Here is a photo of the lads on their way back to Newcastle after spending a week of warm weather training in Dubai.
?? The boys are heading back to Tyneside! #NUFC #NUFCFans ?? pic.twitter.com/M7wWD5V5ib
— Magpie 24/7 (@Magpie24_7) March 24, 2023
Now the really hard work starts as we now have over a week to prepare for a vital game against Manchester United at home a week on Sunday at 4:30pm.
| Club | Matches | Goal Diff. | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City | 38 | 61 | 89 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 38 | 45 | 84 |
| 3 | Man United | 38 | 15 | 75 |
| 4 | Newcastle | 38 | 35 | 71 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 38 | 28 | 67 |
| 6 | Brighton | 38 | 19 | 62 |
| 7 | Aston Villa | 38 | 5 | 61 |
| 8 | Tottenham | 38 | 7 | 60 |
| 9 | Brentford | 38 | 12 | 59 |
| 10 | Fulham | 38 | 2 | 52 |
Howay the Bonnie Lads.
122 comments so far
Apex Predator
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:33 PM
Comment #1Top of the food chain
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:34 PM
Comment #2Is that it, they only just got there, did we play STaylor’s team in a friendly.
Apex Predator
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:39 PM
Comment #3Thought theyd be in Dubai more than a week
clinath@ed
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:39 PM
Comment #4We’re good Raj.
I have an Arsenal mate who never seems more happy when they lose, so that he can tear into Arteta, even used to pick on Wenger Ffs! Even now when they are top….
I call them followers. Not fans. Not supporters.
You cannot win all the time, but would like a level of performance, from players and management.
Apex Predator
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:39 PM
Comment #5Im sure i saw hasselbaink yesterday. Didnt know he was in England backroom staff
Adamn_92
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:41 PM
Comment #6I won’t knock Southgate for how England have done, results have been more than ok. Plus I think this ‘golden generation’ gets bigged up far too much. Pick what you consider the best England starting 11 to be, in your eyes, I bet not many would make a world 11. This generation so far isn’t any better than the previous generation with the likes of Rooney, Beckham, Gerrard, Scholes, Lampard, Terry, Cole etc. In fact, if anything our England squad now is weaker due to pretty terrible defensive options. The attacking talent means nothing if the midfield and defence are good enough to back it up, of which this current crop of midfielders and defenders aren’t any better than previous England generations.
I will knock Southgate for his player selections though. Fair enough Phillips had an alright game, but he absolutely shouldn’t be in the squad at all. Nobody should be getting selected if they aren’t playing regularly at club level. It’s a farce. Imagine being in good form all season long and someone who has barely kicked a ball gets picked over you. What the hell kind of message is that to send?
“Sorry son, I know you’ve played well all season, but this other guy who has barely kicked a ball all season played alright for England a year ago. So i’m picking him.”
Stupid is what it is. How can any other player prove they could also play well for England if they don’t get picked even if they’re consistently in good form at club level week in week out? Willock and Longstaff have played more, therefore been more consistent and deserve a chance to show they can play well for England. Instead, Phillips played ok in the past so he gets the nod, even though he’s probably had less touches of a football than Longstaff has had in 1 match.
Makes a complete mockery of getting picked for international duty if you play your heart out all season at top level and don’t even get a look in.
Mag52
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:46 PM
Comment #7Apex.
You’re right.
He recently joined the set up I believe.
Apex Predator
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:47 PM
Comment #8Once a manager has his favourites or players he trusts esp in international football they rarely change. Look at Mancini veratti and jorginho are past it but he still picked them over locatelli and tonali who are younger more mobile
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:47 PM
Comment #9clinath@ed,
I’m glad we’re good 🙂
Zhongguo Geordie
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:47 PM
Comment #10Repeating the same old arguments, but why not
1. There aren’t that many not managers in International football, so Southgate has got results against other subpar managers. He’s a small fish in a small pond so doesn’t really get found out.
2. In my eyes he has the best team in world football.
3. In two tournaments he was lucky to avoid any ‘big’ countries, and wimpered out as soon or before he did. In the last tournament he was unlucky as we deserved to beat France. But in knockouts, the best team doesn’t always win. That’s what’s good about them.
4. We might not be to get better. If we could get a modern attacking pressing manager who is known for winning things such as Pochetino, then I imagine a manager of that quality would wipe the floor with international football, especially if handed a superior team. If it’s a case of picking some lower league Brit (which is Southgates level as nobody would say he’s EPL standard) then I’d not be so sure. We did after all play better at the WC.
Apex Predator
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:48 PM
Comment #11Mag i was like shouldn’t that be chris Powell haha
CLINT FLICK
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:48 PM
Comment #12Adamn
Perfectly put, mate.
Nail well and truly driven in.
Hey, no meritocracy in this land…where ever you look…gonks in places above their pay grade and intellectual capacity.
Ho hum!
