A few months ago, I would’ve doubted our ability to travel to a top four contender and pick up a result.
However, after a win at Leeds and back-to-back victories over Everton and Aston Villa at St James’ Park, there’s no reason why we can’t keep this run going against a West Ham side who’ve been below their best over the past month – even if a seven hour coach trip to London isn’t ideal preparation due to Storm Eunice cancelling the squad’s flight!
No Trippier or Manquillo creates a concern at right-back, leaving Krafth under pressure to step up, however our defence has conceded just one goal in 270 minutes of football, our midfield is bang in form and attacking options like Saint-Maximin and Fraser are playing as well as they have all season, benefiting from Wood’s unselfish work up top.
We were a side lacking in all belief, confidence or consistency at the turn of the year, yet this run of wins has given us the boost we so badly needed – especially now squad lieutenant and on-field leader Kieran Trippier will no longer be around to raise chins and standards.
With Burnley and Watford playing twice this gameweek, this is another important moment in our bid to beat the drop and extend that four-point gap between ourselves and the bottom three.
Team news
Kieran Trippier (broken metatarsal) and Javier Manquillo (ankle) have both been ruled out, meaning Emil Krafth looks set to start at right-back.
In better news, Matt Targett is eligible to play and Jamaal Lascelles back from a bug that kept him out last weekend, however Matt Ritchie, Federico Fernandez and Callum Wilson look set to miss out once again with long-term issues.
As for West Ham, David Moyes has suggested that Kurt Zouma could be set to return to his starting 11 after returning to training this week.
Predicted line ups
(4-3-3): Dubravka – Krafth, Schar, Burn, Targett – Willock, Shelvey, Joelinton – Fraser, Wood, Saint-Maximin.
Martin Dubravka – Secured his second clean sheet in his last three games in our 1-0 win over Villa and is our best goalkeeper when fit.
Emil Krafth – The Swede is our third choice right-back for a reason, however he always gives his all and will need to step up in Trippier and Manquillo’s absence. Did pretty well during his cameo at SJP last weekend, so fingers crossed!
Fabian Schar – Has always had the talent, but he’s added consistency to his game in recent weeks. An ever-present during this unbeaten run, let’s hope he can continue this strong run of form.
Dan Burn – Jamaal Lascelles may be fit again, however the big man can’t be dropped after that outstanding debut last weekend. His height, calmness and underrated mobility for a man of his size could be key against Bowen and Antonio.
Matt Targett – Our on loan left-back will surely return to Howe’s starting 11 after being ineligible to face his parent club last time out. Was rock solid on his debut but will have his hands full against Bowen.
Joe Willock – The former Arsenal man has upped his game in recent weeks, looking more like the player we fell in love with last season with his non-stop pressing, ball-carrying and box-to-box energy. Guimaraes needs to start soon, but I can’t see Willock being dropped yet.
Jonjo Shelvey – Like Schar, he’s added discipline and consistency to his game under Eddie Howe. Looks fitter than ever and is one of the first names on the team sheet now.
Joelinton – Another dominant display against Aston Villa for the man who has gone from £40m flop to Brazilian bulldozer! No Premier League players makes more tackles than him since he dropped into midfield, and this could be key when up against physical duo Rice and Soucek.
Ryan Fraser – A new man under Eddie Howe and someone who could be key at both ends. His energy could be useful to help out Krafth defensively, while his crosses into the box at the other end may benefit Wood after a few near misses last weekend.
Chris Wood – He’s not scored yet and hasn’t looked that likely if the truth be told, however we’ve won three and drawn one in his four starts so far. Needs a goal, but he’s doing lots of unselfish, dirty work for the team!
Allan Saint-Maximin – Has a history of causing havoc against the Hammers and could be key to us getting a result here. They’ve had issues at right-back this season, so hopefully he’s at his unplayable best.
