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Tactics Tuesday: What's next for Newcastle United
13 Plays17 days ago
Michael returns to the DailyNewcastle podcast for Tactics Tuesday as he hosts Iain and Nic to discuss the differences between our last two poor performances. How Newcastle can differ their line-ups in the next three games and how we could negate opposition low blocks with one signing.
Host: Michael Grahamslaw
Guests: Iain Mackay & Nicola Pringle-Adams
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Transcript
Introduction and Tactics Tuesday
00:00:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily New Castle podcast. And we are back with tactics Tuesday. But before we before we get into this evening's topics, let me introduce who I'm joined by.
00:00:23
Iain Mackay the Noo
Okay.
00:00:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
First of all, I'm joined by Nicola Pringle-Adams. How's it going, Nicola?
00:00:28
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Hello, that was a full name introduction.
00:00:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh yes, I figured I've spent enough time years now I have to stop just saying, Nick, Kev, Ian, and actually follow Ian's structure by getting everyone's full names in there.
00:00:31
Nicola Pringle-Adams
I wasn't expecting that.
00:00:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
So a bit of professionalism now I'm hitting it.
00:00:46
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Thank you.
00:00:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I am also joined by, and I've also just mentioned him, Ian Mackay. How's it going Ian?
00:00:52
Iain Mackay the Noo
Thank you very much, Michael. I didn't know I had a structure. and To be honest, I'm not sure what's going to come out of my mouth until it's out. So ah ah glad that I'm glad that that could be mistaken as having some degree of structure sometimes. But yeah, I'm doing great, Michael. And you look well. You sound very cheerful, particularly given our last two performances.
Newcastle's Recent Games Analysis
00:01:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, there is a reason for that. I was 30,000 feet in the air for the palace game, so I didn't have to watch it. And West Ham, well, it's been a week since I've done a podcast, but the last one I did was the review on West Ham. And, you know, you were a little bit shocked out how positive I was. So oh maybe, just maybe, we'll have a little bit more of that today. Although since I've been positive, we've started getting really bad results. So maybe Mr. Misery should return. But I thought I'd start off today's Tactics Tuesday by looking at a small selection of our first 16 games so far this season and split them into categories. And the reason I'm saying this is because I've seen a lot on the fanbase recently and I'll be honest a little bit from last night's pod comparison comparing West Ham and Palace.
00:02:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
a few murmurs that there were similar games. I'll be honest with what I've seen of Palace and what what I saw on Monday night. Very different games. So I thought I'd set them up with a few episodes of the season. Just, you know, let's set some standards for Newcastle United where we should be because some people think we should be top four consistently playing well. Other people seem to think we should be fighting for mid table the way it sounds. But start off,
00:02:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
If we look at good results before we deep dive into any proper, proper analysis, would say, you know, we're pretty spoilt for choice. Arsenal, Forest, Spurs, Man City, all immediately come to mind as good results and good performances. But I'd say the forest example was our best example, should I say, of a good result and a good performance. Would you both agree we were pretty much top form there?
00:02:54
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Yeah, definitely. like
00:02:54
Iain Mackay the Noo
Agreed.
00:02:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep, spot on. And believe it or not, teams can play well and get bad or less than desirable results. Would we agree, Everton and Brighton are good examples of that? Or would you say we didn't play well against one of those?
00:03:06
Iain Mackay the Noo
I think so.
00:03:09
Nicola Pringle-Adams
No, I agree with that one as well.
00:03:11
Iain Mackay the Noo
I think if any one of our players had their shooting boots on, the results would have been very different in both of those games.
00:03:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right.
00:03:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. Play to a good standard and the only goal we can see it was an individual mistake.
