Our defence

[Ragatino]

Our main problem is that players like Elanga and Gordon have not delivered adequately.

Sure, we have a general challenge with our style of play at the minute. Sure, there are many positions that need improvement and players that have performed below par. Most top teams go through these kinds of spells - not that we're necessarily a top team at the moment - and come out better on the other side. But they still manage to get results in the meantime.

There are many games I can think of this season where we should've gotten a result but didn't, even if we didn't play all that well. That, to me, primarily comes down to our wingers not chipping in with deliveries of quality and goals. In a nutshell.

23 goals scored all season in the league Hughie, you make a compelling argument.

The attack simply hasn't been good enough.

As we can attest, from a decade and half of sh!tty, clueless managers who idea of tactics was calling the take away 15 mins before full time to that the Lamb Bhuna and Pashwari nan was ready for delivery right on time, a lack of attacking threat = considerable more defensive pressure = leading to more goals conceded & more games lost.

The team have been ahead in many matches, yet, unfortunately the threat has then fizzled out during the later part of the first half or in the 2nd.

The legs go due to the fatigue and injury list. The team drops back and back inviting the pressure that has inevitably ended in goals being shipped and 15 odd points being dropped.

Best form of defense is attack. The team have the balance at the back despite the injuries. The squad is flexing and stretching to maintain but Eddie is able to put out a competitive team.

JJ is starting to come good and looks better and better with every performance. Elanga, I kinda feel sorry for. He's had a touch start to life on the Tyne. I get the feeling that he's now putting a lot of pressure on himself to perform whilst the terraces collectively shy and grumble each time he miscontrols or misplaces a pass.

The decision making in the final 3rd hasn't been great from Either winger. Gordon has no excuses IMO. He's proven his quality in previous seasons. The Chelsea game proved he's still got it. Malo Gusto (In English - Bad taste) should have seen red. However, against a top team expected. Away to the filth at the swamp in a few days he needs to take the muppet Dalot to school and dominate that left hand side.

Elanga I really want to see get on at 60 mins at the swamp and bang in a goal against his old club.


All that being said. I still think the best solution to the current defensive woes would be resolved with a more deep lying DMF. Not expecting the club to go out and this gen's sign prime Pirlo. However, I firmly believe that the best solution is to enable the CMF 3 to get into the opposition physically and intensely get ahead and make the tactical changes to maintain an attacking threat and work rate in the middle of the park but bring on a more combative shielding DMF to see out matches.

[Ragatino]

https://www.transfermarkt.com/dayann-methalie/profil/spieler/1191444

Dayann Methalie is linked. A 19 yr old multi-position player.

Main position:
Left-Back
Other position:
Left Midfield
Centre-Back

Not the No.6 I'm championing but someone who appears to have a huge future and is highly sort after by top clubs across Europe.

Certainly a decent addition to reduce the age of the squad and offer some potentially high quality rotation in positions where we are currently a bit thin with injuries.

[Ragatino]

DMFs we have been linked to.

Kees Smit is a player we've all seen linked. His details are on the 'January' Thread.

Camara Lamine - 21 - Monaco - 30m Euro

https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/camara-lamine/1389846

Class DMF, technical, intelligent, physical.

Luciano Valente - 22 - Feyenoord - 18m Euro

https://www.transfermarkt.com/luciano-valente/profil/spieler/601495

Not so much of a DMF as more of a CMF/AMF.

Wouldn't be my choice.

Aleksandar Stanković - 20 - Club Brugge - 15m Euro

https://www.transfermarkt.com/aleksandar-stankovic/profil/spieler/780136

Son of the legend Dejan. The kid is versatile
Main position:
Defensive Midfield
Other position:
Centre-Back
Central Midfield

Gonna be a star where ever he ends up. Not quite as developed as Lamine but I'd put him above Valente in the list.

Jorthy Mokio - 17 - Ajax - 8m Euro (wildly under valued)

https://www.transfermarkt.com/jorthy-mokio/profil/spieler/1105532

This kid is going to go right to the top of football. At 17 he's bossing games in the lowlands. Destined for a Barcelona or Real Madrid. The kid can play. Techincal, smart, reads the game, physical. He, like Miley is mature beyond his years. He's versatile too

Main position:
Defensive Midfield
Other position:
Central Midfield
Left-Back

[toonviking]

Interesting stuff...

Also, defending as a unit and a team is important. The whole team has to defend. Not just the defence.

Thats why we have been good the last few seasons. Now it seems like the defence is more left alone, sort of.

