Ayoze Perez has been interviewed in the Chronicle, and he admits that last Saturday’s performance against Blackburn in the FA Cup when we got a lucky 1-1 draw, was not good enough.
Our home form has been terrible this season with only two wins in 12 total games in all competitions at St. James’ Park.
Our away form has been a little better, thank goodness.
And we are away at Chelsea on Saturday in the late kick-off game.
Most pundits will expect this to be an easy win for the home side, but this is where the opportunity lies for Newcastle.
Ayoze Perez – hopefully, we can get something at Chelsea
If we can take something out of this game, it will help to raise the mood among Newcastle supporters – which is not good at the moment.
It will also give our players some added confidence.
This is what Ayoze has said in the Chronicle as he looks forward to the game at Stamford Bridge on Saturday:
“Away from home we have been better which is the strange thing. That is one positive.”
“But imagine if we were better at home? We wouldn’t be in trouble now.”
“Chelsea will be tough but we have done well away so hopefully we can get a result.”
“We should be looking forward to playing Chelsea with the pressure off – it should be enjoyable.”
“Our home form hasn’t been good enough.” “You could suffer at Chelsea and it is a tough game.”
“Chelsea are doing well and Stamford Bridge is always a tough place to go.”
“It’s now all about the reaction, we have to find a way to react the best way we can.”
“It will be tough but a good day to get back to winning points.”
Chelsea have won six, drawn four and lost only one home game in the Premier League this season – so it will not be easy.
Comments welcome.
93 comments so far
DubaiMicky
Jan 10, 2019 at 9:25 AM
Comment #1@RobLeenio last, ashLIE always stays at a country house hotel near Hexham, can’t recall the name now.
24 years ago today we sold Andy Cole for £7m.
geordietom
Jan 10, 2019 at 9:27 AM
Comment #2day 10…
no players bought…
no take over news…
Toondog2
Jan 10, 2019 at 9:28 AM
Comment #3Dubai,is it that long ago?
Where does the time go when we are having fun at the Toon
HWTL
DubaiMicky
Jan 10, 2019 at 9:30 AM
Comment #4Not NUFC related, but this is a great piece in the Telegraph about a guy I’ve never heard of – ‘Red card’ Roy McDonough.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/01/10/meet-red-card-roy-mcdonough-never-set-hurt-anyone-except-tony/
What a character (If it’s on premium and you can’t see it just shout, I’ll copy/paste it).
lesh
Jan 10, 2019 at 9:32 AM
Comment #5RobLeenio
There’s no reason why an announcement shouldn’t be agreed and made – if the will to complete an agreement is there. But, there lies the question.
And, I wonder whether Ashley’s got his eyes on buying Hexham? That might explain his helicopter – unless he’s been visiting some of his chums among the aristocracy….… or god forbid, the Fenwicks?
lesh
Jan 10, 2019 at 9:36 AM
Comment #6DubaiMicky
Aye, and not long after selling Cole, Keegan brought in Shearer. It was for £18m (was it £18m?), then a world record (?)
And now, Ashley’s got the club shopping at clearance sales!
lesh
Jan 10, 2019 at 9:39 AM
Comment #7Robleenio
Maybe Ashley fancied a £6 happy hour meal in Ponteland? That sounds like him, spend a fortune to save a few quid!
dig-n-dig22
Jan 10, 2019 at 9:40 AM
Comment #8Nothing on Sky news transfer centre regarding Almiron. I think Almiron’s agent is using us as a stalking horse. No interest shown in the UK or Europe for Almiron , you would think Chinese clubs would be all over Almiron’s agent.
lesh
Jan 10, 2019 at 9:42 AM
Comment #9Robleenio
I’d posted a link to some music two or three threads back. Any good for lone line dancing?
RobLeenio
Jan 10, 2019 at 9:53 AM
Comment #10Lol lesh, just listened to it now. Great track, I reckon if people try line dancing to that solo or collectively it could be a disaster if they’re in the same state as the singer.
