It’s been well documented how poor we’ve been this season so I don’t need to go into that again, but our record against newly promoted clubs isn’t exactly great and with a long absentee list to contend with I’m left wondering if it will get any better this afternoon?
This game will mean that we’ve played all three promoted clubs and so far we have just one point to show for it from our previous games against West Ham (a 1-0 home loss) and Reading (a 2-2 away draw). To me that is not good enough but it also isn’t a trait that has been reserved for this season. Indeed ever since our return to the Premier League we’ve struggled against promoted clubs, under both Chris Hughton and Alan Pardew, with only four wins from 12 games against teams fresh from the Championship.
A win this afternoon could see us climb as high as 8th place in the Premier League table if other results go our way and we find ourselves firing on all cylinders in front of goal. To be honest it’s unlikely given how we’ve performed in recent weeks so rather than looking at where we could end up I’d rather we just get the win at all costs.
My match preview is online here if you haven’t already had a look at it. It features news of injuries for both sides, a history of meetings between the two clubs and some rather alarming statistics from an NUFC perspective.
With this game being moved as a result of our ongoing participation in the Europa League we are not being broadcast live here in the UK. However there are a number of overseas channels who have picked our game for broadcast so, as ever, should you manage to find a stream of decent quality then by all means feel free to share it with fellow NUFC fans who may not be able to make it to the South coast today.
Team news, as you should now expect, will be published below in full as and when it becomes available.
Howay the lads!
Southampton; Gazzaniga; Clyne, Fonte, Yoshida, Shaw; Schneiderlin, Cork; Puncheon, Lallana (c), Ramirez; Lambert.
Subs: K.Davis, Hooiveld, S.Davis, Rodriguez, Ward-Prowse, Mayuka, Guly.
Newcastle: Krul; Simpson, Williamson, S.Taylor, Santon; Gutierrez (c), Tiote, Anita, Ferguson; Cisse, Ba.
Subs: Harper, Tavernier, Perch, Bigirimana, Marveaux, Sammy Ameobi, Ranger.
I honestly think that Anita would be decent, but he doesn’t fit a 442 system. You need to buy players that fit your system. Many square pegs in our team at the moment for the sake of having two strikers.
griff(Quote)
Find it funny that after being named premier league manager of the year, if Pardew got sacked I can’t see any decent club actually wanting him… 😆
This eight year deal was a joke from the off…
Even Fergie is on a rolling contract. You have to earn your pay every season for me! Otherwise there is nothing to drive you.
JJ(Quote)
ASH1001 @366
‘Pardew has not even got the sense to put a waterproof jacket on, he is that thick and stupid.’ 😆 Aye he was getting soaked in a suit wasn’t he. Agree with your points. 🙂
DJG(Quote)
Well that was the worst **** I’ve seen in a long time.
Cologne-toon(Quote)
To see Perch brought on when we were chasing the game is beyond me unless we are hoping goal difference might save us from relegation. I can stand losing but it is the manner of our performances all season that worries me.
Groucho(Quote)
Griff
Its easy. If you want to play two strikers in a 4-4-2 you need quality wingers and a quality attacking midfielder to support them and make late runs in the box. We don’t have any good natural wings who can cross and we don’t have a dynamic attacking central midfielder like a Lampard or Gerrard.
It baffles me how Pardew cannot see this and insists on the same tactics every game.
JJ(Quote)
30m will need to be spent in january to rejuventate the team cus the majority of them are pish. If you get the chance look up borussia dortmund passing traing machine. We need something like that and then study how the prussian team plays, could be us
Krul – Weidenfeller (very similar reactions but Weidenfeller kicks better, Timmy take notes
[buy Debuchy in January] Debuchy – Pischeck (overlapping runs and great crosses)
S.Taylor – Subotic (no nonsence defender who puts his body in the way of players and shots, good at heading too)
Colocinni – Hummels (brain of the team and defence, times tackles to perfection and controls the back four)
Santon – Schmelzer (like the RB enjoys over lapping runs and crosses but maintains that he tracks back each time as he primarily is a defener, Davide take notes)
Tiote – Bender/Gundogen/Kehl (rock in CM, also provides a creative influence from the back)
Ba – Reus (Reus gets played at RW much of the time whilst Ba SHOULD be played LW and can break towards the box to shoot a rocket or set up the CF)
Ben Arfa – Blasekofski(?) (Has tremendous pace and will either run to the by-line for the cross or beat the defender and go for goal)
Cabaye – Gotzte (das wunderkind sits in the hole behind the striker, sets through-balls up for the attackers, picks up rebounds to tap in and is able to manouvre himself for a curled shot a goal)
Cisse – Lewandowski (sees the run of the creator and busts a gut to get there first, has a awesome shot on him and goes for both finese and power)
This is what the team after january should look like
————————————-Krul————————————-
-Debuchy——–Taylor——————Colocinni———Santon-
————————————Tiote————————————
———-Ben Arfa————-Cabaye——————–Ba———-
————————————-Cisse———————————–
Andymag(Quote)
How long before the reality train rolls up at the station? 😛
DJG(Quote)
And we’re back to the two strikers problem
Its NEVER worked, yet Pardew sticks with them over and over again.
