It wasn’t the strong performance we had hoped for. However, the 2-2 draw yesterday against the Hammers was the 5th match in just over two weeks. The lads just couldn’t carry the same intensity through the entirety of the game.
Importantly the point secured our safety after Aston Villa fell 2-0 at Liverpool. Any fears that relegation was still a possibility has been put firmly to rest with Newcastle’s league performances since the restart.
The unbeaten streak has been stretched to six games, and we’ve climbed the table to 12th. A top ten finish is well within reach if the players can keep their levels high.
Despite the performance not quite being up to snuff, there were some outstanding displays yesterday. None better than Jonjo Shelvey’s.
The 28-year-old continued his outstanding season with another stellar outing. He also added his sixth goal of the campaign.
Shelvey tops our poll as Newcastle’s best player yesterday as he’s collected over half of the total votes. He’s been reborn under Steve Bruce after a season beset by injuries last year.
Our other goalscorer, Miguel Almiron, comes in a distant second with Emil Krafth deservedly in the third spot. We’ve been impressed with Emil over the past two games, his first starts since the Chelsea win in January.
134 comments so far
Gothmog's Pyjamas
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:37 PM
Comment #1Jonjo is playing well, long may it continue. Thought he and Bentaleb played well together, both kept the ball well though i think we lost our legs in the CM area with them both on.
Anglo Saxon
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:38 PM
Comment #2GP go back and see today where any of these apply to my posts please await your reply.
cleveleysbob
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:38 PM
Comment #3Strange that, tried to correct a mistake on comment, got told “already said that” hit try again and changed the wording, the blog posted both – weird stuff.
Jib
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:39 PM
Comment #4David still loves us even though he left us for Tottingham (as he calls it) I met him in Benton last year – waht a gentleman !!!
Anglo Saxon
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:39 PM
Comment #5Today.
Jib
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:39 PM
Comment #6what even
Pat On The Heed
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:40 PM
Comment #7Whatever the formation was against Bournemouth that was the one.
Felt like we had an extra man every time we attacked and gave them no time on the ball. First half was spent on the edge of their box. Magic.
Thump
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:40 PM
Comment #8Bentaleb definitely looked a lot better. Shelvey’s movement around the pitch showed that Bentaleb was doing a solid job of breaking up WHU’s forward play, and gave him a lot more freedom to play with.
That said, I don’t think he’s done enough to earn a longer stay here.
The ledge
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:40 PM
Comment #9Seems that jail gets blamed for bringing rafa up all the time .
Let’s do a test and see which posters does a comparison between our current manager and ex manager or even brings him up just for fairness.
Captain AmeriMag
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:40 PM
Comment #10Mark Douglas
@MsiDouglas
·
2m
The sanctions announced by Dominic Raab don’t include anyone linked to the #nufc takeover. Not words I ever thought I’d need to type.
Full list of individuals subject to sanctions are here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list
20 scapegoats to take the fall, nothing to do with the takeover.
Keep calm and drink cans!!
😀
#CANS
cleveleysbob
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:42 PM
Comment #11I worried about Jonjo and Bentaleb together initially and couldn’t see it working, but as game progressed, they seemed to work OK together, and importantly allowed Jonjo to get forward, hence the goal.
Anglo Saxon
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:42 PM
Comment #12cleveleysbob think someone doing something they don’t know what they’re doing mate and making a terrible mess.
cleveleysbob
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:43 PM
Comment #13Snap Thump 🙂
cleveleysbob
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:44 PM
Comment #14Anglo, yes it feels like that 😉
Gothmog's Pyjamas
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:45 PM
Comment #15Anglo
No offense meant here but i really dont care enough to spend my time going back through a whole days posts to re-read yours, i wouldnt even be bothered to re-read mine! My opinion means nothing anyway,.
If you feel hard done by you can contact Ed and ask him to clarify why – you may well have a case and be correct.
Kevin Vegan
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:45 PM
Comment #16Pat
I really didn’t think that when we played Bournemouth to be honest. Haven’t told myself that we could realistically compete for Europe since we beat Chelsea 3-0 last game of the previous season. I thought we might sneak a place but I wasn’t looking at the football we’ve been playing at any point this season and thinking we’re at that level yet. We struggled to dispatch teams like Oxford in the cup far too recently for me to be expecting a place in Europe.
Kevin Vegan
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:45 PM
Comment #17Pat (continued, was too long sorry!!)
I don’t really see the value in just saying “Ashley’s rubbish so nothing else matters”. We’re stuck with him for now and we should be looking at how we can operate within that constraint and still be successful. For me, we have a decent squad of players, better than teams like sheff u and burnley and with a better manager in place we could be pushing for 7th with the squad we have. Even more so in a season like the current one where pretty much everyone’s been beating everyone and even the team in second has lost 9 of their first 33 games.
cleveleysbob
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:46 PM
Comment #18It must have something to do with ads, all have disappeared from my screen!
Anglo Saxon
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:46 PM
Comment #19GP, in that case, please shut it. Thank you.
Bianconeri
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:46 PM
Comment #20I think Joe Harvey was better than Raffa 😉
🙂
Gothmog's Pyjamas
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:47 PM
Comment #21Anglo
Sure thing sir, thanks for the kind words.
