15 Aug 2024 17:55:55
Before a ball has been kicked, one of the more entertaining and honest punters, Paul Merson is saying we will be walloped time and again if we attempt to play out from the back.

He says we must change our style from last year or at the very least mix it up if we are to stay up.

Frankly, I agree with him. Newcastle thrive on the high press and Stephens, McCarthy and Manning (whoever) trying to play intricate little passes in our 18 yard box frightens the life out of me.

There's very few teams that can play that way successfully yet it has become a footballing fashion. Hell, I even see school kids try to replicate this no doubt influenced by wannabe coaches.

Like most things in life, there's a time and a place for such indulgence but please Mr Martin, have a strong plan B.

1.) 15 Aug 2024
15 Aug 2024 18:58:35
Having watched Saints against Oxford Utd and seeing Nathan Wood and McCarthy caught in possession time and again I fear this is true. We looked good with Sulemana on the wing but playing out from the back we had no ideas when we had the ball

2.) 16 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 11:22:42
I'm going to say something unpopular.I'm beginning to like RM. Not so much his tactics, his stubbornness might be our downfall.

I'm talking more about as a person and how as a manager that reflects out towards the players/people in the team and gives everyone an overall belief.He already has a great relationship with arguably 2 of our most influential players Bellis/Downes (wether they cut it in the premiership is another thing) and that relationship seems to have spread throughout the team to players like smallbone, Armstrong and others.

I think he (RM) has a very broad and cultured way of communicating and I think players there will have his respect as a person, which is just as (if not more) his respect for managerial prowess. If he turns out to be a Nathan Jones in the premier league then he needs to go by Christmas. However, if there are signs of progress, wins overall good play then the fans need to get on his side the same way the players seem to be. To be less fickle and more united instead of chopping and changing and never knowing who we are or where we're going.

The only issue is that he seems to focus a lot more on that and his core togetherness than being able to adjust when need to.

We're all human though and hopefully he is willing to learn and grow as his managerial career does. Either way I'd rather be going down on a sinking ship with everyone committed and on the same page (which seems the cases) if/when that time comes then a disjointed/disruptive unhappy one.


The goalkeeping situation is the elephant in the room though and if he's not willing to address that maybe he won't be willing to address other things when needed. Although the goalkeeping situation has been a issue for a long time throughout various managers, maybe there's someone on the inside over claiming how good our keepers are . because they're not, they're really really not.