Predicted West Ham XI (4-2-3-1): Fabianski – Johnson, Dawson, Zouma, Creswell – Soucek, Rice – Bowen, Lanzini, Fornals- Antonio.
Match prediction
Anyone planning a sports bet this weekend will be torn on this one. In one sense, West Ham are backed to beat us as a top four contender facing a relegation candidate at home, however we come into this full of belief on the back of three straight wins.
As a result, I fancy this one to end all square. I do worry that we’ll miss Trippier and find the midfield battle much harder to win against Rice and Soucek, yet this is a Hammers side who’ve limped through most of their games over the last month.
Saint-Maximin to cause havoc in a low-scoring draw in London!
Prediction: West Ham 1-1 Newcastle
HOWAY THE LADS!
Wham have 4 points from the last 4 games. Zouma must be a massive distraction.
I have gone from thinking a draw to now thinking a win for NUFC. 2-1. Mainly because the NUFC matters crew of Gobbo, SuperMac and Wraith all think it will be a draw. They hardly ever get it right 🙂
I am expecting all the pundits to predict a Wham win. If Lawro says we will win I will run naked around Chicago when it is minus 15 out.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Just checked and my nuts are protected from shrivelling up, at least for another week. Lawro goes for a 2-0 West Ham win.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
As I predicted earlier in the week, all of the predictors would predict a NUFC loss at WHam. They have outdone themselves and all gone for the same score.
Lawro 2-0
Paul Merson’s Giant Balloon Heed 2-0
Lickle Michael Owen 2-0
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
STAT ATTACK!!!
Just in case we are all wanting to get on the Saint Declan Rice bandwagon like every pundit, Talksporter and Dail Mail journo out there… Here are his PL stats this season:
GOALS – 1
SHOTS PER GOAL – 11
SHOTS PER GAME – 1.22
MINUTES PER GOAL – 2,250
He is a very good player, but he is not Franz Benckenbauer.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Is that called tempting providence Eric ?
I can’t see 2-0 to WH. They may score one, but I think we will too.
Unless we are 1-0 down and pushing for an equaliser and conceding in extra time.
I predict we contain them and even score first. Then game on.
PremAndUp(Quote)
Here’s my storyline.
ASM to Willock coming late and scoring like last season.
Shelvey yellow carded conceding a goal from a set piece.
Shelvey replaced by Bruno who scores after a 1-2 with Wood
PremAndUp(Quote)
BUT HE IS A DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER YOU SAY!!!!
Is that right? The pundits compare him to Pirlo or Pogba. Have you seen their goal stats? I would say if he was at NUFC you would compare him to Rob Lee or Gary Speed.
But his stats are more David Batty. Again, a really good player, but did he deserve the player of the season award which Declan will undoubtedly get from the football writers?
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
That’s a very specific prediction. I would never go that far! 🙂 I predict the sun will rise tomorrow but David Hume may disagree.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
If David Hume wasnt dead 🙂
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
I would agree with David Hume. The Sun does not rise, the earth rotates to expose the sun.
PremAndUp(Quote)
The pundits act like Declan Rice is box to box, but he is not. he is more Claude Makelele than Claude Monet. One stay on their 18 yard line in a rather stoic way, the other painted beautiful pictures.
The pundits/journos act like Rice does both, when he does not.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
TBF his double axis with Phillips for England was excellent
PremAndUp(Quote)
I kind of Hope Joelinton and Bruno can be as good
PremAndUp(Quote)
Prem: you made me go to my bookshelf and re-read the bit on Hume in Bertrand Russell’s “History of Western Philosophy”. I was looking at the problem of induction. But realised that if the sun shines out of Simon Jondan’s ****, like he thinks it does, then there may as well not be a tomorrow.
2-1 NUFC.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
More a disciple of Chandakirti’s seven fold reasoning myself.
Re SJ, can an **** have an ****?
