Wolves v Newcastle: Inside track on the Magpies

We spoke with Lee Ryder, Chief NUFC writer for The Chronicle, Liam Kennedy, Newcastle writer for Shields Gazette, and Olly Hawkins from NUFC Blog to get a better look at the Magpies.

See what they had to say here.

How has the start of the season treated Newcastle, have there been promising signs?

LR: It's been a real mixed bag of results to be honest, impressive at West Ham and at home to Burnley, but then poor against Man United and Brighton with a lucky draw at Spurs in there too.

Obviously, they have stumbled - rather than marched - to the League Cup quarter-finals of the League Cup after a lucky escape vs Newport, but overall it has been average at best for Newcastle.

They have a lot of convincing to do with supporters still frustrated.

LK: Strange. Unsustainable. Sometimes enjoyable, but often grim. It's been such a hard start of the season to assess, but in many ways it mirrors some of the same trends of 2019/20 under Steve Bruce.

United are very shaky at the back, gifting chances galore to the opposition - see Manchester United, Tottenham and Brighton this season already.

Their midfield balance is all wrong with Jonjo Shelvey flattering to deceive and Jeff Henrdick impressing little.

Up top Callum Wilson has looked like a throwback to Les Ferdinand but with little to no support - his four Premier League goals has come from about five or six chances.

Like last season, the Magpies are heavily reliant on the performances of Allan Saint-Maximin and Karl Darlow, in for the injured Martin Dubravka.

ASM is a genius when on form, few players in the Premier League can match his ability to dribble out of tight areas - and his end product looks on point this campaign, too.

Darlow, like Dubravka, has been the busiest keeper in the top flight. And that highlights Newcastle's problems under Bruce.

OH: It's been a helter-skelter start, but there's been more negatives and positives, sadly.

On the plus side we got off to a great start with a 0-2 win at West Ham on the opening day and beat Burnley 3-1 a few weeks ago, with Callum Wilson scoring in both and Allan Saint-Maximin being unplayable in the latter, but we've played awfully in our other three.

We made Brighton look like Barcelona when they came to St James' and beat us 0-3, should've been hammered at Spurs yet somehow came away with a 1-1 draw, and Man Utd were good value for their 1-4 win at our place last weekend, with us so passive throughout.

Hopefully Sunday is the first time we field a front four of Wilson, Saint-Maximin, Almiron and Fraser. They could cause problems for any Premier League defence, however the jury is out on Steve Bruce's ability to get the best out of them and build a team with genuine identity.

Who are the big danger men for Wolves to be careful of this weekend?

LR: I think if Allan Saint-Maximin plays well then Newcastle play well.

Everything is central to the Frenchman in terms of getting him on the ball and the likes of Callum Wilson or Joelinton feeding off him, whether that's hold-up play or the all-important business of getting goals.

The latter has come from Wilson with Joelinton still struggling to justify his £40million price tag.

Although, fielded on the left-hand side before the Man United game, Joelinton actually played well at Spurs and at home to Burnley.

What can I say?

It's been a weird sort of start to the season at Newcastle.

The fact Karl Darlow has been star man between the posts though tells its own story.

LK: Every Premier League defence will be concerned when they see Allan Saint-Maximin's name on the Newcastle team sheet - he really is that good.

Newcastle haven't had a player with this quality with ball at feet since Hatem Ben Arfa, then maybe the likes of David Ginola or Peter Beardsley before that.

The key for Wolves, as Man United did, is to pin ASM back and keep him doing his mesmerising stuff near the halfway line. Let him loose further up the park, he can damage anyone.

Wilson has four in five - but for a David De Gea wonder save last time out it would be five. He's a proper striker with pace, strength and a finish, just what United had been crying out for.

OH: Allan Saint-Maximin is the big one. He really is an electric talent who, on his day, can be one of the most exciting talents in the division.

His ability to beat a man is second to none, he's incredibly skilful, surprisingly powerful, scarily quick and his end product is improving too. It could be one hell of a battle if both he and Adama Traore are both playing down the same side!

The other has to be Callum Wilson, who's been involved in five goals in his five Premier League starts so far (four goals, one assist). His movement in the channels is great and he gives us that predatory instinct in and around the box.

Miguel Almiron is another with electric pace and a point to prove too, with him expected to be recalled by Bruce after being left out of our last two league games.

What kind of football can we expect to see from Steve Bruce's side?

LR: A very good question that.

They seem a bit cautious and look to play on the counter.

They somehow escaped with a point at Spurs after absorbing the pressure for 97 minutes against the London side.

Only a 98th minute penalty spared blushes and a heavy defeat.

That won't pay off all the time and I think they will need to ask questions of Wolves rather than relying on lucky breaks.

LK: Newcastle's tactics this season have been confusing. And criticism of it from fans has gotten under Bruce's skin somewhat.

Fans think what United are serving up is clueless, Bruce says it's a "work in progress".

It's likely to be a 4-4-2, or tweaked variation of that.

OH: This is part of the problem under Steve Bruce - we lack identity and often don't really know what the plan is.

We now have the players to hurt teams and he's promised to deliver a more attacking style of football now we've moved from a back five to a flat back four, but we're yet to see that and seem to rely on getting the back for Saint-Maximin and hoping for the best.

At the other end, one stat that sums up our season so far is the fact Karl Darlow has had to make considerably more saves than any other Premier League goalkeeper so far this season.

He's not being protected nearly enough, with our defensive numbers going backwards at an alarming rate since Rafa Benitez's exit.

What kind of transfer business did the Magpies do over the window and what have you made of that business?

