TheFish

35 minutes ago, Leeroy said:

You've purposefully done that, it isn't between Kamara and Luiz because they're different players, you've just chosen Joelinton but as good as he's been this season it's a mistake because Kamara is too good to leave out of a combined 11. 

 

If we're being totally honest, and I'm sure you'd agree, both teams are of a similar level talent wise. You have some very good players in Botman, Guimaeres, Isak and Trippier. Likewise we have very good players in Martinez, Kamara, Luiz and Moreno. I think all those players would get in a combined team even though Pope and Mings are unfortunate to miss out.

 

Then the other positions are more debatable - Watkins v Wilson, Schar v Konsa and McGinn/Buendia/Ramsey v Joelinton/Almiron. Based on current form it's obviously Watkins over Wilson and I think he has more to his game than Wilson. The other positions more debatable and bias likely to sway the thinking.

 

I find these things not very useful though because it's not about the best 11 on paper (although that helps), it's about moulding a team together and also how good the manager is tactically. Howe's done an incredible job as has Emery. We definitely have some work to do in the summer to improve our team in certain areas, as do you. If Kamara cannot make the game tomorrow then that will give you an advantage for sure, we really need him back in the team.

Dunno how much of Joelinton you've seen, but I'm telling you, the kid is a monster. I'd post fbref's useful scouting reports, but I'm not able to c&p images here. He's outstanding. 

Last paragraph is spot on though, Howe and Emery have built sides to compete with the players that they have and direct combinations won't really work. e.g. Burn is great for the way we play because he moves across to become a CB when we attack. Would Moreno work as well in that set up? Probably not, no, but he's definitely a better LB.

10 minutes ago, bobzy said:

Yeah, that's true.  I don't think Newcastle's good defence is actually based on their defence either.

Now who's trolling? 

12 hours ago, GlobalVillan said:

No point even replying to that as he's clearly on a wind up.

Joelinton over Kamara lololol.

The crack must be strong up in Newcastle if he isn't trolling.

Kamara is 10 times the player and its laughable to even put them in the same sentence.

His comment about Mings shows that he is either on a wind up or doesn't watch our games. 1 goal conceded from open play in 7 matches suggests Mings is a quality defender. And as fans, we know he is.

You misunderstood, it isn't Joelinton over Kamara, it's Luiz over Kamara, but like I said, that's a coin flip. It's Bruno over everyone, Joelinton + 1 of Luiz or Kamara.

Conceding 1 from open play in 7 doesn't necessarily mean that's down to your CB. More likely it's down to Emery's excellent coaching, and pragmatic system. I've only watched Mings on tv, or when we faced you under Gerrard or other previous managers, so yeah I may be being harsh. Too often though, I've seen him be poor positionally, or rash in the tackle or cocking up e.g. for Saka's when you faced Arsenal this season. I don't rate him that much at all. 

Just now, GlobalVillan said:

Oh come on now. One of them is a word cup winner who was voted best 'keeper in the world, the other is 3rd choice England 'keeper.

It's not even close.

Courtois is the best 'keeper in the world it's official and all that, and that Southgate chooses ol' t-rex arms ahead of Nick Pope is a mystery that will baffle historians for centuries to come. 

42 minutes ago, bobzy said:

Yeah, no, Wilson isn’t pound for pound the better player. I don’t even need to look at whatever site you’re pointing to to know that to be honest. Watkins is a far more complete player. It’s fine just looking at goals (a lot of our fans did before his current purple patch, and called him poor because of it) but his all-round game is very good. Wilson is “just” a finisher. Doesn’t want to link play, doesn’t want to work back - just get on the end of stuff. That’s fine, it’s often what’s needed and presumably works well for Newcastle, but he’s just not the better player. At all.

Amazed you’ve even mentioned Longstaff so presume you’re going for a bit of trolling . He’s so out of place in your midfield it’s unreal. Won’t be anywhere near your first team next season. 

