Match Day Thread Newcastle Utd v Saints Saturday 28th August K.O. 15.00

My prediction :

McCarthy
Livramento Stephens Salisu Peraud
Walcott JWP Romeu Elyounoussi
Adams Armstrong

Subs: Forster, KWP, Bednarek, Valery, Diallo, Redmond, Djenepo, Tella, Broja

 

I really hope Broja replaces Long on the bench from now on. Nothing against Long but I'd like to see more of Broja.

 

He looks like a player who could come off the bench and actually score a goal, which would be handy!

 

Agreed, it never even seemed a possibility that Long might score against Newport County when he came on!

 

Hell, even just a striker that you think of bringing on when you might conceivably want to score a goal. It's not really a mark in Long's favour that the last time you'd consider bringing him on is when you need a striker to do striker things.

 

Bloody hell, our next 4 or 5 games after this one don't look very nice. Really important to pick up a point or three here. I have a funny feeling Ralph will chuck Small in at left back.

McCarthy
KWP Stephens Salisu Perraud
Tino JWP Romeu Redmond
Adams A. Armstrong

 

I can see us creating chances here, so we just need to take them.

Armstrong, Adams, Tells and Broja with a goalscoring midfield.

After the 8-0 we seem to be Flying without Ings

Let's keep it going.

 

For the first time in quite a few seasons our bench looks really strong with good cover for most positions, regardless of whoever Ralph starts with?
I''d be reluctant to start with Mo tomorrow, he's certainly earned his place on the bench but one very good game against a very poor side doesn't put him in front of Tella or Broja for me.

 

But one half decent game against a very poor side but 1 goal less and no assists warrants Broja a starting place?

 

I wonder whether contracts have terms in about not being picked for the squad when available. Payments made for example. Sounds mental but Football Manager has “unused sub” payments and perhaps it has got worse since then

Although I expect the payment for unused sub would be higher than unselected

Only reason I can think for long being on the bench instead is a financial one. That said he wasn’t there on the first game of the season so who knows

 

You can put all sorts in loan contracts. When we had Minamino last year the terms were set out so that the more we played him the less we had to pay for him.

 

Not sure about a starting place for Broja, but I'd have him in front of Mo mainly because on the occasions I've seen Mo he hasn't been anywhere near premiership standard.

 

Mo in for theo please.

 

No way is Mo a premier league player. I’d rather Tino for Theo personally with KWP in his usual berth …

 

Wrong thread

 

I hope your Mo comment comes back to bite you on the arse ​

 

It would be nice for everyone if it did. I think even dave would like that ...

 

We need Tom to say it.

 

I would - most definitely. But - from what I saw before he went north on loan - he’s simply not good enough. I really hope I’m proven wrong - but one game vs a Div 2 team doesn’t change my mind.

 

I can see that. Part of me almost thinks our best hope is that those stats from that game convinces someone to take him off our hands

But I would like for it to be unnecessary