It’s been nearly a month since Newcastle played a match on home turf, yet we still remain unbeaten. With the greatest of respect to Blackburn, they are a team that we should be looking to beat in front of our own fans with the aim of extending our unbeaten run to 11 games.
Perhaps that is why I feel so apprehensive about the match. Blackburn do notoriously well at St James’ Park and are looking for the sixth successive win on our home patch. They are a bogey team, of that there is little doubt.
Still so were Villa and so were Fulham but we managed to get results against them pair. I just hope we can continue that trend this afternoon. Not that I’ll be able to watch it of course as I’m at work. I’m not bitter about it, honest…
Those of you who are going to the game today could well be in with a treat. A rare treat in fact. You may well get the chance to spot the elusive Hatem Ben Arfa in a Newcastle shirt for the first time in nigh on a year. With a place on the bench seemingly nailed on I think it’s pretty safe to say that we may see a little cameo from the Frenchman this afternoon.
For those that aren’t going I feel fairly confident that you’ll still be able to see the team in action. The match is being broadcast on numerous channels overseas so the chances of a stream at the moment seem fairly decent. Obviously if you find a really nice one, or one that doesn’t stop and start every few seconds, then please feel free to share the link with your fellow NUFC fans.
The match preview is here for you to peruse at your leisure should you choose to do so. Contained within it are some fun match facts and player stats, news of injuries for both sides aswell as a stab at trying to name the team. Have a look if you haven’t already done so.
That is just about it really. Hopefully we can extend our unbeaten run in front of our home fans with a nice performance to boot. You never know, if we get a win and a decent performance it may take just a little bit of attention away from those garish Sports Direct signs that appear to be popping up all over the place!
I will endeavour to get the match report written up in it’s entirety when I get in from work so it should be with you first thing on Sunday morning including highlights, interviews, etc. The whole shaboodle basically, so be warned that it may be a long one!
Howay the lads!
Team news is as follows…
Newcastle:
Krul; Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini (c), R Taylor; Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez; Best, Ba
Subs:
Harper, Perch, Guthrie, Marveaux, Sammy Ameobi, Ben Arfa, Lovenkrands
Blackburn:
Paul Robinson; Michel Salgado, Christopher Samba (c), Scott Dann, Gael Givet; Junior Hoilett, Steven N’zonzi, Jason Lowe, Martin Olsson; Mauro Formica, Yakubu
Subs:
Mark Bunn, Grant Hanley, Vince Grella, Radosav Petrovic, Simon Vukcevic, Ruben Rochina, Jason Roberts
Hey lads, sorry I’m late! Good match so far!!!
OHurley(Quote)
we seem to have took the foot of the pedal the last 5 mins
Big Dave(Quote)
Craig-
Very hard to argue indeed!! Howay Alain DePardue!
OHurley(Quote)
David! How’s it goin’ mate? Crackin’ match. Looks like Ba finally found his scorin’ boots like 😀
OHurley(Quote)
OH yeah mate it’s been a good one
Big Dave(Quote)
Brilliant play by Best
Newkie(Quote)
All this passing the ball roond and keepin it on the deck is deeing me nut. Never would have happened with Judas, tugboat and Britains best midfielder in the team.
Toon Chicken(Quote)
TC- lol!! England’s best midfielder! Mint!!
OHurley(Quote)
come on lads get at them
OH alls good mate and real happy for BA
Big Dave(Quote)
rooney out with a hamstring eh.. when do we play them?
craig chisholm(Quote)
Tiote injured :s
Newkie(Quote)
fuk that looked like a pen
Big Dave(Quote)
right last chance get her in there
Big Dave(Quote)
Soooo much flair in this side. Unreal
The Kid(Quote)
top 4 team like 🙂
Big Dave(Quote)
Happy with that, we’re looking good at the minute. Long may it continue.
NorthernPaul(Quote)
For me, Obertan has shown why he is first team today. He was superb in the first and equally superb in the second.
The Kid(Quote)
Cannae believe we’re undefeated so far! HWTL!!
