Letters to The Mag – Newcastle United fans (and odd visitor from Bournemouth and elsewhere) have their say | OneFootball

The opinions continue to flow into The Mag, as Newcastle United fans debate the various issues affecting our club.

Whether it is events on or off the pitch, always plenty to talk about.

Newcastle United fans with the latest collection of opinions below, plus the odd visitor from elsewhere…

Contributions are sometimes too brief to make up into a full article and so we have gathered up a number of recent comments sent in, relating to issues at Newcastle United (if you would like to send anything in, long or short, then [email protected] is the place):

Dear Mag,

I am afraid Miguel is definitely not a right sided player, watching him against Bournemouth he continually came inside desperate to get onto his left foot.

Maybe this the best we have on the right but would really like to see him given a few games on the left.

Again, playing Almiron on the left in maybe first 60 minutes, when opposition are 100% on their game and if needed bringing on a fresh ASM to create havoc in a tiring defence.

There is no doubt ASM needs to be looked after and this could be the way forward when he returns, possibly doing the same with Wilson when he returns.

Squads need to be utilised and planned around what is available to you.

Five substitutions is huge and with a Coach like Eddie Howe I am sure he will find the best usage for the players that are injury prone and use of the substitutions.

Ian Aitken

Dear Mag,

I can say after reading the article about Chelsea (‘How have Chelsea got away with this one? The biggest get out of jail card in footballing history’), I am in agreement with the author.

Football is becoming something else and we must be aware of this.

Mick B

Dear Mag,

Enjoying the matches so far this season.

Frustrated with results.

Just sums up what football can be like.

One match you have 30 shots and 15 corners but don’t score a single goal.

Next game you have zero corners and only three shots but score three.

Tom W

Dear Mag,

Just read Joe Dixon’s summing up of this game.

Going to take issue with your snide remark about not many Bournemouth fans were there, look at a map mate and see how freaking far it is from Bournemouth to Newcastle, 700 mile round trip.

It was an amazing turnout of us Bournemouth fans and we never stopped singing.

We played well,we were expected to lose and we got a well deserved point.

Not our problem that your players couldn’t break us down.

Also, your equaliser came from a dodgy var decision.

Up the cherries

David Dingley

Dear Mag,

I really like what Eddie is doing.

Only one win so far but the strategy/plan is first class.

The only bit that isn’t working (apart from dodgy referees and VAR) is the human element.

You can have all the best tactics and preparation but when it gets to those key moments, players take the wrong option (pass instead if shooting, shooting instead of passing etc), or execute badly the right option (shoot when they should shoot but miss the target / weak shot, pass goes astray etc).

We all know that Eddie Howe has improved every individual player and is now further improving on the improved tactical nous we saw last season after he arrived.

The wins will come from ‘that bloke who took Bournemouth down’.

Will Armstrong

Dear Mag,

A very interesting part of an article in the Chronicle about VAR featured a very very interesting memory (to me anyway) from Paul Cannell.

After he finished playing for the Toon he moved over to America to play for the Washington Diplomats and in his time off, watched NFL and College football, and over there it’s legal to grab hold of the opposition’s shirts and their answer to this – tear-off shirts!

This idea was scrapped after a while as the Colleges couldn’t afford to keep replacing the shirts, not a problem you would think over here.

Anyway you can see where I’m going with this, Newcastle players are getting dragged back and down especially in the penalty area and the referees turning a blind eye a la Sean Longstaff v Wolves, but if the player is left free to carry on playing and possibly score or if he doesn’t and the defender is left standing in the penalty area with a big handful of shirt then surely the ref HAS to make a decision, in our favour you would hope!

Anyway, something to ponder on and possibly the football management and authorities to think about, or is it too sensible!