.png)
1 week ago
13
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature
Eddie Howe has a chat, after making seven changes to the team that started the Barcelona game:
We’ve looked at the players’ loads and tried to make the right decisions so we’ve got fresh energy. Bruno [Guimaraes] been an everpresent and he’s so important for us but he’s really done the miles. Barcelona was a big high. But such a quick turnaround here we thought for Bruno’s sake, we have to look after him. I think we’ve got real flexibility within the lineup and good players coming in. But of course we need to match Bournemouth’s intensity. It should make for a great game.
The teams!
The managers have made their selections, and then they have written those selections down on paper and given them to the referee and now there’s no changing them (unless the referee gives them special dispensation). So, here are the starting line-ups:
Bournemouth: Petrovic, Jimenez, Diakite, Senesi, Truffert, Adams, Scott, Semenyo, Tavernier, Brooks, Evanilson. Subs: Dennis, Soler, Christie, Doak, Kluivert, Adli, Junior Kroupi, Hill, Milosavljevic.
Newcastle: Pope, Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Livramento, Willock, Miley, Tonali, Hall, Jacob Murphy, Woltemade. Subs: Ramsdale, Trippier, Lascelles, Joelinton, Barnes, Krafth, Osula, Elanga, Guimaraes.
Referee: Robert Jones.
And while we’re here, there’s one other Premier League game with a 2pm kick-off and here are the starting lineups for that one:
Sunderland: Roefs, Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Mandava, Rigg, Xhaka, Sadiki, Talbi, Isidor, Le Fee. Subs: Patterson, Neil, Ballard, Geertruida, Brobbey, Mayenda, Adingra, Traore, Masuaku.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, McGinn, Rogers, Kamara, Buendia, Guessand, Watkins. Subs: Bizot, Lindelof, Elliott, Torres, Malen, Sancho, Jimoh, Maatsen, Bogarde.
Referee: Sam Barrott.
Hello world!
Newcastle have played five games so far, including Thursday’s Champions League encounter with Barcelona: two goalless draws (there have only been five 0-0 draws in the Premier League so far this season, so they’re responsible for 40% of them), two defeats by a single goal and one win by a single goal. Bournemouth have also played five times, including their Carabao Cup defeat to Brentford: three wins by a single goal, one defeat by two goals (where they were drawing in the 89th minute), and that Carabao Cup game, which doesn’t really count because Andoni Iraola made eight changes, and it’s the Carabao Cup, but for the record they lost 2-0. In league games Newcastle’s opponents have 6.5 shots per 90 minutes and a combined xG so far of 2.1, in both cases the lowest in the Premier League, while Bournemouth’s figures are 9.0 and 3.5, in both cases the third lowest. All of which suggests we’ve got two well-organised teams who successfully restrict opponents’ chances without scoring particularly freely themselves, and as a result play closely-contested matches.
Bournemouth’s positive start – they would go second, at least for a while, if they win this – is particularly impressive given their summer outgoings. “For me it’s too early to say we’ve started very well,” Iraola said in his pre-match press conference. “We’re still in this process of getting used to new players. We’re doing it with good results, but it’s not a guarantee it will continue like this. The games we’ve won have been kind of tight games. The challenge is to compete against different opposition. We know how good Newcastle are, we know we have to be very good if we want to get anything from the game, but the performance of my players give me some confidence, because I’ve seen them doing the right things and I hope they can do it again.”
As for Eddie Howe’s pre-match thoughts, well, PA Media filed two stories from his press conference, one headlined “EDDIE HOWE TIPS ANTHONY ELANGA TO BE ‘VERY USEFUL’ FOR NEWCASTLE THIS SEASON” and the other “NEWCASTLE BOSS EDDIE HOWE VOWS TO REMAIN PATIENT WITH NICK WOLTEMADE”, neither of which suggests he had anything hugely thought-provoking to say. He’ll be hoping his team do the talking on the pitch, inevitably.
Anyway, and to summarise, this could be a thriller (sure, it could also end 0-0, but I’m an optimist). Welcome!
