Carabao Cup 2022/23

That deserves mocking. As do most of the posts in DDG's thread.
 
How much a win raises a XG cause apparently, looking at Xg they're in a better form.
 
Just like when they won the quarter final, Newcastle are one of the top headlines on BBC breakfast, lauding their win last night as another step towards the cup.

Is this all engineered? (at least the press side of things?) Are the owners influencing the media? They seem to be crafting a narrative about the rise of Newcastle (Saudis are never mentioned), which feels fake and forced. It’s a league cup semi final-plenty of teams who aren’t ‘top 6’ have progressed well in the last couple of decades but none have been fawned over anywhere near as much.
 
Why are they still doing two legged Carabao Cup semifinals?
 
No mention of our dismantling of Forest on BBC news opening headlines at 10 (Djokovic winning was the main sport headline)

Compare that with the outright wanking this morning on BBC news this morning over Newcastles scrappy dubious victory, and similar a couple of weeks ago when they won their quarter.

Definite Saudi media-washing going on there
 
That deserves mocking. As do most of the posts in DDG's thread.
Yep. Especially from a poster who was arguing that de gea was never rated anywhere near the best in the world.
Quoted 5 pundits who apparently had never said such a thing. Then still didn't back down when myself and others produced clips and quotes from those 5 saying he was the best in the world at the time.
 
No mention of our dismantling of Forest on BBC news opening headlines at 10 (Djokovic winning was the main sport headline)

Compare that with the outright wanking this morning on BBC news this morning over Newcastles scrappy dubious victory, and similar a couple of weeks ago when they won their quarter.

Definite Saudi media-washing going on there

I largely agree.

However Newcastle haven't won anything since dinosaurs roamed the earth pretty much and last played in a cup final in 1999 against your good selves.

Not sure the last time they even reached a SF in any competition, maybe 2005?

So I'd say them being on verge of reaching a cup final is big sports story regardless of who owns them, would've been same under Ashley if he'd given a feck about cup competitions.

In last 6 years you've reached europa final twice and league and Fa cup final once apiece so it's generally seen as more routine even in the more barren periods of your history.
 
That Rashford goal reminded me of the Giggs Semi Final goal vs Arsenal
 
Why are we playing the 2nd leg on Wednesday again? Thought it reversed and we’d play it on Tuesday and Newcastle Wednesday?
 
Forest look like a much better side than at the start of the season but defence remains a pretty big problem. When you don't have Henderson to save you a bit it can be horribly exposed.
 
Why are we playing the 2nd leg on Wednesday again? Thought it reversed and we’d play it on Tuesday and Newcastle Wednesday?
Makes sense for both sets of teams to get 7 days between each leg. Rather than two teams getting six days and the other two getting eight.
 
It’s a bit of a nightmare that the final is 3 days after the Barcelona 2nd leg. Big advantage for Newcastle
 
It’s a bit of a nightmare that the final is 3 days after the Barcelona 2nd leg. Big advantage for Newcastle
Sounds great to be fair.
Dot think we should be taking the EL all that seriously, especially when the you have to win a trophy argument falls apart because of the negative impact it’ll have on an actual final
 
It’s a bit of a nightmare that the final is 3 days after the Barcelona 2nd leg. Big advantage for Newcastle

I've just glanced at the two recent match threads (Forest and now Reading) and the overwhelming concern is 'rest'. It's been highly amusing, not because it's incorrect, but because I haven't heard that for a while for Utd players. Welcome to the big time boys. Wait until the EL kicks in too.
[This message is sponsored by the quadruple chasing scousers society and will self destruct in 2 pints and a packet of crisps] :D
 
Yep. Especially from a poster who was arguing that de gea was never rated anywhere near the best in the world.
Quoted 5 pundits who apparently had never said such a thing. Then still didn't back down when myself and others produced clips and quotes from those 5 saying he was the best in the world at the time.
I agreed that the pundits said that, I just don't happen to agree with them. furthermore, you expressed surprise that I hadn't seen the stories but virtually all were far-from-major media outlets. Plus, some said "up there/close to best in the world" which isn't the same thing.

and if you think 10 clean sheets in 10 games doesn't make Pope a good keeper, there's nothing more to say. not sure why I'm living rent free in your head.
 
