Newcastle will have vengeance on their minds when Brentford come to St. James’ Park today for the league cup quarterfinal. The Mags were swarmed by the Bees in a 4-2 away defeat a few weeks ago. However, the St. James’ Park setting this evening will hopefully make for a different outcome.
Newcastle were outstanding in downing Leicester on Saturday with a romping 4-0 win. The lads put in an almost perfect display and will hope to carry that momentum into today’s ultra-important cup clash.
A second straight win and a ticket to the Carabao cup semi-final would certainly help assuage some of this campaign’s frustrations. So let’s hope the lads can get it done tonight.
Howay The Lads!
I will unfortunately not be available to post the teams or watch this match so this can stand in as the match thread.
434 comments so far
Saratoga
Dec 19, 2024 at 7:00 AM
Comment #161Well, as it turned out it was a reasonably stress free night at the office after all.
Delighted.
Glad tidings of great joy.
That was important last night.
Can enjoy Christmas now looking forward to January.
Also, boxing day.
Saratoga
Dec 19, 2024 at 7:05 AM
Comment #162Ipswich.
I’d make as many changes to the starting line up we can.
That could be 6 or 7.
Very busy schedule now going forward.
Could still take all three points.
Unused Substitute
Dec 19, 2024 at 7:21 AM
Comment #163So happy that things are falling into place for us with the league still some ways to go. And what a brilliant shot that was from Tonali. The ball swerved so much, for a moment I thought it took a deflection. The guy’s so technical. He was set up perfectly for the crowded box as well.
Not another deJong
Dec 19, 2024 at 7:26 AM
Comment #164I think Eddie has it right, get goals early and rotate using subs. Naturally one or two will change in the starting line up with suspensions and niggles.
Not another deJong
Dec 19, 2024 at 7:28 AM
Comment #165….keep winning, most importantly.
lesh
Dec 19, 2024 at 7:44 AM
Comment #166Carltoon
It might have escaped some but results have been awful when you’ve been awol – as soon as you show your face again……
🙂
JaveaToon
Dec 19, 2024 at 7:46 AM
Comment #167I think after the Palace debacle Eddie Read the riot act about having a fecking shot. The lads still need to improve the accuracy but we’ve had over 80 shots at goal since then with 12 scored in 4 games.
lochinvar
Dec 19, 2024 at 7:54 AM
Comment #168Charlie
BigJoe has a fat lip and a cut ear or a fat ear and a cut lip.
Caused by a Brentford elbow and caught on the ground by a boot.
Another reason why having VAR might have checked any intent or if just accidental. Joe certainly was wound up by it and saw the red mist so best he was subbed at half time.
Eddie said he was missing from the changing room photo as Joe had gone to have his lip and the ear looked at. Presumably at the RVI or Strawberry for a pint and to watch the second half.
Not another deJong
Dec 19, 2024 at 7:57 AM
Comment #169At least he is not Donnarruma
https://images.app.goo.gl/JgQJWyNhtZY4VooJ7
lochinvar
Dec 19, 2024 at 8:00 AM
Comment #170Javea
Spot on.
It’s as if the tactics had been about passing to Isak on his own all the time. As soon as teams surrounded him and packed the box he was nullified.
Now we are scoring from outside the box, inside the box and have some sharp corner and free kick routines. Many different scorers from all over the pitch.
One of the analysts has earned his or her crust in persuading Eddie to set our people free.
Not another deJong
Dec 19, 2024 at 8:05 AM
Comment #171Lewis Hall stats from last night
Minutes played 77
Touches 70
Passes completed 85% (34/40)
Key passes 4
Duels won 63% (5/8)
Tackles completed 3
Dribbled past 0
lochinvar
Dec 19, 2024 at 8:06 AM
Comment #172Could have been worse for BigJoe
https://images.app.goo.gl/mivuxagMs3CEVYuo7
Not another deJong
Dec 19, 2024 at 8:08 AM
Comment #173Playing Murphy and perhaps Bruno further forward has encouraged Isak to actually make the little darting runs. Whereas before he was ready to jump but the passing was too slow.
Not another deJong
Dec 19, 2024 at 8:08 AM
Comment #174Jinx
lochinvar
Dec 19, 2024 at 8:09 AM
Comment #175Carltoon
The players are loyal to the ‘Queen and Town’ so no wonder they put a shift in.
