Newcastle did not play well on Monday night when we were beaten on merit by Sheffield Wednesday, but that was also about the best team Rafa could field given that Jonjo Shelvey was not available.
Jack Colback came in for Jonjo and didn’t have a particularly good game, but that was also his first game back for a while after injuring his eye.
So we would expect Rafa to keep Jack and Isaac Hayden as the two central midfielders for another game.
Rafa could make some changes to the side and wemaybe American DeAndre Yedlin could come in at right back and Christian Atsu could get a start before he goes off to play in the African Cup of Nations for Ghana.
Christian Atsu – could get sa start tomorrow night
So here’s the side that Rafa could start tomorrow night in a game we can win and get back on track.
Darlow
Yedlin Lascelles (c) Clark Dummett
Colback Hayden
Atsu Diame Gouffran
Gayle
Only two changes there from the side that disappointed against the Owls.
What would your team be for tomorrow night?
166 comments so far
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:20 PM
Comment #81Cyprus,
No bait dangled. I agree that defensive football can be aligned to negative. I object that defensive automatically implies negative though.
There is a beauty in a well managed and controlled defensive performance. It just doesn’t necessarily excite in the same way.
Belfast
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:22 PM
Comment #82Rafa bingo
Darlow
Yedlin Lascelles Clarke Dummett
Ritchie Hayden Diame Atsu
Mitro Gayle
toontaff2
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:25 PM
Comment #83We should be whopping Forest
Toonfan8
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:28 PM
Comment #84Lilongwe
Conte knows how to set up, he has style of play, he played it with Juventus and also Italy, 3-4-1-2 now he has gone to 3-4-3…maybee we have also some good players for this style…
……..mbemba,lascelles,clark………
yedlin…shelvey….hayden…..ritchie
…….atsu…….mitrovic…..gayle……..
…………………………………………………
I am sure this squad would bring some great football and pleasure to the fans, also in the premier league…with some good buys we can be real force in the EPL
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:30 PM
Comment #85Jimmy,
Yup, and I did say if their was criticism it wasn’t in the defensive nature, it was in the inflexibility.
We are playing the percentage game. In spite of the inflexibility we will get promoted automatically. The inflexibility and the defensive ideals will stand us in better stead next season.
I’m not sure why people think I am being critical when I talk of a defensive style, particularly as I have talked about it having greater benefits next season in the Prem (hopefully) whilst still being more than enough with the squad we have to take us up.
With our squad, could we win this league in greater style with an attacking manager? Of course we could. Would we be as well prepared next season for the Prem and more difficult challenges? No.
toontaff2
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:30 PM
Comment #86Jail. why me?
Belfast
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:34 PM
Comment #87This is the perfect game to go with 4-4-2 and batter them. I hope we murder them after the shenanigans a few weeks ago especially the way they celebrated at the end hehe
welshgeordie9
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:34 PM
Comment #88Jail
You forgot about the matches we were lucky to win.
Belfast
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:35 PM
Comment #89I’m nearly sure they’ve lost every game since that night.
Toonfan8
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:35 PM
Comment #90with this set up, we can punish teams and also we have some altenatives, we can play Dummett and Hanley as CB
RM–Anita, LM–Lazaar, Haidara, CM—Colback,Diame
WG—Gouffran,Perez
CF—Murphy
Jail for Ashley
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:38 PM
Comment #91toontaff,
Probably because you’ve got toon in your name which gets you mixed up with loads of others called toonxxxx but being toontaff2 I know you’ll be there tomorrow night singing your heart out!!
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:38 PM
Comment #92Toonfan8,
Conte is the best current manager in the world for me. He has variants on his favoured formation, but it is the tactical nuances within those formations which really make the difference.
I don’t rate Mbemba. Colo took a lot of stick for Mbemba’s mistakes last season. Rafa has that spot on. On the other hand, I rate Mitro, but I don’t think we play to his strengths, despite him having a pretty impressive goals and assist to minute played this season – better than Gayle prior to the Brum hat trick. So Rafa and I disagree there.
