Fulham v Newcastle: Match Preview, Team News & Prediction

It's match day; which means that all of this week's debates, opinions, reasons, speculation and conjecture as to why Newcastle are performing badly is completely secondary to one thing; today's final result at around 4.50pm this afternoon.

Lose, and the mud slinging will become an avalanche...

Win, and the avalanche will at least be held back during the international break.

Match Preview

It's Deja Vu the Crystal Palace scenario all over again.

This was in my preview before that away game on 25th October...

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.

Well, it's now four defeats in five games and any lift fans got from that win at Palace has disappeared under a pile of frustration and anger with fingers pointing from the top to bottom of SJP as to who is to blame for mess we are currently in.

And let's be frank... it is a mess.

If something isn't organised, all parts in working order, and churning out what is expected... then whatever it is, it's in a mess.

And that's where Newcastle United are right now.

The formation isn't working, the players aren't performing in it, and the results are abysmal.

The team is churning out exactly what is to be expected... defeat after defeat.

For all of the reports that the hierarchy expected the transition to take time, that they are solidly behind Jaissle... to reports that the players remain unified behind our young manager, albeit that they may be struggling to understand excatly what he wants...

A defeat this afternoon, and especially if it is another performance light on attacking threat and heavy in defensive mistakes, will see alarm bells replaced by screeching high decibel klaxons that will boom out non-stop right throughout the international break.

So... that is my preview for the match at Fulham.

Team selection, formations, Fulham's form, and all the rest of it...

Nowt else matters except coming away with three points.

Even if the performance is lousy, a win is all that matters.

Team News

Jaissle will definitely be without Tino, Jo and the suspended Ramsey, and Miley and Pardo are doubtful but could make the bench.

Jo and Ramsey out mean Sean Steur is almost certain to start and if he does, and plays a blinder, then more fingers will point at Jaissle as to why he has been left out previously.

We'll see if Schar and Burn continue their partnership at CB or whether one of Thiaw or Botman return, or both.

Willock will likely play at 10 and I'd like to see Toure given a start and I wouldn't be too bothered if that was at the expense of either Barnes or Elanga.

£43M is way too high of a fee to have a player parked on the bench and given a few sub minutes here and there; my feeling is that like Osula at the end of last season if he is given a run of starts we'll see a player who could be a big performer this season.

Prediction

My prediction for the Palace game, which was spot on and cleaned the bookies out, was 2-0 to the Toon and that's where my usual fiver is going for the Fulham game.

Is that a prediction made with confidence?

Actually, it is.

I'm betting that there have been plenty of frank discussions among the players, the manager and coaching staff this week, that any murmerings have been aired and sorted, and that the eleven who take the field at 3pm will be focused and driven to win.

This is a massive game.

And every fan and everyone at SJP knows it.

Jezza's Bingo closes at 11.45am. Don't be late!

Last Post: Newcastle Need Flashes of Brilliance

All Posts