Once again today they were getting in each others way and going for the same ball
Hopelesss
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
OK I have vented. Time to drink away the memory of that stinking pile of dog turd.
I just hope that something changes. Every player is playing selfishly like they are leaving in the January sales. It really hurt watching them today as I know how much better they can, have, been 🙁
griff(Quote)
JJ @381 – don’t forget Nolan. Not dynamic but fits 442 to a tee.
griff(Quote)
DJG It’s pulling in this very minute.
Groucho(Quote)
Andymag
There are far better players than Ba for that position. For me I’d get rid of him for 7Mil.
Lallana would fit there nicely.
Also Cabaye IS NOT an attacking midfielder, he isn’t going to get in the box so expect him to sit deepish just ahead o Tiote spraying passes.
JJ(Quote)
Quite right Griff,
If we insisted on playing 4-4-2 direct style then the last two players on Earth we should have sold are Nolan and Carroll.
Yet that seems to be the system Pardew want’s to play.
JJ(Quote)
I wont be surprised if Danny Simpson gets a contract offer before xmas now.
Would be the perfect excuse for lambastad not to buy a full back in Jan.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
i sed the other day they are our bogey team never win away to them ,were still a useless bunch of cunts though
kkforever(Quote)
We need to forget the whole europa thing now.
Bollix to it. Let the ressies play if they want to.
We have quite literally got to find some points in the PL before it gets any worse.
But where the hell are we going to find another 26 points at least
❓
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Please Pardew blame the europa cup game on Thursday for the players been **** today, they were tired.
Forget it Spurs 3 West Ham 0 were Spurs playing Thursday YES, did they have far to travel after the game, NO only from Italy.
#374 Sorry but I have not seen enough in Anita to say he is going to make it, he does not tackle, distribution is far from perfect, one or two touches are OK, be we need far more than that, have not even decided what sort of player he is defensive or attacking
ash1001(Quote)
<<<<<<<<<< thinks Jonas legs are gone
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Lallana will cost a fair bit of bob and I can’t see us investing in a decent player like that. Cabaye will leave in January, the first time I’ve said it but its true, our ‘big players’ will leave in January if nothing is done to turn this **** heap around.
Andymag(Quote)
BB – you’re right mate, the teams below us are playing far better football than us and will change good performance to wins.
We are poor and falling fast. Fixtures in Dec could well see us dragged nearer to that bottom 3.
The problem I have with ‘Pardew out’, is that I don’t think it matters who we bring it, without the finacial backing of Cashley and his clowns, no manager will be able to do his job properly.
I suggested £10m yesterday, but I think closer to £20m is what’s really needed with as many 4-5 players in.
What worries me is that, arguably there was more talent in our relegated team, but they didn’t play as a team – just like this bunch. Last season we played as a unit and were difficult to break down, the same cant be said this time around.
January scares me, coz we keep playing like this and Ba, Benny and our other better plays could well be off.
Sharpy17(Quote)
@ASH – You seemed to have seen enough to say that he is NOT going to make it! But Anita is pretty easy to work out. He’s a deep-lying passer, though I’m not 100% sure about his preferred range of passing. What’s clear is that he doesn’t know his team-mates all that well and is struggling to anticipate their movement.
Plus they’re not moving very much.
Wellington(Quote)
So ,14th on 14 then after13 games 😳 That’s relegation form imo.
Look at what’s below us
Wigan -played well with spirit yesterday
Scum- Creating goals from set pieces and corners so always in with a chance of a win even when ****.
Saints- As you seen plenty of spirit to keep the dream alive
Villa – **** but as **** as us? who knows
Reading – well they more than matched us at their place
QPR- Garbage ,then Arry arrives and they will probs be o.k now and we’ve yet to play them too.
