Under Eddie Howe, Newcastle have done very well in the domestic cup competitions. The hope is this season will be no different. After a disappointing 1-1 draw at Bournemouth over the weekend, the Magpies are in need of a positive result at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
During his press conference for the league cup tie, Howe committed to fielding a strong but slightly rotated squad. Here is some of what he said:
“We will try and play a really strong team; we want to progress. We will make changes as well at the same time, because we have a squad that I think enables me to do so, while not weakening the quality, we saw the strength of our bench on Sunday, which made a huge difference.
There are a lot of players eager to show what they can do. We are determined to do well; this competition has been good for us. Last year we were incredibly close to another semi-final.”
Howe got some excellent cameos on Sunday that helped salvage a point. Two of the standouts were Harvey Barnes and Kieran Trippier. I expect both to start on Wednesday as part of four overall changes with Lewis Hall and Joe Willock also involved.
Here is the team I predict Howe to name.
I have Anthony Gordon remaining in the starting eleven but jumping to the right flank. Howe must find a way to get his best attackers on the field together. Especially with news this morning that a right winger may not be in the summer’s transfer plans.
Howe also confirmed Sandro Tonali would make the squad after the end of his lengthy suspension. The Italian will likely not start due to a lack of match sharpness though reports are he has been terrific in training.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to put out the team news for this match. Hopefully, the lads can advance in the competition and then complete a few transfers by week’s end.
1,772 comments so far
onmeedsun
Aug 27, 2024 at 11:23 PM
Comment #41Jimiley
It’s not how it works.
It’s based on losses over a rolling 3 year period.
So it’s a question of how much better will our losses be for this season compared to the season 3 years ago that drops out the calculation.
jimiley
Aug 27, 2024 at 11:24 PM
Comment #42These are the owners who spent 400 million to entice Jon Rahm just to join their golf tour.
Something is wrong. Now is the time to spend. But they ain’t
jimiley
Aug 27, 2024 at 11:28 PM
Comment #43Onmeedsun
Thanks but it’s over my head.
I need numbers to explain it.
Not how it was explained to me
jimiley
Aug 27, 2024 at 11:32 PM
Comment #44Onmeedsun
No offence but please do not bother explaining.
The whole system is bollix anyway.
Chelsea can buy the world and nobody cares.
The whole ffp thing is a farce . It’s killing it.
lochinvar
Aug 28, 2024 at 12:01 AM
Comment #45Man2nds want Toney, Sterling and now Calvin Lewis in case we get him.
Doctors say they’ve caught Chelseaitis and it’s a bad dose.
Madder than mad frogs under Radgiecliffe.
IrishRob
Aug 28, 2024 at 12:02 AM
Comment #46Personally I think if Guehi was happening it would happen by now..I think it would have been wrapped up today or at least medical tomorrow which we’d probably have known about since Monday if it happened.
Maybe we literally have 65M to play with and the reason we can’t get it done is we have offered everything we’ve got. In the past we’d have gone over budget but look how that screwed us up this summer losing players.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised now if we forget about a defender and put what we have towards a top RW.
Time will tell.
The overrated Frenchman
Aug 28, 2024 at 12:03 AM
Comment #47The Saudis are good at breeding thoroughbred horses, they have hijacked golf, and they are on their way to doing so with tennis. They don’t have a clue about EPL football and my feeling is they will get out of it because it’s just nuisance value to them
lochinvar
Aug 28, 2024 at 12:07 AM
Comment #48Jimiley
These are the owners who spent 400 million to entice Jon Rahm just to join their golf tour.
Something is wrong. Now is the time to spend. But they ain’t.
But they can’t due to the closed shop, cartel, mafiosa like charlatans that control the game.
Whereas golf is in the open market and businesses can invest, spend and buy as they see fit and can afford.
Without the anti-business jobsworths in football the owners would have built the new SJP and won the Champions League by now.
RUNAWAY777
Aug 28, 2024 at 12:11 AM
Comment #49Jail
In one or your post you wish Guehi
ill health can you say that yes we can hope he gets a good kicking tonight lmao
lochinvar
Aug 28, 2024 at 12:12 AM
Comment #50Not getting the quality of CB we need could be damaging to the success we crave.
If it’s not to be Guehi so be it, but no signing of a CB is not an option.
DCL and Trafford may arrive but they’re not CB’s last time I checked
mctoon
Aug 28, 2024 at 12:55 AM
Comment #51ToF
Don’t think the Saudi’s need to know anything about the Epl or football in general.
They’ve put highly paid professionals in place to run the club for them.
mctoon
Aug 28, 2024 at 1:06 AM
Comment #52On the CB or RW dilemma.
Right now we have two senior CB’s possibly out til Christmas, and even when they return, they’ll need to get back up to speed.
Whereas we have all our right wing options fit and available.
If only one position is able to be filled this summer, the logical choice for the club would surely be CB.
On prices, Mitchell said in interview, that the club is at the stage where we would likely see only a couple of additions being added each season, not wholesale changes.
But additions of real quality.
