The Fish

We're back baby We're creating plenty of chances, we're just not putting them away. Hopefully getting the new signings integrated will fix that. But we're not really the big story for me. That's Liverpool, Chelsea, Sunderland, Spurs and Forest. They're scoring significantly more than you'd expect from what they're creating. We're maybe over performing a bit in defence, that could be due to good performances from a good 'keeper or it could be profligacy from the opponent. But again, I don't think we're the big story here. Look again at Spurs, Sunderland, and Liverpool. Also... Brentford are perhaps paying the price for their 'keeper's shortcomings? We are safely in the good box, creating a good number of chances, and not allowing many the other way. The Top Left box is where you don't want to be.

Why not

I was about to say the same thing. To be clear, I wouldn't blame him

Antony Gormley been up to beach-based mischief again?

And your 'point' is still not accurate. Getting Sesko (for example) would not be replace Isak. He's a different type of player to Isak, isn't he? As is Pedro, and Mbeumo, and so on. Ekitike is a similar style but isn't the finished article either, and we'd need to have changed our style of play to accommodate that. Howe wanted Woltemade. There hasn't been a setback, you're just a teenage girl trying to have a tantrum.

ya basic

Careful, your hubris is showing.

Jesus Christ you massive jinxy Jonah

I'd agree with that, but I just don't have any faith in Lascelles any more. Even against League One Bradford City.

This is what always stuck out for me. We're supposed to entertain the idea that an advanced alien race would build a rudimentary structure instead of, y'know, something that would seem incredible even to our eyes now?

Guardiola got shit for not changing for Haaland, now he's getting shit for changing to suit Haaland. Football fans are, by and large, fickle little bitches.* *yes I include myself in that

I think that's where we're lucky. Everyone is pretty sound and while yes there've been a couple of pushy parents turn up, they soon left either because their kid was too good for the club, or because the head coach told them to fuck off. I actually got a bollocking on one of the earliest sessions. Head coach pulled me to one side and calmly stated that I wasn't a coach, I was a parent, so no coaching from me and only encouragement. If I couldn't stop calling out then me and my boy can fuck off somewhere else. Another Dad saw it, and saw me looking suitable chastened, and quietly reassured me that they've all had that chat.

But CT, there isn't an available Isak replacement. We'd have needed to sign one of; Haaland, Martinez, Osimhen, Mbappe, Kane or Gyokeres. That wasn't happening, was it? Even Ekitike isn't an Isak replacement, he's a gamble with potential. So, knowing that the club pivoted to other options. A priority option that was initially considered out of reach, Woltemade, has huge potential but is a very different type of player. So that means we'd have to change the way we play to get the best out of the team with him in it. That change takes time and, importantly, repetition. We've had a disrupted preseason, We've been without Wissa this season so far, and Woltemade isn't yet up to PL speed, Gordon has missed games as well. So we couldn't get him bedded into the side yet. I'm fairly confident that the idea is to spread the goal threat across the team, instead of one player being the outlet. If goals can come from left (Barnes/Gordon) or right (Elanga/Murphy/Wissa) or through the middle (Woltemade/Wissa/midfielders) then the opponents will find keeping us out a tougher task. That's what the evolution is. Not swapping a world class striker for a world class striker, but evolving into a new iteration of Howe's NUFC. And that in and of itself is impressive, that Howe is willing to alter his approach, or the way his team plays.

You know you're a mackem. We know you're a mackem. Why not just be out and proud? You'd get some shit, but you're getting it anyway so why hide? We could give you a badge, like with that historic black cat on it?

Well, he never shuts the fuck up, so I guess that's the sum total of my contribution.

Saying that if he continues like he did on Saturday I might have to start picking out obnoxious SUVs and overpriced golf club membership. The lad scored twice, made two decent saves when it was his turn in goal, followed instructions from the coaches, concentrated throughout and was encouraging the lads on from the sidelines when he was subbed off. Got Man of the Match. [/ProudDadVibes]

Look, I think I kind of get where you're coming from. You see Isak as a superstar striker who scored the goals, and neither Wissa or Woltemade are that. So to your thinking until we sign a world class striker, we've not replaced Isak. Is that right? If it is, then I'd say that replacing Isak doesn't have to come in a like-for-like way. He provided 29 Goals + Assists last season. As long as the club gets to around 100 G+A this season, then we've replaced him in the aggregate. Even then, if we don't score that many but still end up pushing for CL spots, going deep in a domestic cup and having a grand old time as we do, then we've replaced Isak.

100% But I think putting Woltemade in from the start last night would have been a mistake. I don't think the ball would have stuck because he'd have been trying to hold off superb centre backs and incredible defensive midfielders. Dropping deep would have invited Barcelona to enjoy the ball closer to our goal and for all that may have left space for the likes of Elanga and Gordon to run into, I think it's more likely that we'd have found the pitch more compact, more compressed and thus harder for our midfielders to find passing lanes. Better to keep Big Nick fresh for Bournemouth, imo.

That's all I want for my lad. We've got him playing Tennis, Cricket, Swimming and Football. We'll stop if he's not having fun, or if he wants to try something else but until then I just want him active and mixing with as many kids as possible.

That IMO is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Barnes form early last season was very important, and only Isak scored more than him. He does get opportunities and when he gets a bit of confidence, he's the kind of player who'll go on a run.

Aye, but what was the other option? Playing Voltemade who we're told isn't a goalscorer, and who plays best when breaking down a low block, who's inexperienced at this level and who isn't experienced in the way Newcastle play.

I think that's harsh. My take is that we played well, and could easily have walked away with a good or a great result. I never want to see Gordon in the middle again. It doesn't work, he's not a striker and we lose a little something on the flank. Barnes isn't doing anything to keep his place on that flank, so get Gordon back out there where he, at the very least, wins more freekicks, corners and whatnot. Elanga looked brilliant and if he'd had a proper striker to aim at I fancy us to have gone in at half time with an assist or two to his name. I'm not going to be negative about last night, we played really well against one of the presumptive favourites to win the Champions League. They've got two Balon d'Or shouts in their first XI and a team full of high quality players who are all experienced at this level. To lose 2-1 to Barcelona is not damning in the slightest. I think Howe was right in every selection he made, given the circumstances. He couldn't pick Wissa, Woltemade isn't up to speed yet and Barcelona have played a very highline where you'd have hoped Gordon, Barnes and Elanga would be able to punish (which they almost did). He stuck with the best midfield three and they did well, despite being up against two world class midfielders in Pedri and De Jong. He stuck with Trippier over Hall and Trippier pocketed Rashford until he moved inside, and Raphinha did nowt for most of the game. Gordon scores off the pull back, or Barnes pulls it back across the 'keeper and I reckon we win that game.

Also when you look at their start They've had an easier start than most (Worrying news for West Ham and Villa though).

It'll likely be Ekitike that throws the first wobbler to be honest. He's played well and yet the first 'massive' game he's unceremoniously dropped to the bench for a bloke who's not trained properly or played a minute of competitive club football? And I'm here for all of it.