OHurley(Quote)
We looked very good today, really impressed with Obertan today. We created some lovely stuff too and it should have been more for us I think
Zoë Vicarage(Quote)
Very good performance all round.. tough one for MOTM.. Ba hattrick probably gives it to him but Tiote was immense today, Obertan tortured them all day too
KeithRToon(Quote)
Looking at those stats, well, we completely and utterly pissed all over them.
The Kid(Quote)
great result and sounded like a great game on world service and five live. well done lads and AP.
craig chisholm(Quote)
What a great day! Off to a party! Enjoy your evening fellas!
hydeous(Quote)
Well done and capping off a terrific week. We played great stuff all day BEFORE Ben Arfa and Marv even came on.
Best and Ba look a dangerous partnership all day, Obertan was excellent, Jonas his usual hustling self, Cabaye and Tiote completely bossed the MF, and CBs were rock solid again
Tough not to be excited about the club now. I think the crowd was really juiced today
MDS(Quote)
Allez les toon! Allez les toon!
welcome back feel good factor
Sime(Quote)
This team is starting to show a likeness to Sir Bobbys , we have pace and creativity and goal scorers . There is still a long way to go but the signs are their , we have a good team that are getting better .
Axel(Quote)
they were lucky we never gave them a real good hammering.
Ice where are ye Lad ? told ye 3-1 🙂
Big Dave(Quote)
We still have Santon to add to the side.
Our side is going to be riddled with flair. It’s crazy. We have virtually rebuilt the side.
The Kid(Quote)
Well I enjoyed that! Thanks to everyone who posted links, much appreciated.
jill(Quote)
Dave you are right. They will complain about the third goal but are lucky it wasn’t 7-1.
MDS(Quote)
Just seen this advertised in the Chronicle…
FOR SALE: Bullshit Bus
1 previous owner (with multiple-personalities)
Perfect for going round and round in circles
Selling because wheels came off
Contact Bobby Bullshit / Troy Stavers / Blackley & Brownlie for details
Toon Chicken(Quote)
WE ARE THE GEORDIES
THE GEORDIE BOOT BOYS
AND WE MENTAL!
AND WE ARE MAD!
OHurley(Quote)
Best and ba scored as many in premier as caroll has since he left last jan… Still missing him? He was pony for Liverpool apparently
Liam southern toon(Quote)
Steady on, Axel!
Still – you have a point. I’m starting to get what AP has been on about and I think I like it a lot. I can also understand his ‘last piece of the jigsaw’ comment on not getting his No 9, but I bet even he’s thinking it’s not all that important right now.
Nervous about this radio thing now, but a lot less so than if we’d lost!
Whumpie(Quote)
Next up the wolves. ^_^
Happy days,gonna have a good night sleep for me.
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
TC-
Mate, you’re killin’ me today! Bustin’ a gut over here haha!
OHurley(Quote)
TC saw the following additional advert:
FOR SALE: HUMBLE PIE – WHOLE OR SLICES
1 LOUD MOUTH WITH PENCHANT FOR STATING THE BLEEDING OBVIOUS NOW SWITCHED TO COOKING HUMBLE PIE
SELLING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AS MASSIVE DEBT OF CONTRITION TO PAY OFF
CONTACT BOBBS / TROY THE WRESTLER BABBLE BRAIN
TOONPIPES(Quote)
@256. Don’t forget it reverses itself well
MDS(Quote)
Very strong performance. Certainly we are looking good going forward but caution is necessary as Blackburn were **** poor and perhaps flattered us.
Good goals from Ba, those calling for a number nine striker need to admit and concede they may have been wrong and give Ashley and Llambias credit for their foresight. Unbeaten in 8 games 6 in the league and only conceded three goals the last two easily avoidable.
Michael12(Quote)
HITMAN – HOW DO YOU THINK THEY ARE DOING SO FAR? STILL THINK EVERYTHING MA HAS DONE IS A TOTAL AND UTTER SHAMBLES? ANYWHERE NEAR ISSUING A CHANGE OF SIDES?
