Let us know how you think we will do against Brighton & Hove Albion at St. James’ Park tomorrow in the late kick-off televised game, in what is an important Championship game between two promotion candidates.
Brighton – managed by former Magpies manager Chris Hughton – will be the best side we have met so far this season.
13 comments so far
Jail for Ashley
Aug 26, 2016 at 9:06 AM
Comment #1I would have said win before our two strikers went off injured but this could be the chance for Armstrong to shine, if he’s as good as some people say he needs to be given 90 mins to show what he can do, he is nearly 20 years old now, Rooney and Owen were younger than that when they broke on to the stage.
magscar
Aug 26, 2016 at 9:08 AM
Comment #2Despite some posters misgivings it is encouraging that many more posters are finding much common ground in the ongoing changes at our club.
Positivity is for pre-season dreams and non serious polls – reality is the inevitable medicine of the new season but no reason to panic yet.
Fostino
Aug 26, 2016 at 9:10 AM
Comment #3It’s now or never for armstrong
Ian Toon
Aug 26, 2016 at 9:10 AM
Comment #4Well said. Great to have some balance on the blog.
magscar
Aug 26, 2016 at 9:13 AM
Comment #5Jfa
Team selection will show what Rafa’s thoughts on Armstrong are (and Riviera!).
If he wants height wouldn’t surprise me to see Diame shoehorned into role as a one off. Very difficult to anticipate Rafa’s choices as always 🙂
mad-serb
Aug 26, 2016 at 9:14 AM
Comment #6Just a quick question guys regarding the squad rules for the championship. Is it the same as the premier league with 25 man squad and the u-21 players no needing to be registered as part of the squad. And what about the home grown players. How many do we require. I know the premier league is 8 I think?
If this is the case then I understand all the outgoing loan players as firstly Rafa needed to clear out space to add players to the squad he wanted and at the same time we cannot have players we cannot use being in the championship, that have financial implications to us and we are not in the premiere league anymore
Jail for Ashley
Aug 26, 2016 at 9:16 AM
Comment #7magscar,
What a lot of people have to realise is that we are in the Championship. 52K attendances and a top manager do not alter that fact, I’m sure there would have been a very different strategy had we have stayed up, Rafa might not have even been kept on if we had stayed up, who knows. One thing is for certain though, no matter how much I have opposed this poisonous regime over the last seven years I am not buying in to the theory that Rafa is here to make himself and Mike Ashley a shed load of money while stabilising us as a mid table plodder. I do not want to believe that and will not believe that.
toon kk
Aug 26, 2016 at 9:18 AM
Comment #8I hope I’m proven wrong but without Gayle (our cutting edge) we’ll struggle against Brighton, there’s a big gap between them and us atm.
one fine day
Aug 26, 2016 at 9:19 AM
Comment #9Went for a win
Jail/ fostino
Been thinking along the same lines regarding Armstrong for a while now .
Think (England’s ) Michael Owen had banged in that one against the Argies by this stage .and Rooney had done likewise at the euros .
I say give him a decent chance to show us what he can do ,if your good enough and that !
Only concern ..
Anyone else noticed as soon as we give a young prospect ( Aaron’s/ Perez ) a decent extension they seem to instantly go off the boil ?
Not that Aaron’s has really got above a simmer since that pre season a couple of years back before anyone chips in ?
Jail for Ashley
Aug 26, 2016 at 9:20 AM
Comment #10magscar,
As much as I dislike Riverie, tomorrow is also a chance for him to show that he can do it at this level, start Armstrong and Riverie on the bench, I’d like nothing more to see each of them grab a brace.
Jail for Ashley
Aug 26, 2016 at 9:22 AM
Comment #11ofd,
I think Aarons is a different kettle of fish as his bones seem to be made of polystyrene.
one fine day
Aug 26, 2016 at 9:28 AM
Comment #12Jail ,
I have him marked as far more biodegradable than that .
He should be sponsored by earth choice .
Reminds me of one of those Lakeland pencils at school once you dropped it it was knackered from there in .
Every time you thought you’d just sharpen it another bit dropped off
Spoof
Aug 26, 2016 at 9:34 AM
Comment #13Jail
I honestly don’t think that you have anything to fear on that count, Rafa doesn’t need a wage, his reputation and his standing in the game will mean more to him than his already bulging bank account.
KK awoke a sleeping giant and very nearly took that giant to the promised land of trophies, sadly he fell at the final hurdle, if Rafa could eclipse that and be immortalised in Geordie folklore for eternity as he would be if he made us winners———— ask yourself this, why has Rafa gone to a relegated Championship side, I believe that he wants to be remember long atfer he has left this living world, and if he succeeds here he will get his wish.
Newcastle is an enigma, and he wants to break that enigma——why else would he have stayed with us.