It depends on how they spend it and who they can attract, if they’re in the bottom three who is going to want to sign for them? Newcastle are going to have to go with a loan and a purchase fee attached
Just how I saw it @Doc. I'm happy to elaborate and discuss it. I've been one of the few who have recognised his contributions over the last few games. The first half against Arsenal was the blueprint on how to stretch a defence and should be shown to young Gelhardt. Today he was obviously told to sit a bit deeper and for some reason Harrison and James went up front. My issue isn't Rodrigo as a player as a talent but he failed to grasp what was needed especially in that first half. As a senior player that was a bit of a let down for me. He actually got in some decent positions but turned in to trouble when there was an easier pass on. That's fine when you are the focal point of attack but if you are deeper just lay it off to the support player and make your run again to help link the next phase. He failed to do that much today and with his talent can do alot better. His first touch was heavy today too. The more I watch him deep, the more convinced I am that he is a wide left player or a 9. I'll give you an example. It was late in the game (think it was 84th minute as I took note of the time). There was a 60/40 (in his favour) tackle in the centre circle and it needed winning as Norwich were committing more players forward. He pulled out of the tackle and Norwich piled forwards. The lad played it out wide and Phillips had to move over to help cover it leaving the edge of our box with no cover and two Norwich players lurking. Rodrigo was walking back from the centre circle and only saw the danger when it was too late. Luckily Norwich were bad enough to **** it up and gave us the ball back and we cleared it. That's why he was marked down. That was a potential key moment and he didn't put that extra 15 yard effort in. He's no midfielder. He doesn't know the position and has too many breaks. That can't happen with Bielsaball. He is a major asset further forward but looks like a detrimental effect on the formation from deep.
I would love to see hi in a 4-4-2 because he causes damage and creates chances. Bamford said himself last week when he said having Rodrigo in that form behind me means we get chances and goals. Maybe Bielsa really has him as a false 9/10 but isnt getting any balls from the midfield or from out wide, so is busy vhasing about trying to get the ball. Bielsas plan isnt working yet, whatever that plan is and today we saw plento rotation from players who transition from attack to defence. We even saw Dallas at the right wing corner flag battling and he had come from LB? But everything broke down when the wingers got it and Raphinha was as bad even though he went for goal almost every time when a Rodrigo ball would have been better?
Palace beat Citeh yesterday. Watford smashed Everton last week Burnley beat Brentford yesterday Who have we beat? A Watford team so bad that they sacked their Manager, and a lucky win today at Carrow Road with two individual goals of class, one of which was a pretty straight forward save from distance.
Yep. Him and Bamford up front would undoubtedly cause differing problems for defences but we won't see it under Bielsa. Its not how it works. I suppose the way to look at today is the improvement made when a career long midfield player in Forshaw came on and instantly improved the shape and structure. As for Raphinha, yes he was our stand out player today but at times he just did too much on his own. Edit.. Rapha likes to do alot of stuff on his own. Harrison tries to make things happen on his own with his dribbling and shooting. Rodrigo can be selfish at times and James likes to run at people. Maybe we just have too many 'flair' players and we just don't link up as much as we should. That's why players like Forshaw could be the key. We just need a couple more players to keep it ticking over and keeping possession.
