Newcastle Utd 0-0 Leeds Utd Post Match Debate.

[1964white]

We'd be three down if Rodrigo played for Newcastle. Do they have a striker out?

Isak their £60m summer signing, all 6'4" of him.

[The Subhuman]

Isak their £60m summer signing, all 6'4" of him.

Would explain a lot, Chris Wood is less of a premiership player than any of ours. Did wonder why he started.

[1964white]

Would explain a lot, Chris Wood is less of a premiership player than any of ours. Did wonder why he started.

Callum Wilson has been a good stand-in when he's fit.

Always thought of Chris Wood as a championship striker, he did well at Burnley, hasn't set the world alight at St James Park.

[John in Louisiana]

Best moment of the match:

https://www.facebook.com/10002448869055 ... 6288885193

I love Tyler Adams.

[1964white]

Best moment of the match:

https://www.facebook.com/10002448869055 ... 6288885193

I love Tyler Adams.

We now have Adams, Gnonto & Klich who can dish out sh*thousery to the opposition now

[Carrick Dave]

Best moment of the match:

https://www.facebook.com/10002448869055 ... 6288885193

I love Tyler Adams.

I just love that.

[whiteswan]

I think Cjay has had a knock on the head

I think he's been taken over by the Greasy Grealish Kalvin partnership

[andrewjohnsmith]

Well golly gee lookey here.....We move up a spot to 14th in the table and there are now SIX teams below us all averaging less than a point per game.

Some teams will hit form and go on a run. You expect teams like Leicester and Everton to improve. And teams like Wolves are throwing money. We can't survive on 1.0 ppg. If we're going to survive, we need to be one of those teams that goes on a run too.

[Sockerist]

A good draw, point well earned.

Luck played a part in this: it just wasn't Newcastle's day. They had several chances go begging, though we also had some good chances.

There are certain things you only notice if you are there - mainly passive play and positioning.

A narrative of the match could be summed up in one sentence this way:

We started off at 60 mph for maybe the first 10 minutes, then dropped. Don't know why. We need to be able to maintain high intensity over two 45 minute blocks. However, Leeds definitely came into this with a game plan of containment. Our players were constantly pressed around the ball. Possibly fatigue was a factor, contributed to by the lack of rest for some of them since Man City and the wet conditions underfoot. It could be that the players were 'up for it' initially, then pulled back to a more passive attitude when the physical burst tired them.

There were moments when our defensive positioning was terrible with our players bunched together and theirs in acres of space. I remember at least two incidents where five or six of our defenders were bunched up together with that 'rabbit caught in headlights' look about them, with the Newcastle players all stood at the other side of them. I found that inexplicable - the sort of thing you'd expect from schoolboys.

That having been said, overall Koch was solid and Cooper did well; Strujck is this season's black horse, excellent player. Yet there is no question that our Achilles' heel is the defence, and this then impacts on the rest of what we do. We must hope Maximilian Wöber can help sort it out, but we need a marshal figure in defence. Cooper is 31. Does he have the stuff?

Meslier is keeping us out of the bottom three. Leeds' MOTM.

Forshaw - enigma. Did well today. Needs to keep fit.

Gnonto - impressive in the first 10 minutes but for the rest of the game only showed flashes. I sense he may not yet be fit.

Overall:

1. This game was a victory for Jesse. His tactical nous is improving. Leeds were passive and - barring the first 10 minutes or so - allowed Newcastle to take the front foot. This showed up the gulf in class, but only in moments, not throughout the game. If Leeds are this tactically effective throughout the rest of the season, it will be boring, but we will stay up.

2. Leeds' blatant time-wasting towards the end - not good to see as a Leeds fan, but at the same time, can you blame them? We needed the point.

3. Hold on to Meslier at all costs - please. I'm averse to valorising players, but really, when you take account of his age, he is but a child in goalkeeping terms, yet he is performing consistently at the top level. His potential is huge.

