Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez has just announced the starting team for this our third preseason friendly against KSC Lokeren at the Daknamstadion Stadium.
Rafa makes four changes to the starting side from Wednesday night at Doncaster.
Newcastle (4-3-3): Matz Sels; Daryl Janmaat, Chancel Mbemba, Jamaal Lascelles (c), Jamie Sterry; Vurnon Anita, Isaac Hayden, Jack Colback; Ayoze Perez, Dwight Gayle, Rolando Aarons
Substitutes: Karl Darlow, Jesus Gamez, Paul Dummett, Cheick Tiote, Jonjo Shelvey, Henri Saivet, Florian Thauvin, Yoan Gouffran, Adam Armstrong, Aleksandar Mitrovic
Grant Hanley is not in the squad today for whatever reason and Matt Ritchie is out with a slight groin strain.
We’re a little surprised Matz Sels starts in goal again and we thought Karl Darlow would get a full game this afternoon, but maybe Rafa is trying to get Sels bedded in to start for Newcastle at Fulham?
Maybe Karl will see some action in the second half.
20 year-old Jamie Sterry again starts this game, but this time he’s at left-back and he has replaced Vurnon Anita in that position from Wednesday night, with Vurnon is starting in midfield this afternoon.
Newcastle seem to be playing in a 4-3-3 formation this afternoon and we will look to see a much improved performance in the first half from Newcastle.
That’s especially true for the defense, which was very poor at Doncaster in those first 45 minutes when we have away two sloppy goals.
Rafa again has 10 players on the bench today.
Comments welcome.
121 comments so far
Ron Knee
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:46 PM
Comment #4113′ – GOAL! Sporting Lokeren 0-1 Newcastle United (Perez) #NUFC
firebug666
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:47 PM
Comment #42Perez the scorer.
Tsunki
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:47 PM
Comment #43I dunno Jail it’s a fair point. We’ve been lumbered with a defensive and tactically naive Manager who cost us vital survival points last season. We would probably have been better off with a solid, dependable mid-table bang average – not great, not terrible, just average mind you – coach. Someone like….someone…like…..
croftus5678
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:47 PM
Comment #44whoohoo top goascorer in pre season wd perez
Mister Tuff
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:47 PM
Comment #45Interesting formation – 4-3-3.
Maybe see how good Hayden is – creativity/vision wise.
Ron Knee
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:47 PM
Comment #46Rolando Aarons crosses from the right and Perez times his run perfectly to finish at the near post. 1-0 #nufc 13 mins
Tsunki
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:48 PM
Comment #47Has Perez changed his boot sponsor?
Rafa Revolution
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:48 PM
Comment #48Perez yay
Tsunki
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:48 PM
Comment #49…someone….liiiiikkeee…….
Rafa Revolution
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:50 PM
Comment #50Yes Perez has, he had a picture of him with his new boots on facebook
Tsunki
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:50 PM
Comment #51Awww..whats his name?….someone like…..you know, the suave silver haired regal – looking guy who appears to have burnt his lips with hot cheese….
Tsunki
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:51 PM
Comment #52It’ll come to me, if I just stop thinking about average premiership managers who I might marry one day….. 😀
croftus5678
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:52 PM
Comment #53still looks 4-2-3-1 to me !
perez will e a lot more effective than wij this season for us with arma as his backup in the acm role.
well done boys and tbf arma/perez/shelvey/lecalles/ritchie/rola/mitro/hayden/colback all done us proud so far in friendlies by not taking their foot off the peddle.
WWSBRD
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:52 PM
Comment #54Munster
I think ur going to be very disappointed in the new Newcastle if ur after all out attacking football, its just not going to happen
Rafa has his style of play and its brought him supreme success. We will set up much as we did back end of the season so if u werent happy with that hard lines mate
Tsunki
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:53 PM
Comment #55That Riffraff Benecol bloke got us relegated with his rubbish Champions -League experience of his. Damn him! Why couldn’t he have been more adequate and dependable?
firebug666
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:54 PM
Comment #56Fairly comfortable for Newcastle so far. Jamaal Lascelles leading the defence (and team) well. Still 1-0. #nufc
Janmaat gets a glimpse of goal but he’s crowded out by defenders and the keeper easily gathers #nufc 20 mins
firebug666
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:54 PM
Comment #5720′ – Chance for United. Perez and Gayle link up before the ball is played into Janmaat but he can’t beat the goalkeeper under pressure.
