Number 1
16 years ago
9 months ago
3,650
The fixtures for the new season came out today, so seems appropriate to have this ready for 8 weeks time when it all goes off again.

Opening run:

Friday August 9
Liverpool v Norwich (Sky)

Saturday August 10
West Ham v Man City (BT Sport)
Bournemouth v Sheffield United
Burnley v Southampton
Crystal Palace v Everton
Leicester v Wolves
Watford v Brighton
Spurs v Aston Villa (Sky)

Sunday August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal (Sky)
Man Utd v Chelsea (Sky)

Its a hello to VAR and Amazon Prime for this season as well for the first time... could keep things interesting.
Eric Portapotty
14 years ago
16 hours ago
3,322
I genuinely believe that we'll probably go 0 from 4 to start the season, 2 banana skins and 2 proper tough teams smfh
Grimnir
15 years ago
2 months ago
2,727
Speaking of Amazon Prime, looks like they're just doing December...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D87SF2xXoAA0aKR.jpg
Number 1
16 years ago
9 months ago
3,650
I presume for the next round of PL auctions that Amazon might try their luck for more if this initial burst is a success. But I don't really know how many people who don't already access to AP will wanna sign up just to see 2 rounds of games. And I say that aware Boxing Day is still a bit of a lucrative window.

Having looked at our fixtures, I'm bemused the PL is giving Newcastle a slightly different version of last season. Again tis a North London opponent at home on day 1 followed by a trip to a promoted side, plus 5 of the top 6 by the end of October, a bogey ground away day on Boxing Day, and away to Brighton followed by home to Liverpool as part of the season end. Feels oddly unimaginative. Though I guess the bigger issue is the continuing bemusement as to who's going to be running the joint given the questions over Rafa and Ashley that are still unanswered at this moment.
Jason
17 years ago
1 month ago
4,635
Mon the Blades!
Number 1
16 years ago
9 months ago
3,650
Benitez officially confirmed as leaving Newcastle when his deal expires on Sunday. Not a surprise. Its been faintly clear for a while Ashley didn't want to give him what he wanted even though he would've been willing to stay.

Roll on Mark Hughes, Gary Monk or some other downgrade and a season I'll be glad to see the back of.
VP.
13 years ago
22 hours ago
25,271
Arsene Wenger.
Number 1
16 years ago
9 months ago
3,650
Not happening - he just declared he's not interested in returning to management just yet. Also didn't buy the Mourinho rumour even before he said he wants more than just challenging for top 10 rather than trophies.
Grimnir
15 years ago
2 months ago
2,727
Steve Bruce it is then

Looks like Newcastle are going down then this season!
bmg033
10 years ago
4 months ago
2,268
Expect Spurs to be about 9th come the new year. We're playing away games at Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd, Wolves, Everton, Leicester & West Ham all before Christmas.

So it looks like we're selling Trippier, Rose and Alderweireld and are replacing them with attacking midfielders. Genius.
Number 1
16 years ago
9 months ago
3,650
Steve Bruce it is then

Looks like Newcastle are going down then this season!

Saw a quote from a popular NUFC fan site going "Perhaps they've got a manager with promotion to the top flight on his CV 1 year in advance"

I was expecting a downgrade from Benitez and downgrade is what we have, complete with the fact we have to pay Sheffield Wednesday about as much compensation we got for Pardew, and they might not end the story here either.
Eric Portapotty
14 years ago
16 hours ago
3,322
Expect Spurs to be about 9th come the new year. We're playing away games at Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd, Wolves, Everton, Leicester & West Ham all before Christmas.

So it looks like we're selling Trippier, Rose and Alderweireld and are replacing them with attacking midfielders. Genius.

Please... You know you'll be challenging
VP.
13 years ago
22 hours ago
25,271
Can someone explain to me how Steve Bruce gets so many jobs in football as his performance have steadily declined over the years yet he still somehow manages to get some very good jobs (though usually under performs).

How the fuck is he even anywhere near the Newcastle job, they're a massive club and can surely attract some very good managers. For me they have to be one of the favourites to go down now and well worth putting a fiver on them to do so.
Eric Portapotty
14 years ago
16 hours ago
3,322
Ashley just wants a yes-man doesn't he, he'll even let them spend upwards of 80mil if they behave well enough.
Grimnir
15 years ago
2 months ago
2,727
Can someone explain to me how Steve Bruce gets so many jobs in football as his performance have steadily declined over the years yet he still somehow manages to get some very good jobs (though usually under performs).

How the fuck is he even anywhere near the Newcastle job, they're a massive club and can surely attract some very good managers. For me they have to be one of the favourites to go down now and well worth putting a fiver on them to do so.


Most of the good managers want a relationship where the chairman says yes to them, Mike Ashley wants that relationship reversed. I'm almost expecting him to start suing fans and the like...
Number 1
16 years ago
9 months ago
3,650
I think a lot of the big name saw a highly respected La Liga/Champions League winner in Benitez not getting anything out of Ashley and later say that he got little contact or support from on high and thought "Fuck that".

To me, it looks like the club has learned nothing from the Steve McClaren farce, of appointing a "Head Coach" happy to just be in the PL with a club with a big stadium and lots of fans, and spending big money purely to buy their own chosen players, such is stuff like the current heavy rumours of £35M for Joelinton, whose record for Hoffenheim looks pretty mediocre, yet refusing to pay WBA £16M for Rondon.

