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S2-E15: An Away Trip To St. James's Park! Newcastle Crossover Episode!
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The Arsenal GSPN team hops on a pod with Iain from GSN Newcastle to do a crossover episode ahead of Sunday's Away Game at St. James’s Park! Join us and hear our thoughts ahead of a tricky away game this wááeekend!
Host: Iain Mackay
Guest: Craig Matthews, Rodney Gooden & Josh Duncan
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Transcript
Introduction to Daily Newcastle Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
bench
00:00:06
Speaker
Your daily soccer podcast with the Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:00:16
Speaker
Welcome to the Daily Newcastle Podcast. My name's Ian McKay. I'm your host.
Predicting Newcastle vs Arsenal Game Score
00:00:23
Speaker
Newcastle won Arsenal three. And I'm making a prediction for Sunday's game. I'm trying to actually tell you what the facts are that there's me here for Newcastle. And I'm joined by three of Arsenal's finest JD, Rodney, and Craigie.
Arsenal's Transfer Window Success
00:00:41
Speaker
How are you boys? And thanks for joining me. Yeah, we're good. Thanks for having us here. Appreciate it. yeah and Thank you. I know. It's a bit tough, isn't it? i i Where do I start? Where do I start?
00:00:55
Speaker
We will talk a little bit of Newcastle, but we're probably going to talk a lot about Arsenal. But then, as a Premier League fan, I'm very interested in Arsenal. Second... for each of the last three years. Of course, you could have been pipped for second had we managed to win at your place to the second game from last last season.
00:01:14
Speaker
We still remember that. and It's so all right. It's just something we remember, all right, because you never get that close when you're Newcastle fan. yeah First and foremost, we were talking beforehand, I was very impressed with the Arsenal transfer window.
00:01:31
Speaker
And then you went and bought Ezi and Hincapier as well. yeah You guys must be buzzing with the way you've strengthened your squad. How is it shaped up? who's Who's got into the team and made a ah ah big impression to start with an and who you're disappointed with?
00:01:49
Speaker
Any one of yous. I think it's an interesting one because I think disappointed, ah i haven't really seen anyone I'm really disappointed with. If there's one disappointment, it's the fact that Piero Hincapie is injured. And I was really excited by what I saw in the Bilbao game, that six minutes. And I'm disappointed in sense that he's not getting more game time.
00:02:05
Speaker
But for everyone else that we've picked up, I think, no, everyone's been really impressive.
Impact of Maduweke & Injury Concerns
00:02:08
Speaker
There's been no poor performances. There's been a few surprises too. I think Christian Mosquera coming in there and deputizing for William Saliba was probably the biggest surprise.
00:02:17
Speaker
Came in there immediately. Yeah, after that Liverpool game. and A bargain, wasn't he? Yeah, yeah. 13 million. And it's looking like we might need to go back and give him some more money. It's ridiculous. Yeah, really, really impressive talent. and ah Very, very surprised by his performances.
00:02:33
Speaker
And I think with Noni Mariweke as well, like I again, you know, KD and I talk about this too, like both kind of rated him while he was at Chelsea. But, you know, there was a lot of kind of kerfuffle with a lot of the Arsenal fans. a lot of people weren't happy with that signing. And I think he was one of the players that came in there, hit the ground running immediately and looks a very different player. So that's been something to really watch and be impressed by. but I mean, he looks a totally different player. I mean, you know, we, Madweke was somebody that we, that we were linked with because everybody knew we needed to strengthen on the right wing. Yeah. But, but they talked about Semenyo and they talked about Alanga and Sirius and talked about Mbwemo.
00:03:08
Speaker
There was a long list of players before Madweke. I mean, he would kind of been, He'd nearly have been as bad as signing Nicholas Jackson as a centre-footer. But Madweke is a different player at Arsenal, a different player for England as well, which is which is where I'm first exposed to how how fantastic he has hit the ground running.
00:03:28
Speaker
But he's got injured, which is a shame. How long is he out for? I think they need to do some scans early next week to really estimate it. But the story we heard when the injury news came out was it could be up to two months, could be a bit shorter than that.
