After a disappointing result compounded by an even more disappointing performance against West Ham last weekend, the pressure is mounting on Alan Pardew and Co to start getting results. It’s been a quiet start to the season in which we’ve pulled up few trees, both in terms of results and performance, but there would perhaps be fewer alarm bells ringing if performances had at least been present even if results had still been hard to come by. The fact is though that they haven’t and that needs to change sooner rather than later.
Newcastle:
Yohan Cabaye has been ruled out through injury as has Jonas Gutierrez. James Perch will once again be missing as will Fabricio Coloccini who serves the second of his three game suspension following his red card at Anfield a couple of weeks ago. Ryan Taylor, Dan Gosling, Haris Vuckic, and Adam Campbell are also all currently missing through various injuries.
Returning to the fold we have Cheik Tiote who has now finished his three game suspension. He’ll play a part tomorrow no doubt before sitting out the Europa League game next Thursday through….. You’ve guessed it, suspension!
Sammy Ameobi has trained since withdrawing from England U21 duty whilst Tim Krul, Davide Santon, Shane Ferguson and Shola Ameobi have returned from international duty with Holland, Italy, Northern Ireland and Nigeria respectively injury free.
There are question marks over the availability of Papiss Cisse, with Senegal looking to invoke a FIFA rule meaning that he wouldn’t be available for the game tomorrow after United pulled him out of international duty courtesy of a back complaint. Their point of view is that if he is fit to play for Newcastle then he is fit to report for Senegal. No similar issue has been raised over the withdrawal of Demba Ba however.
Swansea:
Ki Sung-Yeung is out with a hamstring problem while former Newcastle target Neil Taylor is a long-term absentee for the Swans. Chico Flores and Danny Graham may return after a dead leg and back problems respectively but there will be no place for Leroy Lita who is lacking in fitness after being recalled from a a loan spell at Birmingham City.
Previously…
The last time Swansea visited St James’ Park both sides played out a 0-0 stalemate, which to be fair to Swansea isn’t a bad result considering their record against us. You have to go back to October 1980 to find the last time Swansea recorded a win at St James’ Park – a 2-1 victory in the old Second Division.
Overall there have been 36 games between the two sides. Newcastle have won 22 of them compared to just the nine victories for Swansea. We’ve scored 70 goals against them with the Welsh outfit finding the back of our net just 39 times over the years.
Team selection:
It more of a case of who we have available rather than who we can play to be fair. Once again we are down to bare bones which will again take us back to the summer and the wisdom (or lack of?) of not being busier in the transfer market.
Tim Krul will play in goal with Davide Santon at left-back. Steven Taylor and Mike Williamson will once again be paired in the heart of defence, with the former playing captain for the day, while right-back is likely to be filled by Danny Simpson.
Moving up the pitch I’d expect to see Hatem Ben Arfa on the right with Cheik Tiote making a return next to Vurnon Anita in central midfield. Shane Ferguson will probably get the nod on the left in the absence of Jonas Gutierrez.
In attack it will be Demba Ba and Shola Ameobi, or maybe Papiss Cisse if he ends up being available.
That is in a 4-4-2 formation which I think is safe to assume we’ll be using…
Stats and facts…
Swansea have won just one game in the last nine league outings whilst Newcastle have won just one from the last six league games.
Neither side have lost after taking the lead in a match this season.
Swansea have exactly the same amount of points as they did at the same stage last season. Newcastle are 11 points worse of in comparison.
Final thought:
I feel like I’m saying this every week now, but as each week goes by it becomes more important. We need a win to try and get our season going, whether it be a scrappy 1-0 via an 89th minute own goal, or a deserved win based on performance. I’m past caring, I just want three points on the board!
Howay the lads!
Date: Saturday, 17th November, 2012
Time: 3pm (UK time)
Venue: St James’ Park
I’ll be cheering us on for the full 90 at the wonga are…..St James’ Park
. As Toonsy says (great to have a new thread by the way) we need the 3 points. Last match I went to was won by a few ben arfa twists and turns before a tap-in (and a dubious cisse goal 5 minutes before the end). Here’s hoping for the same again 😎 .
