Newcastle released their latest rendition of ‘Toon in training’ last night. After missing the Man City defeat through the concussion protocol, Fabian Schar has returned to training and is expected to be in contention for Sunday’s bout against Wolves.
The Swiss international has been ever-present in Eddie Howe’s backline since his arrival almost 18 months ago. The subsequent signings of Dan Burn and Sven Botman has seen captain Jamaal Lascelles take a backseat for much of Howe’s tenure.
Lascelles returned to the starting lineup in the place of Schar last weekend. The long-standing skipper reminded many of his qualities as he put in a solid display alongside Botman at the Etihad.
The Chronicle has interviewed Jamaal this week with his limited playing time a topic of conversation. This is what Lascelles said about not getting into the team over the past year:
“No footballer wants to sit on the bench. But at the same time, I accept when a team is playing well and has got a brilliant defensive record that is how football works.
“It will never change my mood or my professionalism. It will just make me work harder and I will always support the team.
“Fabby had a little knock and didn’t play, I thought there were positives to take for me as an individual and us a team and a squad.”
Howe may have a selection decision for Sunday. Lascelles’s performance could warrant a second start. His dominance in the air was a noticeable addition against the formidable Citizens. He helped keep the prolific Erling Halaand quiet all afternoon.
If Howe does go with the captain once again, it will be earned through his performance on Sunday and in training. Lascelles added the following about whether he thinks his performance was enough to earn another chance:
“Yeah. But I have always been a player that has never wanted to use my captaincy or my voice to force my way into the team.
“I want to earn it. I want to be the best in training and be amazing when I play, and I want the manager to be able to say: ‘He has to start.’
“I’m not the type to go round knocking on doors and stuff. “The manager is a smart manager, and whatever team he picks we know it is a squad game.We all fully back it. It is a collective thing.
“I don’t think about myself. I have been so many years, and of course, I want to play every single game. But we are a squad. That has been the biggest driving force for our success.”
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54 comments so far
AnyToon in Indiana
Mar 9, 2023 at 12:08 PM
Comment #1What? Perfect tuming for that cross
AnyToon in Indiana
Mar 9, 2023 at 12:09 PM
Comment #2And timing… 🙂
DrGloom
Mar 9, 2023 at 12:16 PM
Comment #3Thought it was a cross and was at near post to knock in but it sailed straight into the net !
G
Mar 9, 2023 at 12:17 PM
Comment #4Thought he played well at the weekend, considering whom he was up against.
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 9, 2023 at 12:23 PM
Comment #5Wilson will probably start and score a hat trick! 🙂
magicmac54
Mar 9, 2023 at 12:27 PM
Comment #6Repost
A very good interview with Amanda in the link, and very interestedly she mentions the club abides by the restraints of the FFP Budget.
https://youtu.be/TxZ–34nx-w
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 9, 2023 at 12:37 PM
Comment #7Munster,
I too pointed out that Eddie H’s Bmouth conceded an average of 2.2 goals a game, most of us were aware of it and a bit worried about it given the state of our defence when he arrived. What the majority didn’t do, like you, was say he was no better than Pardew then bang on about his defensive record pretty much every day. You’ve now got history of going against the grain with popular/unpopular managers until you look silly and can’t justify it anymore, why you do this only you will ever know. It’s almost as if you’re going to be smug that your Bmouth buddies and that monotonous ‘plan B’ might eventually prove you right. For once!
Ap
Mar 9, 2023 at 12:42 PM
Comment #8What about Tomori for cb? English defender at Milan
onmeedsun
Mar 9, 2023 at 12:50 PM
Comment #9Tomori looked good.
Good balance, speed, feet and mobility, and looks strong enough. Lascelles nearly has the package but not light enough on his feet so can get caught. Great going in one direction, but struggles when turned. I’d keep Lascelles though as a very reliable squad player. Time to bring in a younger right sided CB to develop.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 9, 2023 at 12:57 PM
Comment #10onmeedsun,
Would you offer Lascelles a new contract?
onmeedsun
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:13 PM
Comment #11Jail
If he’s prepared to be a back up I would. He’s a leader in the Wes Morgan mould. I’d play him in certain games as well. Exemplary attitude and commitment to the cause.
