One aspect of Newcastle United that seems to be in very good hands, quite literally, is the position of goalkeeper. That wasn’t necessarily the case at the start of the season.
When Newcastle’s Player of the Season Martin Dubravka went down with a serious heel injury, the number one gloves were handed off to backup Karl Darlow to keep warm until his return. The hope was Darlow could do enough to keep Newcastle afloat until Martin was available.
While Newcastle did flounder, quickly dropping down the table after a massive win at West Ham to start the campaign, it was Darlow’s performances that helped keep Newcastle close to mid-table.
Darlow earned a new long-term contract and has continued to stay as the number one despite Martin’s return a few months ago. If that will continue, remains to be seen but Darlow has at least proven he is a very capable Premier League goalkeeper this season.
His performances may not even be the most eye-catching in the ranks. Freddie Woodman also signed a new contract, over the summer, before being shipped back on loan to Swansea for a second straight season. The 23-year-old has been nothing short of sensational.
Woodman has made 31 starts for Swansea in all competitions, conceding just 20 goals while keeping 17 clean sheets, including yesterday’s 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest. The three points keep Swansea just below the automatic promotion places in third with two games in hand on all the clubs around them.
It’s been another season in which Freddie’s has made tremendous progress as a player. He’s getting valuable experience with Swansea and seemingly loving every minute of it.
Woodman is the focus of an article from The Athletic in which he talks about his career to date. His discontent from the 2018-19 season when he wasn’t allowed to go out on loan has been well-documented.
He did get some starts in the FA Cup which limited Karl Darlow to a lone appearance in the league cup that season. But he needed first-team experience which he’s now getting loads of in the Championship. This is what Freddie had to say about his development while at Swansea:
“The main reason for me coming back was because of how much I developed as a player and as a person. That’s what the club do brilliantly.
“I’ve been on a lot of loans: some good, some not so good. The attention to detail and the emphasis on development here is incredible. It’s what I’m all about.”
It seems to have paid off big time letting Woodman go out on loan. He’s become one of the top goalkeepers in the Championship and should be ready to test his mettle in the Premier League soon.
That likely won’t be with Newcastle, at least not next season, with both Dubravka and Darlow at the club. However, Woodman seems willing to wait for his chance. He admitted his goal long-term is to be Newcastle’s number one.
“One day I want to be. That’s why I’ve signed long-term at Newcastle. Wherever I go to or whatever I do, I want to know, ‘This is the best of me, I can’t give any more’.
“I’d love that to be as Newcastle’s No 1 but that moment certainly isn’t now. My ambition right now is to continue proving I deserve to be Swansea’s No 1.”
The article also said Freddie’s father Andy, who was a goalkeeping coach at Newcastle, often says his son is obsessed with making it on Tyneside. His determination may well pay off in the future, and if he progresses like over the past two years, we may have a future star on our hands.
111 comments so far
Not another deJong
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:22 PM
Comment #1Got to be second keeper next season, if not first?!?
Wor B
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:24 PM
Comment #2Magic
I think Steve will be more than slightly conflicted on Sunday, but at least he be able to take some comfort whatever the outcome. I can just see the elbow bumps at full time with SB thinking I should have been offered your job!!!
martoon
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:27 PM
Comment #3WLtoon re prescriptions – I’ve got the Evergreen app on my phone and once set up it is a doddle to order repeat prescriptions.
Carson80
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:28 PM
Comment #4Would get rid of Gillespie and Darlow, this kid needs to be our no1 or no2 next season. He clearly wants his future to be with us and to play at St James Park.
WLtoon
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:31 PM
Comment #5Martoon,
Il`e will look into that mate, thanks for the info.
If the option i have got doesn`t work il`e give that ago.
Carson80
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:31 PM
Comment #6To touch on the relegation topic, maybe arbitration has gone the way of the pear and being in the Championship is the only way the PIF can become our majority owner.
lochinvar
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:31 PM
Comment #7What will be stomach churning is seeing Bruce bouncing into Old Trafford as if he’s never been away, cheesy grin and fist bumping his old pals.
Maybe he would like yo stay there and help out. He could tell Ole how to play the first half of matches then have his tea at half time and retire to the stands for a chin wag with Sir Alex and Roy Keane.
Wor B
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:32 PM
Comment #8I hope we can accommodate Woodman, don’t think he’ll be content sitting on the bench too long after this season.