Real Quality is hard to find and real Quality costs…
mctoon
Aug 28, 2024 at 1:10 AM
Comment #53On the lack of signing’s so far and the difficult window…
PSR’s clearly given scant consideration during a transfer window.
“It’s the club not knowing what the fcuk they’re doing”
No one knows how much PSR is biting us, ITK’s saying we’re now free to do what we want again, know fcuk all about the clubs financial situation.
None of us do.
All we know for sure is that many of the ‘slow window’ whingers will be screaming like bairns again come next June if we encounter similar PSR problems.
“It’s the club not knowing what the fcuk they’re doing”
mctoon
Aug 28, 2024 at 1:10 AM
Comment #54We’ve plainly got a limited budget not an open cheque book.
cyprus
Aug 28, 2024 at 5:21 AM
Comment #55Not sure I understand the above, apologies.
Anyway, a big club like ours should have a list of at least 10 (I’d say way more, they should be combing the world) top players, for which enquiries should have already been made. We should be able to move on if a club is making it extremely hard to sign someone.
We do have a spine of a mid table competitive team already, so we don’t need an overhaul. But we do need to be adding elite quality every single window if we’re to approach the regular CL teams. And that’s not even a given as they continue to add players themselves.
Conclusion: we completely skipped the previous window, we cannot afford to forgo this one too.
Or else it will show on the field.
cyprus
Aug 28, 2024 at 5:27 AM
Comment #56It’s the style of play too.
I’m struggling to figure out what happened to the team that was dominating Liverpool and going toe to toe with City.
There was so much energy, intensity and the extreme press was producing countless goal scoring chances.
Now, we’re beginning to resemble the style of previous managers, oftentimes absorbing the pressure and hoping we’ll get the odd chance to win it.
Eddie, take a look at the old tapes of Newcastle United, YOUR team. What’s changed? Bring it back.
cyprus
Aug 28, 2024 at 5:38 AM
Comment #57Last one.
I really like a couple of Oasis songs, especially their well known ones, despite the fact that at least one of them brothers seems a bit of a jerk, but the free publicity they’re getting is way over the top.
Well done to whoever is coordinating their campaign.
They must be running out of money hence they made up.
Not another deJong
Aug 28, 2024 at 6:08 AM
Comment #58Nobody mentioning Silverstone in relation to the PSR limitations. 30% year on year growth from a negative base at the time of takeover and we have appeared in a cup final and the Champions League. There are some obvious changes in commercial partners but all that additional revenue has been matched by spending. Have we regained parity with the financial success of the Premier League that evaded us during the previous owners reign?
And has that levelling up growth in revenue been surpassed by the excellence of Eddie Howe’s achievements?
Undoubtedly there will be a plateau effect this season and despite all the massive gains made so far, the club will likely be limiting there decisions to avoid points penalties, all the way through to next summer.
Not another deJong
Aug 28, 2024 at 6:15 AM
Comment #59The transfer policy has always been to buy with the option of selling at a higher price. Does 24yo Guehi have the ability to elevate above £70m in the future?
Not another deJong
Aug 28, 2024 at 6:19 AM
Comment #60Good luck to Tonali tonight, looking forward to seeing him start.
Raj of Hailsley
Aug 28, 2024 at 6:32 AM
Comment #61I often warn about the pit falls of say, for example believing LE when it’s what we want to hear but dismissing out of hand when it’s something we don’t like. But sometimes it’s only natural as fans the most of us don’t want to listen to BS, why should we have believed the Ashworth was off to Man U just because he spoke to Neville in a corridor after a match. It doesn’t make you an ostrich or naive it just is the hoping for the best in the fan in you, not reveling in the bad news the implications of the rumours. Which brings me on to PSR, they told us time and time again that we had to be careful and none of us wanted to know, it was a marketing strategy, it was letting the PL know we’re playing by the rules, it was to avoid “Newcastle tax”. It wasn’t, it’s real and after spending top money on some of the world’s top talent selling only Chris Wood and ASM something had to give, they kept telling us this but none of us would have it. What is annoying though is it’s the same people criticising our PSR shortfall that are now criticising our inability to spend. Nobody knows how we ended up in the red, maybe that rule change of the PL signing deals off, maybe we really did think RM or Barca were going to pay £100M+ for Bruno. All we do know is that in the space of less than three very fast years they’ve given us a team to be proud of. How many more times do we have to be told there are great things planned. Do you think all these high level appointments have been sold a pup. It’s bloody embarrassing the hissy fits are having over a poor window so far.
Raj of Hailsley
Aug 28, 2024 at 6:35 AM
Comment #62And as for comparing what PiF are spending on golf to what they’re spending on us, it’s not even worth debating with anyone who needs that explaining.
