Match Day Thread Newcastle United vs Reading - Predictions, potential line ups, pre-match and match day chat.

The first two games did not at all go to plan.

We're extremely lacking in confidence at the back and on the ball. Our defenders look like they're ****ting themselves half the time and no wonder. You get even less time on the ball now in the championship! All the opposition needs to do is try to rape our back four and we'll bend over and take it.

We have no experience at the back and little in terms of leadership or example.

We really could have done with having a target man like Mitrovic up top with Gayle so we could play simpler football, and get the ball out wide for good reason. But there's no one in the box to cross to.

I'd play this next game -


-Aarons---------Gayle--------Ritchie-
-----------------Shelvey----------
--------Colback--------Hayden---------
Anita----Mbemba--Lascelles---Janmaat
------------------Sels--------------------

Playing Diame or Perez in midfield is asking to lose possession. I'd play two defensive mids to shore up the back, with Shelvey playing up and down the midfield as a box to box mid.

We need to set our attackers and free, instead of playing the ball at their feet. Shelvey looked like creating something at times, and I'd like to see him further up the pitch slotting through balls through to our attackers.

We need to spread the oppositions arse cheeks with 3 runners off the ball.

WE SHOULD be ****ing worrying teams like Huddersfield and Fulham with our pace and quality, but we're not because we're doing exactly what they want which is playing the ball to the feet of the likes of Ritchie and having him cross in to no one!

Predicton - 1-1

I think we'll go 1-0 down, but come back to draw 1-1 and hopefully it will be the start of a come back.

 

Aye you could say that

 

Toon win 1-0.

 

Difficult to predict anything after the dross of the first 2 games....do we suddenly buck our ideas up now, or more of the same cack, with defensive looking fragile, no strength in midfield and a complete lack of threat up front?

Just predicting a draw would be the easiest option I guess.

If we're going to beat anyone, Anita has GOT to be in defence, it's completely baffling playing him in attacking midfield after he did so well at right back last season. And Richie MUST start, drop Aarons to the bench for now as he's been horrendous for the first 2 games and needs to earn his place back. I think Diame will improve quickly, and I'd be tempted to start him again, Colback and Hayden look shakey as hell in midfield together, so go for summink like:

-------------------------Sels---------------------------------
Anita--------Laecelles-------Mbemba--------Jamaat
--------Shelvey-----Diame-------Hayden------------
--------------Richie-------------Perez-------------------
----------------------Gayle--------------------------------

 

I'm going for a 3-0 win with Shola scoring a hatrick and Llambias running across the field naked

















.................wait a minute, I've used that one before

 

I would play the same team except lining up in the usual 4-2-3-1 formation.

1-0 win.

 

i think 2-0 toon gayle and ritchie to score.

 

Diame will not play as his injured as is Sissoko, but I question the latter!

Tough game, indiffernt form from reading with only two games played, 1 win 1 loss so it's hard to tell at this stage. New Manager in Jaap Stam which I find quite perplexing. He was a class defender, but this wasnt due to skill, ability or tactical nouse, but more for being a hench hard bastartd! So i dont know how that transfers into management, but then again Billic has done it.

For me I would start

--------------Darlow
Janmaat Mbemba Clarke Gamez
---------------Hayden
Ritchie Shelvey Aarons
------------- Perez
------------- Gayle

we are at home, none of this two DM's rubbish. Sells needs some time out, I think he was at fault for the fulham goal (I dont care what anyone says, put defenders on the post! the GK should sort that out) and he was in no mans land for the 2nd huddersfield goal and I think Darlow had a good end to last season, so lets build his confidence up and get him going!

MUST WIN GAME! or even a Must not lose!

Lets make a show of this, I mean really go for it. Make sure that the first 15 minutes every single player puts in 1000% and goes for an early goal! overload the box, pin them back, close them down, no time no space and take it from there, the momentum will then carry us.

Newcastle 6 - 2 Reading!

 

We need to be more adventurous from full back, play the RIGHT players in their favoured positions and push the ball far quicker. So far, we've resembled England far too much. I'd also drop Sels. Diame is injured.

Newcastle - 4-2-3-1 (no point in picking a different formation, Rafa will stick with this):

Darlow

Janmaat Lascelles Mbemba Haidara

Anita Hayden

Ritchie Shelvey Perez

Gayle

Subs: Gamez, Hanley, Mbabu, Colback, Perez, Armstrong, Gilliead

I've gone for Shelvey advanced midfield. We aren't shooting from range - he can. We aren't passing forward - he can. We have enough pace either side to compensate. He's more likely to pick a pass. Being more advanced might limit the 60 yarders. It's actually a 4-2-3-1 but morphs into 4-3-3. Perez or Aarons, I've replaced those two three times but might prefer a second striker. Anita tidy and busy alongside Hayden the ball winner. Haidara into LB because Dummett's useless. If not him, then Kevin Mbabu.

 

Perez on the wings? Howay lads he's useless as a winger. He just gets himself tied in knots.

He should only ever play off a target man or up front.

 

Drop him then. And play Anita there. Or Aarons, who is mindblowingly short of making the grade. Great!

 

I'd play Armstrong in place of Perez, who wants too much time on the ball. Armstrong does know how to score goals and must be given his chance, No use 10 mins sub appearances.

 

This, for me, with added sarcasm.

I know Perez isn't a winger. Anita is less of a winger, Aarons isn't yet a professional footballer. And besides we need to work on transitioning; my formation wouldn't have Perez as a winger as such; he and Ritchie should be making up a front 3, Haidara will provide more width (hopefully).

 

If Armstrong plays he needs to be played up front and the team play to his strengths. Not once in his Newcastle career has this happened. He's always played for us in a deeper role or out wide where he has much less impact.

 

Of course he's not a 'winger' but I'd only have him starting in that wing position at the moment as he's just been swamped through the middle. He has been effective on the left though at times, taking players on and getting to the byline, or cutting in on his right foot. Beyond those 3 players though do we have another option for the left side at the moment? I say left side because I think Ritchie looks far more effective on the right.

Is Haidara fit? I wouldn't be against giving him a go but he hasn't even been on the bench in the last couple of games so is he really in contention? I'm curious as to how Janmaat would do on that side which would allow us to see if Anita could repeat his previous form at RB.

 

So short of options it would appear despite all the players brought in.

Personally hope Rafa gets over this fascination for finding a place in the team for Anita.

Multiple changes, with a couple of more debuts.

 

I just want us to win, all these formations ffs

 

1...1....****ing hell on

 

Main thing that I have picked up from the first two games is tempo. Once Ritchie came on we looked a completely different team. We moved the ball quicker and looked a lot more threatening as a result.

We need to forget the Opta stats that the likes of Colback and Anita thrive on with successful 3 yard passes which get us nowhere fast. Anita should not be in the first eleven. He's nice and neat but never actually does anything.

For me Perez is another who should be getting spelks in his backside until he learns to concentrate and applies himself instead of swanning around. My team would be

Sels
Janmaat. M'Bemba, Lascelles Jesus
Hayden
Ritchie Shelvey Mohammed
Armstrong/Aarons Gayle

 

Diame out injured, so who do you put in?