Newcastle have not tasted victory since January and are currently mired in a three-match losing skid. The train has not quite derailed as the recent defeats were against some of the country’s top clubs with Newcastle putting up an admirable fight each time.
Next up is Wolves at home; a fixture, while far from easy, could serve as a platform for a down-the-stretch surge should the Magpies get it right. In his his latest Newcastle prediction, Chris Sutton expects that winning feeling to return to Tyneside with a 1-0 victory.
Here is his prediction in full:
Newcastle need to get back on track after five games without a win in all competitions, but they have not scored for 315 minutes now and that lack of bite is their biggest problem.
They created some chances against Manchester City last week, but they really need someone to start putting them away if they are going to stay in the hunt for a top-four place.
I don’t think Eddie Howe’s side are feeling sorry for themselves, because they are still playing well up until the final third. Their fans are proud of their efforts this season and will really get behind them here too, which will help.
Wolves got a great win over Tottenham last week but they are not out of trouble yet. They will make life difficult for Newcastle but I am still going for a home win – albeit a very narrow one.
This outcome would be welcomed with open arms by the Toon Army. It would be the first win since the second leg of the league cup semi-final while also adding another clean sheet to the season tally.
The primary concern as Sutton rightly asserts is the goal drought. Newcastle have not breached an opposition’s defense since the 1-1 draw at Bournemouth almost one month ago. That has to change or the disappointment will continue.
Eddie Howe may once again alter his lineup to try and spark the attack. Last week it was Anthony Gordon in for Saint-Maximin but to no avail. Howe could pull Callum Wilson for Alexander Isak, who has provided sparks off the bench recently.
There is still plenty of time left in the campaign for a second wind. The Wembley final and the difficult recent schedule have compounded frustrations. There is reason to believe the joy can return on Sunday.
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176 comments so far
Ronway
Mar 9, 2023 at 10:44 PM
Comment #121Raj
It is for me!
😉
Ap
Mar 9, 2023 at 10:46 PM
Comment #122Cult leader nijmigen is lying about me insulting his mother. He’s just after sympathy votes and support from other bloggers. That’s how they operate starting with false accusations
Ronway
Mar 9, 2023 at 10:46 PM
Comment #123A snippet of football related news for a change.
” As he trudged off the Allianz Arena turf on Wednesday night, Hugo Ekitike, who barely had a kick as Paris Saint-Germain crashed out at the last 16 stage of the Champions League for the second year running, must have questioned his decision last summer. ”
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/hugo-ekitike-gamble-fails-paris-26434599
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 9, 2023 at 10:47 PM
Comment #124Ronway,
What’s your take on Man U fielding the same starting 11 tonight as they will on Sunday, why is rotation made such a thing of, unless of course they field a different 11 at the week end.
sparky55
Mar 9, 2023 at 10:50 PM
Comment #125Its more of a shame you react and give him the oxygen he craves.
Zero response = zero oxygen…it’s all very simple
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 9, 2023 at 10:50 PM
Comment #126Ronway,
On Etikite, I might have had sympathy with him if not for that Instagram post and the classless way he treat us, he was clearly on the verge of signing yet didn’t even acknowledge it but decided to take the pi$$ instead.
The Taco Taker
Mar 9, 2023 at 10:51 PM
Comment #127I didn’t bother watching whatever link you addressed to me AP. Goodnight.
PS Good luck with the “false accusations” argument. I will be interested to see how that works out.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 9, 2023 at 10:54 PM
Comment #128sparky55,
I haven’t, I’ve ignored the foo#er largely for the last two months.
Ap
Mar 9, 2023 at 10:56 PM
Comment #129Tickle Tackle its upto nijmigen the thumb sucker to prove i insulted his mama
Ronway
Mar 9, 2023 at 10:58 PM
Comment #130Raj
I really don’t understand the necessity for rotating players because of the short frequency of games.
There are numerous sports where players play, compete, etc. on very short timescales with some considerably shorter than football matches.
