Match Day Bournemouth v Newcastle, Saturday 24th February 15:00

[SALTIRE]

Match chat.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

The Matt Ritchie Derby!

All of our PL encounters with Newcastle to date over the few years have seen the away team win each one, including a stoppage time winner for us up at St James' earlier this season. Let's hope we can stop that run...Because a second defeat coming after Huddersfield the other week would turn our gaze downwards again towards the relegation fight, and would see all the doom-mongers crawl back out from wherever they've hidden since Christmas.

We haven't lost many games all season to bottom half clubs so hopefully the plodding around up at Huddersfield was a one-off, and we'll look fresher from a weekend off last week courtesy of our rank attitude to the Cup.

Adam Smith should be fit again, the only actual right back we have at the club so that'll be nice. Fraser has put a shift in covering, but he wants to play further forward really. Defoe should be fit enough for the bench, giving us something near a clean bill of health.

 

[Benji]

I think Slimani will never play for Newcastle. He was clearly signed as an injured player to assuage the dissenting fanbase.

 

[G.B]

2 more weeks after this latest set back apparently. Might get 5 games out of him if we're lucky.

We've played decent football but the score is more to do with Bournemouth being shit. The mistakes for our second goal summing up their performance.

 

[Benji]

Oh well.

 

[G.B]

We're shit

 

[AFCB_Mark]

The introduction of Smith amd Mousset changed the game, not only Smith's well taken goal but a fresh impetus and ideas, as before that it was a very poor, one paced and tired performance.

Howe's setup to start was wrong, there's a reason we went 7 unbeaten and beat Chelsea and Arsenal with a back 3. As much as Howe has always liked 442, losing one game doesn't change what is fundamentally our best shape given the players we have, and we should have stuck with the 343.

Our defending for both goals was poor, an unusually poor day for Begovic with little better coming from the defence in front of him.

We had to throw many bodies forward second half, I was amazed Newcastle didn't take advantage and catch us out on the break. We got some luck with one or two of their missed chances. What I dont get is why Rafa sat Newcastle so deep after 70 mins. We were there to be taken for a 3rd goal.

Gosling might not be the most special player in the world, but he doesn't half pop up in the box with some important goals.