Progress may have been made off the pitch over the past week as far as a takeover is concerned, but events on the pitch have been nothing short of disastrous.
A home double header with Leicester and Everton was never going to be easy, but to lose both ahead of tomorrow’s tough trip to Arsenal was damaging. We now sit just a point above the relegation zone and two from the bottom, with 7 defeats and a draw in our last 8.
Lascelles said post-Everton that we’ve lacked leadership and communication in recent weeks and must now show ‘character’ and ‘come out of our shells’ and he’s right. It’s fight or flight now. Time for Benitez and the boys to roll up their sleeves, pull their socks up and get us back to the disciplined, functional and hard to beat team we looked in the first few months of the season. A change is needed and quickly.
Arsenal away won’t define our survival, but steadying the ship with a big performance and valuable point would go a long way to reigniting our revival.
The Team
Ritchie looked a little more like his old self against Everton. We’ll need his energy and creativity to be at its best here.Unless we go for Joselu and Gayle up top (which worked well in parts at Man Utd away), I think Perez will almost certainly return in a number 10 role. It won’t work if we go toe to toe with Arsenal and try to beat them at their own game, so Perez’s pressing and pest-like presence around the Arsenal defenders and receiving midfielders could be key to stopping them play out with ease.I’m fully expecting Joselu to return – for rotation reasons and the fact he’ll also be fresh to defend from the front. Gayle is our best finisher, so I’d like him on the pitch to gobble up and half chance we might get (as he did in similar trips to Man Utd and Chelsea recently), however he was sloppy on Wednesday and couldn’t get into the game. Whether that was mainly due to his last of support or inability to play as a lone striker is another matter, mind.
The Opposition
Given we were regularly linked with him in his earlier Lyon days, you just know Alexandre Lacazette could show us what we missed out on. He’s their top scorer on 8 goals and is devastating in the 18 yard box.
Sanchez and Ozil haven’t quite been at it this season, with just 6 goals between them so far, but their ability is unquestionable and they’ll almost definitely hurt us if we allow them space.
I’m not a big Xhaka fan. He can be wayward and reckless and could be a weak link to target. He can lose his head and has sometimes struggled when teams give him no time on the ball.
They’ve tended to play with wing backs this season, and we’ve tended not to cope well against that system (Watford 3-0 / Chelsea 3-1 being prime examples) so Kolasinac and Bellerin will be danger men and two to watch carefully out wide.
CLICK HERE for an inside look at our opponents from an Arsenal perspective in this week’s ‘Opposition Opinion’ piece. A recommended read before tomorrow’s game.
Form
Newcastle – 16th (15 pts) – Last 5 in the league – Won: 0 / Drawn: 1 / Lost: 4
Arsenal – 7th – (30 pts) – Last 5 in the league / Won: 2 / Drawn: 2 / Lost: 1
Team News
Aside from Jonjo Shelvey – who will serve the first of two-game ban – Paul Dummett could be the only first team absentee, with it remaining to be seen whether he’s deemed match-fit enough for a first team return.
Aarons Ramsey and Theo Walcott have both been ruled out, but late decisions could be made on Lacazzete and Mustafi who appear to be rated ‘tough and go’ for this one.
The injury prone but in-form Jack Wilshere may be rested, with Wenger admitting that rotation is likely with four games in 9 nine days.
Predicted Line-ups
Newcastle XI – (4-2-3-1) – Elliot – Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Manquillo – Merino, Hayden – Ritchie, Perez, Murphy – Joselu
Arsenal XI – (3-4-2-1) – Cech – Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal – Bellerin, Wilshere, Xhaka, Kolasinac – Ozil, Sanchez – Lacazette.
Head-to-Heads
We’ve lost 9 of our last 10 games against Arsene Wenger’s side in all comps, with the other one being a draw at St James’ Park back in 2011. Our last win at the Emirates was over 7 years ago when Andy Carroll’s header gave us a 1-0 win in 2010.
Match Prediction
They’ve not been in the best of form, scoring just two in their last 3 league games and without and win in 3 in the league, so there’s the potential for the Emirates to become toxic if we grabbed and early goal and held it for a spell or simply kept it at 0-0.
Going in at half time in a competitive position will be key, but given their attacking talents and our current defensive frailties, that will be easier said than done.
