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Daily English Premier League Podcast - Episode 69: Newcastle United vs Arsenal Carabao Cup Semi-Final Preview
18 Plays26 days ago
Nick is joined by Iain Mackay from the GSPN Daily Newcastle Podcast to discuss the 2nd leg between Newcastle and Arsenal in the Carabao Cup Semi-Final. Iain also tells us about how Newcastle's season has been going, their best player, under-the-radar players, opinions on Howe and their hopes for the season.
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Transcript
Introduction & Match Preview
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome back to the Daily English Premier League Podcast from the Global Sports Podcast Network. Today, I'm joined with Ian from the Newcastle Premier League Podcast team to talk about the second leg of the Carabao Cup this Wednesday. Thank you for joining me, Ian.
00:00:27
Iain Mackay the Noo
You're very welcome. It's exciting to spread our wings slightly beyond the enclosed spaces of the Daily New Castle Gang.
00:00:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's good to speak to someone who isn't a Man United fan for the first time in Asia it feels like.
Victory Analysis: Arsenal Match
00:00:42
Iain Mackay the Noo
Excellent.
00:00:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
I was kind to wanted wanted to kick things off with the first leg. Obviously from a Newcastle perspective it was a month ago and everything was bright and rosy as you came to the Emirates and won 2-0.
00:00:57
Iain Mackay the Noo
Right. Yeah. Yeah. find And probably that the the peak of that run that we went on a run of nine straight wins, after that Arsenal game, which was the eighth game in that sequence, we played wolves at home and won 3-0. However, anyone sitting through that game would know it wasn't a 3-0 game.
00:01:19
Iain Mackay the Noo
Newcastle were a bit off it. They they were clinically sort of gold and then wolves were wasteful. um So yes, 3-0 against wolves.
Performance Insights: Wolves & Arsenal
00:01:30
Iain Mackay the Noo
I think the wolves came fumbling down at what we revealed as we then on the Saturday, an absolute lesson from Gorma since finished in last 4-1.
00:01:40
Iain Mackay the Noo
force of St. James's Park. It didn't look like a force that afternoon, I'll tell you.
00:01:47
Iain Mackay the Noo
But yeah, what a fantastic performance for us. We've never done very well at the Emirates. You could probably tell me how many consecutive wins you've had there. I think we we scraped a nil-mil in a cup at one stage and then lost an extra time that was about as good as it gets in that ground.
00:01:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
I believe it was.
00:02:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I believe it was your first win at the Emirates in nine years, I think it was.
00:02:09
Iain Mackay the Noo
Yeah, it was an Andy Carroll header at 2012 or something, well, maybe 2013, which again, because you again was a bit of a smashing grab.
00:02:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:19
Iain Mackay the Noo
However, I didn't really feel like yeah that performance, I need to go now, was a smashing grab. I think we stuck here. We came out of the block with two up after 20 minutes.
00:02:33
Iain Mackay the Noo
Could have been a few more, to be honest.
Tactics & Strategies Discussion
00:02:35
Iain Mackay the Noo
And then what I really, really loved with the sheer audacity and confidence to, with half an hour to go, take Isaac off to rest him for the weekend um and and go 5-5-0 and just say, look, this is how we're going to defend. Break it down if you can. And at the end of that game, Arsenal didn't have a shot on target. It's not like this to be that arrogant, with you usually clinging on, you know, but
00:03:08
Iain Mackay the Noo
and Yeah, we were absolutely buzzing at the end of that, Matt.
00:03:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I rewatched the highlights early today, and it felt like the big difference was that clinical nature for your attackers compared to ours. Obviously, Esak and Gordon scored, compared to Arsenal's front line being Trozard, Havertz and Martinelli. And although since this game, they've all improved, but at the time, we were struggling in front of goal, and this felt like the height of it.
00:03:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
it It wasn't like we didn't have chances, but we couldn't do anything.
00:03:40
Iain Mackay the Noo
I think... No, you did. You did. In fact, your best chances weren't in that last half an hour, I don't think. Because he put two banks to five, it's very difficult to have any time on the ball to take a measured shot.
