FM STORY: Leonard takes charge of Championship Newcastle

[Josedinho]

What success did you have at Spurs and City?
Favourite players to work with and are you planning on bringing any to the Toon?
Who are your rival managers?

[pleno1]

What success did you have at Spurs

I fell out with the board after they agreed to sell Bale to Manchester City in the January transfer window on the last day. I had no time to sign a replacement and I decided that I would not be the manager of a selling club.

I went to City in the second season and managed to win the League and the league cup. I was out of the Champions League in the first knockout phase after being hammered by Bayern Munich who gave a German masterclass.

Favourite players to work with and are you planning on bringing any to the Toon?

I'm really excited about working with Ben Arfa and Obertran, they have phenominal pace and are really talented. They have had 2 years to adapt to English football and I think they will develop in this lower league similarily to how Colo did in the 2010 campaign.

I have some young stars such as Tamas Kadar, Haris Vuckic and Gabriel Obertran who I expect to flourish against whatwe can describe as "lower class opposition".

I also would like to thnk that Tim Krul can retain the number 1 shirt fro Holland despite being in the second tier,

[NoflopsHomer]

Adam Campbell in the under 18's is ridic good, gonna be a star.

[pleno1]

Adam Campbell in the under 18's is ridic good, gonna be a star.

Huge star mate. He's progressed nicely as a regular starter in the reserves, I want to put him on a high workload over the next 4 months and then give him 5 months of competitive football when the weather gets better and he can get confidence by scoring goals on nice days and green pitches. I don't want any 35 year old ex pro kicking his confidence out of him on a rainy December Tuesday infront of 800 fans.

[pleno1]

Huge first game this afternoon at St James Park, Leonard's men host Southampton who will be travelling up from the South East coast with optimism after being promoted last season.

Starting line up today is.

GK Tim Krul
RB Davide Santon
CB Steven Taylor
CB Tamas Kadar
LB Shane Ferguson


DMC Cheik Tiote
CM Yohan Cabaye

RWF Gabriel Obertran
LWF Sylvain Marveux

Playmaker Hatem Ben Arfa

CF Demba Ba

Subs:
Jak Alnwick
Sylvain Ebanks Blake
James Tompkins
Mohammed Abu
Haris Vuckic

Tactics:

We expect to see Newcastle attacking from the front, in a pre match press conference Leonard told the fans that he would be bringing them back to the Keegan era, arguably the most exciting premiership side of all time. He has lined up with 4 attacking players meaning the importantance of Cheik Tiote goes up massively as he will be left alone to break up play at times.

Yohan Cabaye has expressed his determination to get over some pre season doubts about his future at the club and the new magpies manager will be hoping he goes out and proves his heart is still in it.

[pleno1]

Terrible start from the black and whites who conceded an early goal after weak defending on the left hand side. Newcastle soon retaliated with some great interchange between Frenchmen Hatem Ben Arfa and Sylvain Marveux allowed the later to break free from the Saints defence and slot the ball home. On the 32nd minute Southampton once again caputalised on some poor defending.

Leonard has Sylvain Ebanks Blake warming up at half time who could make an impact debut here.

[pleno1]

As expected, Leonard brought on the Striker on loan from Wolves after Gabriel Obetran failed to live up to pre season expectations.

Newcastle come out to a 4-3-1-2 with Hatem Ben Arfa given the duty to feed the front men.

[pleno1]

OMG INCREDIBLE SCENES FROM ST JAMES PARK THIS AFTERNOON!

[pleno1]

So Ebanks Blakes introduction to the game hadn't gone to plan. After 77 minutes the toon army still trailed 1-2. Leonard watched from the touchline as fans fled the stadium in their numbers. The 24 year old kneeled down in his pinstriped suit as he tried to work out what wasn't clicking. He ordered his guys to play a higher defensive line and summer signing Blake to play more as a poacher rather than a deep lying forward.

On the 81st minute, Ferguson galloped down the left beating one and then beating two before throwing in a teasing cross. Demba Ba who had been pretty dismal so far latched on the end of it and reproduced his form from 2008 with a clinical striker.

Leonard urged his troops on as the fans began to sing his name around the stadium. Finally Ebanks Blake latched on to a Demba Ba flick on and made no mistake.

The last 5 minutes were almost unbearable to watch as Liam Rosenior produced long throw after long throw but with team-,mates Tamas Kadar and Steven Taylor throwing themselves infront of tackles and shots for eachother the geordies held on for the 3 points.

#NEWCASTLEUNITEDWILLNEVERBEDEFEATED

[pleno1]

League Table after week 1

Click to see full-size image.

[pleno1]

Mike Ashley has announced that he plans to sell Newcastle United. A local businessman is expected to offer the asking price before the end of the week.

#COCKNEYMAFIAOUT!

[Josedinho]

...... The 24 year old kneeled down in his pinstriped suit as he tried to work out what wasn't clicking.....

AVB style or properly knelt down?

[pleno1]

...... The 24 year old kneeled down in his pinstriped suit as he tried to work out what wasn't clicking.....

AVB style or properly knelt down?

AVB style bro.

[pleno1]

Second game of the season is against Bolton at the Reebok stadium. Bolton are notoriously a dirty team who don't like to play good football.

I will have to change the style of the team a little for this game to help combat with their big and strong players.

Team:

GK Tim Krul

RB Davide Santon
LB Shane Ferguson
CB Steven Taylor
CB Tamas Kadar

DM Mohammed Abu
DMC CheikTiote
CM Yohan Cabaye

LW Hatem Ben Arfa
RW Gabriel Obertan

CF Demba Ba

Subs:

Sylvain Marveux
Jak Alnwick
James Tomkins
Haris Vuckic
Sylvain Ebanks Blake

[pleno1]

Fantastic performance from the Magpies who now sit top of the league.

Newcastle dominated the game from the off and with a good counter attack approach managed to grab a half time lead courtesy of Demba Ba.

The big man was visibly tired at half time as he had led the line after a somewhat indifferent pre season. Ebanks Blake came on for the second half and followed Ba's work rate and enthusiasm with a great performance.

Hatem Ben Arfa changed flanks in the second half and was the creator of the 2nd and final goal of the game as Yohan Cabaye managed to get on the end of his countrymans cross.

Bolton 0 - 2 Newcastle