Performance Issues and Pressing Intensity
00:03:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
So where I'm going with this and the point I want to make that context is important obviously but I've seen a bit fair bit online as I mentioned the comparisons between West Ham and Crystal Palace and I think honestly the West Ham performance I thought overall we were very good we just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net. was mentioned last night we could have had four and nobody really would have would have battered an eyelid. ah ah You two watched the full of the palace game. I didn't. So it's pretty unfair for me to give my overall analysis. So I'm going to check it on the pair of you. What was alarmingly different between the two performances, or would you say they were actually more similar than I'm being led to believe? What do you think, Ian?
00:04:09
Iain Mackay the Noo
Well, I think we started really well against West Ham and it could have been so much more different. West Ham did come out like a team that was struggling for form. They were, they were, you could almost see their knees knocking and then we created three or four fabulous opportunities.
00:04:22
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Mm.
00:04:26
Iain Mackay the Noo
EZAC scored a really good goal, which unfortunately was marginally offside. I think if that counts, then we go on and win that by three or four goals.
00:04:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Agreed.
00:04:34
Iain Mackay the Noo
However, silly individual mistake gives him a free header and they take the lead. And almost from that point, it was like you could see the confidence slipping away.
00:04:47
Iain Mackay the Noo
Now we took about 10 minutes to regroup and pushed on again in the second half in the first half.
00:04:50
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Mm hmm.
00:04:54
Iain Mackay the Noo
and But unfortunately didn't didn't score. The second half started very much like the first we were attacking and again, I think it's 53 minutes that we give away the second goal and we're two down and at that point, confidence just went like a bubble popping.
00:05:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:05:12
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Yeah.
00:05:13
Iain Mackay the Noo
That said, both from the 30th minute onwards, I was saying to the chap I was sitting next to in the ground, because I was at that, there's no intensity here.
00:05:25
Iain Mackay the Noo
We're not pressing like we should be pressing. I think that was very similar trait to how we played against Crystal Palace. So yes, I think that we started really well against West Ham.
00:05:40
Iain Mackay the Noo
We created some chances. We had some shots. We missed some sitters. But there wasn't very much in the last in the second half of that. And of course, that was continued into the Palace game where we didn't create a single shot.
00:05:55
Iain Mackay the Noo
We apparently had one shot, which was a blocked shot.
00:05:56
Nicola Pringle-Adams
one.
00:05:58
Iain Mackay the Noo
But neither Joan or I could remember who it was who'd had a shot that was blocked. I would say that the the key frustrating aspect in comparison to how well we had played when we'd beaten Arsenal and we'd beaten Nottingham Forest and we'd beaten the Chelsea B type b team to get through in the Cup is that that intensity, which we had been missing at the start of the season, but had come back for those games and we'd had the results to match it, that just has non-existent. They haven't pressed with any conviction
00:06:33
Iain Mackay the Noo
in either the West Ham game or, sorry, after the first 10 minutes of the West Ham game or at all in the Crystal Palace game.
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00:06:41
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Yep.
00:06:41
Iain Mackay the Noo
And and i I am not sure, I mean, we can talk about this later on and I'll shut up and let Nicola have a say. I'm not sure if there's not an attitude problem in our team, given that what we do best has been so successful at the start, whether they can get up for every single game now or not.
00:07:03
Iain Mackay the Noo
To me, it looks like we intensity can be our identity if we're playing another team that has aspirations of reaching the top six.
00:07:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:07:11
Iain Mackay the Noo
But anybody else, certainly against West Ham, certainly against Crystal Palace, we kind of think if we rock up, we're so good. We've got Isaac, we've got Bruno, we've got Gordon.
00:07:24
Iain Mackay the Noo
It's going to come for us. And of course it doesn't.
00:07:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Would you agree with that, Nicola, or anything you'd like to add?
00:07:32
Nicola Pringle-Adams
to be honest, I think Ian's like sort of hit the nail on the head. I touched on this, when, um, we reviewed the West Ham game and I did say it looked as though we could have gone two, three, four nil up at points because of our intensity and then sort of first 30 minutes. And then our intense and high press just completely lacked off towards the end of that game. and like Ian touched on, it was almost as if our confidence had just dipped ever so slightly.
