The Newcastle United Blog

Written by Neil Harrison

7:05pm Wednesday, February 5th, 2025

Commented 567 times

Newcastle just need a draw or a loss by one goal against Arsenal in today’s second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final at St. James’ Park. The lads take a 2-0 lead from the first leg into tonight’s highly-anticipated match.

This is the team Eddie Howe has named for the cup clash with what looks to be a change of formation to a 5-2-3.

HOWAY THE LADS! ? pic.twitter.com/xW2OJnDbdN
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) February 5, 2025

Arsenal is unchanged from their 5-1 trouncing of Man City on Sunday. This will be a difficult test with Howe seemingly opting to preserve the 2-0 lead. Whether that is wise remains to be seen.

Howay The Lads!

567 comments so far

magscar
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Comment #1
Doubt anyone else got this line up
2
Poet Of Prudhoe Park
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Comment #2
Like I said 😀
1
IrishRob
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Comment #3
Must be playing Hall in midfield and Burn on the left??
0
fray bentos
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Comment #4
Must be Hall in midfield, Eddie doesn’t have a Plan B afterall
1
Raj of Hailsley
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Comment #5
Lot’s of people saying all back five but Hall may well be in LM. That would throw a curve ball for Arteta.
1
Poet Of Prudhoe Park
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Comment #6
Someone doesnt know the concept of plan B smh
3
Raj of Hailsley
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Comment #7
Howe’s never played a back five before I don’t think, why would he start tonight?
2
Poet Of Prudhoe Park
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Comment #8
Think its 541 or 343 or both 😀
1
JohnJ
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Comment #9
I bet no one got that team correct in the Bingo!
1
Zorro
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Comment #10
Yeah at home you genius let’s go all defensive invite a top 2 side on I hope you get stuffed you boring little t@@@ HOWE OUT
2
JohnJ
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Comment #11
According to BBC Sport it’s 5 4 1…/
0
fray bentos
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Comment #12
Wouldn’t playing a 5 back five be a different plan to his usual Plan though Poet?
Surely you don’t think Howe is playing a back 5 do you?
1
AncientC
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Comment #13
Rigid Howe who never changes from 4-3-3, eh?
5 at the back looks like a smart move to me. Arsenal are going to dominate possession, so the team would have been squeezed into a similar shape for most of the early stages anyway.
Joelinton being missing might not be a bad thing. Tempers are going to flare if Arsenal get frustrated.
1
Poet Of Prudhoe Park
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Comment #14
He has played bk 4 before but we were all over place so he changed it back to 433 same game
1
lochinvar
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Comment #15
Yep 5-4-1
But that 1 is Isak and that will keep at least 2 Arsenal defenders back and looking over their shoulders
2
fray bentos
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Comment #16
Lol! I rest my case
0
JohnJ
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Comment #17
HOWAY the Lads!
1
catchy in norway
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Comment #18
As rob schneider would say, YOU CAN DO IT!
2
catchy in norway
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Comment #19
https://youtu.be/uwTi1EpgIa0?si=mF84rcm55IX_48jf
1
Poet Of Prudhoe Park
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Comment #20
Ffs concept of plan b is what you revert to when youre drawing or losing and you change it to get the equaliser or winner.
This 541 is the plan A for this game.
541 looks clearly like setting up not to lose play on counter. This aint plan B ffs
2
magicmac54
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Comment #21
The Late Bill Shankly and Jock Stein always said, the best means of defence is attack, we really need to go for the juggler and put this cup tie beyond reach.
1
jimiley
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Comment #22
Solid team. Pleased he found a spot for Hall. Hopefully in midfield. He could be a relevation there. I think it’s where he will end up.
I feel good about us going through even if we concede first and the place turns to jelly
0
fray bentos
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Comment #23
I imagine that Hall can very easily drift into midfield anyway with Burn covering so maybe still 4-3-3 in a sense, we don’t even know if the club gives the media a formation anyway
0
fray bentos
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Comment #24
the oxford definition of “plan b” is just an alternative strategy
Which would be the case here if he starts in a formation that he usually doesn’t
0
fray bentos
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Comment #25
look like Little Poet loved to move the goal posts when he was younger and still does, ah bless
0
Poet Of Prudhoe Park
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Comment #26
I think its 442 Burn up top 😀
0
fray bentos
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Comment #27
We can hope Poet, we can hope, Burn for a hat-trick
0
Poet Of Prudhoe Park
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Comment #28
I’d have preferred same gameplan we used few years ago when we blew Arsenal away 2-0 in Amandas first season
0
Poet Of Prudhoe Park
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Comment #29
Atleast wilsons back wheres lascelles
0
Pottsclock
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Comment #30
If we don’t know what our formation is, you can be sure that Arsenal don’t either. Personally I would have loaded the midfield. It looks a bit as if we might be inviting them on to us which, even if we win, will still leave me with no fingernails tomorrow.
We’ll see.
0
Adamn_92
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Comment #31
Does appear to be a more defensive lineup and maybe catch them on the break.
3-4-3 when attacking and 5-4-1 when defending looks like.
Not what I thought we’d go with, but still confident we’ll get through the night happy at the end!
Off to the pub to watch, enjoy the match all!
HWTL!
3
Optimistic geordie
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Comment #32
2 nil to us
8
magicmac54
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Comment #33
The atmosphere is going to be off the richter scale if we can do the business tonight folks.
Strap yourself in and let the party begin.
HWTL
3
griff
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Comment #34
Will we see a Wilson cameo if we need to chase the aggregate win?
0
IrishRob
Feb 5, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Comment #35
How we feeling?
0
magicmac54
Feb 5, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Comment #36
If that atmosphere doesn`t get the blood flowing nothing will, quite remarkable that.
2
Romford mag
Feb 5, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Comment #37
HWTL
3
IrishRob
Feb 5, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Comment #38
5 at the back? Please do t say he’s setting us up to sit back on a 2 goal lead.
Hopefully not. Give him the benefit of the doubt
0
Optimistic geordie
Feb 5, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Comment #39
gooooooooooooallllll
1
IrishRob
Feb 5, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Comment #40
Get in
0

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8th February, 2024

An update on my health situation - we have terminated the PluVicto treatment halfway through, because of the severity of the side effects - diarrhea, vomiting, and acid reflux.

And there was no evidence the treatment was having any positive effect in stopping the prostate cancer from spreading in the bones.

There are no treatments left for me to go on.

I will go into home hospice care now and will have a hospice nurse visit me at home regularly to ensure I am as comfortable as possible and we will treat the side effects of the treatments I have had.

It's down the final stretch now, and I have run out of treatments, and nature will now take its course.

I hope Newcastle can get many wins this season from now on, and I am at peace with all of this.

Thanks for all your help through the years - it's very much appreciated

Ed Harrison