OTF

Krafth and Willems both start. Also 9 other players.

The lows and lows of Jetro Willems. What a start he's had.

100% real. That's not all he said, but he was mostly more guarded than I expected.

Bruce: "I'm delighted for me staff firstly and more importantly the players who responded in the right way.... they were brave....we thoroughly deserved it" "I've managed 900 odd games over 20 years, you'd think there would be some sort of respect" "It will hopefully give the doubters a little shove"

Keeping Shelvey out of the side will help. Glad we have the VAR or else Dean would have given a penalty. It rightfully wasn't given by the VAR, Kane definitely played for the penalty, Lascelles daft to go down like that though, assuming he didn't just slip. At least he committed to the act and went off with an 'injury' afterwards.

Geeze, we'll still 19th with the 3 points, funny table at this stage of the season.

Completely unexpected, but completely deserved. If we're going to criticise Bruce on previous games we have to begrudgingly give him credit here. He's the managerial equivalent of Steven Taylor, so he's no doubt absolutely soaring on the inside.

Dummett has had a fantastic game. Dean finally found a reason to give Joelinton a yellow.

There's our Atsu

Kane moved away from the ball into Lascelles playing for the penalty.

Atsu down now and Joelinton asking them to put the ball out Harry Kane has moved into Lascelles there, that's why they've correctly given no penalty there. Lascelles bloody lucky though.

He's back up and looks completely fine. Trolling?

Joelinton down quite dramatically, hopefully not serious.

At times?

Where has this Atsu been?

The second looked a good tackle to me.

If we get through to the whistle in front can we please keep Bruce out of the dressing room? A strategically placed catering tray ought to do the trick.....

Joe, Joe Linton, he'll soar through the sky, He'll score on the deck, he'll score rising high. He's had an excellent game to be fair, his hold up play and passing has been great.

Yes! Nice ball from Atsu, super composure from Joelinton to get off the mark.

Clearly responding to my observation. Someone else call him shit pls....

Longstaff is having a terrible game.

No mind, we've got ordinary (purple) on the bench with Manquillo. ASM crocked. Perhaps better than explaining his inability to get to the earlier free kick with just being shit.

Assuming Krafth's poor start was down to nerves and not just being ordinary.

I'm predicting 29% first half possession. Suppose that makes me an optimist.

Other 'making up the numbers' clubs are at least able to maintain a veneer of ambition, each season attempting to improve the performance and squad of the last. Ashley can only maintain that illusion with the most ill informed 'supporters' (and unfortunately many mainstream media outlets). There is no attempt to improve, no vision for the future except the hope that young players will increase in value. This has absolutely nothing to do with the football team that plays, the only objective there is to survive. Even a lack of support/attendance from locals isn't a huge problem for them, Ashley wouldn't care if the stadium was half full and we stay up. It's why my thinking at the moment is it's more important that we get relegated than have well coordinated boycotts. The main benefit of the boycotts would be to kill the atmosphere and any boost the players get from it. As counter intuitive as it may first seem, supporters of Newcastle United don't have anything to lose by being relegated, it's Ashley that will suffer.