Where to even begin. I mean seriously where? That was worryingly bad and THE worst opening 45 minutes of football I’ve seen us play in the Premier League, then it didn’t get much better. We had 29% possession..
It’s a miracle we weren’t 3-0 down at half time. Any team slightly better than Brighton and we probably would have been
A crowd of 43,316 saw a lethargic, clueless display. There were players questioning each other, questioning the manager, while big gaps in the crowd interrupted the apathy of the those who went. Welcome to Newcastle United circa 2019. With Mike Ashley, Lee Charnley and Steve Bruce in charge, what on earth do you expect.
We made Brighton look like Man City at times. The possession stood at only 21% after 17 minutes. The way they pulled our players out of position, begged belief. The space between the wide centre backs and the wing backs was almost amateur, and when Hayden and Schar told Bruce how it wasn’t working, apparently he changed to a back four.
I genuinely needed Graeme Le Saux to tell me that on the commentary, such was the lack of shape and cohesion. There was a half chance for Almiron and a free header for Joelinton which went begging but other than that, we spent the first half chasing the ball and the boos at half time were the loudest the crowd were all evening.
It was a much brighter start to the second half, with some high pressing and a half chance for Atsu, which was immediately dampened by an injury to Schar, who thankfully was ok. Interestingly we also went back to the original plan of 3-4-3. It seemed Bruce actually did something at half time, or at least tried to.
However, normal service was shortly resumed. Brighton were back to playing exhibition football by 52 mins. There was one point on 56 minutes when the ball went for our throw in 10 yards into the Brighton half, Joelinton went for the quick throw and there wasn’t a Newcastle player within 30 yards of him. There were 164 to 480 completed passes on 58 minutes……in Brighton’s favour. It really was that desperate.
A Shelvey long range effort and a couple of robust tackles from Hayden and Lascelles lifted the crowd a little, but it didn’t didn’t last long. Misplaced passes and players being caught in possession saw the atmosphere turn from apathetic to toxic, then back to apathetic again. Ki and Saint Maximin were introduced on 70 mins and after an incredible goal line clearance from Schar, the French winger had the crowd on its collective feet with a brilliant run and through ball to Joelinton but the shot was blocked.
On 79 minutes the biggest roar of the night came as Andy Carroll stripped off for his second debut.
His first touch set Saint Maximin away down the line but it amounted to nothing with a weak cross / shot.
There was of course time for Carroll to injure someone. Lewis Dunk was on the end of a hefty challenge from our own human wrecking ball.
We finished the game on the front front, that’s something at least. Saint Maximin and Carroll gave the crowd a lift, but it felt desperate.
If anyone reading this wants to debate with me that Steve Bruce is doing a good job and deserves time. Comment below, and come with your guns loaded.
Tactically we were a shambles, and we go to the King Power stadium next……it simply must get better.
Jamie: I am not going to debate you about how **** we were today. I will say however, that after 6 games last year we had 2 points. Nil-nil draws against Cardiff and Palace.
I am not defending Bruce. We were terrible and his idea of building the team around Shelvey has got to be out the window now. Not sure if that was ever the case but that was the rumour.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Every bloody team plays the high press now which means Shelvey might be a liability. It could be that he just has nobody to pass to and that having Gayle in the team might help. We all know he is a defensive liability but you would hope that his speed of thought and passing ability would make up for that. If we play one up front there is no point in Shelvey. And if we try to build down the wings as we did in the last 15 minutes today then I am not sure if Jonjofits in there either.
I am beginning to think that the change in tactics of the past few years has passed Shelvey by. You can see he has skills, but maybe they are not what are needed now? HE GIVES THE BALL AWAY TOO MUCH. You have the same thing going on with Ozil and Mata where teams are finding it hard to fit in slow players who are defensive liabilities but are excellent passers.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I am going to do a match rating. Everybody starts with a 6 and gets plus and minus points from there.