Have a lovely evening.
IITianToon
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:48 PM
Comment #22Namaste blog friends,
Let us vote for ASM who has been nominated for PL player of the month: https://www.premierleague.com/news/1703139 . Perhaps Ed can also link this in a subsequent post. If the whole blog votes together, maybe the lad has a chance of beating the likes of Bruno Fernandes or Anthony Martial. 🙂
c-dog
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:48 PM
Comment #23This season has been a clear advancement on last. We’ve been steadily improving for three years now. Not sure if Bruce can take us up another step. But he deserves a chance
Anglo Saxon
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:50 PM
Comment #24GP your welcome mate.
Bianconeri
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:52 PM
Comment #25Maybe an explanation here if you have been moderated.
After a warning before by Ed this appeared on Saturday.
” Important Note about Comments:
The comments are currently out of control and Neil and I are just sick of what’s been going on with the blog over the last several months.
We are today moderating the comments of some readers, and if one of them is you, then it’s likely you will be banned from the blog in terms of issuing comments.
The blog’s reputation has been dragged down by a few of our readers, and it’s about time we acted on this.
That’s so that readers, who just want to talk and read about Newcastle United, are not put off by others.
This is the very last thing I wanted to happen with the blog at this time.
?
Ed Harrison.”
Munster Mag
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:53 PM
Comment #26Anglo, we’ve had some full-on rows before, especially viz the Irish stuff, but I think we sorted it like men.
Jail is a weasel and will bring up any stuff you posted in the last 10 years.
He’s odd, quite odd.
scott
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:54 PM
Comment #27Captain
Thanks for that, save me a seat on the bus as my heart sank while watching Raab on the news!
Anglo Saxon
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:55 PM
Comment #28Bianconeri, when you make a statement like that it should be followed by a set of rules does that apply here.
Anglo Saxon
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:57 PM
Comment #29Munster agree with the first paragraph, second will sit on the fence for a while see how it pans Mate.
Munster Mag
Jul 6, 2020 at 4:58 PM
Comment #30C Dog Im not sure i’d call it a clear improvement, but we are doing as well, and maybe better.
To not give credt to Bruce for that is churlish to say the least, especially when Rafa Benitez was put beyond critiquing ( you like that word dont you Jail?? 🙂 )
There is no logic to it, just a slight bitterness by some on here that their hero has been equalled by, to their eyes, a managerial pleb.
The ledge
Jul 6, 2020 at 5:00 PM
Comment #311 so far baited by c dog
Munster Mag
Jul 6, 2020 at 5:00 PM
Comment #32Well Anglo, he hung me for being a bully when I dont think Kevin himself would agree with that. I didnt agree at all with some of the terminology etc being used and im sure KV knows that . We definitely agreed to differ re the takeover etc.
I think thats accurate enough Kev ?
Kevin Vegan
Jul 6, 2020 at 5:03 PM
Comment #33Munster
I’ll happily discuss opinions of Bruce without ever mentioning Rafa if that’s what you want.
What do you think of his substitutions since the restart? For me they have been one of the biggest indicators of his shortcomings as a manager. Failing to take off players who are clearly not an effective presence, leaving players out on the pitch for far too long even when we were comfortable against 10-man sheff utd and again against Bournemouth.
What did you think of the way he smiled at the end of the game last night? Are you happy to see our manager looking pleased to struggle to a 2-2 draw at home against relegation candidates when 3 points would put is within touching distance of a place in Europe? I was very disappointed.
Anglo Saxon
Jul 6, 2020 at 5:04 PM
Comment #34Munster, think Jail fell in love with the irritant when the sneak thief found summit on jib mate takes all sorts.
Kevin Vegan
Jul 6, 2020 at 5:08 PM
Comment #35Munster,
Don’t really want to get dragged into this, but as I said when this came up before I think there were times when it got a little inappropriate. You were better than a lot on here, but you did seem to have it in for me to an extent.
I think this whole thing would work much better if we all left the personal comments to one side and discussed our thoughts rather than resorting to insulting one another, regardless of whether or not we think those insults constitute bullying.
That last bit was a general comment by the way, and something we can all probably work on still.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 6, 2020 at 5:08 PM
Comment #36The Ledge,
He lasted 13 minutes. Obsessed, not half.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 6, 2020 at 5:10 PM
Comment #37I fell in love with the irritant, for the love of gawd, Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
geordietom
Jul 6, 2020 at 5:11 PM
Comment #38Why can’t you tell thieves a joke?
They take things literally.
Jib
Jul 6, 2020 at 5:12 PM
Comment #39Jail
Try a footy comment
You’ll enjoy it
Honest
geordietom
Jul 6, 2020 at 5:13 PM
Comment #40Two thieves break into a house. Once inside, they sneak into the master bedroom and tie up the naked woman they find in there.
A startled, naked, man comes out of the bathroom, sees what’s happening and says, “Please, please, take whatever you want, I will even give you the combination to my safe. Just, please, untie her and let her go.”
The thieves were surprised by how heartfelt the pleas from the man were. One of them says, “Wow, you must really love your wife in order to beg like that.”
The man replies, “I do, and she will be home any minute!”