Andymag(Quote)
Tickets booked, on my way in the morning. Never seen us lose, 1 win and 1 draw so far. 3-0 tomorrow would do nicely 😆
cornish-magpie(Quote)
Toonsy & Cornish ,We can only pray for a win and better performance . 😉 Anyhow hope Cornish and Andy have a great day in Toon 😎
Andy ,Previous thread , 😳 forgot Adam was crocked ,Christ we are in a sorry state with injuries arn’t we. 🙁 Time for Jabba to dig deep me thinks 🙄 .
KIMTOON(Quote)
3 points and a good performance, Inshallah.
Newkie(Quote)
This should be a big effort and a win for us. I’m hoping for a 2-0 with Ben Arfa and Ba to score. Hopefully no 4-4-2 to start. If we get going right off we should be fine. Tiote must behave himself and re-establish his game. Let’s see a creative formation Pardew.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
No pearls of wisdom from Derek recently. Why the sudden silence? Not liking the 10th place position of the team and the -3 goal difference Dekka? We’ve scored 12 and allowed 15 in 11 games. Are those the stats of a top 4 team? How about a top 6 team? We need a change at the managing director position. I didn’t notice Llambias getting an 8 year contract recently. Is that meant to give us hope that Ashley will come to his senses? I doubt it, Dekka is too useful taking the flak and keeping a tight lock on Mike’s purse. In a rating of premier managing directors where would our lovely lad place? Would it be 20th or is there someone out there that is even worse (the management at Sunderland comes to mind).
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Hello all,
I’m hoping Pardew doesn’t get the chance to use our shortage in numbers as an excuse. I’d happily ram the fact that we should have been more active in the summer back down his throat. Sorry but that WH performance isn’t out my system yet! 👿
So, the line up I’d like to see for tomorrow is:
—————- Krul ————-
Simmo/Saylor/Willo/Santon
——Anita/Tiote/Fergie——
—-Benny———Obertan—-
—————Ba—————–
I know I have given Obertan a slating this season (and I stand by it) but I’ve also said these players need an opportunity to prove their worth. I think Oba should be tried left of the attacking 3 for a change, Fergie can provide the crosses and Oba and Santon may will link up well. If Oba does nowt then Sammy could be brought on as a straight replacement. I might be miles off but there you have it.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Pretty decent lineup Sharpy. I wouldn’t mind seeing that. A lot depends on Tiote keeping his composure obviously. Get Ben Arfa the ball more in attacking positions with Ba and we should be all right if the back 4 is solid.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2 – to be honest mate I just hope we see a bit of passion and desire to win the game. The WH game was so frustrating coz we never seemed to want to get going. I agree with you about Tiote and all eyes will be on him, including the refs. He’s getting a bit of a Cattermole or Nigel De Jong type reputation and he needs to shake that coz he’s better than that.
My only concern with that formation is I don’t see many goals or attempts coming from Anita, Tiote or Fergie, but I could be wrong.
We know what to expect from Ba and Benny and they need to be up for it tomorrow like.
I haven’t seen see enough from Obertan this season but he needs to play to prove himself and I’d love to be able to say at 5pm tomorrow ‘Oba was fantastic today like, and who’d have thought he’d get a hat trick of Ibrahimovic over head kicks’ 😯 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
Kim
We are crocked 😕
Sharpy
😆 That’ll be the day. Ranger will be helping old ladies cross the street and work in a soup kitchen the day that happens.
Andymag(Quote)
Andy – you’d be surprised mate!, I saw Ranger helping a lady across the road the other day actually – mind he did nick her purse out her handbag at the same time like 😕
Sharpy17(Quote)
I really think we shouldn’t bo worried about teams like the Swans, but I will be worried about them as the’re capable of some decent footie, and up to now we have been very poor.
