Leicester City v Newcastle United

[Dr Gloom 21961]

The thing about playing one up top is you need the three behind him to make runs beyond him when we're attacking. Too often mitro is going up for a ball in total isolation. The attacking midfielders have got to start gambling with their forward runs more often if we're going to get the goals needed to survive.

[Dr Gloom 21961]

 

Yup.

 

Also, we face 5 of the bottom 9 in the final run in, we won't face a defence as well drilled as Leicester until we face Spurs. I fancy Rafa's influence and the opposition's limitations bringing us enough points to stay up.

 

Janmaat had an absolute stinker going forward but was all right defensively, Anita was nothing and we looked more dangerous when he went off (though I'd still start a defensive midlfielder beside Shelvey instead of Gini for the derby), Sissoko looked great for the 1st 25 minutes, but when the goal went in, he reverted to type. That type being Perma-shite

 

We lost by 1 goal to the league leaders, a goal that may have been struck off by a different ref. We were denied a penalty that, on another day, may have been given. We went toe-to-toe with them for pretty much 90 minutes. I'm worried about the derby, can see us losing or drawing, but I fancy us to stay up by virtue of facing another 4 bottom half clubs and Rafa having more of an impact on the players (and having players returning from the treatment room).

 

 

I've worked out why CT demands the unfancied player to start. It's a no lose position;

If they don't start and we win he can say he'd hoped to see them get more time and that was the perfect fixture for them,

if they don't start and we draw he can say that they would have been the difference,

if they don't start and we lose he can say that they would got us at least a point.

 

I they do start and we win, it's obviously because of them,

if they start and we draw he can say we would have lost it without them and

if they start and we lose, it's because they haven't had enough time.

 

He can state all these things without a scrap of evidence to back his claim. Hence his love affair with Ferguson, LuaLua, Sammy, and now Doumbia. He sees a player that might be better in the wings and pins his hopes on that, despite evidence to the contrary. It's a gut feeling and nothing more.

Some of the players CT has fancied man

[The Fish 10872]

The thing about playing one up top is you need the three behind him to make runs beyond him when we're attacking. Too often mitro is going up for a ball in total isolation. The attacking midfielders have got to start gambling with their forward runs more often if we're going to get the goals needed to survive.

 

That was something Leicester did all game, Okazaki & Vardy were expecting a flick on and 9 times out of 10 it didn't happen, but 30 seconds later they were busting a gut to get onto another one.

 

Perez does that at times, but Sissoko, Gini and the rest don't.

 

CT thinks Doumbia probably does it all the time

 

 

Some of the players CT has fancied man

Guarantee he was screaming for Gavilan to start.

Edited March 15, 2016 by The Fish

[Holden McGroin 6611]

If we had Demba Ba or Loic Remy we'd be mid table now.

[David Kelly 1245]

The thing about playing one up top is you need the three behind him to make runs beyond him when we're attacking. Too often mitro is going up for a ball in total isolation. The attacking midfielders have got to start gambling with their forward runs more often if we're going to get the goals needed to survive.

Once we went to 4-4-2 there was suddenly options for the for midfielders to find and we looked much more dangerous. The thing is, on Sunday, the tramps won't just play two in the middle like Leicester did. So if we only play two we could get outnumbered. Whether I would play 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 might depend on who's available. There's no way I would play Anita in either formation so if we need Colback at leftback again and Tiote is unavailable (is he injured?) then I'd go 4-4-2 with Shelvey and Gini in the middle.

[Dickie 0]

Well that wasn't a disaster by any means. I think Benitez will have learned a lot last night and will probably continue to do so over the next week. I'd expect to see a different side lining up against the mackems, although I have to say I've got no idea what it should/will be. The squad is totally unbalanced as we all know, but hopefully he can pull something together to do a job on them. If we beat them and Norwich we're halfway there. I wouldn't have Anita in - just don't think he offers anything at all and for a supposed holding player he gives the ball away more often than not. Mitro had a poor game but he was up against two big centre halves at the top of their games, pretty much on his own.

 

I had a feeling De Jong might start to get a look in under Benitez. I've like what I've seen of him, in the fits and bursts that he has played in, and thought he was unlucky to be dropped by McLaren after he missed that sitter against Villa. Anyone can miss sitters, but he does seem to have the knack of getting into positions either to shoot himself or bring others into the game in and around the box. This bloke Doumbia is a funny one as well. I half remember seeing him on telly at some point, must have been Champs League or Europa and I do remember being impressed. I just wonder if one or both of them might surprise us under Benitez and play a big role in the run in. I might be wrong, but my memories of Benitez Liverpool team was that they didn't rely on pace very much. Can only remember Baros from that team really having any pace about them, so he might yet find a role for De Jong in particular.

 

What I liked about last night was that we were still in with a decent chance of nicking a result right until the end. That's what we need to do in the next ten games - just stay in the game and give ourselves a chance of nicking it, even when we go behind. I've got a fair bit of confidence that Rafa will manage to get us out of it, but obviously Saturday's match is crucial.

[Holden McGroin 6611]

De Jong looks good for a goal. Its a shame we have 3 good players that want to play the 10.

 

With this formation you need goals from the front 4. Sissoko hasnt scored all season.....

[The Fish 10872]

De Jong looks good for a goal. Its a shame we have 3 good players that want to play the 10.

 

With this formation you need goals from the front 4. Sissoko hasnt scored all season.....

Snatched at the chance Mitrovic laid on a plate for him, but that's match-sharpness I reckon.