00:08:00
Nicola Pringle-Adams
And unfortunately for me watching, I couldn't go to the Crystal Palace game. So I had to catch up like you, Michael, online and, you know, on the TV and things like that. And from what I was reading and seeing, I just thought it looked almost as though what, how we ended the West Ham game was completely how we went into the Crystal Palace game. And I don't know if it was you two I was with or, you know, Kevin Joe.
00:08:25
Nicola Pringle-Adams
I am a little bit concerned that there's a bit of, not something going on behind the scenes with some of our players, but just like Ian's just touched on like a bit of an attitude problem though. There was, you know, Alexander Esak, I thought, and I can't remember if it was the Crystal Palace game or the West Ham game.
00:08:41
Nicola Pringle-Adams
So forgive me, but he was making really selfish decisions. know, wasn't sort of releasing the ball, was sort of keeping it to himself.
00:08:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:08:47
Nicola Pringle-Adams
And that was to me, it's a little bit. we've seen in the Arsenal game he wasn't doing that and different games so I don't know it all just kind of transpired into the Crystal Palace game and from the West Ham game that our intensity just sort of died off a little bit. Yeah and i I couldn't tell you what, I can't haven't got anything else to add to Ian's point other than agreeing that our high press and intensities could just completely lagged off the past two games which doesn't bode me with confidence for Wednesday.
00:09:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, to be honest, I agree as well. I think, you know, we've, we've mentioned numerous times in games, intensity is supposed to be our identity, but we haven't seen and nearly enough of it this season.
00:09:24
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Hmm.
00:09:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
And to be honest, we, we saw it very scarcely last season. when we did see it, there was signs that new Cass United, you know, this could go on.
00:09:28
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Yeah.
00:09:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
I have a. Brilliant season this campaign and it hasn't really hit the ground running yet. Now the reasons for that I can't tell you I'm not a if I could I'd be paid millions of pounds, but I think it is very interesting that you know, we've touched on and to be honest ah the the ah the the rest of the team with you Ian touched on Behaviors yesterday as well that EZAC Golden etc haven't really hit the heights we expected of them that could be because Golden's been mainly played out position and with Joe Linton in his preferred position for the last few games. Or it could just be that Transfer Talk is getting the better of them. Or it could be something completely unrelated. But something that is related to fantastic podcasts is our next advert, which will be brought to you by Zencaster.
00:10:24
Iain Mackay the Noo
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00:10:37
Iain Mackay the Noo
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00:11:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely
Left-Wing Strategy Discussion
00:11:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
fantastic Ian, thank you very much and we are... I wanted to move straight into our second topic of the today and it kind of links in with what we ended the first half with, which is our left hand side. A lack of balance has led to Eddie Howe tweaking his wingers and central midfielder combinations.
00:11:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
numerous times in recent games. And when we spoke after the Arsenal game, we thought, oh, Joe Willick and Joe Linton on that left-hand side, that's the answer. They bring all the energy we need and there's not going to be a team in the Premier League that can keep up with that intensity and that energy.
00:11:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
We haven't really seen it since. You could argue, Nottingham Forest, but Joe Linton's best moments arguably came when he was on the right side instead of the left. So I'm starting to think that that might only be the answer in games where our backs against the wall, yeah we're we're up against a team that, let's say, as you mentioned, in the top six, fighting for the same aspirations we have.
00:12:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
you maybe that's the reason why that energy is there rather than Joe Willick and Joe Linton and when we need more creativity to negate the low block or even in 50-50 games that let's be honest at the weekend when we play Brentford that's going to be an incredibly yeah They're incredibly strong at home. It's going to be 50-50, and to be honest, I don't think many fans will be looking forward to it, given Brentford's record, but we tend to play well against them. But that's not all the only one in the next three games. We've got Liverpool at home in midweek and Leicester at home next weekend. So the question I'm going to ask you is, what do you both think? Do Willough and Joe Linton start at the left side and Gordon on the right side? Does it still look like the answer for these three games?