I think at this level that 343 would tear teams apart, but step up and it would get torn apart. I hope/think Rafa is building an understanding for next year. He knows that we have enough in the locker to get promotion. So why not take the extra time to develop a style/mentality that will carry on next year, rather than go all out, and then have to change it all when we aren’t the biggest fish in the pond.
welshgeordie9
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:40 PM
Comment #93My Rafa lineup.
Why
Bother with Rafa lineup
When He Does not
Play Gayle with Mitrovic
Subs
You
Couldn’t
Make
It
Up
Could
You
Toonfan8
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:42 PM
Comment #94but what do you think we will play WBA style or what? we have enough to beat premier league teams with that team…and for sure we will bring 3-4 first team players if we go up…
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:43 PM
Comment #95Welsh,
The amount of times as a kid I watched Match of the Day and the pundits said “It’s the sign of champions when you play badly and still win” Those sides were lucky to win, but in reality, it isn’t luck. It is talent, application and determination. Even when not firing on all cylinders. The other aspects pull you through.
Yeah, we have ground out results this season. That is a positive. In the past we haven’t, some games we should have won, or closed out, we have lost.
Toonfan8
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:44 PM
Comment #96Mbemba is young CB, still learning, but for me he is our best CB…but I can see him as CM, Tiote style, but better with ball and also quicker…
Jib
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:46 PM
Comment #97THAT WAS LUSH
HANDBAGS AT 40 PACES
WHAT A BUNCH OF BIG LASSES
HA HA HA
Belfast
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:49 PM
Comment #98I was told earlier Ed sent Jail an email letting him know that Belfast can’t be banned from Rafa bingo because it’s his blog and he makes the rules.
Oh and he gave me 20 compensation points for the discrimination that I’ve suffered.
Thankyou Ed.
Belfast
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:50 PM
Comment #99And thanks to Ian Toon and carl for complaining.
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:51 PM
Comment #100Toonfan8,
Have we enough to beat Prem teams? Who are bottom of the Premier league? Who couldn’t we beat in the cup? It isn’t a fair reflection on all things, but our squad is currently a bottom 5 Prem squad. We have enough to beat Prem teams, we also don’t have enough to do that consistently.
I don’t think we will play like West Brom, We’ll be tactical, we’ll be disciplined if we go up. We’ll pay considered football, much like now, but the opposition will be more offensive which will create greater opportunities. That is where this season and the discipline and coaching will pay dividends.
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:54 PM
Comment #101Jib // Dec 29, 2016 at 10:46 PM
THAT WAS LUSH
HANDBAGS AT 40 PACES
WHAT A BUNCH OF BIG LASSES
HA HA HA
Eh?? It has been fairly decent football chat for the most part. This just seems like stirring…
Jail for Ashley
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:55 PM
Comment #102Lilongwe,
Please man ffs, I’ve seen you defend him before, the welsh troll has now taken to slating Rafa, he has been bigging Pardew up for the last few years knowing it irks most people, when asked if he wanted him at Swansea the halfwit replied NNOoooo, he’s taking the pi$$ pal, and i’ve known it since the day he started on here.
Toonfan8
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:57 PM
Comment #103WBA are playing pretty same way, they are defending for life and play tactically, they are well in the league…but we didnt try 343, we played same way which we play now 4411 or something like that…that team which I wrote 343 have enough to be a top 10 team, but for sure we will need some additions to the squad, CF,winger, CM and CB…
Jail for Ashley
Dec 29, 2016 at 10:59 PM
Comment #104Can somone let me know if Belfast complains about being banned from bingo because I’ve recently installed a Belfast Bingo Bemoan Blocker, which os 100% guaranteed 😮
Toonfan8
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:02 PM
Comment #105Siggurdson and Snodgrass would be ideal signing, proven in Premier league and can both score and assist and would be good for Rafa system…
welshgeordie9
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:03 PM
Comment #106Jail, so what i said no I don’t want him at Swans and yes at Newcastle, none of us knew he was going to be crap before he joined or when he was at palace, if that was the case, clubs wouldn’t have signed him in the first place would they.
Duh
welshgeordie9
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:04 PM
Comment #107What a drama queen.