Hilarious to watch though….
Bit like this guy
https://youtu.be/XRq8_uhXAgc?t=35
c-dog
Jan 10, 2019 at 10:06 AM
Comment #11Is there a reason we shouldn’t at least outrun Chelsea this weekend?
Two weeks off. Chelsea have played midweek
Or does their superior squad mean their players are just far better athletes with greater recovery time
RobLeenio
Jan 10, 2019 at 10:06 AM
Comment #12Back on thread, we’ve played better away from home ever since we got into the Champo. We don’t have the creativity to break down a massed defence, being away from home puts the onus on the opposition to attack, which we can generally absorb pretty well and then attack on the break.
The thing which has let us down so far has been individual errors. We have to have a game at some point in which our entire defence has a game where they manage to concentrate for 90 minutes, surely.
I think this is where one of Lejeune’s less talked about strengths lies. He’s intelligent, maintains focus and intensity in his play and I’m struggling to think of any mistakes he’s made during his time with us which have led to a goal.
martoon
Jan 10, 2019 at 10:06 AM
Comment #13@RobLeenio & @DubaiMicky – I would guess it’s probably Close House Ashley goes to / stops at!
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Jan 10, 2019 at 10:07 AM
Comment #14Almiron alone is not going to be enough!
We still need an attacking left back and another striker and we may have a good chance to stay up!
Jail for Ashley
Jan 10, 2019 at 10:24 AM
Comment #15So it’s looking very much like a couple of loans from the continent which could turn out to be a Dubravka or a Slimani. Every last penny, why aren’t the media calling him out on this???
TomaKaThor
Jan 10, 2019 at 10:25 AM
Comment #16Not in a million years do I believe we bid £17 Million, nor do I believe in a million years that we Will get him atall in This window, only slim chance of that happening is if there is a deal in place with a potential buyer to fund it…..and I would eat my hat if we got took over within the next year nevermind this January
So all in all Almiron deal is not happening…how many times over the years have we been linked with players throughout a window…and fans think we Might be Close…when in reality we wasn’t even seriously interested.
Jail for Ashley
Jan 10, 2019 at 10:26 AM
Comment #17martoon, on Almiron
But if he had loads PL experience and was as good as promised he wouldn’t be available for 23M would, so yes you did sound very much like an Ashley apologist.
martoon
Jan 10, 2019 at 10:50 AM
Comment #18Sorry Jail – I’ll give myself a good talking to 😀
c-dog
Jan 10, 2019 at 10:53 AM
Comment #19I suspect the price reports on Almiron are KBA generated
Torreira of arsenal cost less coming from a far more competitive league
10-15 million would get any player from the MLS
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Jan 10, 2019 at 10:56 AM
Comment #20Is 24 million just not the going rate for someone like Almiron ? Best player in his league and been a Paraguay international for a fair few years! A bit like when we signed Cabaye , Thauvin etc
Maddison went for 20 odd million to Leicester and didn’t have an international cap or played in the premiership and was really just raw potential that was a risk as well.
hibbit
Jan 10, 2019 at 10:59 AM
Comment #21naughty step for you martoon LOL
c-dog
Jan 10, 2019 at 10:59 AM
Comment #22Championship more competitive than MLS
ronaldo aarons
Jan 10, 2019 at 11:04 AM
Comment #23What is a 17m bid when you know it’ll be rejected?
Happens every window. We go after someone, put in a bid, make it look genuine but know it will end in failure. Don’t care how much it’s reported to be.
martoon
Jan 10, 2019 at 11:06 AM
Comment #24It’s true what you are saying about the MLS if you consider somebody like Rooney who was a bit of a spent force here but is one of their top players and scoring quite a few goals.
dig-n-dig22
Jan 10, 2019 at 11:07 AM
Comment #25Was Almiron definitely on Rafa’s wish list? the reason I ask is may be there is a connection between possible new American owners and the MLS?
ronaldo aarons
Jan 10, 2019 at 11:08 AM
Comment #26The average transfer fee for premier league clubs in the summer was £16/18m. Solanke gone for 19m. £20-25m is now the going rate for players. Seems a lot to us but it’s not in context of modern day football. Just shows how far removed we have been from other clubs. You even has some posters saying £17m is a lot.