PremAndUp(Quote)
Anyway, all the best for tomorrow, g’night
PremAndUp(Quote)
I am relatively positive about tomorrow and the sun rising and us winning 2-1. I am also a bit positively relative and seeing Olly’s point of view of 1-1. Me and Karl Popper will get together for a beer after we disprove Merse’s prediction of 2-0 WHam. Since I do not believe in the afterlife that is probably not possible.
Maybe, I will satisfy myself by being abusive to the Balloon Heed on Twitter?
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Baggies are away at Luton tomorrow. Baggies 9th and Luton 10th with only 1 point between them. If Luton win, I think the Baggies might turn and this will be the shortest honeymoon period in history. They must have memories of another ex-NUFC Manager and will be comparing Bruce/Pards.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Just heard a stat that backs up what I have been saying about false narratives. We have scored 3 of our last 5 goals from direct free kicks. This leads some to create a narrative that we dont create chances from open play. Maybe under Bruce, but we have averaged 15 shots in the last 3 games.
Here’s the stat though. Before this run of free kick goals we had scored 3 direct free kicks in the previous 168 games. That backs up MY narrative that Shelvey should never take a set piece because I be he was on free kick duty for most of those games.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Gonna be tricky getting anything today, just think losing Tripps and Manquillo plus no Wilson is too big an ask.
Hopefully Eddie has a plan to snatch a win somehow.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Ahead of the game I will just get on my high horse about pundits again:
1. Paul Merson just seems like an idiot who does no research. This is his job. At least watch a Newcastle match before spouting off.
2. Simon Jordan seems like he is on a constant wind up, not only about NUFC, about every team.
3. Micah Richards seems to be having fun, but he should turn his volume down. A pack of rabid hyenas are quieter.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Eric, we do create chances from open play, we just don’t put them away that often . We are overly reliant on ASM in the absence of Wilson, Tripps was a massive help with his free kicks and corners without him I fear we will revert to what we were before with Shelvey being pretty poor on FK in comparison to KT. My hope is that we will sufficiently of tightened up enough in defense to at least not give away stupid goals.
Anyway as ever I live in hope of a win but a point will do away .
HWTL
KIMTOON(Quote)
Not sure what to think today! I think a draw is very possible.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
MAXI out for 3 wks dont know what problem is,more bad bloody luck 😥
icedog(Quote)
Murphy in Maxi Out
PremAndUp(Quote)
Murphy in for Maxi. Still no Bruno start.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Ok, this changes the perspective of the game. ??
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Just when it looks like we have a chance of staying up – Tripp, Max & Wilson out … how about doing it without your 3 best players then Eddie ???♂️??.
Interesting Murphy gets the nod over Miggy – I know he’s probably more a natural winger but I thought there may have been a change of formation.
I’m pleased there hasn’t been & im a fan of Murph – he works had and the lad can score given the chance.
I expect to get beat, so anything’s a bonus beyond that.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’m also ok with Bruno starting on the bench.
It would be unfair on any of Shelvey, Willock or Joelinton to be dropped from recent performances. Bruno WILL get in – we know that. But drop any of the other 3 and what message does that send.
Sharpy17(Quote)
We get no luck with injuries, ASM likely out for 2 weeks now.
KIMTOON(Quote)
What will be will be! I like Murphy too. Hope he takes the chance!
Gilly Toon(Quote)
So Bowen is fit too, knew the rumors were BS.
KIMTOON(Quote)
bright start
KIMTOON(Quote)
foul throw 🙄
KIMTOON(Quote)
Good work Joe. Promising so far
Shamrock(Quote)
Our rivals all have tough games today so not sure it’s of any major consequence if we lose.
Brentford is a big one next week
Shamrock(Quote)
So Tripps was stamped on and ASM kicked several times v Villa, dirty gits.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Great block Targett
KIMTOON(Quote)
Careful Schar
KIMTOON(Quote)
To be fair we have been very physical in recent games too ?