00:03:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:57
Iain Mackay the Noo
But I remember Timber twice, I think, had a free header at the back post that he put over the bar. It just needs to be a bit lower. It was in. It was goal. He missed those, but I mean, we want to win at the Emirates. We definitely need a little bit of luck like that early on in the game. ah Those two go in and we could have been looking at this game not even needing to be played because we'd be going back to make up five or six. But fortunately for us, they didn't.
00:04:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
and I think it is Isak who is almost the person this game feels like it's built around because he is that star man for you and he's a player so adored by not just your fanbase but the Arsenal fanbase as well who it almost feels like we've become possessive of him and he's not our player at all and likely won't become our player because he is so important to Newcastle and would cost a fortune to get out of there and he was he was the man so important for the two goals obviously scored the first but
00:05:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
his shot and the touch to come inside for the second and Gordon turning in the rebound. Do you feel like he his importance in the second leg trying to catch Arsenal likely on the counter is going to be important for so of surviving the second leg, to say the least?
Key Player Focus: Alexander Isak
00:05:19
Iain Mackay the Noo
I think... well Well, we'll get on to whether we'll just be surviving later on, but I do think it's essential that but having Isaac leading the line um is it's going to take up it's got to distract your back four, back five permanently.
00:05:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:39
Iain Mackay the Noo
There'll be two or three of them wondering where he is, because he has been just lethal, certainly in the last... I think it's still a goal of game in the last 20 games that he's on. um And he is fantastic.
00:05:52
Iain Mackay the Noo
The Tuts, I don't know if you saw the two goals down at Southampton, penalty for the first one, but then the Tuts were in to score the second goal. Very Henry, Henry F, and that's, I love him, because he didn't display like Henry with that filthy Tuts.
00:06:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:09
Iain Mackay the Noo
Deceptively speedy. He looked like him as well, although it was Anthony Gordon who went into the Henry impersonation at the corner side after scoring. and so It's critical for us that Isaac is in the team. He will be he taken an off in the Fulham defeat. I think we said after 70 minutes that he's given up here, but he took the big guns off, hopefully to rest him for Wednesday. But I think we're more than a one-man team, definitely. um gordon was Gordon was the only one really to approach his high standards against Fulham.
00:06:48
Iain Mackay the Noo
he is he's critical that he's super fast and very simple so i think you know when we're at home and under the lights i think your guys couldn't just read oh well they've started struggling now and they've lost the last two at home so we just have to turn up and because this match is our biggest game of the season by far and and i'd argue that Arsenal had a bigger game than and tomorrow night just on Sunday when you have 50 at home. I think that's the bigger game for you. So yeah, I'm i'm obviously nervous as hell but confident that um but we've got plenty to get out of this game.
00:07:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, before we go on to the second leg, let's hear a bit about Zencaster.
00:08:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, moving on to the second leg, what are your expectations coming into this game? How do you think Newcastle are going to approach the game?
Recent Challenges & Adjustments
00:08:20
Iain Mackay the Noo
We've had a number of big games where we have thought, oh my word, they're coming to say us at exactly the wrong time. And you can't You can't get away from the fact that we're thinking again now when Arsenal are turning up because that we've lost against Bournemouth, we've lost against Fulham. The guys, to be honest, have looked off it since the Arsenal game and I don't know if that's because they're trying to save themselves to make sure they're playing the second leg or if they're just so focused on that being such a huge game.
00:08:57
Iain Mackay the Noo
I have a little bit of a look back trying to appease my concerns. We've had some big games at the same time as this park already. We've got a one-wheel draw against Manchester City. Before Manchester City had had their collapse, by the way, they were top of the league at this time. We drew one-wheel with them and that came immediately after our biggest banking of the year when we blocked at Fulham.
00:09:24
Iain Mackay the Noo
free one and it could have been so much more. They've had a team full of them. They've double-lated over us this year and they've deserved both of them. um we We had a horrific nil-nil away at Everton and won all at Crystal Palace just before we played Arsenal and of course We did ask for 1-0 in the league with an absolutely wonderful exact header. And again, restricted you to just one or two shots on target in that whole game. And similarly, right at the end of November, I can't remember what the games were, but we'd had a very disappointing home loss to West Ham. And maybe that's where the Palace game was at 1-0, where we didn't have a shot. I don't mean to start on target. I mean, we didn't have a shot the whole 90 minutes.