The whole defense get a 6 because they limited Brighton to very few scoring opportunities despite their 70% possession – 2 shots on target. Schar gets a 7 for that clearance. I am thinking Bruce didn’t drill them on what to expect from Brighton because it was too easy to pass around us and we had to rely on last ditch efforts by us or misplaced passes from them.
Hayden gets a 6 and Shelvey gets a 2 because he didn’t put a foot right all game.
Almiron a 4 for that missed chance. Joelinton a 4 for missing a free header. Atsu a 4 for doing nothing for 75 minutes although he woke up when played on the right.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
We are stuck in a Rafa time warp. Inability to pass and move the same as under Rafa without the organisation in defence. Long ball after long ball gifting the ball to the opposition. Shelvey guilty of this on numerous occasions but sadly not alone. Dummett an excellent defender but absolute rubbish in passing. Joelinton was held every time he went up for the ball. Ref did nothing. I apologise for sounding grumpy but sitting through that pretence at football leaves me depressed. Can’t see Bruce lasting long if he doesn’t improve the way we play soon. Worst game I have seen for a while and that is really saying something given with what we have had to watch for sometime.
Groucho(Quote)
Bruce gets a 3. How can we give Brighton 70% possession? The defense didn’t seem to know what to expect and Joelinton was left on his own. Should have subbed Shelvey on 60 minutes. Don’t blame him for holding back St Max and Carroll as I wouldn’t want to risk more injuries. That got him a boost from a 2 to a 3 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
29% possession at home against Brighton. He should be sacked just for that.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: have you seen Ryder’s ratings? Not sure if he was watching the same match. We were dire for 75 minutes and only matched them for the last 15. It was like Potter had prepared for NUFC and Bruce had not prepared for Brighton. This is Potter’s 6 PL game FFS and before that 8 years in Sweden and 1 year at Swansea. He should not be outcoaching a 20 year veteran.
I am not giving up on Bruce yet. I want to give him a chance. I even gave McClaren until Christmas but that was mainly because I had slagged off Pards and Ugly John Carver so much I wanted to believe rather than actually believed.
Every coach has a bad day. God knows Rafa had plenty for us that have been conveniently forgotten. But that performance was abysmal.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
But… I think Brighton are in relegation trouble. If they can outplay a team as they did us for 75 minutes and not really trouble the goalie much – 2 shots on target – then they will lose a lot of games they should have won based on the stats.
Their players are not any better than ours, they just had a plan.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
This better not be Bruce’s gameplan for every team. Cede possession and hit them on the break. The other managers are too smart not to see through it. Remember Pards was always, don’t concede in the first 20 minutes and then keep it tight and frustrate the opposition until half time. Then try to hit them with a sucker punch or 2 and let them chase the game. Same every week with some terrible results but just enough to keep us up. He was found out more with the teams he managed after us once smarter continental managers were brought into the PL.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It’s the commentators that drive me nuts, saying why couldn’t we play like that in the first 75mins when we were getting some joy late on. Conveniently forgetting we didn’t have St Max and Carroll on the pitch then 🙄
Those two made an big impact and if we can only get and keep them fit to play decent periods in a game could be the difference between staying up and going down.
Last night i read St Max has a knock along with a few others, course they have, top of the injury league days are back, but why ?
kimtoon(Quote)
Eric i also read we are looking at Martinez, Miggy’s old strike partner in MLS
Have you heard this over there ?
kimtoon(Quote)
I can’t remember ever seeing us playing as poorly as that. Man of the match – there wasn’t one.
Shelvey was so lethargic he should have been subbed after 10 minutes and could someone explain to him and Hayden they’re allowed to run with the ball not just pass it back to the player who gave them it.
I’ll also bet that St Max has strained his hamstring again. Manager after manager hurry these players back too early.
Joelinton is supposed to be a striker but isn’t. Then what’s the point in playing him, he’s not good enough at anything else either. So disappointing.
Miggy was fine down the left and is useless anywhere else.
