Rafa Benitez has still to announce who his Newcastle captain will be for this coming season, but 22 year-old Jamaal Lascelles has had those duties in pre-season and while he is very young he could get the captaincy this season and not too many Newcastle fans would complain about that.
Jamaal showed last season what it means to play for the famous Newcastle club and he let players a lot more experienced than himself know that – and in no uncertain terms too.
Good for him.
Jamaal Lascelles in new strip – raring to go
And Jamaal, who has looked very good in pre-season at center-back has been interviewed on the Newcastle web-site:
“Pre-season isn’t just for fitness – you’ve also got to make sure you are doing the right things, and our results would suggest that we have been,.
“It’s a nice feeling to have been unbeaten going into the season, and I feel like we’re ready.” “
“The boys are sharp, we are all raring to go and if we continue like we have been in front of goal then it could be a very exciting season.”
“We started off really well.” “Vitesse were a different type of opponent to what we have faced so far in pre-season – playing much more in front of us and very much to feet.”
“But I thought we dealt with it well and took our goals fantastically.” “I was really pleased with the first half, but I was quite disappointed with the goals we conceded in the second half.”
“As a center-half it’s not nice to concede any goal but especially from a set-piece. We’re going to analyse it, go over what we need to do and correct it ready for Fulham on Friday.”
“We know what we’ve got to do and we’ve got to get things right. We’ve got high standards and want to be as good a team as we can, so it is important that we get things right.”
We did quite well in pre-season and won four of the five friendly games, but that doesn’t really mean too much.
[table “52” not found /]The real stuff starts on Friday at Fulham and it would be great to get a win in our first game in the Championship for over six years.
That’s what we’re hoping for.
Comments welcome.
63 comments so far
gorgonzola ( former Pecorino former to gorgonzola)
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:05 AM
Comment #1Some inspiring signings please….
Look to South America or Asia or something thats a bit unexpected.
martoon
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:08 AM
Comment #2I was sitting level with the 18 yard box where all the goals were scored (good choice 🙂 ). What was good to see was after we conceded each goal Lascelles was going mad with the other defenders – good to see he cared in what was only a friendly – definitely Captain material. I also noticed Hanley was pretty vocal as well which good to see or should that be hear!
The overrated Frenchman
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:10 AM
Comment #3gorgonzola, I said that on the last thread, but Ed quickly moved it on, as he always does when I post.
WWSBRD
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:10 AM
Comment #4martoon
On ur game will u allow changes to the predictions depending on signings coming in?
expatmag
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:11 AM
Comment #5MUNSTER
From a couple of threads back re: left wingers
I wasnt even considering Thauvin as it seems pretty evident he is going but both Aarons and Ritchie play on the left whilst we seem to be short on the right.
Fatman_joe
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:12 AM
Comment #6Final League Position – 2nd
Final no. of points – 93
League Cup round – Q-F
FA Cup round – 4th
Player of the Season (Blog) – Perez
Top goal scorer (TGS) – Perez
No. of goals for TGS – 15
tomellifred360
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:12 AM
Comment #7Creating a Fantasy Football League if anyone is interested.
76984-188980
expatmag
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:13 AM
Comment #8TOF
Thats because you live in the Yarra Valley mate……lol
Ed doesnt like wineries
Nufc-83
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:15 AM
Comment #9Wwsbrd I think we all now we need a winger anyway taking into account we only have Richie and Aarons.
lesh
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:15 AM
Comment #10Expat
Where’s the vineyards in Jarra?
Nufc-83
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:16 AM
Comment #11Diame must have gone downhill dramatically since I last seen him at West Ham if he is getting compared to Gerimi as he was immense the last time I seen him.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:17 AM
Comment #12Newcastle United have met the release clause for Mohamed Diame.
News broke earlier today that Newcastle were interested in the midfielder and now George Caulkin of The Times, has revealed that the player is currently en route to Tyneside for his medical.
– See more at: http://www.themag.co.uk/2016/08/newcastle-meet-release-clause-diame-en-route-tyneside-medical-newcastle-united/?#sthash.iseG55Di.dpuf
martoon
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:21 AM
Comment #13WWSBRD @4 – I was going to freeze it after Thursday but you have a point about signings so yeah – I’ll allow changes to Player of the season and TGS to a new signing if you want – never let it be said I’m not amenable 😀
RolandoOverhead
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:22 AM
Comment #14Final League Position – 1st
Final no. of points – 101
League Cup round – 4th Round
FA Cup round – Winners!
Player of the Season (Blog) – Hayden
Top goal scorer (TGS) – Mitro
No. of goals for TGS – 34
one fine day
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:29 AM
Comment #15Funny how welshies predictions are more ball park figures rather than a stated total .
Talk about covering all bases ?
