Newcastle v Strasbourg: Last Chance Before Liverpool

After yesterday's 2-1 defeat by Leverkusen another eleven players and subs get their chance to impress Jaissle and get in contention for a start against Liverpool.

It can't be said that any player from yesterday, other than Malik Thiaw, has nailed down their name on the team sheet so there is plenty to play for today.

Who starts today?

The blog's Wiki Man, Barry Paul Henry, has named his starting eleven and I don't think he'll be far wrong so this is what BPH has forecast...

Jouen

Shahar Schar Burn Pivas

Bamba Ramsey

Murphy Willock Toure

Osula

A thought occured to me during yesterday's game...

If that starting eleven had lined up against PSG or Barcelona in the CL we would have feared a humiliation... and the same goes for today's eleven.

That just shows how far the team has regressed with the exits of players who could hold their own in football's top competition - and it also makes it absolutely clear the enormity of the task Matthias Jaissle faces in taking us back up to that level.

And, before he can even think that far ahead, he needs to put together a team that can easily hold its own in the PL.

No wonder he cut a more sombre tone in yesterday's post match presser.

That word 'reality' kicks in again

Like many fans my emotions on this coming season have veered between worry and concern and excitement and enthusiasm.

As one after another top players left, with Eddie following them, when we were already concerned about this coming season after finishing 12th...

It was hard not to feel that the SJP house and the PIF dream was crumbling under our feet. The collapse was like being hit by an earthquake.

Then, the young signings and the hope they bring, and a young manager full of new ideas, gave us the injection of expectation and excitement we desperately needed.

But now, after two friendly defeats, reality has hit home.

The same concerns we had last season;

The form of Wolt, Wissa and Elanga - who will score the goals we need - the porous defence - and even goalkeeper concerns are rearing their head again.

Plus, there are just over two weeks to add quality into the squad and other than Dedic and Paulinha - much needed if they come off- but hardly the elite 'game changers' that fans are hoping for.

As it stands, my emotions are between a rock and a hard place.

Support at SJP is key

On the blog and across social media in general there will be opinions from rank bad doom and gloom, to those accused of being happy clappers.

That will always be the case to one degree or another - I remember many fans saying of Isak in the early days... "he's not a centre forward". So nowt ever surprises me.

The real noise that will affect the players is the one that the crowd at SJP makes.

That is where nerves need to be held, patience needs to be exercised, and support needs to be unwavering. Even if early results are hard to take.

Whatever the performance and result today... none of that will change.

There is a huge battle to be fought ahead.

It will last nine months.

We may suffer some early defeats but, if at the end of the battle, we are still in the PL and have made the progress to launch a bigger attack next season...

Jaissle and his squad will have won the first stage of the war.

As of today, many fans would settle for that.

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