Then look above us ,there’s Norwich and Stoke who are really the only ones at our level but I would be even questioning that right now.With West Ham flying and the Baggies in orbit we are in serious trouble as none of the others above us will go down ,you can bet that much. No ,we are really up against it and we can’t wait for it to turn around too much longer .Pards HAS to drop one forward now and alter the formation as we just don’t have the personel for conventional 442 and the players must lift up their heads and stop hiding and being scared of the ball .Lastly Jabba has to strengthen well in jan or he’s gonna lose a shitload of cash cause this club will be worth **** all come may when we go down.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Aye, Spurs beating West Ham 3-1 after Italy on Thursday makes Pardew look like a frikkin joke when he talks in the papers about the pressure of playing twice a week. If you can’t stand the heat, get out the kitchen, thats what I say. You are payed very, very well to play football 2 times a week. It was the same last season when we were using fatigue as an excuse after getting beat by a team that was still in 4 competitions compared to our 1.
DJG(Quote)
At the moment we are the architects of our own downfall ,poor ownership decisions ,poor management decisions and poor workforce decisions. It’s a scary combination alright. 👿
KIMTOON(Quote)
Its getting to the point when i am not looking forward to the next game , i just dont see us scoring a goal or picking up a point at the minute
Axel(Quote)
Kim
Just to follow on from what your saying, last season there were at least 3 or 4 teams that looked like strugglers. I think most of the teams below us this time look capable of turning it round. Surely Harry will turn QPR round with the quality of players they have. Maybe only Reading will struggle but are they playing any worse than us at the minute?
DJG(Quote)
We’ll have one less day than stoke to prepare for the next match as well so when we lose it’ll be no wonder because OUR PLAYERS ARE SO TIRED.
**** off
Newkie(Quote)
No idea if this is accurate or not…..
Alan Pas-de-clue // Nov 25, 2012 at 5:40 PM
Repost:
Ok guys ive been crunching some numbers and we are missing one crucial player. James perch. I have been a huge critic of him in the past but this cannot be ignored :
With him providing stability in the midfield we have p5 w4 d1 2.6points per game (title winning form).
with him in defence p8 w2 d4 l2 1.25 ppg (mid table)
without him as of today we have played 8, w0 d4 l4
They do say that with defensive midfielders they arent noticed until they have gone
But if it is… 😆
Newkie(Quote)
The 8 yr contract means **** all, he won’t get the 8 yrs paid up if he’s sacked. Ashley is a c@nt but he ain’t daft, there will be clauses in the contract setting the amount of compo, probably something like a year’s salary, he may get a “little” more for each year he has remaining but that will be it. The length of contract(2 yrs or 8) does not and has never stopped a manager being sacked in the past nor will it now. When the **** hits the fan, the players and the board stay, then manager does not….the **** is starting to hit the fan 👿 …reet back to my beer 😐
richietoon(Quote)
Much as I hate ‘Arry, he’s a bloody good manager if he gets cash to spend, and he will, then he’ll get QPR up the table…laters.
richietoon(Quote)
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I only caught the second half and that was enough to confidently state we were a shambles.
The defence were all over the place.
The midfield as per normal could keep the ball or create anything constructive.
The strikers, well what can I say. They didn’t strike is suffice.
Pardew will be under real pressure as he seems devoid of ideas how to change things.
I don’t sacking him is the answer though. He actually deserves time based on last years performances. Unless we drop into the relegation zone and there is player discord then we should stick with him.
I could see the players were starting to blame one another on the pitch on occasions so I’ve no doubt there will be fingerpointing behind closed doors.
Pards has had it easy up til now so let’s see how he deals with the temperamental French personalities now.
Pards did say he was happy with his squad at the start of the season and was looking at a top 4 position.
Myself and a few others on here did warm you we needed to buy in order to cope with the extra games but many on here said it wasn’t necessary.
We know who you are 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
total show of ****. what the hell has happened since last season!?!?
two wins tho & we go 6th 😯
its not all doom and gloom although recent results dont install confidence.
we need players back soon. Ryan taylors been the biggest miss…
mark(Quote)
*shower
mark(Quote)
Troy ,them chickens are well and truely home to roost for the board now.
KIMTOON(Quote)
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Mark is that 2 wins with the teams above us all losing. 😯
Right 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
we’ll get beat @ stoke no doubt. I think we need to look at our next home game v Wigan..
then away to Fulham 😯 home to Man city 😯 QPR at home 😡 then definite points away to Arsenal and Man U
mark(Quote)
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On the face of it, it sounds like we could easily rise up the league with a few wins, but in reality we simply don’t look like we could beat anyone at the moment.