00:12:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
or would you be tempted to switch things up in any of these games? Nick, I'll go to you first because we went to you very late in the first part.
00:12:53
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Oh, that's okay. I have personally said before on these pods that I actually really like the Joe Willick and Joey Linton left-hand side balance and Gordon out on the right. Now I completely appreciate that. That's Gordon out of position, but however, he performs incredibly well on the right. and I know we've just spoke about the West Ham and Crystal Palace game and obviously they weren't results that we obviously desired or wanted, but it's not just him.
00:13:20
Nicola Pringle-Adams
that's on that pitch. There's 10 others with him. Do you know what I mean? So you can't just solely blame it on you know the left-hand side and the right-hand side. Personally, for me, I really like the balance of Joe Willak and Joe Willinton on the left-hand side. I think it works. I do think teams don't, well, particularly when Eddie first started it, I don't think teams expected it. And I don't think teams could keep up with it. um And obviously they weren't expecting to face Anthony Gordon on the right. And we've all, well, I think a few of us have said, until January,
00:13:48
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Anthony Gordon is the answer and the balance that Eddie seems to have found, it kind of is the answer because it seems to be working or did obviously, despite the last two results. For me, I ah can't see what he could or I don't know what he can change without obviously any transfers. So for me personally, I'd keep it how it is. It seems to be working, but I don't know. I mean, like I say, I'm not paying millions of pounds. I'm not Eddie Howe. so don't know
00:14:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
What about you, Ian? You got a clue?
00:14:23
Iain Mackay the Noo
i I think that what we, I think we're too predictable. And I think that is because Eddie will pick, Eddie will name an unchanged side or will name a side with one change in it very regularly.
00:14:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:40
Iain Mackay the Noo
I think I heard over the weekend that so far Newcastle have played 19 first team players, which is the least number of players any team in the Premier League have used so far.
00:14:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
correct.
00:14:52
Iain Mackay the Noo
And I think he needs to mix things up a little bit, maybe to keep some sides guessing.
00:14:58
Iain Mackay the Noo
Certainly, I like Willock. He's got almost a telepathic understanding with Joe Linton, which is only enhanced when Lewis Hall is on his game and playing alongside with them as well.
00:15:10
Iain Mackay the Noo
I don't think that's the right combination to play against Liverpool, though. I think we need Joe Linton's brutality and aggression in midfield against Liverpool. So maybe I'll play Gordon down the left. Willock wouldn't get a start for me. I'd have Joe Linton go into midfield. I think Willock, I think Willock's a great player. As you know, he's my tip for Newcastle's player of the season, although when I talked to that fellow at West Ham,
00:15:44
Iain Mackay the Noo
He then played as if he put his boots on the wrong feet. But yeah, I think it needs to be more mixing up. I think people have got to be non-offended if they don't make the starting 11.
00:15:57
Iain Mackay the Noo
Is Gordon the solution down on the right? He might be, but then I think he's a solution down on the left as well. What I do think we need to would need to bring in on these games, I think Trippia needs it.
00:16:03
Nicola Pringle-Adams
and I agree, yeah.
00:16:10
Iain Mackay the Noo
more game time. He's the only guy in the last month who's shown that he can actually cross a ball. Our our crossing and our corner taking is fairly woeful, although, admittedly, Tanani put one or two good good corners in. We just didn't have anybody in the middle to go for them.
00:16:27
Iain Mackay the Noo
But yeah, i would I would mix things up. I'll tell you what I'm looking forward to being able to see, and maybe this is where we get around the low block, when Wilson can start. and the Isaac goes down the left, then Gordon goes down the right. That is a forward line to terrorize any mid-table to lower-table side, particularly if you've got Tenali and Bruno finding a way to work together in midfield. That should get us a foothold in any game. I'm reminded when you said to be playing Brentford again about last year's Brentford game, where we were truly awful in the first half and went in one down,
00:17:07
Iain Mackay the Noo
And it was Wilson and EZAC together who turned that on its head for us to be be too one ahead after an hour. And we played that one out to win. So, yeah, more more variety in your starting lineup, Eddie, not because you have to pick the got and trying to pick the best available to start. I think that we can hold some guys back tactically for them to come on and and do their thing.