I’m sure the contact side of football has a considerable impact but I tend to compare them with individual sports like tennis for example; those players seem to cope!
It will be interesting to see what the Man U team is, especially after their most recent game.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 9, 2023 at 11:03 PM
Comment #131Ronway,
That’s what I don’t get when I hear that we’re fatigued because we’ve played mostly the same team all season, we haven’t had two games a week, the team has been ‘rotated, imo, wisely in Cup games, I’m no expert obviously, but how is this team we’ve got fatigued?
The Taco Taker
Mar 9, 2023 at 11:06 PM
Comment #132Fair enough AP, but don’t you think you have spent a large part of tonight behaving like a child and also insulting people?
That is more my point.
Whether you did or did not insult Raj’s Mum is irrelevant really. What is relevant is your general attitude on here.
Assassins Inc
Mar 9, 2023 at 11:06 PM
Comment #133Embarassing goalkeeping. Even Rajs ma could have saved them Shirley.
Not sure if Jail was talking about this comment AP.
AP,
You should leave parents and or kids out of your messages, you don’t know the people and some could be really sick or have lost someone recently, also let’s not use the word retard, it’s not good.
I’ll expect an insult but would hope you could understand why not to do this.
Ap
Mar 9, 2023 at 11:09 PM
Comment #134Rajs ma saving them goals sounds more like a compliment to me
Ronway
Mar 9, 2023 at 11:10 PM
Comment #135Raj
I don’t understand either; there must be something “different” between football matches and “other” sports.
Last from me for tonight; don’t forget you have a “skip” facility.
Cheers.
Ap
Mar 9, 2023 at 11:11 PM
Comment #136Tickle Tackle get off your high horse. Reprimand both sides and stop pretending to be mother theresa we all know you’re no saint
Ap
Mar 9, 2023 at 11:12 PM
Comment #137Oops hope no one has a maa called Theresa on here 😀
Ap
Mar 9, 2023 at 11:14 PM
Comment #138Too many hypocritical cry babies on here
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 9, 2023 at 11:28 PM
Comment #139Ronway,
It seems it only gets brought up when you stop winning and if it wasn’t for Man City and their two ‘teams’ it probably wouldn’t be such a big deal.
Not another deJong
Mar 10, 2023 at 4:22 AM
Comment #140GUARDIAN – Wilson hunts goals as Newcastle chase sun
It is almost two months since Newcastle last won a top-flight game and they have registered just one league victory in the last eight attempts. Small wonder then that a failure to beat Wolves may leave Eddie Howe on the brink of his first mini-crisis as Newcastle manager. While all things are relative – this time last year the team were fighting relegation while now, a Champions League place remains in sight – some fear a campaign which began in overwhelmingly promising fashion is now in peril of fizzling out. A big part of the problem is Callum Wilson’s loss of post-World Cup form. Since returning from Qatar an England striker integral to Howe’s ambitions has scored only once in 14 appearances. “I’m a striker so I take responsibility,” Wilson told the Footballers’ Football Podcast. “I need to fix up in front of goal. It’s important not to let self doubt creep in but I’ve heard the noise and negativity and I use that as motivation.” Maybe a centre forward troubled by illness and injury in recent weeks will benefit from a restorative, Vitamin D-suffused sunshine break to Dubai later this month. Meanwhile Howe could arguably do worse than switching formation and pairing Wilson and Alexander Isak up front.
Louise Taylor
————————————————
Having made this admission, how can Howe pick him and not be seen as weak?
I hope his loyalty allows him to protect his longtime striker and use him as a sub, to rebuild his confidence. Especially with only two matches to manoeuvre before the international break.
Getting past replacing Joelinton, nursing Bruno’s ankle and a creaking defence are all mounting decisions on Eddie Howe. I hope he can show more ability beyond the excellent work he has done with the team as a whole and step up to the management plate. Wolves have shown they have the ability to change tactically at half time to exploit weaknesses, whilst Eddie has remained fairly rigid with the occasional change in emphasis. His coaching has been brilliant, but starting Wilson on the evidence of the last two matches would be arrogant.
