Well, that was 90 minutes of our life we’re never getting back and a pretty awful game of football!
Pre-season friendlies may normally be played at this time of the year and it really did feel like one, being played at a snails pace with a total lack of intensity in all areas.
The result means the highest we’ll be able to finish this season is 13th (our current position) and the lowest 14th, with us five points behind Southampton (12th), two points clear of Palace (14th) and six clear of Brighton (15th) ahead of the final weekend of the 2019/20 campaign.
Bruce made two changes. He stuck with the three / five at the back formation that caused Spurs a few problems in light of our lack of options in central defence, with Rose and Manquillo coming in for Schar and Yedlin.
It was a shame to see him leave U-23 talent Kell Watts on the bench. Surely this was the ideal chance to give one of our youngsters a chance? Especially when he ended up playing Rose and Krafth as centre-backs either side of Fernandez!
After having 77% possession in our 0-0 draw at St James’ Park earlier in the season, Brighton continued to dominate the ball in this one.
The main moments came from Brighton. Maupay hit the post in the opening minutes before being flagged offside, Trossard forced Dubravka into a decent save, Gross fizzed a shot wide and some clumsy play from Ritchie almost gifted them a penalty moments before.
Aside from a Shelvey corner that was just headed over by Gayle, there wasn’t anything to report on from a Newcastle perspective in the first 45.
In fact, the most entertaining moment from anyone in bright orange came from Matt Ritchie, who gave anyone watching the game without crowd a good laugh with his brilliant rant at the linesman.
Half time, into the break at 0-0 and only 45 minutes more to endure (it was that bad!).
The second period almost started with a bang as Gayle got on the end of another ball into the box from Shelvey, however the ball hit his shoulder. Thankfully for his sake, his blushes were spared
Almiron then almost directed a clever flick past Ryan, but it was a comfortable save in the end – and in truth the only time the Australian stopper had been called into action over the first hour of the game:
It was yet another game that was crying out for changes and yet another game where Bruce waited an age to do so, but with 17 minutes to play he finally budged and brought on Carroll and Joelinton for Gayle and Saint-Maximin; who was well below his best here and very quiet based on the brilliant standard he’d set of late.
Not for the first time, Dubravka then saved our bacon with an acrobat save to tip over Webster’s brilliantly struck shot from range. He didn’t have a great deal to do tonight, but the Slovakian was probably our best player here alongside the rock solid Fernandez – which probably says a lot about the standard of this game when Brighton didn’t threaten all that often!
Our big chance to win in that arrived. Ritchie swung in a corner from the right-hand side, Ryan got nowhere near it and Andy Carroll arrived at the bakc post…only to head WIDE of the post! A big chance missed to bag his first goal since returning and our clearest opening to break the deadlock in a game that was only ever going to be settled by a single goal.
When five minutes were added on by the fourth official we’d normally think “come on lads, we’ve got time to win it!”, but I think such a lengthy spell of extra time was actually met with groans by most who were watching on half asleep from their sofas! We were never expecting this one to be a classic, with both teams having next to nothing to play for and in bad form, but it really was that bad!
Another 0-0 against Brighton and another step closer to the season ending. A clean sheet, a result that stops the rot an extent after three straight defeats, strong displays from Dubravka and Fernandez, but that’s where the positives end really.
Neither side looked like they wanted to win it and it was awful from start to finish, but I’m also not sure what to expect given it was our 9th game in four weeks and a match that had next to nothing riding on it for either side.
Next up, Liverpool at St James’ Park on Sunday!
Well that was drab.
That’s 4 wins out of 19 games I believe. That would generally be a sacking record at most clubs. What do we get? Journo’s talking ya how well we’ve done and what a good job Bruce has done.
Since we restarted we’ve beat ten men Sheff Utd and horrendous Bournemouth and failed to beat Watford, Brighton, West Ham and Villa at the same time as getting a pasting off City twice and a hiding offer Spurs.
Fantastic eh?!
Stuart79(Quote)
Can they just stop it with the Rafa talk!!! Souness and Dyer now. And yet more pundits saying Bruce DESERVES to keep the job even with a takeover. If you ever read The Mag’s comments pages it is about 70% Rafa. Just give it a rest all of you! But that wont happen as we have Liverpool next week.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
We didnt get a hiding off Spurs. They scored the 3rd on a quick break as we were pressing for an equalizer. We were probably the better team and Kane was the difference.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It’s ok then, Eric. All good…
Stuart79(Quote)
4 out of 19 is a woeful return and our goals against not good either.
We are toast next year if we don’t get taken over and rid ourselves of the cancer eating this club.
Big Andy had his best chance to score since his return last night, that headed chance, how did he not score !