I agreed that the pundits said that, I just don't happen to agree with them. furthermore, you expressed surprise that I hadn't seen the stories but virtually all were far-from-major media outlets. Plus, some said "up there/close to best in the world" which isn't the same thing.

and if you think 10 clean sheets in 10 games doesn't make Pope a good keeper, there's nothing more to say. not sure why I'm living rent free in your head.

The clips were pretty much from Sky, Eurosports, or national newspapers. Not sure how more mainstream do you want?
And those were just examples, the sentiments were expressed repeatedly for months on end, on all channels!
But we'll move on from that.

No-one has said Pope isn't a good keeper by the way.
But clean sheets doesn't necessarily mean either he is better than De Gea, or that say Dan Burn is better than Shaw.
Different style of play etc.
 
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The clips were pretty much from Sky, Eurosports, or national newspapers. Not sure how more mainstream do you want?
And those were just examples, the sentiments were expressed repeatedly for months on end, on all channels!
But we'll move on from that.

No-one has said Pope isn't a good keeper by the way.
But clean sheets doesn't necessarily mean either he is better than De Gea, or that say Dan Burn is better than Shaw.
Different style of play etc.
I happen to think he's a better all-round keeper than DDG. The position has been about a lot more than stopping shots for a long time now, whether we like it or not. Also, I think you need to search very heard to find a huge Pope mistake. Sadly, can't say the same about DDG. But, as I said right at the beginning of this discussion (maybe before you saw it), that's my opinion and, obviously other people's is just as valid. Doesn't make either of us firmly right or wrong
 
Forest look like a much better side than at the start of the season but defence remains a pretty big problem. When you don't have Henderson to save you a bit it can be horribly exposed.
There are question marks about the defence (Worrall errors / Niakhate getting injured was a massive blow), but the problem on Wednesday was the midfield. With the first choice midfield of Yates, Frueler, Mangala we were only conceding approx one in two in games against our mid table and below rivals. On Wed, Yates was out and Danilo has only been here a week. Our middle 3 was Frueler, Danilo, Scarpa, who’ve only played together for the last 20min against Bournemouth. Frueler tried to do Yates‘ job and pretty much watched Rashford take the ball from the halfway line unchallenged. For the third goal, where was the marker on Fernandez?

I’m not saying the result would have been different with a fully fit squad, but, Rashford would have got clattered by Yates (and helped him up because he’s a gent), and discipline and positioning for the 3rd should have been better.
 
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There are question marks about the defence (Niakhate getting injured was a massive blow), but the problem on Wednesday was the midfield. With first choice midfield of Yates, Frueler, Mangala we were only conceding approx one in two games against our mid table and below rivals. on Wed, Yates was out and Danilo has only been here a week. Frueler tried to do Yates job and pretty much watched Rashford take the ball from the halfway line unchallenged. For the third goal, where was the marker on Fernandez?

I’m not saying the result would have been different with a fully fit squad, but, Rashford would have got clattered by Yates (and helped him up because he’s a gent), and discipline and positioning for the 3rd should have been better.

Worrall had an awful game and I like McKenna but I don’t think he’s good enough in a two at this level.
 
Worrall had an awful game and I like McKenna but I don’t think he’s good enough in a two at this level.
Worrall lacks pace but is ok when Aurier does his job and Yates shields in front. Aurier on a free has hands down been our best summer signing but on Wednesday, he had a stinker and Frueler likewise was crap. First Niakhate and then Boly have been immense for us as the left CB. I think Coops realises McKenna isn’t good enough but both the above are injured.