So far Russell martin has declined to show his hand in the pre season friendlies with all the games featuring starting XI's that have been much changed during the game, will he change his tactics for the visit of Spanish La Liga side Getafe CF.

If Newcastle United have been sending scouts to watch us during our pre season, they will not have learned much, not only has each game been one of multiple substitutions, it has been one of mixed starting XI's.

The manager has never seemed to play his starting line up in either defence, midfield or attack at the same time, let alone the entire side.

So what will his tactics be on Saturday afternoon, will he finally put out a side that will resemble a starting XI for the Premier League, or will he again keep mixing and matching.

It has therefore been difficult to assess just where we are as a team with just a week to go before the season starts, are we strong enough in each of the areas, that question can't be answered as we haven't partnered up who will play alongside each other yet as individuals.

We can't tell which central defensive partnership he prefers, whether he will opt for Charlie Taylor over Ryan Manning at left back or even prefer Jack Stephens.

How does he intend to play it up front, will Ben Brereton Diaz play central or Adam Armstrong or will it be neither.

So if we don't know, I don't know what Eddie Howe is thinking.

What we do know is that we cannot play the possession football game to the levels we have been trying to play it in the pre season game with Alex McCarthy in goal, truth is that if McCarthy does start the season, then as we did at the end of last season, we need to taper it to suit our keeper.

In fact that is just about the only concrete fact that has emerged from the pre season schedule so far, we have not had the chance to gel as a team.

Presumably Russell Martin knows his preferred side and line up, but would it not be better to try it out at some stage ahead of the trip to St James Park.

Maybe some of these questions will be answered at St Mary's on Saturday afternoon, but I somehow doubt it.

Personally I think we have a reasonable squad assembled, but like any team there is always room for improvement, but we can only judge players when they are playing in something approaching a first choice side, not when we are conducting little experiments all over the park such as Ryan Manning in midfield.

The big question though is whether Kyle Walker Peters will get a run out, so far he wasn't been played, suggesting that the manager is resigned to losing him, but with only a week to go there comes a time when KWP if he is a at the club has to play and he needs to have had some pre season minutes under his belt.

So I see yet another game that is under the head line "Meaningless Pre Season Friendly" at least in terms of the fans getting something out of the game,.

Photo: Action Images

Colburn added 09:48 - Aug 10 I don’t think Newcastle have needed to send many scouts our way. It’s fairly obvious who will start next week, certainly the midfield and attack
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JoeEgg added 10:46 - Aug 10 I should think Newcastle will be licking their lips at the prospect of their first game of the season being against Saints - McCarthy, Manning, Stephens et al. Our attack poses little or no threat and our possession football will suit the Newcastle players down to the ground. I cannot believe, unless his hands are tied, that Russell Martin seriously believes that we are ready to take on the Premier League. But then he seems convinced that the likes of Manning, Stephens and Mara are ready and suited to the task!

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WestSussexSaint added 11:11 - Aug 10 Oh how I missed the doomsayers after the early part of last season. Have a little faith! Matches against the likes of Newcastle aren’t our main battle this season anyway. Success is 17th and anymore is a bonus.
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