You’re the boss! How strong do we go against Metalist?

You're the boss!
You’re the boss!
With our Europa League future firmly in the balance due to a combination of poor decision by officials and some wasteful finishing from United, we now know we have to go to Ukraine and secure at least a score draw if we are to progress to the Round of 16.

The problem is, just three days later we face Southampton in a “must win” game at St James’ Park. It’s must win because we still have Premier League safety to consider and a quick look at the table will show you that a win against the Saints will lift us further away from the relegation spaces, and with league games running out that has to be the priority.

So as you can see, it’s a fine balancing act. We named a strong side last Thursday which wasn’t able to break down Metalist Kharkiv, but we only really named a strong side because we didn’t have a league or FA Cup game this weekend in my opinion. Next weekend it’s different, we do have a game, so where is the priority now?

There are, or were, plenty of people calling for a strong side to be named last Thursday. They got their wish but it wasn’t enough to get a result which allowed us to rest some of those players and protect them from making a round trip of over 3,000 miles this Thursday. To go through we’re going to need another strong side, or to name a weakened side with the league game in mind and hope for the best.

For me it should be the second option. Our second string isn’t as weak as it once was thanks to the additions made in January so all is not lost and they can still get a result in Kharkiv. It will be tough, but it was going to be tough anyway. The chance we had to go through was missed last week when we failed to build up a lead to take to Ukraine so for me this competition is done and dusted and if we manage to get through it’s a bonus.

I just can’t put to the back of my mind the importance of the game against Southampton and that is my priority right now. We need to make sure as many of our first-team are fit and raring to go against the Saints as a negative result would be dire for us.

I do understand that this is a chance at trying to win a trophy, but I’ve personally waited 30 years and some of you old buggers have been waiting longer than that. I think I can wait another year before trying for one, but as for relegation I’m not so sure I’d enjoy going through that again.

But, as the title says, you’re the boss so what would you do?

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

224 thoughts on “You’re the boss! How strong do we go against Metalist?

  1. big dave @71 ..problem is travel 3000 miles …need big “purple players ” for saints game …elliott…simpson williamson perch hadeira… gutti bigi obertan ferguson …shola and campbell…unlucky but we missed the chance in first leg.

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  2. Axel ,aye it will be unforgiving alright that’s for sure.
    DJG@73 I really hope so mate ,it’s been a right old slog so far but I’m seeing babysteps of improvement every game .Even on thursday night I thought we were fine but got robbed with our season long bad luck continuing . 🙄

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  3. DJ @ 76 I would like to think if they put out that team they would be paying any travelling fans their expenses, As for the ” problem is travel 3000 miles ” why do you think sitting on a plane for a few hours would take it out of the poor over worked players 😆

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  4. Come on lets go for it! We won’t win anything if we are beaten before we have even started. I think Cabaye, Collo and players like that looked up for it and the way they were talking in the press was that they are taking it very seriously, and why shouldn’t they as international players.

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  5. Kim @ 72 I won’t ask what age you are as it’s not nice to ask a Lady, but would you like me not like to see us winning something before we start to kick up daisies 😆 as I would say 100% I won’t be here in another 40 odd yrs and god knows when we will get the chance again 😉

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  6. Kim I agree with you @ 78 I’m seeing babysteps of improvement every game and I think a win on thurs could only help us continue, Come on Kim get on board you know you’ll enjoy the ride 😉

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  7. Ben Arfa hasn’t played a competitive game for a while and no doubt Pards will have him on the bench for the Southampton game.
    Personally , I would start him against Metalist and then decide if he is ready to go straight back into the first team.
    With regard to the Metalist game ,the strongest team I would put out would be Elliot in goal with a back four of Simpson , Mbiwa , Williamson and Haidara.
    I would then pack midfield with Bigi , Anita , Obertan, Ben Arfa , Perch & Marv.
    We might contain them and score from counter attacks.
    The worst that can happen is — we get beat.

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  8. djg take your point about poor tired players used to play 3 games over weekend but imagine journey back would take more than 2 hours …main reason would be injury to sissoko krull cabaye collo cisse santon or even slight knocks before
    early sun ko

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  9. @ BIG DAVE
    they aint conceeded a goal in there 3 euro games they played at home 3 goals they condeeded in 6 games,we will send the fringe players so are likely to lose, but thats my opion any team that that lets in 3 goals in 6 euro games aint no mugs and espically at there own place

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  10. If I thought we were in serious danger of going down I would not be bothered about it but I really down think we will be scraping for safety now. We could be out of Europe and virtually safe with half of the games left and then the season will just be a write off.