00:10:15
Iain Mackay the Noo
Back when we moved 3-3 with Liverpool and turned up to perform. So our boys turn up against the big team is what I'm saying to you. So I would be expecting that, hey, Arsenal, some fantastic players, you could out kill us and you could win by the three goals you need to win by to get through.
00:10:35
Iain Mackay the Noo
But I don't think Newcastle will um fail through a lack of effort or intensity, which is what we've built our current reputation on. I think we'll get that. And then obviously it is something that but we're going into it with ah with a two goal start.
00:10:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah it it does feel like you were saying this at the time of the first leg Arsenal were on a quick slope we obviously lost to Newcastle midweek and then lost to Man United and what it felt like we were out of both cups in a matter of days and now a month on coming off our biggest win of the season against Man City if there's belief again ah because after that game I think the whole consensus ah I didn't really see anyone saying any different was well this ties over we're we're not going to go to Newcastle and get anything and credit to the away fans who still sold out the away allocation in a matter of minutes but it's still that was that was what Arsenal fans were saying and
00:11:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
now there's a bit more belief that Arsenal can go up to Newcastle and try and turn this around and it is just that that momentum feels like it's flipped.
00:11:58
Iain Mackay the Noo
that It's a universal a universal truth, though, Nick, that it is the hope that kills you.
00:11:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I Yeah, but I think something that is the same probably for both teams. I saw Eddie Howell was talking about sort of the legginess of the Newcastle team at the weekend and it's something that we're suffering with as well because neither team really has a lot of depth at the moment, ours is a lot down to injuries, I'm not sure if yours is down to the same thing but I think that whichever team can sort of play through this game the most could decide it because and there's also the added part that Tutor Cone out of the FA Cup
00:12:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Arsenal don't play again for a week and a half and it's reported that Arsenal will be going to Dubai for a warm weather training camp after this game despite the result.
Lineup & Injury Concerns
00:12:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you think that that physicality, that legginess will be an and a big factor for Newcastle? like it i've I expect it to be for Arsenal.
00:13:03
Iain Mackay the Noo
I think um this is what this is a point I'm making. um we've We've looked indifferent on a number of occasions ah before we went on that big nine match were run um and you're thinking that Eddie's picking the same 11th start and not really making a lot of switches from the bench because of there's not there's a very good first 11, but there's not the quality to come on from the bench to maintain that standard. We had a ah much more difficult problem with it last year when we had the Champions League games as well, and we were absolutely decimated with injuries. I mean, 25 men in ah and the 13th squad and 12 of them on the bench, on the injury bench at one stage. We're missing some useful really useful quality bench players, I'd say.
00:13:58
Iain Mackay the Noo
Isaac stonks him off because there's no Callum Wilson on the bench. Although, interestingly, he may well be on the bench tomorrow night and might be making his comeback. He'll not fit, though, but at least it means there is a change we've been making. Harvey Barnes getting injured is a problem because he could come on and relieve either Murphy on the right or Gordon on the left. He scored six goals, I think, this season from the bench, so it's a shame that he's missing.
00:14:26
Iain Mackay the Noo
um but i think if we are If we are doing the timing right, we've got quite a strong back up midfield. I love Lewis Miley, who's just a young kid. He must be our noir in the area. I hope I've said his name properly. He's still only 18. He's got Champions League experience, you know. um He was in the team that drew it with Paris Saint-Germain in Paris last year. He was in the team that got a gold score at the San Siro against AC Milan.
00:14:57
Iain Mackay the Noo
No problem at all um if Miley comes in and comes on. Longstaff, I know he's got his limitations, but Longstaff, at the start of the season with the midfield, we have to have in the midfield because the midfield didn't perform without him in there. Great legs on him. You'll know about Joe Willis, Mr. Titter against Fulham, which anybody can do. Got absolutely crucified, horribly crucified on social media. so but he's responded really well to that, so I think Eddie might bring him on.
00:15:31
Iain Mackay the Noo
Our problem is that we've got Joe Linton as a doubt, and I think that will be a big loss, because he is a fantastic destroyer.