ToonDarnSarf
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:49 PM
Comment #13Adam – I still think you pick your best squad based on a variety of factors. It would be dumb to leave out a player purely on the basis of his club manager’s decision and pick a player that you believe is inferior when you weigh up all the factors.
Adamn_92
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:51 PM
Comment #14AP
Verratti plays week in week out for PSG: 30 ppearences and 2,392 minutes, Jorginho playing a little less at Arsenal recently but still has featured 33 times this season with 2,249 minutes.
Phillips has played 13 times for a total of 344 minutes.
That’s quite a difference!
Mag52
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:51 PM
Comment #15Adamn.
If the squad is no better or even weaker as you say than that of previous generations, I’m scratching my head to know how you attribute the success that this squad has achieved compared to the other squads, if it isn’t Southgate’s selection policy and management.
DrGloom
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:51 PM
Comment #16Slow news day today so I’ll pipe in with randomness
Saw King Charlie yesterday, drove straight past me but he gave me a wave. I was gonna shout looney leftie woke but he seems like a nice bloke so didn’t bother 😀
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:52 PM
Comment #17ZG,
Then we open the foreign manager can of worms.
CLINT FLICK
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:53 PM
Comment #18Dr G
Was that ‘charlie in the gallowgate?’
magicmac54
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:54 PM
Comment #19The Bard of
Bensham Bank
For Your Eyes Only Sir Bard 😀 😀 😀
https://youtu.be/mxUUpOwu_Is
Adamn_92
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:54 PM
Comment #20TDS
That would make sense for a star player like your Kane’s, Mbappes, Messis etc etc for their national team.
Phillips is a hardly a star player or someone who warrants getting picked solely on a good game for England months ago and barely kicked a ball since.
It wouldn’t be dumb not to pick a player based on their club manager at all. It would rather smart actually, unless like I say it was your star player. The club manager sees the player more for a start. Then there’s form and match fitness. Then there’s denying rewarding players for consistent performances and their chance to show they can play well for England.
I’m sorry but the argument for it is far far weaker than the argument for it being outright stupid in my opinion.
ottawageordie2
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:55 PM
Comment #21Repost: Raj: tbh I don’t know. Not Gerard or Lampard or any of the previous appointees for sure. Maybe Potter if he becomes available. Eddie would probably be best but I want him to stay with Newcastle until the build is completed.
DrGloom
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:56 PM
Comment #22Not sure Southgate has the best team in world football , France would mostblikely have something tonsay about thay and Belgium and Spain massively underacheive with the players they currently have at thier disposal and probably Holland too …
Southgate is doing a decent job although he is bland as dishwater .. and a woke to boot
DrGloom
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:56 PM
Comment #23Clint – maybe he’s one and the same 🙂
Adamn_92
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:56 PM
Comment #24Mag52
I’m not sure I fully understand your question but will try to answer. Apologies if i’ve misunderstood. I don’t agree with the way Southgate picks certain players, most notably Phillips and Maguire. The majority of the squad he picks I don’t have many qualms with. I think the bulk of the squad most fans would pick the same, it’s just the small changes like Maguire and Phillips that are head scratchers. I don’t think this generation as a whole team/squad are better than previous, which is why I give Southgate credit for the results he has got with them.
CLINT FLICK
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:57 PM
Comment #25Adamn
But, but, but…
Doesn’t wash, does it?
Especially when he’s talked about the contrary in earlier times.
‘picked in form’…mmmmmmm!
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 24, 2023 at 1:58 PM
Comment #26DrGloom,
You’d have gained a couple of admirers on here if you had 😀
Zhongguo Geordie
Mar 24, 2023 at 2:01 PM
Comment #27As for not understanding the finer details of playing two defensive midfielders to protect the back four, which is clearly Southgate’s thinking, you could say many of the succesful managers of the last 5 years don’t understand football. Many of them don’t have solid great defenders but go on the attack and pressure high up, so their defence doesn’t get put under pressure. Howe was said to have garbage defenders when he arrived, and now has Trippier and Burn who are available to England, but doesn’t feel the need to have two defensive midfielders constantly protecting them. Man Utd have generally played Maguire over the years and didn’t feel they had to go ultra cautious to protect him, same goes for Stones. You don’t need world class defenders to be adventurous, otherwise Brighton, Newcastle, Liverpool and many other teams would be defensive. Stones Shaw Maguire Trippier plus the ones who get left out are more than good enough to play in a modern style team.
It’s reminds of Bruce saying our players couldn’t play any other way, and there were many on here defended that viewpoint.
I’m sure a lot of the better managers: Howe, Potter, Rodgers, Poch, Tuchel, etc would be more adventurous and wouldn’t panic about our defence.
CLINT FLICK
Mar 24, 2023 at 2:01 PM
Comment #28Dr G
I reckon it could be…
😀
ToonDarnSarf
Mar 24, 2023 at 2:01 PM
Comment #29Adam – but Phillips playing for Man City is not relevant to Phillips playing for England. Different style of play, different players to play alongside, different alternative options.