Yeah I don't watch Watkins as much as you, and I guessed I'd be biased so I looked at the objective stats on that website. Wilson isn't 'just' a finisher, he does link play, he does track back, maybe not as much as Watkins, but he's not lazy in that regard. Plus Wilson is my wife's favourite so, I'd rather have Wilson, thanks very much.

Longstaff is actually doing well, but no he's not going to be in the NUFC squad much longer.

3 minutes ago, ferguson1 said:

No Almiron? He’s impressed me this season especially.

Where do you see the game being won or lost on Saturday? Is winning the midfield battle key do you think? 

I do think Emery will have a plan, which may not be the most entertaining but certainly a plan to nullify you guys. 

Love the lad, but he's not as good as the others. Between you and me? He's a weird looking bugger as well. Looks like the kind of kid who never had a bed time, the kind that knew how to roll a cigarette before anyone else did. 

Midfield is definitely a key position, two combative physical midfields trying to impose themselves on the other. Wouldn't rule out a red card as the fouls begin to stack up. Is Kamara fit for the game? 

I also think your back line will have a decision to make. Do they try to play through our high press, or do they try and go long? Play through and you could take advantage of overloads in the centre, or be found out like Man Utd and West Ham were. Go long and you could catch us out at the back, or our giants at the back could gobble up those high balls and all you're managing to do is invite pressure.

Just now, Zhan_Zhuang said:

Didn't realise Sunderland had won more League titles, that has surely got to hurt!

Not in the slightest, just like them proudly bragging that it's been over a decade since we last beat them. Aye, there's a reason for that 'marra', we've not met you in the league for 8 seasons  

Our fans don't poo on their seats, or in London fountains, we didn't need a public vote to source a nickname for the team, we didn't pinch the name of our stadium from Benfica. We're bigger, better, and much much sexier  .

I dunno which of the West Midland clubs are your sunderland equivalent. They're the ones who'd think their season a success regardless of where they end up, as long as they beat you. They'll be the ones who're saying that Emery is a fraud, that your best players will leave in the summer, that you're one bad season away from financial rack and ruin... despite the opposite being patently obvious. They're the oddest of the odd.

4 minutes ago, Villa87 said:

I’d never take Wilson over Watkins. Big case for both Kamara rather than Joelinton and Martinez over Pope as well. 

4 minutes ago, bobzy said:

Yeah, it is unbelievably biased  

Having Wilson over Watkins is genuine head gone stuff - although I appreciate its hard to rate others over you’re own when it’s going well.

Also, always weird doing a “best 11 of both teams” when we play different formations and different styles. Having ASM in there makes sense for Newcastle, but wouldn’t for us because he doesn’t pass the ball quickly enough. 

Player Comparison: Callum Wilson vs. Ollie Watkins | FBref.com

Wilson is pound for pound, the better player. Scores more per 90, takes more shots and gets more shots on target per 90. Creates more for others too. 

Like I say, it's a coin flip between Luiz and Kamara ahead of Longstaff and Willock, but Joelinton and Bruno are must starts. Bruno needs no explanation. But I've watched big Joe go from a joke, a £40m flop, a punchline of a striker,  to being one of the most physically dominant, dynamic central midfielders I've seen in a black and white shirt. He's genuinely a monster in midfield and his footballing brain is way, way better than it once was. He's starting to add goals to his game too which is not something I ever thought would happen. I love him and his big goofy smile. 

Can't argue with ASM taking his man on two or three times instead of just the once, but you can't argue with the end product, in terms of creativity he's up there with the very best in the league. And play him alongside a career 1 in 2 striker like Wilson... that's just golden goose stuff.