Jib
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:05 PM
Comment #108Alex
A lot of the stuff goes WHOOSH way over your African head
Best not get involved bonny lad
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:07 PM
Comment #109Jail,
??. I’ve defended him before? Implying I also just did now? I’m not sure when I’ve defended him before, or that I’ve ever ‘defended’ any blogger.
I disagreed with something Welsh said. I stuck to the football aspects, and that teams that are successful do grind out victories. That was opposed to his statement saying we’ve been lucky.
You know I’ll chat with anyone as long as the topic remains football related. John Tudor is the only person that I went way off my own personal decency levels with, and I swiftly apologised next time we were on together. Came pretty close with MacToon, but that was a misunderstanding that was ironed out.
I appreciate you looking out for me and trying to make sure I don’t converse with some folk, but as long as football is the topic, and unless I hear of something grossly unsavoury from the person, then I will be okay.
For example, Dulcinera could come back and talk football, but some of his comments were so horrendous that there is now recovery from that.
bettyswallocks
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:07 PM
Comment #110Very interesting debate tonight gentlemen. I have already voiced my opinion on the Conte v Mourinho situation. Conte has definitely got Hazard and Costa playing with confidence and a smile, even Fabregas looks rejuvenated and Chelsea look like winning the PL.
The game has evolved and modern thinking managers like Klopp and Conte are looking more in touch and appear to be more versatile and capable of adjusting their tactics.
Rafa is a dedicated student of the game and I hope he will prove flexible enough to compete with the whiz kid managers. We will need World Class players as well incidentally.
Jib
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:11 PM
Comment #111Wow Betty
thanks honey
How insightful
welshgeordie9
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:12 PM
Comment #112The problem with my dear friend is that if you don’t agree with him, you are a troll, wum, blah blah blah.
Getting very boring.
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:13 PM
Comment #113Jib,
Still no idea who you are The only person I know that got out of Newcastle to the Spanish coast did so to avoid legal prosecution. You seem too mild mannered to be that gentleman though.You could have learnt my name from all sorts of places.
Regardless, I come on here to talk football, and as per my post at 109, I’m happy to talk football, NUFC, sports generally with anyone as long as they haven’t been seriously offensive.
bettyswallocks
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:20 PM
Comment #114Jib’s been on the pop tonight obviously. He gets very spiteful and nasty when he’s had a few but they reckon alcohol brings out the true character in folk.
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:23 PM
Comment #115Betty,
Klopp doesn’t deviate from his style much but he changes the positioning of players for certain games. Conte is comfortable changing formation, style, tactics, depending on the opposition. Both are very interesting to watch. Mourinho and Guardiola don’t have that change in their locker. Guardiola in particular seems to like to make a change that seems strange, just because he likes to look innovative. Mourinho is much more rigid.
I think Benitez is of the more inflexible variety, but for a team just promoted and trying to develop in the league, that is probably exactly why we want and need.
bettyswallocks
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:25 PM
Comment #116Seeing as I’m sober I would like to ask Lil. If he thinks Rafa is too set in his ways to adapt to the modern approach to the game which appears to be the way forward or is he too set in his ways to compete with the likes of Klopp and Conte when we get promoted.
Jail for Ashley
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:25 PM
Comment #117Lilongwe,
Since the day the guy started posting on here which was exactly the time the blog was plagued with bob, eric,bill, ted and strangelly enough Jeff from Benwell who welshgeordie9 gleefully high fived and said he was here to wind people up. In the past you’ve said he can’t be a WUM, why would you invest that much effort. How he can honestly say after the disaster that Pardew was at Newcadtle and the ill feeling he caused that he wanted him back and that he was a hero but is horrified at the thought of him joining his own club that he isn’t a wind up c’mon man!
bettyswallocks
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:26 PM
Comment #118Lil ……too slow you beat me to it.
welshgeordie9
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:30 PM
Comment #119Yes jail you right, I’m guilty.
Is it me or is jail getting really and i mean really obsessed.
Very creepy.
andrew84
Dec 29, 2016 at 11:32 PM
Comment #120Welsh is neck and neck with Jib in the race for Most Obvious WUM, but the blog would be a darker place without either of them.
Kind of like the Jeremy Kyle Show – always a relief to see that there are more unfortunate people in the world who are willing to make fools of themselves in public, without them even realising it.