Raj of Hailsley
Aug 28, 2024 at 6:39 AM
Comment #63The stadium, the one area that PSR can’t touch is probably going to cost £1B+ they can’t just change their mind half way through and build another somewhere else. My guess is that a new stadium has already been decided and they’re just working on where to put it. Knock down Eldon square and put that where tge ground is, conservationists can’t say foo# all about that 😀
Raj of Hailsley
Aug 28, 2024 at 6:55 AM
Comment #64cyprus,
The lads on the Pod on the Tyne, imo the best pod out there with Waugh and Caulkin, he’s saying we look a little bit stale and you can’t argue with that, a new face in will give everyone a lift.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Aug 28, 2024 at 7:34 AM
Comment #65Can any one tell me why the f**k do we need another goalkeeper – madness
To be honest don’t think we will sign anyone this window
Since Amanda has gone the club have crawled back under their shell
Getting f**k all information communication out of the club
The Prince's Mate
Aug 28, 2024 at 7:44 AM
Comment #66I know it sounds daft but since Amanda left, NUFC seems a colder ,harder place to be..
Wor B
Aug 28, 2024 at 7:55 AM
Comment #67‘Knock down Eldon square and put that where tge ground is, conservationists can’t say foo# all about that’
Think you’ll find there’s a preservation order in place…
it’s where we all bought our first Levi’s in TopShop with our first pay!
JaveaToon
Aug 28, 2024 at 8:01 AM
Comment #68Levi’s? You must live in Darras Hall, Geordie Jeans for the rest of us. 😀
magscar
Aug 28, 2024 at 8:03 AM
Comment #69Jail
Some good points in your posts
I should know from the trench warfare of the Ashley years that once posters have found theirs there is no shifting them out of them
Just hadn’t been worldly wise enough to recognise that this could happen under ambitious owners hamstrung by PSR
The trajectory that kept us in the PL , got us to CL and Wembley occurred in the rolling 3 year period when we could fully exploit the one positive of no losses in the first year or so and we did !
We now have entered a different scenario which will not only test the Club but us fans
Some have the Club failing them and I share their frustrations but like thankfully a lot of others I still have faith ( not blind) tin their ability to get us through stormy waters even if at times we then become becalmed
They’ve not failed us let’s not as fans fail them – most of the press and punditry can do that for us as we well know
captainmarvel
Aug 28, 2024 at 8:19 AM
Comment #70Nobody is having hissy fits..The blog is fine, no-one is arguing, just searching for answers. For whatever reason the team is lacking the dynamics it had, why?
Liverpool and Arsenal were out of the blocks fast, while NUFC were playing a team fresh out of the championship then Bournemouth, hardly Champions league level.
I do not believe it’s down to not having new faces either, it is feasible that since Stavely left Eddie has lost out and it has affected the team.
Stavely gave the club a more family feel to it. that has gone completely. I think that matters.
captainmarvel
Aug 28, 2024 at 8:25 AM
Comment #71At the end of the day it is all about an opinion, who is right and who is wrong is irrelevant, but to some it is.
Happy days..
Wor B
Aug 28, 2024 at 8:34 AM
Comment #72Javea
Aye, Geordie jeans for me anarl, I was just trying to sound kule. 🙂
tannerabag
Aug 28, 2024 at 8:40 AM
Comment #73From what I’ve seen of the games this season (not much I must admit), but it’s looking like we are still getting overrun in midfield, like we did last season – I would prefer to see us playing with another player in midfield to stifle our weakness down the sides. I hope Eddie has had a look at the tapes of the Forest games from last season.
IrishRob
Aug 28, 2024 at 8:52 AM
Comment #74Cyprus thats easy. Playing like thst is very difficult and very draining you need a lot of motivation to play like that and I think after nearly 3 years the motivation is wearing off.
A lot of our team is nowhere near top 4 quality so I reckon without that intensity we have found our level around 7-8th.
We will need another 3-4 quality players to kick us on to constant top 4 I reckon. Hope they prove me wrong though.
IrishRob
Aug 28, 2024 at 8:56 AM
Comment #75Tpm I said this would happen when Mandy left and that there would be a massive disconnect between the club and the fans and it’s turned out that way unfortunately.
She was special.
JaveaToon
Aug 28, 2024 at 8:58 AM
Comment #76WorB…and you would have gotten away with it if it wasn’t for those pesky kids!
Mister Tuff
Aug 28, 2024 at 9:01 AM
Comment #77I think there might be another story which eventually emerges as to why Amanda Stavely left the club. All a strange carry-on.
carltoon
Aug 28, 2024 at 9:02 AM
Comment #78TOONALI DAY.
magicmac54
Aug 28, 2024 at 9:08 AM
Comment #79The Prince`s & captainmarvel
Mate
Good Morning Lads, i must say i agree we really do seem to miss Amanda Staveley, and that special and emotional touch she so eloquently shared with the fans, she really was a marvelous ambssador for the club!! It feels more of a cold house these days without Amanda.
Adamn_92
Aug 28, 2024 at 9:09 AM
Comment #80I think our high intensity and pressing game has been reigned in a little bit for now. Mostly down to the injuries we had last season and also because when we tried it last season, teams had figured it out and we were left super exposed at the back. Remember the massive gap between defence and midfield because the mdifield pressed really high up?
We went from the best defence a couple seasons ago, to leaking goals last season, as teams worked out our press and how to play around it.
I imagine this season Eddie will be working on getting that balance right. So we may not see the same intensity for 90 minutes, as we need to shut up shop a little more. But when the time is right, we’ll still push high up and press well.