Match Day Thread Toon Army vs Preston North End - League cup

My turn to make a thread bitches.

It's 1st in the table vs 9th but that means nothing going into a cup game like this with the opportunity to go into a quarter final.

Newcastle United have hopefully learned that there'll be no room for complacency or slacking in games like these. We're not top dogs by much and we have slipped up at times and lost points.

This will be very important for Newcastle United because more games is more chance to rotate and give new players a chance, which is essential for a squad of the depth of Newcastle's.

Fan and Team spirit would likely return to a similar level of the day's of Bobby Robson if Newcastle could threaten in a cup competition.

It would be amazing for things to turn around so fast that we win our first piece of silverware in decades, and it seems like we might just have the squad depth, the team and the manager to do it.

Preston are undefeated in their last 6 league games so this will be a tough game for Newcastle. If Newcastle don't turn up fully focused it will be another needed slap in the face from the harsh hand of reality.

Recent form -

Newcastle - WWWLDWWWWW
Preston - LLWLWDWDWW

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Potential formations -

Rafa will probably field a strong team with a few adjustments.

---------Mitro/Gayle-----
Ritchie---Perez-------Atsu
------Shelvey-Hayden--
Lazaar-Mbemba-Hanley-Anita
-------------Sels----------------

Perhaps Gayle will be rested and Mitro will get his chance along side in form Perez.

 

Much better than that ****er ACS's piss poor efforts.

I'd like to see Mitro start this one with Gayle.

Difficult to predict with Rafa tho.

 

Stickied

 

If there are many changes, Preston could take advantage as they are unbeaten in 6 games and have moved from 19th to 9th in the Championship.

Hopefully we can progress an all fronts and a cup-run would be great for everyone's morale!

 

Much better than any of Chippy's efforts. At least it says something and is relevant to the game.

 

Cracking effort Tash.
Chippy, you're fired!

 

Would certainly rest Gayle and go with Mitro/Diame for a change. Atsu in for Ritchie and probably see Anita, Hayden and Lazaar starting.

 

I think Rafa will go with something like this:

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Subs: Sels, Mbemba/Clark, Yedlin, Colback, Ritchie, Gayle, Murphy

2-0 win and Hull at home in the next round please.

 

Mitro?

 

Mitro has to play, I can see Atsu getting a game as well as hayden. Mbemba to come in and Sels, perhaps Yedlin, Lazaar. There will be plenty of changes and I not just because I wanna progress to the next round, but we have them Saturday, so I'd like to send a message out, get 3 or 4 and psychologically it will help us when we play them again!

Something I read over the weekend,

The World is over 4,000 Billion years old! out of all that time, you are on this planet at the same time as Aleksandar Mitrovic. That makes me feel incredibly lucky.

 

Could we afford to rest Shelvey? He's a priority for the league games surely. And is Murphy ready yet? Time to test him out.

------------Murphy-----------Mitro------------------
Atsu-----Colback---------Hayden-------Ritchie
Lazaar----Mbemba------Hanley-------Anita
------------------------Sels------------------------------


Might not be the most inspiring team, but Sels has to get his confidence back, and Murphy/Mitro/Lazaar/Mbemba/Hanley need to be given a start somewhere.

 

This is the game I'm most nervous about so far this season. I desperately want us to go on a cup run. If we get to the quarterfinals, get a tough draw and go out, I won't be too disappointed. To go out this round given the favourable draw will be gutting.

I barely remember what it is like to get to the latter stages of a cup competition (I'm not counting the Intertoto cup)

 

We'll make changes as well I suspect but could surprise everyone by putting out a strong side, definitely one change Baptiste cup tied, hopefully both sides go for it and it's an entertaining game

 

I think Anita could potentially come in for Shelvey but other than that we don't have anyone who can do his job well.

I don't think we'd ever see Rafa starting two big lads like Mitrovic and Murphy together.

 

The temptation is to make loads of changes in order to give some new faces a chance to prove themselves. However, given the opposition are not to going to be a walkover I think Rafa will be cautious.

Probably look for players who have made appearances from the bench to make a start in place of the players they usually replace. So Mitro in for Gayle, Atsu in for Gouff/Richie, maybe Hanley in for Clark or Lascelles.

Plus possibly a run out for Darlow as it's pretty usual to use your reserve keeper for cup games.

In any case, while it's fun to speculate, I was always ****e at Champ Manager. IRWT.

 

Personally think we will make 2/3 changes max, Probably Shelvey, Gayle and Lacselles given a rest as they've all had a decent run recently, maybe keepers switch as well but apart from that I think we should see pretty much more of the same.

3-1 win for me, Ayoze to get another brace and Mitro if he starts.
***EDIT***

Just seen Rafa is set to ring the changes so probably more than 2/3.

alt team to last week...

Sels
Anita-Hanley-Mbemba-Gamez
Hayden-Tiote
Atsu-Diame-Lazaar
Mitro

still not a bad little team...

 

I love that Perez is in form after playing fairly poor but scoring 2 goals after a load of gash performances. I think form suggests over a few games personally.

Sels

Anita
Gamez
Mbemba
Hanley

Tiote
Hayden
Atsu
Lazaar

Diame

Mitro

That's how I expect us to go

 

The old 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 formation.

Adventurous.

 

****ed if have any width though

 

Ah, but look at the depth