Even though Martin Dubravka is now on board it would be a surprise if Rafa Benitez doesn’t play Karl Darlow in goal at Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon.
Dubravka will need a little time to settle in at Newcastle so maybe his debut will come in the next game against to Manchester United at home the following Sunday.
But if Darlow plays well on Sunday he could even keep his place – it will depend on how Dubravka performs in training.
On the other hand, we expect Isalm Slimani to come in to lead the line as soon as he is fit.
Karl Darlow – we need to be more clinical
We haven’t won at home since we tore Crystal Palace apart 1-0 on October 21st, and if we are to survive we have to somehow start picking up 3 points at home against the lower half teams.
The next game against the Red Devils would be a good time to start.
Karl Darlow doesn’t know why we cannot win at home, other than we just don’t take our chances – much like last season:
“No idea to be honest why we’re struggling at St James’ Park. We’ve had some good performances at home, we just need to finish teams off.”
“We’ve been in games where they’ve been tight, one goal wins it, and we just haven’t scored the first one, or score the killer goal to finish teams off.”
“I think we need to be more clinical and carry on like we did against Burnley, then we’ll be more than OK.”
“It was just one of those things (own goal). It’s bad luck really,”
“The lads headed it from five or six yards out, then after the initial header I’ve flicked it on to the bar, it’s hit the crossbar, come straight back down, hit the back of my head and gone in.”
“It’s small margins but it’s unfortunate that we couldn’t get two or three ahead in the first half, and then that might have given us more chances in the second.”
“It was a frustrating draw.”
“We go there (Crystal Palace) with confidence.”
“We know that we’re on a half-decent run in the Premier League, we’ve picked up points here and there, and we know we need to go there and give a good account of ourselves.”
“Just like we did at Stoke away.”
“If we can come away with another three points from another team who are fighting with us, that’ll be huge.”
In the initial voting, fans seem confident we can get all 3 points at Palace and do the double over the London club this season.
Let’s hope they are right – we need a win.
Comments welcome.
9 comments so far
simon376
Feb 2, 2018 at 9:10 AM
Comment #1Bambams
Thanks mate, we can only hope
JohnJ
Feb 2, 2018 at 9:14 AM
Comment #2The mag recon Crystal Palace could have as many as six players out!
Any help for us from any direction will be a bonus
https://www.themag.co.uk/2018/02/crystal-palace-set-missing-least-6-players-injury-newcastle-united/
lochinvar
Feb 2, 2018 at 9:15 AM
Comment #3From the Ronnicle
Ok it only cost him £715,000 about the same as the wages saved on players going out on loan ( he thought suspiciously )
Looking at growing the USA Market – look out Ed Mike might move into the neighbourhood
Mike Ashley has became the single biggest shareholder of five-a-side football company Goals Soccer Centres.
The Newcastle United owner increased his stake in the company on Tuesday, January 30, when he used Sports Direct International to purchase an additional one million shares in Goals Plc.
Based on Goals’ share price it is estimated that Sports Direct spent around £715,000 to acquire the additional shares.
Sports Direct increased the number of shares it owns in Goals from around 13.2 million to 14.2 million.
The deal means that Sports Direct now owns 18.92% of the shares in Goals, making it the company’s biggest single shareholder and surpassing Harwood Capital, which owns around 18.61%.
Goals has 46 sites around the UK, including centres in Newcastle , Sunderland and Middlesbrough, and it has also opened two centres in California and is looking to expand its growth in North America.
Spellcheck
Feb 2, 2018 at 9:17 AM
Comment #4I just don’t see us gaining enough points to stay in the premier league. Not sure what’s gone on behind closed doors but surely everyone on this blog and in the stands that passionately follow the Toon, must realise that Mitrovic was far better than donkey Joselu. Temperamental yes but more passion in his big toe. For sure he would’ve caused defences more trouble, dispatched penalties…. obviously when not suspended. Ritchie is too slow, Yedlin can’t defend. That’s our whole right hand side easy prey throughout the season. Only now does Diame have a decent game, sorry another waste of space. Shelvey, lazy with attitude problem. Basically thinks he’s better than he is. A struggling team in a premier league only means one thing for me, we’re going down. Hope I’m proved wrong. HWTL
toonincheek
Feb 2, 2018 at 9:35 AM
Comment #5Spellcheck,
You’re asking for trouble with a name like that,
but OK this time – no typos or spelling errors!
Spellcheck
Feb 2, 2018 at 9:52 AM
Comment #6Funny enough some smart arse picked up on a typo some time back, hence the name.
Geordie-john
Feb 2, 2018 at 10:00 AM
Comment #7My suggestion for the toon winning games at home to avoid relegation is paint the goal posts illumines Green and tell all the players they must aim to get the ball inside the rectangle shape at each end of the pitch that they are playing towards as many times as possible. lol
dig-n-dig22
Feb 2, 2018 at 10:02 AM
Comment #8Spellcheck #4
After the results we have been getting I feel the same way as you, the last 3 home results have been a nightmare, bearing in mind the 2 valuable away wins at Stoke/West Ham, but I look at the table and we are still in the mix, we still have to play 3 of the bottom 4 at home, I am hoping 14 points will keep us up, it is do-able but winnable games are now very few. We badly need 3 points at C PAL Sunday,If we win I think we will definitely stay up but home form MUST improve now, some of our players need to grow a pair on the pitch and Rafa needs to grow a pair when things need changing on the pitch.
Toondog2
Feb 2, 2018 at 11:56 AM
Comment #9Essex and Martoon,
I finally did it Thank you Howay The Toon . Seems easier in Geordie though !!!!!