Willems looks pretty useless too. It seems St Max is the only summer signing or any value at all.
Awful game!
georgio(Quote)
After 6 games now under Bruce can anybody tell me what our style of play is? Do we have an identity? We don’t create hardly any chances and considering our attacking players are anything but goalscorers this is a major issue.
McClaren all over again. Spend a bit of money, bring in a sub standard or average “head coach” and wonder why we will be in the bottom three come Xmas.
Stuart79(Quote)
We sort of have to pray that Longstaff and Hayden stay fit because we have no depth in central midfield. We don’t know if Matty Longstaff is any good and Bruce seems to think Willems is backup there. Ki is out of contract at the end of this year and I don’t think anybody rates him that highly. Shelvey cannot possibly be this bad, I know I berated him earlier but he has had good games for us. We have to at least loan someone in January. A lot of other PL teams seem to be able to get loans from Spain and Portugal, so why not us? Schar?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I see Keane, Jose and Souness are the Sky studio pundits for the Man U game. I wish we got that over here. On paper, that Man U team could be the worst I have seen in 30 years. I wanted Mata for us but we are not Man U. He should not be in their first team. It just shows how far away they are from the likes of Liverpool and Citeh.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Actually, Eric take the top two out and the rest aren’t all that at all. It’s all a bit more galling really. A bit of investment and a few tweaks to get Rafa to stay and we could have been doing what Leicester are trying to do.
Stuart79(Quote)
Spot on there Stuart. It does my head in but the longer we get from Rafa leaving the more I can see why.
georgio(Quote)
VAR really ruining the game. I still can’t accept that if your toe is offside then you’re going to get punished and lose the goal. It’s ridiculous.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: I read The Guardian comments section on the Spurs game. There were over 1,100 and they hardly mentioned the game, all were about VAR. There is something wrong when the technology is more of a topic than the football.
Talking of something being wrong, how bad can Man U’s midfield be when they are outplayed by an 85 year old Mark Noble and Wham can play with 10 men for the last 15 minutes (Wilshere came on, you see).
Noble should have been sent off though. How come VAR didn’t spot that? Studs up challenge where he clipped the player and the ball was already gone.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
if we keep pl;aying Shelvey we will win nothing one or two good balls per game then walking about doing nowt hes worse than Whiltshire and thats saying something
icedog(Quote)
Very sad about Thomas Cook. Very old business but any business that has £1.6b of debt and needs £200m to keep it going after just receiving £600m isn’t really viable. Complete mismanagement. Predicatably the Labour party and their Marxist mates were demanding the gvt bail them out. I often wonder if the Lab party have anybody in their ranks that aren’t completely commercially illiterate.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: my guess is the Management of Thomas Cook were all Tories and got them into that state in the first place. Just like the Bankers.
How did it get to this point? I am guessing they were undercut by even cheaper flights, internet hotel sites etc. I am surprised so many package deals lasted this long.
But with so many customers stranded there must have still been a market so the management must have been mispricing their product. The bankruptcy has nothing to so with Labour or Marxists and everything to do with Tory managers and directors being incompetents.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I know there is an insurance fund to bring the travelers home but I am not sure if it is enough. Should the Government step in and pay for this? Probably. It is not Marxism, it is looking after their citizens. They do the same with Embassies all over the world. The Government spends countless billions on things that don’t matter to the regular guy and allow billionaires to fiddle their taxes. How much would it cost? The price of 1 cruise missile?
I am not saying the Govt should bail TC out, I haven’t even thought about that. I am talking about bringing stranded travelers home.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
There were 43000 stranded at SJP for 80 minutes on Saturday. Held hostage by their own loyalty.
georgio(Quote)
Another one gives up on Shelvey. Luke Edwards at The Telegraph.
It was obvious that Rafa had done so last year as well after stumbling on a midfield combo of Hayden and Longstaff. Fulham looked like it might be Shelvey’s swansong.