But maybe Andy and Cornish will bring us some luck 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
Would like to see a back four of Tavernier, Taylor Williamson and Santon with four in the middle Cheick,Roman,Vurnon and Shane with Benny and Demba up top.
Pards will pick something completely different.
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Dave
Andymag(Quote)
think pards could set up with a 4-4-1-1 krul, simmo, taylor, willo, santon. midfield of obertan,anita, tiote, fergie, ben arfa as the link and ba up front. its a big game for us as some of the natives are getn restless.
bazza(Quote)
save your breath lads you know he’ll go 442 if he can 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim – it’s always nice to dream though innit 🙄
I was looking at our forthcoming fixtures and we need to be really careful in my opinion. If we don’t do well against Swans and Saints it could set us away on a really bad run coz we’ve got some tough games coming up in Dec like.
Sharpy17(Quote)
bazza
no way oba should be ahead of sammy 😕
kim is right though
krul
simmo taylor willo santon
ben arfa anita tiote ferguson
shola ba
is what pards will do
Andymag(Quote)
Sharpy, I know what you mean December is pretty mean with the two Mancs ,Arsenal and in form Fulham .We should beat Wigwam and QPR but if we lose V Swans and don’t do well in the two after we are right in the duldrums and looking like an almighty struggle ahead. I don’t mind admitting I’m getting well jittery already about our season.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Why has no one got Simmo in their line up ? is he out ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
Looks like Pards agrees with me about Cisse
“He’s a finisher and the bottom line is we have to create the chances. If you review his games, he really hasn’t had that many chances. So it is a little bit him, and it’s a little bit us.”
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave – Andy and I have him in ours mate 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)
@ 20 I take that back 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
I’m starting to regret putting him in mine, him being a dirty ****** and all 😕
Andymag(Quote)
Kim – you’re not along, if we dont win the games you’d expect us to win and don’t pick up points in the others, then forget top 6 – we’ll find ourselves in the bottom 6!!.
I’m not stressing just yet but the next 2 games are very important for me like.
Dave – WTF!! If Pardew knows that, why the hell has it not been addressed FFS!!. There has been little to no change in tactics or playing staff unless it has been forced upon him!!
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy ,exactly on both points.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim – except I should have said you’re not alone – coz not along just doesn’t make any bloody sense!! 😳 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
Anyone read the story about the young goalie banned for two games for swearing at the ref in his teams (Ware youth under 15’s) match. He has tourettes syndrome . The Mirrors headline was, FOR *@*!* SAKE ,REF I’VE GOT TOURETTE’S ,it’s on page35. 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
I see buck Rogers is seething over Citeh supposedly about to offer 40m for the racist like. He’s told the press they can forget it as” he’s commited to Liverpool and he’s ours” Oh dear someone needs to tell him that if Citeh come in with an offer of 40m or more them yanks are gonna snatch their hands off.
KIMTOON(Quote)
ffs ,everyones gone away again 👿 it’s like the bloody marie celest on here . 🙄
KIMTOON(Quote)
Hope Cisse cant play and we go with Sharpy’s line up @ 7 🙄
I dont think we are lacking in any self belief, and altho this wont be an easy game, I think we will get the 3 points tomorrow.
Hope simmos legs are ok after all the shagging he ‘s been getting lately.
😛
If Mr T can have a better game, we could see more of Anita running the midfield.
A Ba hat trick would be nice if he is finally free of the shackles of Cisse.
Howay the Lads.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Hi Kim, I think eager beaver is probably worth £40M so cesspool will try and do a Newcastle and hold out for more. 😆
It will also be down to the ridiculous wages shitty will pay him too.
Even the bin dippers cant compete with that. Especially once he has had his head turned.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Start with Ba and bring Cisse on for him second half if we are winning ,that way there’s less pressure on him to get agoal and if he’s more relaxed and gets decent service he might actually score. 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
BB ,I would laugh my tits off if they lost him as without him they will drop like a stone
KIMTOON(Quote)
ditto
‘sept I dont have tits 😆
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
It really doesn’t matter what formation we play. Just so long as we can have a plan, that involves linking our midfield with our strikers.
