Geordie Boot Boys - Newcastle United F.C. News

Mehrdad Ghodoussi did not forget the significance of October 7th for Newcastle United.

While Mehrdad Ghodoussi and his wife Amanda Staveley are no longer involved at St James’ Park, they are never going to be forgotten.

It was a real shock to see Staveley and Ghodoussi leave Newcastle United this summer, and it is a real shame they are no longer involved.

Toon fans are incredibly grateful for what the couple did, both before and after the takeover. They fought to get PIF‘s deal over the line, and it is their efforts that have got Newcastle to where they are today.

The past three years have been incredible for Newcastle United fans, and it should only get better in the coming years.

Monday was the three-year anniversary of the Newcastle United takeover

October 7th will always be an important date on Tyneside, as it was the day that everything changed in 2021.

Staveley’s attempt to buy Newcastle with the financial backing of PIF first emerged in the media in January 2020, yet it took more than 18 months for the deal to be finalised. On many occasions, it looked like the deal would never go through.

But it finally did on October 7th 2021.

Mehrdad Ghodoussi did not forget the Newcastle United anniversary

Monday was the three year anniversary of the takeover. Newcastle United are very happy with their progress, while the club looks extremely different to what it did when Mike Ashley left. In fact, it looks very different now to what it looked like at the start of the summer.

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The biggest change has been the departure of Staveley and Ghodoussi, who sold their shares in July.

But Ghodoussi still remembered the significance of Monday’s date, and took to his official X account to send a message to the Toon Army.

He wrote: “Happy anniversary.”

Newcastle fans wait to see what Ghodoussi and Staveley’s next move is

It really was a shock to see them leave Newcastle United during the summer. They have been pivotal figures in Newcastle’s recent history, and for them to no longer be involved with the club feels strange.

Staveley and Ghodoussi were heartbroken about leaving Newcastle, and it will be interesting to see what they do next.

There has been speculation in the media about them bringing new investment to Tottenham Hotspur, and the couple were spotted at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday. Ghodoussi posted pictures on Instagram of them watching the Minnesota Vikings vs the New York Jets during the NFL’s annual visit to the United Kingdom.

It will be interesting to see if the Spurs investment speculation goes anywhere. Even if it does, the date will not be anywhere near as memorable as October 7th 2021.

Eddie Howe met with Newcastle United chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan after the Magpies’ win against Tottenham Hotspur.

The PIF chief was at St James’ Park for the win over Spurs, which was Newcastle United‘s first game following what was a disastrous transfer window.

Yasir Al-Rumayyan was sat in the middle of Paul Mitchell and Darren Eales, and it looked rather uncomfortable in the St James’ Park stands.

But the mood was lifted by Alexander Isak’s winner, as a below bar Newcastle United picked up a vital three points against a fellow European contender in Spurs.

Yasir Al-Rumayyan arrived at a difficult time for Newcastle United

Al-Rumayyan’s visit had nothing to do with the summer transfer window, despite his arrival coming at a time when there was a lot tension given the club’s failure to make any major signings.

There had also been questions over PIF’s commitment to Newcastle United, with the Magpies’ progress somewhat stalling after an incredibly fast start following the takeover.

But the PIF boss continues to want the best for Newcastle United, and Eddie Howe has noticed that Al-Rumayyan is always keen to help as much as possible.

Eddie Howe shares how his meeting with PIF chief went

Ahead of Newcastle’s Premier League clash with Wolves, Howe spoke to the media and was asked about how his meeting with the chairman went following the Tottenham game.

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“The chairman is always very engaging,” he said.

“He’s a really positive guy, so I think he always wants to try and help and affect us in a good way. He’s very keen to communicate and help.

“Nothing but positives, helped by the result. Everyone was in a good mood. Good start to the season so it was very positive.”

PIF will know they need to keep supporting Howe

Howe’s meeting with Al-Rumayyan was positive, and so it should have been. The Newcastle United manager has not done anything wrong, and the club’s transfer window failure was down to Mitchell and Eales rather than himself.

Howe can only work with the tools he has given, and he has so far done that to the best of his ability. Al-Rumayyan will recognise that and understand that Newcastle’s success so far has been largely down to Howe’s ability as a manager.

As always, the ambition for PIF is to get to the top. Given the financial rules in place, that is incredibly difficult. Therefore, the owners are willing to help in any way they can to make Howe’s job easier, and it is positive to hear that Al-Rumayyan is always keen to know how he can improve the situation.

As long as he continues to make Howe feel loved and give him an environment that he can succeed in then Newcastle United will progress as a club.