I spent many a day on here musing how we might fit Shelvey’s undoubted talents into our team and could never figure it out. He has to be benched. The fans will turn on him as a starter. He has to prove himself as a sub in order to have any future at NUFC.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/09/23/jonjo-shelvey-supposed-make-newcastle-tick-instead-liability/
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Does any other team play with a “quarterback” midfielder. Henderson likes the Hollywood pass but also puts a shift in. The game might have passed Shelvey by. It is all high press now. Then there are the wingbacks pushing up and the centre backs bringing the ball forwards. The Pep model. We actually have the players for that in Schar and Lejeune.
Does this leave Shelvey on an island? Isolated and without a role anymore? The Thomas Cook of NUFC?
We have pace, whippets he could pass to if only they could get upfield.
A puzzle for Bruce to solve but if he spends 5 games trying to make Shelvey the main man, as he thought he might when he came in, then we are doomed.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
When Rooney wanted to drop into midfield for England and play Hollywood passes that was a disaster as well. Although Wayne’s idea of Hollywood was crossfield which was strange.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Close Eric, but many of their directors have been non British. In fact their major shareholder was Chinese company Fosun who own Wolves. Nowt to do with politics this one.
Stuart79(Quote)
Eric, the government are paying to bring stranded passengers home. I am literally just talking about Labour’s calls for TC to be bailed out. They call for every business to be bailed out. It’s boring and economically illiterate.
Stuart79(Quote)
I also brought up in the summer and before about Shelvey’s goals and assists record, which is terrible. Eventually you are judged on what you produce and not just how pretty your passes are. I have mentioned this many times before so I am not just turning on Jonjo after one bad game. Stats matter. That book Moneyball which was adapted to football as Soccernomics was not about MONEY really. It was about stats and cybermetrics. How the scouts were misjudging certain talent because they played ugly and they should be looking at the stats more to see their real worth. I read that book when it first came out and every team in baseball follows it now. Fenway Sports Group who own Liverpool tried to hire the “hero” of he book, Billy Bean, but settled on a disciple of his. They applied the same method to Liverpool.
Again, what I am saying is eventually the end product is what matters and not the pretty passes. On Saturday Jonjo wasn’t even making the pretty passes.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Bruce needs to change the system in my view. We don’t get enough players forward when we attack and when we counter we literally counter with one man. It’s pointless.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: we are attacking as individuals. Its great when it comes off like a couple of St Max’s runs but too often our players are closed down by 2 or 3 of the opposition. We showed in the second half of last season that we could play on the counter and I do not think there is much drop off from Perez to St Max or from Rondon to Joelinton. I haven’t seen enough to be sure, but they seem to have the skills.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Rafa had us breaking as a group. If we are going to play on the counter, that’s what we have to do again.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
That’s what is happening with Almiron. Whenever he gets the ball there are 2 or 3 players on him and he has to get past them or play the perfect pass. This lad is a good player, we just have to get him some support. I know he is snatching but that is also because he feels he has to do it all himself.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Before the Brighton game I had said I didn’t really know any of their players and it would be hard to make a prediction. I said I knew Pascal Gross as I had seen him mentioned a few times as one of the best value for money signings. After the game I realized I knew who Dunk and Ryan were and Murray and I had forgotten they got Mooy on loan.
I still don’t know any of their players or if they are any good or not. It is so hard to judge when you play a 4-5-1 and still your wing backs and midfielders just let them stroll past you. Even their giraffe defenders were given so much time on the ball they were made to look like Lionel Messi.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Watched the full 96 minutes of that dreadful performance a couple of times now.
Not one Newcastle player seemed happy to be on the pitch. I am wondering if they are upset at the style of play imposed on them by Bruce.
In a home game against a bottom half team and playing defensive football from the kick off and inviting the opposition to mount attack after attack is certainly going to alienate the fans.
Had to feel sorry for Almiron. The lad should be playing out wide but he spent most of the game in the centre of the pitch on the edge of his own penalty area. Joelinton , playing as a lone striker, spent most of the game in his own half.
