The Fish

Best manager they've had in ages and they could lose some of their best players from last year (Yedlin, M'Vila, Kone, Kaboul) and go down. As we apparently suffered a "RAFAgation" I wonder ... would we be allowed to call it a .... deMOYESlition?

They convinced Kone to stay in the end, didn't they? I wonder if Kaboul's departure will have Kone reconsidering that decision?

He's not like.

He'll do all right there, but they've lost quite a few good players and there's apparently discord in the dressing room, something to do with Jedinak. Benteke might get a few goals, but if the bad start continues they could be bang in trouble.

Simple shit like this fosters a better relationship with the fans. Is our club actually becoming a normal club again? Is that all down to Rafa?

Whoscored.com says Their left back Joe Bryan has been receiving praise and Kodija is a decent forward at this level as well. Dunno if it benefits us that they favour their left flank as all of our good work comes down our right. It's a worry that they're apparently good on set pieces as we are categorically not. Stick with a winning team or shuffle the pack? I'd guess we'll drop Clark for Lascelles or Hanley. Hayden, Shelvey, Gayle and Ritchie will all surely keep their place, Rafa likes big Vurn, so I'd imagine he'll be in the squad somewhere?

I'm drawing my conclusions from stats and from watching him play though, and simply stating "he is/isn't a good player" shouldn't wash and if Contrary proved that Mitrovic was the most wasteful of our strikers, or spent little time in the box, or whatever I'd accept it more readily than just a one line "Rafa has him sussed" with or without a winky face. My assessment of his play and of his potential is born out by the stats, CT's is based on gut feeling. And it's a position that is incredibly difficult to disprove, if Mitrovic gets 20 goals this year "well sure, but can he do it in the Premier League?", gets 15 in the Prem "well sure, but can he do it consistently", "well how many of those goals were penalties", how many were tap ins, how many were ... I'm saying there's a good player and a player who's good enough to lead the line in the Championship, and then I'm backing up that declaration with salient statistics and anecdotal assessment. CT isn't playing by the same rules and it's infuriating As you say Mitrovic was taking up the right positions, and making a nuisance of himself, he was also linking up play nicely and holding the ball up. He wasn't the most accurate of finishers in the team, but he wasn't half as bad as CT is intimating. He was of benefit when we needed to release pressure and when we needed to push forward. A season in a league where he can get a way with a bit more should ease him towards a season in the Premier League where he'd need to control it further. He's definitely good enough to lead the line for Newcastle United in the Championship.

You seem to think that a 20yr old player who scored 9 goals (and got 4 assists) for a shit team in his debut season in the English Premier League isn't good enough to lead the line in the Championship. Dwight Gayle who's never managed that many goals in any of his 3 seasons in the Top Flight has already scored 3 times in this league. Shola Ameobi managed 10 in 18 in the Championship and only managed to equal Mitrovic's tally in the top flight once. Andy Carroll managed 17 in 39 in the Championship and once managed 11 goals in the Premier League.

Dummett isn't even a leftback. Stat's are irrefutable though; Mitrovic had a decent season but CT doesn't like him regardless.

Like Ben Arfa did?

We got 2.22PpG in our last season in the Championship and we weren't being lead by Captain Marvel

in other words, back it up or shut it down.

Avg. 93 for Champions, 87 for 2nd, 73 for 6th place. We'd need to average 2.07pts a game to get 9, but that was always going to be the case.

Best striker at the club last season, probably best striker at the club this season too, and popping a winky face doesn't make you look less wrong.

Cover for Mitro, surely.

What're you on about man? We're going to do the treble this year!

On it.

No, I don't think we're going to buy a new CB, but I reckon the ones we've got will be good enough to get out of the Championship. I mean, we got promoted with Colo, Taylor, Williamson, Khizanishvili, Fitz Hall and Kadar! Mbemba will get used to the league, Lascelles, Hanley and Clark are all much of a muchness, though the former has the potential to improve beyond the latter two imo. I think having an actual Left Back will make a massive difference. As will a midfield and attack that keep the ball and thus lessen the pressure the defence endures.

dat hair tho

Yes, because I'm anticipating the new additions to provide a balance that has thus far been lacking. Most teams won't try and play a possession game at St James' and I trust that if we dominate the ball Aarons, Armstrong, Gayle, Perez and Ritchie will create enough opportunities between them, to pry open most Championship defences. Even if it's just winning a freekick or corner. I'm hoping we're going to add another striker in a similar mould to Mitrovic so that when he's missing through injury or suspension we aren't faced with Gayle and Perez trying to out-muscle Lewis Dunk. I'm also hoping we're going to sign a proper Left back as I think that, while Dummett had a decent game there vs Reading we need a specialist to provide balance to the side and free Ritchie up more. A Right Winger would be the icing on the cake. I don't think 3 signings is unfeasible and Benitez said as much earlier this week.

Grew up in the North East, but was born in Ireland if you believe IMDB, he moved South when he was about 12-13. Stevie would be losing his shit; 92-er, OOT Irish/mackem, into hip-hop and American sports and the theatre and yet he's the host of a popular(ish) Newcastle United podcast. *he wasn't really born in Ireland and I'm sure he wasn't born in Sunderland, but I'll have to check.

What this result has shown is that, despite concerns prior to it, there are goals in the team. Much of the complaints of the previous fixtures were a lack of confidence and decisiveness in front of goal. The brace for Gayle will do wonders for his self-belief and the decent performances for Shelvey and Hayden will help them too. I'm confident we'll take momentum from this (flattering) win and, with the addition of a couple of players and the return ofDiame and Mitrovic etc. we'll see an improvement throughout the squad.

I think Diame will add a lot to our dynamism, but I'd like to see a Jonjo Shelvey Mk II. One who uses the skills that ours has, but isn't always looking for the Hollywood ball, who doesn't go missing in away games and who isn't petulant.