Kieran Trippier did not start for Newcastle United on Sunday for the third Premier League game in a row.

The 33-year-old was an unused substitute at St James’ Park, as a below par Newcastle United beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1.

It was not a brilliant performance, but the Magpies were able to snatch victory. Eddie Howe set his team up to play on the counter, and it worked perfectly.

On the balance of play, Spurs were the better team. They created a lot of chances, with Ange Postecoglou admitting that Tottenham’s performance did not match the result.

What Kieran Trippier was doing for Newcastle despite not playing against former club Tottenham

Newcastle had to really dig in and fight for victory, with Eddie Howe’s tactical approach helping his side get over the line.

But they also had some added help from Kieran Trippier, who did his best to play a part in Newcastle’s win despite not being on the pitch.

As substitutes do, Trippier trotted down the touchline towards the Leazes End to warm up in the second half. He would have been hoping to come on, despite Tino Livramento playing so well at right-back.

But while Trippier was out there warming up, he was also barking out orders. There was an instance in the second half when he was clearly trying to convey a message to his teammates, as Spurs prepared to take a free-kick in a dangerous area.

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The defender was desperately telling one of his teammates to lie down behind the wall to create a long barrier, just in case Tottenham tried to put their free-kick underneath the wall.

Trippier was trying so hard to get his message across that he was even stood on the pitch, attempting to get as close as possible despite being a long way away. Tottenham boss Ange Postececoglou caught wind of this, and pleaded with the England international to at least stand on the right side of the white line.

In the end, the free-kick missed the target, and Trippier could relax.

But it is moments like this that prove why he still has such an important role to play, despite no longer being a guaranteed starter and seeing Bruno Guimaraes leapfrog him to become Newcastle captain.

Even without the armband, Trippier is a leader. He is a pivotal voice, and will be vitally important for Eddie Howe moving forwards.

Kieran Trippier has been linked with a move to Turkey

During the summer, it looked likely that Trippier was going to depart St James’ Park. Trippier even asked to leave Newcastle, despite Eddie Howe wanting to keep him.

But the manager got his wish, and Trippier is still a Newcastle United player.

However, even though the Premier League’s transfer window has closed, there is still a chance for Trippier to go.

Going into the game against Tottenham, he was linked with a move to Turkey, where the transfer window is still open until September 18th.

However, the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope has stated on X that there is nothing in the rumours that Trippier could leave Newcastle United to join Eyupspor.

The only other possibility for Trippier to leave is Saudi Arabia, but their transfer window closes today (September 2nd).

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has now suffered back-to-back defeats against Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

Spurs were blown away by Newcastle United last season, with the Magpies winning 4-0 at St James’ Park. Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon ran riot that day, as Newcastle put Tottenham to the sword.

There were cries of ‘Tottenham Hotspur, it’s happened again’ from the St James’ Park crowd, who had seen Newcastle blow Spurs away 6-1 the season before.

This year’s clash at St James’ Park was much closer, but it had the same result. Newcastle won 2-1 despite not playing their best, with Eddie Howe setting his team up to be more defensive.

Eddie Howe got the better of Ange Postecoglou again, and the Tottenham manager is frustrated to see his side play so well yet head home with nothing.

Ange Postecoglou hails St James’ Park crowd

Following the game between Newcastle and Tottenham, Postecoglou spoke to Football London.

The Spurs boss admitted that it is always ‘difficult’ to play Newcastle United at St James’ Park, praising the Toon fans for the atmosphere that they create when their team is playing.

“Very similar, I guess to our first away game when we controlled it for the most part, nullified most of the threats that Newcastle have,” he said.

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“It’s obviously a difficult opponent here at home. The crowd create a pretty strong atmosphere for the home side, little things go their way but I thought for the most part we handled that really well.

“Then we gained the ascendancy in the game and we just needed to kill it off and we didn’t and a disappointing second goal. I thought we switched off a little bit but the game should have been well over by then.

“So, another sore one unfortunately where we haven’t got the rewards for our play, but ultimately it’s three strong performances from the first three games. The results don’t reflect it in that way.”

It is away from home that Newcastle United must improve

As Postecoglou says, Newcastle are always difficult to play against at St James’ Park. Eddie Howe has turned it back into a fortress, which has been a key reason for the success he has enjoyed during his time as manager.

But the big problem Newcastle have is their away form. It was a major issue last season, and it is something that the Magpies must rectify for the 2024/25 campaign.

Newcastle have played away twice this season, drawing both games 1-1. The most recent one was the Carabao Cup clash with Nottingham Forest, which ended with the Magpies winning on penalties.