00:03:41
Speaker
We'll find out next week when the kind of real diagnosis comes out, but it's probably going to be a fair few games.
Newcastle Squad Updates & Defense
00:03:46
Speaker
So a bit disappointing. I guess you could say one positive is Saka's now just come back, but I don't really like the one-in, one-out policy. yeah It makes me want to wrap Saka up in bubble wrap. yeah day that is That is the power of the squad though, isn't it? And that's what you've done. You've not just improved.
00:04:02
Speaker
I'm not sure you've improved a lot of the quality of the first team squad, although Jokeres is a player didn't have in that first team squad, centre-forward. yeah But you've certainly improved the depth so that you can take it ah an injury or two and in your stride without without it affecting the line-up.
00:04:21
Speaker
Now, I'm a little bit sympathetic about what happened to Maduweke, but what about buying a centre-forward, paying twice as much as he's worth, and sending him off to play an international game, and him coming back with a six-week knee injury before he's even trained with the squad? Yeah. Because that's what we've done with Wisser.
00:04:42
Speaker
and so And Jacob Ramsey, who managed a half before Sean Longstaff, of all people, crunched his ankle and put him out for two months. They're both due back at the end of the second international break. wow Between them, we've seen him play for 40 minutes. and Not to worry.
00:04:57
Speaker
We made other signings. We've got a good squad.
Arsenal's Season Start & Performance Review
00:05:00
Speaker
Our depth is there as well. and what about What about you, Craigie? Who's the best of the eight signings in your book?
00:05:10
Speaker
Vidal Waker and Muscara. hey Yeah. Yeah. They have been fab. They have been really, really good. So how that how's the start of the season? I would just ah encapsulate for the Newcastle listeners if they don't know.
00:05:24
Speaker
Arsenal have stuffed Leeds and Forest at home. They were, i don't know if you'll agree with this, as a neutral watching, quite fortunate to win at Old Trafford. I thought that was a really good game.
00:05:37
Speaker
but Yeah. as Well, and Controlled the game against Liverpool and ended up losing it. We all know what that's like. ye and then And i escaped, I think, with a point last week at home to City, which was a strange game.
00:05:53
Speaker
Neither team seemed to want to go for it. yeah Watching a game for an hour and a half where both teams are standing off each other is odd. How are you? Are you pleased with 10 points after five games?
Newcastle's Defensive Strengths & Scoring Struggles
00:06:04
Speaker
Yeah.
00:06:07
Speaker
Yes and no. Yes and no. Because I think at Anfield, I'll take a point any day of the week. We haven't won there since, I think, since Duabi. Duabi was playing for us, I think, and Cazola scored that goal. I think, was that 2012, I think? 2012, yes, 2012. More than 10 years ago, definitely.
00:06:26
Speaker
Yeah, so a point at Anfield, I'll take that. City, the City game was a weird one because... I knew would be some sort of yeah tactic masterclass from Pep and Arteta, but I didn't know be like that. Like, I didn't think, you know, that Man City would sit back and, then you know, we would have chances in the game. And we didn't really we didn't really take our chances.
00:06:46
Speaker
But on paper, would I take a two points, um a point from City, a point from from Liverpool? Yeah, probably would. ah probably would. So I'm not terrible at it, but we could do better. If we want to win the tie, we've got to do better.
00:06:58
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Is that same for you two, JD, Craigie? Yeah. What is six out of ten could have been better, but it's still, it's okay?
00:07:10
Speaker
Yeah, I think so. I think it's not horrendous, you know. It's by no means saying that we're completely written off, but I do feel that in those two games, Liverpool and City, I think best of the best. I agree with JD. I would have happily taken a point, a 0-0 draw, maybe a 1-1 at Liverpool, but I think the City game, we maybe could have gone out won that, you know, if we'd had maybe a bit of a shift in tactics.
00:07:28
Speaker
maybe showed a bit more ambition there. And I think I'd be happy with that result. I'm comfortable right now because I think some of the performances and some of the you know signings have really kind of hit the ground running and been impressive. But I do feel of those first five games, yeah, maybe I'd give it seven, eight out of 10.
