Coventry v Newcastle: Match Preview, Team News, Prediction

Newcastle United travel to Coventry City tonight for an 8pm KO knowing that victory would lift them up to 4th in the Premier League - who would have thought we could be in that position after six games?

Match Preview

Newcastle have eight points from five matches, and another three would see the 4-1 defeat at Leeds melt into the background after it was followed by a 2-1 home win against Hull City.

Coventry have had a tough introduction to the PL and although they got their first win at Nottingham Forest last time out that was preceded by four defeats and the winning goal at Forest was their only goal scored to date.

Despite their starting run of four defeats Coventry's fans have stuck behind them and Frank Lampard and his team will be desperate to follow up their first win with a second in front of their home crowd.

And, they won't fear a Newcastle side who they will know have conceded shots galore and recorded no clean sheets so far this season.

But, that could play straight into Jaissle's quick transition style if Coventry bomb forward early doors and we hit them on the break and score - exactly how we have already scored goals to take points in our previous matches.

In Pardo, Barnes, Wissa and Willock we have players who can hurt any defence and I am looking to Pardo especially to step on the gas in this game and show why he was deemed a real signing coup by the club at £51M.

Team News

After being shorn of nine players for the Hull game MJ looks as if he has four players back and I'm expecting Gonzalez and Jo to be back in the team.

Sometimes you only realise what a player gives to the team when they don't play and that IMO is the case with Jo.

There has been a lack of aggression and physical presence so far in the side and that is one thing that big Jo brings in abundance. Seeing a fellow player getting stuck in can inspire other players to do likewise and that is a feature of our game we need.

In pre-season MJ used Jo in a deeper role and I saw signs that this could be another chapter in his transition from a ST. Don't be surprised if he starts alongside Nico in the two to provide muscle in front of the back four.

If Nico and Jo start where does young Steur play?

I see him as the perfect 10 but that would mean no place for the resurgent Willock or Wissa, but that is exactly the competition for places that we need and that we didn't have last season.

MJ might yet start the same side that beat Hull, but in any event the choices that I've mentioned above are there, and with our manager still searching for his best starting eleven when everyone is fit subs off the bench could still stake their claims.

Prediction

Two questions need to be asked...

Can Coventry score and can Newcastle keep a clean sheet?

I think we'll have too much for Coventry not to concede, however our problem so far this season is that we don't have enough to stop teams scoring.

Unfortunately, I'm still in that frame of mind that I was in before the Leeds game where no performance or result would surprise me.

After getting two quick goals against Hull we failed to kill the game off with a third and once they pulled one back our control of the game evaporated and we had to hang on for the three points.

This is where older more experienced heads like Nico and Jo can have a big influence, especially in that pivotal two in front of a defence who have all too often have been left exposed and overrun as our wingers and 10 have offered little resistance to attacks.

If MJ is to persist with 4231 - which it seems clear he will - the key IMO is not picking the best 11 players, but the best 11 to make that system effective both as an attacking and defensive force.

That may mean starting 11's and players missing out that might baffle some fans.

I think that might just be the case tonight,

My usual fiver is going on 2-0 to the Toon but I might chuck another fiver on 3-1.

But... if we win and sit in 4th place at 10pm this evening that's worth ten quid of any Mag's money and I'll gladly let the bookies have the dosh if my bets don't come up.

PS. I'm experimenting with AI images for the posts.

Jezza's Bingo: Get your prediction in here before 5.45pm

Last Post: Newcastle Could Climb Into the Top Six After Weekend Results

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