 

Must be frustrating for Mitrovic, gets few chances and when one falls for him it's either too awkward to get a shot off himself so he lays it off to de Jong, or he's tackled by his own fucking player.

[wykikitoon 20215]

Snatched at the chance Mitrovic laid on a plate for him, but that's match-sharpness I reckon.

 

Must be frustrating for Mitrovic, gets few chances and when one falls for him it's either too awkward to get a shot off himself so he lays it off to de Jong, or he's tackled by his own fucking player.

Without a doubt

 

I thought Mitro played ok with his back to the goal. Held it up well, was through and taken out by the wankpot Sissoko. But he had zero outlet from players running off him.

[David Kelly 1245]

Without a doubt

 

I thought Mitro played ok with his back to the goal. Held it up well, was through and taken out by the wankpot Sissoko. But he had zero outlet from players running off him.

This is why I was saying yesterday that I don't really think Mitro can play up top by himself. When he does have a game where he's holding the ball up well, we never get players ahead of him. If you watch he's always trying to control the ball on his chest rather than flicking it on because there's no one to flick it on to.

[The Fish 10872]

This is why I was saying yesterday that I don't really think Mitro can play up top by himself. When he does have a game where he's holding the ball up well, we never get players ahead of him. If you watch he's always trying to control the ball on his chest rather than flicking it on because there's no one to flick it on to.

and because there's no one within 10 yards of him, he's trying to hold off 2 opposition players while waiting for support. The midfield need to take turns getting closer to him or running past him.

[David Kelly 1245]

and because there's no one within 10 yards of him, he's trying to hold off 2 opposition players while waiting for support. The midfield need to take turns getting closer to him or running past him.

I don't see that happening with our current players. I think I'm possibly being harsh saying he can't play as the lone striker. I should say he can't play as a lone striker for us.

[The Fish 10872]

I don't see that happening with our current players. I think I'm possibly being harsh saying he can't play as the lone striker. I should say he can't play as a lone striker for us.

 

I think he'd be quality as part of a big-man/little-man combo, but I'm not sure that this iteration of Newcastle can play that style, certainly not given where we are in this season's league.

[Howmanheyman 33270]

They've conceded 7 goals since Boxing day though and I think we saw a fair bit more positive play away from home than we have pretty much all season.

 

Mind I also don't get how you're happy to call Mitrovic shit but stick up for an utter useless bastard like Anita.

He's a fucking Mackem, man.

 

Look at his very first post on TT for a start. (He's persistent, I'll give him that).

[David Kelly 1245]

I think he'd be quality as part of a big-man/little-man combo, but I'm not sure that this iteration of Newcastle can play that style, certainly not given where we are in this season's league.

I'm not sure what style we can play. The 4-2-3-1 we've stuck with all season has us second bottom.

[Howmanheyman 33270]

Gini is the invisible man as much as sissoko rightly gets stick. Colback is shit in midfield and thanks to our owner's men is our left back.

[Holden McGroin 6611]

At least Gini is good at home. Sissoko hasnt even scored this season. Thats from a French International who plays as and advanced winger. Pretty depressing stuff.

[Chaser 1217]

Its like Gini and Sissoko have had a spell cast upon them. Sissoko hasn't always been this shit, and likewise Gini was weighing in with 9 goals, yet he's just gone off the boil.

6 points from Norwich and Sunderland would be the perfect scenario but we are going to need to find a win or a few draws elsewhere to see us safe. Its a very big ask to transform a team so short of confidence

[Howay 12496]

He's a fucking Mackem, man.

 

Look at his very first post on TT for a start. (He's persistent, I'll give him that).

That would make sense tbh.

 

I'm feeling a bit like Fish here but I think we'll win 3-4 of our remaining games and draw a couple, I think we'll lose to Man City, Liverpool and Spurs. Have to hope that will be enough, I think it's going to be tight I just hope we can get the injured players back asap and not lose anyone else.

[The Fish 10872]

That would make sense tbh.

 

I'm feeling a bit like Fish here but I think we'll win 3-4 of our remaining games and draw a couple, I think we'll lose to Man City, Liverpool and Spurs. Have to hope that will be enough, I think it's going to be tight I just hope we can get the injured players back asap and not lose anyone else.

 

What, confident in your steady reason & rationale, despite all those around you flitting between joy and despair?

 

It's an oddly disquieting feeling, you start to think that you might be living alongside reality, but no, no at the end of the season you were right to be calm.

[Howay 12496]

I'd feel more confident in it if we actually score some goals at the weekend mind, I'd like to see Townsend start as well we looked a bit more lively with him on.

[scoobos 298]

Good point from Howay like, its the injuries that scare me - hopefully Rafa's new team are more careful - our injuries are just baffling sometimes.

 

I feel the same as when McClaren joined, from game 1 its another clear improvement in playstyle and effort (from most) - but it didn't last with McClaren . The fact that Rafa's just come from one of the best clubs in the world will hopefully keep them motivated moreso than Steve could manage.

 

It boils my blood though, that we appear to have so many players who are paid a kings ransom to wear our shirt, who need cajoling into actually putting any effort in.

[TheGingerQuiff 2412]

Yeah, let's take no encouragement from travelling to the league leaders and losing to a dubious goal and missing out on a clear penalty. That would be silly

Exactly. These cunts have been doing it all season. An "encouraging" performance being followed by a pathetic one. A loss is a loss. No points and no guarantee that performance levels will continue into the next game. Be encouraged though, let me know how it works out for you