Looking at this Newcastle United team v Hull City.
Matthias Jaissle and his players looking to bounce back from Monday’s defeat at Leeds.
Only starting work six weeks ago, the new Newcastle United boss having overseen three wins, two draws and that single defeat so far.
This afternoon up against a Hull City team that have confounded the ‘experts’ who had marked them down as relegation certainties.
The visitors having easily defeated Manchester United in their opening Premier League game, then going on to beat Coventry and draw with both Aston Villa and Chelsea. Although Hull did lose to Sunderland in the Carabao Cup after the promoted side made wholesale changes to their first choice eleven.
Matthias Jaissle’s side having claimed a place in the last 16 of the Carabao Cup and now aiming to make it eight points from their opening five Premier League matches which, if other results go NUFC’s way, could see them top six heading into an international break that won’t end until Coventry away on Monday 12 October.
As a reminder, this was the Newcastle team v Leeds on Monday night:
Hornicek, Dedic, Thiaw, Botman, Hall, Lewis Miley, Gonzalez, Barnes, Murphy, Wissa, Fernandez-Pardo
Burn, Joelinton, Jaouen, Elanga and Osula all missed Leeds due to injury. On Thursday at his pre-match press conference, Matthias Jaissle stated that Dedic, Gonzalez and Ramsey were also now on the injury list.
The Head Coach also stated that he didn’t think any of the injured players would be able to face Hull. Although on Friday the club released footage of the goalkeepers training and Ewen Jaouen seemingly looked fine. However, even if the French keeper is available today, that doesn’t help Matthias Jaissle with the fact that he appears to have such limited outfield options and Lukas Hornicek has been one of Newcastle’s best performers so far this season.
This was the bench on Monday night – Pope, Livramento, Schar, Bamba, Steur, Toure, Willock, Ramsey, Mason Miley
You have to have huge sympathy for Matthias Jaissle with so many early season injuries leaving him so few options for today.
Taking all of that into consideration, in my opinion….
This is my predicted Newcastle United team v Hull City:
Hornicek, Livramento, Thiaw, Schar, Botman, Hall, Lewis Miley, Steur, Barnes, Willock, Wissa
If my prediction is proved correct, this would mean four changes:
IN – Livramento, Schar, Steur, Willock
OUT – Dedic, Gonzalez, Murphy, Fernandez-Pardo
With so many injuries and clearly some of the young summer signings taking more time than others to get up to Premier League readiness, a very difficult balancing act for Matthias Jaissle today.
Hull City usually play with three central defenders and wing-backs, so with the options available to the NUFC boss, I have gone with the same.
Fabian Schar is a class act and against Millwall we were reminded of just how good he is with his passing. I have heard some fans talk of playing him in midfield but no way, in my opinion, he has the legs for that. However, if playing three/five at the back that then does give the chance to start off Newcastle attacks and step forward to pass/carry the ball.
Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall can also then play far further up the pitch and help stretch play.
I think Matias Fernandez-Pardo is a great signing but a tough ask for him to come in and instantly play the main role up front. My belief is that the United boss will keep him and Toure to bring their pace on later in the match against tiring Hull legs and hopefully space to exploit.
With Gonzalez and Ramsey set to be missing and Aladji Bamba taking time to adjust to the Premier League demands, it appears all but certain to me that Steur and Willock will come in. Always a chance that Murphy could stay in the starting eleven but this season he has largely struggled when named in the team.