Oldgit1
Jan 10, 2019 at 11:14 AM
Comment #27Ashley will now say he has offered a club record fee for this player but we can’t go higher as we cannot compete with Manc city.
hibbit
Jan 10, 2019 at 11:16 AM
Comment #28dig-n-dig22
is Almiron a big star in the MLS ???
not a league I follow !!
RobLeenio
Jan 10, 2019 at 11:28 AM
Comment #29hibbit, he’s the League’s top goal scorer for the season just finished having broken the league season scoring record with 31 goals. He was selected for the MLS best XI team with his colleague Josef Martinez. Yes, he’s very much a star over there.
This is not the first time a link between Almiron, MLS interest and new US-based backers has been made on here, but I think it’s the first time for a while so worth mentioning again, for sure.
geordietom
Jan 10, 2019 at 11:29 AM
Comment #30question is he a player RAFA…
wants …
is he a player RAFA will get ?…
have we bid £17 million?…
my main question is will he cut it in the EPL?…
Dubs Left Glove
Jan 10, 2019 at 11:31 AM
Comment #31I predict that this time next week a statement will be made saying the takeover has been unsuccessful and will be revisited in the summer, leaving two weeks to get two bang average loans in.
geordietom
Jan 10, 2019 at 11:34 AM
Comment #32some times in life you have to take a chance…
some times it works out for the best some times it dont…
think its about time we to a chance and get one or two flair players in that what we have been missing for a long time some one to carry the ball take players on …
i remember all those years ago we took a chance on PETER BEARDSLEY got him from some team in canada the rest is history …
Jail for Ashley
Jan 10, 2019 at 11:37 AM
Comment #33Munster.
I’ve looked back and can’t seem to find where you’ve answered my question. What do you hope to achieve by wanting everyone to stop letting Rafa off the hook and start asking serious questions of him?
c-dog
Jan 10, 2019 at 11:39 AM
Comment #34@roblen
Almiron broke no records?
Think you’ve mixed him and Martínez up?
geordietom
Jan 10, 2019 at 11:44 AM
Comment #35# at 32
took a chance #
geordietom
Jan 10, 2019 at 11:48 AM
Comment #36have to to the hospital in bit for a scan …
hopefully by the time i get back there’s some good news…
WarrenBartonCentreParting
Jan 10, 2019 at 11:50 AM
Comment #37Drinkwater is out of favour at Chelsea, plenty of experience..
SPRINGY
Jan 10, 2019 at 12:12 PM
Comment #38Ronaldo
Not convinced at all that we have bid for almiron,and u ask why bid so low if it will be rejected….IF we have bid so low its just to give the illusion that we are trying to sign players…..bet if they would accept 20m we would find a reason to pull the plug on the deal….agents wanting to much, player wants to much wages,sell on clause…whatever there would be an excuse!
dig-n-dig22
Jan 10, 2019 at 12:18 PM
Comment #39geordietom 32
“Sometimes in life you have to take a chance”
I used to watch the young kid David Brooks in the Championship for Sheff U. I thought he looked a confident good young decent footballer .I was undecided if it would be worth us taking a punt on him if the price was right, it turns out Eddie Howe did, for £ 11,500 Mill , the kid looks a absolute steal, but I can’t help feeling that if we had taken a punt on him he would have been another bench warmer alongside Murphy and Muto.
martoon
Jan 10, 2019 at 12:20 PM
Comment #40geordietom @32 – I think we got Beardsley from Vancouver White Caps if I remember correctly – no point I’m just showing off