Not another deJong
Mar 10, 2023 at 4:32 AM
Comment #141“some fear a campaign which began in overwhelmingly promising fashion”
I am surprised at how short are the memories of some commentators, or perhaps they rely on east narratives. The season ‘became’ overwhelmingly promising, with a long series of draws at the start. Which helped establish our defensive as one of the top two in Europe. Wilson was injured and his goal scoring form took a few matches to kick in. The difference now is his potential return to form will be thwarted by a break (see WC) and we need results against beatable opposition in the next two games.
Not another deJong
Mar 10, 2023 at 4:32 AM
Comment #142#easy
Not another deJong
Mar 10, 2023 at 4:47 AM
Comment #143Raj
In my opinion ‘fatigue’ is presented by missing last ditch tackles, resulting in deflections rather than clearances. Snatching at shots and a down turn chances converted. Indecision and nervousness leading to more stray passes. A loss of confidence in a big occasion where there was the opportunity to really shine.
Yes the players are still running, but the small percentage gains have decreased. Which is potentially a sign of using only a small squad of players, starting matches becomes a normality and a tiny amount of lethargy.
Toon fans bad
Mar 10, 2023 at 6:34 AM
Comment #144I’m experiencing blog fatigue with the Mort character. F%cking little irk 😆
sing in the corner
Mar 10, 2023 at 7:45 AM
Comment #145The quotes from Cal Wilson were a good sign. No sulking self pity there. He’s in the best frame of mind he can be in the circumstances.
It makes me less keen to see him pulled from the starting line up than I was, which was 100%.
I still want Isak to start, but have no qualms about him coming on 60-70 mins fresh.
He’s got a good attitude this lad.
He has missed one or two chances, but hasn’t had a boat load of service.
Not another deJong
Mar 10, 2023 at 8:25 AM
Comment #146I wonder if ASM can do a man marking job on Neves?
Despite Wolves being counter attacking and probably implementing a low block, I think we need ‘normal’ wingers to make the pitch as wide as possible. Plus have a midfield substitute in readiness to swap with Bruno, so he has a chance of playing next Friday.
———————Isak
Almiron———Maximin———Gordon
————Bruno————Longstaff
Target—Botman—Lascelles—Trippier
———————Pope
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 10, 2023 at 8:42 AM
Comment #147I hear you sitc, trouble is though if he starts Wilson and we fail to score again the buck doesn’t stop with Wilson, it’ll stop with Eddie H and he’ll start getting grief, the crowd won’t turn on him but the social media will.
Not another deJong
Mar 10, 2023 at 8:46 AM
Comment #148Ten Hags comment about playing the same team over a number (13?) of consecutive matches, “You can not ignore that the results have been massive good”.
(on the whole)
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 10, 2023 at 8:47 AM
Comment #149Tfb,
I knew it would be a matter of time before ‘Mort/Jedi etc’ got bored and started insulting the whole blog, not sure what its purpose is on here. It’s a shame the likes of captainmarvel only uses his admonition on me.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 10, 2023 at 8:51 AM
Comment #150Nadj,
I wonder if it was fatigue that got them hummed 0-7 but then how does that explain their 4-1 win last night.
Transfer Sage
Mar 10, 2023 at 8:53 AM
Comment #151Raj
Rotation is a funny one isn’t it. I can’t remember which coach it was, possibly Ten Haag recently, but they said, the best players don’t get rotated, they play 60 plus games a season (domestic and international).
Think of players like Messi, Ronaldo, Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney, Mbappe, etc…. they rarely rotated when they were in their prime, they just played game after game.
I guess some people are able to do it and others aren’t. I assume a lot comes down to conditioning, doing the right work to keep their joints/bodies strong, etc. Then there’ll be others who just have issues. Micah Richards often talks about just having repeated operations causing him to have little support there and bone on bone, meaning he couldn’t play a lot.