00:17:36
Iain Mackay the Noo
against a team that's already been battling against an hour of intensity.
Summer Transfers and Team Needs
00:17:40
Iain Mackay the Noo
But that's that's definitely the one change I hope we can make. Whether it's on the left wing or the right wing or the midfield, they need to rocket up them to tell them to click to press, to be intense, to be bold.
00:17:54
Iain Mackay the Noo
do You remember last year against Aston Villa where they went man to man and pressed like mad and we thought we were going to get stuffed and we won 3-1 at Aston Villa.
00:18:02
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Yeah.
00:18:02
Iain Mackay the Noo
Let's have some more games like that where we we are on the on the affirmative side. where where we we're We're making decisions. We're driving the game. We're not just sitting back, soaking it up, going side to side to side to side, which is what we did against the Palace, without any idea of how to move the ball forward into anywhere of any danger.
00:18:23
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Mm.
00:18:23
Iain Mackay the Noo
Honestly, that's why I wish I'd never wasted. Sorry, I don't know if i don't have that answered your question, Michael. I've just started ranting again at the Crystal Palace game.
00:18:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
i I asked you for one answer I think you gave me three to be honest to have so more than what I asked for more bang for my book absolutely great yeah to be honest I do agree that we
00:18:33
Iain Mackay the Noo
I do apologise.
00:18:38
Iain Mackay the Noo
Okay.
00:18:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah know You make a great point with the 19 or players used. is the lowest in the league this season, as you mentioned. And it is one of those where you know what's coming. And that's mainly because of injuries potentially. But now is the stage. You're in December. What were you going to add?
00:19:04
Iain Mackay the Noo
I just just I've got something to add, but I didn't want to interrupt in the middle of the sentence.
00:19:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
that's all It's all Don't worry.
00:19:09
Iain Mackay the Noo
All I was going to say in in in introducing some variety into the starting lineup, we have Lewis Miley playing for the under 23s.
00:19:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Don't worry.
00:19:19
Iain Mackay the Noo
He's been injured, but he's he's played some matches. He's been fit for a month now. He said the England under 21 side that just turned 18 because he is an absolutely superb midfield player.
00:19:31
Iain Mackay the Noo
He might be the man. who can find that forward pass to break through the lines against the teams with the low block. If Bruno and Sinale are proving themselves incapable of doing that, Louis Smiley's got an eye for a fantastic pass, because he because he is brilliant.
00:19:46
Nicola Pringle-Adams
No.
00:19:48
Iain Mackay the Noo
let's let's Let's see. Let's give him a go. Let's give Asula a go against some of these lower defences.
00:19:52
Nicola Pringle-Adams
No.
00:19:55
Iain Mackay the Noo
Asula looks like a brute. He looks strong. He looks fast. He looks like a willing runner. But we don't even bring him on.
00:20:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:04
Iain Mackay the Noo
We don't even bring him on.
00:20:04
Nicola Pringle-Adams
know
00:20:05
Iain Mackay the Noo
And and if if they've got a week's worth of coaching as to how they're going to shackle Isaac and Gordon, ah soon you're on. They've never heard of him.
00:20:16
Iain Mackay the Noo
They won't know what the hell he's going to do. ah I just think we need to switch it up. We just need to be unpredictable. and And then we've got a chance of actually catching somebody off guard instead of them knowing exactly what's going to come at them before they've even got off the bus and got changed and got on the pitch.
00:20:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, exactly.
00:20:24
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Yeah.
00:20:30
Nicola Pringle-Adams
yep Yeah.
