Thank you Newcastle United - It’s just lush to have you back

Sure, I am prepared for this at the moment.

The previous season started off strong with some great highlights, but as it progressed, it was marked by a series of discouraging setbacks. These setbacks included injuries, suspensions, tough cup draws, and disappointing performances in crucial matches. Unfortunately, it all culminated in losing our chance for a spot in Europe at the end of the cup final.

Following that, I was eager to take a break and I've really savored the summer. I watched the Euros, spent time with my children, improved at padel tennis, had enjoyable vacations, and went on a few dates with my partner (Khai Khai is an exceptional restaurant and I am open to sponsorship if the owner is reading this).

All supported by maintaining a conscious separation from the negative complaints, pessimistic predictions, and blatant lies that spread when Newcastle United is experiencing a period of calm.

It was finally time for all of that to come to an end, and I felt completely refreshed as I went out on a warm summer afternoon to watch the impressive Mags play at the cathedral on the hill once more, starting with a Friday night soccer match against Girona.

The idea behind the Sela Cup has unexpectedly shifted, with last year's mini league being replaced by a single defense of the title by United. This event will take place on Saturday, but tonight we had the usual pre-season warm-up match.

I think it's time for the club shop to open properly. My godson Adam was excited to go to this weekend's double header and buy a lot of shiny new adidas gear. Unfortunately, NUFC missed the opportunity for me to spend money because they didn't have clothes in my size, which is adult large. The shop only had clothing in sizes small, extra small, or extra extra large, so I couldn't find anything that fit. I didn't end up buying the feathered warm-up top I was looking for, as the only options seemed to be for very small or very large people.

Instead, I decided to use that money at Three Bulls, Trent House, Castros, and Bar Loco, enjoying the excitement of visiting these spots before the match. I plan to explore the new Stack on Saturday and would be open to sponsorship opportunities from there (if anyone from Stack is reading this and is interested, I will gladly accept free samples).

I ended up in a different part of the stadium than I expected. I thought I bought tickets for the Gallowgate, but I ended up at the top of the east stand in St James' Park. Seeing that the Gallowgate was empty made me wonder if the club moved me without asking. But I didn't really care, exploring new areas of the stadium is all part of the pre-season experience.

Girona had a strong showing in La Liga, finishing third last year. Owned by the City group, they have some influence in the league. Despite their association with the City group, their key players Blind and Van der Beek were more familiar to fans of Manchester United than Manchester City.

In the first half, the visitors didn't play as strongly as they did against Man City. United showed some impressive playing skills. Early in the game, Murphy made a great run forward and connected with Isak, causing chaos in the defense. Livramento then passed to Longstaff who scored the opening goal.

Murphy scored again in the pre-season match, making it 2-0. Joelinton showed his strength by winning the ball near the Girona box, and a nice passing sequence between Joe, Gordon, and Isak led to a cross from Isak for Hall. Hall couldn't get his head to the ball, but Murphy was in the right place to score.

A few moments later, the score was three-nil. Joelinton stole the ball from the visitors' attempt to start an attack from the back. He then passed to Isak, who set up Gordon for a speedy breakaway. Gordon calmly finished the ball past the goalkeeper. The score was 3-0 after 16 minutes, giving the opposition team something to think about.

I didn't have much knowledge about Girona to say if this was a positive sign of our ability to counterattack, play through balls, or use speed to intimidate other teams. It's possible that Girona didn't field their strongest team, or they may have been a bit tired from pre-season and not fully focused on this match (especially since there wasn't any important trophy on the line). Nevertheless, it is undeniable that United appear to have a strong attacking strategy for the upcoming season.

These optimistic feelings were strengthened when Girona managed to create an opportunity, but Nick Pope made a great save to prevent a potential goal while dealing with his shoulder injury. It's crucial for his shoulder to stay resilient.

My favorite part came next, even though it didn't end well. Isak made a skillful run that reminded me of his great assist at Everton, but he was fouled in the penalty box. The referee, Michael Oliver, didn't show any bias towards the home team and gave a clear penalty. Isak stepped up and finally scored the goal he had been craving all game.

We were surprised when our top goal scorer missed a shot at Turf Moor and then followed up with another subpar effort, deviating from his usual low corner shots to a higher, easier save for the goalkeeper. We hope he can shake off this slump in less important games and return to a perfect record next season.

