Game on! Newcastle v Arsenal

The big kick-off!
It’s what we’ve been waiting for. The summer drought of football is over once again as Newcastle welcome Arsenal to St James’ Park for an early evening Premier League season kick-off on Tyneside.

With both teams in a state of flux at the moment it could best be described as a meeting of two disgruntled teams as both sides attempt to recover from what have turbulent summers for each club which, coincidentally, has involved question marks over transfer policy for both sets of fans about their respective club.

However it’s now the time to put that behind us and get behind the lads on the pitch for 90 minutes. It’s already a tough start to the new season so we need to help the team by raising the roof at St James’ Park where it’s all change from last season thanks to a change in the seating plan.

It’s all change on the pitch aswell for the home side as there could be as many as five new signings making their debut this afternoon. They’ll quickly learn what playing for Newcastle at St James’ Park in the Premier League is all about. Let’s show them why we are the best fans in the land!

The match is live on ESPN, not that it matters to poor souls like me who are actually at work, so if you have the subscription you can enjoy watching it on the big screen. Numerous overseas channels also have coverage of the match so wherever you are I’d be willing to bet that you’ll not be far away from somewhere where you can watch the match.

It also means that there will be internet streams available for those who can’t catch it on TV. A quick look at the MyP2P should point you in the right direction. Happy viewing.

The match preview is here for you to read if you haven’t already done so and want to see who is missing, who is fit, and peruse a few selected match stats.

hat’s just about it really. I hope for a really busy match thread so things may clog up a bit. If they do then please remain patient and stop refreshing the page for a few minutes – it will get sorted. It’s not ideal but it’s the best that can be done at the moment although the server has been running a lot smoother this week in truth.

Howay the lads!

Newcastle: Tim Krul; Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Ryan Taylor; Joey Barton, Yohan Cabaye, Cheik Tiote, Jonas Gutierrez; Shola Ameobi, Demba Ba

Subs: Fraser Forster, Mike Williamson, Dan Gosling, Gabriel Obertan, Sammy Ameobi, Peter Lovenkrands, Leon Best

Arsenal: W Szczesny, Bacary Sagna, Laurent Koscielny, Thomas Vermaelen, Kieran Gibbs, Alex Song, Aaron Ramsey, Tomas Rosicky, Andrey Arshavin, Gervinho, Robin Van Persie

Subs:
Lukas Fabianski, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Johan Djourou, Karl Jenkinson, Frimpong, Marouane Chamakh

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.

301 thoughts on “Game on! Newcastle v Arsenal

  1. @big dave ugly as but i bet the model girlfriends he has see him because he has a dashing personality !! 🙄 😆

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  2. Ryan Taylor struggling but so is Simpson who lacks any sort of composure on the ball

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  3. So much for our passing game. I haven’t seen as many long balls since Big Sam was manager.

    Cabaye may as well not play.

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  4. Tiote looks like someone who spent the last few weeks fannying about renewing his passport rather than training/playing with his teammates….

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  5. Would be nice to keep the ball instead of just booting it back to them…
    I’d get Shola off and put Gosling into midfield. We need his energy.

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  6. If we are this dominated by an Arsenal team without Fabregas and Nasri – how bad would we be getting pumped with them?

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  7. why the hell we give strolla a new contract,god only knows.
    get him off put obertan on ans go 4-5-1

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  8. Well lads, we’re looking good so far. Our midfield is looking strong, but **** we need a left back… If the Bull was playing, we’d be up right now.

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  9. Funky jesus your right we have got to change the tactics and get Cabaye on the ball.Also joey throws a girlie fit at Leeds because he doesn’t take the free kicks and lo and behold he gets his own way.Pardew grow some.

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  10. We really need a new left back…. My heart wont hold much longer watching raylor trying to catch up with gervinho. Let Cabaye try the free kicks as they have been kack so far. Dont read to much into the possession thing, afterall how many shots on goal have arsenal had???? We are playing alright.

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  11. Btw- this is turning out like how I called. Sloppy. Colo has been class though. Either way, 0-0 with Arsenal on opening day… I’ll take it.

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  12. It’s not just that… But neither team look fired up to play. No passion at all. Both teams just going through the motions like they’ve been paid to draw.

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  13. Feel we are playing well – (can’t understand why the general consensus above is negative)the quality and shape/positioning has improved overall – however Saylor and Krul look to be left behind quality wise. Krul – its maybe age – Saylor just hasn’t got it – sell him.

    Thought Raylors played well all things considering

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  14. Both teams look sluggish.

    Who will take the game by the scruff?

    What is Raylor taking the free kicks for?

    When will we see a goal form Ba?

    Where is Cabaye?

    Why am I using “the 5 Ws”?

    How will it all end?

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  15. Stardust,

    You are entitled to you opinion, but just So you know. Your opinion is a steaming pile of bullshit. 🙄

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  16. It’s been very tight. Obviously it’s all about defending, and catching Arsenal on the break, and harassing their defenders when the have the ball. I think that has worked well. You ain’t gonna dominate Arsenal.

    Colo and Saylor have done well, and Tiote. Cabaye seems to be the one most off the pace.

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  17. bring obertan on!!!!! take ameobi off!! 4-5-1!!! obertan on the right barton on middle with tiote an cabaye with gutierez on left!!! simple

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  18. Stardy I agree we are 0-0 against **** and I cant understand the doom, but as for Saylor I think your hate for him is clouding your opinion as I think he has done ok 😉

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  19. I feel like Saylor had his usual Almost-Bramble-Blunder somewhere in the first half. I don’t like him, but wouldn’t be surprised if he nods one in for us, as he does have an eye for goal.

    Obertan on for Ba?

    Baffling.

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  20. Now instead of just Cabaye, we are ignoring Obertan too. We just punt it to Ameobi the moment we get it.

    What was Pardew gibbering on about with our “pacey, passing play”?

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  21. I hope retroactive punishment is given to Song for that. It was to Barton and Williamson last year.

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  22. Holy ****, I have watched Obertan for a while now and I was over the moon when we signed him but I didn’t know he had THAT pace.

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  23. Oh well, it’s looking good for my fantasy football team’s defence of Simpson, Colo, Sagna & Cahill…..

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  24. You’ll all laugh but Lovenkrands is custom built for this midfield at the moment.

    Cabaye, Barton, Tiote, Obertan – all want to pass and keep it grounded. Lovenkrands wants runs and to get it on the ground.

    He should be on instead of Shola.

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  25. Obertan looks like a good purchase. We just need to gel as a team and bring in a new left back and hopefully a striker.

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  26. Still don’t understand why Fergie sold Obertan. He is gonna be one of those “one who got away” type deals.

    He persisted with Nani and Anderson for many years – why ditch Obertan after 2?

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