00:20:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely. I think in the same vein, yeah, I mean, we've just said this, but I think for the Liverpool game, I'd maybe be a little bit more tempted to to keep things as they are, maybe go with the same game plan as game plans Arsenal, but then against Leicester, for example, let's try, you know, new players on the wings, put a Murphy in there, maybe even an Almer on the start, Barnes and Gordon, you could switch them up.
00:20:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
maybe midfield three of Tenali, Willock, Bruno, three of your better ball players on the ball. And then Brentford, you know, that's the tricky game. That's the, what I mean, no disrespect to Leicester. But Brentford, one of the best teams in the league at home this season, you know, you're there, one of those teams that you either, you're going to have to stand up and go blow for blow.
00:21:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it could be a 1996 Newcastle 4-3 or something like that. They're that kind of team. Or you ask maybe you sit back and you try and counter-attack. So they're the kind of team that you've got to outrun, you've got to outwork.
00:21:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
So maybe you go a bit more with a bit more of a conservative approach, but you have Willough, Bruno and Longstaff in midfield, you're three best runners.
00:21:34
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Yeah.
00:21:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
You maximize removerability, you sacrifice Julian and Tenali, but you also give them a bit of a rest. It's that sort of luxury that Newcastle have right now, but whether we get to use it or not, who knows?
00:21:46
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Yeah.
00:21:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
But on that point, I'm aware we've gone a little bit over. So I'm going to go into our second advert of the day from the Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:21:58
Nicola Pringle-Adams
This podcast is part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. The only network bringing you exclusive daily news and views on your Premier League team, the Premier League, the women's football and fantasy football. A unique listening experience that puts fans first, to bringing you the very latest breaking news from your team. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and make as your first listen every day.
January Transfer Window Speculations
00:22:17
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Global Sports Podcast Network, every club, every day.
00:22:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely fantastic, Nicola. Thank you very much.
00:22:24
Nicola Pringle-Adams
No problem.
00:22:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, when we look at the summer, hindsight tells you that we probably should have spent some money. But hindsight's a lovely thing. We didn't spend all that much in the summer.
00:22:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
We did spend 15 million on a Sula, which, as Ian's mentioned, If he's not getting any game time, it now seems quite confused confusing, to be honest. But if there is a kitty available in January, and don't give me a name of a cat now, like a Siamese or something like that, don't go that way. ah But what type of player do Newcastle need to bring in to solve their biggest problem, which is negating the lower block? So we could be a number 10, it could be a winger, it could be a rough house and centre forward.
00:23:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nick, I'll let you start, which way which way do you wanna go?
00:23:14
Nicola Pringle-Adams
your I don't want to be negative, but I think I'm going to have to be.
00:23:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, Ian, Ian, cut her off.
00:23:22
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Sorry.
00:23:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
We can't have negativity, that's my job.
00:23:25
Nicola Pringle-Adams
No, yeah not not so much negative. I just think, look, Eddie is obviously going to need a little bit of support during either the January window or the summer window.
00:23:35
Nicola Pringle-Adams
It's probably likely going to be more the summer window, isn't it? Let's be honest. I think I've already heard a rumour to say that we won't be buying big or buying a tall in the January window. So that's perfect.
00:23:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:48
Nicola Pringle-Adams
We've covered it. so much even before the season started of that our right-hand side is just not where it needs to be. So a right-winger is definitely needed. um um And i'm I am either going to chuck in, I'm also sorry, going to chuck in the mix. I would be buying a striker. I know we've got Osceola and Isak and Wilson on his day, but I am a bit bored of the cycle of
00:24:17
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Wilson gets injured, ESACs fit, Wilson comes back, ESACs injured, and it just seems to be this rotating circle of one of them's not fit, one of them's injured, one of them, you know, it's just a bit boring. And it also doesn't fill me with confidence that when we rely on Alexander ESAC for about 60% of the games. So I would even chuck in there that we need to start maybe looking at a striker. um I do feel sorry for Oschula, I can never pronounce his name, Oschula, is that how you pronounce it?
