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. Barton creates his own karma after the stamp from Song.

    I have no problem when he is sinned first.

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  2. Our players are So far apart. No movement, just in fluidity in possession.
    On the plus side our defense has been good.

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  3. we’ll take 0-0, nice one. 2nd half miles better. Hope we’re a bit fitter and sharper next week….

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  4. We may have got a draw, but we will lose if we play like that against the scum. Aside from the defending it was a poor performance from us.

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  5. good opening. we kept playing okay and held them from getting any mentionable chances. ohh yeah, joey is legend!

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  6. Asim do us a favour take your **** with you and dont start that ****, while they wear the blk and wht shirt ye get behind them, thats what fans do. Now jog on and take your abuse with ye

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  7. A great point. I am a little nervous about the scum game but ignoring that I think this team will gel into something decent. Ba looked poor again not sure if he is fully fit??

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  8. Obertan start in a 5 man midfield with Barton CENTRAL. He is woeful on the right. Jonas was also very poor. He just doesn’t create anything. Nothing more than a bench player imo. Hope Marveaux and HBA get fit QUICK!

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  9. Defo take a point from that, thought obertan looked very good when he came on. Did anyone think Tiote looked a bit off the pace?

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  10. Asim…he totally overreacted but he was slapped in the face, he shouldn’t have picked gervinho up either but maybe it’s karma after Song stamped on him

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  11. Why are people praising Joey for those disgraceful antics?! We would have been furious if it has happened to us. We are going to get slaughtered by the press.

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  12. One thing though….. Bartons delivery from set pieces today was woeful! other than that very encouraging and we look set for the scum.!

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  13. Can’t see comments on my phone so Don’t know if others are saying this: enough of Joey Barton and his sodding ego. He is clearly unhinged and on his way to a major meltdown. It’s not as if he was any good either ; absolute **** and a disgrace to the club. Get rid, Pardew.

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  14. Good result. Did well. Credit has to go to the defence. To keep Arsenal down to just a couple of shots – and I can’t even remember a save by Krul – is pretty bloody good going.

    Still a work in progress of course but I see great flexibility in this squad. I think Pardew’s tactics were spot on, and his team pulled it off well. Many plaudits from me.

    Looking forward to next week. Some of my biggest concerns were allayed today.

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  15. Blobb

    Colo was by FAR our best player today.

    We definately need a left back and striker in soon.

    Thought S Taylor, Obertan were impressive and Jonas would look far better with a decent left back and quicker striker (not Shola). He did a good job today.

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  16. And you guys who get all frothy about what people say about NUFC – stop the cultural cringing. Who gives a toss what other people say! It’s what *we* say that is important.

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  17. I always think Jonas puts a very good shift in for us, yes his crosses aren’t the best but he works very hard for the team, tracking back, helping the defence out. If he had a left back behind him that would be much better for him

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  18. cheers lads…we like scum bags do we…his taken over the team..at dead ballls and pardew lets him…its a bit like u lot blind by the fact he cost us..then what will u say then…get reel lads..tuff times ahead with mr barton and pardew..1 must go..and not me ha ha

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  19. 100-odd people in a bar watching the replays and howling with derision and creasing up. Phrases like “what the fuxk do they put uP with him for?” and “cartoon army” flying about. If I was near him right now I’d break his legs just to keep him off the SJP turf until the end of his contract.

    To think Gosling and Vukic wew kept back to make way for him makes me sick.

    (shoukd I start ranting now?)

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  20. Colo was fantastic for us, showed great leadership. Some good touches from Obertan, Cabaye should have scored from his chip but just passed it to the goalie. We got away with Raylor at LB but we desperately need Pieters. No attack from the strikers to speak of. Our strikers are average at best although Ba needs more time. Pardew must be desperate for a striker. One point, I will take it. Song should have been red carded for the stomp on Joey’s calf but so should Barton have been along with Gervinho. Another strange one against Arsenal.

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  21. Asim you ***** joey is 1 of kind, rare passion which is needed in premier league you punk

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  22. Colo was a rock, Saylor once again is more theatrical than good. Krul, Simmo, Raylor OK Tiote still needs a bit more nous to his game if he is avoid yellow cards. Cabaye “welcome to the EPL” Jonas linked well and tracked back. Barton a page on his own, Strikers we basically anonymous but then we never had the ball enough to supply them. Obertan looked better than I expected.

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  23. Another thought. Can’t see Arsenal in the top 4 this season. Think Wenger has lost touch. They will finish around 6th unless they spend some real cash from the Fabregas and Nasri deals. We must spend on a striker and left back. This could be a good season for us with 2 or 3 more acquisitions.

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  24. Blob @190 do you honestly think that ,I thought he was by far the best “new player ” on the day.

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  25. Can’t see even Stoke wanting Joey after today, hope he speaks Russian. I really hope he gets his head right, he can be so good and a real asset for the team. but he & Saylor today did nobody any favours.

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  26. passion is needed in your name…what passion he is a joke…cant cross a football..he didnt cross 1 good ball..enough said

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  27. As for the Barton comments,

    I feel sorry for the lad because he was kicked and provoked the whole day. But he has only piled more abuse on himself for picking Gervinho up like that, and diving to the ground like a ***** to get him sent off…

    Very disappointed in him.

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  28. A bit tired of Barton myself, if I’m honest. Can’t believe he did that, but on the same token, Gervinho DID get a red card…

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