Newcastle United v West Ham United

[The Fish 10779]

agree there. left back is a priority. also, we're struggling if janmaat gets injured. he's one of our main attacking outlets.

Would you play Anita RB in Janmaat's absence? he's got the engine and has decent control?

[ewerk 30370]

Would we have any alternative? Taylor is unlikely to ever be fit and I'd rather not shift Mbemba out from the centre.

[The Fish 10779]

Would we have any alternative? Taylor is unlikely to ever be fit and I'd rather not shift Mbemba out from the centre.

Mbabu

[ewerk 30370]

Can he play RB?

[TheGingerQuiff 2412]

Can Anita?

[The Fish 10779]

Mbabu can definitely play RB. Anita is an option, but obviously we'd be better served by a young lad in reserve. One who didn't have the fans hiding behind their brand new jackets every time he got near the ball

[Dr Gloom 21847]

i don't think mbabu did much wrong when in the few opportunities he had. i doubt anita would disgrace himself at right back but we'd miss the attacking threat we get from janmaat.

[Anorthernsoul 1221]

Mbabu had an excellent game against Chelsea. He looked quick and strong and composed on the ball.

[David Kelly 1224]

The problem with Mitrovic is we need goals now to preserve our premier league status. It would be great to have the time to get him scoring goals but we really don't. And the rest of the team has never scored enough to compensate. Gini has nine goals and Perez five and that's it. Shelvey might get a few but he's never scored more than six league goals in a season and Saivet wasn't even prolific in France when he was playing further forward.

 

Our situation looks a bit better now but we could quite easily be back in the bottom three tonight and then we've got a difficult trip to Watford on followed by a difficult run. Things could quite quickly start to look very bleak again. Unfortunately we need to bring more goals into the team and quickly.

[Alex 34913]

The problem with Mitrovic is we need goals now to preserve our premier league status. It would be great to have the time to get him scoring goals but we really don't. And the rest of the team has never scored enough to compensate. Gini has nine goals and Perez five and that's it. Shelvey might get a few but he's never scored more than six league goals in a season and Saivet wasn't even prolific in France when he was playing further forward.

 

Our situation looks a bit better now but we could quite easily be back in the bottom three tonight and then we've got a difficult trip to Watford on followed by a difficult run. Things could quite quickly start to look very bleak again. Unfortunately we need to bring more goals into the team and quickly.

Spot on.

[The Fish 10779]

The problem with Mitrovic is we need goals now to preserve our premier league status. It would be great to have the time to get him scoring goals but we really don't. And the rest of the team has never scored enough to compensate. Gini has nine goals and Perez five and that's it. Shelvey might get a few but he's never scored more than six league goals in a season and Saivet wasn't even prolific in France when he was playing further forward.

 

Our situation looks a bit better now but we could quite easily be back in the bottom three tonight and then we've got a difficult trip to Watford on followed by a difficult run. Things could quite quickly start to look very bleak again. Unfortunately we need to bring more goals into the team and quickly.

 

I can see Mitrovic, Perez, and whomever else benefiting from a central midfielder who's 1st instinct isn't to pass it backwards. Sure, I'd love us to sign Lacazette (1 in 3), but it looks more likely we'll sign Berahino (1 in 4), Gomis (1 in 4) and should we really swap Mitrovic's development for strikers with goal ratios little better than Shola's was?

[David Kelly 1224]

I can see Mitrovic, Perez, and whomever else benefiting from a central midfielder who's 1st instinct isn't to pass it backwards. Sure, I'd love us to sign Lacazette (1 in 3), but it looks more likely we'll sign Berahino (1 in 4), Gomis (1 in 4) and should we really swap Mitrovic's development for strikers with goal ratios little better than Shola's was?

Shola's league record for us was worse than one in 5. Berahino's for West Brom is better than one in four and last season was better than one in three. Obviously this season his issues with the club have restricted his game time and made his ratio look worse but it's ridiculous to compare him to Shola. I'd not be happy about signing Gomis, he's not what we need at all unless he was just being considered back up. I'd be very wary about signing Lacazette as I think he would just bring more of the same issues as Mitrovic (ie another young lad who we are expecting to make the jump up in leagues and hit the ground running straight away). Of the three you mention I think Berahino would be the best bet for an instant return and I also think he could parter Mitrovic and also play in a wider role like Perez and still score goals. Unfortunately I have no faith that we can sign him. I'm pretty sure there must also be more experienced strikers playing abroad that we could also look to. We're seeing the benefit already in signing a player like Gini who is at a much better age and experience level to bring over. Don't ask me to name names because I'm no expect on players in other European leagues and I'm not employed as a scout.

 

I do think you're right that all of our forward players will benefit if Shelvey can continue the way he started but I don't see it as being enough.

[The Fish 10779]

Shola's league record for us was worse than one in 5. Berahino's for West Brom is better than one in four and last season was better than one in three. Obviously this season his issues with the club have restricted his game time and made his ratio look worse but it's ridiculous to compare him to Shola. I'd not be happy about signing Gomis, he's not what we need at all unless he was just being considered back up. I'd be very wary about signing Lacazette as I think he would just bring more of the same issues as Mitrovic (ie another young lad who we are expecting to make the jump up in leagues and hit the ground running straight away). Of the three you mention I think Berahino would be the best bet for an instant return and I also think he could parter Mitrovic and also play in a wider role like Perez and still score goals. Unfortunately I have no faith that we can sign him. I'm pretty sure there must also be more experienced strikers playing abroad that we could also look to. We're seeing the benefit already in signing a player like Gini who is at a much better age and experience level to bring over. Don't ask me to name names because I'm no expect on players in other European leagues and I'm not employed as a scout.