00:24:47
Nicola Pringle-Adams
But yeah, because I agree with Ian. I think he's going to be to look out for on Ian. And I think, you know, he will put in some decent performances when he's obviously gets the minutes. And that's obviously the big if and when he gets put on. So my two things I'll be looking at is definitely a striker and right winger. That is what I would be replacing. Who? I don't know.
00:25:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, thankfully, that's my follow up question. No, it's not. figured, you know, wouldn't be able to name a perfect replacement in five minutes.
00:25:17
Nicola Pringle-Adams
There's too many. Yeah.
00:25:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's what scouts are for. But Ian, do you agree on the positions or have you got something else in mind?
00:25:24
Iain Mackay the Noo
Yeah, well, on scouting, on scouting, if they're earning their money, they could dig out a dilap, couldn't they? They could find it a player that we could get for £12 or £15 million pound who could come in and be an upgrade on Miggy and Jacob Murphy, because I like both of those players.
00:25:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:46
Iain Mackay the Noo
And they've been great both been good servants, but, you know, that they're the weak link, but they're not getting picked. Anthony Gordon's being played out of position to cover that.
00:25:57
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Yeah.
00:25:57
Iain Mackay the Noo
So let's see if the scouts can to earn their money and find something that we can afford. I'm less inclined to go and buy a centre forward when we already did that and haven't really used him.
00:26:09
Iain Mackay the Noo
And to be honest, if Osseul has been protected from playing in the Premier League, he's got more Premier League games under his belt than Tenali has. at the moment because he played 30-odd games in the Premier League for Sheffield United and if you think that he's going to be disappointed by finding it tough playing centre forward for Newcastle against Leicester for example, how tough was it to play centre forward for Sheffield United in the season of last season when they were when there were getting stuffed off everybody?
00:26:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's a very good point.
00:26:35
Iain Mackay the Noo
So I would definitely leave centre forward.
00:26:40
Iain Mackay the Noo
I think we really missed out when we courted and talked and then didn't buy a player like James Madison.
00:26:49
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Mm.
00:26:49
Iain Mackay the Noo
I think somebody like that who can shield the ball but look up and pick a pass, 20 yards further up the pitch than Bruno Ortonali seemed comfortable in doing.
00:27:00
Iain Mackay the Noo
That's what's needed to unlock these teams in the low block.
00:27:05
Iain Mackay the Noo
Now, maybe we spent all of our cash that we had to buy a player like that by by finding a substitute 40 million left winger in Barnes. or a 55 million substitute for Bruno in Tenali.
00:27:18
Iain Mackay the Noo
But that's what I think was missing, was a number 10. A number 10 who can thread a pass through the eye of a needle and see a pass before any of the defenders have spotted it's there.
00:27:31
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Yeah.
00:27:32
Iain Mackay the Noo
Maybe that's Lewis Miley, who knows. But that's who I think we're missing in this team. And that's why you will watch the ball go backwards and forwards from side to side, from fullback to fullback.
00:27:43
Iain Mackay the Noo
via share and burn so often before it could move forward that they've and they've got all 11 players in their defensive position before we even try and look for that ball.
00:27:54
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Yeah.
00:27:54
Iain Mackay the Noo
It's just all going to be much, much faster.
00:27:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I completely agree. I think to be honest, the only thing I'd like to add is sort of generally sort of agreeing with Nick, but if we're going to bring in a striker.
00:28:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
you'd want like a rough, brick, hit house style of striker, like Diego Costa style he was at Chelsea or maybe an Alexander Mitrovich when he was here just without the red cards and someone who could put the ball in the back of the net when he was here. Yeah, you learn how to do that when you're away, didn't you? It's fine, I've got over that. But we put in so many crosses every single game.
00:28:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
and I haven't looked at the stats so we could be at the bottom of the crosses table and I look like an idiot. But it feels like, we put and you've mentioned it, Ian, we put in so many crosses and they just go nowhere.
00:28:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Either it's you know to seven yards over the player and it goes out for a corner on the other side, or it just narrowly misses the striker, which is arguably the more frustrating ones.