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:20 PM
Comment #12I suppose it depends on what Lascalles want to do is he happy to be 5th choice for a few seasons? Maybe be able to soak in what a proper club we will be with coaching opportunities etc going forward you can tell by the interviews he does he loves the club and is a positive influence even when not playing that counts for something
The centre back we bring in I mean Botman settling in as a young defender is very rare no guarantee we get another one who settles right away so might be good to have experience just incase
Anytime Lascalles has played this season in the league hasn’t really let us down at all and he’s played against the bigger teams and did well
CLINT FLICK
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:26 PM
Comment #13Onmeed
Late 60’s-early 70’s is when youth, via rock ‘n’ roll and football realised it’s innate ‘power’ of refusal to be told how to be, what to wear, think, say, act… The cap doffing of earlier generations was being hoyed and new agency was talking hold. That obviously came with side effects. Culminating in Punk!
It’s interesting that we’ve still got the Ramones played at every game, from that time. Remember fans singing ‘beat on the brat’ the ‘b’ side of blitzkrieg bop at games, before a ruck…and your going home in a Geordie ambulance?
😀
Very interesting times, historically!
We’ve moved away from the collective, towards a rampant individualism, again with side effects.
There’s most likely, a great book about the sociological outcome of those times and a historical document of working class culture’s arrival in the mainstream.
Me thinks!
😉
CLINT FLICK
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:27 PM
Comment #14*you’re going home…
Cough!
CLINT FLICK
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:28 PM
Comment #15Lascelles has an exemplary, team, leader attitude.
Cannot be faulted!
One of us, will die for the cause!
What’s not to like?
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:29 PM
Comment #16onmeedsun,
That’s a good point and it’s not always as black and white by replacing existing with younger, it’s as you say, whether he’d be prepared to be second choice and if we brought in a young CB in the Ashby mould, then sometimes third choice as we blooded in the youngster.
geordie157
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:30 PM
Comment #17Lascelles for me has been a great servant to the club, scored some vital goals that helped keep us up one season and at one point was on the fringes of the England squad, he was playing that well. He has dropped off since then but he gets a lot of stick and a fair bit of it is unfair.
As we progress he’ll be moved on and rightly so but for now he’s still a useful member of the squad and if our focus is on other positions in the summer then I would have no issue in him staying with us next season.
Plenty of others we should shift before Lascelles, ie Gillespie, Dummett, Ritchie, Fraser and probably Darlow, Manquillo and Lewis in an ideal world would go before him.
However, if there’s a young pacey centre back, who’s preferably right sided for a decent price. I’m sure we’ll make it happen and Jamaal will be off this summer.
Looking back the price paid for Lascelles and Darlow, has to be looked at as very good business by the club.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:30 PM
Comment #18LCBP,
I said second or third choice but yes, there are normally four or five so fourth or fifth choice is probably more appropriate.
CLINT FLICK
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:31 PM
Comment #19Continuity is massive in football.
Older heads, stalwarts, pass on the baton, meaning, style, endeavour, of a club.
geordie157
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:32 PM
Comment #20Hope Targett starts on Sunday, I am hoping he can claim back the left back spot and impress until the end of the season.
Which would make signing a new left back less of priority and we can focus on strengthening in midfield and up top/out wide.
Toon fans bad
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:33 PM
Comment #21Onmeedsun,
Was talking about the Lascelles & Morgan parallels at work this morning. Definitely a good comparison to make.
I’d be happy for him to hang around a bit. Couple of years younger than Fab and BDB as well I think. Space in a 25 man squad I reckon, for a few years anyway.
Probably does a lot of stuff behind the scenes we don’t see either. Him and Trips can share the load for a while longer.
Adamn_92
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:34 PM
Comment #22geordie157
I’d love to see him start, but he has been out for a while. Probably a few appearances from the bench first before he’s put in from the start. I’d love to see how we do with him starting a game though.
Toon fans bad
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:35 PM
Comment #23Just read the Dujuan Richards interview in the Ronnie. He’s a confident boy, crikey!