00:15:42
Iain Mackay the Noo
Odegard will have a lot more well he'd have a lot less bruised skin than Joe Linton isn't playing. He'll have more space to do his magic. um ah dont he wouldnt Was he playing in that first game, or did he he'd just come back and he wasn't fit, was he?
00:15:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
he I think he just come back and he wasn't fully fit yeah yeah
00:15:56
Iain Mackay the Noo
Really.
00:16:02
Iain Mackay the Noo
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, the only reason we're talking, I think, Nick, is because Thacker got in here. Thacker would have clashed down the right. You had him and the team, you know, we would be, we'd be, we'd be lining up like a Raffer or a Steve Bruce team, I think, to try and hang on to our two goalies. But that's not the Eddie Hall way. And the fact that he's not there,
00:16:25
Iain Mackay the Noo
we think levels the playing field. um So we can almost click the first team. Are we leggy? We've got a great backup in centre half, whether that's bottom or shah or burn that's left out. One of them keeps them on Here in 50 we've come onto, he looked like he might have been going to Turkey in the transfer window, but he stayed.
00:16:54
Iain Mackay the Noo
and
00:16:56
Iain Mackay the Noo
He's got a lot of experiences, such a calming influence when he comes on. So if we need, we're sailing 1-0 with 20 minutes to go. It's a good fella to bring on instead of Tina Liberimento, who galvanized things. and i think I think we're all right. I think we're all right. But that's because I'm expecting a step up from what we've shown in the last few games.
Second Leg: Key Moments & Nerves
00:17:24
Iain Mackay the Noo
which is what we saw when when Man City and yourselves in Liverpool came to town in the league. There was a massive step up and nobody really knew where it came from. It's worrying having a set of players that can respond like that, but it's less worrying when it's stressful that you're facing in the semi-final of a club.
00:17:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah ah you You mentioned Trippia brought to mind that neither team feels like they have the experience in these types of games. Maybe as a club Arsenal have a bit more experience in these scenarios.
00:17:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
But this specific squad and this specific manager haven't experienced semi-finals that often at all, despite the quality in the squad.
00:18:03
Iain Mackay the Noo
And.
00:18:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
And obviously Newcastle experienced it just two years ago. But it still feels like there's a general lack of experience in these scenarios for both teams. And I think it'll be interesting to see which which side sort of shows a bit more bottle, maybe. And I think ultimately that first goal will be the most important thing. Because if Newcastle can get that first goal, I think the heads will go down it will feel like oh it's actually over now but if Arsenal can score early or just even in the first half I think there might be a few nerves in the Newcastle crowd do you think it would make St James's Park nerdy?
00:18:52
Iain Mackay the Noo
Dick, St. James's Park will be nervy before you've kicked off. does It doesn't matter that you haven't scored that first goal. We'll be nervy. We'll be nervy. It's Arsenal, for goodness sake, and we just look almost just a bit spicery. And this is Arsenal, with respect to Gorma, who have been on a fantastic run. Arsenal are a tactical them. So, yes, we would will be full of nerves. And if you score in the first 10 minutes, yes, because we know what we did down there, scored in the first 10 minutes,
00:19:22
Iain Mackay the Noo
score the second one in the first 20 minutes and that put you in a real hole. I think that that fast start that we that we had not to off the stride for the rest of the first half at the very least and gave us so much to hang on to, that's why we could do that the last half an hour just basically playing at one end and saying we'll just end this goal and let's see if you can score. and So yeah we've got a I think we're top of the ah winning points from a losing position lead. So if we do concede, the team's head won't drop. They won't panic because they've come back from being behind more than any other team in the Premier League this season. But yeah, of course, we'll be nervous right through them. We'd be nervous if it's still 0-0 with 85 minutes gone because the Arsenal couldn't score twice in the last five minutes.
00:20:20
Iain Mackay the Noo
I don't know, is there extra time or is it straight into penalties? but It's straight to penalties, isn't it?
00:20:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it's, yeah, I believe it's straight to penalties.
00:20:26
Iain Mackay the Noo
Yeah, I wouldn't be at all surprised.
00:20:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Which is probably a good thing for you because we're bad at penalties.