But in both games, Newcastle struggled. The performances have not been great, and there needs to be an improvement after the international break. However, the saving grace is that Newcastle have not been playing well yet have managed to avoid defeat.

Newcastle’s next three fixtures

When domestic football returns, Newcastle face Wolves away from home. That will be a tough game, as it always is at Molineux. Then it is Fulham away, with Craven Cottage proving to be a ground that Newcastle do well at in recent years.

After those away fixtures, Newcastle return to St James’ Park on September 28th to face Manchester City. They will need the atmosphere to be electric that day, otherwise it will be extremely hard to get anything out of the game.

Jacob Murphy and Lloyd Kelly were Newcastle United’s two creators against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

The Magpies won 2-1 against Tottenham, despite not playing very well once again. Newcastle United were nowhere near their best, yet managed to be victorious.

Eddie Howe set Newcastle up to play on the counter, and that resulted in them scoring the winner. The Magpies hit Tottenham on the break, with Jacob Murphy played through on goal before giving Alexander Isak a tap in.

It was great forward play by Murphy, who had struggled up until that point to make an impact after coming on for Harvey Barnes.

But the 29-year-old delivered when it mattered, getting his first assist of the season.

First competitive Newcastle assist for Lloyd Kelly

And there was also a first assist from Lloyd Kelly, who provided the pass for Newcastle to take the lead in the first half.

Kelly has not been signed for his attacking prowess, but a quick throw-in allowed him to bomb down the line and pick out Barnes perfectly in the 37th minute.

The finish was sublime, as Newcastle scored against the run of play.

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Barnes took the plaudits, but the goal was made possible by Kelly.

This was the second time they have combined at St James’ Park, with Kelly assisting Barnes in the 1-0 friendly win over Brest in the Sela Cup.

Jacob Murphy hails Lloyd Kelly

Kelly’s assist capped off another solid performance in a black and white shirt.

The 25-year-old started at left-back for the second Premier League game running, and helped a resolute Toon defence pick up three points.

After the game, Kelly took to his official Instagram account to reflect on the victory.

He wrote: “THIS TEAM. Positive way to close out before the break, we keep moving forward.”

Kelly received a reply from Jacob Murphy, who commented: “Big performance bro.”

Howe was right to take Kelly off against Tottenham

Kelly played really well against Spurs, but did not complete the full 90 minutes.

He was substituted in the 68th minute to be replaced by Lewis Hall, as Howe went in search of a winner.

The Newcastle manager was probably also mindful that Kelly was on a yellow card, having been booked in the first half for a foul on Son Heung-min.

At the time of the substitution, Kelly had been struggling up against the pacey Brennan Johnson. The former Nottingham Forest attacker was causing problems up against a player who dare not commit another foul.

That is why it was smart to get Hall on at left-back, as he and Kelly continue to dovetail.

Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton could not hide their excitement after Newcastle United beat Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Once again, the Magpies were not at their best, but they were able to snatch victory thanks to a 78th minute winner from Alexander Isak.

That goal gave Newcastle United a 2-1 victory, and means they head into the international break with an unbeaten record in all competitions.

It was not a convincing performance, but that does not matter at this stage. Eddie Howe found a way to win, on a day that was incredibly special for Sandro Tonali.

Sandro Tonali makes St James’ Park return for Newcastle

After making his comeback in Newcastle’s Carabao Cup win over Nottingham Forest, Sandro Tonali was back at St James’ Park.

He started the win over Spurs on the bench, but took centre stage before the game as Wor Flags welcomed the 24-year-old back into the fold with an incredible display.

Tonali came on in the 68th minute to replace Sean Longstaff, and helped give the Magpies a lift at a time when they were struggling.

Eddie Howe was delighted with Tonali’s performance when he came on, while Tino Livramento is ‘buzzing’ to have Tonali back.

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The midfielder makes such a difference, and is clearly extremely popular inside the dressing room.

Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton serenade Tonali after beating Tottenham

In fact, Tonali was receiving more adulation as the players headed back into the dressing room following Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

The club have released a video of the players returning to the dressing room on X, where they are greeted by Newcastle United number nine Callum Wilson, who is out with injury.

As Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton pass the camera, they both start signing ‘Sandro, ole, ole, ole’, with the Italy international right behind them.

They were showing their love for Tonali, belting out a chant that the Toon Army were signing all afternoon. The fan are so excited to have the ‘midfield maestro from Milano’ back, and so are Bruno and Joelinton.

That will be Newcastle’s best midfield three moving forwards

For the first time since losing to Brighton on September 2nd 2023, Tonali, Bruno and Joelinton were on the pitch at the same time in a Premier League game.