Maybe sell Darlow while his stock is high in summer and have Woodman start out as understudy to Dubs next season?
WLtoon
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:33 PM
Comment #9It will interesting to see Bruce`s face IF we score against the love of his life., big if mind.
toonluvva
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:39 PM
Comment #10WLtoon
You can’t score playing a flat back 10.
They are a much better side ye knaa!
lochinvar
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:39 PM
Comment #11It’s all here.
The passion
Europe.
Sir Bibboy
Gary
Shola
Lua Lua
The strip
The fans
The players camerarderie.
Makes you weep
https://twitter.com/i/status/1362328647122751488
lochinvar
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:40 PM
Comment #12SIR Bobby!
WLtoon
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:41 PM
Comment #13Toonluvva,
Yeah i knaa, that`s why i said IF.
Carson80
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:42 PM
Comment #14In a strange kind of way I feel sorry for Bruce, he is the sole focus for the club at the moment, any information comes from him and only him. No’one above him has come out to explain the Jones situation and why it was needed, you can honestly see why he is so stressed.
Wor B
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:42 PM
Comment #15WL
Whaddaya mean if?
I’ve already explained ASM to come on at 70 mins, collect the ball in their box, dribble sideways and backwards past every ManUre player and lob their keeper from the halfway line.
You read it here first!
magicmac54
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:44 PM
Comment #16Wor B
Gary Neville is always singing Bruce`s praises on Sky and saying what a great job he is doing at Newcastle, but if Man Utd announced they were going to appoint Bruce as manager Neville would have kittens, he is a total hypocrite, its a case of the old boys club, the media make me sick Wor B, they are all as corrupted as the premier league, all rotten to the core.
WLtoon
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:45 PM
Comment #17Wor B,
That`s it then , no need to worry i guess.
If only it was that simple lol
Adamn_92
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:52 PM
Comment #18Carson
I’ve been agreeing with a lot of what you’ve wrote lately but I don’t think I can agree on that one haha I have no sympathy for Bruce. He has repeatedly talked negatively about the players and the fans, but never Ashley or the way the club is run. He will blame everyone and everything other than himself for his own shortcomings and lack of ideas. He says he accepts criticism, but then deflects it with excuses and refuses to answer questions he doesn’t like. He was warned off of taking the job by close friends including Shearer, he ignored them. He knew full well how this club is run and was warned of what it would be like, he came here knowing what he was in for. As for him being a fan, I don’t believe that for one second. If he was a fan, where is the passion? Where is his shouting from the sidelines, looking angry at mistakes and giving the players an earful from the dugout. Where’s the unbridled joy when we score? Where’s the clear frustration and anger in interviews when we’ve lost? Instead we get jokes and smiles/laughs. This is supposed to be the club he loves, his dream job. Load of tosh, nothing he’s done or shown gives that indication at all. I’m sorry but he’s done this to himself and can leave whenever he wants. Deserves no sympathy for what he’s done to this club and the fan base since walking through the door.
Wor B
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:56 PM
Comment #19Magic
Haha, good point.
I’d pay good money to see the look on Neville’s face if that happened!
😀
WLtoon
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:56 PM
Comment #20Adam,
Totally agree with every word of that, i couldn`t of put it better myself.
Wor B
Feb 18, 2021 at 12:59 PM
Comment #21Adam
Post of the day, well said!
Carson80
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:00 PM
Comment #22Good points Adamn, I still feel he’s being hung out to dry though. Maybe his strange comments are coming out because he’s been told to do one at the end of the season, here’s hoping.
Carson80
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:05 PM
Comment #23My comment should of have said to Bruce the man not the manager, probably think if you sat down with him in a pub for a pint he would be a good laugh.
Mund
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:06 PM
Comment #24Let’s remember boys and girls Ashley is the one who has done this to our club not Bruce!
Bruce is bi-product of Ashley and Ashley is the main problem at this club, period! He is the one we should aim our frustrations at not Bruce.
magicmac54
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:06 PM
Comment #25Adam@18
Adam just like WLtoon i totally agree with every word in your post, that was a fabulous post, iam just envious i didn`t send such a brilliant post young man he he he, i hope your having a good day young Adam.