Shamrock(Quote)
Some of our fans have taken inflatable cats there 😆
KIMTOON(Quote)
Well we ain’t been very good at it then Sham 😆
KIMTOON(Quote)
Ooh **** that was close
Shamrock(Quote)
He placed that ball 5 yards into the pitch for that corner, come on ref ffs!
Shamrock(Quote)
Right Fredericks on a yellow so lets work on that left side, try and get him a second yellow
KIMTOON(Quote)
Still really wet and windy in Bristol, looks really wet in London too .
KIMTOON(Quote)
Willock looking much better today
KIMTOON(Quote)
Krath on a yellow
Oh dear
KIMTOON(Quote)
ffs
No finisher and no asm and no Tripps will kill us
That was a free header
KIMTOON(Quote)
Wtf was that emile
Shamrock(Quote)
getinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Joe Willock
KIMTOON(Quote)
Willock! Some “fans” wrote him off. Well done lads.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Great goal. Well scrappy, but they all count. Pretty even first half. Spam are dangerous. Glad we equalised when we did. Murph has done well I think. Pleased for Willock too.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Krafth needs to just settle down. He’s frantic at times. What the hell he was thinking barging into Antonio for that freekick.
Could see him getting sent off – hope not.
Really good midfield battle – really enjoying watching that.
Willock is playing really well breaking the lines and did will getting on the end of that for his goal – not quite how Prem called it – but close.
Close game. Could go either way – but I’d be happy with a draw.
Sharpy17(Quote)
frazer off for Miggy , frazer looks spent
KIMTOON(Quote)
Not sure miggy is the answer, been a bit of a headless chicken of late.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Bruno coming on
KIMTOON(Quote)
Bruno for Willock
KIMTOON(Quote)
That’s nasty on Almiron
KIMTOON(Quote)
VAR Happy with that yellow ! Really
KIMTOON(Quote)
We deserve something out of thisgame
KIMTOON(Quote)
Studs up Fornals should be red
Shamrock(Quote)
How is thjat not a foul on Bruno ffs
KIMTOON(Quote)
var fail again
KIMTOON(Quote)
Good point that
KIMTOON(Quote)
1-1..great result.
Shamrock(Quote)
Couldnt tell which team was playing for CL and which to avoid the drop.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
I thought we played pretty well, but as I said before the game WHU are overrated, They will finish 7th or 8th. That is 5 wins from 15 games for WHU. That’s Bruce stats!
NUFC getting much further up the field under Eddie. Not just sitting back and letting them have the ball. Not doing the 8-1-1 like under a certain cabbage.
BDB did a lot of blocks.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Great result I think. I’ll take that. Burn excellent as was Targett. Hard to fault anyone to be honest. Even Krafth did ok. 6 unbeaten now. Onwards and upwards.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Looking forward to Antonio Conte’s antics if City turn them over. C’mon everyone, him and Levy are just an accident waiting to happen.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Thought we played well. Good all round performance. You can really see a marked difference in howe we are playing now. For the first time in a long time we can play attacking football and not look all at sea defensively. Not even Lord Raffa could do that.
On Wood today, I see he is getting a bit of flack on Eds blog. The service to him today was probably the low point of our performance. He got nothing of note to work with. Still battled hard tho.
Willock and Joe bossed it well today. What a transformation.. Happy days.
Aussie(Quote)
We are getting wide and putting crosses in for Wood but he is not connecting. Not quite on the same wavelength yet.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Great result and I would love to sign Targett I am still not sold on Wood. Eric would have loved the commentator’s love in with Rice. A couple of times we made poor passes straight to Rice. These were seen as brilliant interceptions. Not forget well done Eddy Howe. Not just for the draw but for playing more entreating football.
Groucho(Quote)
On that evidence, Man U should probably buy Big Joe rather than spending 100 mil on Rice.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Groucho, I think Rice is a very good player. He was just anointed as world class too early by the West Ham loving southern press. He only has 1 goal this season. For 100 mil I would like to see more.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)