I'm on holidayday too but tracked down a bar that will be showing it, although without sound. Not too fussed about listening to the commentary in Sweedish anyways. I can see why they have avoided conflict in the last 200 years, nobody looks at you let alone talks. So different from home, it could take a hour to fetch some milk from the corner shop with all the , "How You Doing's" , the Northern Irish, I just love em. Tensions and expectations high, COYW's!
My prediction for tonights starting 11.... Button Stearman Madl Kalas Odoi Parker McDonald Aluko Cairney Ayite Smith
Well the clappers, or should I say ThunderClappers, are out tonight Captain, so that's a good sign. Will give mine an extra whack or two on your behalf.
A couple of differences between my prediction and the real line up. Odoi at RB, Malone at LB and Tunnicliffe starts instead of parker. Button Odoi Madl Kalas Malone Tunnicliffe McDonald Aluko Cairney Ayite Smith
We probably scored with the only clear cut chance of the whole half. Newcastle having a lot of possession without doing much with it. The one thing I'd say for us is we look much more organised, actually look comfortable in defence! First time for everything. One more thing, Kevin McDonald looks very good.
Great win from the boys and a brilliant start to the season. McDonald and Cairney in midfield were brilliant, barely wasted a pass between them the whole game. The pace of Aluko and Ayite up top is something we haven't had for a while, both look very dangerous. Special mention to Odoi who bombed up and down the right side the whole game, looks a player. We look much better in defence also, managed to keep Perez and Gayle quiet and at no point did I think we look like we were struggling defensively, unlike almost every game last year! I don't want to take the gloss off a good win with negatives but for me there's two players that didn't do it for me tonight, Tunnicliffe and Malone. Tunnicliffe just always seems to slow things down for me, doesn't really bring much to the team in my opinion, and was lucky not to give away a penalty in the first half. Yet to be convinced by Malone, looks a very limited player. Very clumsy on the ball, you look at Odoi on the right side and he looks a natural going forward, Malone is the total opposite. I wish I could say that at least he can defend, yet to be convinced of that also... Still, very happy with that win against the supposed favourites to win the league. A few more bodies added to the squad and you never know, maybe it could be a good season
That'll do for a start. I would say 'onwards and upwards', but the best we can hope for is to stay where we are until May.
Thunderclapping Bl**dy Great The pick of many fabulous moments down the right side in the second half -
Great start - after what seems a long tense wait what with Ross and everything it is great to get a win under our belts especially against everybody's favourite to win the league. Let's keep it going and so happy to hear all the good words about the defence.
Agree entirely with your first para FAB. Disagree however with our second (except about Odoi of course, who was immense). I took a deep breath when I saw Malone on the team sheet and will admit that I started the game purposefully looking for negatives. Didn't find too many though and actually warmed to the guy. He seemed to have a good uderstanding with the CBs; held his line and all that. And didn't do anything rash defensive wise. He also made loads of really good over-lapping runs and often created an outlet on the left. Okay a few of his passes forward were mis-hit and maybe he could have got in an early cross more often. Overall thought he did absolutely fine. I'd say the same about Tunnicliffe. He's a 'journeyman' and I believe that's what Slavi asked him to be tonight. And be fair we didn't see much of the flaunted Newcastle midfield. While I'm here and on the the subject of individual players. A really tough choice 'cos I thought they were all brilliant but my MOTM was Michael Madl
Lots of positives from the game. Kalas, Madl & McDonald excellent performances. Good pace from Aluko & Ayite had their defence worried. Good start. The atmosphere was very good with 3 sides getting involved in getting behind the team all be with clappers. Sure it gave the team a boost. Got a bit worried in the second half when we went back to our old habits of defending too deep and allowing Newcastle to dominate. Our end ball was annoying in the second half, some nice movement but no end product as we tried to play tippy-tappy football out on the wings.
Don't think I heard the Geordie Putney End in the second half (much). Yup, but we were still sound in defence and I really only got a tad nervous in the last 5 minutes of normal time. Even then it was only in case that nonce of a ref gave them another dodgy scoring chance foul or a penalty. You're right about the end product as well, although the tippy-tappy stuff was simply delightful.The Newcastle boys were dizzy-doozy flumoxed time after time. And in fairness we did make a number of quick breaks into the box (especially Odoi, Ayite and Aluko); it was the final pass that was missing. Not always though; both Parker and LVC could have done better from cut backs.
Well that was enjoyable. Worth the trip - hanging around for the Cardiff game as well so looking forward to seeing how they progress over the next couple of games and who Slavi will bring in by then.
We all thought pre season had showed a much improved squad but this was the real test and although confident at the beginning of the week I was getting more nervous the nearer the game got. I probably made the mistake of reading Newcastle forums and got slightly worried reading such optimism. I thought there were many outstanding performances tonight. Odoi could be an incredible signing and our defence of Madl, McDonald and Kalas was a joy to see after last year. I thought that our midfield dictated the game, our intensity to win the ball was first class and we were worthy winners. Yes there were a couple of penalty shouts but I think the best team won. Newcastle will improve as the season progresses so it was a good time to play them. We made them look poor tonight, I can only remember one shot and unlike last season I was more assured about the defence that I could not see them scoring. It's just one game but what a confidence booster - Oh it's great to be back at the Cottage.
Yep fair enough, Malone did make a lot of forward runs and linked up well with Ayite at one point to get a shot away but other than that I'm struggling to remember anything good coming from him. Maybe I'm being harsh on him, Odoi having such a good game on the other side is maybe whats making me think Malone wasn't very good, could be harsh in comparing the two. Also, I still don't think Malone is at full fitness just yet, he did miss a bit of pre season, so possibly more to come from him. I'll give him a fair chance, same as all the other new signings. Tunnicliffe just isn't for me, never have been a fan. I've never came away from watching a match hes played in and thought "wow tunnicliffe had a really good game there". The way I'd judge a players worth to the team is by thinking if he hadn't played last night would we really have noticed or missed him? I don't think so anyway. Where as you ask that same question of Cairney or McDonald and the answer is very different.