Tsunki
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:54 PM
Comment #58Is this game being played in the land of imagination or is there a link somewhere?
Jail for Ashley
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:55 PM
Comment #59Tsunki,
Just bloody say it will you, we should have gone all out and went for Pulis and we might not be playing Fulham in a couple of weeks.
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:56 PM
Comment #60The way its being explained on nufcs twatter page is 442.
Janmaat being used as a rw, perez and gayle as a strike partnership
croftus5678
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:57 PM
Comment #61http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ksc-lokeren-vs-newcastle-live-11654240
firebug666
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:58 PM
Comment #622-0 now
Sazzer
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:59 PM
Comment #63Perez goal:
https://twitter.com/NUFC/status/756865929720365056
firebug666
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:59 PM
Comment #64Janmaat scores
Ron Knee
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:59 PM
Comment #6526′ – GOAL! Sporting Lokeren 0-2 Newcastle United (Janmaat) #NUFC
Sazzer
Jul 23, 2016 at 3:59 PM
Comment #66video
croftus5678
Jul 23, 2016 at 4:01 PM
Comment #67whoohoo the winger janmaat scores….maybe a new position fr the lad as lets face it he aint the best at defending.
Mister Tuff
Jul 23, 2016 at 4:01 PM
Comment #68Tsunki – that silver haired bloke Mmmm mmm just cannot remember his name.
but heres a video of him.
If Moanster and Mug52 play it – I can visualise the computer mouse discarded -both jumping out of their swiveling computer chairs and joining in.
ShirebrookToon
Jul 23, 2016 at 4:01 PM
Comment #69Is it true that janmaat had said he wants to stay now?
Rafa Revolution
Jul 23, 2016 at 4:02 PM
Comment #70Janmaat wahoo
Ron Knee
Jul 23, 2016 at 4:02 PM
Comment #71Anita won a free-kick on the left, Perez curled it in and Janmaat headed home powerfully to make it 2-0 #nufc 27 mins
Jail for Ashley
Jul 23, 2016 at 4:02 PM
Comment #72Someone suggested Jaanmat as a winger a few weeks ago, that would be great if he turned him in to a better winger than defender, I didn’t agree with it at the time.
South_Wales_Geordie
Jul 23, 2016 at 4:03 PM
Comment #73Is this a new role for Janmaat for this season? Definetly looked better going forward rather than defending last season. Rafa clearly thinks so too.
YouCouldn'tMakeItUp
Jul 23, 2016 at 4:04 PM
Comment #74Newcastles defense improved last season when anita played at rb. Janmaat is so often out of position, he might as well be a winger. He might find it easier being the one who tracks back a bit to cover the FB, instead of actually BEING the FB
firebug666
Jul 23, 2016 at 4:05 PM
Comment #7531′ – Great stop by Matz Sels. Marko Miric found himself with a clear sight of goal inside the box but the big Belgian keeps it out. #NUFC
Tsunki
Jul 23, 2016 at 4:05 PM
Comment #76Only problem being janmaat is,in fine nufc tradition, a poor crosser. His party piece is to cut inside which he does ok at. Woeful if he stalls near the corner, as he is a bit shoddy with the dead ball at his feet. Still, give him his chance I suppose.
firebug666
Jul 23, 2016 at 4:06 PM
Comment #77Sterry clearly has Patosi rattled. He’s getting no space and fouls the Geordie defender in frustration. #nufc 33 mins.
Nice to hear.
Ron Knee
Jul 23, 2016 at 4:06 PM
Comment #78Shirebrook
Where did you hear that?
RolandoOverhead
Jul 23, 2016 at 4:06 PM
Comment #79All friendlies live on nufctv?
WWSBRD
Jul 23, 2016 at 4:06 PM
Comment #80SWG
How does Rafa clearly think that?