I just wanted to contribute my thoughts on the Newcastle United squad.
This follows the weekend loss to Everton and ahead of Manchester United at St James’ Park on Wednesday night.
Into March now and my thoughts on this Newcastle United squad:
Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale
Seen worse. both erratic.
Kieran Trippier
Big heart but too old and too slow now.
Tino Livramento
Good, majorly injury prone.
Sven Botman
Good, majorly injury prone.
Malick Thiaw
Decent, odd error, good signing.
Dan Burn
Big heart, but too old and too slow now.
Lewis Hall
Very good
Bruno
Very good, usually of sound fitness.
Joelinton
Injury prone, bumble foot, yet a bossman – on his day.
Sandro Tonali
Decent but erratic.
Joe Willock
Very average.
Jacob Murphy
Very average.
Jacob Ramsey
Erratic, might be decent.
Lewis Miley
Good, obviously injury prone.
Will Osula
Headless chicken, immature.
Erratic, decent, predictable.
Harvey Barnes
Erratic, decent, injury prone.
Slow, no pace, can’t jump/head, no aggression, good touch at times, seems sound injury-wise. Eddie Howe hellbent on finding his ideal position. There isn’t one.
Yoane Wissa
Decent, not recovered from injury.
Anthony Elanga
Headless chicken, needs to think more, pacey, potential to be decent.
A few other thoughts…
Coaching – dire set pieces in general. Have no real set-pieces from open play, movement patterns.
Possession, of the poor type, side-to-side passing mediocrity, no real defence splitting ball players.
Ideal formation(s) not sorted as yet.
Physio, weight-training, mobility, flexibility work clearly ill-thought out. Need a strict system in place looking for shortfalls in each area.
No Amanda Staveley, club feels colder.
The Rat issue – we never recovered from.
And we wonder why we aren’t battling for a Champions League spot.
Onwards and upwards.