For many, that is Newcastle United’s best midfield three, and it is exciting to see what they can achieve together this season.

Last season, that trio was disrupted by injury and suspension. Hopefully there are no issues like that this season, as on paper they are one of the best midfield trios in the entire Premier League.

Hopefully they are starting together soon, but now it is the international break. Bruno is off to represent Brazil, while Tonali is making his Italy return in the Nations League.

Newcastle United head into the international break in good form.

Results wise, things could not really have gone much better for Newcastle this season. They’ve dropped two points away at Bournemouth but, aside from that, have won their three other games.

The fact Eddie Howe’s side have not yet clicked into gear is also promising. Surely, their relatively indifferent performances cannot last forever, so the hope will be that things start to become more convincing.

For now, however, it’s nice to see Newcastle doing the business on the pitch. The transfer window may have been fairly miserable but, so far at least, it does not appear to be having too much of an impact on the players.

Few would doubt Tottenham had the better of it on Sunday at St James’ Park but what is most important is that Newcastle found a way to win.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou was particularly impressed with Nick Pope.

Ange Postecoglou says Newcastle had an “outstanding” player against Tottenham

Speaking to Tottenham’s official website about the game after seeing his team squander a lot of chances, the Spurs head coach namechecked Pope as a particular stand out.

“I still think even outside of that [missing a striker] we just had some really good opportunities, a little bit more composure,” he said.

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“Fair play to Pope, I thought he had an outstanding game.”

Nick Pope isn’t perfect – but he’s so important for Newcastle

Pope may not be the most adept goalkeeper with his feet and is guilty of the occasional blunder, such as his parrying of the ball into Brennan Johnson’s path that led to Dan Burn putting through his own net on Sunday.

Still, surely few would doubt the fact that Pope is an upgrade on the goalkeepers Howe had to use in his injury-enforced absence last season, Loris Karius and Martin Dubravka.

Away from the transfer situation, Newcastle United need to focus on the football on Sunday.

The Magpies face Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park, as they look to improve after a stuttering start to the season.

Eddie Howe‘s side are yet to taste defeat, but have looked far from convincing. Newcastle beat Nottingham Forest in the cup on Wednesday night, but needed penalties to advance.

Now the Premier League is back, and Newcastle United are preparing for their toughest test yet. Tottenham Hotspur are heading to Tyneside, and Ange Postecoglou’s side looked rampant in their 4-0 win over Everton.

It will be a tough game for the Magpies, and this is our predicted Newcastle United starting XI to face Tottenham Hotspur.

Eddie Howe decides between Tino Livramento and Kieran Trippier

Tino Livramento has started Newcastle’s first two Premier League games, but was benched for the Carabao Cup win on Wednesday night.

Kieran Trippier started that game, while he provided an injection of positivity during the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth last weekend.

For that reason, Trippier is tipped to start against his former club Spurs.

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Elsewhere, Lloyd Kelly may continue at left-back ahead of Lewis Hall.

Sandro Tonali on the bench against Tottenham

The big decision that Howe needs to make on Sunday surrounds Sandro Tonali.

Newcastle fans were really impressed with Tonali against Forest, as he made his first appearance in 10 months.

The 24-year-old looked like he had never been away, and Tonali was serenaded by Newcastle fans after the final whistle.

Now he could be about to make his Premier League return, but it feels more likely that Howe will use him as an option off the bench.

That will mean Sean Longstaff starts, joining Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton in midfield.

One change in attack for Newcastle on Sunday

Newcastle fans want Harvey Barnes to start against Tottenham, after an impressive cameo in the draw with Bournemouth.

The £39million man was really impressive, and added much needed quality out wide.

Barnes could be the solution to Newcastle’s winger problem, and Sunday’s game against Tottenham will hopefully see Howe deploy him and Anthony Gordon out wide.

They will flank Alexander Isak, who is still looking for his first goal of the season.

Newcastle United have a problem this summer, and it will not be easy to solve.

The Magpies might be in the market for a striker, and they definitely will be if Callum Wilson leaves the club.

The 32-year-old’s future is currently up in the air, with his Toon contract due to expire next summer. It has been reported that members of the Newcastle hierarchy would like to sell Wilson, while it has been suggested that the Newcastle number nine is up for a new challenge.

Alexander Isak needs support

If Wilson does leave St James’ Park, Newcastle absolutely must sign a striker. Eddie Howe will need someone to act as deputy to Alexander Isak, who will be looking to build on the best season of his career.

He netted 25 goals in all competitions during the 2023/24 season, and Newcastle considered Isak untouchable when they pondered how to solve their PSR problem.

