Rafa Benitez has just names his Newcastle team to take on Huddersfield Town at the John Smith’s Stadium this afternoon.
Here’s the team as put out on the Newcastle Twitter account.
TEAM NEWS: Here’s how Newcastle United will line up at @htafcdotcom in the @premierleague this afternoon (1:30pm BST). #NUFC pic.twitter.com/el6AwUnwe7
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) August 20, 2017
David Wagner – Huddersfield’s young manager
This is the second time running we predicted the starting line-up although once again this was the team most people expected and it will be good to see Mikel Merino in the side – he seems a great young player.
Chancel Mbemba also keeps his place in place of Florian Lejeune and it looks like Ciaran Clark stays at left-back in place of the injured Paul Dummett.
That back four played well in the second half last week against Spurs.
It would be excellent if we can record our first win of the season this afternoon.
Almost three in five fans think we can win this game this afternoon.
Howay The Lads!!
Comments welcome.
468 comments so far
Ron Knee
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:33 PM
Comment #1Perez-Gayle!
Jib
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:34 PM
Comment #2Some impact on the bench for the second half
(red cards permitting)
martoon
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:35 PM
Comment #3No defenders on the bench! Apparently Saivet can play Centre Back which is probably why he is on the bench?
AncientC
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:36 PM
Comment #4It looked like a 4-4-2 at times against Tottenham… it could be something similar today. 4-2-3-1 when defending, then 4-4-2 when pressing.
Strong looking bench.
Novocastrian66
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:37 PM
Comment #5I think we will lose today. I hope I’m wrong.
catchy in norway
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:38 PM
Comment #6not a perez gayle partnership fan,, good players with other players, just not together
AncientC
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:38 PM
Comment #7Hudderfield:
Lossl, Smith (c), Billing, Kachunga, Mooy, Lowe, Van La Parra, Ince, Mounie, Zanka, Schindler
Jimmy Waff
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:38 PM
Comment #8Hayden can also play CB if needed. Hopefully Rafa gets to use the bench properly this weekend – lots of options to choose from!
Bambams
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:39 PM
Comment #9We get to see what Merino is like.
Bobbybee
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:39 PM
Comment #10Bobbybee
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:37 PM
Comment #105
Got the bingo right two weeks running.
?
Mind you, the team picked itself really.
Oh God, John McCririck is on talksport giving the world hi
toonbrother
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:39 PM
Comment #11So much depends on how good Merino is from a creative standpoint
not just the outcome of todays match but the outcome of the season
Shelvey is not good enough to be a starter in my opinion
If merino cannot fill the creative void in midfield we are in big trouble this season
#SGITR
Tenbytoon
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:40 PM
Comment #12Please no more injuries in defence, I know we’re trying to offload lazaar, haidara and Hanley but surely there a better option than saviet?
Bobbybee
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:40 PM
Comment #13… take on us. What a nugget. 🙂
BenArfa the magician
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:42 PM
Comment #14Just hoping Lascelles can cope with Mounie today surely Clark CB with Mbemba RB and Manquillo LB is what it will be? Otherwise Mounie will be on Mbemba and win absolutely everything.
Nufc-83
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:42 PM
Comment #15lol Martoon Saviet definitely can’t play cb. It would be Hayden,merino or Clarke who dropped if required.
Oldgit1
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:44 PM
Comment #16Except for two players we are almost fielding the same team that finished in the championship, hope this doesn’t backfire on us but can see why Rafa would play with players that stuck together last season.
Bobbybee
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:44 PM
Comment #17Right, getting ready to settle down to enjoy the build up. Can’t do this during a game, it does my head in. First corner we concede it becomes end of the world. Later chaps. 🙂
ctommo
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:44 PM
Comment #18Bit of a shame no De Jong in the squad. I’d love to see him compete with Perez for the starting position.
Anyway, lets get behind the lads this afternoon and hope Rafa can use the bench properly in the second half.
AncientC
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:46 PM
Comment #19I suppose there is always a chance the back-line could be Mbemba at FB with Clark at CB.
ToonTime
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:46 PM
Comment #20You’re not the only one who uses google Ancient:
http://www.goal.com/en/news/1717/editorial/2012/04/03/3010574/from-blackburn-zero-to-ewood-hero-de-gea-proves-his-worth-in
TacoFlavoredKisses ForMyBen-arfa
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:46 PM
Comment #21i think its Mbmemba and Lac in the middle and clark at LB
Saviet can play LB, so if one of the CBs gets hurt, he can move over to LB and Mbemba can move the CB OR if manq gets hurt, clark can move to CB and mbmemba can move to RB
toontaff2
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:48 PM
Comment #22Where are Jesus and De Jong?