LR: They brought in Callum Wilson for £20million and he's impressed, while Jamal Lewis at £15m has had flashes of quality.

Ryan Fraser isn't fit while Jeff Hendrick - other than a good debut and a goal at West Ham - has not lived up to it.

Mark Gillespie, a freebie from Motherwell, is on standby this weekend if Darlow doesn't play.

Gillespie was signed from the Scots Premiership and has done Ok.

LK: Surprisingly good. And very unlike windows of the Mike Ashley regime.

Newcastle needed a striker and went and got a Premier League-proven one, not some cheap foreign import or a signing with sell-on value.

They also needed a left back and signed one, too, in Jamal Lewis.

Ryan Fraser could also prove a shrewd addition in time but he's just working his way back to full fitness.

Newcastle's business was swift and decisive this summer but they have maybe left themselves a body or two short.

It's not worth thinking about the landscape at United should Wilson get injured.

OH: When the takeover failed and we were left with an owner in Mike Ashley who clearly wanted out, we feared the worst heading into the transfer window.

To our surprise, we ended up improving our side in a few key areas, with Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser adding goals and creativity in attack and Jamal Lewis arriving as our new £15m left-back from Norwich.

Jeff Hendrick also came in on a free from Burnley. He won't pull up any trees but does add energy and versatility to our squad.

Wilson has been the biggest addition, scoring more in five starts than our £40m man Joelinton did in 38 games last season and giving us that natural goalscorer we've so often lacked.

I also think Fraser will soon look a brilliant buy on a free once he's fully fit. Lewis is talented, however he's been below his best since signing and could be in for a tough afternoon on Sunday if Traore starts!

What's your predicted XI for the game and are there any injury worries?

LR: Darlow, Krafth, Lascelles, Clark, Fernandez, Lewis, Shelvey, Hayden, Saint-Maximin, Joelinton, Wilson.

LK: Karl Darlow; Javier Manquillo, Jamaal Lascelles, Federico Fernandez, Jamal Lewis; Jeff Hendrick, Jonjo Shelvey, Isaac Hayden, Allan Saint-Maximin; Miguel Almiron; Callum Wilson.

Darlow is touch and go with some bone bruising while Hayden is also a bit of a concern. Martin Dubravka, Matt Ritchie and Dwight Gayle are all out long-term. Bruce has hinted at an Almiron recall and it could be Joelinton who drops to the bench.

OH: One big concern is the fact Karl Darlow is set for a late fitness test after taking a heavy wack last weekend.

He's normally our No 2 behind Martin Dubravka but has been superb so far this season, saving Bruce's bacon at times! If he misses out we'll see Mark Gillespie make his Premier League debut.

Isaac Hayden also limped off last time out so is touch or go for this one. He'd be missed if he sat this one out, with him being our only tackler in midfield and a player that makes up for Jonjo Shelvey's lack of mobility and grit.

If both make it - and I think they might just - I can see it being: (4-2-3-1): Darlow - Krafth, Lascelles, Fernandez, Lewis - Hayden, Shelvey - Fraser, Almiron, Saint-Maximin - Wilson.

Bruce tends to play it safe and go for the more defensive Hendrick along with the improving yet frustrating Joelinton, but we're all hoping Almiron and Fraser start.

What have you made of Wolves from afar? How do you think they'll manage this season?

LR: Yeah, it's very much from afar as we have our heads right in the middle of everything going on with our respective clubs.

They seem to have recovered from a sticky patch and the sale of Jota.

But they still have a lot of quality in there and you don't finish seventh by accident.

I think they will be right up there in the top seven or eight again pushing for a European place.

LK: There's a lot to admire about Wolves. They are a side who have recruited well, generally, have good, solid personnel from front to back and a likeable manager in Nuno.

They've come back to the Premier League and really established themselves as one of the teams just outside that top six bracket. They really are a benchmark for the likes of Newcastle, who have done little but exist since returning to the top flight.

OH: One thing I'll say is I was alarmed to see you lose 4-0 at West Ham. That obviously doesn't define your season given you were 7th heading into the weekend, but it seemed like the sort of result that just never happened last season.

Aside from that one off result, you don't seem to give much away at the back and nullified Leeds' threat very well when I watched you on Monday. One criticism would be you sometimes look as though you're set up a bit deep - something I noticed in your 1-0 win over Fulham a few weeks ago. Yes, you won, but it was a painful watch as someone who had a few Wolves attackers in my fantasy team!

As for the season you'll have, I wondered if no European football would allow you to focus on the league and break the top six, however I did wonder if selling Doherty was one step back in that respect. Semedo could well prove to be a brilliant replacement, I just felt Doherty fit into your system superbly and was a big player for you.

I think you are superb defensively and one of the most spirited sides in the division, but feel you'll have to pose more of a threat in attack to break the 'big six' - especially when the likes of Everton look a level above you as things stand.

Your match prediction?

LR: I think the best Newcastle can hope for is a draw. Let's go for 2-2.

LK: Same as last time out. 1-1.

OH: I can see us shutting up shop, trying to frustrate you and then hit on the counter where possible, however I don't see you conceding more than once and don't have much faith in us defensively these days based on the amount of shots we've conceded so far this season - so I fear you'll outscore us one way or another.

I think it'll be close as you've never looked like scoring a boat load of goals so far this season, but I think it'll be a narrow home win, either 1-0 or 2-1.

All the best for the rest of the season and thanks again for having me on!

You can follow Lee on Twitter here.Meanwhile, follow Liam here. You can visit NUFC Blog here.