Pod On The Tyne: an independent NUFC podcast

Plenty of intriguing angles going into Newcastle United v Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon. Both teams played in Europe in midweek, Ange Postecoglu under pressure just three weeks into his new job, and the home attack struggling to spark… …Not that Nick Woltemade’s stats would fit that particular narrative. A penalty saw the German forward score in each of his first three home games for Newcastle, becoming just the third man to do so after Alan Shearer and Les Ferdinand. It was Bruno who broke the deadlock with a curled effort after good work from Dan Burn, and a 2-0 win rounded off a great week for the lads. ...A better result for The Lasses™, too, although they left it very late indeed at Crystal Palace. Trailing 2-0 with ten minutes of normal time; Oona Sevenius opened her Newcastle account before Morgan Gautrat's Olimpico hit the net eight minutes into injury time!

Newcastle United haven't scored many goals so far this season, especially away from home, but on Wednesday night they put four past Belgian champions Union Saint-Gilloise and with relative ease. Nick Woltemade has been the source of some "salty" comments from Bayern-related figures over the last few days, but he opened the scoring with a deft flick which he definitely meant. Anthony Gordon scored two penalties and sub Harvey Barnes completed the rout, while Elanga was a threat all evening. In terms of The Lasses, it's been a tough start to the season and they travel to Palace on Sunday to face last season's WSL basement club. The Lads, meanwhile, face Forest who have a familiar figure running the show in midfield.

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Heartbreak at St James's as Mikel Arteta's Gunners laid siege to Newcastle's wall of giant defenders and were able to break them down twice to take all three points back to North London. Chances were few and far between for the home side but Nick Woltemade did make the most of a corner he had earned and kept up his 100% record of headed-league-goals-at-SJP. George and Chris convened outside the Strawberry to reflect on all that, some controversial decisions, and another defeat for The Lasses (TM) who are hopefully emerging from their own teething problems.

The Bantams of Bradford came to St James's Park on Wednesday night. Unfortunately for them, Newcastle United are now heavyweights, especially in the Carabao Cup. Our defence of the trophy began in deliriously routine style despite a rocky spell early doors and a spectacular hit by Bishop Auckland's Andy Cook. With a one-two from Joelinton and Will Osula in either half, it was a comfortable evening in the end and we roll on to Spurs in round 4. Ding ding!

Recorded a mere 24 hours after the snore-fest at the Vitality Stadium, with George barely back through the marble portico which fronts Caulkin Manor, we're already moving on to a new week and yet more interesting football challenges. League One leaders Bradford City will be the visitors in the Carabao Cup as Eddie Howe's Newcastle begin their first defence of a trophy since 1969-70. Then, Arsenal's Mikel Arteta wheels up the Gunners for another potshot at his nemeses this weekend. The LassesTM had a difficult time at Birmingham on Sunday. Three-nil down after forty minutes, they salvaged some pride in the second half but will want to kickstart their campaign quickly. The retirement of Su Cumming was also announced this week; she's served Newcastle with distinction for a decade, but has dedicated her many talents to women's football across the North East for much longer.

Eddie Howe’s record with Newcastle against his old side AFC Bournemouth is, it’s fair to say, not a proud one. Less than 72 hours after an emotionally charged Champions League fixture against Barcelona, the trip to the Vitality Stadium looked a tricky one; especially with the Cherries having won three of their first four Premier League fixtures. In that context, a 0-0 draw doesn’t sound like a terrible result. It was quite a good result, in fact, built on another solid defensive performance. However, there are plenty of questions about how Newcastle will score goals in the post-I**k era.

Here we go again... Champions League football returns to St James's Park with all the hallmarks of elite European competition... big name players... athleticism... skill... and, of course, tabards. But is it different this time? The arrival of Barcelona brings with it incredible memories, of course, but Newcastle's history in this tournament is just that; a series of great moments. Can we string them together this year and build a memorable campaign? Even **spoiler alert** defeat in this opener doesn't represent a disaster. The new format allows for multiple slip-ups in its league phase. What we must do, though, is follow up with a positive result at Bournemouth.

Here we go again! Newcastle United return to Champions League action after a year away, and it's our old pals Barcelona coming to St James's Park on Thursday night. We're all excited, but George really has the fever. No, really, he has the fever (get well soon, bud!). Only one thing to do; summon Jacob Whitehead in from a windswept beach in the West of Scotland. We also summarise what can only be classed as a disappointing draw for The Lasses in their first game at Gateshead Stadium and we're channelling Big Nick Energy as Woltemade enters the quite hefty pantheon of debutant goalscorers.

Newcastle returned to Premier League action, after the ludicrously early September international break, needing to beat bottom-placed Wolves to notch their first win of the season. They would have to do so without two big new signings; young midfielder Jacob Ramsey and £55m centre-forward Yoanne Wissa. Ramsey is out for about a month, while Wissa faces an unspecified period out with a knee injury. Step forward Nick Woltemade! The German giant isn't a natural target man, we're told, but that didn't look to be the case when he leapt Asprilla-like to nod home a Jacob Murphy cross just 30 minutes into his debut. Bring on Barca...