It was good news from Rafa today in his press conference that Ciaran Clark is in full training with the first team squad and hopefully the Irish International can start against Preston on Monday night and help to keep the back door bolted.
Twice in the last 7 games we have conceded three goals and in those games we have conceded a total of 10 goals – far too many.
That’s an areas Rafa will want to improve over the final three games of the season after we have gained a measly one point in our previous three games.
That has put self inflicted pressure on the team.
Rafa Benitez – Newcastle manager
Here’s a team that could be strong at the back and if we play near our best form we can win the game against the Lilywhites.
Darlow
Yedlin Lascelles (c) Clark Dummett
Shelvey Hayden
Ritchie Perez Gouffran
Murphy
Daryl Murphy has shown that when he is played he can score goals why we have him up front in preference to Mitro.
A possible change could be Mo Diame in the number 10 position but Ayoze can score goals when you least expect him too – Monday night could be that time.
There’s room for some heroes at Newcastle – players who for instance can score the goals to propel us back to the Premier League.
Somebody needs to take that chance for glory.
What would your team be for Preston?
130 comments so far
Lindisfarne
Apr 22, 2017 at 6:37 AM
Comment #121Promotion semi final next.
Tsunki
Apr 22, 2017 at 7:08 AM
Comment #122Ian Toon back in the Jack Root gig. Yawn. What’s the cause of all the great exodus of the football cognoscenti Ian? Helvetica? Garamond? Or was it just something as simple and damning as Bold CAPS? How cruel the typeface can be when it is set in its hard opposition to you!
Personally i find the excessive wordiness and complaining about nowt but being rumbled puts me off.
Tsunki
Apr 22, 2017 at 7:10 AM
Comment #123Just a small point, but isn’t one of the main functions of this blog to cater for the world’s armchair fans? Oh, and bragging “real” ones of course.
toontaff2
Apr 22, 2017 at 7:31 AM
Comment #124Very creepy that ‘Jack Root’ fellow 😈
toontaff2
Apr 22, 2017 at 7:32 AM
Comment #125David Stockdale, he scores when he wants…………….
hibbit
Apr 22, 2017 at 7:37 AM
Comment #126another roll of the dice today let’s see where we are at 5 o’clock
could be very interesting !!!!
lesh
Apr 22, 2017 at 7:49 AM
Comment #127Tsunki
The point you make about this blog is that it was the brainchild of what I and many others would say is an ‘armchair fan’.
I’m sure that those ‘real fans’, who attend a lot of games, wouldn’t disparage the likes of Ed and his family who have supported (and in Ed’s case, has actually donned a black and white strip and played for the ‘Ns’) Newcastle United for many years. In Ed’s case he’s based over 3000 miles away and a I’m sure he’d love to get to matches but doing so is impractical.
There are many of us who look in on the blog would love to be able to get to our matches but can’t because geography or other circumstances makes doing so costly or difficult if not impossible.
Those whose commitment to Newcastle United drives them to attend our games, whether home or away, are the salt of the earth but surely they would recognise that they aren’t the only ones whose heart’s with Newcastle United.
Lindisfarne
Apr 22, 2017 at 7:51 AM
Comment #128I wish dfs would advertise their armchairs on here, instead of some of the shite that pops up. Although, some of the featured women on the mature dating websites could be mistaken for a comfy leather sofa.
lesh
Apr 22, 2017 at 7:53 AM
Comment #129Stockdale’s goals were unfortunate and will make the Brighton players very nervous in their final games of the season and they’ll feel the pressure – especially if we win on Monday.
magscar
Apr 22, 2017 at 8:15 AM
Comment #130After my self imposed rest from the blog have begun to dip my toes in the water recently to guage how fellow fans are handling the recent hiccups.
As I wasn’t able to watch match on Easter Monday I made mistake of reading comments on here instead – not for the fainthearted.
In general blog is much the same but without the intense infighting that became the proverbial straw for me. Some regulars missing Lilongwe, Betty Expat and odd new(er) name but ruck between Bobby and Tuff made me feel straight at home 🙂
Was going to include Jib amongst the missing but then he turned up tanned and ready for the fray.
Very sorry to see Ed’s latest update and marvel at his strength and resolve to keep blog going during his latest treatments which i hope work for him.
As to where we are now I hadn’t anticipated it becoming such a close run affair way back at beginning of October when i gave up on here. Huddersfield had then hit the buffers and Norwich and Villa were off pace – but when did we ever do easy. Still confident but we need to cut out the stupid individual errors and concentrate for 96 minutes or whatever Ref decides to impose!
Can’t say that I have enjoyed much of the fare served up at Home but accept promotion was and is the be and end all. Next season if in PL we won’t be able to afford many reverses at Home as our Away form won’t be as imperious as it has been (until recently anyway)
Don’t think Brighton will blow it although Villa game could be awkward i don’t see them giving Bristol City 2 goals start ( unless Stockdale is still feeling generous). Huddersfield have tough game today against best side seen at SJP this season and not an easy run in so fingers crossed that we get across that line sooner rather than later.
Oh and i see the multiples sideshow still rumbles on .
Catch you all maybe after a further 6 months or at start of a shiny new season when we parade all our new signings and hopes 🙂