Game On! Newcastle v Aston Villa

Game On at St James' Park
Game On at St James’ Park
Twas the match before Christmas, where we’ll play Aston Villa. Three points are on offer, let’s hope it’s a thriller.

Ok ok I’m really bad at poetry but I’m just trying to get into the festive spirit of things so forgive me.

One thing however that would help keep the festive mood ticking along nicely would indeed be another win and another three points to extend our winning run to a third game.

But, as always seems to be the case, you can never feel assured of anything when United are involved. 

The last two games have come when nobody expected us to get anything. The pressure was off if you like and, credit to everyone at the club, they responded. 

But this one is different. Villa will look to make us break them down and try to frustrate us while the impetus will be on us to attack which in turn will potentially open up space on the counter.

Those are just my thoughts anyway…

Early team news, injury updates for both sides, a look at the history of the fixture and some fun facts and stats can be perused over in my match preview which went live yesterday and can be viewed here.

For the actual team news you’ll have to take a look below about an hour before kick-off where I will add it as soon as I physically can. For streaming links take a look in the ‘comments’ section below.

There’s been a lot of talk of mentality this week and how it has changed at St James’ Park. We shall soon see if those are words of meaning or words of emptiness.

Howay the lads!

Newcastle: Rob Elliot; Daryl Janmaat, Chancel Mbemba, Fabricio Coloccini, Paul Dummett; Moussa Sissoko, Vurnon Anita, Jack Colback, Georginio Wijnaldum; Siem de Jong; Papiss Cisse

Subs: Karl Darlow, Kevin Mbabu, Cheick Tiote, Yoan Gouffran, Florian Thauvin, Ayoze Perez, Aleksandar Mitrovic

Aston Villa: Brad Guzan; Alan Hutton, Jores Okore, Joleon Lescott, Leandro Bacuna; Ashley Westwood, Carlos Sanchez, Idrissa Gueye; Jordan Veretout, Scott Sinclair, Jordan Ayew

Subs: Mark Bunn, Ciaran Clark, Kieran Richardson, Carles Gil, Jack Grealish, Adama Traore, Rudy Gestede

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.

826 thoughts on “Game On! Newcastle v Aston Villa

  1. Sideways football, the bloody goals are not on the side, Tiote is a bit of a passenger, get involved. Perez is not a happy pixie there, that look sort of says “get me out of here”

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  2. Poor youngster shouldn’t be anywhere near the reserves on today’s evidence, let alone the first team. At least six shocking errors in this game.

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  3. Dummett backing off again, for ffffffs sake, mind Darlow should of done better, but he must be shell shocked by now.

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  4. These referees and linesmen are pathetic, really. Clearly tugging his shirt 1 yard away and gives it the other way. I mean seriously, what the **** do they watch?

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  5. Kim – we should have had a pen, but west brom have absolutely battered us today. Miracle that darlow didnt let one in earlier. We’ve been outplayed by the worst footballing manager in the league. Cringe.

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  6. We’re completely incapable of unlocking a defense unless it’s on the counter attack late in the game.

    Desperately need someone special at no.10

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  7. Ashley really does need to get involved, and sort this mess out, get a proper football man onboard, forget Charnley, Carr, Moncur and most of all McLaren. corner No. 17 Coming up another record against us

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  8. Newks, very true but they hadn’t scored despite all there chances and you have to score. We were denied a stone wall pen yet again at 0.0, a different game then.

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  9. McLaren press conference – We deserved more out of the game, it spoiled our game plan when Anita had to go off, we should have had a penalty,that’s the way our luck is going (at this point he gives that smirky smile),, Get a bloody grip Ashley you employ a bunch of toss pots to run our club.

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  10. Cheated today, would rather it was 2.0 but 1.0 when we should of had a pen at 0.0 is gutting. There will be a bloody newsflash when we next get a pen I reckon.

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  11. Kim – aye, but the closest we came was from two corners where we shouldn’t have had them, so swings and round abouts. Don’t blame the ref for today at all, we were just toally *****, as is all too often the case now.

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  12. Back to losing ways then… **** away next. West Bromwich were ****, premier league bottom feeders, so what does that make us atm?

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  13. We are in serious danger and anyone who comes on and says we’re doom mongers for saying that really aren’t watching the games!!.
    We have no threat in the final third and Myhill was never threatened at all today. Against Villa & Everton we missed some good chances – today we didn’t create any. There was no urgency and no-one who even felt the need to shoot from outside the box.

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  14. Kim forget the penalty, we are quite simply NAFF, 18 corners says it all, One scrambled effort on their goal, look at the game stats, we were second best again in every area. I agree Ashley must act from the top downwards, Stoke got 4 against Everton, we managed one shot against them, says it all.

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  15. Well gutted yet again. I really think McLaren needs to go now and we really need investment. What is the point of bringing Thauvin on at 86 mins? What the **** difference is he going to make in 4mins…? Why isn’t Mbabu getting a game? Much better than Dummet. We really are in danger of going down now if we don’t make some major changes.

    When are we going to actually get a penalty awarded, will we have anyone who remembers how to take one when we eventually do get one?

    Just pissed off completely now

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  16. Zero pace, zero urgency, zero directness. Is that down to the quality of the players or how McClaren has them playing.

    I’m so tired of watching boring **** football.

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  17. Trying to look on the bright side from today’s result had we won or perhaps even drawn we would have carried on with the status quo. Now things surely must change and Steve has to go. He has run out of ideas – if he ever had any. How can you keep going with the same players and same formation and expect results to suddenly change. Please go Steve.

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  18. So 1 point v villa, Everton and WBrom 🙄 and 2 were at home.
    Ashley should be embarrassed at the way he’s messed up, but really he’s not too concerned as long as we stay up

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  19. DUBAI TOON

    I was thinking that the other day when we had a penalty shout waved away against Everton. I don’t think we’ve had a penalty this whole season and can;t remember the last one we had!! Referees just seem to have stopped giving them? I can’t remember us conceding many either to be fair. Have referees forgotten or what? I think a few of them need to get the rule book out and study when you have to give a penalty, i.e for a foul in the area that would be a free kick anywhere else!

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  20. Dummett should of closed down before they crossed but in reality we didn’t create enough to win.

    Colback needs dropping, for who though? We don’t have a creative player to step in. Abeid would of done…..

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  21. Have a quick look at the Jan & Feb fixtures and tell me how many points you see from those games 🙄

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  22. What pisses me off is that we always have to play with four outright defenders and two completely defensive midfielders.

    That means at any given time we have at most four attacking players. Simply don’t get enough players into the box to score and we invite pressure onto our defense.

    Sit back and defend, with not one player particularly good in the air out of our defense. Begging to get broken down.

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  23. Hope Elliot is back for Arsenal or god help us. Darlow looks more concerned with his hairstyle than at being a goalkeeper.

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  24. This post is getting a little stale isn’t it? Kimtoon can you whip up a new one for us? We gave up 16 corners! That indicates something about possession I would think. We were dross in attack again although we should have had a penalty. Poor refereeing. Poor match. The gap to 17th will open up now with Arsenal and Man U next for us.

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  25. I see 4 points coming from January and February Sharpy. That will give us 21 from 27 matches. Relegation form unless Ashley does something very good in the window.

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  26. An attack without a proper AM is useless as we see match after match. We have Sissoko and Wij trying from the wings but it’s not enough. The strikers are too young and inexperienced and they get very little support. Too few players in the box. McLaren’s “system” doesn’t work.

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  27. I will write something this evening although I will probably put as much effort I to it as our ‘Ayers’ do on the pitch.

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  28. Did McLaren actually think that would work? No fresh legs to start? The same old bollocks up front? No engine in the central midfield. McLaren should step down. He’s clueless.

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  29. If only the majority of the supporters would get angry and organize. Protest at every home match until Ashley leaves. The club is rotten from the top down.

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  30. So SM reckons the Mitro pen decision cost us 3 points. I’d say lack of quality, shot on target and not creating much plays a big part. Handful of shots over 3 games…

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  31. Just seen McClarens post match comments. Yes it should have been a penalty – but that was the only way we were going to score today!!.
    He’s talking ***** and I’m disgusted about his lack of support for Darlow – he wasn’t brilliant, but his preparation for today was hardly ideal, but his manager should be showing him support & encouragement. The lost today was as much to do with **** poor offensive play as poor goal keeping.

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  32. Sad stuff. But by all means keep going to the matches lads. Look how much we’ve improved over the last 8 1/2 years under Ashley with the ground full to look at the SD hoardings and not much else.

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  33. We gave up 16 corners McLaren. We weren’t even in the match from the start. They were all over us as most teams are. You can’t keep giving up 65% of the possession with a team as poor as we are and think you can win Steve.

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  34. But as I say keep going to the ground so things look good to the TV audience and Mike keeps making a fortune from the SD advertising. That will definitely work out.

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  35. Sharpy – exactly, shocking excuses from McLaren imo. Liverpool and Spurs papered over the cracks, toss football and we can’t break the worst sides down. Stoke even put 4 past Everton today ffs.

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  36. It’s all very depressing and you have to say our overall play is so so predictable too. Not a hard task for opo managers to out play us, just keep putting in them crosses and one will eventually fly in. Failing that try a long range speculative shot. How many of them have we conceded this season. 🙄

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  37. Time to accept their **** ups IMO – get Moyes in and back him in Jan to bring whoever he needs players wise.
    If they stick with this we go down and Ashley’s Jerry McGuire moment last season leaves him looking very stupid indeed

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  38. Just landed in Dubai and to no surprise I see we lost. Was it bad?

    Anyhow, good, bad or ugly we need to act as its a failed experiment.

    Got a text off a mate who says he hopes we get whacked for 7 against Arsenal.

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  39. Kim – yes he was, but his excuse back then was that he was trying to sort the clubs finances. His little speech echoed ambition and was a mission statement of success.
    Well half way in and we are bottom 3 – that isn’t a great start on our quest for success. But to sit back and now do nothing to fix it – that would be fucking criminal!!.

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  40. Sharpy – Ashley said “We will make our own luck from this day forward”. Well he needs to sack McClaren and bring in a decent manager who can pick and choose his players.

    Regards the game, I am not at all surprised that the **** wit choose th same team! I mean, we did a lot of running against Everton – then again we do it every game as we never have the ball.

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  41. Stu – I don’t know what size portion of luck he was hoping for to compensate the **** poor decisions they keep making – but even if he took Lady Luck on as the new tea lady would do it like.

    How’s the trip been so far mate?. It enables you to miss that shower of ***** so small mercies at least 🙄 😆

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  42. First flight was fine but just about to board a 13.5 hour flight. Just utter boredom! Hopefully the wifi will work and I can keep being a negger! 🙁

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  43. Stu – don’t see it as 13.5hrs, see it as 9 toon games. You’ll have sat through at least that many games so far this season …. THATs true boredom mate!!!.
    Safe journey though mate 😉

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  44. The only players due back from injury or illness soon are Aarons and Elliot. Little to choose from on the bench. Lots of sick notes picking up fantastic pay packets. We needed a clear out 2 seasons ago let alone now. It still needs to be done. McLaren looks lost to me and unless we get 3 or 4 top players in he’ll just keep fielding the same 11 with the same tactics.

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  45. how the flock Charnley can sit so comfortably in the hot seat is for me an absolute mystery. he must be doing all the right things on the monetary side, because his sporting achievements have been absolutely shocking, he has presided over a whole series of bad decisions, and the fourth relegation battle in 8 years, and we won’t escape this time.

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  46. Munich – he can be doing that good money wise if Troy’s young un can pick up a half season ticket for £25.
    If we get relegated the the money pot will look a lot worse than it does now.

    I don’t know where Mike is but our club is in a real crisis right now and Jan & Feb look like a couple of tough months coming up. It’s time to take some swift, positive, ruthless action.

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  47. Wifi working!

    Downside is that probably only Aussie will be on… 😉 Maybe Eric…

    Ashley needs to make a move and now!

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  48. I am led to believe that we were completely out passed by a Pulis team? Did they rally have that much possession? Dear God!

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  49. well what a totally hilarious way to end a totally shyte year.
    As for SMaca complaining about lack of luck, well I reckon we used it all up against Spurs and Liverpool.
    Lets face it, once and for all. We’re **** and going nowhere but down.
    18th in the league, and getting cut more adrift every week from now on.
    Part of me is gutted, as it was all so bleeding obvious, and part of me is over the fucking moon.
    Sorry, I just cant help it. But the fat controller deserves what is coming.
    He certainly doesn’t deserve the riches of the EPL over the next 3 seasons, that’s for sure.
    Unfortunately for devoted fans, it will mean a good few years in the wilderness of the championship, as fatty realises the error of his ways.

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  50. Looking forwards to the January transfer window.
    Should be another barrel of laughs – NOT

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  51. Stu – I think the worst thing for me today was what appeared to be a total lack of desire to score a goal. They did OK up until the final third but then no end product.
    We saw a ruthlessness against Norwich where they just want to get goals – there was none of that today like. WBA weren’t putting us to the sword either mind.

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  52. What’s the betting Charnley sticks with McClaren and we bring in a couple of untried, young inexperienced players from Europe?

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  53. Stu – we are quite simply awful.
    No attacking threat up front
    no creativity in midfield
    No idea how to defend (particularly corners and free kicks).
    Yes we should have had a penalty, whoop di doo.
    The other stats say enough
    5 shots at goal 2 on target
    18 corners conceded
    Hopeless and clueless in every department.

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  54. The evidence is overwhelming now. Villa are being beaten by most sides who are at home and we cant even do that. What needs to happen before Jabba acts…?

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  55. talking of young and inexperienced Darlow did his cause no good what so ever today did he.
    Talk about out of his depth. Poor sod.
    Typical player of this whole sorry sack of **** of a regime.
    Ha Ha
    not so clever any more Mr Ashley eh?

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  56. I imagine ‘loans’ will be all we get this window, considering the perilous position we now find ourselves in.
    I mean there aren’t many players of the quality and experience we desperately need, that are prepared to gamble it all away on a relegation threatened team, with a hopeless wally of a manager/head coach/patsy/puppet.

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