Paul Merson latest verdict on Newcastle United – All kinds of bizarre

The Mag

·27 de outubro de 2024

Paul Merson latest verdict on Newcastle United – All kinds of bizarre

Paul Merson speaking as Eddie Howe’s team are set to visit Stamford Bridge.

A 2pm kick-off on Sunday.

Vídeos OneFootball

The first of two matches only 72 hours apart against Chelsea, that strongly feel like they could very well dictate the direction Newcastle United head in this season.

Paul Merson discussing the possibilities for Newcastle United in this match in West London. With then a League Cup clash on Wednesday at St James’ Park, to decide who makes the quarter-finals.

Paul Merson talking to Sportskeeda ahead of Newcastle United v Brighton:

“I just hope Chelsea don’t become flat track bullies.

“They failed to win against (Man) City and Liverpool. Well, you could say they did play well away at Anfield last weekend but they ended up losing even then!

“Cole Palmer never touched the ball in that game.

“This is the problem Chelsea are going to have now, teams will stop Palmer and they have to find solutions.

“Chelsea will be fine against teams like Newcastle, who blow hot and cold all the time.

“Enzo Maresca’s men need a win quickly because they have dropped out of the top four now. If Aston Villa win this weekend and Chelsea don’t get three points against Newcastle, that widens the gap further.

“I liked it when Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo played together against Liverpool because it kept Chelsea defensively solid. But then they couldn’t get the ball out to Palmer.

“Enzo Fernandez is definitely a better passer of the ball and can do that more often compared to the other two.

“And in all honesty, if Palmer doesn’t touch the ball, Chelsea aren’t winning many football matches!

“Prediction: Chelsea 3 Newcastle 1.”

So is Paul Merson on the money here?

It is mad how so little is made of the ridiculous goings on at Chelsea.

Over £1.5billion spent on signings under the new owners these past 28 months, added to an already very expensively assembled side.

Yet Paul Merson declares that Chelsea are pretty much a one man team, in terms of their huge over reliance on Cole Palmer.

The craziness at Chelsea also summed up, when Paul Merson ponders which £100m+ midfielder should be left out, Fernandez or Caicedo?

This is before we consider the fact that in midweek, Maresca changed his entire first choice Premier League 11 and played a Chelsea reserve side in Europe, a reserve side that has cost half a billion pounds and all eleven of them signed by these new/current owners.

If every Premier League club had to play their second choice eleven every week, then Chelsea would surely be easily favourites to win the title. Happily though that isn’t the case.

Paul Merson and others make out that Chelsea are something really special and in another league to Newcastle United this season, yet if Eddie Howe’s side win today, they will be a point ahead of Chelsea.

As for Chelsea being ‘flat track bullies’, they have failed to win against both Palace and Forest this season at Stamford Bridge, so not sure how that claim quite works. Indeed, at home Chelsea have won only one of four Premier League matches this season AND they still conceded twice in that game.

Only two PL clubs have conceded less than the eight goals Newcastle United have let in.

If Eddie Howe’s side can defend in similar fashion today AND start converting some of the chances they have been creating, then no reason why this can’t be a good day for Newcastle United.

Play well and NUFC could definitely get some joy today.

Hopefully Paul Merson forced to eat his words when declaring ‘Chelsea will be fine against teams like Newcastle…’

Newcastle United upcoming matches confirmed to end of January 2025:

Sunday 27 October – Chelsea v Newcastle (2pm) Sky Sports

Wednesday 30 October – Newcastle v Chelsea (7.45pm) Sky Sports+

Saturday 2 November – Newcastle v Arsenal (12.30pm) TNT Sports

Sunday 10 November – Forest v Newcastle (2pm) Sky Sports

Monday 25 November – Newcastle v West Ham (8pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 30 November – Crystal Palace v Newcastle

Wednesday 4 December – Newcastle v Liverpool (7.30pm) Amazon

Saturday 7 December – Brentford v Newcastle (3pm)

Saturday 14 December – Newcastle v Leicester (3pm)