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  11. TAE
    Well they let in 2 goals at our place if it weren’t for the incompetent/ match fixing? officials. They also looked tired for the last 20 mins and they are clearly short of match fitness so this isn’t over yet my friend.

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  12. I wanted us to field the strongest side possible at home and win then a weakened side away. Well I got part of my wish but I’ll stick with a weakened side away. I think we could manage a scoring draw as Premandup says. How about the following:
    —————–Krul
    Simpson———Mbiwa——–Colo—————Haidara
    Anita————-Tiote———-Bigi————–Marveaux
    ———————–Campbell
    ————————Cisse(Shola for last 30 min)

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  13. <<<<<<<<<, is hopeing the team we send can get a score draw just cant see it meself @DJG incompetent officials i defo agree with that 😡

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  14. Geordie2 I just think there is too many changes in your team, and I don’t think that make for a good team. IMO it has to be 9 or so 1st team players that are used to playing with eachother, and that would allow for others to be slotted in without causing too much fuking about because they are all new to eachother, if you know what I mean ❓

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  15. You’re probably right Big Dave. I don’t think that team could get us a win and Pardew likely won’t start Campbell or Haidara. It will be interesting to see what he does. I just can’t see us getting a win over there. The linesman has already decided we won’t be going through apparently. 👿

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  16. I see the Lambastad met with the Rangers supporters over the renaming of Ibrox even though he has fuk all to do with Rangers or SD 😕 but the bastad couldn’t meet with our fans over the renaming of SJP even though he is our chairman

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  17. Dave @81 . As it happens I turn 52 on 28th feb ,so yeah like you can’t afford another 40 year wait either 😆

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  18. Strange situation with Llambias and Rangers. Why was he involved? Just because Ashley is a minority owner? Spend more time working on your own club Llambias. Ashley had to get after you to do your job in January after last summer’s debacle. Now they are say we are on a sound financial footing. So why not spend last summer? Then we wouldn’t be worrying about relegation when we should be focusing on winning something.

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  19. TAE do you really do the chicken dance? I would consider it myself if we actually won over there. 😆

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  20. G2 , Exactly ,there are lots of fingers in lots of pies with our owner and liable to get in a mess as a result .The mess being the majority of our season . 🙄

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  21. You’re just in your prime Kimtoon. A mature woman is one of the best things about life for a well seasoned man.

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  22. Aye Kimtoon, too many fingers in too many pies to me. Ashley can’t focus on our club long enough to keep us out of 16th place yet he has time to spend on Rangers. 👿

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  23. Forty year wait 😯 , **** that I’m a Dortmund supporter now :mrgreen: . Wo ist das scheize mannschaft ‘Newcastle United’ , deine Borrussia ist mehr interessant und cool und deine Nordosten England ist regnerisch und zu Französisch. 😆 There you go, MunichMag can translate that. Wow don’t I look like a ***** 🙄

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  24. Big Dave I just happen to admire older women since I’m well seasoned myself. We mature folk deserve a bit of praise. 😉

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  25. Forty year wait 😯 , **** that I’m a Dortmund supporter now :mrgreen: . Wo ist das scheiße mannschaft ‘Newcastle United’ , deine Borrussia ist mehr interessant und cool und deine Nordosten England ist regnerisch und zu Französisch. 😆 There you go, MunichMag can translate that. Wow don’t I look like a ***** 🙄 It probably doesn’t even make sense 😕

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  26. G2 dont mind DAVE he gets lost off at times down to age for him mate,mind heard he can tatoo a canny women like just lost his gentle side thats all 😆 😆

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  27. Ice
    Thing is you’d be scared of upsetting an Eastern European crowd if you were a ref so I see less going our way this time.

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  28. G2 ,are you chatting me up 😯 It’s been that long thought I better check like 😆 😳

    Dave ,Truth is Iwould like us to really try for it ,just worried about injuries that’s all.

    Ice@109 ,Well ain’t that our luck . Well may as well place a bet that we’ll be denied a match winning goal for a ficticious offside right now. 👿

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  29. Ice it sounds as if Big Dave is a handy man with a tatoo needle. He should meet plenty of lovely ladies that way. Can he handle all that attention or do you have to step in at times? 😉 😆

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  30. most of fifa are crooks so dont expect much more from there refs ect,ive seen some shocking things going on in games,isaw the interview with c.colman the welsh manager and he almost said it about games abroard 😕

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  31. fifa would of been better off giveing the job to laurel and hardy in my opion and fifa can not be serious if they get them idiots as officals for the game,would be demanding new officals if i was mr pards

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  32. G2 aye i keep my eye on him,he sometimes gets carried away if he has owr many of those pot-noddles there his god 😀 😀

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  33. I find it hard to believe it’s been long since you’ve been chatted up Kimtoon. Oh no that sounds like another chat up line doesn’t it? 🙂 😳

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  34. 1 bad call in a game is bad enough but it happens to get 2 in the same game is bordering on being very suspect if you ask me

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  35. TOON thing is its a no-win for pardew or most managers,complain about there coven the next lot give you more **** they stick togerther mate,only one i know who gets away with it is big red nose as he gets lots of press 🙁

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  36. Surely you’re joking about having the same match officials ice? If that’s the case we might as well not turn up. Surely fifa will be watching that game closely now? Maybe even Interpol? It seems to me a linesman would be the perfect official to bribe.