Get him in – BOOM!
onmeedsun
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:38 PM
Comment #24Clint
The human race is one big sociological experiment. Religion kept the lid on individualism and maintained accepted societal standards for centuries, but post war that has gone the journey. I think it’s a good thing as more people have opportunities that they’d never have had before, but it does lead to extremes as well. What’s sad is how far away we are from having peace and harmony across the world. Humans are meant to be highly intelligent, but self interest stymies us at every turn. If there was a god he’d have sent the dinosaurs back to sort us out!
onmeedsun
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:40 PM
Comment #25TFB
Lascelles will be the one that sorts out any bad behaviour and attitude issues with new players as well. I reckon he’d be a fierce individual to go up against!
CLINT FLICK
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:44 PM
Comment #26Onmeed
Mate, soooo true!
Until we achieve an across the board equality…nowt will change. That won’t actually stop it, tho’.
Ya never know…once everyone has tried out individuality, then come to realize that we do NEED each other, then learn to share?
Baby steps!
😀
CLINT FLICK
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:47 PM
Comment #27Lascelles has actually improved under Eddie, imv.
He’s listened, learned and his experience is vital to team cohesion.
CLINT FLICK
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:50 PM
Comment #28How, tfb
You gonna put the ‘whisper’ interview up then, bud?
Ta!
😉
Toon fans bad
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:51 PM
Comment #29Onmeedsun,
Think it was 2014 when we took him and Darlow from Forest and we loaned them both back for a year. I seem to remember Stuart Pearce was doing his nut in about it!
Lascelles has witnessed it all in his time with us. I agree, I think he’s very important to Eddie in the wider view.
Very experienced EPL defender and not on big wages, with a year left in the summer. Might be an attractive option for a promoted Champo club or one that scraped survival maybe. And if they offered him a 4 or 5 year deal he’d have to take it.
Toon fans bad
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:53 PM
Comment #30Clint, done pal
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dujuan-richards-newcastle-trial-transfer-26423275
CLINT FLICK
Mar 9, 2023 at 1:54 PM
Comment #31Tfb
Grazi!
😉
CLINT FLICK
Mar 9, 2023 at 2:06 PM
Comment #32Tfb
Wow!
Like the cut of this lad’s jib!
Sounds like a confident but also, respectful guy.
Seems an Eddie type!
Bon chance, Whisper!
Howay!
dazzler
Mar 9, 2023 at 2:07 PM
Comment #33LCBP,
I don’t think Lascelles ever really lets us down if truth be told. He’s just not a cultured ball playing defender and his positioning has often been poor. He was always an athletic monster though who could get back the yards he missed through his positioning. He’s not the fancy new toy so no one wants to play with him.
He’s excellent at defending and attacking crosses and some of his last ditch tackles over the years have been sublime. Not as good as Hayden’s though, I don’t think I have ever seen a player as good at sliding tackles as Hayden.
CLINT FLICK
Mar 9, 2023 at 2:10 PM
Comment #34Dazzler
Good synopsis, as usual, mate.
dazzler
Mar 9, 2023 at 2:12 PM
Comment #35CF,
Aye he comes off really well, like a kid who has the X factor – technical ability and the confidence to use it.
I am less than proud to admit that my subconscious mind read it in a Jamaican accent though.
CLINT FLICK
Mar 9, 2023 at 2:17 PM
Comment #36Dazzler
Isn’t that a kinda respect?
I always read William S. In that southern drawl, for instance.
😀
CLINT FLICK
Mar 9, 2023 at 2:18 PM
Comment #37Dazzler
Him and Kuol?
Down the line…
😉
Toon fans bad
Mar 9, 2023 at 2:18 PM
Comment #38Wonder if he’ll get on the pitch in the Trinidad & Tobago friendlies so we can get a look at him
Toon fans bad
Mar 9, 2023 at 2:20 PM
Comment #39If he joins the Toon and makes it, I’m quite happy to ditch the Carling and go back to slurping the Red Stripe.
This could be the way 😆
CLINT FLICK
Mar 9, 2023 at 2:21 PM
Comment #40This is the way!
😉