 

I do think you're right that all of our forward players will benefit if Shelvey can continue the way he started but I don't see it as being enough.

 

Berahino has had 1 season where he's scored double figures in the league and there are huge questions over his attitude.

 

Imagine it... him, Mitrovic and Shelvey all approaching the last doughnut in the canteen at the same time... Ructions!

[David Kelly 1224]

Berahino has had 1 season where he's scored double figures in the league and there are huge questions over his attitude.

 

Imagine it... him, Mitrovic and Shelvey all approaching the last doughnut in the canteen at the same time... Ructions!

Berahino certainly hasn't got a long record of scoring goals year on year but he is a young lad who has progressed in this league. Of course his attitude is the concern but I still see him as less of a risk than Lacazette (who admittedly is a couple of years older than I thought so might be a better bet than I'd considered if he'd come. Which he wont).

 

I don't think Mitrovic has a questionable attitude btw. Just concerns about his temprement.

[Kid Dynamite 7009]

The best thing about Mbemba is that he's been 21 for the last 4 seasons so he will definitely only get better

[The Fish 10779]

Berahino certainly hasn't got a long record of scoring goals year on year but he is a young lad who has progressed in this league. Of course his attitude is the concern but I still see him as less of a risk than Lacazette (who admittedly is a couple of years older than I thought so might be a better bet than I'd considered if he'd come. Which he wont).

 

I don't think Mitrovic has a questionable attitude btw. Just concerns about his temprement.

Well...

 

[Dickie 0]

The problem with Mitrovic is we need goals now to preserve our premier league status. It would be great to have the time to get him scoring goals but we really don't. And the rest of the team has never scored enough to compensate. Gini has nine goals and Perez five and that's it. Shelvey might get a few but he's never scored more than six league goals in a season and Saivet wasn't even prolific in France when he was playing further forward.

 

Our situation looks a bit better now but we could quite easily be back in the bottom three tonight and then we've got a difficult trip to Watford on followed by a difficult run. Things could quite quickly start to look very bleak again. Unfortunately we need to bring more goals into the team and quickly.

 

Aye I'm still very worried. Especially with the way this season has gone - you always feel we're just a bad decision or some wasteful finishing away from going on another run of winless games, which is something we just can't afford at this stage. If we can get 6 pts from the next 3 games I'll be a bit more confident. Even though on paper they're not the most intimidating 3 fixtures on paper it's still a big if at the moment. And that's without the potential for injuries to important players. Loads of reasons to be positive from the last two games (and actually from the performances over most of the season), especially after Shelvey's performance on Saturday, but until we start putting points on the board consistently the situation is still dicey.

[trooper 940]

We played some good football on Saturday & we got off to an excellent start being 2-0 up after 10 minutes. Yet even with a 2-0 lead we looked fragile we could have went in at halftime 4 or 5 up there were plenty of chances. But we lack that killer instinct being unable to finish them off & Yes I get the point of Mitro being a young 'un but maybe's now is the time to splash the cash & get a proven goalscorer in. We MUST follow this result up now with a win against Watford get some points on the board &get away from this relegation fight. I think Shelvey will be one of the main components of the team adding the supply link to the forwards.

[The Fish 10779]

23 shots (most since Sep 2014) in the game, but counter-intuitively 15 of those 23 came in the 2nd half. Had 5 shots on target in both halves.

 

We're creating chances and with confidence and cohesion will come a better standard of chance.

[David Kelly 1224]

Well...

 

I can't argue with logic like that!

[David Kelly 1224]

23 shots (most since Sep 2014) in the game, but counter-intuitively 15 of those 23 came in the 2nd half. Had 5 shots on target in both halves.

 

We're creating chances and with confidence and cohesion will come a better standard of chance.

Undertandably after the last couple of years, confidence still isn't high. The only way for it to come back is for us to start picking up results.

[Howay 12496]

23 shots (most since Sep 2014) in the game, but counter-intuitively 15 of those 23 came in the 2nd half. Had 5 shots on target in both halves.

 

We're creating chances and with confidence and cohesion will come a better standard of chance.

Aye, I think McClaren deserves credit for the turnaround in chances created. Earlier in the season we had a lot of possession but didn't create anything at all (often only 1 shot on target) but he has definitely made some tweaks which has us getting more opportunities, obviously having a bloke who passes the ball forwards in CM last match helped us but our chances have been increasing in number the last few games.

[Alex 34913]

Arguably demonstrates a need for a proven goalscorer too though.

[Howay 12496]

Arguably demonstrates a need for a proven goalscorer too though.

It does aye, I do think Mitro will become a good player and he seems to have the right attitude as after missing a sitter he doesn't shy away from the ball. I think we're fairly fortunate that Wijnaldum is a good finisher so it can at times paper over Mitrovic's lack of goals, I also think Mitrovic's play style leads to goals for us as he's good at holding up the ball and tying up defenders. I would like to see us bring in a striker who is a bit more experienced mind as Cisse looks to have gone to shit a bit and the amount of offsides and miscontrols he does wastes a lot of good build up play.

[Dr Gloom 21847]

Aye, i'm over Cisse like. That first magic season seems like a long time ago now.