I’m expecting (slash hoping) for a more resolute display, but I think they’ll have too much.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle
Howay the lads!
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2017/12/14/nufc-fans-furious-as-tv-cameras-expose-wayne-rooneys-nasty-off-the-ball-incident-during-evertons-win-at-sjp/
Shearer had a bit of a Rooney love in on MOTD. Neither he nor MOTD mentioned the Rooney elbow which surely worse than either of Shelvey’s transgresssions. Not that I am saying Shelvey’s punishment was undeserved but refs can appear to be blind when it suits them.
Groucho(Quote)
We get nothing and will continue to get nothing, it’s beyond a joke but we just have to accept it .
It’s beyond frustrating that all our players transgressions get highlighted yet opposition players never are, starting to look like an agenda .
On a hiding to nothing tomorrow sadly Olly, rock bottom for Christmas I suspect, ah well, what could of been for want of a little ambition to do more than just survive .
kimtoon(Quote)
Whats happened to the links between the non-comment articles? You can now only move backwards. I can no longer scroll forward.
Premandup(Quote)
Olly: I could have saved you a lot of work. You should just have written 3 nil to the Arsenal.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sadly another defeat tomorrow by Arsenal and Manchester City to follow. Another day with Ashley as owner depressing as
Stem(Quote)
Ashley should of handled this take over by not coming out publicly. The last time he did that we got relegated. As for Amanda Stavely pay up or move on because the suspense isn’t helping.
Stem(Quote)
As for Ashley way of leaving the team in the **** and going on holiday speaks volumes. He deserves to sit there and watch the dross that his provided for 52,000
Stem(Quote)
worse than the transfer window speculation now, this take over talk
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim agreed mate.
Stem(Quote)
Here is a minor conspiracy theory for you. I have nothing to back it up, just pulled it out of thin air (my ****?):
Rafa has made up that Mitro has a bad back. He has a buyer lined up for very early January and wants to keep him fit.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I agree eric
Icedog(Quote)
Eric, it’s obvious mate I agree
kimtoon(Quote)
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/even-newcastle-united-manager-rafa-benitez-now-feeling-the-relegation-heat-9qmp7rfv0?shareToken=6ba0c6c58087d68fcec5465d854c8a20
kimtoon(Quote)
Olly: I agree with your team EXCEPT. And it is a big EXCEPT. Rafa would be mad to play Joselu instead of Gayle. Gayle is the only one scoring for us.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So the players have cancelled their Christmas party. Not sure why tbh, a bit of fun and bonding might of loosened them up a bit and relaxed them.
kimtoon(Quote)
So I expect a 4-0 drubbing today. It’s not rational to imagine any other scenario.
Stuart79(Quote)
It’s about time we won at Arsenal. 2001, 2010, 2017? 😆
georgio(Quote)
not gonna happen mate, bottom for xmas sadly, can’t see any other outcome.
kimtoon(Quote)
Well at least the takeover is going through
Icedog(Quote)
What you heard mate, was my 17th close ?
kimtoon(Quote)
Palace 1 up v Leicester, not good
kimtoon(Quote)
Icedog(Quote)
Dam palace playing great one up
Icedog(Quote)
Cheers ice.
Palace 2 up now 👿
this site is playing up today, taking an age to load
kimtoon(Quote)
Even the teams we thought were going to struggle (Swansea, West Ham and Palace) now picking points up.
We’re up the creek without the proverbial unless we give ourselves a chance in January. Need a striker, No 10, keeper and a full back.
Stuart79(Quote)
Mr. Roy had a good squad that were mismanaged. He has always done OK at middling clubs. It is when the job was too big for him like Liverpool and England that he has struggled. Similarly, Everton were never going down with a but more organization. I am also worried about West Brom now because Arrogant Alan always has a honeymoon period.
We look to be in trouble even with some January purchases. I didn’t see this death spiral coming mind. Even with one of the worst squads I thought Rafa would have us punching above our weight.
Sort of agree with Stuart, but I thought we would lose 3-0.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Ritchie, Darlow and Diame dropped. Reverting to 4-2-3-1 which is what gave us our wins. Won’t make any difference of course.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu: I don’t understand benching Gayle. He looks the most likely to score. Are we going for 0-0 away to Arsenal 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Do not think it is a good move to sell Mitro in January unless someone is going to give us the full £16.5m we paid for him.