We only came to life when Maximin and Carroll came onto the pitch to assist Joelinton.
If we had started with Joelinton, and Carroll up front with Almiron and Maximin out wide and taken the game to Brighton the fans would have been upbeat and cheered the players on to a comfortable win.
sidekick(Quote)
So, basically Bruce has come out and said that the “expansive” football experiment didn’t work and is over. He said that pressing with a front 3 didn’t work and that it was time to revert to the more narrow system – i.e. Rafa-ball. By extension that means no more 3 in midfield and no more Shelvey.
My main take from Saturday is that we have to attack as a unit and not leave Joelinton isolated. I think that is fairly obvious but I said it anyway 🙂
We better hope Longstaff and Hayden stay fit and we better be buying or loaning another midfielder in January.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Yep. It was good for a while Jonjo. 1st season back under Rafa was good, even though you had your ups and downs. Not sure if there is room for a “quarterback” anymore. You would think that would be a way to beat the high press but it seems it isn’t. Will be lucky to get our money back now. Wonder if West Ham are still interested or if a few wins have gone to their heads? They will come back down to earth though so we may still have an option to sell there.
The euphoria of beating a totally **** Man U team (Lingard as a No. 9 FFS) has gone to their heads. They were actually a bit **** as well as evidenced by the 85 year old Mark Noble being Man of the Match. Still, their friends in the press will big up them as the next big thing much like the Spurs journos do.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
There could be 2 interpretations of what Bruce is doing:
1. Steve is flexible and recognizes his errors early and changes the tactics to suit. He even changed the formation in-game a few times.
2. Chopping and changing is not good for the team who do not know what they should be doing or where they should be playing. Exemplified by the use of Willems in midfield in a couple of games now. Shows Bruce has no clear plan.
Or, 3. it has taken him while to recognize the players/personnel he had and just asked them WWRD (What Would Rafa Do) and decided that is how it will be from now on.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
If Bruce genuinely belives he’s been playing attacking, expansive football then he’s deluded. If we are going to start playing defensively now then I assume that means playin 8 at the back as we can’t play more defensively as we hsve done already.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: this is the Mark Douglas article where I got the Bruce language about playing off the front foot. There are other articles where he talks about expansive football.
I agree that we have not seen this and he is in dreamland if that’s what he thinks. Sky showed possession and shots stats where we are botton 1-4 in every attacking metric.
I am not giving up on Bruce (yet) but he is watching different games to the rest of us if he thinks his teams are set up to attack.
The good news is that he said he will change (actually get some) tactics.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/how-steve-bruce-react-leicester-16968785
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It’s now looking a very sad case of the manager under pressure who has no idea of what to do.
He is a Geordie, he is a nice guy, players do like him, but it’s an absolute mess on the field with players having to ask him mid game where they should be and what they should be doing. Unsustainable!
georgio(Quote)
georgio: Bruce strongly hinted he is going back to Rafa-ball. You will see him on the touchline on Sunday pushing his hands together and saying “compact”. I am serious, he said in not so many words he will be using Rafa tactics.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Haven’t seen Mick Quinn in The Chronic lately. Has nobody scored a hattrick in the PL this week so The Legend (copywrite Evening Chronicle) can shoehorn a story about him scoring a hattrick on his debut into another article. Of course there was Bernardo, but even Quinny will know to steer clear of him at the moment.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
There are a couple of scenarios building:
1. Man U could easily lose to Arsenal on Monday and then our game would be another nail in the coffin for OGS. 3 losses in a row would have the fans turn. They have no forwards!
2. NUFC. We are likely to lose to Leicester and Chelsea away. That makes Man U pivotal for Bruce.
The most likely scenario though is that even without forwards Man U beat us and give OGS a reprieve and put Bruce deep in the you know what.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Just looked at the NUFC.com match report for the League Cup tie against Leicester that we lost on penalties. They actually played a very strong team that included:
Schmeichel
Teilemans
Barnes
Maddison
Perez
Vardy
Bruce was going with the 3 centre mids at the time as well.