00:07:42
Speaker
yeah wasn't It wasn't a 10. It could have been. It wasn't a 10. It wasn't a 10. Yeah, it wasn't like Liverpool. Yeah, there you go. To be fair, Liverpool will get 10 for being spawny, don't they? Because their performances are not 10 out of 10.
00:07:57
Speaker
Everybody's had a chance against them. Their winners have come in the last in in injury time in all five of their games. Yeah. Which I think you can't keep doing that. Someone's going to catch them. Someone's going to catch them all.
00:08:09
Speaker
Anyway, fingers crossed someone catches them out. We don't want it to be finished by bloody Christmas, do we?
Bionique Supplements Promotion
00:08:13
Speaker
Yep. We've got so six points out of our first five games. We were disappointed not to get anything out of that Liverpool game. That was heartbreaking.
00:08:23
Speaker
Yeah. yeah Got a very... a 1-0 win against Wolves. A lot of new players betting in, pleased to get a goal because our other three games have all finished 0-0.
00:08:35
Speaker
So this year, before Bradford scored on Wednesday, it's only Barcelona and Liverpool that have managed to score against us. and I think we've got the lowest shots faced in the Premier League this season. Yeah, yeah. Wasn't it five five matches in the league and what, four clean sheets? So I said, yeah, you've been yeah i pretty solid actually. yeah yeah Yeah, we are. We are. and The reason for that is that Schauer and Byrne are pretty strong in defence anyway. Yeah. but But we've bought, Bottman seems to be back to full fitness.
00:09:09
Speaker
You might remember from the season before last, he is a Rolls-Royce when he's back up. And we bought Chau, a German, from AC Milan. who is looks really good.
00:09:21
Speaker
Does things like, instead of knocking the ball back to Nick Pope, he does a Cruyff turn and beats the centre forward and then comes forward with it, which we haven't seen for a while. and But yeah, so I think defensively we were fine, but we started to get very worried about not being able to score in the four.
00:09:37
Speaker
ah We scored two against Liverpool and a goal. So the two home games we've scored, none away from home. But it did looks very exciting when we watch them on...
00:09:48
Speaker
against bradford Now, I know it was only Bradford, but I think we had 27 shots. Oh, wow. really, we should have scored more than four. um And that is all without that relative centre-forward. So, when Wisser comes back, yeah, we're hopeful.
00:10:02
Speaker
We're hopeful. Look, um that's opening the opening to the season and transfer windows finished. Let's hear from Ken and we'll get into some something about the actual game tomorrow.
00:10:17
Speaker
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00:10:37
Speaker
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Newcastle-Arsenal Rivalry
00:10:55
Speaker
Oh, Ken. I did a podcast with Nick Britton, who at the end of that said, every time I hear Ken do that advert, I need a shower.
00:11:04
Speaker
You know what he means, don't you? Oh, dear. and Part two. Now... Having discussed how good both defences have been this season, I'm going to say this because I'm hoping that sod's law will mean I'm completely wrong, but it doesn't look as if it's going to be a goal fest tomorrow.
00:11:25
Speaker
Q3 all draw, that'll be good. and Now, that when the crowd gets up at its new hill, it gets very tense. But I do think that just in recent years, maybe since Howe came to Newcastle, the Arsenal-Newcastle games, whether it's at your place or our place,
00:11:43
Speaker
They have an extra edge. And we love winding Arteta up. Yeah. asking him Asking him if he's going to cry all that, you know. ah And so i join in as well. We're all like it.
00:11:56
Speaker
What happened? Why has Newcastle Arsenal become so, not bitter really, because it's all done in good fun really. But I mean, why is this so why is it so spicy now?
00:12:08
Speaker
Any clues? Bruno. Bruno. ah yeah ah Yeah, to be fair, he's quite the character, isn't he? It's him and Trippier. Them two, every time play against them, they're always physical, kicking, leaving their studs on players. So, I would say them two. Them two start it up and they get, even the League Cup game last season, I think them two get into us straight away. As soon as you get the ball, boom, tackle.
