Newcastle Utd V Leeds Utd Match Thread - Llorente starts, Klich on the bench

[HarryofOz]

Of course we're not Swannie........

The commentator said too, that the Newcastle squad cost more than double ours did. The amount of negativity astounds me at times and it's incessant, which is really disappointing.
Lots of this squad are now in a position that's two notches higher than they were when MB took over, some of those were bemoaned not good enough then, to get to become a top 6 side they'd have to go up another 2 notches. We're in a much better position than we could have dreamed of 2 years ago. I'm proud of what they've achieved and the amount of criticism is insulting to each and everyone of them and our coaching staff. To progress we obviously have to improve the squad but that won't happen over night.

Amen

[gessa]

It's true we have been shite and lost. Tonight we were shite and we won. Overall we have performed really well for a newly promoted side. It's looking like we will avoid relegation this season and hopefully we can integrate some better quality players into the team and become a very good, consistent premier league team. We do have a bit to go before we get there.

Exactly Bob, a touch of reality is required along with patience.

[HarryofOz]

Assume Google translate got it right Harry

But of course.

[gessa]

But of course.

I was 11 the last time I did Latin and don't remember anything about it, it was an option to take as an after school lesson at high school, needless to say it was the least attended after school activity.

[HarryofOz]

I was 11 the last time I did Latin and don't remember anything about it, it was an option to take as an after school lesson at high school, needless to say it was the least attended after school activity.

Yes, no surprise there

I never studied Latin, but one phrase that has always stuck with me is 'Dulce et decorum eat, pro patria mori', thanks to Wilfred Owen's magnificent anti-war poem which we did study at school

Dulce et Decorum Est - Wilfred Owen

[White Riot]

Gaining points to enable us to stay up is way more important than performances this season.

Three or four more wins out of the remaining 19 matches and we're golden.

We still have a patched up squad that is just about capable of finishing 8-10th this season, which will be a great achievement.

Llorente is a big concern, he seems very injury prone for a player that should be in his prime at 27 years old. I actually think there's probably more chance of seeing Koch, or Berardi, play this season than Llorente

The sooner we can get over the safety line the better, then we can make efforts to overhaul the squad and bring in some quality replacements. With the low points totals of the bottom three we may only need 33-36 points to stay up, or even less. So we're almost there with just half the season completed, which is awesome considering the squad and injuries we've had.

Bamford seems to have gone back into one of his scoring slumps. He needs multiple chances to be able to convert one, and in comparison the likes of Shearer and Ian Wright could have very quiet matches, but when presented with a chance they would bury it and grab the points.

We've concerns all over the park, against a very poor Newcastle side, the defence seemed all at sea on lots of occasions and I feel like we gained a win due to Newcastle's profligacy and the efforts of Meslier and Struijk. Tons of players have run right through the middle of the park at us this season, Grealish, McTominay, Harry fookin Maguire , Fernandes, Shelvey, etc, and we just seem to part like the Red Sea. We seem to have lost all of the cohesion, passing and great team play that we showed earlier in the season and desperately need a playmaker. Up front we're getting more dependent on Raphinha, whose been a brilliant signing, and Rodrigo who is good, but inconsistent.

I'm very happy with what we've achieved at the season mid-point and believe that we'll still have a few lumps and bumps and hammerings to endure, but we'll get the required points within the next ten matches and can then focus on improving the squad and further establishing our presence in the Prem next season. This is a work in process and success is definitely not going to come overnight, so appreciate where we are and where we are heading, because it's going to be a process of steady and gradual improvement.

[Byebyegeegee]

To sum up:

We were ok 1st half and perhaps should have gone in at half time more than 1 goal up, having been disrupted once again early on with Llorente’s injury.

The Newcastle team must have been given a rocket by Bruce at half time (reminding them that his job is on the line) and they came out all guns blazing and got on top. I happen to have watched Newcastle a few times this season and can’t remember seeing them trying so hard, they certainly had the bit between their teeth 2nd half but, at the end of the day, we still won.

It has become very apparent over the last month or so that we will need to bolster the squad in a major way in the summer to even just remain at this level, let alone take another step up. But whilst it was not the best or most fluent performance, we are another 3 points nearer to our main objective this season which is survival.

[The Fish]

The Newcastle team must have been given a rocket by Bruce at half time (reminding them that his job is on the line) and they came out all guns blazing and got on top. I happen to have watched Newcastle a few times this season and can’t remember seeing them trying so hard, they certainly had the bit between their teeth 2nd half but, at the end of the day, we still won.

Dunno if Bruce gets credit for that 2nd half performance. Had the feel of a relegation team in a must-win game, and losing. Seemed more like the players taking responsibility, rather than input from their manager. Bruce's 'plan' appears to be "Get the ball to Saint Maximin" and we'll be knackered if the Frenchman misses a lot of the run-in through injury.

The final 40 minutes or so was so frustrating for us because, had we played with that intensity and dynamism for 90 minutes against you, or Fulham or Sheffield we could have another 4-6pts in the bag. Hell, in our games against Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool we could have knicked a couple of points from them as well.

