The Toon Army Thread

[NUFC Tiger]

Bloody hell that was frustrating. 2 good shouts for penalties not given.

Oh well, not the end of the world. We went undefeated in preseason, let's hope this is a gentle slap that this won't be a cake walk.

 

[briztoon]

First half was very pedestrian.

Not overly fussed with either handball situation. Second one the Fulham player had his arms tucked in to his body, and if the situation was reversed I'd be livid if a penalty was given against us.

 

[robertg22]

Fairly ordinary performance. Colback and Dummett are still s**t in the Championship and Anita wasn't much better. Desperately need Mitro in there, I see him and Gayle working really well together. Ritchie had some good moments and I like the look of Hayden.

Hopefully Diame is straight in for the next game in place of Colback and I wouldn't mind seeing them play Gamez at LB instead of Dummett.

 

[briztoon]

Todays rumours.

According to The Sun Rafa wants to sign Everton left-back Brendan Galloway. Galloway is a former England U-19 international despite being born in Zimbabwe and has featured in 17 PL games for Everton in his short career to date.


According to the Mirror, Newcastle are ready to sell hot-headed striker Aleksandar Mitrovic. Toon chief Rafa Benitez feels he cannot trust the 21-yr-old, who is currently serving a four-game ban.

 

[robertg22]

I can't see us selling Mitro... Galloway would be good at LB though!

 

[robertg22]

About to listen to a radio stream of the game... this is where we are at! Not being broadcast anywhere apparently.

Not sure about the lineup, Anita on the right? We need wingers...
Apparently Ritchie has picked up a knock. At least Diame is starting, looking forward to 'hearing' how he goes.

 

[robertg22]

About to listen to a radio stream of the game... this is where we are at! Not being broadcast anywhere apparently.

Not sure about the lineup, Anita on the right? We need wingers...
Apparently Ritchie has picked up a knock. At least Diame is starting, looking forward to 'hearing' how he goes.

Aaaand the radio stream just cut out. Apparently you have to be a NUFCTV member to listen. Sucks!

 

[briztoon]

About to listen to a radio stream of the game... this is where we are at! Not being broadcast anywhere apparently.

Not sure about the lineup, Anita on the right? We need wingers...
Apparently Ritchie has picked up a knock. At least Diame is starting, looking forward to 'hearing' how he goes.

Ah that brings back memories of listening to ABC radio in the 90's and hoping that NUFC was match of the round, otherwise it was just score updates during the main match.


As for the game. Gulp, the season hasn't started according to plan.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Was out at a party last night and was only following it on my phone...worrying times!

Not sure what is the cause for our slump start? Maybe expectation or something mental? On paper, we have plenty of talent but its not replicating onto the pitch. Anyway, it's a long season - no need to panic...yet.

At least we scored this week (and Gayle opened his account). Next match let's try and get a clean sheet and improve a little better.

 

[robertg22]

At least we scored this week (and Gayle opened his account). Next match let's try and get a clean sheet and improve a little better.

Just... his pen was saved and he hit in the rebound.

Big problems already - trust Rafa to turn it around quickly but if your 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 99th choice RW is Vurnon Anita there are issues.

 

[briztoon]

This from my regular NUFC haunt.


Don't be too down. Having been there, I can tell you that the Championship is a * of a hard league. Sure, the PL has the glamour but, generally speaking, it's more predictable. Also with there being more clubs, the Championship's busier and more intense.
And, the important thing, the teams are HUNGRY. So, keep faith with Rafa. It seems the team is where it was at the end of last season but it just needs to get its eye in, and to get hungry too.
There are some (no one on here I think) who thought that NUFC, as a 'natural' PL side, would have a nice stroll among the lower orders before being popped back up next year. Those guys are wrong. To get back up there you need to really want it, and it'll take a couple of games before that reality sinks in for a few of yours players. Look at the Tigers this afternoon. They're hungry and really up against it, and they picked up where they left off. We'll have to see whether they can keep it up.
So, when Rafa's got the measure of the opposing teams, he can really push his team but he'll also need to be ready to kick out the dead wood.
Last year I predicted that you wouldn't go down. Although I was NEARLY right, I was wrong. I'm not going to be so foolish as to predict an automatic return to the PL but that might take a while.

 

[briztoon]

And this.

Well, it is now abundantly clear that we are not going to walk our way to promotion and are already facing a battle to compete at the top of a demanding league.

We seem to have problems in all departments:

* at times yesterday we are all over the shop defensively. As ever, Janmaat was caught out too far forward and Lascelles and Mbemba each made a number of individual errors. Mbemba's error lead directly to Huddersfield's winner. Keeper Sels didn't have a save to make in the entire game and yet we conceded two really soft goals. Rather worryingly, Lascelles looks as though the weight of the captaincy may be affecting his performances.

* in midfield we seem to lack both physicality and creativity. Out wide, Ritchie looks our one class player, but that is it. Aaron's has been absolutely hopeless and clearly is not yet capable of playing at this level. Anita is whole-hearted but obviously not a wide midfielder. Hayden looks a good player in the making, but is rather naive positionally at times. Shelvey flattered to deceive yesterday: lots of short range passing but largely inaccurate with the longer stuff. Colback was hopeless at Fulham and seems to have regressed since coming here- being messed around positionally may not have helped.