00:12:36
Speaker
So, I think it's them two. yeah yeah rather right right up. I get that. I get that. I mean, i don't think it's a one-way street, though, is there? there was I can remember Havertz coming in on Sean Longstaff, about 20 yards outside our own box, and a ball coming out for a throw-in.
00:12:54
Speaker
Havertz went through him like he was trying to cut him in half. and Lucky boy to stay on, we thought. Yeah, yeah. I remember that. You guys thought as well. So, yeah. yeah so But it can't just be spicy tackles because because, you know, I mean, let's be honest, Trippier,
00:13:09
Speaker
And Joe Linton and Bruno, they do that every week. Yeah, they do. um I don't know. We were thinking, when we discussed it, it's a little bit because we went a lot of games with the same record against you as we have against Liverpool and Man City, where couldn't we couldn't buy a goal even, let alone take a point.
00:13:29
Speaker
But in recent seasons, we've been quite competitive, certainly at St James'. But even last year, when you got down to the League Cup first leg, semi-final, we won there.
00:13:41
Speaker
As you haven't heard of. So I'm just wondering if that might be maybe where the up starts and start to get too big for our boots. Or maybe you're a little bit, these guys should know their place and not come here and start kicking lumps out of us at home.
00:13:55
Speaker
What do you think? for me, For me personally, for me pa why don't we like Newcastle? remember that season where we had to win at St. Chambers Park to get top four.
00:14:08
Speaker
Yeah. We lost. Oh, yeah. Just missed out the Champions League. And Arteta looked like he wanted to. He literally music what he wanted to cry. For me, that day, I did not like Newcastle.
00:14:20
Speaker
I don't like the team. I'm sorry. Sorry. I'll never forget. I'll so doubt. I know what you mean. yeah i don't I mean, because we've won once or twice against you, I don't mind Arsenal now.
00:14:34
Speaker
But we never used to get anything. I used to hate them. But I hate Liverpool now because we still can't win against them. Or we did in the Carabao Cup final. But they just keep the scoring last-minute goals to beat us. Their place and our place.
00:14:48
Speaker
So frustrating. yeah So we really hate them now. Kev's always hated them. Anyway, have you got any injuries, suspensions, full... Well, I know Madweke's out. Anybody else is out? Or how do you think you're going to line up?
00:15:00
Speaker
Yeah, there's a few that we've got her unavailable. I think Odegaard is still a concern, but I think Arteta said in this press conference on Friday that he's going to train with the team and he'll see if he's available for selection that weekend.
00:15:12
Speaker
We know, again, last time we beat you um at St. James' Park, Odegaard was present. He was scored that game too. So we'll see. you know It might be a huge boon if he is fit and ready for that one. We know Madaweke's out. Jesus is out.
00:15:23
Speaker
Havertz is going to be out as well. Hicapie is probably still nursing a groin injury. So it's probably at least four players that we're not going to have readily available to. But yeah, other than that, we've still got most of the squad. So I think that's not going to affect the lineup too much. You'll probably see it set up quite similarly to how we set up in previous games. I think the question is really going to be,
00:15:41
Speaker
if Odegaard's fit or not, because if he isn't, I know for one, I'd like to see Eze in that right-sided number eight position. Really? all right Yeah, yeah. If Odegaard's not fit, i think I'd like to see Eze kind of play there.
00:15:51
Speaker
And also if Odegaard, he's been out for a while. So even if he is fit, I could see Arteta maybe playing Eze and then you rotate. If with the game's going well, you kind of rotate maybe at the hour mark, get Odegaard in there, build up his match fitness again. I could see that.
00:16:05
Speaker
But because Newcastle is such a physical team and yeah, you guys stifle us with that mid block and your defence is so robust, it's a real battle in that midfield. And so to maintain possession, I could easily see him do the usual Zuby, Rice, Marino.
00:16:18
Speaker
And I know there's a lot of Arsenal fans are not going to be happy with that, but I could see Arteta doing it.
