In an ideal world we’d have bagged an away goal to take back to St James’ Park but a 0-0 draw against a team that have won every Europa League game at home is still a notable achievement.
United will have to be wary of complacency next Thursday and need look no further than what we managed to do against Metalist Kharkiv in the previous round. An away goal for the Russian side at SJP and United will need to score two to progress to the Quarter Finals of the Europa League. On the other hand at least we aren’t chasing a defeat from the first leg which is something I personally feared we might end up having to do.
A game of few real chances means that this match report will be short. I can’t make up any goalmouth action as there wasn’t a great deal on offer, but United’s makeshift defence held firm and rarely looked in any real danger, with Rob Elliot ensuring the final line of defence remained intact and was on hand to mop up anything loose in the box.
A cagey first-half was broken up by lots of fouls as both sides seemed unable to build up a head of steam. Anzhi were restricted to nothing but half-chances whilst United, without a recognised striker on the pitch, struggled to impose themselves in an attacking sense. The net result being that the one effort on target in the entire first-half was dealt with by Elliot who tipped a long-range Samuel Eto’o shot over the bar.
The second period wasn’t much better although the “home” side did manage to exert a bit more pressure on United. Again though this was to prove fruitless an only long-range efforts from Eto’o and Shatov posed any real threat to the Newcastle goal.
However as the home side pushed on United looked to make use of the space this afforded them. Yohan Cabaye played in Hatem Ben Arfa but the French wizard, making his comeback from three months out, found the Anzhi ‘keeper equal to his delicate effort at goal.
Shola Ameobi replaced Ben Arfa shorty afterwards and perhaps should have done better as he tried to cut inside the penalty area when a shot from his current position may have caused more threat while Vurnon Anota tried his luck from 25 yards out to no avail which just about wrapped up any attacking threat from either side on the night.
See, I said it would be short…
It’s all to play for in the second leg and this result will make us favourites to go through, but we’re not there yet by any stretch of the imagination and we’ve felt the pain of an “away goals” defeat before at St James’ Park. Anyone remember Partizan Belgrade?
Howay the lads!
Anzhi Makhachkala: Vladimir Gabulov, Andrey Yeschenko, Joao Carlos, Oleg Shatov, Yuri Zhirkov, Ewerton, Jucilei, Odil Ahmedov, Lassana Diarra, Willian, Samuel Eto’o
Subs: Yevgeny Pomazan, Rasim Tagirbekov, Arseniy Logashov, Ali Gadzhibekov, Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez, Lacina Traore, Fyodor Smolov
Newcastle: Rob Elliot; Danny Simpson, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, James Perch, Massadio Haidara; Vurnon Anita, Yohan Cabaye, Sylvain Marveaux, Moussa Sissoko, Gabriel Obertan; Hatem Ben Arfa
Subs: Jak Alnwick, Davide Santon, Steven Taylor, Gael Bigirimana, Cheik Tiote, Shola Ameobi, Adam Campbell
Attendance: TBC
Robert@74, regarding the fullback reinforcements, I couldn’t agree more.
Simmo was a cheap purchase, and we brought in a seasoned French international to replace him. Haidira looks like a great prospect, and his presence will bring the best out of Santone, who is also still just a young lad.
I think that Santon has so many positives about him, we should find a way to make a better player out of him. Somethimes his body shape and balance when jockeying are all wrong, plus he cannot seem to turn too quickly. Hopefully that can be coached out of him, or we simply move him further upfield and let him play in front of Haidira ?
Talk about from feast to famine.
Munich Mag(Quote)
I’m really excited about the way the squad is taking shape. I hope we don’t have a truck driver in charge of a Ferrari, time will show.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Miles Starforth @milesstarforth
Hatem Ben Arfa’s ready to face Stoke City tomorrow – after getting through his European return unscathed
batty(Quote)
for stoke
………………………….. Elliott………………………..
Debuchy………Taylor………..Mbawia………..haidara..
……………………Tiote………….Anita……………………..
……………………………..Cabaye………………………
…..Sissoko………………………………………..Guffron..
………………………………..Cisse……………………………
no need to risk HBA against the kickers, I’d play Anita to free cabaye up from defensive duties, no Jonas, and close at LF but going for Hairdrier..
bench has a lot of options
HBA
Santon (also, could come on for Guffy, if he gets tired)
Jonas
Williamson (is he still here ?) to help with crouch.
Simpson
Perch
Campbell.
I think they will target Tiote too, give him a few kicks early on and see how he reacts…. red for Tiote I reckon.
kev(Quote)
http://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/ben-arfa-set-to-play-against-stoke-city-1-5482067
batty(Quote)
http://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/late-fitness-test-for-newcastle-star-cisse-1-5482066
batty(Quote)
An interesting ten days coming up for the toon.
Stoke H, Anzhi H, Wigan A.
Oh man how I wish we could get 3 wins there … 😉
Munich Mag(Quote)
I’m looking forward to the big Stoke bruisers bouncing off wor Sissoko and Tiote. Get mucked into them, howay the lads !!