00:20:31
Iain Mackay the Noo
So I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up at penalties, but obviously we would hope that we can can do our typical Wednesday night under the light, discovering a little bit of the spirit of Paris Saint-Germain.
00:20:47
Iain Mackay the Noo
We think for that you're like whirlwind and get that first goal and that will definitely settle everybody. and And you're right, that might not be stuffing out of Arsenal because that kind of occurred to me that but your Arsenal score hasn't got a lot of experience of playing in these big games because, you know, Arsenal have been competing up at the top for as long as I can remember. And um I'm old and older than your dad is. They've always been up at the top.
00:21:14
Iain Mackay the Noo
um But I get what you say, it's quite a relatively young squad. A lot of international players though, so I think they're used to the big game. um But yeah, they haven't won a lot of updates. Arteca has sat on the bench alongside Pep for quite a while through these big matches. So I think he will be, I think he's got the experience, but but if your players haven't then, OK, that gives me a little bit more hope, thanks Nick.
00:21:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
But before doing sort of a score prediction, what do you expect your starting lineup to be coming into
Speculation: Lineup Changes
00:21:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
tomorrow? I saw that Pope is, well, he's been back on the bench. Do you expect him to start? What lineup do you think Howell put out?
00:22:01
Iain Mackay the Noo
What would I like him to put out or what do I think he'll put out? I think, thank you ah well, I think, um ah to be fair, Debrat has been excellent.
00:22:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
What would you like him to put out?
00:22:09
Iain Mackay the Noo
He's got two of the six saves of the month in the Premier League Save of the Month competition for January. He's been excellent since he came back. So I think he'll go with Debrat here.
00:22:21
Iain Mackay the Noo
um
00:22:26
Iain Mackay the Noo
You know, Liberamento has been well off it for the last four games. If there's going to be a change, maybe Cynthia will come in for Liberamento. I don't think how we'll change it, though. I think it'll be Liberamento. Van der Haar has been an accustomed waiting to happen over these last four games. And it was Byrne and Botman that played so well in the game at the Emirates So I would bring Botman definitely back into the theme, and I don't think Burns done anything to lose his place, so that would be his place of star. I think you would have, I think Eddie will have star and burn, who started on Saturday, because he doesn't think for the sake of changing. He played Lewis Hall.
00:23:11
Iain Mackay the Noo
um but I was thinking before we started this, where would I make some changes? He could, he could consider Star and Botman at centre-half, and actually moving Byrne across the left there, which we played a lot of the time at last year. You'd sacrifice the pace angle there, but you'd get a lot of extra height. And with Arsenal's threats and set pieces, that might be something that takes him. But I don't think he'll change it. I think it'll go liberimento. Star, Byrne, Paul. In midfield, it would definitely be Tenali, Gamarish, and Joe Linton, but Joe Linton is a damp,
00:23:50
Iain Mackay the Noo
The fact that Eddie has said today, Joel Hinton has a doubt, means that Joel Hinton will play. He might not laugh more than an hour. I think Joel Hinton will play. And then we haven't really got any other choice to put the play. Gordon down the left, Murphy down the right, Isaac in the middle. But they've been magic for the last 15 games. So why would you want to change them anyway?
00:24:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think from an arsenal perspective, I wouldn't expect our testers to change much from the weekend. Obviously, probably it will be Ryer in goal, be Timber right back, Saliba, Gabrielle, who I think could score from a set piece. We troubled you a lot in the first leg from set pieces. It feels like one could go in in this second leg. I'd expect Miles Lewis Skelly to keep his place at left back. It might swap in for Callifuri, but I doubt it.
00:24:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think we'll keep party as much as I can't stand him for many reasons ah and then rice yeah
00:24:48
Iain Mackay the Noo
He scored the killer goal on Sunday though, didn't he? Just before man that he had a chance to ah reorganise, he stepped up and made it 3-1.
00:24:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:57
Iain Mackay the Noo
yeah got a yeah interruptpted party and
00:24:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
and i Rice will be on the left, Edgard will be on the right. I think the only change he might make is Weneri coming in to start on the right hand side. I think he started Martinelli there against Man City for his defensive contributions. And I'd expect Arsenal to take a bit more control of this game compared to the one at the weekends, I think.