00:16:24
Speaker
Zubimendi is usually the number eight, is he not? is in In midfield? Zubi's are dedicated six now. Yeah, Zubi's alone six now. But again, there's also a question. Again, your midfield is so physical and we've seen that Zubi in the Liverpool game as well. There's one chance that Van Dijk had, you know, distribution error out to Zubi. Van Dijk mustered off the ball as well. Zubi's physicality when he's caught and isolated, you know, might come into play here.
00:16:47
Speaker
I still trust him because that's why he's been playing for the majority the season. But it's true. you know I think There's going to be battles in that midfield and team selection will really depend on how much Arteta views winning that physical midfield battle as a priority. would would you thought zy yeah Zubomendi fooled me into being number eight by scoring those two fantastic goals that he did. It's true. It was a great strike.
00:17:12
Speaker
What a strike. Plus, that might be the best strike i've seen this season, actually.
Upcoming Match Tactics & Line-ups
00:17:16
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. oh but Yeah. Yeah. yeah So have you not had your Brentford man, has he not come in to stand in for his compatriot?
00:17:25
Speaker
he played He played Port Vale. He started Port Vale. Yeah, yeah. So he did in Port Vale's game. And then I think he did in pre-season too, but he was injured for the very start of the season. yeah he was kind of started out, just came back again versus Port Vale.
00:17:39
Speaker
Craig, I know you were asking, would I start Norgaard as well? I think there's an argument for it. Nah. Physical, but yeah, this is what I mean. I think there's an argument for it. Would die Probably not. But I keep him as an option. I said, if Zuby starts struggling, you might want to have the experience and the physicality of Norgaard.
00:17:54
Speaker
if you start getting bullied by Gimurais, Tenali and the rest of them, man. So I said, fair enough. You'll be 4-3-3. It's 4-3-3 every week with him, isn't it? Yeah, yeah, usually.
00:18:04
Speaker
That's it. In possession. See, in my predicted line-up, I've got absolutely no idea now. We've got so many options. Yeah. We played five at the back when we went to Leeds.
00:18:17
Speaker
Yeah. We're trying to duplicate the five at the back. Mm-hmm. In the semifinal, I think, which worked really well at your place because yeah as we could we could press and break really, really quickly.
00:18:29
Speaker
Yep. um It's a lot harder without EZAC being the front pivot, if I'm honest. We've got learn how to do that in a different way. Of course, Alanga might start, who's got pace to burn.
00:18:39
Speaker
True. um to To be able to sit off and do that. So I don't know. My first gut feeling was that we would start with the five at the back to be super safe. But then the more I think about it,
00:18:52
Speaker
I don't know. it might We might be 4-3-3 and just go man-to-man like we did. We're good at pressing man-to-man. yeah and damn Yeah, we've got a lot of, you know, Gordon's going to come back this one.
00:19:05
Speaker
know we talked about injuries. and we've We've got Wisser and Ramsey out, but the rest of the squad is pretty fit. Jacob Murphy's apparently managing his Achilles, but he didn't play on Wednesday, so presumably he's all right.
00:19:18
Speaker
But I don't know. I can't even guess what the line-up is. I mean, it we're only five games into the season, so I've not really got a flavour for it. It's always... Eddie Howe is always 4-3-3, always with the two wingers. But with Liveramento and maybe Hall as wing-backs, he can be quite attacking with five at the back and those who come in.
00:19:40
Speaker
So I can't help you. If you were taking notes to pass on to... Arteta. Arteta. I can't give you any clues as to how they line up. you know Which is nice.
00:19:53
Speaker
i Which is nice. Yeah. and
00:19:58
Speaker
I'm going to pause there and we'll get onto some predictions of how you think the game's going to go. and obviously three quarters of that, three quarters of part three is going to be Arsenal, isn't it? That's just fair. yeah Yeah. So I'm going to, i would tell I'll do this because I do love it and then I'll come in with the Zancastle advert.
00:20:13
Speaker
All right.
00:20:18
Speaker
Your daily soccer podcast with the Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:20:28
Speaker
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00:20:48
Speaker
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Game Predictions: Arsenal vs Newcastle
00:20:55
Speaker
Part three. Welcome back. and Predictions.
