Crystal Palace v Newcastle: We Need A Win Today – No Excuses
Sunday 25 October | Selhurst Park | 2pm kick-off
Newcastle head to Crystal Palace this afternoon with one thing desperately needed — a win and three points.
After three defeats in our last four league games, including those dreadful away performances at Leeds and Coventry, Matthias Jaissle and his players need to put in a big performance at Selhurst Park.
The defeat against Aston Villa only added to the frustration.
Too little attacking threat, questionable selections and a team that seems to be struggling to get to grips with the 4231 set up.
We've discussed formations, tactics and individual performances at length on this blog.
But today it's time for the players to deliver on the pitch.
Palace are struggling too.
They've conceded 17 goals in seven league games and were thrashed 5-0 by Brighton last weekend.
They're hardly approaching this match full of confidence themselves and theit manager Pierre Sage is under far more pressure than Matthias Jaissle.
Jaissle has had a full week to prepare his side and there have been behind the scene discussions with both the squad leadership group and the SJP hierarchy.
As for team news; Anthony Elanga could return to the squad, although he's not ready for 90 minutes, while Jacob Ramsey is making progress with his recovery.
For me, three things are essential this afternoon:
A much stronger defensive performance. We simply cannot keep conceding goals at the rate we have been.
More attacking intent. We need players prepared to take responsibility, create chances and actually test the opposition goalkeeper.
A team that looks organised and committed. Whatever formation Jaissle chooses, every player must understand his role.
A victory would give everyone a lift and take some of the pressure off the manager.
Another defeat, particularly another poor performance, would raise some very uncomfortable questions.
I don't want to be asking those questions at 4pm this afternoon.
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2 points this morning. Firstly surely as bad as we are we beat a very poor Crystal Palace team today 🤞🙏 and secondly regarding the last post I’m afraid I have not taken to the manager at all. My reasoning is simple really listening to him tell me we controlled the game and dominated Villa last weekend is to me the same lies that Bruce used to come out with and I didn’t like it then and things have not changed I’m afraid.
I’m going 2-2. Obviously I want 0-4 but every time hope is built up it comes crashing down.🙃
I looked at the next 12 games up until christmas. We won 5 and lost 7 of them last season . The respective fixtures i mean. That 15 points would give us 23 on course for 46 over a season. I think a very high percentage would be unhappy with 23 points over winning 5 and losing 7 etc but that's not getting you into a relegation scrap either.
The next 3 fixtures . We lost all 3 last season. Sunderland at home as well to come . Another we lost. We need to get at least 8 points or so from them games , and beat forest and man u home and ipswich away . Thats 17 points. …
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Practice makes perfect!
And let's hope MJ and the squad's practice this week in training leads to three points against Palace.