Federico Fernandez spoke to NUFC TV yesterday about the big win against Tottenham as well as the Carabao Cup match against Leicester City.
? @pajarofernandez spoke to NUFC TV ahead of tomorrow night's @Carabao_Cup second round tie against @LCFC.
Watch the full interview for free: https://t.co/KsJaSklY0b #NUFC pic.twitter.com/5QGGpbkTN1
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) August 27, 2019
Fernandez came on for Jamaal Lascelles late in Sunday’s win at Spurs and was able to slot in at the back seamlessly. Whenever Federico has played, he has never let Newcastle down.
Fernandez started regularly at the beginning of last season, but with the emergence of Fabian Schar, he has found it hard to get on the pitch. When Newcastle transitioned to a back three last season, he was behind captain Jamaal Lascelles, Schar, and Florian Lejeune.
This season, Newcastle has kept with the three central defenders, but local lad Paul Dummett has been preferred with Lejeune out injured.
With Lascelles and Schar carrying knocks from Sunday, Federico Fernandez is primed to get his first start of the campaign. This is what he has said about today’s cup match and how ready he is for it:
“We have a cup game now, and it is important to do well against a really good side like Leicester.
“So it’s important for players who don’t play much at the moment, to focus on the performance and try to reach the next round.
“I think every team is difficult. Even if you play a team that plays in a different league. Sometimes the motivation is low, but we play Leicester, and I think everyone will be excited to prepare for the game.
“They have quality upfront. We don’t know who yet is going to play. They have quality. They have pace. We really need to prepare to be focused to not give them space and to build the other way.”
Federico was also asked about the return of one Ayoze Perez to Newcastle. This is what he has said about Ayoze:
“It’s nice to see him back in Newcastle. We talked about it in the WhatsApp group so it will be nice.”
It will be nice to see Ayoze back at St James Park. We’re not sure if he’ll get the start as he has started Leicester’s first three Premier League matches.
They may give the nod to the experienced Mark Albrighton who has only played 24 minutes for the Foxes this season. Fousseni Diabate and Demari Gray have yet to make an appearance this season so they may also be options for Brendan Rodgers.
20 comments so far
cockneymafiaout
Aug 28, 2019 at 12:12 PM
Comment #1Really like Fernandez and he can see himself unlucky to be fourth choice centre back. I think he would get into several other Premier League starting elevens.
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Aug 28, 2019 at 12:31 PM
Comment #2I still dont think there’ll be a big crowd tonight, 12,500 was my guess and I’d be surprised to see it over 15,000.
2 days before pay day for a lot of people, end of the summer holidays parents are spent up.
15 years ago it would’ve been around 30,000, what’s changed??
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Aug 28, 2019 at 12:32 PM
Comment #3One thing we have to thank Benitez for is getting quality defenders on a budget!! Our defence is possibly the strongest I can ever remember!!
I have no worries about any of our centre halfs dropping into the back 3 tonight would probably have Schar Fernandez and Clark as the 3 giving Lascalles and Dummett a rest with Willems and Manquillo as the wing backs
Midfield and up front is where we are scarce if we play the 343 can Shelvey do it in a 2? Probably with Diame beside him but would be interested to see him and Matty Longstaff start
Muto defo starts but then who the hell is playing beside him? Any other offensive youngsters who could play?
Asi Fish
Aug 28, 2019 at 12:32 PM
Comment #4Cheers Rob.
Good Luck Chuck is in Kentucky now but when i visit him i will ‘borrow’ him for the good and benefit of the club 🙂
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Aug 28, 2019 at 12:34 PM
Comment #5On this day 10 years ago we signed HBA
cockneymafiaout
Aug 28, 2019 at 12:38 PM
Comment #6Lee Charnley Bunga Party
In my lifetime, Newcastle seemed to always have a weakness as part of their defence (Apart from Woodgate who was obviously quality). But now it is without a doubt a strength, and being a former defender myself I appreciate good defending when I see it.