4. Defence needs working on - is the issue coaching, player quality, a combination of these, or something else?

5. Players need greater performance consistency over 2 x 45 minutes.

[BlackHillsPaul]

Some teams will hit form and go on a run. You expect teams like Leicester and Everton to improve. And teams like Wolves are throwing money. We can't survive on 1.0 ppg. If we're going to survive, we need to be one of those teams that goes on a run too.

Andrew I beg to differ. History shows that 38 points will keep you up over 95% of the time. My own expectations are higher than that. I set a goal of 1.25 points per game for this season. That would be 47 points. Which would be good for about 12th historically.

Right now we are not meeting my expectations. It's been frustrating. And I even called for the Manager to be fired. However, based on the last few results I do expect us to go on a bit of a run. And I firmly believe we will end the season north of 40 points.

[Sockerist]

Andrew I beg to differ. History shows that 38 points will keep you up over 95% of the time. My own expectations are higher than that. I set a goal of 1.25 points per game for this season. That would be 47 points. Which would be good for about 12th historically.

Right now we are not meeting my expectations. It's been frustrating. And I even called for the Manager to be fired. However, based on the last few results I do expect us to go on a bit of a run. And I firmly believe we will end the season north of 40 points.

I've always treated 42 points as the threshold for safety. I think with this squad we can finish about 12th.

[BlackHillsPaul]

I've always treated 42 points as the threshold for safety. I think with this squad we can finish about 12th.

Well, 42 points will keep you safe 100% of the time. And a lot of people still use the 40 point standard which is fair. But I went back about 15 seasons and I think in all but one 38 points was enough.

[Sockerist]

Well, 42 points will keep you safe 100% of the time. And a lot of people still use the 40 point standard which is fair. But I went back about 15 seasons and I think in all but one 38 points was enough.

I wasn't doubting what you are saying. What I mean is that to be safe, it has to be 42 points. 38 points will probably be enough, but it probably means still being in a relegation struggle on the last day.

[andrewjohnsmith]

Andrew I beg to differ. History shows that 38 points will keep you up over 95% of the time. My own expectations are higher than that. I set a goal of 1.25 points per game for this season. That would be 47 points. Which would be good for about 12th historically.

Right now we are not meeting my expectations. It's been frustrating. And I even called for the Manager to be fired. However, based on the last few results I do expect us to go on a bit of a run. And I firmly believe we will end the season north of 40 points.

Yeah. I'd be happier with 42. 1 point per game just keeps us treading water all season

[andrewjohnsmith]

Well, 42 points will keep you safe 100% of the time. And a lot of people still use the 40 point standard which is fair. But I went back about 15 seasons and I think in all but one 38 points was enough.

Happy New Year btw Paul. You're Eastern Time?

[Kennyb41]

39pts is usually regarded as the total pts that in most cases guarantees safety and is the first aim of clubs fearing relegation from matchweek one, which is sadly what we've become.

[1964white]

My concern is we are so reliant on Meslier.

Some of our experienced players should be asking questions about their own game.

Why put so much pressure on one of our youngest first-team players?

[SG90]

Watched MOTD, and except for Longstaff, I don't think they had any great chances. Even the "great save" from Meslier was a result of his indecisiveness from the corner. Just a boring game tbh, but I'm not surprised at this time of the year with many matches crammed in.

[SG90]

Some teams will hit form and go on a run. You expect teams like Leicester and Everton to improve. And teams like Wolves are throwing money. We can't survive on 1.0 ppg. If we're going to survive, we need to be one of those teams that goes on a run too.

I doubt it tbh. If they were that good, they wouldn't be down the bottom at this stage.

[Byebyegeegee]

Once again I was reduced to listening on the wireless (none of the streams were working for me) so can’t offer any player ratings etc. But a point is more than I expected so all’s well that ends well. To make that hard earned point really count though we do need to beat West Ham at home next up.