Joelinton (in form, that is) is maybe what we need. Joe is a fantastic ball winner when hes in form. Gordon is also a fantastic pressing player and first defender, when hes in form. I think we saw some signs of his old self in the Chelsea game.

If we can get Joelinton back in form, in addition to Gordon, I think that can take a lot of pressure off the back four.

[Ragatino]

Interesting stuff...

Also, defending as a unit and a team is important. The whole team has to defend. Not just the defence.

Thats why we have been good the last few seasons. Now it seems like the defence is more left alone, sort of.

Joelinton (in form, that is) is maybe what we need. Joe is a fantastic ball winner when hes in form. Gordon is also a fantastic pressing player and first defender, when hes in form. I think we saw some signs of his old self in the Chelsea game.

If we can get Joelinton back in form, in addition to Gordon, I think that can take a lot of pressure off the back four.

Yeah absolutely Viking. Defending from the front. JJ's growing into the role that Joelinton perfected in seasons past. Joelinton of 2 seasons ago was bordering on world class, unique, dynamic, physical, aggressive, dominant terrifying, brilliant.

This season, he's not been on that kind of form. Whether it's a matter of fitness, niggling injuries or confidence I'm not sure.

The current Joelinton couldn't trap a bag of sand, let alone a ball. His retention and passing has been woeful. Losing possession of the football more time that controlling and moving it on, causing more pressure on that back 4.

JJ' still getting up to speed but he seems to be trust by Howe already and this can only be a good thing. Whilst he's not as physical as peak Destroyer J7, he is a dynamic player and he's learning the press patterns. Again JJ's relationship with Gordon or Barnes on the left wing and Hall at LB is still in the early stages. As they all play more together we should see that LCMF / Left side become more fluid and knitted together.

People that are all whining about demanding the manager be sacked are ridiculous when you consider the changes this team/squad is currently undergoing.

As a club financially/commercially & as a playing squad tactically and mentally, we are experiencing growing pains.

Nothing in life is linear. Success is never perfect. It's peaks and troughs, a swift improvement, a plateau of slower development with the odd backwards step.

Last season after 17 matches NUFC were 8th on 26 points - W7,D5,L5
This season after 17 matches NUFC were 11th on 23 points - W6, D5, L6

When we consider the turmoil and upheaval of the summer and the entire blueprint of the team having to be ripped up with the frustrating injury to Wissa for the first 3 months of the season, all the injuries to the defensive line & Goal Keeper, the miss firing winger & the challenges of Elanga to assimilate to the new team and provide the goals & assists he contributed last season for Forest (played - 43, Goals - 6, Assists - 12)

It's still early doors for Elanga. The situation isn't as bad as the bedwetters making out.

Eddie's teams always far better during the Christmas period and to the end of the season.

When we consider the lads are still within touching distance of the top 8 best clubs IN THE WOOOOORLD in the UCL, sitting in 11th with 2 to play, PSV at home is gonna be electric ahead of the big one in Paris when the lads get to have another crack at putting unjust draw right!

A semi final of the Carabao awaits. Two legs against City. The Citizens took a loss in the league at SJP earlier this season and face the reining champions of competition in the first leg. Frank Sidebottom's men will have to overcome their deficiencies and raise their game to compete with the holders over 2 legs. The toon beat an Arsenal team last season convincingly despite being written off before a ball was kicked.

With league is a marathon and we're nicely tucked in with the pack as they round the half way bend.

[toonviking]

Totally agree Rag.

We are suffering from changes, players out / in, players getting past their peak etc. Making more changes, like sacking the manager, would only make it even worse. Its in times like this you need to be stable and stick together. That togetherness, us against the world is exactly what has turned things around, after the dark ages. Plus, after all Eddie has done and achieved - even a relegation fight wouldnt make me calling for his head. Its not even on my radar. Only an idiot (sorry idiots, its not personal) would consider sacking Eddie.

That said, as a toon fan, I reserve the right to went my frusteration towards tactical changes, subs, and so on. When Burn look like Bambi for the fifth game in a row, or Elanga comes on for the last 20 mins, only to lose the ball away - game after game... its our duty as fans to ask questions and critizice - but for me, without the sack talk.

As you say, there is still a lot to play for this season. Its frusterating when you look at the squad on paper, and it looks stronger than last season, but still its not really clicking into gear. Elanga looks like a bad signing now, but look at what Eddie did to Joelinton and many other players - there is still a good chance he can turn into a good player for us. Hes still only 23. When Eddie came here, Joelinton was 25, and one of the worst strikers in the league, but with great physics. The starting point for Elanga should be much better really, when you think about it.

