00:00So, international football is now done and dusted and Newcastle United are back in action in just three days, time and time recording when they take on Wolves in St James Park in the Premier League.
00:11Now, it's going to be a massive game on Tyneside, of course, they all are, but particularly Newcastle going into that game without a win from their first three games.
00:18And with that match against Barcelona, just five days after it, you know, it'd be really good seeing Newcastle really lay down a marker ahead of that game and ahead of a really busy period.
00:29Five of their next seven games is actually going to take place at St James Park.
00:33Between now and the next international break in October, yes, there's another one to talk about.
00:37There's only games away at Bournemouth and away at Union Saint-Germain and the Champions League that will be played away from St James Park.
00:44So, this is a really crucial period of the season, one that Eddie Howeside will believe, you know, they can make use of and really take advantage of.
00:51Of course, on Saturday, there's potentially, you see, Debbie Vins, Johan Wisser and Nick Valdemar are on the squad,
00:57even Aaron Ramsdale, who admittedly even have, you know, looked over sometimes for debuts, but he could make a debut as well.
01:04And of course, you know, people like Jacob Ramsey, who played briefly against Liverpool the last time they would see in St James' Park,
01:09will hope to sort of impress, you know, from the off, maybe on Saturday.
01:14Now, what Eddie Howe does with his team, we don't know. I did a video about this last week.
01:18I said, I think Johan Wisser up front over Valdemar. I think that Wisser doesn't guarantee Premier League goals.
01:24No one does, but he certainly has the pedigree that might help on Saturday.
01:28And of course, Valdemar is still a bit of an unknown quantity.
01:30But after that, you know, it's interesting to see what he will, what Howe will do, because Joe Linton, will he be fit enough?
01:35And how he was, the injury sustained before the break wasn't too, wasn't too bad, but it did keep him out of international duty.
01:42So where, and with Jacob Ramsey having, you know, what, two weeks worth of training behind him, he didn't go away in international duty.
01:49Will he get a nod ahead of Joe Linton? I suspect he might.
01:53The front three, I've already mentioned, Visser, of course, Anthony Gordon suspended.
01:56So you suspect it will be Anthony Langer and Harvey Barnes supporting Visser up front with the midfield three of Bruno Tonali and Ramsey, as mentioned, behind him.
02:08And at left back, what does he do? You know, Lewis Hall, hopefully back fit.
02:11Again, he's another one who's been able to have the break without international football to really hone his fitness and build his fitness levels.
02:18Hopefully he gets a start at left back.
02:20It's been long, too long since we've seen him, and he is a fantastic option at left back.
02:24We all know how good he can be there, which would then free up Tino Livermendor to play on the right.
02:29Now, he has played with England, obviously, during the St. National League.
02:31He played against Serbia on Tuesday night.
02:36So, you know, he has had minutes.
02:37So whether Eddie Howe actually wants to rest him ahead of Barcelona or whether he puts him in the team.
02:42Now, Kieran Tripp, he has a very capable backup.
02:44So, you know, there's no issues there, whoever he picks.
02:47But first choice is probably Livermendor.
02:50And then at the back, I think, obviously, Fabian Sher and Dan Burn are the go-to options.
02:53I just can't really see that change in Sheridan going international duty.
02:56Of course, he's retired Dan Burn, played on Saturday.
02:59So he's had sort of a full week off.
03:00So I imagine it'll be them two at the back with Malik Chow, Sven Bottman, really championing at the bit to get a start in that team.
03:06Now, Annette, I've come back with the other team in goal.
03:08I think it'll be Nick Pope still, although Ramsdale will be hoping that he can force himself into the team.
03:13And maybe in a couple of weeks' time against Bradford, he gets that opportunity.
03:16And then who knows what, you know, what Eddie Howe's starting to keep up with a look right after them.
03:20But yeah, I think Eddie Howe's got lots of decisions to make.
03:23And I think in a good way, he's got lots of decisions because he's got lots of his key players back.
03:27He can hopefully rotate a few of them around, especially as I mentioned with Barcelona to come,
03:32Bournemouth, Bradford, Arsenal, Union Central Awards and Nottingham Forest before the next international break.
03:39There's lots of games. There's going to be lots of chances for people to get to play football.
03:43And hopefully this time, when they're trying to balance Champions League and Cup action,
03:48they've actually got a squad to balance that and to be able to rotate.
03:51Because that's how the city didn't have that opportunity.
03:53Remember, in the dark days of December, November and December 2023,
03:57Eddie Howe was basically happening in the same 11 game after game with the odd substitute just coming on.
04:02Literally in the last couple of seconds.
04:03So hopefully, you know, when we get to that stage this season, they've got a lot of options.
04:08When injuries do start hitting because they will, hopefully Eddie Howe's squad is big enough.
04:13And, you know, they've got enough minutes in the tank that they're able to cover for those injuries.
04:17But right now, as I mentioned, other than probably Joel Linton, who's a bit of an injury down on the court.
04:21Gordon, who's suspended, Eddie Howe's got a full squad.
04:23So it'll be really interesting what he picks on Saturday.
04:26It's really the first time he's got this season to pick a full squad because he hasn't really had it.
04:31Obviously, Isaac, we're not going to talk about him, but we know that situation has been injuries throughout the beginning of the season.
04:36Obviously, suspension with Gordon last week.
04:37So it's the first time that he's really had the chance to pick his team and the way he wants his side to play this year.
04:44And that will, you know, that may change.
04:46We're having to balance Champions League football, as mentioned.
04:48They can't play the full throttle style of football all the time.
04:50So they might have to just change that side.
04:53And that might start this weekend.
04:55Of course, it might start against Barcelona.
04:57And it might not ever start.
04:57They might go full throttle all season, but it's unlikely they're going to be able to sustain that.
05:01And so, yeah, big decision for Eddie Howe to make against Wolves on Saturday.
05:05And, of course, you can stay up to date with everything that happens, not just on Saturday,
05:09but, of course, when Eddie Howe speaks to the media on Friday.
05:11We'll have all the match reaction, all the events on St. James Park and everything.
05:15And all the fallout after that game with the Shields.
05:19So please visit our website, join our new WhatsApp channel and follow all of our social media
05:24to make sure you don't miss a single thing from Newcastle United as we head into a very busy part of the season.
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