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  37. G2 the only time we would get rid of cheats crooks ect in our game is if the press really got there teeth into it,think they have been phone tapping the wrong people mate 😀 need a few more court cases like floppy chops to put the willys up them,there is a few games they are checking at the mo about betting scams,but fifa will have there backs covered,thats why you need the press imo

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  38. Ice ,agree , FIFA are the biggest crooks of all ,forget linos and refs . Fifa top brass been getting bungs for yonks imo. Look at the world cup divvying out ,if that wasn’t bent I’m a monkeys uncle. When our press looked into they’re dealings it cost us the world cup 👿

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  39. KIM as my dad always said to me,there is no harm looking at the menu its when you try to sample it you get into bother 😉 😀

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  40. OK I know its all been discussed and basically all over bar the personal insults 😆 but the situation is just as The Kid said right at the top of the comments here, Liverpool, Chelski, AC, Kazan not a chance we will get through to the end of this competition so there is no way Pardew will jeopardise his first choice against southampton. Therefore expect the regulars from the campaign that struggled against the might of the Bordeaux juggernaut, plus the bolster of a couple of new faces not quite up to match fitness.

    Having said that, a win or two in the PL after a well-won score draw or (gasp) win in the Ukraine, and the flavour changes. If as I suspect we are not only pulling a few points in but the dross we have been swimming with this last half of the season continues in their dire form, I think we can afford to throw the kitchen sink into this competition.

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  41. Kim
    We could have a man sent off, an intentional injury to one of oh players goes unnoticed, they score a goal which shouldn’t be, all are possible.
    GT
    Das beste oder nichts 😉 my favourite car motto ‘the best or nothing’ Mercedes.

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  42. Have to say you’re spot on ice and Kimtoon. The press needs to get to the bottom of it. The game is too good to lose over a bunch of thugs making money off of it.

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  43. 😆 That’s a decent motto Andymag. Our owner should apply it to his club and I don’t mean we’ll accept nothing! Gotta go for a while mates.

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  44. Kim
    The tv investigation didn’t cost us the WC, granted it didn’t help but they’d already decided, as soon as the saw that increase in their bulging bank statements.

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  45. I would like no more than 5 first team players to go out to Ukraine. It’s all well and good saying “players should be able to play more than one game in a week blah blah blah”, but research has proven it to be detrimental to a player’s performance. I would rather they were in optimum shape to take on Southampton.

    RE: The match officials – As long as there is sport, there will always be cheats because playing fair is for losers. Literally.

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  46. The kid
    If anything can be called a game someone will try to cheat at it, a prat who ruins the fun of everyone else.

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  47. I want us to definitely beat southampton because I am getting to the end of this ST and have watched such little good footy for so much good money.

    Having said that, I hope the difference between winning and losing, whatever the squad we send out to the Ukraine, isn’t decided by some local gangster.

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  48. Yeah, what is great football stadiums, a history of the game, an outstanding atmosphere and a socially strong society (well better than most) when a backward non-footballing nation with a tiny population waves a few million in your face. Don’t understand some of the FIFA twats, you get payed a lot of money to make decisions about a sport which is close to you and yet you think that you can sell that off.

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  49. I think there are very few people in and about the game who are immune from bitching about the thing called FIFA. Problem number one as I see it is that it is autonomous. It appears to be accountable to nobody. Whch means that if it says it is not corrupt, then it evidently isn’t. 🙄

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  50. my thoughts on life are if you wake up healthy everyday you have won the lottery everyday,money cannot buy that, fact 😉

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  51. andy @145 – as soon as one guy got 2 shells, and for the same work another got only one, I believe your scenario was set in motion 🙂

    Big Dave @138 –

    https://www.uni-ulm.de/…/ext…/Übersicht_ekstrand_korr__2_.pdf

    page 8.

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  52. Money
    get away
    you get a good job with good pay and you’re okay
    money
    it’s a gas
    grab that cash with both hands and make a stash
    new car ,caviar,four star daydream
    Think I’ll buy me a football team. 😀 😎

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