Considering the number of calls towards the end of last season for Cantwell to be dropped / rested...what a transformation! He's been exceptional in the two games so far and looks like he's gained in bulk and body strength as well as confidence and skill. Madders marque two?
This from the Mail on Sunday - 'There would be no easy games in the Premier League, or so Norwich were warned, the Championship winners having promised to stick to their attacking principles despite the step up in class. How naive, we said. Play like you did last season and you'll be torn apart in this division. Really? Try telling that to Daniel Farke and hat-trick-scoring Teemu Pukki after this stroll against Steve Bruce's hapless Newcastle. Norwich would have come up against stiffer resistance in the second tier.' He was brilliant in the 2 friendlies was excellent too. I remember another fan a couple of seasons ago saying that TC could replace JM - seems he was right!!!
And this from a comment on MFW - 'A team of heroes today. Pukki was an obvious choice for man of the match but Leitner was immense today. Ran the game from start to finish. Heaven knows how much this team is now worth. In the best part of sixty years supporting City this is the most enjoyable team I’ve seen. Today was wonderful, I hope the rest of the season is the same if only to defy the critics. Thank you Farke and Webber for producing the best £ for £ side in the world.'
Davitt is far less generous, with a string of 7's where I feel an 8 or 9 was warranted? https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwi...itt-newcastle-united-player-ratings-1-6221731
Obviously we have some very fond memories of the Stringer/Walker sides of the late 80's & early 90's, and they were damned good teams. I am not saying that this team is better, only time will tell, but they are more exciting to watch going forward
Just realised I missed Godfrey. He was a 10 as well. He lead the back line, and was looking after Hanley, like Hanley was the young newbie. I felt so much calmer, seeing Godfrey compensating for Hanley. Ben was a total beast again. I said it after a Pre-Season friendly, but I'm more sure of it after yesterday. Godfrey seems to have gained a few yards of pace! He's so quick! Mentally, and physically.
Some observations on Pukki. A fifteen goal striker at this level would be regarded as pretty decent. To end up with that tally requires 0.4 goals per game. So four goals would be expected to come up at around the ten game mark, the home game against Man U on October 26 would be that point in the season. To buy a centre forward with those kind of credentials you are looking at the £40 million that yesterday's opponents paid for Joelinton, and on his two performances to date it's doubtful that he will achieve that. Pukki began the season at 150/1 for the Golden Boot. I'm not suggesting that he will win that but the best odds available now are 40/1. I have been watching City for 47 years and I cannot recall a player generating the kind of reviews and interest that he is getting. I thought he would do pretty well this season but I'm beginning to think that even I underestimated him. Goal of the month for yesterday's opener?
Those Paddy ratings are stupidly harsh, in my opinion. I don't agree with most of them. Lewis was unstoppable yesterday. To give him 7, the same as Stiepi, who did very little, is very strange. I'd love to know what a 10 is for Paddy. I'm guessing Pukki would need to score 5?
I remember he used to give players much higher ratings than I felt they deserved - now he seems to have gone the other way!!!
Totally disagree with you on Stiepermann. Stiepermann is this season’s whipping boy seemingly. He put in a wonderful (and the key) pass for the third goal and pretty much every one of our best attacks came through him. His position means he’s more exposed than most but his size, strength and pace caused real problems. He also puts in a big defensive shift all the time. I don’t mean to be rude but seriously you’d have to have watched only the highlights (and presumably missed his role in the goal) to think Stiepermann did very little. It’s why he’s been well rated by most other reviewers. He was so important yesterday. Shouldn’t let his inconsistency against Liverpool cloud judgement.
Didn't say he was poor. I gave him a 7. He contributed. He didn't stand out as having a worldie like a lot of the others did, for me. We are all allowed an opinion. I was at the game, so didn't only watch the highlights. I haven't heard much moaning about him. Krul and Hanley are still the whipping boys, I think.
IMO, we didn't have a'weakest link' anywhere on the pitch yesterday!! Edit - I wouldn't fancy bring an NUFC player this morning, but it's not so much that they played badly - more that we were SUPERB!!
You said Stiepermann “did very little” and gave him the worst rating in the first XI I’m not suggesting you can’t have an opinion, you are the one attacking Davitt’s
Nope, hense the lowest score I gave was a 7, and was only 3 of them. I never gave anyone a 6. The very little was when comparing his to Lewis's work down the left, and how they were given the same score by Paddy.
Interesting to see that MB commented on how well most of the team played yesterday. Chelsea is going to be a brilliant test and I really don't care if we lose, as long as we keep playing 'Farkeball'