00:25:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
whenever he might start on the right. And Trussard's improved massively in the past month, so I'd expect him on the left. And obviously, there isn't any other option except Kai Havoc's down the middle at the moment after not signing a striker in January.
00:25:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think for both teams, there's not going to be any real changes in the starting 11.
00:25:37
Iain Mackay the Noo
Yeah.
00:25:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
But before we hear about GSPN, how do you think this game will end? What score are you going for?
00:25:51
Iain Mackay the Noo
that Oh my word. You see, that there could be so many different outcomes depending on how the first 10 minutes go. i
00:26:05
Iain Mackay the Noo
i'll be just I'll be delighted to get through whatever that score is. But I predicted on our preview that we did last night. We picked it up and looked at it forward last night. I predicted that Newcastle were in 1-0 and received the score from the league match. I'll stick with that.
00:26:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I could go with 1-0 to Arsenal, whether that's a corner or just maybe a winery cuts in from the right on his left foot and bends one in again for the third game in a row. But I think we'll score, but I think you'll frustrate us like you have for the past two or three years, no matter what game it was.
00:26:54
Iain Mackay the Noo
There was one there's one game where you won 2-0 and Odegard bossed it, but in the last four years, the other three games we won, I didn't know there was one that you would tell me was out of play and then they wouldn't put somebody over there and Gordon was offside, but it did count.
00:26:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:10
Iain Mackay the Noo
That was the winner. I'm made up for it by how good the goal was to beat you this year. I think that was an absolutely wonderful cross and a superb header.
00:27:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:20
Iain Mackay the Noo
So we're encouraged. We're encouraged because we've got a better record against Arsenal playing at home than we have against the other big guns, the Man City and Liverpool. um so yeah but but it's I'm nervous because Arsenal is such a good team and then to see you go, you couldn't do a sixth goal though, could you? If you put a sixth-class Man City, that would have dropped them back below us in the league table. As it is, we've got the same goal difference, but they scored a few more, so they're still above us.
00:27:51
Iain Mackay the Noo
ah Yeah, what god what a result that was. I didn't get to see it because I was driving about and listening to it. um And that's good because I might not have slept much if I'd been watching it.
00:28:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, let's hear about GSPN and then we'll briefly touch on how Newcastle scene has been going.
00:28:09
Iain Mackay the Noo
OK, here it takes.
00:28:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
well touch yeah Well, you touched on sort of how you've had some really important games in those results earlier on.
00:28:47
Iain Mackay the Noo
what didn't it Nick Britton nick britain himself sounding like he should be reading the shipping forecast.
Season Reflection & Aspirations
00:29:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
How is the general feeling amongst Newcastle fans for how this season's been going?
00:29:08
Iain Mackay the Noo
ah think we are I think we were very frustrated in the first part of the season because we say well two or three times and then just took it in and not be very good at all. Or we'd have a we'd have a good first half and then not show up in the second half like like at Brentford. We lost 4-2 there, but we gave them their two goals in the first half with two all at half time, didn't turn up in the second half. So that was really quite frustrating and Newcastle were languishing in 11th or 12th and of course we have
00:29:46
Iain Mackay the Noo
bigger aspirations than that. Demi went on this incredible seventh great win in the Premier League, which sort of repaired a lot of that damage. You know, going in the space of seven days or whatever it was to win at Old Trafford, to win at the Tottenham Cup first stadium and then to win at the Emirates, you know, it was almost like we were dreaming to have a run like that that was going on.
00:30:12
Iain Mackay the Noo
and Now, I think there's a little bit of that. I don't know if a complacency is too strong a word to use, but we didn't play very well when we beat Wolves. We didn't play very well. I mean, that we played well in in part, but not for the whole game when we won at Southampton. And we didn't turn up at 100% and loss at home to Bournemouth and Fulham, because they're better teams than Wolves and Southampton, basically.