A better option is to loan him out and use the wages saved to pay those of a striker we can bring in on loan who Rafa is prepared to play.
Should Mitro bang in a good few goals at his loaned to club and follow that with a good world cup then we may get £20m + for him in the Summer to put towards a new striker.
sidekick(Quote)
Don’t matter who does or doesn’t start today, game is lost already most likely.
kimtoon(Quote)
Sidekick: we need the money to buy Mitro’s replacement. Rafa obviously doesn’t trust him and an extra 3 or 4 million is meaningless in the situation we are in now.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Is Rafa’s reputation beginning to suffer now or is it all on Mike Ashley? I still trust him to get us out of this mess but I have to admit I am starting to worry. He did say we needed up to 6 first team players and we got maybe 2, and mostly from the bargain bin.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Well he is playing Joselu ahead of Gayle.
I agree it is madness – but it shows how stubborn Rafa is . Pardew mark2.
sidekick(Quote)
In terms of what Rafa has to work with you would have to say we are only on par with Swansea and the 2 promoted teams. Hopefully Joselu finds his shooting boots today.
Perhaps the players bought were Rafa’s 2nd and 3rd choices but he has to accept some of the blame for scouting and buying the ones we did. After the run we have been on it is difficult to not be critical. If Ugly John had done it I would have been all over him. I suppose you have to cut a Champions League winner a bit of slack 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Mental. Score and prove us wrong.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
*****: the game is on live here in the US. I am going to have to watch it with my hands over my eyes like a 12 year old watching a particularly scary horror movie.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Expecting to get battered today. Arsenal always seem to batter us. Palace winning was a disaster for us, but we have to accept that the teams at the bottom, other than us, are going to fight. Not looking forward to this to be honest. I have my gloomy head on today. Sandstorm howling here in Dubai so going for 4-0 to the ****. Please Toon, prove me wrong.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Eric
It may be quite difficult to buy a good striker in January but there might be a better striker we can take on loan till the end of the season.
For example, we might not be able to buy the likes of Batshuye , Ings or Walcott but we may be able to loan someone like that.
We could then go for a good permanent striker in the Summer.
sidekick(Quote)
I think it’s maybe wise to remember it’s down to Rafa we are back in the PL at all. Not his fault he didn’t get backed. Boro, Villa, Scum all found out just how tough it is to get back although Villa giving it a go this season to be fair.
kimtoon(Quote)
I think he’s reverting to what worked at the start of the season. Fair enough.
I still think we can stay up if Rafa gets the players he wants in Jan. not sure that will happen though.
Stuart79(Quote)
Well for what it’s worth HWTL
kimtoon(Quote)
Stuart has taken his NUFC luck with him down under. Just like England in Aus to take a virtually unassailable position and fck it up. I thought we would lose the series but Warne and others thought it would be close (McGrath thought 5-0).
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Bad omen of the day: Arsenal have scored more goals against NUFC than any other team.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
****
And Huddersfield winning 0.2 at Watford
kimtoon(Quote)
Ozil has been white all season and then he goes and hits a worldie!
Looks like we will be in the bottom 3 for Christmas. Not to worry – only City to come…
When it gets to 2-0 I’m off to bed.
Stuart79(Quote)
And Watford down to 10, Deeney off
kimtoon(Quote)
Palace win 0-3, Huddersfield winning 0-2 and Watford down to ten men! Jesus Christ!
Stuart79(Quote)
Watching NUFC at the moment is like a trip to the dentist, working in a coalmine in the 1850s or watching England play Australia at cricket in the 1990s.
I know we cannot go head to head with Arsenal but we look so toothless.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And Brighton have a pen v Burnley
kimtoon(Quote)
The line up Rafa has went with today is ***** – and I can guarantee if it was Pardew, McClaren or anyone else people would be fuming. I can’t believe I’m reading comments like – it doesn’t matter anyway, before a ball is kicked.
Rafa has a brilliant CV, but they are passed achievements – the man is letting us down with this **** and is getting away Scott free with it from some.