Give Ba good service and he will get us goals. But for me its got to come from the midfield, not the defenders.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
BB ,agreed a plan is always wise, just need someone to let Pards know that 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim I was reading that earlier today, I think he’ll be able to get something done if it was his Tourettes that caused it, as you can tell the difference.
My wee lad has tourettes but its not often he will swear and if he does it is normally at night time in bed you will hear him say maybe 2 or 3 random swear words
Big Dave(Quote)
Ref the Beaver fuk I would love it if he goes 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave ,He said it helps to calm him but it gets bad when he’s stressed and the ref upset him and he told him to F off. Now the local FA are saying it had nowt to do with his condition. What makes them an expert I’d like to know. I’m inclined to believe the lad myself ,Lews fits are far worse when he’s tired or stressed ,all neurological conditions are affected by stress and tiredness.
Dave ,how soon was your boy diagnosed?
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim yeah it does get worse when the’re stressed and worried about something. he got diagnosed about 3 yr ago when he was 7.
But to be honest if the wee lad just said fuk off to the ref I would tend to agree that it wasn’t his condition, as its normally very random and very rarely makes sense to the situation that they’re in. ie when my wee lad does it as I said he will never do it infront of anyone even though he knows it’s not good to hold it or tics in, but he’ll just be in bed and I would hear him randomly say ” fuk **** *** ” very quickly, the 1st time I heard him I thought I was hearing things and shouted in to him what was it he said and he just burst into tears telling me he didn’t mean it etc, so if I heard him now I don’t say owt
Big Dave(Quote)
It’s a strange one Dave ,the brains a funny thing like .Lews fits were mild absences as a baby but now he’s older he has the whole gambit of em ,including some long buggers that scare the @**@ out of me tbh.I had a meeting with his new Epilepsy doctor on tuesday ,I was telling her how he went through a stage from 11 to 13 where I slept on his floor every night as he would fit on and off all through the night like .A new doc put him on Carbamazepine which sorted the night fits in 4 days 😯 .She said it was amazing he ‘d made it to 22yrs with all that he’s gone through. It never crossed my mind I might loose him during those two years. I don’t think I know a single epilepsy sufferer who has it under proper control and I suspect it’s the same with Tourettes too.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim it’s **** when your Kids have problems and there’s fuk all you can do about it to help, I find it really hard to watch Dede going through his tics and stuff so I can only guess how hard it is for you.
But when it really gets to me I normally watch an old video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZG3ZLQ4MO8
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave, yes that’s a great way to put things in perspective .
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim 😉 it makes me see that my problems arn’t that bad.
and while I was on there heres another song that for some reason always cheers me up 😀 and I don’t know why I just find it cheers me up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lAA4hiI8KQ
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave 😎 😀
KIMTOON(Quote)
😀 Kim even though im a youngun I like a bit of classical and Andrea Bocelli is one of my favs 😳
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave ,One of my fav bits of music is Elgars Enigma variations and I love the Planets suite by Hoist, nowt wrong with a bit of classical .
KIMTOON(Quote)
When Lewis went through a few years of constant screaming and crying we found 4 lots of music that calmed him .Clannads robin of sherwood soundtrack ,Bowies black tie white noise album ,simply red, any album by them and Mike oldfields tubuler bells 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
God I need to go a bed as Football has totally slipped off the radar and the other bloggers will be cussing in a mo 😆 Nite Dave.
KIMTOON(Quote)
😉 Kim I would listen to classical quite often in the house when im drawing and stuff, I think it’s maybe a break from listening to House and Dance type music all day in work 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
Nite Kim take it easy catch you tomorrow
Can’t believe we have a 3pm Sat kick off
Howay the Lads
Big Dave(Quote)
Morning all, what are you old timers still doing up? 🙂 🙂
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
well hows my wee apprentice wingman today 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Hey, how dare u talk about your kids on here 😛
Jk
I’ve only got a 6 month old at the moment, but can’t even imagine what it must be like.
