Christmas, already safe and the derby …

… three things we’re not supposed to mention yet

Well, it’s too late, I’ve just done it.

Seriously, I can’t be the only one who’s already started thinking about the home derby, even making plans. I have to say I regret not totally celebrating at Wembley, that was because I didn’t expect anything but pragmatic signings and a season long struggle.

Having signed players like Xhaka, Diarra, Brobbey, etc, everything’s changed and we now look like a squad with real balance and depth. My main focus is Everton but there’s a hidden clock ticking and getting louder. The last derby was as much of a shambles as you could dread. I’m not even expecting a victory, just the kind of performance we know we’re capable of.

The Mags were crowing when we went up and shouting ‘six easy points’ …

… they’ve been a lot quieter recently

Disclaimer - please avoid this thread if you believe in jinxes!

 

Navigate Everton and we’ve got a massive six pointer for the title with Arsenal. ;-)
What a Saturday night match that will be!
Then we can worry about the potential banana skin with the local rivals down the table….

 

That's a good time for a home ‘night match’ but far from ideal for Arsenal. They’re in Prague on Tuesday night then probably in Sunderland on Friday or Saturday morning. They’ll be hanging around all day then coming out to a raucous SOL crowd.

They’re an excellent side but I think we have a chance …

… it’s not the worst time to play them, it’s not the end of the season and a vital game for them.

 

Get 4 points from those two games and I reckon the club will action the A plan for January and maybe green light a cheeky little ground extension?

 

Lot of games, lot of potential injuries especially in training, before the mag game, don't want to think about it yet. One game at a time.

 

And that's just for them...

 

And if the Freak gets injured, they are goosed for Christmas

Loving it.

Hhhaaa'wwwwaaaaayyyyyy the lads

 

I don't think we need to fear anyone. I'm not saying we won't get beat or go through a tough patch, we will, but this set of players are capable of giving anyone a good game.

 

Watching "cash talks football" on YouTube and he's tipping up to beat the mags home and away. I hope he's right.

 

Just like RLB, one game at a time till we hit 40 points

 

Keep trying to not think of the skunks game, but like you say there’s a little clock ticking in the back of my brain

 

The dynamic for the derby is very interesting, I can honestly say I don't care about their results at all, not bothered if they win or lose, they have billions and play in Europe, who cares if they're winning or losing, what I do know is that they are checking our results constantly, we are ruining their weekends and they even say it on social media when talking to each other.

That is a good dynamic to have, not caring about them but us affecting their mental health. We will be freer to judge the derby as a game of football and if we lose (hope we don't) we can just assess the situation as it truly is, a newly promoted team against billionaires, they however cannot view it that way, a loss against us could send them into a spiral, all the guff they've been talking, all the billions, little old Sunderland etc They will melt down again if they lose, Saudi will be the new Fat Ashley, the players who didn't perform will be the new Remy Cabella or Boumsong etc there's a tension around Newcastle at the minute, inflated by our performances, that is ready to burst.

 

It’s a shame they have Prague and not someone decent, they’ll likely leave some players back here. But they were poor yesterday after playing midweek who knows, they’re relying on set pieces massively at the minute and we deal with them pretty well. Probably the toughest game of the season for me but we showed on Saturday we can go toe to toe with the big boys.

 

Didn't they struggle after their previous champions league game(s)?

Cracking post marra

 

Not really in the first two but they did yesterday. Be a different matter for Newcastle though they don’t have the squad rotation Arsenal have and they play leverkusen midweek before they play us.

 

I think the Derby will be a cracking game. They usually love a battle, bullied and battered Arsenal 3 times last season. If they aren’t at it, we have a cracking chance of victory.