* up front we have been utterly toothless. Gayle has struggled to make any impression but without much of the kind of service his pace demands. Perez looks slow, continually gets caught in possession, and looks a pale shadow of the player he was two years ago. Armstrong looks right back to being brought on late in the game and having to run around like a blue-@rsed fly. He doesn't appear to have made much progress but being used like this will most definitely not assist his development. Short of another decent signing it looks as though everything now depends on Mitrovic being able to form a potent partnership with Gayle.

Norwich have dropped down but retained the majority of the team that came down and added to it. In contrast, we have gone for revolution/rafalution. Frankly, several players look lost right now as we search for any kind of cohesion. Of the new signings only Ritchie has looked like money well spent so far, although Hayden has done ok.

Without question, Townsend is a massive loss and I feel sure we would look a better, more composed team with him, Wijnaldum and Sissoko in the side. However, we are where we are. Clearly, it is going to take Rafa some time to create a functioning team from the disjointed crew they have looked to date. We have to believe he has the nous and the ability to do so.

Personally, I'm not entirely confident with some of our acquisitions, and suspect we are in for a rocky ride for a while. I do believe Rafa will get there in time, but he needs major contributions from players like Shelvey and Mitrovic going forward.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Just... his pen was saved and he hit in the rebound.

Big problems already - trust Rafa to turn it around quickly but if your 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 99th choice RW is Vurnon Anita there are issues.

True that! Winger surely needs to be a priority signing. I like Anita but he's not a RW. Someone capable of creating chances and bringing in those around him into the game. We seem to be missing that creative spark.

I think we need another target man too. Mitro will be great once he's available but he's a hot head so would surely spend some time on the sidelines in future matches due to suspension...

 

[TheLoungeLizard]

I had a bad feeling in the pre season that the club were drinking their bathwater about walking back up the PL.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Well fair to say we needed that! A win and a comprehensive one at that haha.

Hopefully that gives us the confidence to start our season now!

Hayden, Ritchie and Gayle with 2. Gayle's freekick is something special. All the new boys on the scoresheet too!

 

[robertg22]

Good to see we're back on the winners list. Gouffran got a start too

At least we are now out of the relegation zone haha. Away vs Bristol City this weekend, wow this league moves fast.

 

[tige19]

Howay the f....n lads, and we're off! Need a solid unbeaten run now, only 4 points from top

 

[robertg22]

3 goals from Gayle so far, he could be on track to post something pretty big this season. I still reckon he'll be great next to Mitro.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Yeah I think a few of the pace setters dropped points this week so we're not too far off it. Early days but a definite confidence booster.

Apparently Gouff was actually good too!

Clark made his debut in place of Lascelles and gave away a penalty lol. Mbemba apparently was faultless.

Diame missed through injury I think. Anita came in for Janmaat at RB, Perez and Ritchie both started as well. Shelvey apparently misplaced a lot of long passes but Hayden was good in the middle.

Seems like still quite a few kinks to work out for Rafa and the coaches but at least we got a positive result!

 

[tige19]

Yeah I think a few of the pace setters dropped points this week so we're not too far off it. Early days but a definite confidence booster.

Apparently Gouff was actually good too!

Clark made his debut in place of Lascelles and gave away a penalty lol. Mbemba apparently was faultless.

Diame missed through injury I think. Anita came in for Janmaat at RB, Perez and Ritchie both started as well. Shelvey apparently misplaced a lot of long passes but Hayden was good in the middle.

Seems like still quite a few kinks to work out for Rafa and the coaches but at least we got a positive result!

Hayden is pl standard, need to keep him.. Miles better than useless Jack. Wasn't to happy with Lascelles being dropped but it does show how ruthless Rafa is.

Janmaat needs to go, Sissoko needs to go as well.. Both guys have terrible attitudes.

I think Mitro will be dominate the league when he comes back, could be the making of him.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Sissoko is the one I would love to see sent packing. I wonder what happens if no one puts in a bid though? Will he roll up his sleeves and get involved?

Mitro one more game on his ban. I agree, reckon he will flourish like Carroll did. Just hope he can calm it down a bit too! Love his passion but have to stay available for matches as well.

 

[robertg22]

Reckon Moussa ends up at Palace with Pardew. They've just sold Bolasie and Jedinak so there is a spot there for him. A bit of a far cry from Real Madrid or even Arsenal though! lol

Hopefully them and him get relegated this season.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Haha would be something if that happened! Pards, Toonsend and potentially Sissoko going there with Gayle coming to us. Might need a bus charter between the 2 training grounds at this rate!

I like Palace so I hope they do well but it seems selling Jedinak has upset quite a few of their fans. Surprise surprise Pardew is getting a bit of flak over it.

 

[robertg22]

Haha would be something if that happened! Pards, Toonsend and potentially Sissoko going there with Gayle coming to us. Might need a bus charter between the 2 training grounds at this rate!

I like Palace so I hope they do well but it seems selling Jedinak has upset quite a few of their fans. Surprise surprise Pardew is getting a bit of flak over it.

Unfortunately looks like they've splashed out and bought Benteke with that money. Not sure they'll be going after Sissoko anymore. I very much doubt it, but wonder if he may even stick around at least until January. If he was switched on, he would be a huge asset over the coming months..

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Clark to LB, Lascelles to CB and in for Dummett, Colback for Shelvey and Diame in for Perez.

Let's hope for a positive result!