Despite the missed opportunity by Joelinton to score from close range, Longstaff was able to capitalize on the rebound and secure the fourth goal before half time. With the game effectively over, I decided to leave early and grab a beer.

The second part of the game was a typical pre-season match with many substitutions that disrupted the flow of play. The game became a bit chaotic. Since most of the first team players were being saved for the Brest game, younger players from the under 21s and older players over 35, like John Ruddy who made his debut in the last 15 minutes, were brought in as replacements. Sanusi once again showed his potential when he replaced Gordon, and there is talk that he might make it into the first team this year. Let's hope he doesn't end up like PSR, a player who is sacrificed. I took a quick break for another drink, so I apologize if I missed anything important.

The atmosphere at the games was great, with many people who don't normally attend SJP making a special effort to come. The crowd of almost 32,000 was full of smiling faces, excited children, and a generally happy feeling that is a refreshing change from the negativity often found on NUFC fan forums. I appreciate that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy these games, and it's one of the many reasons why I have come to enjoy this weekend double-header in the summer. Although, I would have enjoyed it even more if the person in front of me had been a bit less gassy...

Everyone is in good spirits, the team is performing well, and I'm excited to go out for drinks, snacks, and some relaxation. I'm grateful to Newcastle United for their return, it's fantastic to have them back.

Newcastle dominated the match against Girona, scoring four goals without conceding any.

The Pope, Livramento, Burn, Krafth, Hall, Longstaff, Miley, Joelinton, Gordon, Isak, and Murphy played in the game.

Gillespie, Alfie Harrison, Heffernan, Munda, and Shahar are some of the players we are keeping an eye on in the upcoming season.

You can stay updated with the author by following them on Twitter at @Mr_Dolf.

Newcastle put four goals past Girona in a dominant performance. You can watch all the goals and match highlights right here.

Newcastle dominates Champions League team Girona with a 4-0 win in just 16 minutes - Click here to read more!

Here is the upcoming list of matches for Newcastle United until the end of October 2024:

On Saturday, July 20th, 2024, Newcastle defeated SpVgg Unterhaching with a score of 3-1.

Saturday, July 27, 2024 - Newcastle team won against Hull with a score of 2-0.

On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, Newcastle defeated Urawa Red Diamonds with a score of 4-1.

On Saturday, August 3, 2024, Yokohama F Marinos defeated Newcastle with a score of 2-0.

On Friday, August 9th, 2024, Newcastle defeated Girona 4-0.

On Saturday, August 10th, 2024, there will be a match between Newcastle United and Stade Brestois with a 4pm start time at St. James' Park. This game will be part of the Sela weekend festivities.

On Wednesday, August 14, 2024, the draw for the second round of the Carabao Cup will take place at approximately 10pm.

This Saturday, on the 17th of August 2024, there will be a match between Newcastle and Southampton at 3pm.

On Sunday, August 25, 2024, Bournemouth will be playing against Newcastle at 2pm. You can watch the game live on Sky Sports.

Blog Update: Starting from Monday, August 26, 2024, the second round matches of the Carabao Cup will take place.

On Friday, August 30, 2024, the summer transfer window will come to an end at 11pm.

On Sunday, September 1st, 2024, Newcastle will be playing against Tottenham at 1.30pm. The match will be shown on Sky Sports.

The initial break in the season for international matches.

On Sunday, September 15, 2024, there will be a match between Wolves and Newcastle at 4:30pm. You can catch the game on Sky Sports.

During the weeks starting on Monday, September 16 and Monday, September 23, the Carabao Cup round three will take place. This round will be divided over two midweek days.

Saturday 21 September 2024 - Fulham versus Newcastle (3pm)

Starting on Monday 16 September and Monday 23 September, there will be matches in the Carabao Cup round three. This round will take place over two midweek days.

Saturday, September 28th, 2024 - Newcastle will face off against Man City at 12:30 pm. You can catch all the action live on TNT Sports.

On Saturday, October 5th, Everton will face off against Newcastle at 5:30pm on Sky Sports.

Saturday 19 October – Newcastle will be facing off against Brighton at 3pm.

Sunday 27th October - Chelsea will face Newcastle at 2pm. The match will be broadcasted on Sky Sports.