Newcastle vs Chelsea

[Mário César 1,381]

2 hours ago, NikkiCFC said:

After 4 losses in a row there draw is ok but should have won that. 

lol newcastle also had great chances close to the end of the game

[Fulham Broadway 17,513]

Not just under Maresca, and not just under the current custodians - so many matches Chels don't get started till the 2nd half

Still, great advert for the PL as they say

[Blue Armour 4,586]

4 hours ago, Vesper said:

Trevoh and Fofana both are having horrowshows

NOT GOOD ENOUGH

 

Hope this match puts to rest the idea that they could be the solution to our CB problems.

Good squad players but wouldn't trust either unless they have a world class CB playing alongside.

[Laylabelle 9,595]

4 hours ago, Strike said:

Will remain P4 at Christmas.

3 summers in a row we've had the same set of problems. 

Level with Liverpool on points and potentially Man U if they win...Lucky we did draw or theyd be above. Despite their 'crisis'! 

But after the dodgy start I'll take it. Last season we used to start well then drop points so this feels nicer in a way then false hope! Rather just started and ended well!

[Vesper 30,611]

54 minutes ago, Blue Armour said:

unless they have a world class CB playing alongside

and there are DAMN few actual world class CBs out there (2026 world class level, not all time world class level)

a maximal list (includes ones who are injured and have not yet shown they will fully recover back to that level, those are in italics)

I am sure even with these there will be a BIG argument on some (I did say this list was maximal)

under 30yo's: (in order of T-Markt valuation)

William Saliba   
Alessandro Bastoni 
Pau Cubarsí (his valuation is too high though)
Gabriel Magalhães 
Dean Huijsen
Willian Pacho
Josko Gvardiol 
Dayot Upamecano (had fallen down, now is back to WC level)
Micky van de Ven 
Rúben Dias 
Murillo
Marc Guéhi
Nico Schlotterbeck
Alessandro Buongiorno
Levi Colwill 
Bremer

 

30yo and overs:  (again, in order of T-Markt valuation)

Marquinhos
Virgil van Dijk (but sliding down lately)
José María Giménez   (but is so often injured, as he is right now)
Antonio Rüdiger
 

the 2 ancients who defy father time

Nicolás Otamendi (I used to detest him, but he has aged like fine wine, the past 3 or 4 years he has been amazing, far better than when he was in his 20s)
Thiago Silva

 

and the closest, IMHO, under 30yos to WC, but not there yet 

Ilya Zabarnyi 
Leny Yoro
Ousmane Diomande 
Jarrad Branthwaite
Castello Lukeba   
Joel Ordóñez  
Luka Vuskovic   (18yo 1.93m Croatian beast who has exploded this season, on loan at Hamburg from, ffs, Spuds)

 

 

 

[TheHulk 2,596]

I mean was a good comeback but still disappointing, weren't Newcastle missing players.

[Mário César 1,381]

people are overreacting a bit

Draw was a decent result. All teams struggle a lot in ths stadium

[Blue Armour 4,586]

Watching that tackle from Reece James in the 77th minute.

Insane stuff, covering for that ball watching Fofana who lost his man.

No wonder Sanchez gave him a big hug at the end. One of the few players with high footballing IQ in the squad.

Would take that over low IQ, high talent players anyday.

[OneMoSalah 8,968]

Salvaged a point but won’t manage to scrape back a 2-0 deficit every week.

Anyone saying Maresca is the right man should watch that first half back, ok there is a reaction in the second half but the first half was absolutely spineless. Could even possibly have ended up with 3 points if we were lucky but be harsh on Newcastle, particularly given Sanchez’s saves & not to mention the Fofana hand ball that wasn’t given.

This isn’t the first or last time under him we have been talking about Jekyll & Hyde performances. Its every week more or less. Shite first half then get a reaction, improving second half. Or vice versa.

His obsession with Reece in MF is getting ridiculous though. Pick the best team. If it means you only play one of Reece or Malo at RB, go for it. Ok maybe we another top midfielder to come into the side to partner Caicedo long term. Fernandez makes a bit of a difference today but then you watch some weeks and he is an absolute passenger. Throw in the fact that Lavia probably gets injured thinking about playing football. I do fear if Caicedo were to get a big injury also, he is the only player you can actually rely on week in week out to perform to a high level. Would throw all the money in the world at Newcastle for Sandro Tonali to be honest, not even based on today, top midfielder who is coming into the right age, has plenty experience, very rounded, physically has great attributes too. 

Edited 13 hours ago by OneMoSalah

[Reddish-Blue 2,599]

23 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

His obsession with Reece in MF is getting ridiculous though. Pick the best team. If it means you only play one of Reece or Malo at RB, go for it. Ok maybe we another top midfielder to come into the side to partner Caicedo long term. Fernandez makes a bit of a difference today but then you watch some weeks and he is an absolute passenger. Throw in the fact that Lavia probably gets injured thinking about playing football. I do fear if Caicedo were to get a big injury also, he is the only player you can actually rely on week in week out to perform to a high level.

The problem is, the midfielders don't really fit together and Lavia can barely stay fit for 3 games. 

Alot of questions to be asked end of the season between Lavia, Santos, Essugo. 

As for Reece in midfield, feel like that may be the only way to keep him fit long term as we know he gets injured bombing up and down the right flank. 

 

[The Rising Sun 724]

We're going to be 10-13 points behind the leaders at halfway point in the season. Again around 20+ points behind the league winners.... Maresca has a ceiling.

[Fernando 6,676]

17 hours ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Not just under Maresca, and not just under the current custodians - so many matches Chels don't get started till the 2nd half

Still, great advert for the PL as they say

This is where our defending is important because we tend to start slow. The defense has to give the offense an opportunity to win the game. 

This is why I knew this season we would be up and down. It's the people that are expecting perfection that are disappointed. I think this is what happens when you don't focus on that aspect of the game. 

We should wait until next season to decide and even if the board decides to address this issue. Or just do the dumb stuff of firing the manager and think someone else can do amazing things without solving that issue... 

Edited 2 hours ago by Fernando