RolandoOverhead
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:34 AM
Comment #16Diamé as well as Knockaert or instead of, what do you guys recon?
manxpie
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:39 AM
Comment #17Diame will be a good signing he’s got vast experience proper tank and he’s just been a big part of a hull team that’s got promoted, however we’ve got a hell of a lot of cm,s now I’m hoping a couple of wingers are next
hibbitt
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:39 AM
Comment #18if i had to pick it would be Knockaert but both would be nice
a lot of games to be played this season and in the championship they come thick and fast
welshgeordie9
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:40 AM
Comment #19one fine day
Nothing wrong with my predictions as Del Boy would say He who dares………………..
WWSBRD
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:40 AM
Comment #20martoon
Ur a good un. Have a sneaky feeling we might bring in another ST who make guy turn my head haha
welshgeordie9
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:40 AM
Comment #21Cocks it right up.
Ha ha ha
welshgeordie9
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:43 AM
Comment #22From what I’ve read about diame he can play centre midfield, left wing or right wing.
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:45 AM
Comment #23Anyone wondering why Diame left West Ham it was because he was getting fed up of getting “Shunted” around by Big Sam even being asked to play as a striker !!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2744705/Mohamed-Diame-signed-Hull-shunted-West-Ham.html
Whenever I have watched him he looks like the midfielder I expect Sissoko to be!!
The overrated Frenchman
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:46 AM
Comment #24If the preferred midfield mix is going to be Anita, Hayden, Colback and Diame, we are going to have approximately zero flair and creativity. I’m all for being pragmatic, this is the Championship I know, but that is a pretty pedestrian group, to be fair.
one fine day
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:47 AM
Comment #25Welsh
Based on yours I will adjust my points total to between 80 and 120 🙂
expatmag
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:48 AM
Comment #26LESH
Good one mate. The Yarra Valley on the eastern outskirts of Melbourne is famous for its wineries and TOF lives there
SPRINGY
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:49 AM
Comment #27just reading about diame,needing a right winger and anitas preseason over the last few days…maybe diame is coming in to replace tiote,and rafa may prefer anita on the right as he may feel he’s not strong enough for central mid,so diame would come in to cm with hayden,colback,saivet,shelvey and maybe anita pushed wide to give a bit quality and work rate on the right….just a thought.
one fine day
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:50 AM
Comment #28Hope this diame one is right .
Just the sort of player we will need in the champs and he was pretty decent at west ham from what I recall.
nut meg
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:52 AM
Comment #29Martoon
Final league position——–2nd
Final number of points——97
League cup round————5th
FA Cup round—————–5th
Player of the season blog–Lascelles
Top goal scorer—————-Gayle
Number of goals—————23
JamesToon
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:53 AM
Comment #30Overrated Frenchman
Your forgetting Shelvey??? Hayden is tidy in midfield and not as backwards as Colback, Diame will run for days, and can pick a pass here and there, but he is more of a box to box midfielder. We have Got flair pace and creativity in the 3 in front of the 2 in Ritchie, Perez, Aarons, albeit we need more depth which Knockaert and Pritchard would strengthen. We have by no means zero creativity and flair in the MF though.
nut meg
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:54 AM
Comment #31Forgot to add ….many thanks Martoon.
martoon
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:56 AM
Comment #32one fine day – to be fair Welsh revised his predictions to exact numbers afterwards.
The overrated Frenchman
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:56 AM
Comment #33Final League Position – 4th
Final No. of Points – 80
League Cup Round – Fourth
FA Cup Round – Third
Player of the Season (Blog) – Sels
Top Goal Scorer (TGS) – Gayle
No. of goals for TGS – 14
WWSBRD
Aug 1, 2016 at 10:58 AM
Comment #34ToF
Which 3 teams are going to finish above us?
one fine day
Aug 1, 2016 at 11:02 AM
Comment #35Shame this Alex Pritchard link seems to have gone quiet though really think he could do a job for us .
Expat
Nice part of the world
Was down there last weekend for an inlaws 70th birthday lunch at meleetos at the punt road vineyard.great food and wine but pleased it wasn’t my shout on this occasion.
one fine day
Aug 1, 2016 at 11:05 AM
Comment #36Martoon @32
Fair enough .
Bearsize
Aug 1, 2016 at 11:07 AM
Comment #37Final League Position – 1st
Final no. of points – 99
League Cup round – 5th
FA Cup round – 5th
Player of the Season (Blog) – mbemba
Top goal scorer (TGS) – mitro
No. of goals for TGS – 18
one fine day
Aug 1, 2016 at 11:10 AM
Comment #38Tof
Seeing a keeper get player of the season doesn’t boad well for this coming season .
Elliott was many peoples favourite here last year and look how that worked out .
But who knows how these things work out
lesh
Aug 1, 2016 at 11:16 AM
Comment #39Expat
We live and learn…….hic!
Blackley and Brownlie
Aug 1, 2016 at 11:19 AM
Comment #40Has something happened? Jib’s not on every thread. And where’s Tuff?