19 hours ago, wedge said:

For the avoidance of doubt, and so that 'TheFish' can relay this back to his colleagues on the Newcastle forum he posts on, this is my two pennies worth:

 

What's always driven me nuts about Newcastle even pre-Saudi takeover is perhaps not the fault of any NUFC supporter or player themselves totally, it's more the sickening media fawning over them, implying that somehow 'it means more up there' - because the fans take their shirts off in the stands I presume -  (the definition of 'it' remains incredibly vague!) and to me since the takeover by the murdering Saudis (despite one of the reasons many of the Newcastle fans were against Mike Ashley was apparently because of the way he treated staff at Sports Direct for example yet were rushing to affix tea-towels to their heads and wave Saudi flags - ironically a huge insult not only to Saudi people but to Muslims in general especially considering the obligatory can of Newcastle Brown Ale or Carling planted firmly in the hands of said tea-towel wearing Geordie) the majority of Newcastle fans I see online (again I admit this probably not reflective of the entire fanbase) have become so arrogant and obnoxious despite the fact the club hasn't won anything since the 50s/60s! Don't portray to have wanted Ashley out because of the way his company supposedly treated some staff members then run to buy tea-towels when the Saudis buy the club from him, human rights concerns from the fans went right out of the window then! It just proves that because the club is likely to be more successful now that is all that seemingly matters and the fans will accept any regime or ownership and effectively sell out the club's principles (the Saudi-flag coloured away kit is nauseating and personally I'd rather Villa play non-league than have that incorporated into our away kit) as long as the men's senior team is winning football matches on the pitch.

I'm not sure it's because of the various stages of undress the fans find themselves in, but more Newcastle is a one club, one sport, city. It is ingrained in the very culture of the area. I've lived in the North East, Yorkshire, East Midlands, London, North West and the focus on football is definitely more pronounced North of the Wall. 

Newcastle fans didn't want Ashley out because of the way he treated the Sports Direct staff, that was just yet another shitty cherry on a very shitty cake. The handful (and it was a handful) of morons wearing teatowels should be embarrassed and ashamed of themselves, I know that the overwhelming majority of those celebrating the takeover were happy that Ashley was gone, not that the Saudis were coming in. You maybe thought there were loads of fans in teatowels and waving flags, but that genuinely wasn't the case. A handful of daft lads drew the focus of cameras and there's your attention grabbing image for the news report. The Saudi coloured strip was, in my opinion, a PR misstep, but it was a step taken by Castore and the club, not the fans. I personally don't think any of our lot should buy it, but what can you do?

Like you say, online isn't a good reflection of the reality of the situation.

19 hours ago, wedge said:

 

The sickening and fawning media coverage surrounding Newcastle since the Saudi takeover has increased to unbearable levels, the reaction to the frankly limp League Cup final performance against Man United being a prime example of this, tweets from Sky Sports stating 'this is just the beginning' etc surely have never been seen before with regards to the League Cup runners up and for a club who hasn't won a major trophy since when, 1959? For a so-called 'massive' club as Sky Sports have told us for years and years (big crowds yes but it's a one-club large city!) this is absolutely embarrassing to have gone this long without winning a major trophy, so I've no idea how these entitled, obnoxious, arrogant Newcastle fans I see (mainly online it must be said) that act as if they're going for La Decima in Champions League trophies have the nerve to have this mindset!

I don't think it was a limp performance in the final, I thought we played all right, but had our 4th choice 'keeper in nets and had been missing our pivotal midfielder in the games running up tot he final. Your issue with Sky Sports tweeting out stuff doesn't make a lot of sense to me, I have to admit. Sky Sports are just saying that, given Newcastle are now propped up by an oil state, they'll have access to the kind of funds that means Cup Final appearances will likely come more often than they have in the previous 20yrs. The way we've performed in the League supports that assertion. 

It is embarrassing for a club of our 'size' to have gone without any trophy of note for 50+ years, and I think that's kind of the point. Newcastle have competed for titles, played in the CL, played in Europe, spent a fortune, had some great/good players all in the last 25yrs, and won.... nowt. That's frankly mental. Plenty of 'smaller' clubs have won something then disappeared into the lower leagues! It's a litany of poor appointments, poor recruitment and so on. Yet throughout all that, the club have struggled on, only being out of the top flight for 2 seasons, still draw attention from the media, still get plenty of bums on seats. 