00:30:41
Iain Mackay the Noo
so
00:30:43
Iain Mackay the Noo
The last time we got to a Tarabakut final, our form went absolutely to keep it in the league. And we've got to try and avoid that. For us, the silver bullet, the keeping of guys motivated, waiting for a final if we do get through to it, and therefore maintaining our charge for a Champions League play, I think we're I think Chelsea's win last night means we dropped in six, but it's so close amongst, you know, four, six, six, seven, eight. So the FA Cup next weekend. I know you lot are on holiday that week, but, you know. After that, we're away at Manchester City, we're at home, not in the forest, and we're away at Liverpool. That's the next three games. And if we have got a team where everybody only really gets up for it properly when we're playing,
00:31:36
Iain Mackay the Noo
teams at the top and they can't really get anywhere near as motivated to go and play away at Everton or at home to Bournemouth, then that should keep us honest because of the teams who are playing.
00:31:49
Iain Mackay the Noo
Of course, they are fantastic teams and we can lose all three of those games and find that we're way off the pace again, in which case
00:31:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:31:57
Iain Mackay the Noo
All of our eggs are going to be in a televised up final basket. And we'll have to hope that we can go on under the road of nine straight wins to be able to get into the European places. The point is, we haven't strengthened in the transfer window. In fact, we've weakened an already thin squad by allowing Almoron to move and Lloyd Kelly to move. They weren't first teamers, but they were often dropped off the bench if somebody needed a break. um yeah How are we feeling?
00:32:28
Iain Mackay the Noo
Still excited, still everything within our graph. Do we trust them to deliver? I don't know. We'll have a better idea about whether we're trusting them to deliver after tomorrow night's game.
00:32:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's obviously been a lot of focus on Alexander Esak. Do you feel like he's been your best player or is there someone else who isn't necessarily getting the plaudits but has perhaps been even better than Esak?
00:32:56
Iain Mackay the Noo
Well, it's quite well-documented, I think. Isaac obviously is a star. Gordon got the left-wing spot for England and played well there as well. So Gordon is not far behind him in how much he's loved at Newcastle. The unsung hero going forward is definitely Jacob Murphy, but I think that's quite well identified now. He's on 8-6, so there will be for alex Alexander Isaac. So he's an important part of it.
00:33:22
Iain Mackay the Noo
You'll remember them too, fantastic balls through that he played at Arsenal. um So yeah, Jacob Mercy is an unsung hero. I think maybe less so, but certainly from a month ago and what we saw way before Christmas, the reason why Newcastle went from being indifferent to going on a run of nine games was Finale moving into the defensive midfield role and Bruno Damaris pushing up front having a much more creative role. When we did that, we went on this run and won nine games. So and another Unstung Hero finale. Wasn't even getting picked at the start of the season. Longstaff was being picked ahead of him, amazingly. But the finale is so calm, but with good control in tight areas.
00:34:14
Iain Mackay the Noo
um Alarmingly saw him start to give the ball away a little bit against Fulham, which I haven't seen him do. So hopefully that's a blip and he's distracted by the Wednesday game. But yeah, I'd say Denali was an unsung hero. Lewis Hall, by the way, has just improved game on game on game up until this Arsenal game, coming up at left back, after so going forward, ah real marauding, ah attacking left back. But his defensive game is not bad either, and he's quite quick.
00:34:44
Iain Mackay the Noo
That said, he's one of the players who really seems to have gone off the boil since the Arsenal game. So I'm hoping that Lewis Hall can get a proper talking to and sort himself out. He's still been one of the better performers in different games. But there's three that wouldn't necessarily be the ones that you'd pick straight out as players to watch on the spectacular scene.
00:35:10
Iain Mackay the Noo
But I think, I think we're a team. I know people will look and say that just either does everything for them, but not either points on the diamond, if you like, but it's the whole, it's the whole team that is working with him as the splitting edge, if you like.
Goals for the Season: Cup & Champions League
00:35:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's a bit of a battle of the England's potential left backs with Lewis Skelly, a left back for us and obviously Lewis Hall for yourselves. One or two final questions, I should say.
00:35:38
Iain Mackay the Noo
Yeah.
00:35:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
The only Newcastle fan I know is incredibly bipolar about Eddie Howell. You win a game, he's the greatest thing ever. You drop any your points and he should be out instantly.
00:35:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm fairly aware that that is likely not the the general opinion of Eddie Howe. I assume he's incredibly popular amongst Newcastle fans.
00:36:06
Iain Mackay the Noo
Yeah, he I think he is. ah think there's a I think there was some of the YouTubers, when we were being a bit indifferent through November, did a poll because there was a lot of spies on social media for Eddie, how's it going to change?