Not got a lot to say But please don’t get on Meslier’s back Otherwise you’ll have me to contend with The lads ok
Daniel Farke post match Interview "In these types of games you need to win points to earn the right to be in the next season on this level," he said. "Once you lose such a game, it's disappointing and a horrendous outcome for us today. "I think we were the better side and played on the front foot in the first half. In the second half, out of their first dangerous situation they were able to score. We had four or five situations in the first half where we got into the box and weren't able to get the shot away. "Raphinha showed the quality to score in his situation. We scored the equaliser and put lots of workload in. The team were buzzing and we had the momentum on our side and were full of confidence and wanted to chase the game to win. "Sometimes you can be caught on the counter attack but if you concede out of such a situation one minute later, it shouldn't even be a chance - a strike 30 yards out - killed the whole momentum, mood and confidence. It was a deciding moment in the game. We're not playing for warm words or just good performances, we're also playing for points and we have to improve our quality in both boxes to win them. "I won't blame any of my players. The story of the season so far, we've lost against three teams we had no chance against - away at Chelsea, Man City and home to Liverpool. In all the other games they have been goalless draws or we've been losing by one goal, once or twice with two goals. "They're tight games and we are at times the better side, but we have to add quality in both boxes to make a block, save or tackle, a final shot or decisive pass in a key moment to score goals. If it's always competitive and you're not the worst side but are always unlucky, it's a little bit of a lack of quality. We have to stay self critical. "I'm happy with the workload and what my players invested into this game. We were by far the better side in the first half and had the momentum after the equaliser. It's not about a young player or more experienced ones who make mistakes. We have to add more quality to give ourselves the chance to win more points. Sadly, we lacked this in the decisive moments and we need to improve them." Farke explained his team selection, noting that he wanted his side to be more attacking against Leeds than in previous weeks. "After conceding too many goals in the beginning of the season we wanted to be solid at the back and we managed this in the last weeks," he said. "The game against Chelsea killed the momentum a bit but in the three games before we were solid in terms of defending. "It was always the plan in the home game against Leeds to go for it and have many offensive players on the pitch. It's not enough to just get a goalless draw. These games you need to win points. Although we lost against Chelsea with many goals, we wanted to go for it and be brave and it paid off in the performance with many good situations. "To not manage to bring the ball over the line in the final third and to concede the goals was disappointing. The topic is that whatever setup we have, whether it's many offensive players or more defensive, we have to use in difficult games against top sides is to show quality in both boxes. "After a loss at home against Leeds, it's not the time to give some fighting messages. We will speak a bit less and work a bit more. If you don't have the quality and financial possibilities to buy high quality players at both ends of the pitch then you have to work harder on the training pitch, which is what we should do now. "Brentford away is quite a similar game against a side in the bottom half of the table. We are always competitive in these games. If we can find this quality on the training pitch then there's no doubt we'll have chances to win these types of games. My lads deserve many compliments for the work ethic and unity that they put in."
Not sure what that as to do with your original point but as we're there, it's 2 more wins than Newcastle, 6 more points, they have 3 home games coming up they need to win because the next 3 aways are very difficult, they have a tough December too, so by the time the transfer window comes around I still expect them to be bottom 3, regardless of money if you are a top player are you really wanting to go there until at least you know what division you're going to be playing in come next season January a known time there's not much activity let alone any PL club wanting to sell to you knowing next season you'll be spending for fun, so most will want you relegated. Obviously a lot depends on who they attract as manager first.
Thought the game was pretty even apart from the fact we had Raphinha. We looked more likely to create. They looked like they were just throwing it forward hoping something went their way. They were the home side. Does he expect kudos for trying to attack?
How were Norwich the better side? We had more possession and twice as many shots on target. On the BBC site none of their players get a rating as high as our worst player. Only 1 gets rated over 5. We played **** but won. I'll take 10 more of them. We've lost 4 from 10. Whoever played Manure in the first game for ages at home was going to suffer. Liverpool and West Ham will be there or therabouts at the end of the season and we were **** against Southampton. We're able to grind out results, Norwich aren't
Agreed about Forshaw...thought he was excellent when he came on. The question now is, can he have such a positive impact when we're either chasing a game or trying to turn a draw into a win ?
The point I should have made clearer is that Newcastle will strengthen a lot in January. They have the money to do it. You were asking about teams of quality which are in or hovering around the drop zone. Obviously none. They, are there on merit; as are we. Other teams though like the ones I mentioned are picking up unexpected wins whilst we look lost at sea at the moment. Do we have it within ourselves to scrap for our lives? Even the normal reliable Phillips and Llorente are looking shakey.