19 hours ago, wedge said:

 

I must state - please don't think I am tarring all Newcastle fans with this brush just as you cannot generalise any large group of human beings, Newcastle is a cracking city and I've loved visiting St James's Park every time I've been, it is a magnificent stadium right bang in the city centre and Geordies I've met at games or on nights out up there have been absolutely bang on - and I'm sure there are plenty of decent, measured fans of the club that I think if success does come under these owners then fair play they deserve it and in addition I'm sure there are many that have wrangled with their conscious regarding selling the club's soul to a murderous and corrupt regime, I just don't ever seem to come across any of these online!

As for on the pitch and to Saturday, the job Eddie Howe has done since taking over has been superb, a manager I've always admired and rated and I've no doubt he'll have a great career with NUFC, and I do really think they'll beat us on Saturday unfortunately!

Seems to me that the crux of this is that, Football fans that you meet online can be ***iing awful. If I were you, I'd base my opinions of a region on the people I've met in real life, and not the trolls and tosspots you have to put up with online.

11 minutes ago, osmark86 said:

Possibly. A lot of fans are still pissed off about Man City even after 15 years, so not sure I'd count on it. But it's true, people move on and forget and the assholes get to continue doing what they do. Late stage capitalism blues plays on and on.

I honestly get your friends, I'd be heartbroken as a fan. Ofc he misses the football, the match day mates etc. But he could always start supporting Sunderland instead

Christ, that's a fate worse than death. 

One thing I'm aware of is how jaded some Man City fans have become. I'm sure if the Saudis continue to propel us up the league and we end up winning as often as Man City have, there'll be a slew of new-er fans bemoaning only beating Bournemouth 1-0. But me, and the longer-serving fans will enjoy the ride and celebrate any success with the kind of joy we've not seen at SJP since Robson and Keegan before him (when we won nowt). 

10 minutes ago, fightoffyour said:

The Fish comes in apparently relative peace whilst calling us all (boring) words removed behind our backs.

Wounded.

Some of you are and some of the 'analysis' on here was genuinely terrible. 

1 hour ago, VILLAMARV said:

Was just pointing out youre using terrible analysis here and then going back to your other site and telling everyone about how at that site people use terrible analysis.

Genuinely not trying to be contrary, but I'm just wondering why you think that analysis is terrible?

1 minute ago, VILLAMARV said:

It's all good you say what you wanna say and live how you wanna live. no worries. And we can all handle swears n that.

just thought it was a great self-own tbh

 

 

Sorry, I'm confused, what's terrible about that lad's analysis and what's up with the pattern I derived?

1 minute ago, osmark86 said:

I agree and it's so damn sad to see what it's doing to this beautiful game. It's bad enough that games are basically decided in board rooms these days, but that those board rooms consist of nation states (some with human rights violations) just makes it all the more pointless. What are we really rooting for? Whoever has the biggest purse?

A lot of Newcastle fans were really done dirty imo, but I guess the success you'll inevitably get will wash away the salt. That is if you're willing to look past the catalyst.

That's unfortunately what will happen. Sure, some fans of other clubs will continue to rail against us on Social Media and every time the murderous owners do some murdering we'll be mentioned in the articles that follow. But as with Man City and PSG, that anger, that sense of injustice will lessen in volume and frequency. I've 2 close friends who quietly walked away from the club when the new owners came in, they had conviction that I don't. One of them has quietly come back because he missed the away days, he missed the beers before and after, he missed the train journeys, he missed the match day mates and he missed the football. 

1 minute ago, VILLAMARV said:

Someone on that bad eye aids site (who happens to call himself the fish on there) suggested that words removeds on this site are using terrible analysis to derive patterns.

Imagine!