Oh yeah, and hope the lads actually play some football tomorrow. It was good to see Ben Arfa has been workin on his finishing more, so those few chances he does get into the final third, he can be a bit more deadly
AndrewT(Quote)
Reet thats me outta here 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
A good read Toonsy.
Well we’ve been pretty **** so far but amazingly the top 6 are still within touching distance 😯 although maybe that makes are start even worse as it may indicate the rest of the league ain’t great 😕
We’re closer to the bottom 4 than we are to the top 5 which is disappointing to say the least, let’s hope the the feckers turn up today(players and management)….here’s to a win AND a good performance, we need it 😀 Howay the Lads
richietoon(Quote)
Have you been trapped inside that all you can eat buffet this past week Richie?? ……….again 🙂 🙂 🙂
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Big Dave, sorry mate, thought you had logged off earlier on.. I hope you had sweet dreams of Jabba 🙂 🙂
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
AMF batty told me dave is thinking of getting a blown up picture of jabba to keep in his wallet
we have been playing like a bottom 4 team lately,most of the players have got to step up to the mark sooner rather than later and what the hell is wrong with cissie i just dont know,to me the biggest let down this season is marv seen him play many times before he came to toon seems like he just cannot handle the epl or is a home bird send him back if thats the case its another bullet daglish missed,he didnt miss many like 😀
icedog(Quote)
lawro tips us to win like he did against w/ham,thats us donald ducked then 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
Aussie…nope, just been avoiding football all week after the last performance, I can honestly say I don’t even know how England got on(easier to avoid it in Spain admittedly), I was just so pissed off with it, I wouldn’t have minded if West Ham had played well….neither side deserved owt from the game, if we play anywhere near the same I’ll be disappearing again until Thursday 👿
richietoon(Quote)
well see you thursday then richie 🙁
icedog(Quote)
Cheers Ice, you little ray of sunshine 😉
richietoon(Quote)
If my son hadn’t mentioned the match this morning, I might have missed it. Football on a Saturday at 3 pm! What next?
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
When I went for a 3 pm KO last season, I was on Grainger Street when heard a roar from SJP at 1.25 pm. The penny dropped five minutes later, and the bairn and I ended up getting in breathless at 1.40, missing the first ten minutes. Good job I’d gone to the toon early for a pint.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
B&B ,you need to have the fixture dates pinned upon the wall ,can’t have you missing games like. 😉
I want to see a bit of passion from the players today and a better level of passing and chances being created for that matter. No more of this let’s shove 8 in defence tatics please ,not when we are the home team ffs 🙄 🙄
KIMTOON(Quote)
😯 😯 http://www.themag.co.uk/video-replay/ba-predicts-a-riot-if-cabaye-is-sold/?
icedog(Quote)
Ice, 😆
KIMTOON(Quote)
Ice ,He’s probably wondering why there ain’t a song about him being sold 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
Not confident at all and I really should be against Swans at St James’s.
We have been so off all season. I just don’t see us playing better until Pardew changes a failing system.
I think we’ll get a scrappy win like we did against West Brom.
JJ(Quote)
I suppose on a positive note for once the game isn’t televised live here in South Africa, so if we do get a scrappy win I don’t have to subject myself to the shower of **** that has been served up as football by NUFC this season so far.
JJ(Quote)
I just hope having a “normal” 3pm sat kick off makes for a good sat.
Big Dave(Quote)
KIM we need a song for pardew,something along the lines of;get your bloody finger out and kick there *** 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
Just reading a couple of interviews with Santon and Anita and just wanted to ask, is anyone else over the moon with the attitude of our players?
We not only sign the right player for the right deal, but also the right man with the right attitude, and if it means taking a bit longer in the transfer market to get this type of person in, then long may it continue I say
I Love Mike(Quote)