No matter how **** we played against Brighton I am not sure we should be writing this one off.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Play like we did against Brighton and you can write off every game! Can we get better? I’m not sure. Longstaff back will help but there’s just no goals in Almiron and Joe. You could add Atsu, Hayden to that.
georgio(Quote)
The definition of insanity is keep doing the same thing and hoping for a different outcome.
Almiron has started the last 16 games and has not score or created a single goal.
Is it time to try something else – look at him as an impactive substitute in a hope he can do more damage against a tiring defence. Once he’s off the mark and his confidence is back up – then go back to starting him.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: there is no way that St Max is fit enough to start and neither are Gayle or Carroll. Does anybody trust Muto. Almiron should be on the left wing and Atsu on the right. We really don’t have the option to bench Miggy at the moment.
Hopefully Longstaff will be fit. There is an article on here today about selling Shelvey. I have been banging on about where he fits for a year or more. You can see he has skills but you really have to build your gameplan around him and then you become a one-trick-pony team. I am sure Rafa had come to that conclusion.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – it is difficult with as many injuries to our forward players I agree – but, why not give Muto a chance?!.
A lot of people would have left Atsu out. Rafa left Hayden and Longstaff out and Manquillo is a fringe player – but with a run of games, these players show their worth – some more than others – but it’s about giving them a chance.
Muto might turn out to be a dud – but he’s never got anywhere near as many as 16 games to prove himself – he’s lucky to get 16mins.
Everyone agrees we need goals and Almiron is creating or scoring. Im not against the lad, and I think he brings other qualities to the team. But it’s goals we need and who knows, he may have more success from the bench. But how long do we leave it before trying something new?.
Sharpy17(Quote)
There is some hope in the next couple of games. We did beat Leicester away last year so that is not a lost cause. Man U drew against Rochdale (17th in League 1). Some might say it was a weakened team but it was full of first teamers, including Pogba. There were only 2 players under 21 and one of them was their supposed wunderkind, Mason Greenwood, who would have played against West Ham if fit. As I have said before, this is not Lord Ferg’s Man U and we must stand a chance against them. Look at their away record as well since OGS was appointed full time. In fact, since Ole was hired FT they have averaged only a point per game.
Some may counter this is not Rafa’s NUFC 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Since Souness said this is the worst Man U PL team ever the Daily Mail put up some examples of bad Man U teams. Van Gaal’s 1st year team was actually worse but this definitely came in a close second. I said before Souey I thought this was the worst team ever and is easily beatable if Bruce can just get a bit of confidence into the side and not just play 8 behind the ball.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sharpy I understand what you’re saying about Muto, but really he’s never looked any good at all. For me he’s bottom of the list of so called strikers. I’d even put Sorensen ahead of him.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio – my point isn’t about Muto mate. My point is about Almiron.
I only say Muto coz probably the only fit option – if Sorensen was at the club I’d be happy to give him a run instead.
How much have we really seen of Muto to say he’s not very good though?.
Until a player has a run of a few games in the team, how can we fairly judge a player?!.
Almiron works hard and covers a lot of ground – but if you look at his stats, he is not much of an offensive threat – Atsu has been more effective and how many people would have said – from what I’ve seen of Atsu he said not very good – but now he’s getting game time.
https://www.premierleague.com/players/54312/Miguel-Almir%C3%B3n/stats
Sharpy17(Quote)
Get Almiron back on the left and Atsu on the right and attack as a unit and not as individuals. The midfield will probably be Longstaff and Hayden and we will have a back 5. That was Rafa’s formula last year against Leicester.
Make sure we play Willems and Manquillo in more of an attacking role. They will probably be stuck defending most of the time but they cannot just stand there and wave the opposition onto them.