Adamn_92
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:07 PM
Comment #26Carson
Any other manager I may have some sympathy, but he’s been shown time and time again to be an arrogant, selfish and ignorant man. His total lack of respect to Sheffield Wednesday should have put any doubt as to what kind of ‘nice guy’ he really is. He’s being hung out to dry because it’s all his own doing. Like I say, he has completely disrespected our club and fan base, made endless excuses, hidden from tough question, is completely oblivious to the dire situation but repeatedly saying there’s positives which baffles me. His strange comments are no stranger than comments he has made at every other club he’s been at, Aston Villa fans will back that up. What we are seeing is nothing new, he’s done it his whole career and we are only fully seeing it now because it’s right in front of us. Of course Ashley is the root of all things bad at our club, but since Bruce’s arrival I can’t remember there ever being a bigger feel of negativity and have all optimism drained out. The takeover not going through didn’t help, but Bruce’s negativity is infectious and we’re seeing that in the players and performances. He has done this all to himself whilst joking with his media buddies the whole time, not phased by us sleep walking to relegation and dragging the club he supposedly loves into a dark hole. Sympathy is something he does not deserve.
Mund
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:07 PM
Comment #27Carson
I like you mate 🙂 I don’t want Bruce as our manager and want him out ASAP but why do we have to hate him? Why this anger and detest? It’s not a good look IMO
Adamn_92
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:08 PM
Comment #28Not a dig at you by the way Carson as like I say we see eye to eye on lots of things, just I have a strong hatred for Bruce haha
Thanks guys, I think we were all thinking it but I just got lucky that my fingers hit the right keys haha
Not another deJong
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:08 PM
Comment #29https://twitter.com/randallbell/status/1362083688759128065
DrGloom
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:09 PM
Comment #30If you sat down with Bruce for a pint I think you would find him mostly slagging the toon fans off and saying nufc days of being a big club are long gone and will never return…. a bit like his mate Neville does
Wor B
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:11 PM
Comment #31Mund
No doubting Ashley is the root of our problems but you can’t ignore the clear and present danger represented by SB’s shortcomings as a manager/coach.
Adamn_92
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:13 PM
Comment #32Hate is a strong word I know, but this is a man who supposedly loves our club, yet laughs and smiles with reporters after we’ve just lost another game meaning we are going further and further towards relegation. If it was any of us in that position, we’d look furious and depressed and in no mood to talk ad be ripping into the team in the dressing room. He is not the sole reason for the way our club is, that lies with Ashley. However, he is responsible for the awful football we’ve had to endure since arriving and for breathing negativity into the team, insulting us as fans and ignorantly skipping our team towards the bottom of the table. I don’t hate many people, but someone who can do that to our club who again, he supposedly loves, that is someone I will say I hate.
Mund
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:13 PM
Comment #33Wor
Ofc mate but who brought Bruce in? Who refuses to remove Bruce?
It’s Ashley and always will be Ashley. Every bad decision for this club has come from him not Bruce or McLaren etc etc
Carson80
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:15 PM
Comment #34Cheers Mund, what you said is what I was trying to get at, never wanted the bloke at our club I think he’s totally inept but I just think people need to think what if that was their relative getting abused like that, l know how I would feel.
magicmac54
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:15 PM
Comment #35Mund
Hi Mund, we are all very aware Bruce would not be manager if Ashley wasn`t owner, ive said many many times in my posts they Bruce is only a symptom of the real problem at Newcastle, i dont want to go on about Ashley every day as iam even making myself sick criticising that total snake in the grass, if you read that brilliant post by young Adam it perfectly sums up all our views on Bruce.
Rant over, how are you keeping today young man
Northumbrian
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:17 PM
Comment #36Masters said yesterday that he hoped we might see fans back in grounds by the end of this season and I wondered how many would if that happened go back to the ground. He also expected full stadiums by the start of next season.
Carson80
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:17 PM
Comment #37Adamn you are entitled to say what you feel, never feel you have to explain your views not to me. The day we stop giving our different opinions will be a sad day.
Adamn_92
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:17 PM
Comment #38I love this club. When someone is doing so much damage to it, to the point where excitement is replaced with ‘oh god here we go again’ on match days, I will hate that person. It’s why I hate Ashley, it’s why I hate Bruce. One has done more damage over 14 years, but the other is doing increasing amounts of damage now in the short term and insulting us through smiles and laughs as he does it. I can’t defend that man at all and he is fully deserving of criticism and hatred.
Romford mag
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:18 PM
Comment #39https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/mikel-merino-admits-rafa-benitezs-19865358
Wor B
Feb 18, 2021 at 1:18 PM
Comment #40Always makes me smile…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMPEUcVyJsc