It’s all a bit of a mess on Tyneside at the moment. Indeed that may be a bit of an understatement, Off pitch things are not great and on the pitch things are no better as we lurch from crisis to crisis.
A spirited defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday evening ultimately meant nothing as we exited the League Cup for another season, the defeat to Sunderland, the fixture today and knowing that we travel to Tottenham after this aren’t helping the mood and events away from the pitch are only adding fuel to a fire that is growing in size as each day passes. A win would at least give us something to cheer, but I just can’t see it happening unfortunately.
However enough moping. There is a game today and as the old saying goes, anyone can beat anyone on the day. We managed to beat Chelsea last season so it’s not an impossible task but to do so we need to be at our very best for the entire duration of the match.
Speaking of the match we are live on BT Sport here in the UK and are also being broadcast on a whole host of overseas channels so catching a stream online shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Once again please share any decent feeds you happen to come across and leave a link in the ‘comments’ section below. Team news will be featured below as and when.
There really isn’t a lot more to say apart from lets get this over with. As a United fan I wait to be pleasantly surprised and I’m optimistic that if we perform to our potential we can win or at least draw, but the realist in me knows it’s going to be tough and that we’ll most likely be talking about enough defeat come the full-time whistle.
Howay the lads!
Newcastle: Tim Krul; Mathieu Debuchy, Mike Williamson, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Davide Santon; Moussa Sissoko, Cheik Tiote, Yohan Cabaye, Yoan Gouffran; Shola Ameobi, Loic Remy
Subs: Rob Elliot, James Tavernier, Vurnon Anita, Gabriel Obertan, Sammy Ameobi, Hatem Ben Arfa, Papiss Cisse
Chelsea: Petr Cech, Branislav Ivanovic, David Luiz, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Ramires, Frank Lampard, Oscar, Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, Fernando Torres
Subs: Mark Schwarzer, Carlos Azpilicueta, Gary Cahill, John Obi Mikel, Willian, Andre Schurrle, Samuel Eto’o
Alan ‘when in doubt four four two and a kick up the ****’ Pardew 😀
DJG(Quote)
A Lpool supporting friend of mine just said that if we had an inform CF this season we’d be battling for Europe. I think he’s right
MDS(Quote)
Citeh 4 up
richietoon(Quote)
yeah its between Hoots and Jol
probably both before xmas
Pardew isn’t even in the running
Dammit 😯
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Look who is Hull GK…. he might do some helping in preventing Sunderland in winning. 😆 😆
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
😆 😆 😆
Sunderland GK down injured.
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
MDS – we must get a CF who can score goals in January ffs
Your friend is bang on.
Cisse is gone beyond **** poor. He wouldn’t even get in a championship side at this rate.
It’s been too long now, and the club MUST look to get shot of him.
At this level we just cant afford to carry him any longer.
We need goals not smiles
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
DJG-You gotta love the moaning about 442 pre match and then the complete silence following a 2-0 victory over a side everyone had already decided we’d lose to 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Cisse had one good chest down to Debuchy I think. That was it. He wasn’t even running around or hassling defenders much-Remy was doing that and he’d played the whole match ffs! The least Cisse could have done was help defend from the front.
If we had another real striker instead of Shola/Cisse that worked with Remy we would be doing a lot better but if all we can do is loan someone in the summer can we expect a good buy in January 😕 ❓
Newkie(Quote)
Lee cattermole RED.
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Cattermole red card
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Newkie – Mikey surprised everyone when he bought Cisse.
I hope he does the same again with his replacement.
He can be ruthless you know 😉
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
A well deserved red too. Dirty player
MDS(Quote)
9 MEN!
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
How in the world did we lose to this team 🙄
MDS(Quote)
RED CARD Dossena – Sunderland are down to nine men! An awful tackle and he walks as well!
😆 😆
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Yeah I think someone posted that we’d created the most chances at home in the league, but with the lowest conversion rate?
A decent striker for Goof/Remy/HBA to play off would be fantastic.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Newkie…It’s always the same though and same with complaining about subs, that’s why I rarely comment on that sort of stuff. We’ve had great wins playing 442 and 433 etc etc. I prefer to see how it pans out rather than whinge and moan about things for which there may be a very good reason that maybe just maybe us lot aren’t privy too…that said it is a blog so it’s all about opinions, just that some are way over the top imo 😕
richietoon(Quote)
Beardsley-this is true, although if you asked me then I’d have said we needed a player like Remy or Goof, someone who can play the wing and who is decent on the ball to support Ba. Obviously Cisse’s immense start to the season was grreat but it did paper over some of the cracks, like the fact we couldn’t make many chances. And he is terrible at helping team moves. Just look how good Remy is at linking up our attacks and finishing them, that’s what a real CF is about!
Hopefully Ash surprises us.
Scum going down down!
Newkie(Quote)
There really aren’t any weaknesses other than at CF at the moment. We have good attack minded players, a strong central midfield, and the defense has been very good lately. We could probably use a pacey winger that doesn’t trip over the ball but really that’s it.
MDS(Quote)
So both the scum sendings off were for tackles on former scum players 😯
richietoon(Quote)
I thought Cisse did ok when he came on. He wasn’t brilliant but he certainly wasn’t ****. He seemed to give Remy a spark he was missing in the first half. He can do so much better but I that he was quite effective to be honest.
I thought Obertan was **** when he can on though!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Need to design one of those posters to say… ‘Show Clattermole the red card’ 🙂
DJG(Quote)
Richie-exactly. We beat Chelsea because we wanted it more, we defended solidly and sapped them out and then upped the anti and got the win. A lot of the time we have started quickly and then tired, conceded late, maybe we tried to counter it this time.
Tactics and formations obviously have some impact, but some people are just convinced moving a player somewhere on paper will unlock all their abilities and we will win every match, tis madness.
Newkie(Quote)
Even nicer that a Geordie never really accepted by the Scum is manager of Hull too.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Fantastic result today and tbh well deserved. Very tactical match and very few chances in the first half for both teams. We kept it cool and hit them on the break.
A few points:
– Anita showing class today and kept us flowing and composed.
– Pardew matching up Sissoko with Cole all game was a good outlet
– Tiote sitting infront of the back four helped well while he was on.
– Playing 4-4-2 today was needed to keep the organisation.
– Good decision to leave out Ben Arfra today
AlanPardewProject(Quote)
jonas gutierrez @elgalgojonas 30m
Massive 3pts today, congratulation to my teammates. Come on newcastle
He appears. 😯 😯
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Still in shock at the win like, going on 1st half we never looked like scoring only having around 25% possession ,2nd half with the introduction of Anita seemed to really help and Remy came into the game much more . Also pleased to see Debbie have a third good game after such a terrible start .
KIMTOON(Quote)
Richie @ 318 spot on mate 😉 but it is funny when some slag the **** out of a player saying he’s f-ing useless and shouldn’t even be on the pitch, only for him to score and win us a game
Big Dave(Quote)
God, Norwich getting thrashed, hope they don’t sack Hoots before we play em 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
Only 3 points Sunderland will get this season? We bottled it. 🙁
DJG(Quote)
Sad for Norwich Manager.
Manchester city just gone crazy after 120mins game with Newcastle. 😕 😕
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Kimtoon – Anita did very well today and Remy did well when Chelsea tried to open the game more and created alot more space for him to move in.
Debuchy as you say also starting to look like a PL player 🙂
AlanPardewProject(Quote)
Man City reserves 6 Norwich 0? 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Back from a great game and an even better result. Debuchy man of the match by a mile. Agree Cisse is not at his best but he did some good linking work and I still think that the forward line has better balance with Cisse rather than Shola. Remy was poor in the first half and I think he finds better positions when Cisse plays. Has he not scored all his goals when Cisse was playing? BBC Final Score has just said we beat an out of sorts Chelsea. Doesn’t it make you sick?
Groucho(Quote)
Dave-who do you mean by that? Goofy?
Also I would like to hear KK’s opinion on Remy today as apparently he should have been dropped for Anita? 😀
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie I think Dave is just talking in general terms, not about a specific player today…maybe 😉
richietoon(Quote)
Groucho…It’s always the same mate, just like we can be really “struggling” in the league but a team on the same points can be having a “great” season 🙄
richietoon(Quote)
Citeh 7-0
richietoon(Quote)
City with 1 own goal and 6 different goalscorers. That’s class.
Newkie(Quote)
I thought we were destined for another “decent effort” loss after the first half.
Didn’t seem like we were after anything other than a point. Mind you, Chelsea weren’t pushing for much more either.
On 60 minutes we came alive. And having seen Pardew on the touch line I have to give him the credit for that inspiration.
He went with Sissoko today on the wing, and he had a blinder. But for me, the MOM without doubt was Debuchy.
He was excellent tracking back in defense and his overlapping runs kept Hazard on his toes in a defensive role he clearly doesn’t enjoy.
Anita was superb when he came on too.
I actually think our best two up top at the moment are Gouffran and Remy, who also was brilliant the last 30 minutes.
Big compliments to Mbiwa and Williamson who were rock solid and massively dedicated in defense.
Shocking result, but in a good way 😉 Never saw that coming after a hugely boring first half. Pards got it right this time. He seems to like playing Chelsea.
As for Cisse, he has been dropped and rightly so. But he is trying hard to find his confidence. Has a couple decent touches to release Remy and Sissoko.
I’d still take him over Shola. Who was his usual self today apart from a barging run were he was unselfish and passed where he really should have shot.
What I did like from Shola was the encouragement he gave Cisse. That’s great for the dressing room. He is a top character. Pity he isn’t a better player.
JJ(Quote)
Can see Hoots getting the chop soon, shame as he’s a decent bloke
stevep(Quote)
Richie-So he means Cisse? He doesn’t score so I was confused 😆
Newkie(Quote)
I think great overreaction here about the victory in my opinion Chelsea looses the game more than us win it.
Good 3 points but I think the overall performance was not so good.
I really think we were really poor until 5 minutes before the first goal.
And after the goal we have a lot of space so we could use Remy pace better.
But they have a lot of chance to score and to equalize we were a bit lucky to not concede.
Sissoko only look good in some runs after with 50 yars of space but until that he was really poor. Remy was not there during first 50 minutes. Cisse came in but even if we have 5-6 chances of goal after that, he was nowhere.
Our tactics was not good in my opinion and if we play a our next games like that we will not win many , I m sure about that.
But as i understand Pardew now, he will believe he find the better tactic now and don’t change until the next game, where he will remark that he doesn’t work again.
HBA39(Quote)
Newkie if I try answering again I’ll get confused myself…or should I say “more confused” 😆
richietoon(Quote)
Ahh JJ, I see you are still alive! Good to hear it mate 😀
Richie 😆
Newkie(Quote)
I see people totally overlooking Obertan’s part in the one-twos with Anita for Remy’s goal, like Anita was passing it to himself or something.
Obertan hasn’t played for like half a year, he was rusty. If he plays with this squad of other Frenchies who play it fast, he will look better. He’s been stuck with a squad that does not fit him for three years. When we played in Europe with a most counter-attack and pacey style, he was our best player.
It’s fairly obvious what to do with him.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Newkie,
Been in the Kruger Park for a week. Now I’m in a wildlife golf estate looking at the sun set over the African bushveld, ice cold beer in hand and staring at the flames of a bon fire content at a Toon win.
I also watched the game with a Geordie that’s out here on holiday in his Toon shirt.
Can’t get a much better week than that.
Unfortunately back to the grindstone and city this Monday.
JJ(Quote)
HBA,
I don’t think Pardew was 100% with his tactics in the first half, and I do think a Chelsea playing at their best would have scored and finished up the game today.
But the fact is at the end of the 90 minutes, we 100% were the better side and we deserved the win. So you have to give credit to Pardew.
I do agree however, that if we carry these tactics into future games we will struggle as today we definitely got the rub of the green.
JJ(Quote)
FJ,
I agree, I think Obertan is a decent footballer.
But his not your standard British winger who gets to the byline and whips in a cross.
He likes to play short simple passes and uses his pace to counter and get the ball in the final third.
If used correctly, he is an asset.
People are far to quick to call our players “****”, “he’s ****” after a dip in form. Yet when they have two decent games they become “gods”. There really is no in between.
People have been slating Debuchy but I think he’s a very good player and he showed it today.
He and Santon provide the team with a bit of width. Without which, we’d be completely impotent in attack. I’m prepaired to sacrifice some flair for the odd defensive blunder. As long as those blunders don’t become too regular.
JJ(Quote)
Funky-I know what you mean, he was often a scapegoat in the 5th placed finish season and he did well for Remy goal, but I genuinely don’t think he’s good enough mentally.He will be low on confidence, but leaving the ball behind you when you’re running on the counter attack doesn’t really look good for someone who’s game is built around counter attacking.
JJ-Sounds pretty magical that, I wonder would you have torched up rather than sat by the campfire had we lost 😀
Crazy the effect this club can have on the psyche! Now I can go out and enjoy my night rather than ***** moan and cry into my pint, woohoo!
Newkie(Quote)
If our relegation season taught me anything is that if our fans were just a little more patient with some players. We’d probably have far less “flops”.
Colo, Enrique, Carroll, Anita were classic examples of talents who at first were written off. I believe if we keep faith. We will reap the benefits from the likes of Cisse, Sissoko, Gouffran, Mbiwa and even Obertan.
JJ(Quote)
Obertan would thrive at Swansea is the best way I can make my point.
Gouffran gets substituted because he literally drains his battery every game. The guy never stops. He is the new Jonas while we still have the old Jonas, lol.
funkyjesus(Quote)
JJ…Did the Geordie have the sleeves cut off his tight fitting shirt, a fake tan and his eyebrows plucked? if not he can’t have been the real deal 😉
Well if today has proved owt it is that Stuart is a jinx and should stay away more often and Andymag has to attend every game_Fact!!! 😉 😆
richietoon(Quote)
That was fun
, good game for me to come down for after all.
Andymag(Quote)
Andy, pleased you got to see it mate,the place must of been rocking.
KIMTOON(Quote)
**** first half, brilliant second and great win!
Ashley out!
Stuart79(Quote)
Kim
It was like a morgue first half. Got noisy for the goals but I would hardly describe it as rocking. For a hour all you could hear was the Chelski fans with their pathetic chants of Come on Chelsea
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Toby, oh dear
KIMTOON(Quote)
Newkie dont worry I was talking in general 😉
Andy maybe your our lucky charm
Big Dave(Quote)
Struggling to contain his anger, Mourinho was left to reflect on his struggles by the Tyne. “I’ve never won here in the league but it’s a difficult place,” he said. “The crowd is fantastic and you have to come with a certain mentality if you want to win here.” 😀
“We had a couple of good chances to equalise but Newcastle were more in the game than us, they fought more, were much more committed. They did much to win and for sure they were the best team on the pitch. I told my team at half-time that I’ve been in the game for many, many years and I was smelling what was happening. I didn’t like my team today. I’m disappointed.” 😆
mark(Quote)
It was an enthralling encounter rather than thrilling. Privilege to see Hazard play, the lad has everything. Lampard, Cole and Terry are finished. Father time has caught up with them. Lampard could have been our best player first half the way he slowed the game down.
For us the two full backs were top drawer. Willo and Mbiwa both put their bodies on the line and made crucial blocks etc. Tiote again impressed.His replacement Anita was just as good. The problem is Sissoko, floats in and out of games. Good and not so good. Gouffran worked his socks off. Shola did OK. Remy when given an inch of space and allowed to run at defenders is a class act. Unless we pay him top dollar and I’m talking a six figure salary (which other clubs will pay him) he won’t be here next season.
Happy days.
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Richie,
Na, you right, he was a complete fake. Looked normal, nothing like my image of you. 😉
JJ(Quote)
Kim
Second half it was good atmosphere but as Toby says first half was dire and the cold didn’t help.
Dave
Maybe, unfortunately this lucky charm can’t afford to come down more often. I really enjoyed the east stand.
Andymag(Quote)
Many of us ridiculed QPR for paying over the top. But in Remy, for 8 million at 80k a week. They actually got a bargain.
JJ(Quote)
If there is one thing I’ve found by coming on this blog, its observing the comedy classics of the anti Pardew crew, criticising him when things go wrong.
The first half posts are hilarious. 😛
Absolutely hilarious. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
You know who you are. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Are BT games not on Football First?
Toon Chicken(Quote)
JJ if you look at the real jabba (star wars) a bit larger and sunglasses with food in both hands you just about have the picture of richie 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
Troy,
They first half was very poor. Really horrible to watch. We only started to look decent for the last 30 minutes. But Chelsea were not better, even in the first half. If that was Pardew’s work then credit to him for keeping them quiet.
I’d hate to have to watch that every week though.
JJ(Quote)
*the first hour that is…
I hope that this result gives the team some much needed confidence.
JJ(Quote)
Ice,
That’s pretty much what I envisioned. Except with a tank top and self tan.
I thought I saw him here in the pool on holiday, but it was in fact a hippopotamus.
JJ(Quote)
@JJ
No one on this side of the mobile phone is lauding Pardew as the greatest. Far from it. But I see what he is.
A good motivator, man manager and reaching his targets of top 10.
Some people on here want him sacked and more worryingly stated they would rather have Jokey as manager.
They know who I’m talking about.
For me, Pards is excelling with the squad he has but that might come down to Ashley staying loyal to him.
😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
Poor first half? Seriously? We kept it tight and were very organised – so was Chelsea – so yeah a boring first half, but by no means at all a poor one. Pardew set the team up today to keep things in line and with a hard working, displined midfield with real workers – eg Tiote sitting just in front of the back four and keeping the passing simple and closing down Chelseas attackers.
Credit to Pardew where its due.
AlanPardewProject(Quote)