Games in hand at the top mean you have to win them... Newcastle are not winning games and look incapable of even scoring a goal. It's not it's absolutely gut wrenching for the players and they'll struggle to mentally recover.. unfortunately what comes next is an absolute battering and that'll kill them off . We've been having this discussion since Newcastle were 3rd and 7 points clear of 5th mate and in a week they'll be 7 points behind 4th. You've set your expectations based on a good run before Xmas and that's fine, but at some you will surely have to see that we're nowhere near good enough to come 4th.
I predicted 5th at the start of the season, based on our form last season and the players we'd brought in. Adjusted that prediction to 4th at Xmas based on our form then, prediction looks hopeful now but not out of the question. Spurs are not all that themselves and have had some dreadful results and very uneven form. They are professional athletes and it's their job and that of the managers to make sure they don't act like a big bunch of pansies and get all down about losing a final.
Form last season is irrelevant really because it's not the same teams or clubs. Spurs are winning games and have players that score goals. Liverpool will catch us soon. It doesn't matter what you are or what is said they're blood and bone and have feelings... confidence is huge. Newcastles confidence is low, it was low before yesterday and next is man City away. Howe now needs to do what he failed to do at Bournemouth which is turn around a worsening situation... he's got a real challenge but a few new faces in the summer should help. I genuinely think this 11 is 3 players away from being right up there ... then there's the squad though which is a few windows away. I know I sound negative but it's just nowhere near good enough to come 4th mate .... they don't win games or score goals.
This is a great summary and pure reality. Top 6 players - Pope, Bruno, Joelinton, Isak, Botman, possibly Trippier. Then there's the rest. The Greedy 6 each have 11+ Top 6 players in their squads. If we can add 3-4 in the Summer, then we'll be able to compete. If we add 1/2 Jan, and another few the following Summer, we'll be in the CL and competing for the league.
It's ok, you don't really do positive. Like when Bruno got injured against Fulham and you immediately said he'd be out for months, then he came back for the next game.
The other way to look at is is that we haven't been doing great recently but this time last year we were only just on the up turn. I'm definitely disappointed with the recent drop off, but a few tweaks and we have the opportunity to kickstart the same kind of run we saw 2nd half of last season. Do that and 4th is perfectly plausible.
We will lose this comfortably and then get back on track against wolves. I think we are going to finish 6th or 7th which will hopefully allow us to bring in a few quality players next season.
Well that's a bit batshit. Okay Karius did well yesterday, but he'll go back to being 3rd choice, Pope ain't being dropped. And Lewis? Wtf.
Despite the fact that Pope has been awesome for the whole season? Why Lewis or Laecelles? Why not Targett or Burn?
Yes as Pope lost his place and Karius doesn’t warrant losing his I think Schar needs a rest so we either have Trips, Lascelles, Botman and Burn out we have Trips, Burn, Botman and Lewis. Targett isn’t fully fit and I wouldn’t risk a whole game on him. Soo I choose Lewis > Lascelles
He was brought in under Bruce and was clear that he needed to learn off someone experienced. Since then he got injured after playing a good game under EH. He needs a chance
He didn't lose his place, he was suspended for one game. The quality of another keeper did not make him lose his place. Playing Lewis against City would be a sucide mission.
He lost his place through his own actions Player comes in and doesn’t deserve to be dropped Lewis isn’t that bad but as usual a young player needs support