00:28:45
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Yep.
00:28:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
But also, most of these balls are being played into alex Alexander Isaac. And let's be honest, he's quite a fragile player. He's not really the kind of player that's going to do what, let's say, Wilson did against Spurs last season and you know try and rough house the goalkeeper and injure himself in the process.
00:29:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or yeah but maybe something we could ask a little bit more of us. We train him a little bit more in that the physicality of the game because he's a big lad. He's a massive player and he's got a bit of bulk on him.
00:29:26
Nicola Pringle-Adams
Yeah.
00:29:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
So yeah he's clearly been hitting the gym. But the one thing is, If you can beat players in the air and you can become good at hitting the ball and actually have that presence and that sense to know where the ball's coming and know what to do, you'll be a striker that you might not make it in the next 10 years of Newcastle United, where hopefully we're playing like, let's say Arsenal or Liverpool or a Man City, beautiful free flowing football.
00:29:48
Iain Mackay the Noo
And.
00:29:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
But when it's looking for that option B, who can just put the ball in the back of the net, When the ball comes in, he so he knows exactly where it's going, heads across goal, back net.
00:30:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've been backs against the wall for 20 minutes, but we've managed to roughhouse a goal, which we saw so many times under with Callum Wilson in his prime. Unfortunately, he's not quite there yet. I would like to see us potentially bringing a striker, but go on, Ian.
00:30:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know you've got some of the word.
00:30:23
Iain Mackay the Noo
Well, you've just made, yeah, you've just made me think, and it would be hilarious and ironic that the best header of the ball in going forward for Newcastle is Joe Linton. And to say that would be a massive revelation if you could move Joe Linton into centre forward to do that, allowing you to play Gordon down the left, give Ezax a big man to play off,
00:30:52
Iain Mackay the Noo
This is ridiculous, but but actually that's because that's what Joe Linton started life at under Stevie Bruce, isn't it?
Innovative Strategies and Farewell
00:31:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah
00:31:02
Iain Mackay the Noo
he's a He's a much better player than he was under Steve Bruce.
00:31:05
Iain Mackay the Noo
So, you know, why not? If he's a right winger, he could easily be a centre forward as well. And i think I think he has got the physical presence to be able to get on the end of some of those crosses.
00:31:18
Iain Mackay the Noo
Maybe that's something that we could try. If Eddie's trying to shake things up, nobody's expecting it. Let Joe Linton play them a nine. Next time he's at Lymphsoft after 20 minutes.
00:31:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah i don't think yeah i don't think anyone would be expecting the revelation of joe linton going back in the center forward but
00:31:35
Nicola Pringle-Adams
I can.
00:31:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, it's it's not a it's not a bad point at all because he is our best header of the ball. He's probably the worst kicker we have, in sent ait well, striker of the ball, shall I say, we haven't sent him midfield. But when it comes to actually getting on the end of crosses and, you know, being that physical presence, he is there. But most of the time when we get down the wing and we've got that pace to get to beat the man and get the ball in, he's on the edge of the box. And if it if it comes out and falls to him, he's sitting there going, don't shoot, don't shoot, don't shoot, don't shoot, please don't shoot.
00:32:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
So maybe a little bit further forward, maybe that's the idea of putting him at left wing and yeah we did say that with the physicality and before that, that's the reason he's there. But and it's it's all something to think about.
00:32:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Football is a complex and beautiful game, but sometimes it can be so simple as to just
00:32:20
Iain Mackay the Noo
That's it.
00:32:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Remember when we just crossed it to Andy Carroll? Every single game and hoped for the best. Maybe we could go back to that, which would be very, very depressing. But it's an option B.
00:32:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And with that, I'm going to leave Nicola and Ian to get on with the rest of their days. Although we do have another podcast being recorded just after this with the Liverpool guys.
00:32:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
So be sure to check that out with Ian and Joe. But for now, we are going to say goodbye.
00:32:51
Iain Mackay the Noo
And.