 

I did. And I stand by it. The words we use on there are a little more salty than those accepted on here. 

2 minutes ago, osmark86 said:

It's just such a shame because I honestly used to kind of like Newcastle before this takeover. A club with passionate fans and some levels of success outside the sky 6. Right now all of that just feels tainted to me and it must be so conflicting being a fan right now. I don't know how you see past it.

A rarity among your fanbase. I totally understand it from a moral, ethical, competitive stand point. It's wrong that states can own a community institution like a football club, it's abhorrent that a state that has committed and continues to commit atrocities are welcomed into the game, it's uncomfortable that that amount of money suddenly floods a club that was a midtable nothingness of a club to make it suddenly a Champions League competitor. 

But that's kind of the Premier League now, isn't it? Late stage capitalism where everything is for sale, and sportswashing, and customers. If Qatar give up on Man Utd and decide they want to buy Wolves, those Wolves fans that derided us for not blocking the takeover (as if we could) will be cockahoop at the thought of superstar players and Champions League football. 

7 hours ago, HanoiVillan said:

I'll be honest, I don't understand that graph. What am I supposed to be seeing?

Blue line is your actual goal difference, red line your Expected Goal Difference (xGD). The graph shows that you're scoring more and conceding less than you'd expect given the chances you've created/conceded. The second tweet in that thread shows that since Jan 1 you've scored 6 more than you'd expect and conceded 6 fewer than you'd expect on average.

5 hours ago, TomC said:

 

I agree that I'd like to see the monopoly broken...but I'd rather that it be Villa and Brighton than Villa and Newcastle because Newcastle is a state-backed club.

 

That's fair and were it any other club owned by the Saudis, I'd wholeheartedly agree. 

13 hours ago, Zhan_Zhuang said:

Emery v Howe. Who is the better coach?

I truly think being objective Villa have the better team yet they have galvanised themselves; likely because all staff and players are astronomical incentives and bonuses.

Villa still a work in progress with a small squad and currently a few injuries. The Barcodes have managed to implement a philosophy and build on it longer which will help them.

I'd hope Cash is back as Young is slowing down and playing way too much of late although he has been fantastic.

Likewise Kamara, really needed back to solidify the midfield allowing Luiz to play more naturally.

Moreno v Trippier looks a key battle, I think our guy has the legs on their RB and we will target him.

I think Emery has bags of experience and a ton of honours, but Howe is still young and has shown all the things you want from a manager; tactical nous, man management, improves players, the right balance of emotion and control. Side by side you'd need only look at Emery's long list of successes to say he's a very very good coach, but Howe will have a long career ahead of him.

Just curious about your statement that VIlla have the better side. What would your combined 11 be?

4 minutes ago, SecretVillaScout said:

Newcastle have only won 1 more game then us this season. They've drawn 11 times! I wonder if this is a PL record for draws. 
They will certainly will be coming to Villa Park to try and draw this game. I expect 11 men behind the ball job. 



 

Some scout you are, I can't imagine you've watched any of our games if this is how you predict we'll play. We do not play 11 men behind the ball, not even at the Emirates or the Etihad.

It's high press, high energy, looking for overloads, using the half spaces. The days of sitting deep and hoping to hang on are long gone. 

4 minutes ago, Nigel said:

Id be quite happy if one of us finished top 4/6 and the other suffered a monumental collapse!

Why wish such pain on your own club?

1 hour ago, Delphinho123 said:

I'd love it if both Villa and Newcastle finished in the top 4/6. 
Quite frankly, anything to upset the apple cart and monopoly the top 6 clubs have had all these years. 

Villa fans should want other clubs to break the mould as they should us.

Thing is, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs being in total flux there are three spots in the top 6 that should be attainable for the next couple of seasons, right? Brighton are sniffing around and if they can keep their best players they could be in a good place to compete as well. 

If you have a good end to the season I'm sure Emery will not only get you into Europe, but compete for honours there.