Bruce might have been OK if it was 2004, when I think he turned the job down, some 2 years before he got relegated with Birmingham. Does feel like the game has moved on though. If he does well, great, but I don't feel excited.
Grimnir
15 years ago
2 months ago
2,727
I just see Newcastle as being in a similar situation to what we were. Success will only come from have a manager like Holloway, who would win the hearts and minds of the players and the fans and enable them to play above their level (with a lot of luck thrown in too). It would be at a detriment to getting rid of Ashley though. We would have been Oyston free long before now if we hadn't been promoted to the Prem. I don't see Bruce as a manager who wins over fans or players though.
bmg033
10 years ago
4 months ago
2,268
Please... You know you'll be challenging

We might challenge for a bit but we won't win it. I think it'll be a similar season to last season minus the CL run.
Jason
17 years ago
1 month ago
4,635
Can someone explain to me how Steve Bruce gets so many jobs in football as his performance have steadily declined over the years yet he still somehow manages to get some very good jobs (though usually under performs).

How the fuck is he even anywhere near the Newcastle job, they're a massive club and can surely attract some very good managers. For me they have to be one of the favourites to go down now and well worth putting a fiver on them to do so.


Ashley.
Number 1
16 years ago
9 months ago
3,650
Ashley just wants a yes-man doesn't he, he'll even let them spend upwards of 80mil if they behave well enough.

£65M plus a possible loan fee for computer game favourite Jetro Willems... not far off.

Tbf McClaren got £80M or thereabouts spent on him in 2015/16... although that didn't exactly go well. Least Fulham last season means we're no longer got the biggest spenders to go down tag.
Grimnir
15 years ago
2 months ago
2,727
Liverpool and City given us plenty of goals to start the season off already
Number 1
16 years ago
9 months ago
3,650
Hmmm... was out so missed TV coverage of the first half, where it sounded like we created a fair few chances and looked up for it. Then saw the second, when the Newcastle substitutes weren't thought out and lead to a completely shapeless look and it all just seemed to fizzle out in a sort of aimless blind panic. The embryo of something that could work is there but a lot of work is needed to be less cluttered going forward. Still think we'll struggle though.

As for the boycott some fans do for today and potentially future games, I can see why people would/wouldn't engage in such activities, but it feels like those the two parties are just more interested in arguing with each other, which is just not helpful. Maybe its a side-effect of the lack of power fans really have in such a scenario.
bmg033
10 years ago
4 months ago
2,268
Got to my first game at the new stadium on Saturday, took an hour to get to my seat but made kickoff by 60 seconds.If Villa hadn't run out of steam after 60-70 minutes they probably would've won, we missed Son so badly but thankfully Eriksen hasn't been able to force a move away yet and completely changed the game. If we play like that against City I think they'll be getting another 5-0 win.
Number 1
16 years ago
9 months ago
3,650
Its odd how, like 3 months ago, the Laporte handball would've got a free pass, with even Lloris admitting they didn't think it was a malicious use of the arms by the Man City player. It is technically correct in fairness. But I guess it doesn't do a lot to help Guardiola and co be happy with VAR, especially as its happened so soon after Spurs squeaked through with it in the Champions League barely 4 months ago. Very much get out of jail free as well given Spurs were very much second best.

Still least they got something to show for it. Newcastle do not look in a healthy place and with early games against Spurs and Liverpool, I'm already prepared it might get more difficult.
Tommy Hughes
11 years ago
19 hours ago
645
Its odd how, like 3 months ago, the Laporte handball would've got a free pass, with even Lloris admitting they didn't think it was a malicious use of the arms by the Man City player. It is technically correct in fairness. But I guess it doesn't do a lot to help Guardiola and co be happy with VAR, especially as its happened so soon after Spurs squeaked through with it in the Champions League barely 4 months ago. Very much get out of jail free as well given Spurs were very much second best.


It sure left me with an odd feeling of uncertainty and plenty of compassion for all parties involved - home team & fans, away team & fans and the referees as well. Perhaps the new strictness of the rule in question should apply to the scorer but not the one assisting/creating the goal... I honestly felt City were robbed at that situation, and I wasn't even rooting for them. Chalking off that goal was exactly right and completely wrong at the same time.
Shedender
17 years ago
3 weeks ago
13,751
Well, that was a nice surprise win away from home.

Of course being the Newcastle way, we will lose at home to Watford in our next league fixture.
bmg033
10 years ago
4 months ago
2,268
Of all the games I've been to I'd put that as the 2nd worst Spurs performance I've ever seen. Literally did nothing despite having the ball for what felt like 89 minutes of the game, I think Dubravka had about 1 decent save to make. Last season went to shit because of a lack of squad depth and we respond by making the squad even smaller, I can only applaud the clubs ability to always find new ways to piss me off.
bmg033
10 years ago
4 months ago
2,268
EDIT: Double post
Number 1
16 years ago
9 months ago
3,650
Well... Norwich was a total disaster so my expectations for this were low, even if we have a half-decent record at Spurs. I'm holding judgement on whether its the start of Bruce proving himself - Steve McClaren won our last game at old WHL, for instance - but I think everyone needed that. Things had got to a dark place in recent weeks so a very good performance and result were necessary. I had expected that to be against a surprisingly dysfunctional Watford next week, but success is success.

Spurs surprised me. Considering their talents, they were really slow and ponderous, and after Eriksen had come on and proved he wasn't the answer alone, they just didn't seem to have any back-up options. Almost like they're thinking Kane alone is all they need up top. Again.
bmg033
10 years ago
4 months ago
2,268
Still trying to work out how so many people backed us to get 3rd this season.

You'll need to Login to comment