We are supposed to rely on our youth team players but when they’ve played in Europe or in the premier, theyve clearly looked out their depth.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
I still believe we do not need new players. The players we have in our squad are capable of competing with all the teams outside the top 4-5.
We played against a championship team today and were beaten 2-0. I don’t believe we needed a single world class player today to beat Southampton.
Michael12(Quote)
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@M12
Did you watch the game?
Troy Stavers(Quote)
**** me mate. If you cant see that we need 4 or 5 new faces after todays shambles, you never will.
willo, Taylor, sammy, jonas, fergy, to start with are all hopeless at this level
Hopeless
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
the crazy thing is, we will play 4-4-2 yet again on wednesday against stoke.
No team plays 4 in midfield at stoke, we will get over run again.
We are in a right pickle now and make no mistake.
Pardew doesn’t even know where to start.
The look of shock and total cluelessness on his face was very disturbing
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Seriously, its headless chickens on the pitch.
No leadership from Jonas whatsoever. Captain, my ****.
I know we have players injured and suspended, but it goes to show that we have been carrying the ones we have left, as on their own, they are no good.
No good I say.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Pardews interview if your interested:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20485848
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Beardsley
Jonas offers nothing. I was on Twitter pre-game and I saw people saying things like, “Yes, Jonas is back!”. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The man’s awful. He isn’t even a Premier League player. Brings absolutely nothing to the table. He’s not even good defensively, but his lung-busting runs seem to have people thinking he can play the holding midfield role… 🙄
The sooner players like Jonas are shipped out the better. We have outgrown these kinds of players.
The Kid(Quote)
we were only 3 senior players missing today, from our supposed BEST TEAM, Colo, HBA, and Cabaye.
If the remaining 8 were of similar quality, then we wouldn’t be having a problem.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
An honest Pardew.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJTkImcHy_s
The Kid(Quote)
the Kid – I totally agree about Jonas.
He is neither a winger, attacking midfielder or defensive midfielder.
He frustrates the hell out of me.
He muddy’s the water for Tiote, who seemed confused over his role.
He brings nothing to the team.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Troy I think we need to get the train up and going again
Big Dave(Quote)
BBand The KID , fair play to Pards for being honest there at least. Just wish the interviewer had asked wether a change in formation would help us ,if only to see his reply. 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
Big D – its too late mate.
The reality is that we should have spent £15M in the summer and are now paying for a lack of investment by an abject MD who knows nowt about football.
The players we have available to us now are showing they aren’t up to the job
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
The board missed the train in the summer when they had the chance and the next one doesn’t leave til January, by which time it will be too late.
👿 👿 👿
Good night
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
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@Bootsy
I agree with you about those players you’ve mentioned. I’ve been saying it for ages they aren’t good enough. Jonas brings nothing to the team nowadays.
@Dave
The train is stoked up. Last I looked Batty was polishing the brass work. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
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I don’t accept Pardews excuses that Europe is affecting their performances on the Sundays. What about all the other games they are playing **** when they haven’t played in Europe.
Plus, he plays many of the fringe players for Europe so how does that effect the senior players?
Surely when we play a premier league game on a Wednesday and then on Saturday is the same as playing Thurs then Sunday?
Did Pards not foresee this? Did he not realise we would have extra games?
We all shouted for him to buy in the summer but he said he was happy with his squad and was going for 4th spot!!!!!!!!!
His silver tongue needs to be working overtime cos at the moment it’s talking drivel.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Well, whatever people think about Sammeobi, I’m glad he’s come out and apologised. If there’s no improvement against stoke and Colo doesn’t come back with a calm but motivating “bang” then we really will be in the ******* 😆
Newkie(Quote)
The only thing that annoys me is the fact Pardew is using injuries and suspensions as part of the failure…. erm, didn’t you guys have the option to buy Douglas, De Jong, Debuchy and others in the transfer window but decided to test fate? I love it when it kicks people in the face like that.
Brian(Quote)
the time to sign quality additions to the squad is when you are flying high.
Finishing 5th was the perfect opportunity and lambastad let us down BIG time.
Good luck lambastad trying to sign the same players in January when we are sitting pretty in 19th place in the league, you clueless ****.
Players are as fickle as fans. but not stupid. They are NOT going to want to come to a relegation threatened club. Not without get out clauses and ridiculous wages.
I fear for the future, I really do.
