Left Back Paul Dummett is back to his best form and it’s difficult to see why he wouldn’t keep his starting position through the end of the season.
With Newcastle having conceded two goals in each of the last three games Rafa will be hoping for some clean sheets soon.
But that may be difficult in our next game at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal following the International break.
Dummett played on the left of a back three on Saturday at Bournemouth and had an outstanding game.
And that included his amazing goal-line clearance when the scores were 1-1.
Paul Dummett and his amazing goal-line clearance on Saturday
Paul doesn’t think we are safe yet and this is what he has told the Chronicle today:
“You don’t want to be coming down to the last couple of games still needing wins to avoid relegation.”
“We managed to get our safety status pretty early last season, so we want to try to replicate that and get as many wins as we can on the board.”
“Rather looking down we want to look up, not behind us all the time.”
“There are still teams winning games though, so we have to concentrate on ourselves.”
“If we keep winning games we will be fine.”
Here’s where we stand at the moment in the league and with other teams having games in hand we cannot consider we are safe until we get to 40 points at least.
| Pos | Team | Games | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | West Ham | 38 | -3 | 52 |
| 11 | Watford | 38 | -7 | 50 |
| 12 | Crystal Palace | 38 | -2 | 49 |
| 13 | Newcastle | 38 | -6 | 45 |
| 14 | Bournemouth | 38 | -14 | 45 |
| 15 | Burnley | 38 | -22 | 40 |
| 16 | Southampton | 38 | -20 | 39 |
| 17 | Brighton | 38 | -25 | 36 |
| 18 | Cardiff | 38 | -35 | 34 |
| 19 | Fulham | 38 | -37 | 26 |
| 20 | Huddersfield | 38 | -54 | 16 |
If 3rd bottom Cardiff win their game in hand they are only 4 points behind Newcastle.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
9 comments so far
RobLeenio
Mar 19, 2019 at 8:32 AM
Comment #1Ed, honestly, I don’t remember a time when Paul Dummett was not in form. Never spectacular, maybe, always steady.
Mr Consistent.
Jib
Mar 19, 2019 at 8:33 AM
Comment #2Repost as it seems relevant
A slight possibility Paul Dummett will turn out
for Wales tonight at Swansea vs Trinidad & Tobago
in Wrexham 19.45 live on S4C
https://s4c.cymru/clic/Live
for overseas fans
martoon
Mar 19, 2019 at 8:37 AM
Comment #3When Lascelles is fit and Schar’s suspension over then choosing the back 3 will be tricky as it’s difficult to drop Dummett after that performance but the other 3 have been very good. A nice problem for Rafa but knowing the way he works Dummett might keep his place and Schar will have to fight his way back in!
Jail for Ashley
Mar 19, 2019 at 8:42 AM
Comment #4martoon,
Or Ritchie might regain his place on the RW
Jib
Mar 19, 2019 at 8:42 AM
Comment #5martoon
I fancy Fabian Schär could play DM at a push
Jib
Mar 19, 2019 at 8:53 AM
Comment #6He once played a full game as DM in the Bundesliga
for Hoffenheim vs Wolfsburg December 2016
and as an old fashioned sweeper for FC Basel in 2014
Jail for Ashley
Mar 19, 2019 at 9:12 AM
Comment #7No matter what someone has in the bank it’s still good to have a regular income, when “giving credit” to Mike Ashley for the stability that has some brand us as a yo-yo club, he had a coaching job in mind.
Tsunki
Mar 19, 2019 at 9:13 AM
Comment #8Jib
“Mar 19, 2019 at 8:31 AM
Comment #4
Jail I’ve just checked and it was October1966
(I must have been really young)
and Jules Guerassimoff was a flanker not a prop
John Dee , Hartlepool Rovers and Durham
was the NorthEastern Counties fly half”
Oooh jib! Your googling failed you then you rescued it just in time as I just got back to see your post about Jonny Dee playing after he had retired and was coaching having been master of English and PE at Henry Smith’s Grammar since the early 70’s.
You have the temerity to call me a fraud and you are as bogus as they come. What a fibber! :D. You only know him through Google, I and others know what an exacting, direct and gruff man he actually was.
Swanny
Mar 19, 2019 at 11:39 AM
Comment #9Comment # 8
Henry Smiths Grammar School, was that Old Hartlepool or West View ?
I can remember St Bede’s on Catcote Rd.