THE SPECIAL – Bournemouth at home
Newcastle United v Bournemouth, St James’ Park, 18/Jan/25, KO: 12:30 AM, Premier League. Live on TNT Sports.
We’re back again then.
We’re onto part three of a three game week and so far we’ve done everything we’ve needed to do. There were no slip-ups on Sunday v Bromley in the FAC and we progressed serenely to the fourth round and an away tie to Birmingham City.
Wednesday night saw us take care of Wolves who are in much better shape than they were a month ago. We moved into fourth and the Champions League qualifying places. All good.
We’re now facing Bournemouth at St James’ Park and today is by a distance our toughest challenge of the three games this week. The Cherries are a good side. They are in eighth position on 34 points and only four points behind us. Given the resources available to their manager, Andoni Iraola, it is a minor miracle for them to be where they are in the Premier League. It’s an astonishing achievement and I am full of admiration for where they are after twenty one games. They command respect.
I felt they were unlucky not to get the win at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea should count themselves fortunate to get a point in my opinion. Eddie Howe’s former club will travel to Tyneside full of confidence and given our difficulties in recording wins over them in recent years, they will have no sense of inferiority when it comes to us. They are suffering from some injuries but I say we treat them lightly at our peril.
Our position in fourth following the win over Wolves and the run preceded it has generated what we can expect to be the usual over-reaction in the media. Apparently, we are now in the race for the Premier League title. We all know that’s not the case. A defeat today would considerably dent our Champions League aspirations let alone any ludicrous thoughts of winning the PL title.
Neither are we in the hunt for a treble either.
I love Lewis Hall but claims he is the best left-back in the country after less than half a season is similarly over the top.
A side that hasn’t won anything can’t really claim to have the best defence, the best midfield or the best striker etc. That can only be claimed when something tangible has been achieved. Before then it is all noise.
Obviously this is for pundits to make some borderline intelligible noise between the adverts and clicks for journalists to generate advertising revenue. It shouldn’t be taken seriously.
I don’t think we were particularly sparkling on Wednesday night and with some better finishing, Wolves could have made life more difficult for us than they did.
That deflection from the arse of the Wolves defender gave us considerable breathing space and I observed to my match-day pal that we seemed determined to give Wolves a goal in the last fifteen minutes. Happily we didn’t but isn’t VAR great? Cough.
We have to be better this lunchtime against Bournemouth. We have to raise our levels considerably to get by a more than useful side.
We are in form however. We are playing well. We appear to have found a pattern of play and we have a good mentality.
Whether there will be recruits this month, no-one can say. I do think we are three good players off from having a starting eleven that could make a real impact. For my tuppence ha’pporth, a goalie, a right-sided central defender and a right sided attacking player would be just what the doctor ordered.
We won’t get three players this month. We may not even get one. We might lose players though Martin Dubravka looks like he’s staying after the smart money had him going to Saudi Arabia. The news this week has been Miggy Almiron edging his way to a return to the MLS with Atalanta United from whence Rafa Benitez brought him to Tyneside for a £20m record fee six years ago.
Few would argue Miggy’s time is up at United and I think I’m in the majority in wishing our popular Paraguayan (who has never given an interview in English in all of the six years he’s been here, unless I’ve missed it) all the very best for the future.
We’ve been on a journey over Miggy’s time at United from the rancour of the Ashley years to the club’s renaissance under our new ownership.
We’ve shared some wonderful moments with Miggy and my personal favourite is him hitting the back of the net with the first goal in that never to be forgotten night v. PSG when SJP exploded.
If Miggy is to get a final appearance today I hope he gets the send off he deserves and knows he’s part of the Geordie family forever.
Whether Miggy is staying or going, we need a win today.
Get into them United!
Keep On, Keepin’ On ...
Michael Martin, @TFMick1892.bsky.social @TFMick1892
Match Previews:
By way of further preparation from your mates at TF please have a look at Nick Clark’s excellent preview of today’s proceedings at St James’ Park …. here you go ...
As ever we have some excellent Podcasts available for your listening pleasure ... for Patreons that is ...
There is an excellent preview of today’s game with Harry, Paul and Adam who give their views on today’s meeting with The Cherries.
Charlotte also has a jolly good chat with Bournemouth fan Alex Deutsch to get the perspective from the south-coast and you’ll enjoy this as TF’s guest waxes about both managers in the opposite dug-outs today.
You’ll enjoy both these podcasts ... as well as the Pods that reflect on today’s game too.
Become a Patreon ... you know you want to – click on the image
Sports Minister hits back at critics of the the Football Governance Bill - click on the image above.
Alexander The Great -before United
Bigup to Alex Gill who posted this on Blue Sky last week … an interesting read about the latest netburster of this parish ..
The Pitch Inspection
If you’re interested in all of the shenanigans that goes on in the background of football, I couldn’t recommend more this fellow Substack site. Great reads which we commend to you
Tour Guide
if you like beer and football (I’m not exactly taking a wild punt there am I?) I think you’ll appreciate some of the writing in this series of blogs which combine, well, beer and football - click on the image
Too good to go down
Those of us with a longstanding and visceral dislike for Manchester United have been musing upon the chances of relegation this season (probably not sadly) for the gobshites of the Borough of Trafford.
Those of an age to recall the last time the Reds went down might be interested in this film that came our way this last week. Man U went down in the 70s and it was glorious … this is a wonderful memory of those heady days … click on the image
Newcastle United Supporters Trust – Annual General Meeting
NUST members will be aware of the next Annual General Meeting Newcastle United Supporters Trust's Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday 29 January 2025 at The Tyneside Irish Centre, 43 Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4SG.
Doors will open at 6.15pm and we will be located in the private room upstairs
with formal business commencing at 7pm prompt.
I hope to see you there.
Support the Newcastle United Fans Foodbank
Support Wor Flags - providers of the UK’s best TIFO at St James’ Park
That is all, see you back here for the Southampton game.
Many thanks to Peter Willis for his art-work - much appreciated comrade!