Perez hasn;t scored for Leicester either but they are saying he does so much more for the team. I wouldn’t drop Almiron for Muto. Maybe, if he still hasn’t scored or assisted when Gayle gets fit I would think about that.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And then there’s St Max if he can come through this game as a sub. I probably still wouldn’t start him against Man U but would have him prepared for 30 minutes depending on how we and Atsu/Almiron are doing.
I don’t think we are a relegation side. That will be on Bruce and Charnley if it happens. But whatever the results before Christmas, get used to Brucie because he aint getting sacked.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – Atsu doesn’t have a right foot mate – he isn’t throwing crosses in for Joelinton & Carroll to attack from right wing. Almiron is pro dominantly left footed as well – so they both favour that left side.
There has been little in the way of supply to the front players from down the right in Yedlins absence. Kraft and Manquillo haven’t been as effect – though Manq has looked better defensively
Sharpy17(Quote)
What the hell are we doing as the only Sunday televised game? After Brighton, I reckon the TV audience might be the lowest ever for this slot. How bad do we have to get not to be on TV – Championship?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sharpy: Atsu was much more direct on the right against Brighton. We have played inverted wingers in the past – Ritchie, Ben Arfa. Arjen Robben scored a boatload with his only move – the cutback and shoot with his left foot from the right wing.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The reoccurrence of Shelvey’s injury leaves us with problems. Who do we have now? Ki is out of contract in the summer so they obviously are not THAT keen. Matty Longstaff? Move Schar to midfield? Are there any other options?
Willems? Did Bruce put Ritche in midfield?
Saivet and Colback don’t even have squad numbers.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It was obvious that we needed another midfielder in January. That problem is more acute now. One of the writers on here suggested selling Shelvey then but I doubt that will happen now. It could have provided the funds for a replacement but we still need somebody regardless of Shelvey’s status.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – it’s probably the best option if we are going with Atsu and Almiron
– but I don’t really like it mate. Robben and Ribery were masters of it at Bayern – but wingers who play that way really don’t play to the strengths of their forwards – especially if those forwards are big old units like Carroll and Joelinton.
Muto certainly isn’t a winger option, but would be a bit of a change up front and more of a second striker for Joelinton – more of a similar role to Perez.
With Joelinton and forwards, Almiron could have more of a free role behind them – but then we would defo need to wing backs to provide the width.
Sharpy17(Quote)
When everybody is fit we should have one of the fastest attacks in the PL (I know Stuart, but who will score the goals). But what I mean is Miggy, St Max and Gayle are super fast and Joelinton, Atsu and Muto are no slouches. The coaching staff have to be able to figure this one out even if it is just bring on Big Andy for the last 20 minutes for flicks ons against tiring defenders.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I doubt we will see your team on Sunday Olly. My guess is there will be one change of Longstaff for Shelvey and that we will at least start with the 5 at the back. St Max is too much of a risk to start but I think Bruce might switch wings with Atsu and Almiron as I said before. I reckon Manquillo will also keep his place.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You’ll be about right, yeh.
My team was what I’d like to see, not what I expect. I don’t see Bruce being bold enough to start 4 attackers.
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
Actually, Ki did OK when he came on against Brighton so if Bruce has any lingering fitness doubts about Longstaff I would expect to see him. Now that I have thought about it, I think it is 50-50 Ki or Longstaff.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
That Kenyon proposal looks a bad deal for everyone, including Ashley. They don’t have the funding and are relying on everything to go perfectly to even be able to pay the Fat Man. If things go south they will not have the money to bail out NUFC. If all goes well their investors will walk with their profits, or they will float the company on a stock exchange to pay them.
I just cannot see how this would be attractive to Ashley unless he is desperate to get rid of us. This one should be filed under – BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR.
It is BS about keeping Bruce as well. Yeah, right!!!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The BZG deal was hard to fathom because they really didn’t make clear their intentions. This Kenyon group are making it perfectly clear why they want NUFC – as a pure investment, to get in and get out, at a fat profit. That will only happen if NUFC are successful. If their plans do not work out we will be Sunderland.
