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Comical club interview with Jamaal Lascelles

3 years ago
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Jamaal Lascelles has been interviewed ahead of the match with Wolves.

The Newcastle United captain talking about both Sunday’s game and the 4-1 defeat by Man Utd last Saturday.

As always, with it being an interview with official club media, it means the questioning is quite comical.

It is like a parallel universe where it bears little relation to reality.

I know official club media is never going to be overly negative BUT it is laughable when you see the positive slant put on so many questions.

In this Jamaal Lascelles one…

Amongst the questioning we hear ‘in the end Man Utd were probably the better team’…’David De Gea made some brilliant saves in each half, I guess key things went against you at key times’…

The captain asked if instead of consolidating these past few years, are we now seeing a change in mentality in expecting more?

Lascelles asked if Wolves be a good ‘barometer’ as to how much progress Newcastle have made?

Talking about Everton’s vast improvement after bringing in a top manager and a major outlay on some top players, as though it bears any relation to Newcastle’s situation.

All of this whilst at the same time Newcastle fans are repeatedly pointing to how poor Newcastle’s performances have been overall and the absolute battering a very average Man Utd team gave NUFC.

I understand Jamaal Lascelles has to push the positives as well but his belief that Saturday’s match saw Newcastle defend well for most of the game and then lose because they were too attack minded towards the end, is going way too far. Only Karl Darlow and wayward finishing from Man Utd meant Newcastle weren’t dead and buried way before they actually scored the late three goals.

Jamaal Lascelles says this is the strongest team at Newcastle since he has been at the club.

Maybe it is…but it certainly isn’t the strongest manager (or head coach) and will Steve Bruce play the strongest team, or continue with these way over the top negative tactics and playing the likes of Hendrick and Joelinton ahead of Fraser and Almiron?

Jamaal Lascelles talking to NUFC TV:

‘Can you describe the mood immediately after the weekend’s defeat and now a few days on?’

“Obviously, we were all upset and quite angry at ourselves really.

“Started off pretty good, the team we set out and the instructions given, we fancied ourselves in the game.

“Obviously going a goal up to Man United, even at t 1-1, we thought, Darlow has made a great save from the penalty, we thought is it one of those days when it is our day but I think we kind of pushed on too much.

“We maybe should have realised you know, playing against Man United and kind of just shut up shop a little bit more, and just, you know, kind of gone for the draw and looked to counter attack them or something.

“But were just a bit too open and it killed it at the end.”

‘I don’t think anybody would argue that in the end Man Utd were probably the better team but that said, David De Gea made some brilliant saves in each half, I guess key things went against you at key times?’

“Yeah, definitely.

“I think Callum had a good chance and we would all put our mortgage on him to score that but it happens, you know, he has scored a lot for us this season.

“Defensively, I thought for a good 70 minutes of the game we were good but a lack of concentration against a team like that with their quality, it can really hurt you.

“They were patient with it, they made a few substitutions and I don’t think we coped with it well enough. Ultimately it cost us the game.”

‘You have spoken a few times recently about after two or three years of consolidating in the Premier League trying to change that mentality now. Are you starting to see some signs of that with the players brought in and the players who have signed new contracts, or is it still a bit of a work in progress?’

“Yeah, we are definitely seeing signs of it, [but] still a work in progress.

“I do think our performances can be better than what they have been.

“We have still got things to work on but every single game is a learning curve.

“The more players play together, we’ll gel more and more, we’ll do better and better.

“We have got some new players, just understandings. We’ve changed formation a couple of times, so when we really find our feet and get together, think things will become a bit easier.”

‘Wolves won at Leeds, now sixth, finished seventh the last two seasons. So does that make them quite a good barometer this game, to see how much progress you are hopefully starting to make?’

“Yeah, a tough side. We know it is going to be a difficult game.

“The results have been crazy since the start of the season.

“I just think if we approach it right, try and eradicate some of the mistakes, things we have been doing in previous games, then I think we can get them.”

‘When you see teams like Everton and Aston Villa who have had the start they have had, does it feel like a crazy Premier League and maybe it is going to be more open than it has been in previous years, and maybe there is an opportunity for you to finish a bit stronger than what you have done in recent years?’

“I think so.

“Since being at Newcastle, this is the probably the strongest team we’ve had.

“Our mentality is we need to try and finish higher than we did last season for sure.

“We’re all on the same page and we need to start that by winning at the weekend.

“We definitely need to finish higher off.

“Our end goal is to try and get top ten if possible.”

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