Newcastle away. A journey up the M1 awaits — Fulham are back on the road. With the threat of a fourth consecutive defeat and fifth consecutive away loss weighing heavy, even a point would be a big result for Marco’s depleted selection of men.
I’ll give you the lowdown on how Eddie Howe’s side will play, where Newcastle can be exploited, and how team news will affect how Fulham will lineup on Tyne-side. Let’s get stuck in.
How Do Newcastle Play?
----------------------
**Out of possession**, Eddie Howe’s side abide by a few key principles.
They sit narrow, looking to pin teams into wide areas — allowing the Magpies to deploy an aggressive press in said wide zones they’ve have forced their opposition into, creating a ball side overload to win back possession.
Newcastle’s ball side overload press.
But don’t get it twisted — the Tyne-siders aren’t one dimensional in how they play outside of possession. After a poor start to 24/25, Eddie Howe added adaptability as a core part of his tactual makeup. The Toon couple spells of a high intensity press with an ability to sit deep and soak up pressure.
NUFC will often drop into a 5–4–1 outside of possession, as opposed to their usual 4–3–3 when defending a lead. This limits space centrally, allowing Newcastle to, once again, funnel opposing sides wide.
NUFC moving into a 5–4–1.
**In possession,** Howe’s back four becomes a three.
Kieran Trippier pushes high and wide to be the primary crossing outlet, while Bruno Guimaraes remains conservative in comparison to, Joelinton and, do it all midfielder — the man who Eddie Howe has built this Newcastle team around — Sandro Tonali.
The Italian covers every blade of grass in both boxes, and in transition, with Tonali carrying the mantle of the Magpies’ primary ball carrier.
Howe’s back four becomes a three in possession, Kieran Trippier becomes primary wide outlet, Sandro Tonali alternates from a deep lying midfielder to an all action midfielder.
Wingers sit inside of their opposing full-backs while an athletic midfielders, one of Sandro Tonali or Joelinton, fills the wide role left in the absence of the winger creeping inside.
The inside forward, ‘mezzala-like’ combo in wide areas helps Newcastle create a 3v2 overload against opposing centre-halves.
Wingers tuck inside, shuttling CMs take up the vacated wide space.
Nick Woltemade — a man who I earmarked to possibly replace Rodrigo Muniz this summer — has proved why he was above Fulham’s station last summer. Woltemade has notched up four in five Premier League games, but I’d argue the German’s goal record isn’t what impresses me most…
The 23 year old has a terrific touch for somebody of his 6’6 stature, the German’s deft touch allows Newcastle to use Woltemade to link up play, be the go between of two on-rushing wingers, with a view of crashing the box, utilising his superb aerial ability.
Woltemade links the play — acts as the go-between for on-rushing wingers — then crashes the box.
How Should Fulham Exploit Newcastle?
------------------------------------
Now we’ve got an understanding of how Newcastle play, our attention turns to how Marco Silva can expose deficiencies in the Magpies’ setup.
When Fulham faced the Toon last February, we turned this fixture on it’s head. Silva’s side came out the transitional blocks after half time. London’s Original exploited Newcastle’s tendency to commit bodies when overloading the ball side, by playing vertical balls off Raul Jimenez, or into Adama Traore — attacking at speed, in transition — to expose areas where Newcastle pushed players away from to go and press the ball.
Fulham playing on the break, exposing NUFC committing numbers ball side. Playing in transition out wide.
Rotherham away hero, Dan Burn, will start at left back. Despite Burn’s success for club and country at left back, there are obvious holes in the 33 year old’s game.
If you can get Ryan Sessegnon on the shoulder of Burn — especially in transition when Newcastle in a three — playing it simple, getting balls into the channel may prove an element of joy for Marco’s men.
On the opposite flank, Kieran Trippier’s role as a high flying wing back certainly presents frailties when you factor in 35 years of age and obvious lack of pace. With Kevin all but assured to start, directly attacking Trippier could see the Toon tied up in all sorts of samba saucery.
Does Trippier posses the recovery space to get back from whipping in a ball from the byline to catching up with Kevin Macedo Santos Lopes? No chance.
Isolate burn and Tripper with the help of your wingers alongside technically, yet athletically gifted midfielders in Josh King and Alex Iwobi — make wide play your focus.
Fulham utilising gifted shuttling midfielders, alongside direct wingers, to isolate Burn and Trippier.
Team News:
----------
**Newcastle:**
Sandro Tonali looks set to recovery from an illness that saw him sit out NUFC’s Champions League win over Benfica during the week, while starting wing backs, Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento absence will be very much felt from an athletic perspective on either flank.
**Fulham:**
Fulham could be without as many as six senior players at St James’ Park — the Whites worst injury crisis since promotion back to the top flight.
Marco Silva confirmed Rodrigo Muniz is out, while the absences of Harry Wilson, and Samuel Chukwueze leave Kevin likely to get his long-awaited first league start.
Sasa Lukic has been on the Motspur Park turf for the last few days, leaving the Serb in contention to start (thank God). Tom Cairney will undergo a late fitness test, likely leaving TC on the bench come Saturday 3pm.
Kenny Tete is back after a positive week of training, while Joachim Andersen won’t see the pitch this Saturday, however, Andersen’s injury is, ‘’not that serious’’, according to Marco Silva. Antonee Robinson is, yet again, unavailable.
How Should Fulham Lineup?
-------------------------
Calvin Bassey returns to the team — this time at left back — with Fulham’s lack of wide options, Ryan Sessegnon is pushed out to the right wing, while Jorge Cuenca’s stellar form see the Spaniard as undroppable. Kenny Tete comes back in to replace Timothy Castagne, and Issa Diop replaces Joachim Andersen to round out the back four.
Addressing Jack Kelly’s question on Alex Iwobi playing centrally, Silva said: ‘’The fans have the right to think what they want. I don’t know where it comes from.’’
To me, this seems an obvious bluff. Marco has deployed Iwobi centrally countless times — recently off the bench against Arsenal, while Iwobi continually plays in a central role for Nigeria, and did many times for Everton. My guess is, Marco’s bluffing, I think Iwobi will play down the middle alongside Josh King and Sander Berge in a midfield three.
Sasa Lukic shoudln’t be rushed back — preserve his fitness.
Knocks to Samuel Chukwueze and Harry Wilson leave Fulham with little room for change out wide. After an impressive Arsenal cameo, if Kevin dosen’t start at St James’ Park, when will he ever start? His pace and flair could certainly be of use against an ageing Kieran Trippier.
Ryan Sessegnon sees himself return to the right wing — a role he thrived in, throughout the latter stages of last season. Adama Traore is an option on the right side, but Sess’ finishing and movement could freak havoc against Dan Burn. It certainly outweighs the varying levels of effort Adama Traore has provided in recent weeks. Could we see more Sessegnon heroics at St James’?
Raul Jimenez is provided no real contention up top. Jonah Kusi Asare may as well be in Bavaria, and with Muniz out, a focal point will be key in this fixture. Raul scored his last season, can he do it again?
How Fulham should lineup come Saturday 2:15
That’s all from me, ladies and gents. Can I say I’m confident? Far from it. But Newcastle played midweek; Fulham didn’t. Combine an added 90 to the Magpies’ legs alongside their athletic frailties at fullback, is taking a point from the North East out of the question? I don’t think so.
Fulham need a spark — something they haven’t had in recent weeks — to claim our first set of away points since August. Enter Kevin?