As it stands Bruce will remain as manager for the foreseeable and because of that I think we're 50/50 to go down. We're only 7pts off 18th, but Fulham have 2 games on us (one of which they'll play tonight against Brighton). Win that and the lead's cut to 4, win their other game in hand and we're bang in trouble.

Good luck with the rest of the season, future looks pretty bright for your club.

[Scoobychief]

Dunno if Bruce gets credit for that 2nd half performance. Had the feel of a relegation team in a must-win game, and losing. Seemed more like the players taking responsibility, rather than input from their manager. Bruce's 'plan' appears to be "Get the ball to Saint Maximin" and we'll be knackered if the Frenchman misses a lot of the run-in through injury.

The final 40 minutes or so was so frustrating for us because, had we played with that intensity and dynamism for 90 minutes against you, or Fulham or Sheffield we could have another 4-6pts in the bag. Hell, in our games against Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool we could have knicked a couple of points from them as well.

As it stands Bruce will remain as manager for the foreseeable and because of that I think we're 50/50 to go down. We're only 7pts off 18th, but Fulham have 2 games on us (one of which they'll play tonight against Brighton). Win that and the lead's cut to 4, win their other game in hand and we're bang in trouble.

Good luck with the rest of the season, future looks pretty bright for your club.

Fish Man don't despair i still think Newcastle will stay up, they are a good side when they click, and they game us an allmighty scare in the second half some heroic saves from mieslier kept out at least a draw. you have got some quality players there i would love to see at leeds none other than alviron and maximin imagine those 2 in our side we would be 10 points better off allready. but realistically i reckon with or without bruce, newcastle will survive.

[HarryofOz]

Dunno if Bruce gets credit for that 2nd half performance. Had the feel of a relegation team in a must-win game, and losing. Seemed more like the players taking responsibility, rather than input from their manager. Bruce's 'plan' appears to be "Get the ball to Saint Maximin" and we'll be knackered if the Frenchman misses a lot of the run-in through injury.

The final 40 minutes or so was so frustrating for us because, had we played with that intensity and dynamism for 90 minutes against you, or Fulham or Sheffield we could have another 4-6pts in the bag. Hell, in our games against Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool we could have knicked a couple of points from them as well.

As it stands Bruce will remain as manager for the foreseeable and because of that I think we're 50/50 to go down. We're only 7pts off 18th, but Fulham have 2 games on us (one of which they'll play tonight against Brighton). Win that and the lead's cut to 4, win their other game in hand and we're bang in trouble.

Good luck with the rest of the season, future looks pretty bright for your club.

In a way I can understand that sense of frustration, but that is the reality of the difference between a team at the top and a team at the bottom.

Of course there are players of different standard, but any professional footballer can play the game and play it well. All professional footballers can control the ball, pass the ball, and do the basics well. Otherwise they wouldn't be able to become professional footballers.

The one key difference is that the players in the teams at the top of the league play well more often.

Of course the elite players are better skilled, but even I - who am totally crap at football - can occasionally make a great tackle, swing in a perfect cross field pass and hit a screamer into the back fo the net.

So your players will have good games and good spells, but not often enough, and that is why Newcastle (and us) are in the bottom of the league while Liverpool, the Manchesters and others are at the top. Its more a case of how often they play well rather than other teams not being able to play well.

[1964white]

Gaining points to enable us to stay up is way more important than performances this season.

Three or four more wins out of the remaining 19 matches and we're golden.

We still have a patched up squad that is just about capable of finishing 8-10th this season, which will be a great achievement.

Llorente is a big concern, he seems very injury prone for a player that should be in his prime at 27 years old. I actually think there's probably more chance of seeing Koch, or Berardi, play this season than Llorente

The sooner we can get over the safety line the better, then we can make efforts to overhaul the squad and bring in some quality replacements. With the low points totals of the bottom three we may only need 33-36 points to stay up, or even less. So we're almost there with just half the season completed, which is awesome considering the squad and injuries we've had.

Bamford seems to have gone back into one of his scoring slumps. He needs multiple chances to be able to convert one, and in comparison the likes of Shearer and Ian Wright could have very quiet matches, but when presented with a chance they would bury it and grab the points.

We've concerns all over the park, against a very poor Newcastle side, the defence seemed all at sea on lots of occasions and I feel like we gained a win due to Newcastle's profligacy and the efforts of Meslier and Struijk.Tons of players have run right through the middle of the park at us this season, Grealish, McTominay, Harry fookin Maguire , Fernandes, Shelvey, etc, and we just seem to part like the Red Sea. We seem to have lost all of the cohesion, passing and great team play that we showed earlier in the season and desperately need a playmaker. Up front we're getting more dependent on Raphinha, whose been a brilliant signing, and Rodrigo who is good, but inconsistent.

I'm very happy with what we've achieved at the season mid-point and believe that we'll still have a few lumps and bumps and hammerings to endure, but we'll get the required points within the next ten matches and can then focus on improving the squad and further establishing our presence in the Prem next season. This is a work in process and success is definitely not going to come overnight, so appreciate where we are and where we are heading, because it's going to be a process of steady and gradual improvement.