Mister Tuff
Mar 10, 2023 at 8:56 AM
Comment #152Boooohooooo boooohoooo that naughty Captain Marvel is scolding and admonishing me and I is not guilty of any blog mischief or crwimes. Anyway it’s my blog and if I want to instruct others what to say so what. Booohoooo boooohooo.
JohnJ
Mar 10, 2023 at 8:57 AM
Comment #153scott(y)
Mar 9, 2023 at 6:57 PM
Comment #51
I can confirm I did not beam anybody up!
?
Can you please beam Ap / Mort / Jedi up
Don’t bother beaming them back down please!
Transfer Sage
Mar 10, 2023 at 8:57 AM
Comment #154Raj
I think they defeat came down to a couple of weak characters. Bruno Fernandes being one of them but others too.
They played a decent game in the first half but in the second half, those two quick goals made them lose their heads and fall apart. They genuinely just gave up and stopped tracking back, letting liverpool players run off them and cause all sorts of trouble.
Once the fourth went in and Ten Haag could see how it was going, they should have brought a couple off, gone to a 4-5-1 and just played out the 90. The way his players behaved they had no chance to get back into it and they were only going to concede more.
Easy for me to say in hindsight of course but it did look inevitable that liverpool would score if they kept pushing.
Adamn_92
Mar 10, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Comment #155I guess Howe knows Wilson very well due to their time at Bournemouth too. So he probably feels like his form is just round the corner and just needs a goal. If he starts against Wolves and he has a bad game again though, then it’s only right to question why Howe is sticking with a under-performing and non-scoring striker. Especially when we have a record signing one on the bench. I know he mentioned Isak isn’t fully fit yet, but he could start him and sub him towards the end if needs be.
I think if Wilson starts and under performs against Wolves, he’ll be out of the starting 11 next game.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 10, 2023 at 9:07 AM
Comment #156Mister Tuff,
At what age did you stop growing up, or were you run over?
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 10, 2023 at 9:10 AM
Comment #157Adamn_92,
He can only play the ‘Isak not fit enough’ card for so long, I hope it’s not a case of it wasn’t his signing so he’s not going to start him, does anyone have any thoughts on that.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 10, 2023 at 9:15 AM
Comment #158I was pretty adamant that he’d been bought to start alongside Wilson (you don’t pay £63M for a striker to be bench fodder) it certainly doesn’t look that way now though, have we really paid all that for a striker to be Wilson’s back up?
Adamn_92
Mar 10, 2023 at 9:21 AM
Comment #159Raj
I don’t think it’ll be a case of him not having a say on the Isak signing. I think Howe is just trying to see if we can get through this dip in form and come out the other side playing how we did before the World Cup. Probably a combination of that, Isak not 100% yet and him trusting Wilson to turn it around as he knows him very well as a player.
I agree on the Isak fitness thing though. If he isn’t fit to play 90 minutes then he could still do the first 60 minutes and have Wilson come on as sub. Like I say I reckon Wolves may be Wilsons last chance to impress before he gets hooked for Isak in the starting 11.
Ronway
Mar 10, 2023 at 9:49 AM
Comment #160The sooner NUFC’s season gets back on track the sooner reports like these will hopefully stop.
” Chelsea are ‘likely’ to be ‘back again’ for Newcastle United ace Bruno Guimaraes this summer having previously been linked to the Brazilian midfielder.
While Guimaraes is supposedly ‘on the verge’ of signing a new contract with the north-east outfit, the Telegraph report that his long-term future is more uncertain.
The report claims there is a long queue to snatch the 25-year-old, with Todd Boehly and co. keen to place themselves at the very front.”
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/other/todd-boehly-keen-on-signing-top-newcastle-star-for-chelsea-despite-proposed-contract-talks/ar-AA18rYXU?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=00b43647484b462aa4dcd6ba05671728&ei=8