After playing five of the league’s ‘big six’ in our opening nine games, we now enter a run of fixtures that could well define our season.
First up on Sunday is Wolves – last season’s 7th place side who’ve recovered from a poor start by going unbeaten in their last seven games.
That said, they arrive on Tyneside just 48 hours after a Europa League trip to Slovakia, which saw most of their first team stars play the full 90 in a late comeback win over Slovan Bratislava.
This however is the same side that won at Man City in their last away outing in the league, so we’ll have to be every bit as good as we were against Man Utd to beat them.
Win and it’ll be considered a decent start to the season given the fixtures we’ve faced, however things must start clicking in the final third if we’re to come away with all three points here.
Predicted XI
With the pressure intensifying on misfiring duo Joelinton and Almiron, it’ll be interesting to see what Bruce goes with here.
For me it’s the approach that has to change and not the personnel, however the NUFC boss has been speaking highly of Dwight Gayle all week. I have my doubts as to whether he’s match fit enough to start after an injury-ravaged pre-season, but would not be surprised if he’s named in the starting 11 come 1pm on Sunday.
As for Joelinton, yes he’s been poor and has cut a frustrated figure up top, but a striker (who’s still not used to playing up front never mind in the Premier League) relies on chances – and the service and support up to him has been bordering on non existent. With that in mind, it’s time we got bodies around him on Sunday to give him a much needed helping hand.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Atsu came in for Almiron, yet Bruce seems adamant the latter will come good eventually.
With Schar injured, one of Dummett or Fernandez will almost certainly start should we stick with the same formation – although we may revert to four at the back if Gayle is to partner Joelinton up top.
Preferred NUFC XI – (3-4-2-1) – Dubravka – Fernandez, Lascelles, Dummett – Yedlin, M.Longstaff, S.Longstaff, Willems – Atsu, Saint-Maximin – Joelinton.
The Opposition
Here’s a few ‘ones to watch’ in Nuno’s Wolves side:
Raul Jimenez – The Mexican striker completed a £30m move this summer after bagging an outstanding 17 goals and 8 assists during his spell on loan from Benfica last season. He’s surprisingly mobile for his size and a real handful with an eye for goal.
Adama Traore – If he continues down Wolves’ right-hand side and Allan Saint-Maximin starts down our left, this could be one hell of a battle between two incredible dribblers with bundles of pace. Traore’s final product has often been criticised, but with two well taken goals at City in their last away game in the league, he’s someone Willems could struggle to contain.
Ruben Neves – The Portuguese international is a classy operator in the middle who’s deadly from free kicks. Both Matty and Sean will have their hands full against both him and Moutinho.
Predicted Wolves XI (3-5-2) – Patricio – Saiss, Coady, Boly – Traore, Dendoncker, Neves, Moutinho, Jonny – Jimenez, Jota.
Team news
Both Andy Carroll (groin) and Fabian Schar (knee) have been ruled out, with the game also coming too soon once again for Matt Ritchie (ankle) and Florian Lejeune (knee) – despite both being spotted back in training this week.
Isaac Hayden is out again as he completes a three-match ban, however Dwight Gayle is in contention to start for the first time since May 2018.
Wolves centre-back Ryan Bennett is expected to miss out with a groin injury, but it remains to be seen if Nuno will make many changes after several key players started in their Europa League tie in Slovakia on Thursday night.
Prediction
I haven’t got a good feeling about this one.
On paper our attack could cause Wolves problems, but we’ve created a worrying lack of chances so far this season and must get better service and more bodies up to Joelinton if we’re to carry a more consistent threat.
Schar’s absence will be felt from a creative and defensive point of view, so it’ll be key that Yedlin and Willems get the balance right at both ends – especially when Wolves are known for their attacking wing-backs.
I’m hopeful based on the fact Wolves arrive on the back of a tough game in Europe, but my head says they’ll get the better of us should we continue to look toothless in the final third.
Here’s hoping that changes and we come away with another much needed win at St James’ Park!
Prediction: Newcastle 1-1 Wolves
Howay the lads!
Just so long as we don’t try and better Saints display last night 😳 😆
kimtoon(Quote)
😆 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
Schar will be a big miss against a ver good and committed side. 0-1 I’m afraid.
georgio(Quote)
I still think Gayle will come in for Almiron.
All of our forwards are trying to do everything themselves and are not playing as a unit. Watch tapes of Man City FFS. They are all brilliant individually but also look to pass and play in their team mates.
We have to try something different up front because we are not scoring.
And how about a goal from a corner? It is getting to be almost like the Ugly John Carver (coaching) days where we went like a year without scoring from a corner and had that one free kick routine to Williamson that never worked.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Watched Brighton/Everton and the giant arsed Mackem has been a joke and a liability. All he does is point and shout at his teammates. Cost them a goal from a freekick and almost another. Mark my words – if he is still England keeper he will cost us at the Euros or World Cup.
His positioning is appalling. He’s not even a good shot stopper anymore. He just looks lost.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Ooops, mackems got beaten by Shrewsbury… ????
