26 Aug 2025 15:32:57
A few points from last night.
Konate head is elsewhere and is playing like he's already gone there.
Salah is a passenger. I do accept he was involved in the lead up to the goal but other than that, he was very poor in every aspect of his play.
Kerkez very poor for the goal. His positioning also very poor at times - trying to adjust to us still, so he gets a pass
Bruno should of been sent off with 2nd yellow for his foul on Chiesa - yellow all day
Finally the most frustrating thing for me was how we set-up to defend for the 2nd Newcastle goal. Why you defend so high with the game in the melting pot. Defend your box Limit the space and pack the area, don't do the opposite. Very naive ?
In saying all that, 3 points which is what we wanted and we got them, a lot of teams will struggle there this year.
Serious improvements needed for Arsenal game.
26 Aug 2025 16:01:36
I’m not worried about the physicality … yet. Last night was a one-off, the equivalent of a derby, whipped up by all the externals, against a team with a thug midfield playing an English rugby kicking game. Reminded me of the era Everton always turned us over. So conclusions should be taken with a pinch of salt. Of course Arsenal next week won’t tell us much more since it will (or should) be more about quality, tactics.
My concerns start at the back, where bedding in two new full backs at the same time is too much. Way too early to condemn either of them, but I was unimpressed by Frimpong defensively pre-injury. Kerkez needs benching for a few months until he’s learned how to play. I’m not sure what was worse, his headless Julian Dicks tribute in the first game, which he was obviously told to tone down, or the resulting weak/ anonymous performance in the second. Pointless having him play out his growing pains when Robbo is there, and I’m tempted to say the same re Frimpong once Bradley is fit.
Then there is a serious Konate problem. WTAF. Actual Phil Babb level. After international break he must be pulled and Gomez start (unless Guehi signs, in which case even more need to ease in Frimpong and Kerkez)
26 Aug 2025 16:15:33
The only thing I would say is while Salah was not at his best, his involvement in the goal should not be underestimated. The early pass was perfect and a huge part in the creation of that goal. Big moment, big player.
But I get you are not dissing Salah overall. Agree his performance was not where he would like it last night but when you need him, he is always dependable.
26 Aug 2025 16:21:29
That was very poor defending for the second goal and as you say if we drop off we defend that better.
What annoyed me is why on earth when Newcastle were really putting us to the sword did we bring everybody back to defend?
No out ball so it kept coming back, also if we send one or two attackers to halfway Newcastle have to have 2 or 3 players with them and as they were a man down we would have had 2 more players than them plus a goalkeeper.
I was really annoyed that we allowed the toon back into that game last night.
3 points but "must do better" appears on their report from me.
Well done Rio I see a golden sky with this kid.
26 Aug 2025 16:25:21
I don’t think we can make any assumptions after these two games because there were extenuating circumstances in both games making them both difficult games to play in.
I think Wirtz has been really poor but him and the other new boys have been chucked into a really difficult situation in both games. Ekitike was largely anonymous last night too but when he got his chance he took it.
The ball was in play for around 40 minutes of a game that lasted 113 minutes. It’s impossible to play nice football when games are played this way. It was a slog and we came out on top, we should just be proud of that.
26 Aug 2025 16:30:21
Salah should have had a second assist if it weren't for Jones and the match was pretty much a powder keg with one team determined to play Pulis style football/ wrestling/ ufc.
Konate. Oh. Dear. Better to give YLFP the nod. At least he'll have the excuse of youth and inexperience for any mistakes he makes. Konate should do so much better. He's playing worse than Quansah right now.
26 Aug 2025 16:41:56
The thing is that I don't even trust the team to defend while being deep. It's like the team does not know how to defend from stopped play, be it corners, free kicks, throw ins or whatever.
I trust the team more defending a counter than any set piece.
There were good things about yesterday's game, but that part is worrying, specially next week against the spanish Stoke.
26 Aug 2025 16:59:58
I was also fuming with that performance aswel mate. But what we’ve all got to remember is, this club has been through a lot over the summer, we can’t begin to understand how difficult it might be for the lads still with it being still very Raw.
It’s got to be hard, and if that focus isn’t 100% in the premier league, which understandably in moments it might not be, well we know how difficult it can be.
No excuses just being realistic.
26 Aug 2025 17:20:10
Wirtz made great runs all game but nobody looked to pass, I think some need to look at the bigger picture here, if the ball doesn't come not sure what he can do. I was impressed how he hustles though, it will take time for others to see his runs.
Another point although we weren't great Newcastle only had 3 maybe 4 shots on target.