A major concern especially at this level WR

[1964white]

Dunno if Bruce gets credit for that 2nd half performance. Had the feel of a relegation team in a must-win game, and losing. Seemed more like the players taking responsibility, rather than input from their manager. Bruce's 'plan' appears to be "Get the ball to Saint Maximin" and we'll be knackered if the Frenchman misses a lot of the run-in through injury.

The final 40 minutes or so was so frustrating for us because, had we played with that intensity and dynamism for 90 minutes against you, or Fulham or Sheffield we could have another 4-6pts in the bag. Hell, in our games against Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool we could have knicked a couple of points from them as well.

As it stands Bruce will remain as manager for the foreseeable and because of that I think we're 50/50 to go down. We're only 7pts off 18th, but Fulham have 2 games on us (one of which they'll play tonight against Brighton). Win that and the lead's cut to 4, win their other game in hand and we're bang in trouble.

Good luck with the rest of the season, future looks pretty bright for your club.

I sense your despair Fish

Prior to the arrival of Bielsa we were going nowhere, still believe without Marcelo we'd struggle with the current squad, he's a coach who has & still is getting the best out of what he has at his disposal.

Good luck for the rest of the season.

[The Fish]

Fish Man don't despair i still think Newcastle will stay up, they are a good side when they click, and they game us an allmighty scare in the second half some heroic saves from mieslier kept out at least a draw. you have got some quality players there i would love to see at leeds none other than alviron and maximin imagine those 2 in our side we would be 10 points better off allready. but realistically i reckon with or without bruce, newcastle will survive.

We might stay up, think it depends on teams around us continuing their poor form, than us suddenly becoming consistently decent.

However, Bruce is the drag factor. He doesn't know how to manage a top flight side any more. It takes more than being avuncular and jolly. Look at the managers of the midtable sides, most are forensic with their attention to detail, none more so than your own Bielsa. Hodgson, Allardyce, Bruce, Pardew, Hughes, their time has passed.

[The Fish]

In a way I can understand that sense of frustration, but that is the reality of the difference between a team at the top and a team at the bottom.

Of course there are players of different standard, but any professional footballer can play the game and play it well. All professional footballers can control the ball, pass the ball, and do the basics well. Otherwise they wouldn't be able to become professional footballers.

The one key difference is that the players in the teams at the top of the league play well more often.

Of course the elite players are better skilled, but even I - who am totally crap at football - can occasionally make a great tackle, swing in a perfect cross field pass and hit a screamer into the back fo the net.

So your players will have good games and good spells, but not often enough, and that is why Newcastle (and us) are in the bottom of the league while Liverpool, the Manchesters and others are at the top. Its more a case of how often they play well rather than other teams not being able to play well.

I think you misunderstand, I'm talking specifically about the games this season, not a broader piece about us vs the elite sides. In our game against Liverpool, they were playing way below themselves and had we had the gumption we showed against you we could have taken a very unlikely win. Same is true for Man Utd and Arsenal. Both games they were playing very poorly and were there for the taking, but Bruce's Boys were tepid and timid.

Our players aren't out of form, they're in unfamiliar positions or roles. The formation, system and line-up changes after every game and there is zero game-management from the manager.

There's no reason why we couldn't have been playing a 4-2-3-1 all season. Even with our injuries we've players who could have fulfilled that formation satisfactorily. But Bruce has chopped and changed every game.

[Smudge3920]

Of course we're not Swannie........

The commentator said too, that the Newcastle squad cost more than double ours did. The amount of negativity astounds me at times and it's incessant, which is really disappointing.
Lots of this squad are now in a position that's two notches higher than they were when MB took over, some of those were bemoaned not good enough then, to get to become a top 6 side they'd have to go up another 2 notches. We're in a much better position than we could have dreamed of 2 years ago. I'm proud of what they've achieved and the amount of criticism is insulting to each and everyone of them and our coaching staff. To progress we obviously have to improve the squad but that won't happen over night.

Very well said mate ...

[Smudge3920]

I was 11 the last time I did Latin and don't remember anything about it, it was an option to take as an after school lesson at high school, needless to say it was the least attended after school activity.

And they say the Romans did nothing for us...actually bet you looked a picture in your school toga and laurel wreath on your head mate ...

[gessa]

And they say the Romans did nothing for us...actually bet you looked a picture in your school toga and laurel wreath on your head mate ...

Me and Caesar were like that mate , misunderstood bloke.

[BobHirst]

Yes, no surprise there

I never studied Latin, but one phrase that has always stuck with me is 'Dulce et decorum eat, pro patria mori', thanks to Wilfred Owen's magnificent anti-war poem which we did study at school

Dulce et Decorum Est - Wilfred Owen

The only one I remember is my school motto "Res Non Verba" - meaning Deeds not words.

[Smudge3920]

being in a Regiment of Northern lads... it was apt that our motto was in English..."FEAR NAUGHT" ...unlike Hectors lot and all the cavalry ponces ...stuck up lot

[hector]

Certa Ceto mate

Swift and Sure