I guess we just have to trust Eddie, the players and the process. Upwards and onwards for 2026!

And if there is one game I would start Elanga, its at OT. I think he would be all fired up, and it could be the perfect turning point for him.

Let the "former players always score against us syndrome" work FOR us, for a change.

[Ragatino]

Totally agree Rag.

We are suffering from changes, players out / in, players getting past their peak etc. Making more changes, like sacking the manager, would only make it even worse. Its in times like this you need to be stable and stick together. That togetherness, us against the world is exactly what has turned things around, after the dark ages. Plus, after all Eddie has done and achieved - even a relegation fight wouldnt make me calling for his head. Its not even on my radar. Only an idiot (sorry idiots, its not personal) would consider sacking Eddie.

That said, as a toon fan, I reserve the right to went my frusteration towards tactical changes, subs, and so on. When Burn look like Bambi for the fifth game in a row, or Elanga comes on for the last 20 mins, only to lose the ball away - game after game... its our duty as fans to ask questions and critizice - but for me, without the sack talk.

As you say, there is still a lot to play for this season. Its frusterating when you look at the squad on paper, and it looks stronger than last season, but still its not really clicking into gear. Elanga looks like a bad signing now, but look at what Eddie did to Joelinton and many other players - there is still a good chance he can turn into a good player for us. Hes still only 23. When Eddie came here, Joelinton was 25, and one of the worst strikers in the league, but with great physics. The starting point for Elanga should be much better really, when you think about it.

I guess we just have to trust Eddie, the players and the process. Upwards and onwards for 2026!

And if there is one game I would start Elanga, its at OT. I think he would be all fired up, and it could be the perfect turning point for him.

Let the "former players always score against us syndrome" work FOR us, for a change.

All good points man. Would be quality to see Elanga bang in a brace to humiliate the OT swamp dwellers on their own patch.

It's a good time to play them. Ratfink is out injured. Bummo, Mazraoui and Amad off at Afcon. A defence as weak as piss.

The toothless inbreeds who populate the home end are not happy. They are Manc Divided, no where close to United.

Now it is the time.

Filth 1-4 NUFC

[Sclox]

Splitting a few Gs tonight before heading out for a meal so feeling positive about the next game. I think we get this and maintain our recent good run.

Reading all the opinions about the defense, yeah, theres a few problems and I think there are a few cohesion issus with all the mixing of players in the back 5 with no real continuity on display. Injuries obviously are key to explaining this along with extra CL games with EH maybe trying to adjust his style to conserve players but fk me, no need for any panicking yet - a run of 5 or 6 wins and we will be back in the mix again. The gap is small to 5th and adjusting to Nick's style is taking time.

I will say we need to get the rses in gear starting now and we need more, much more from Elanga and AG. We also need to stop conceding late on and see out results better than we have. This team is better than what we are seeing for sure.

[Ragatino]

Splitting a few Gs tonight before heading out for a meal so feeling positive about the next game. I think we get this and maintain our recent good run.

Reading all the opinions about the defense, yeah, theres a few problems and I think there are a few cohesion issus with all the mixing of players in the back 5 with no real continuity on display. Injuries obviously are key to explaining this along with extra CL games with EH maybe trying to adjust his style to conserve players but fk me, no need for any panicking yet - a run of 5 or 6 wins and we will be back in the mix again. The gap is small to 5th and adjusting to Nick's style is taking time.

I will say we need to get the rses in gear starting now and we need more, much more from Elanga and AG. We also need to stop conceding late on and see out results better than we have. This team is better than what we are seeing for sure.

The next 5 are all winnable.

Filth v NUFC - Last season 0-3 - there isn't a better time to play them with the injuries and players at AFCON
Burnley v NUFC - Burnley are shocking last 6 - 5L, 1D. 3 points is an absolute for a UCL team
NUFC v Palace - The eagles don't travel well and have a shocking record at SJC. NUFC are great at home
NUFC v Leeds - see Burnley comment. NUFC own them for the shocking result at Eland rd earlier in the season
NUFC v Bournemouth - Eddie owes the fans a win against his old club. They are terrible right now last 6 - 2L, 4D -

A minimum of 13 points from these 5 - 15 point would put the lads right back in the fight for Champions League qualification whilst shutting all the bed wetters right up, regarding the future of the manager.

It's a results based business. If the team don't get the results then they deserve the criticism levelled at them and the ramifications of their deficiencies.