00:21:00
Speaker
How do you think... I'm going to go from left to right. JD, you were here first, so you get first shot. How do you think this game's going to unfold? And you've got about 90 seconds. Go.
00:21:12
Speaker
It's probably going a boring game, to be fair. It's going to be a be a low block from you guys. We're probably to make much chances, not that much chances. And um yeah, i don't I don't see it being ah an end-to-end game.
00:21:25
Speaker
If we do win, I'd probably say a 1-0 win. If we probably get a lucky goal early on or late on, we're going from a corner. Or maybe Saka might score goal. Yeah, probably won't be an interesting game to watch. I'll probably ah probably take a point, you know, in this game. I just don't want
00:21:46
Speaker
to lose it. So are you going to go for a score prediction? Get it in early? I'm going to one-0 to the Arsenal. Go on, one-0 to the Arsenal.
00:21:58
Speaker
the You guys will have to be creative then.
00:22:03
Speaker
um he How do you think it'll go, Rodney? i think I think very similarly as well. I think for my score prediction, I think same situation. I was thinking a 1-0. If it gets really crazy, maybe a two one But I don't see it being a crazy game. And I think because you've got some issues in attack as well recently, I think, yeah, KG 1-0, similar to that.
00:22:21
Speaker
I think you're going set up low. You've always stifled us with that kind of back five and also that kind of physical pressure in midfield too. think it's going to be difficult to play through you, difficult to create as many chances. And again, always a tough game away from home.
00:22:33
Speaker
I think KG battle up until maybe towards the end of the game. And I think maybe there might be a spark of Arsenal creativity, I'm hoping. And then, yeah, we can nail that. But history would show that it would probably be a 2-0 defeat away and we'd be devastated. So I'm praying we can break form.
00:22:51
Speaker
but but Well, watching the first five weeks of the Premier League, it might come down to who's got the best long throw in, won't it? and i think I think you're very, very threatening from any sort of set ball dead ball situations.
00:23:08
Speaker
But that said, Dan Burns playing like he's made of bricks and he's 10 foot tall. yeah So it'll be close. It'll be close. And I think it'll be dead ball situations that that turn it.
00:23:19
Speaker
Unless Alanga gets everything right and we can see him race away. Because if he gets away on the halfway line, and you'll have you'll have to be on a motorbike to catch him.
00:23:32
Speaker
What do you think, Craigie? How do you see the game turn in? I think you guys are going to score first. Maybe 2-1 win. Arsenal win. Yeah. Wow. to one Well, that'll be more entertaining to watch than 1-0, of course. Yeah, yeah.
00:23:49
Speaker
Excellent. and i I don't know how we're going to line up. I know Arsenal will be robust. ah Do you think it'll be Saliba and Gabriel at the back? Yeah, got to be.
00:24:01
Speaker
Now, what about Saka? Is he match fit? Now, he he had a run out against Port Vale, didn't he? Yeah, I think that was partly due to get his match fitness up so he can start his game as well. So, yeah, I think he'll start some award on Sunday.
00:24:14
Speaker
He destroyed us in that aberration of a game in the middle of all of this last three or four years where he won 4-1 and we were looking to get the one. How was that that game? It was Saka who ran that show.
00:24:26
Speaker
and So he's someone who we're always a bit wary of.
Conclusion & Thanks to Guests
00:24:30
Speaker
And I don't know, Jokeres. Is Jokeres worth... Is Jokeres...
00:24:36
Speaker
the centre forward that wins you the league title. um like I like him. I like him. He's a good old-fashioned centre forward to me, but he's got a little bit more to him about that. love the way he put in and scored a Harvey Barnes-type goal against Leeds, I think. Was that the first goal against Leeds?
00:24:53
Speaker
Yeah, yeah and that was his first and then the pen after. yeah Yeah. How is he shaping up? Should I be worried about him? Yes. yeah i i Yeah, I do think so. I think the issue with Jokeres is there are some weaknesses in this game that need to be tightened up. But I think really the biggest issue is there's a lot of runs that he makes and a lot of kind of kind of what attacks that he makes that a lot of our midfield and kind of wingers aren't seeing. So he gets a lot of he got quite a considerable lack of service in some of these games.