Dubai Toon(Quote)
observations:
Chelsea don’t seem like a bad team. Can we have some of the Pulisic luck? 2 deflected goals and one off the back of his head.
Somebody should advise Mason Mount that with his nose the haircut he has makes him look like Woody Woodp#cker.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Can somebody explain the new free kick thing? Where you cant stand in the wall, but they all stand in front of it? What is that about?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Still haven’t decided whether to watch the match in the pub or at home. I don’t have any problem with Wolves or Spurs fans. It is the Red Bindippers. I watched a game last year and Liverpool were the game after. Their fans saw I was not a bindipper and one after the other were constantly asking for my seat even though I had a full pint in front of me.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Half were Yanks as well. They seem to have picked up a Liverpool Post-Beatle (seemingly last clever and interesting Scousers) annoying tendency of thinking they are funny when they are not. Through osmosis or like a gene changing synergy thing on Star Trek. Somehow they have morphed into a Brookside/Stan Boardman combination. All of them. The Yanks included.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Obvious team from Bruce. Looks like he’s got the point about Kraft and him being basically ****. Who bought him again?
Hope it’s 3-4-3 and also hope Joelinton can get a goal. He and Almiron desperately need one.
Stuart79(Quote)
Sort of shocked that Bruce kept faith with Almiron.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I fancy us today like
Sharpy17(Quote)
Nine Nil. I am still trying get my head around that. Away, as well.
That gets me thinking that the Southampton spirit is broken and they will be relegated.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Well not long now. Sort of expected that team. We have a reasonable record against wolves. And Boly is out injured so no last minute fouls, penalties dodgy headers etc…
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Pete Pestelsthwaite lookalike and competitor for ugliest man in the world with John Carver (pickled walnut with hair) is Ref – Kevin Friend.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Bloody hell Almiron man
kimtoon(Quote)
Hard watch this mind. 2nd to every ball and Joelinton up there on his own again.
You’d think it was us that had a European hangover watching this ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
I think we have done OK so far. Final ball again!!!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Almiron is not fucking good enough!!!
Sharpy17(Quote)
will we ever score from a corner again?
Jesus Almiron man oh man side netting !
kimtoon(Quote)
I mean how the actual didn’t he score there
kimtoon(Quote)
C’mon ffs
getinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Lascelles you beauty
kimtoon(Quote)
We should put Fernandez on corner delivery 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
kimtoon(Quote)
We have been the better team. We have pace and trickery, it just the final ball.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Get in, what a cracking goal from the Cap! I guess that’s our goal now for the game, we’ve not scored more than one this season, let’s hope we can still defend. Solid performance so far but a long way from outstanding…
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Impressed with St. Maximan mind you, proper live wire
Dubai Toon(Quote)
A good first half lead, but a hard watch I thought. A real lack of composure – and none more so than Almiron. Whether it be the chances he has in front of goal or that break away we had where he played a terrible pass for Yedlin.
We need a second goal coz I fancy Wolves will get one in the second half.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Agree Sharpy, not an easy watch is it.
kimtoon(Quote)
2nd half started as the 1st half did.
This is bloody painful this!!!
Sharpy17(Quote)
we need to get a bloody grip here like, they are all over us
kimtoon(Quote)
ffs was coming, not the best by Dubs that 👿
kimtoon(Quote)
What the hell was Dub doing there??? No need to get involved at all there.
This is hopeless this!!. We aren’t even playing with the same level of intensity we did against Man Utd.
There is nobody getting anywhere near Joelinton.
I don’t enjoy watching NUFC ☹️
Sharpy17(Quote)
Red for Sean, great just great
hard work just got harder and breaks up our MF pair for next 3 games 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)
Joelinton off Shelvey on
kimtoon(Quote)
Just in time for Hayden to come back in ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Well 17/2 on 1-1
But the bigger picture is I still see absolutely no pattern of play and no improvement since the season started. Pathetic and utterly boring.
Stuart79(Quote)
lucky to get that point in the end
kimtoon(Quote)
Well that was absolutely horrible to watch.
Sharpy17(Quote)
F.ucking shocking… just shocking once again. ???????? how to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, the Newcastle way. Dreadful football. Just dreadful.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
1st sub at 80 mins… FFS Bruce, what the Fu.ck are you doing? Needed to change things but he has no clue..
Dubai Toon(Quote)
**** me, bring back Krul, just saved 2 pens !
kimtoon(Quote)
Saw that, amazing! But how many pens were awarded yesterday? Seemed like much more than average thanks to VAR…
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Thankfully the one in injury time against Lascelles wasn’t given.
Stuart79(Quote)
Bruce is always complaining about our start. He reckons that’s why we’re near the bottom. Well, Steve, considering we’ve played Brighton, Wolves and Watford all at home and Norwich away and picked up only 3 points says it all. It’s nowt to do with our start. Our only wins have come against the top Six sides.
He’s running out of excuses. His only legitimate one is that he didn’t buy the players. Yet that’s another reason why he should have told Jabba to **** off when offered the job.
Stuart79(Quote)