Disappointed Watts didn’t get a start too.
Bruce, nice enough bloke but has to go if we are taken over, not going to keep us up again.
kimtoon(Quote)
What the hell else do the PL have to discuss? They have had all of the information on NUFC for weeks now including objections from MPs which were brought up in a parliamentary committee only for some other MPs to bring up the same points. Who actually males the decision, is it Masters? The lawyers gave him their briefs weeks ago.
What else is on their agenda that they could be focusing on. The start date is decided, the transfer window is decided and it has been proved that football can continue behind closed doors so their advertising revenue is guaranteed. What OTHER business can the possibly have that would stop them deciding our future?
Meanwhile, Chelsea are hoovering up every good player in Europe as we are left in Limbo.
And the Govt in the form of Ministers and high ups have said they are staying out of it. Who cares what a corrupt SNP for the middle of nowhere with the fewest constituents in the UK says. Or others who are in the pocket of the Qataris. Get it done so we can get on with next season.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I dont care what Bruce says, we are sort of screwed if this takeover doesnt go through, To be sure, players will be cheaper but we will have no money and not much from sales. Our budget would probably been about 50 million before lockdown but all of that has evaporated into the CV-19 ether and Fat Boy is skint or eying up retail bargains.
There is no way we should recruit Rose or Bentaleb but we should go back in for Willems. The rest would be bargains or frees except for a striker. It is as simple as – dont get someone who can get us at least 10 PL goals and we go down. But where does the money come from?
Not Joelinton, that;s for sure.
What would we get for the surplus players in this market? The likes of Schar, Muto, Yedlin, Darlow, Atsu and Murphy. A max of 20 mil I would say as there is no money in the Chamoionship and the bigger clubs will be promoted if Fulham get the last spot. European clubs will be even more skint than PL clubs.
In this new reality it is no-brainer to sign up Matty because we cannot afford anyone else.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Seriously, in this market what would we get for our surplus players. It seems like some players’ values are holding up OK but he is a young potential superstar who is attractive to the mega-rich clubs. What about our failures/journeymen?
Schar – 3 mil
Muto – 2 mil
Murphy – 3 mil
Darlow – 2 mil
Yedlin – 2 mil
Atsu – 1 mil
So, by my reckoning that is about 13 million and we still need a backup goalie.
Not looking good if this takeover doesnt happen.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
* I meant Sanchos value would hold up, but I doubt Dortmund will get their pre-CV19 valuation.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
They had a zoom fan board for the Palace-Wolves game yesterday. I think it was like 12 households and at least 3 had signs saying Hodgson out. I know they have lost 7 in a row but Palace should have been relegated. They have the worst squad in the league and Mr Roy has done well to have them where they are.
You could say they have Zaha, but he blows hot and cold. And Andros has 1 goal all year. I really believe they have the worst squad in the league. Worse than Norwich? Maybe.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Thinking about it, the one thing we can do if this takeover drags on is to sell the deadwood. I gave my valuations above and I doubt I am far off. Meanwhile if Willems’ rehab has gone well, which appears to be the case, we could probably get him for 5 million.
That would be it. There is no way we could commit to buy other players not knowing a budget.
Extending contracts on the likes of Shelvey and Manquillo guarantees their sell-on value so I think that is different to a transfer. I dont know why they dont use the same logic with Matty.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Just a final thing on the budget. Ashley has said we can spend what we earn. Apart from him taking back part of his “loan”, that has been what we have done for the past couple of years. Because of Covid-19 we will just about break even this year. So there will be no money to spend apart from what comes in from sales. Without a takeover it could be a Vurnon Anita off-season. You know, we finished 5th and were in Europe and signed … Vurnon Anita.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Just read something quite interesting about the PL and BeIN. KSA started their legal action before BeIN won their tender to broadcast PL games. At the same time Egypt started legal procedures against BeIN and a Cairo court upheld a fine of $22m for abusing their position of sports rights holders in the country.
This begs the question, why the PL awarded a contract to BeIN who had a cloud hanging over them in two of the biggest populated countries in the MENA area?
Stuart79(Quote)
Very good point .
kimtoon(Quote)
The takeover was never going to be approved pre final game of the season. Regardless of the PL decision they wouldn’t pass judgment whilst there’s a huge risk of fans turning up at SJP for the last game against Liverpool either to celebrate or protest. Made worse by the fact Liverpool fans may also turn up.
Stuart79(Quote)
Josh King? Really?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
NEW THREAD
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2020/07/25/liverpool-h-pre-match-thoughts-team-news-predicted-line-ups-2/
Final preview of the season.
Olly Hawkins(Quote)