about that later, just get the fat **** out first.

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  60. I suppose that Independent article is a decent summary for non-NUFC fans but anyone who follows the club learnt absolutely nothing from it.

    We really need a midfielder and striker in January, but who knows who. Most would not be too sorry to sell Mitro and/or Gayle unless they can get some pitch time and a few goals.

    Tomorrow is an important game because we are still pretty much at full strength, apart from Moreno, and we have to be beating strugglers to keep them struggling. It is another one of those games that if we do not win then the break will seem that much longer. It seems like that is always the case.

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