Also, the idea of whether he’s match fit or not can be measured in training.
If (weighing up all criteria) Phillips is the best option for that particular position for England, why would Southgate leave him out?
Adamn_92
Mar 24, 2023 at 2:02 PM
Comment #30Clint
Just doesn’t make sense to me, like i just to Mag52, most the squad is fine and makes sense, but when you get someone like Phillips it just makes no sense and sends an awful message to other English players hoping to get a chance to impress.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 24, 2023 at 2:03 PM
Comment #31ottawageordie2,
So it’s OK to come on a forum, twitter etc etc after a……… win, yes a win and say he needs to be replaced, yet nobody can come up with an answer, ZG wants a manager from our bitter rivals, others have no answer at all other than Potter or Howe. We just beat Italy on their own turf in a hostile city. At least people could wait until we lose.
Zhongguo Geordie
Mar 24, 2023 at 2:04 PM
Comment #32Raj,
For me a foreign manager who has managed in the premier league and knows the style will do. Although I wouldn’t say no to any attacking manager considered to be an elite manager. Nagelsmann etc. As long as it’s not someone coming in who is trying to get fast paced premier league players trying to play like slow paced serie A players.
magicmac54
Mar 24, 2023 at 2:06 PM
Comment #33What`s not to like England had a bloody good win against the Italians last night.
On Ireland we have an easy game against France on Monday night to get our campaign up on running, i`ll be disappointed if we don`t win by at least 4 goals 😀 😀 😀
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 24, 2023 at 2:06 PM
Comment #34I dread England playing for this very reason, we didn’t even lose and should we beat Ukraine on Sunday it would be fair to say we’ve got qualification pretty much sewn up.
Adamn_92
Mar 24, 2023 at 2:07 PM
Comment #35TDS
Of course it’s relevant.
If a player isn’t playing football regularly then there is no gauge to know how he’s currently playing. Is he in good form? Is he match fit? Is his head in the right place? Training doesn’t give you those answers, it can help, but it’s nowhere near the same as matches.
So you have someone like Phillips, barely any football, so no idea how he’s been playing.
Then you have Longstaff (or any other English midfielder, using Longstaff for example), has been playing all season at a top level, consistently playing well and is in great form and match fitness/sharpness.
You’re saying it makes more sense to pick Philips because he done alright for England months ago but barely kicked a ball since?
Sorry but that makes no sense to me. Terrible message to send to other players performing well dying for a chance.
If there was a surgeon who was doing heart surgery week in week out with good results, i’d much rather he done my surgery and not a surgeon who done heart surgery a year ago which went but hasn’t done one since!
dazzler
Mar 24, 2023 at 2:07 PM
Comment #36TDS,
I disagree with your assessment of Phillips tbf, I don’t think of him as a holding MF (like Rice). For Leeds he was more of a No 6, so very comparable with Longstaff IMO and considering Longstaff’s defensive stats from midfield are very good, he’s proven he can follow a manager’s instructions and has been in fine form I think it’s really unfair he’d be overlooked for someone who barely even features as a sub for Man City, and is already being touted in the media as being surplus to requirements.
Longstaff could have done the same job, and has proven his consistency over time. He should definitely be getting a look in over players like Phillips. They had Eric Dier in the squad who has often played No 4, which could also facilitate a player like Willock who should definitely be in there ahead of a player like Phillips and would offer a suitable (though much lower standard admittedly) sub for a player like Bellingham since they have similar attacking tendancies.
Another gripe is how does a player like Guehi get in over Burn? Playing in a team fighting relegation and getting selected over a ridiculously consistent player over the last 18 months who has proven his versatility time and time again.
Neither Phillips and Guehi are stars or leaders in that squad and should most certainly lose their place based on form or lack of club football. That is where my problem with Southgate lies.
Adamn_92
Mar 24, 2023 at 2:08 PM
Comment #37Also if players form and whether they play for their club wasn’t relevant at all, then international teams would never change?
It’d be the same squad every time until they retire. Of course club form and if they’re playing is relevant.
CLINT FLICK
Mar 24, 2023 at 2:08 PM
Comment #38Adamn
But he trains with manc…
Basically, he shouldn’t say shit he doesn’t practice… being in the publuc eye, ‘n akk that!
‘Cos now he looks dumb, is a liar and can be questioned.
Like you say mate: ‘doesn’t make sense’.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 24, 2023 at 2:08 PM
Comment #39ZG,
As I say it’s a can of worms discussion, some would be happy with an Argentinian or German managing us, I wouldn’t, I think it’s a national disgrace for a supposedly ‘top’ nation.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 24, 2023 at 2:10 PM
Comment #40How come the lads have spent so little time in Dubai, not much of a holiday that, they didn’t leave till Monday did they?