We may not have world class player – neither does Burnley or Huddersfield. But their managers are getting the best out of their players – we apparently have a world class coach – who currently has the worse record in Europe at the moment.
This isn’t all down to playing staff.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Which they miss
Lejuene sounds poor today like
kimtoon(Quote)
??? It’s remarkably like the team he was playing when we won 3 on the bounce and we’re up to 6th. Was it a “*****” line up then too?
Burnley don’t mind spending £17m on a player too. That kind of thing makes a difference.
Stuart79(Quote)
Well what a surprise. Losing to the **** once again… have to say it was a cracker like, but Lejeune is poor. I cannot see it getting any better…. we trying to gum them to death and clearly it’s not working.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
And he changed it ?
Burnley spent the money they got for Gray. How many of their players would you be happy with in Jan?.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I have to say, I’m disappointed with Rafa too… very puzzled by his team selections and have to agree with Sharpie. Burnley, Huddersfield, Watford, none of them have world class players or a world class manager but they are doing the business.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
So it’s his fault for changing from the “*****” line up he was picking before? You can’t have it both ways, Sharpy.
Regards Burnley – it’s irrelavant where the money came from. When we had money in the bank we still wouldn’t spend over £13m. The question should be, how many of our players would the bottom 7 sides take? Eric, Sham and I discussed this recently and I said 3 and I was the most generous!
Stuart79(Quote)
Nobody is exonerating Rafa for any blame. He needs to be criticised but can’t people see – it doesn’t matter who he picks, the players continue to make the same mistakes and miss the same chances in from of goal.
Stuart79(Quote)
How the hell does Diame even make the bench? Been a good player once. Past it now looks like an old man moving on the pitch.
Groucho(Quote)
Squad is cack mostly, and no quality up front. Can’t make a silk purse from a sows ear.
kimtoon(Quote)
This isn’t even one of the better Arsenal teams. Their 2 best players want to leave. Impotent is being kind to this NUFC team. They are like Gyles Brandreth after 12 pints.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
OK, until Perez scores a few more goals he must be banned from wearing gold boots.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
West Ham now winning.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
West ham winning
kimtoon(Quote)
It really couldn’t be any worse for us. At least there is City v Spurs later.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
This was probably the gameplan when you are outclassed – keep it as tight as possible and try to nick a goal.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Oh for a better forward, two golden chances to equalised not taken
kimtoon(Quote)
I blame Rafa too. Stupid decision. Should not have stepped into the mess in the first place.
funrafa(Quote)
Ridiculous. Xaka elbows Perez in the face and gets a yellow. Mitro does exactly the same thing and gets a retroactive 3 game ban after trial by MOTD.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Showed some fight towards the end but never really looked like scoring. And this Arsenal team are not known for their defensive qualities. At least it didn’t hurt our goal difference much which may be important at the end of the season as long as City go easy on us. C’mon Pep get a bit of the Christmas spirit and give Bob Cratchet United a break. And we all know who Mr. Scrooge is.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
better hope stoke improve second half or we are in the bottom three
kimtoon(Quote)
Well it wasn’t the hammering I expected and we gave it a good shot in the second half, but a loss is a loss and now we are in the relegation zone. City will give us nothing. We could be rock bottom by the end of the weekend.
Kim has it right. You cannot make a silk purse from a sows ear. Desperate for some decent players in Jan… about 8 should do it. ??
Dubai Toon(Quote)
It is ok we are bottom three now. It doesn’t mean we will be there at the end of the season. See below Rafa’s comments. You just have to trust him. He has been doing everything he could for Toon. Too bad he himself can’t get there to score.
“We can stay in the Premier League if we bring in a couple of players. They can see that, because a couple of players can change everything.” Rafa Benitez
Read more at: https://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/rafa-benitez-reveals-how-many-signings-he-needs-to-keep-newcastle-in-the-premier-league-1-8913263
funrafa(Quote)
Ice, once again you are an angel.
funrafa(Quote)
West ham 2 up now
very grim day and Christmas ahead
kimtoon(Quote)
NEW THREAD
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2017/12/16/arsenal-1-0-newcastle-mesut-ozil-magic-downs-nufc-despite-dogged-display/
Post match assessment
Olly Hawkins(Quote)