00:36:22
Iain Mackay the Noo
He's taking us as far as he can. It was about 20, 25% of the fan base on social media. So I mean, a whole chunk of the fan base won't be on social media.
00:36:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:36:33
Iain Mackay the Noo
So back to that end.
00:36:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Our fan base knows more than I know.
00:36:34
Iain Mackay the Noo
But one in four was saying Eddie Howe, but that means that three in four still wanted him. In my view, Eddie Howe agreed he's yet to prove it, but Eddie Howe is an elite manager in the making. the Time and time again, he's taken players and coached them to improve them. He's written.
00:37:02
Iain Mackay the Noo
relegation-haunted, champion-hit-bound team. And there will still be five or six of those playing tomorrow night. Jacob Murphy couldn't get a game. Fab Starr couldn't get a game when Steve Riske's picking the team. So his coaching improved players. I think that's why either is as good as he is now, because nobody short Nobody saw that when he first came to us. We were the only ones that took a chance on him. Same as Bruno and Botman. They're 35, 40 million players that we paid. They both demand double that now. And that's because of the way how coaches did players.
00:37:46
Iain Mackay the Noo
It's not just to get a result for the team, but it's to improve them as players. And when that is that is happening across the 25-man squad, that's when you can see championship players who are good, solid Premier League players now, like Mercy, Longstaff, Willy, you could argue. I mean, he moved you move from Arsenal because he he wasn't going to put it at the top of the table, Premier League team. So, yeah, I think I'm a big Eddie Howe.
00:38:16
Iain Mackay the Noo
give him as long as he needs. It's so unfair if he'd got the bullet before he's been able to spend any money. I mean, we've been so handsome by TSR, but I think no deals apart from sales. This last transfer window means that we ought to be able to do something in the summer. And in we only we're only a player or a two, I think, away from
00:38:44
Iain Mackay the Noo
taking Arsenal and Liverpool down this season, rather than battling Chelsea in the chorus.
00:38:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and I've seen seen those links to Umbermo and Gordon East like an Umbermo is a terrifying potential frontline next year, if that was to happen. Final thing, what are your hopes for this season? I can imagine what I have an idea what you're going to say, but what are the hopes?
00:39:11
Iain Mackay the Noo
yeah i am Ancient, I am. I've never seen Newcastle win a trophy, so I will be... This is why it's the biggest game of our season. If we can get to the final and then actually win a trophy, that is probably the first trophy in 95% of Newcastle's support of living memory. So that's one major hope.
00:39:39
Iain Mackay the Noo
but We're not losing sight of that. I think we need to offer Champions League football in order to retain Isaac, Bruno, Benali, Gordon. So we need to qualify for the Champions League. I'm delighted you boys who are playing in Europe this year have done so well that it looks like it's going to go down to the sixth place. Because while I would love to finish in the top four, that's probably the three who are there now and matches to 50 given that we've just blocked through home-frame. I think fifth is very, very achievable. I think fourth and fifth is still achievable. I'm hoping your results against City have completely knocked any of the confidence they were developing out of them, and they can go on another run where they hardly win for 10 games, because we'll have a chance of keeping up with them. The safety didn't look very good last night, and they they were they've got – last night they had six points out of seven games. That isn't Champions League form either.
00:40:39
Iain Mackay the Noo
So I think fourth and fifth plays are up for grabs and our hopes would be that then but we could get one of those. Have a much better idea by the end of February when we've played Forest City and Liverpool.
00:40:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I hope the listeners who are used to hearing a lot of Man United fans have learned a bit more about how Newcastle season's been going. Thank you so much Ian for joining me to speak about tomorrow's game.
00:41:10
Iain Mackay the Noo
You're welcome. I've enjoyed it. Thank you very much.
00:41:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
And join us back here on the Daily English Premier League podcast to hear about Thursday's Carabao Cup game. A preview with Louis will be out on Thursday morning.
00:41:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
So look forward to that. And it's goodbye from me. And it's goodbye from here.
00:41:30
Iain Mackay the Noo
And goodbye for being.
00:41:35
Iain Mackay the Noo
ah but um