JaveaToon
Dec 19, 2024 at 8:12 AM
Comment #176Loch…Let’s face it, we had to improve after Palace. It was a terrible performance, the only way was up from there.
NADJ…Hall is just awesome, he’s on another level at the moment. Chelsea must be kicking themselves.
Hibbit
Dec 19, 2024 at 8:17 AM
Comment #177morning all
what a great result and some great performances, with Toonali outstanding, following on from Martoon and his bit of ITK all the chatter was it’s Leeds that want him,
Not another deJong
Dec 19, 2024 at 8:21 AM
Comment #178Will ‘Bronali’ catch on for our midfield partnership?
Not another deJong
Dec 19, 2024 at 8:24 AM
Comment #179Craig Hope “clinical”
https://youtu.be/LzBK7Z2dYM4?si=DEKVKu5aBlEwJKun
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Dec 19, 2024 at 8:29 AM
Comment #180Loch
Cheers on the Big Joe update
Don’t know if it is just me but we look a lot more solid at the back with Dubravka between the sticks in the last two games. Could it be his distribution and doesn’t dither as much as Pope help.
Also with Tonali playing defensive mid blocks the hole the opposition exploit
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Dec 19, 2024 at 9:07 AM
Comment #181@Charlie
We 100% look more solid with Dubs at the back a lot of people were quick to blame him for last season but once we shifted to the current back 4 we looked pretty solid.
He is never going to be a charge off your line 100 miles an hour keeper but he is a good organiser and his calmness on the ball doesn’t panic the rest of the team
There was a moment where he had 3 Brentford players bearing down on him and he just calmly chipped it over to Hall!
Which resulted in us nearly scoring a couple of seconds later if that was Pope we would have lost possession either by just lumping it or putting it out for a throw we can’t progress as a team if we don’t have a keeper who can help us keep the ball !
We certainly will need to be looking at getting a keeper upgrade in the summer you would imagine
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Dec 19, 2024 at 9:10 AM
Comment #182So what to do against Ipswich?
We always seem to struggle when we make wholesale changes but we can’t keep running the group down to the ground
I would rest Isak for the 1st half and play Osula its going to be a bit of a physical battle in the early stages of the game where they will kick lumps out of him so wouldn’t be the worst idea to protect Isak for bigger games coming up
Munster Mag
Dec 19, 2024 at 9:21 AM
Comment #183Lee I think we will get Trafford in the summer
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Dec 19, 2024 at 10:00 AM
Comment #184@Munster
I remember reading about Trafford a while ago and for lots of stats he was performing as a top level keeper it was just unfortunate that it was with Burnley and under Kompany which is a bit of a mess!
He seems to be doing well for them under Parker this season so yeah I could see it happen
I also really like Kelleher from Liverpool who wants to leave them in the summer he has the right skill set and also has big game experience
JaveaToon
Dec 19, 2024 at 10:03 AM
Comment #185Traffords been linked and scouted I guess for ages so you’d have to assume he’s the preferred option, I’d love Kelleher tho but could only see him coming if he was starting as number 1
Dougall
Dec 19, 2024 at 10:06 AM
Comment #186Can see Arsenal and Liverpool avoiding each other in the semi-final draw you just know it will happen wink wink
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Dec 19, 2024 at 10:10 AM
Comment #187Okay so apparently Ipswich have 0 available strikers through injury or suspension
They already don’t score a lot of goals we will never get a better opportunity to keep the momentum going
Not another deJong
Dec 19, 2024 at 10:13 AM
Comment #188Pope will struggle to get his position back (if Dubs stays). Ok Dubravka has not faced many actual shots, but his general game seems more assured.