SuperShearer
Aug 28, 2019 at 12:47 PM
Comment #7Who the frack is going to play up-front tonight? No Joelinton, no AC….. Muto as lone striker? I thought he did well when he came on briefly against Spurs – looked lively, good movement. I’d give him a go but not convinced he’s a lone striker by any stretch.
toon22
Aug 28, 2019 at 12:51 PM
Comment #8The club has a policy of not competing in cups
It’s likely we will just play the kids up front
RobLeenio
Aug 28, 2019 at 12:57 PM
Comment #9Just as a brief detour from footy and apologies for diverting to politics, but Boris Johnson and his Government have launched an assault on UK Democratic Process by attempting to remove Parliament from any decision making process over Brexit.
This is the same behaviour which, when perpetrated by Charles I, led directly to the English Civil War which pitted Parliament against the Royalists.
Whether you support Brexit or Remain, this behaviour is obnoxious and we need to oppose it.
There is a petition to sign here, which has over 100,000 signatures already and is rising by a couple of thousand per minute. Please consider signing it, if you are a UK Citizen.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/269157
Apologies to Ed and family for such a blatant infringement of your rules, but this is important.
Bleatin' n Bruced
Aug 28, 2019 at 1:07 PM
Comment #10No need to apologise Rob just don’t do it.
No politics. Simple enough really. 😐
Try to resist the temptation
catchy in norway
Aug 28, 2019 at 1:08 PM
Comment #11Robleenio
I don’t buy it, money out trumps all of those things.
These people don’t care as long as you pay the money for the seat.
RobLeenio
Aug 28, 2019 at 1:08 PM
Comment #12Fair point well made.
No more, honest
catchy in norway
Aug 28, 2019 at 1:09 PM
Comment #13Well done Boris boy, restore democracy please
Bleatin' n Bruced
Aug 28, 2019 at 1:10 PM
Comment #14Catchy how did you get on with your questions in the end? 🙂
Did you need any help with them or were you ok? Just curious what you put down for “preferred vessel displacement” 😀
Ron Knee
Aug 28, 2019 at 1:17 PM
Comment #15Signed it an hour ago, Rob.
RobLeenio
Aug 28, 2019 at 1:17 PM
Comment #16catchy, I think some have mentioned on here that the traditional fan base is staying away more and more. Obviously we know that there are various reasons behind this and recently it’s been in protest to the regime, but we’ve been pretty unique in recent seasons in that we haven’t seen our crowds fall. Man City can’t even fill their stadium for Champions League matches, let alone League Cup.
So, if it is part of a long-term trend for crowds to stay away, then the club need to do something to turn that around. Obviously surveys like this can help with that strategy.
Quite apart from the moral argument that the club should be doing everything it can to make sure that all races, religions, genders and sexual orientations are made to feel comfortable while visiting the ground, it just makes sense, not necessarily for the remainder of Ashley’s reign but for the next 50 years.
NY Mag
Aug 28, 2019 at 1:17 PM
Comment #17OP,
To answer your question from the previous post (good questions by the way)
It’s a bit of a mix…..some of the clubs I mentioned have higher expenses than us and some have higher debt than us. But some are also significantly lower.
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Aug 28, 2019 at 1:47 PM
Comment #18NY
It all boils down to sustainability.
I dread the day the TV money dries up, if we maximized our other revenue streams I wouldn’t worry.
G
Aug 28, 2019 at 1:54 PM
Comment #19I do think it’s inevitable that the bubble will burst on TV monies in football. Look what happened in Italy when the overseas interest suddenly diminished. Lots of teams were suddenly in the klarts. Eventually, a Premier League club will go under, and once it happens, it will be the beginning of the end for the Premier League gravy train.
posada
Aug 28, 2019 at 1:54 PM
Comment #20Checked on the clubs web site.
Watford tickets are going OK.
Perhaps 1100 free in the upper Gallowgate.
Not counted them all. Perhaps 3K not taken in total.
3 days and match day to go.
Not sure Watford will bring loads.
Gate 48-50K ?