26 Aug 2025 17:13:07
Poll: Jones or Elliot? I would keep Elliot, he has that knack of making something happen. Jones had us 10 v 10.
Did Salah only make one pass last night? It felt like it, he was embarrassing. Diogo is still on his mind because he isn’t at the races.
As for Konate, Lord have mercy. Real are welcome to him. He is a basket-case right now.
Wirtz: welcome to the Premier League! Tough intro and steep learning curve ahead but some delightful touches. Plus he gets stuck in.
Kerkez needs some help. He looks a shadow of the player that kept Salah in his pocket last season.
Ekitike is some player. He is going to be a menace this season.
Finally, Rio - cometh the hour, cometh the man! What a debut!
26 Aug 2025 17:32:13
Very true. Two very difficult games to start the season.
We had the opening game at home with the tragedy of the Jota incident rightly taking centre stage and then away to Newcastle which is one of the hardest places in the league to get a result.
Despite there being lots of areas for improvement we’re currently one of 3 sides sat top on maximum points.
26 Aug 2025 17:54:44
Konate was shocking, no excuses! I don't care if his heads elsewhere, he playing for Liverpool FC. Kerkez not much better, his markking was all over the place at times. Wirtz seems to be adjusting to life in the Premiership, although he made some great runs. Sometimes I think he's one step ahead. I thought after we scored the second goal we stopped playing, downed tools and decided to manage the game which played into Newcastle's hands. The fact of the matter is, if we play like that against Arsenal, we'll get hammered.
26 Aug 2025 18:34:56
Two nil up! playing against ten men for circa HALF a game, having had ten days to prepare no excuses whatsoever.
Also reference Wirtz, is he a serious improvement on Harvey Elliot! only playing time will tell? The midfield three gravy, macker, DOM-ination are set in Stone for the big, big games, ye don't disturb the engine room for anybody in big games, macker was badly missed last night.
I hope to God "CON"-ate DOES not sign, WHEN he doesn't I would not include him in the 25 man squad, he can ROT at leisure with his agent.
Isak and a top, top CB are "DESPERATELY" needed before 7pm next monday night.
26 Aug 2025 15:46:52
The defensive line wasn't the problem. Konate playing the man and ignoring the ball was the problem.
26 Aug 2025 15:53:10
Give ita rest with slagging off the players will you. Yes Salah was average but that was because he was being assaulted out there, seriously did you even watch the match? 3 players kicking him and tugging at him all game. seriously can't stand posts like this from armchair managers.
26 Aug 2025 19:57:51
Years ago someone once asked me why Robbie Fowler didn't get substituted. That's because he can do nothing for 90 minutes then produce the magic for a winning goal, either scoring or assisting. Sure enough Robbie popped up, in stoppage time with the winner that night and Mo laid on a perfectly weighted ball for Rio to thump in.
A goal, an assist and the cross which created chaos for Chiesa's goal against Bournemouth in two games this season. Enjoy him while he's here, you'll be telling your Grandkids how good he was in time.
26 Aug 2025 20:28:28
Jeez, imagine when we actually lose.
26 Aug 2025 21:10:58
“Also reference Wirtz, is he a serious improvement on Harvey Elliot! ”
Wondered when you’d come back to the pages 007.
We did win both games but yeah probably enough there for you to latch onto and spin it into a negative overreaction. Nice!
26 Aug 2025 21:56:26
I think the nurses have given him web access after the tranqs wore off.
26 Aug 2025 23:13:36
Newcastle played a physical game and we weren’t up for the fight. We stole 3 points. So yes we can criticise. Arsenal will murder us if we play like this next weekend.
Stop bleating about how our players were kicked, assaulted etc, it is a contact sport. The referee was shocking and we made Dan Burn look world class when he is just an oaf.
We need to show some fire at times and apart from Szoboszlai we didn’t have it.
Salah, stats don’t lie, he got kicked blah blah blah. He gets kicked every week. He never gets protected by officials. However he is definitely slowing down and was pocketed by Livramento. Thank goodness they moved him to the right-back. Solid assist for the winner and should have had another but Jones is Jones.
27 Aug 2025 08:51:42
Just reading some of the comments above, wow think we need to take a step back and realise these players are human beings. The Konate narrative clearly due to not signing a new deal. Don't forget he lost his best mate in the squad just over a month ago. Same with Salah, you could see after Bournemouth have it's effected him. These blokes won us the league last season cut them some slack. 6 points from games which you would think could be two of the hardest we have all season.