Newcastle lose 3-1 Guaranteed a spot in the promotion playoff at least but holding on to 2nd place and automatic promotion with 85 pts (43 games played), at the moment Reading in 2nd with 79 (43 gp), Huddersfield about to kick off with 78 (41 gp) nobody else can catch Newcastle for 2nd and Newcastle have a huge advantage in goal differential. Should be a 46 game season, though soccernet only showing 2 more for Newcastle. One win in the last three should take care of Reading, but Huddersfield will be a concern. Lets see if Rafa can right the ship...
I often pick a randomish Championship team on FM and try and get them promoted within a couple seasons. More than once I've been in the position of Newcastle, with a quality (for the Championship) side, and almost all the way clear for auto promotion but not quite and with a recent worrying dip in form and/or injuries. It's a stressful time for the fans I'm sure.
Was Yedlin at fault on any of the goals? Edit: Nope. Just watched all 3. Terrible marking by his teammates. The 3rd goal in extra time was particularly dreadful.
I forgot how fast Yedlin is. For the most part looked good defensively, got beat once and committed a foul just outside the box. His crosses could use some work but he's rusty.
He's real quality and has improved tremendously as a player since moving to England. Perhaps the coaching, but I put my money on the pressure and competition - he had to step up his game and he figured it out. Also think that the season at Sunderland where he had to defend first, second and third and then attack as fourth option was ideal for him.
Game is Monday, nice long break for NCU. They play Monday (24th), Friday (28th) and Sunday (7th) and then it is all over.
You could see him improve every year since he turned pro. He was making big improvements while with Seattle too. I think it might be more to do with his desire and effort to improve. The specifics of what he is working on is likely determined by his current coaching staff. But he puts in the work.
That and many anecdotes of American players practicing hard reminds me of a lesson one of my baseball coaches always stressed: we take practice swings to practice hitting, not for exercise. I sometimes think it looks like a lot of young American players talk about practice and actually practice like it's exercise, when they should be practicing the various elements of their craft in a very mentally engaged way. Practice doesn't create improvement if it isn't targeted and focused, by coach and player. (Another baseball coach saying: practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.) Anyway, just a few tag-ons regarding the same general idea.
Two very good results for Newcastle today. Reading and Huddersfield (who I believe were the only teams with any shot of catching Newcastle before today) both lost.
All they have to do is beat PNE on Monday and they're mathematically guaranteed promotion to the Premier League. Sadly I have to work while the game will be on so I won't be able to stay updated, but I think Rafa will have them motivated.
Aren't they guaranteed promotion now? Reading only have 1 game left and Sheffield Wed. is 7 point behind them. I could be wrong.
Newcastle have 85 points and 3 games left. Reading have 2 games left and 79 points (with a terrible goal difference) Huddersfield have 3 games left and 78 points. Newcastle need 3 points from 3 games.
3 points from 3 games or 1 point drop by Reading or 3 point drop by Huddersfield, then we can ignore theoretical 10-0 losses by Newcastle.
Actually, I pretty much didn't like them. Not saying I like them now, but I really like Dre so I'm happy for him to be returning to the EPL.
On the bench. Had a feeling he would be after he came on 2 games ago and they blew it last second, and then the 68' sub after getting crushed on the weekend.