Blofal
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:50 PM
Comment #23Saivet in the squad and no De Jong? What’s going on? I’m confused.
Manquillio can play LB and Gamez can play RB – so why Clarke at LB?
In Rafa I trust but it’s blind trust.
magspuggy
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:50 PM
Comment #24Toon to win 5-1 has dropped from 250/1
Down to 200/1. In half an hour lol whos backing it apart from me and taffy 😉
AncientC
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:51 PM
Comment #25ToonTime, that link claims De Gea went from “zero to hero”, which implies he made mistakes earlier in the season, not only implies, but details some against Blackburn.
“Gone is the shaky, timid character who looked overwhelmed by the physicality of the Premier League, a player so weak at dealing with crosses than even United supporters feared the worst when the opposition won a corner.”
Which confirms what I stated. I didn’t claim De Gea didn’t get better, I claimed his mistakes earlier in the season proved vital in the title being decided by goal difference.
BenArfa the magician
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:51 PM
Comment #26No Hanley when we have no other CB, Lazaar or Haidara instaed we play a CB there and no De Jong is he injured or like the rest are on their way out. At least Colback is no where near the team.
ToonTime
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:51 PM
Comment #27If one of the CB’s get hurt I think Hayden will drop in there and Saivet will replace Hayden.
AncientC
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:52 PM
Comment #28You swap the Man Utd and Man City goalkeepers, in De Gea’s first season. Which way do you believe the title would have went, ToonTime?
bladeuser
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:55 PM
Comment #29MAGSPUSSY
Apart from you and taffy on that bet there is others but they are confined to the nut house
ASH OUT
ToonTime
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:56 PM
Comment #30In my opinion De Gea is an excellent example of why Woodman can be our number 1 this season.
Alex Ferguson was happy to continue with him at the end of season when he had 8 clean sheets out of his final 11 games when they lost the title in the last two minutes of the season with a low number of goals conceded in the season. Would he have done that if he thought he was costing them the title?
Ancient however thinks Ferguson got it wrong.
I’ll leave you all to make your own conclusions.
Belfast
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:57 PM
Comment #31De Jong is obviously surplus to requirements going by the two squads thus far.
Bambams
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:58 PM
Comment #32Just listened to Sourpuss on Sky ‘re his time in our hot seat and how difficult it was because of fan expectation !
Can any of you lot remember a quote he came up with when trying to ‘protect Boumsong.
“The problem we have with Boumsong is we can’t find the right football boots that fit”…..
I remember it well ! It was the final straw to not renew my season ticket after 20 odd years.
I have tried to Google search for it but can’t find it.
It may have been in the Journal. Just can’t recall
catchy in norway
Aug 20, 2017 at 12:58 PM
Comment #33THINK THIS IS A GOOD LINK
http://cricfree.sc/watch/live/huddersfield-town-vs-newcastle-united-live-streaming
Bobbybee
Aug 20, 2017 at 1:00 PM
Comment #34Typical, talking about the next game, not ours. Clark has played left back for us and Villa, it’s no biggie. Mbemba has pace in the middle which makes sense. I think the majority probably got this selection right once it became clear Yedders wasn’t fit. Imo changing this would be detrimental.
Need to hit them sharply on the break when the opportunity arises
jimmygscot
Aug 20, 2017 at 1:01 PM
Comment #35Championship team, championship potential.
Good job we are playing another championship side.
AncientC
Aug 20, 2017 at 1:01 PM
Comment #36“Would he have done that if he thought he was costing them the title?”
Would Ferguson have played De Gea if he thought it would cost them the title, on the smallest of margins? Probably not. Ferguson did not have a crystal ball, he could not have known the title would be so tight by the end.
You didn’t answer my question, ToonTime.
Belfast
Aug 20, 2017 at 1:02 PM
Comment #37According to today’s Sun Colback is on a whopping 70 grand a week ? Good luck moving him on.
magspuggy
Aug 20, 2017 at 1:03 PM
Comment #38Bluntblade. Do you have anything to say that does not include you having a pop at another poster ? I am sure there could be someone willing to have a chat with you if you do ..
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Aug 20, 2017 at 1:03 PM
Comment #39Nah
Hope I’m wrong – Don’t like the Perez Gayle link up – to lightweight – can’t hold the ball up, ball will come straight back espiecially if we play hoofball. Rather seen Mitro or the new lad JusRol playing up front with Gayle or Perez
AncientC
Aug 20, 2017 at 1:06 PM
Comment #40ToonTime, are you saying Ferguson never got things wrong? He signed plenty of duds in his time. All managers make mistakes, even the greats. I didn’t say Ferguson was wrong to play De Gea if it cost them the title either. In my original post, I said it was “debatable.” They did win things after that with a much improved De Gea in goal.
Again, you have taken something out of context.