00:25:20
Speaker
So question is, like do you need to be worried about him? Yes, but if he's not fed, then you can just sit back and relax. yeah I need to make sure he's fed. And if he is being fed properly, he'll be one to watch in that game.
00:25:31
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. Of course, you know, it in yeah Newcastle, we want Jokeres to score at least 30 goals this season. Not on Sunday, by the way, but at least 30 goals this season. Because he'd be first choice centre forward for Sweden at the World Cup then.
00:25:44
Speaker
That other fellow would have to sit on a bench. So you could bench Isak? I'm guessing he's still here. Why not? Why not? Alanga playing, Isak watching from the sidelines.
00:25:56
Speaker
To be fair... Sweden have started so badly on their World Cup campaign, they'd be looking to qualify to get there. yeah So that might that might be my only consolation. my um My prediction for the game is, again, Titan KG.
00:26:09
Speaker
I think you will do a bit of a sitting off rather than going all out gung-ho as well. ah maybe to draw us out. And we might well get a little bit tempted on that.
00:26:21
Speaker
But you know what, Newcastle are, they'll press really high, waiting for Raya to give us a free gift. He's done that a few times at St. James' Park. And if you play through that first press, we'll be very quick to drop back to 5-4-1, try to win the ball back off you, and and maybe try and hit you on the transition there. Because Gordon down the left, Alanga down the right. And I play Azula centre-forward, who's as quick as both of them.
00:26:46
Speaker
I've scored twice against Bradford. We've got a lot of pace, and I think that's how we will get through. ah So, score predictions, I'll go for 2-0, because like you say, history repeats so History repeats as well. 2-0. A 2-0 Newcastle win, which is two which is one goal more than I did when I did the okay preview with Michael last night.
00:27:09
Speaker
But i think we'll win. I think we'll win, and I don't think Arsenal score... Because I think we just don't concede goals these days. Wow. Okay. I've condemned us to a 4-0 home defeat now by saying that. Wait, so Ian, if it's 2-0 for you, I said, who are the scorers? Is it Langer and Gordon then? Is that how you're going for? it No, I think Gordon will score because he always does against Arsenal. And then Valtemada is a... Valtemada's excellent.
00:27:39
Speaker
You'll be surprised when you see him. He looks a little bit like... ah It looks a little bit like a Peter Kretsch who hasn't been introduced to the rest of his team members at the moment. But there are flashes.
00:27:52
Speaker
You watch the full games, there are flashes of some superb touches. so And any like like you were talking about, Jokeresh, he's fantastic at laying the ball off.
00:28:04
Speaker
And the other players haven't twigged yet. But when they do, when they do, That will be so slick. I don't know if you saw the goal against Barcelona, but that none must be one of the swiftest moves yeah I've seen.
00:28:17
Speaker
Only one-touch stuff. Valdemar had a key at laying the ball out to to Murphy to get the cross in. So ah I want to see more of that. And, you know, I know it was only Bradford, but I was really excited by the different shots and approaches and who was creating.
00:28:34
Speaker
um And we played quite a strong team. Bruno and Joe Linton played the full 90 against Bradford. So, yeah, I'm hoping that we're going to have a... I hope we're getting through more than you would expect.
00:28:49
Speaker
So i'm going to go for 2-0. But that's only because you three have all picked an Arsenal win, and I have to picking a Newcastle win, don't I? Got back your team, yeah. I'm going to wrap it up there.
00:29:03
Speaker
It's been really... You've been very kind, by the way. Three of you could easily have ganged up on me and not let me say anything. So I must thank you, JD, Rodney and Craigie for joining me.
00:29:15
Speaker
And we'll be tuning in at past four. can't get a ticket for it, of course, not for the love money. We're tuning in half four on Sunday to see how we get on.
00:29:26
Speaker
um Commiserations, boys. LAUGHTER
00:29:38
Speaker
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