Poet Of Prudhoe Park
Dec 19, 2024 at 10:19 AM
Comment #189https://x.com/shimboi____/status/1869416386214457643
Fatty fenners getting ready for blog meet up 😀
Poet Of Prudhoe Park
Dec 19, 2024 at 10:20 AM
Comment #190https://x.com/FightFactory/status/1869375858106077614
Coming Home after coming back from Phillipines 😀
Munster Mag
Dec 19, 2024 at 10:25 AM
Comment #191Hero to a few halfwits on here,Joey gets some more time in the spotlight
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13275633/joey-barton-former-footballer-and-manager-charged-with-two-counts-of-alleged-malicious-communications
Munster Mag
Dec 19, 2024 at 10:30 AM
Comment #192Lee a certain friend of mine over here who gets some right has been convinced of it for a while. I think it will happen. Getting a pacey centre back and a goalie who can play way off his line comfortably will crush that zone in front and behind our defence that has hurt us for 2 seasons. And Tonali of course will make a difference, big time
lochinvar
Dec 19, 2024 at 10:45 AM
Comment #193Charlie
With Dubs playing the defensive line seemed more assured somehow.
When preparing to move forward he was definitely a lynch pin with both full backs either side of him and was able (partly becaise Brentord gave him the space) to have the ball at his feet often beyond the edge of his box, effcetively we then palyed 3-5-3 from the back which worked so well. Pope will have to be coached to lift that part of his game to emmulate that.
lochinvar
Dec 19, 2024 at 10:49 AM
Comment #194The Yanks have a plan. That might be the Super League so they can have Euro games featuing six slimey Premier League clubs on tour Stateside. They only know the closed shop / franchise buiness model and with NFL being played in ye olde London town then you can see the thinking in copying that idea. Imagine the sales of fizzy pop and popcorn. Ugh.
The Friedkin Group has completed its majority takeover of Everton, ending the turbulent tenure of Farhad Moshiri.
The deal is believed to be worth in excess of £400m and the Toffees become the 10th club in the Premier League under majority American ownership.
lochinvar
Dec 19, 2024 at 10:53 AM
Comment #195Looking at my last post some night think I’m dyslexic. Fortunately not.
I’m jist krup hat typong.
Adamn_92
Dec 19, 2024 at 10:55 AM
Comment #196I don’t think there were too many, but i’m glad that everyone is essentially seeing Tonali’s quality now.
Just needed some games (still new to the league, country and team because of his ban, training is wayyyy different to matches) to find his rhythm.
It’s clear that him and Bruno can play together too, they’re now working really well in tandem. Not just because Tonali is sitting deep, but because they are starting to rotate too. There’s been a number of times where Tonali has been in really advanced positions, so whilst he’s playing more of a 6 role, he has that freedom to join the attacks when he feels it’s right.
An example is when Bruno comes really deep to pick the ball up from Schar or Burn, where Tonali then ventures a bit further forward and depending how the attack builds, he’ll stay further forward than Bruno, or they swap if the attack sees Bruno naturally end up going forward.
Getting a really nice understanding now and starting to link up with quick fast passing too. It’s a shame there 1-2’s around the box didn’t end up in a goal as that was some lovely play between them.
magicmac54
Dec 19, 2024 at 11:00 AM
Comment #197JaveaToon
Good morning mate, on the keeper situation, i`ve been a huge admirer of James Trafford for quite some time now, and i agree he is probably our preferred option, but Kelleher is a real top top keeper, if he were to sign for the Toon he would undoubtedly be our number one keeper, he is also so cool calm and collected, plus his distribution of the ball is top notch mate.
magicmac54
Dec 19, 2024 at 11:16 AM
Comment #198Adamn 92
Morning young Adam, i won`t lie mate for a period of time i was getting concerned that Bruno and Tonali might not be able to gel together, reminiscent of Gerrard and Lampard for England, thank God those fears have truly been dispelled mate, our engine room is fully functional now and long may that continue Adam.
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Dec 19, 2024 at 11:17 AM
Comment #199@Munster and Lochinvar
Yeah I look at Raya and Martinez and they essentially make it like its an extra outfield player and we need that to take our game to the next level
Obviously the keeper needs to be good at the actual job as well but the more we develop to keep the ball the keeper will be less busy overall so it becomes about more preventative keeping rather than saving loads of shots because of the way we setup
Trafford seems like someone we have been tracking for a long time and we don’t tend to make a transfer mistake when we have been monitoring them for years they must be sure he is going to be the one
Adamn_92
Dec 19, 2024 at 11:22 AM
Comment #200Magic
Beautiful thing is, it’ll only get better the more they play together too 🙂