There wont be any money for investment in players. It will all be self generated at NUFC, which is pretty much what Ashley is doing now. The difference might be that Kenyon might hire a decent manager and have the contacts to grow the commercial side, but that would depend on us being successful.
I doubt Kenyon would be doing this for Charity either. My guess is he would be paid 3-4 million a year which is what Levy gets at Spurs. I am sure he would have an equity stake as well for when we get sold. The partners in private equity firms usually get “2 and 20”. This means they get a fee of 2% of assets annually and 20% of any profits. Kenyon would get a chunk of this, I am sure.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric,
It is likely very little would change in terms of money available but a different owner and a different approach might change things. It would certainly get supporters back. Plus I would have more faith in Kenyon than Charnley to increase revenues. The current regime seem to have just accepted that they can’t achieve anything.
However I believe Jabba has no real intentions of selling. Keynon might even meet his terms of staggered payments, price and advertising rights but he will still find a way of rejecting it.
Anyway, this is yet another bound for failure. Not because of Kenyons plans, but because Jabba isn’t going to sell.
Stuart79(Quote)
What also makes me laugh is the fact that this is from a journalist, Craig Hope who was on TalkSport rubbishing the BZG takeover and saying his source was saying there hadn’t even been a bid. I wonder what his source is saying now… It does appear these journo’s blow with the wind…
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: I don’t think Ashley will take this offer but as you say a consortium led by Kenyon probably know what they are doing and couldn’t do much worse than Charnley. They are explicit in their brochure that they are in it for the money – to fatten NUFC up and sell it on. I have no objection to that as long as it means a successful team. The model does not have a backstop though. If they fail, we are fcked. As I said, the new Sunderland who now have their own hedge fund backers who are doing exactly the same thing except they need to get to the PL to make their huge, quick profits.
If anybody thinks they are serious about keeping Bruce then they are mad. I would like to give him a chance but I don’t care if he leaves.
We are currently favourites for relegation but that could change quickly with a couple of good results and a win against Man U is not out of the question.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Another day, another take over bid. The very fact that it’s all over the papers suggests it’s all fake news again. Hey ho…
Dubai Toon(Quote)
It also seems that Pogba is stirring the **** again at Man U. That’s what we need. More discontent after they put all of their eggs in the non-striker striker basket. I have read a few things and the Man U fans are really banking on another “class of ’92”. They are putting so much pressure on this 17 year old Mason Greenwood to be the next Michael Owen. I have news for them. Most of the class of 92 were not that good – ****, the Nevilles. And they were not fckn 17.
We have a chance against these delusional idiots.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
If the offer is true and it’s £125m up front with the rest paid over 3yrs – no chance Ashley will ever entertain that.
His stance has always been that he would only sell to someone who had the funds to take the club forward – however with the fans staying away in the numbers they now are – maybe that will change.
But the fact he spent money in the summer suggested to me that selling isn’t at the front of Ashley’s thoughts.
It pains me to say it, but I think it’s more BS sadly.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – Jabba has gone on the record and said he would help
Any buyer by accepting instalments. That doesn’t sound like a seller who’s bothered about whether a buyer can take the club forward. I doubt it will happen as I now genuinely don’t believe he wants to sell. Maybe, as you say, falling attendances might have a impact on him.
Eric – Football clubs that are bought now will only be bought with the aim of making a profit on them. The days are gone when a wealthy person can buy and spend a fortune on a club for enjoyment. Same with the city style buyout. Personally I don’t mind this approach as a business model like this has to be predicated on increasing turnover, increasing profits and improving performance on the pitch. That’s a win win in my eyes.
One thing I’d say is that Kenyon seems to be quite persistent. I don’t doubt his sincerity or commitment. It’s Jabba who is the road block and always will be.
Stuart79(Quote)