Massive respect will go to Pardew if he digs us out of this steaming pile of kak we have found ourselves in. I just can’t see it happening tho.
I know its over reacting etc but its been **** poor every game this season, without one jot of improvement.
we need a minimum of 26 points from the next 25 matches. some hope.
we are currently on schedule for a 40/41 point finish. Maybe just enough to survive, if we get lucky.
There should be some squeaky bums in the boardroom from now on.
Expecting to see the fat controller landing his heli at the training ground tomorrow morning and the **** to start hitting the fan.
I feel sick to my stomache, I dread to think how our travelling fans feel.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
ha ha Sammy says sorry for playing shyte against southampton, but thinks we can beat stoke away on wednesday.
Fecking clown 👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Beardsley-Better to be positive that not eh? Which was why I was surprised by Pards’ pre match comments…
Newkie(Quote)
the best we can hope for against stoke is a 0-0 draw.
Based on the fact they are scoring less goals than us so far this season.
I fully expect that stat to change on wednesday.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
yeah Newkie, I woke up this morning feeling positive. 😳
I’ve had that well and truely beaten out of me now tho.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
any how I’ve got an early start and need to get back to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Lets see what tomorrow brings.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Yeah, wasn’t positive at all today. I thought we’d have a chance of a point as I assumed it would be pissing down on the south coast but and that would have ****** up their passing and helped our hoofball, but it was not to be….
Maybe Pards can blame the weather on wednesday tho 😆
Newkie(Quote)
if we dont win on wednesday i want pardew the ponce gone ,sell up ya fat ******* if your not botherd bunch of useless cunts 👿
kkforever(Quote)
Troy iam stoking the reality train up as we write 😉
kkforever(Quote)
Our players were so slow to track back on the counter attacks it’s a joke.
Newkie(Quote)
Punt to defoe, turns, beats two men, dribbles, beats another, smashes it into the back of the net. Ahh, to have a mobile striker…
Newkie(Quote)
I said it earlier and even after calming down I think it will be the case. If Pardew gets no points from the next two games he will be sacked, which is unfair as the board have him working with his hands tied behind his back. His tactics this season have been questionable at times, but if you look at our squad properly you will see it isn’t built for any of the formations we play i.e. 443 and 442. There’s no balance to our side as we are still in transition – filtering out the Championship level/bottom of the Premier League dross. I don’t think this is Pardew’s fault. Targets were identified, but he was let down by the negotiator/chairman. Add a load of injuries to the equation and we are ******, which is exactly what’s happened.
The Kid(Quote)
433* 😆
The Kid(Quote)
@Troy: post 415; Sorry forgetting back so late. No, I analysed the game 😆 Yes I did watch it.
Michael12(Quote)
Ahh, to be able to play 443 😆
Though it does feel as if we’ve been playing 432, the opposition always seem to have an extra man because of our general lethargy and lack of effort.
Newkie(Quote)
Our biggest problem and I have mentioned this before now is that we are allowing teams to play the style of football they want. We are not working hard enough, we are not putting pressure on the oppostition and they are able to play simple balls instead of passes under some physical duress. A classic example of this was the second goal. Jonas and Simpson simply jogged out to the Southhampton player like it was a training drill and the player was able to take his time and roll the ball between them to one of his strikers and we know what happened from there. If you are down on form and confidence there is still one thing that you can do and that is work your fecking **** off for the team. The whole reason we are losing games is because of the lack of pressure we are putting on the opposition while we are not in possession. One thing I struggle to deal with and will never except is a lack of effort. It boils my **** to see players jogging back to help out our defence. Fergie and Jonas were two of the main offenders of this in the first half. They did have plenty of friends on the park doing the same thing but it is their job to work back hard and help out. I am still angry over this result… The blame falls with Pardew and the team… Pull your fingers out and up the fecking work rate 👿
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Have to say im sick of watching newcastle when the opposition always seem to have an extra man, everytime we have the ball there appears to be at least two players closing us down, yet when the opposition have the ball we are nowhere to be fecking seen
Instructatoon(Quote)
@448. That is the difference between a passing team and a Newcastle team that plays hoof ball 😉
griff(Quote)
Well having sobered up(almost) and reconsidered everything I have come to the following conclusions, the team were and have been most of the season, feckin ****, Pards and the coaches were/have been feckin ****, Ashley and the board were/have been/always will be feckin ****, now you may think my opinion is feckin **** but to be honest I couldn’t give a feckin ****. 👿 👿
richietoon(Quote)