Munich Mag(Quote)
Batty, you’ve got your finger on the pulse there mate 😉
Munich Mag(Quote)
munich with living round here 😯 its a must win game for me ,most stoke fans expect a beating 😉
batty(Quote)
if we attack as we should i can defo see a pen
batty(Quote)
Aye Batty, I forgot you lived down that way. Hope you can enjoy next week mate 🙂 if we don’t win you’re gonna hear about it 🙂
I think you’ll be walk tall though mate, 3-1 toon…
Munich Mag(Quote)
A good result and the table will be looking a lot better for us will also set us up well for the for the 2nd leg game against the russians
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
<<<<<<<< predicts 2 v 0 against stoke
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
@ MUNICH MAG 75 ben afra looked way from full match fitness on thursday i think hes a good 4 weeks from geting back to his old self
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
TEL@90, I agree mate, the big issue for HBA is that he doesn’t suffer a relapse, getting up to fitness is something else. I actually think that the sooner we get the spectre of relegation out of the way, the sooner we will see a fit again HBA. As long as we are fighting on two fronts, HBA and Pardew will be both desperate for HBA to play.
I predict ….
a toon win tomorrow against Stoke with HBA on the bench, perhaps getting a 20 minute cameo.
A toon defeat against Anzhi, with a HBA 30 minute cameo.
A draw or win against Wigan with HBA in the side.
Munich Mag(Quote)
@MUNICH MAG
Agree meself about a relaspe, thats whats worrying me, think we should easy him back slow meself,think he only played 60 mins in russia cause we had no cisse otherwise i dont think he would of played v the russians myself
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
I want the win tommorow for the points ,moral boost but mostly cause I hate them dirty gets.
KIMTOON(Quote)
he’s pretty unlikely to start tomorrow, regardless of whether or not he has a dead leg – he’s not match fit
reckon we’ll see him off the bench, planned sub around 60-65mins then he’ll start vs Anzhi on Thurs
M(Quote)
munich @87 funny enough when we have lost against them in the past i dont hear a dickie bird of them ,but when we beat them i let them have it lol
batty(Quote)
Willian any1 got any news on him and is he out of the replay ?
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Batty, you have to get stuck into them when you have the chance mate, cos you know if the roles were reversed they would be right on your case 🙂
That’s why we love footy …. 😆 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
Sit down Everton 😆 😆
Newkie(Quote)
3-0 😆 😆 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Everton total collapse in 3 minutes shipping 3 goals 😯 😳 😳 😳
KIMTOON(Quote)
“there are no easy games in the EPL”…… nice on Everton 🙁 out of the cup…
Munich Mag(Quote)
munich most of there fans now want pulis out ,reckon beg there goalie will be gon in summer ,hes won them loads of points this season pluss they are now mounting the debt up 🙂
batty(Quote)
Newkie/Kim – don’t know if you’re still watching the Everton game but something I’ve picked up on – the announcer could really do with an amplifier!! 🙂
Sharpy17(Quote)
Munich – there’s no real reason why we can’t win all those 3 games based on the way we’ve been playing recently. Stoke are on a poor run of form, Angie looked beatable the other night and although Wigan are 3-0 up today, Evertoon have been as poor as Wigan have been good.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy-it’s ridiculous isn’t it, I’m not sure if it was another FA cup tie I saw but it was some match at Everton and they told all the away fans to sit down in that one as well 🙄 Couldn’t hear **** for a good 30 seconds
Newkie(Quote)
Sharpy ,Aye know what you mean.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Newkie/Kim – that’s a bloke who has power!, would be hilarious if Wigan got another couple of goals and he lost his blob, kicking off and swearing over his ridiculously loud tannoy. 😆
Could believe some ‘fans’ walking out after the 3rd went in as well – still an hours football left to play – some support that was like 😯
Sharpy17(Quote)
Not going to the match now, got too much work 🙁
Andymag(Quote)
Batty, maybe this is the start of the demise of Stoke ? Familiarity breeds contempt, maybe Pullis has had his time ? For one thing he has left his stamp on the game and no matter where he goes his teams will be labelled brawlers… a bit like Fat Sam has been tagged…
Munich Mag(Quote)
I remember a few years back a few toon fans walking out at half time against Arsenal 😉
Munich Mag(Quote)
Getting tetchy now this cup match 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
Excellent, now Wigan can be distarcted dreaming of Wembley and forget about getting relegated. At least that’s the Pardew way of thinking 🙂
Munich Mag(Quote)
Andy@108 , 🙁 poor you ,that’s a right pisser. 👿
Sharpy ,See Fellani getting dogs abuse too ,they don’t remember hw many goals he’s got them ,fickle as . 🙄 ,You’d never catch us doing that like 🙄 😆
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kimtoon, it must be cacky being an Everton fan and being forever in the shadow of Liverpool. A bit like being a makkem fan … 😆 😆
I reckon if we were getting cuffed at home by Wigan in the QF of the FA Cup wor fans would also be a bit peeved 🙂
Munich Mag(Quote)
Kim – any idea how much injury time is being played ❓ ❗ 😆
Aye Fella getting booed was just ridiculous, if ever the bloke needed an excuse for leaving in the summer!.
Another know who Wigan will play next?, would be great if it was the winners of the Bburn game.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Match preview up guys and gals. I even left my fishing rod dangling for any lurking Stoke supporters at the end of it 😉
toonsy(Quote)