The Magpies have a world class talent in Isak leading the line, but he needs support. Wilson currently fulfils that role, but for how much longer is unclear.

Newcastle United linked with Jonathan David

Newcastle have tried and failed to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin, while a new name was linked with the Magpies this week.

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Jonathan David emerged as a target, and the Lille striker is certainly available for a move this summer.

He would be an incredible addition to the Newcastle United squad, but it might be difficult to convince him to move to St James’ Park. That is because it is well-documented that whoever arrives will act as understudy to Isak, which probably makes a transfer less appealing.

That is the view of HITC Football insider Graeme Bailey, who has spoke to Geordie Boot Boys about reports that Jonathan David is on Newcastle’s radar.

“He’s available for a reasonable price, but would he be willing to play second fiddle to Alexander Isak?” he asked.

“Newcastle have now got the problem that Tottenham Hotspur had with Harry Kane. They always tried to sign a player to compete with Kane, but struggled. Whoever Newcastle target will know that they are not starting.

“I haven’t heard anything about Jonathan David and Newcastle, and I think it would be a tough sell to the player. He would be a good signing and fits in the price bracket, but some big clubs are looking at him.”

Wilson is perfect, if not for his fitness problems

As Bailey has stated, this is a problem that Tottenham had with Harry Kane. He was immense for Spurs, but never really had a proper understudy. Tottenham always struggled to find cover, and now it could be Newcastle’s issue.

But it is only an issue if Wilson leaves. In the England international, Newcastle have the ideal candidate. Wilson is a great goalscorer, and has dovetailed brilliantly with Isak when they both have been fit.

That is the main problem – fitness. Wilson scores consistently, but he also consistently has problems with injury. Howe cannot rely on him to always be available, which is why Newcastle are right to consider a replacement.

But will they get a replacement who is as good as Wilson and happy to play second fiddle? It is certainly a difficult sell, and it is a problem that sporting director Paul Mitchell must find a solution to before the transfer window closes on August 30th.

A potential outgoing transfer at Tottenham Hotspur could have an impact on a Newcastle United player’s future.

While the Magpies have avoided a points deduction and solved their PSR problem, there are still multiple players who could leave St James’ Park.

The likes of Kieran Trippier, Callum Wilson, Sean Longstaff and Martin Dubravka are all in the final 12 months of their Newcastle United contracts, which means that the club needs to make a decision about their futures. They either get new deals very soon or go this summer, or the fear will be that they leave for nothing next summer.

Given Newcastle’s need to raise funds, that is something they will look to avoid.

Kieran Trippier’s Newcastle future is up in the air

For Trippier, it is unclear what the future holds. The 33-year-old is currently away on international duty, preparing to represent England in the Euro 2024 final against Spain.

He could soon return to Tyneside as a national hero, and then he will need to decide what is next for his domestic career.

Given his contract situation, there is a chance that Trippier could leave Newcastle this summer, while the club even considered selling him when they needed to raise funds for PSR.

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AC Milan transfer now unlikely for Trippier

Trippier has been linked with a move to AC Milan, with Newcastle interested in Malick Thiaw coming the other way.

However, the Serie A giants are looking at another right-back, as they aim to sign Emerson Royal from Tottenham Hotspur.

And HITC Football insider Graeme Bailey has told Geordie Boot Boys that a deal for the Spurs defender is AC Milan’s ‘priority’ right now, rather than targeting Trippier.

“I think Emerson Royal is AC Milan’s priority,” he said.

“They are in talks with Tottenham for him. It would be cheaper in terms of wages for Milan, and he is younger than Kieran Trippier.

“Trippier has been talked about at Milan, but I suspect he is less of a target now that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is involved with things there.

“Emerson Royal is very much their preferred target at right-back at the minute, and he does fancy the move.”

Newcastle have Trippier’s replacement, but need his leadership

If Emerson Royal moves to AC Milan, that will end any chance of Trippier moving there.

But there will be other suitors, if Newcastle are interested in finding a buyer for a player who has given so much to the club since his £12million arrival in January 2022.

It is a difficult decision for the Magpies. On the one hand, they already have Trippier’s replacement. That is why the club signed Tino Livramento last summer, and he proved during his debut year that he is certainly up to the task.

On the other hand, Newcastle would be taking a risk if they let a leader in Trippier go. They have already lost one in Matt Ritchie, who departed St James’ Park when his contract expired. It remains to be seen if Eddie Howe would be willing to lose another influential figure.

Only time will tell, but Trippier’s primary focus right now is the European Championship final on Sunday.