TOONPIPES(Quote)
Toonpipes – hahaha 🙂
Toon Chicken(Quote)
TC that was a good one!
We’re 4th Cabaye, Ba and Obertan have been magic and the doom mongers are off supporting the mackems…
Thad(Quote)
I seriously have a strong feeling we will go unbeaten till we meet the manchester’s club on Nov 19 and Nov 26.
Till that day comes,let’s celebrate. hahaha.
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Good luck Whumpie 🙂
What a great match! So exciting to watch this team!!! And no one can oust us from 4th place this weekend 😀
Susan(Quote)
Egads, if poor old Besty had his shooting boots on today, he could have had three or so himself. Unlucky for him, I thought, because he played well and caused lots of problems, including setting up Ba.
Looked pretty good today, but Blackburn are pretty wretched. Good signs and progress. Heh, heh, heh…
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
yep, Blackburn were awful
M(Quote)
sexy football!
are we still 4th, 2 points clear of 5th?
sime(Quote)
Whey owa the moon with that, some lovely stuff played
Got every outcome correct in the predictor league just got bloody score wrong, had us 3-0,citeh 4-1, Le **** 3-1, Chelski 4-0,wba 1-1,Wigan 2-3….got Liverpool reet tho 🙄
richietoon(Quote)
@270. Agreed. Best’s shooting may have been shocking but he played a great all around match
MDS(Quote)
so many pluses today !!! ba hatrick , team played with confidence , benny back and 3 points!!!!!! fecking great!!! i knew ba was close to scoring after villa , hes a diff player from a few weeks ago!!! 12 points n 4th HWTL!!!!
Army69(Quote)
ffs,we are 6 games in to the season,blackpool were flying just like us last season and looked what happend to them…we needed a striker in even pardew says so,we didnt coz toot and ploot fked him owa,nothing has changed with regards to ashley…
we have had a great start but theres a long way to go yet…
hitman(Quote)
Yeah, christ, forgot to mention that Ba, obviously, is much improved. I’m sticking to my “he stunk during Ramadan” theory and hoping he just continues to light it up from here.
4th
fucking
place.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
LOL. Was waiting for the Blackpool analogy. I think we all know we won’t finish 4th this season, but let’s just enjoy it this week.
MDS(Quote)
true, dat, Hitman. Still a long way to go, but we can enjoy the glow for today at least.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Best’s shooting was poor today, but let’s be honest, he was superb in every other aspect. Absolutely superb. Those that have left, who was missed today? None. We have improved. No arguments.
The Kid(Quote)
TC – Pipes! Brilliant!
Boobys not even answering texts after today! Got to ask -is he really a supporter?!?!
Even the most anti-Ashley fan must now be giving the club ultimate credit – rebuilding on budget. Its a lesson to the whole of the PL and football. Get in!
Stardust(Quote)
hitman
September 24, 2011 at 17:10
ffs,we are 6 games in to the season,blackpool were flying just like us last season and looked what happend to them…we needed a striker in even pardew says so,we didnt coz toot and ploot fked him owa,nothing has changed with regards to ashley…
we have had a great start but theres a long way to go yet…
THERES ALWAYS 1 NOT HAPPY!!! MATE WE ARE JUST BUZZING!! LET US ENJOY OUR WINS PLEASE!!
Army69(Quote)
Richie, you just reminded me I forgot to do my predictor 🙁
Still its 70 points more than last week… haha
JJ(Quote)
who would of said 12 points in 6 games at the start of the season???? not me !! TOON TOON
Army69(Quote)
How did Ben Arfa play when he came on? Oh and Marveaux?
David(Quote)
One of Best’s runs toward the end where he set up HBA was brilliant, took out about four or five players with his run and the pass, really impressed with him with the obvious exception of his shooting which was terrible. Luckily for us it didn’t cost us!
Newkie(Quote)
JJ…aye last week was a ‘mare, Manure pulled me out the ****(pun intended)
richietoon(Quote)
Some have said Best doesn’t contribute other than scrapping in goals here and there. I thought he connected with other players very well today, despite his poor shooting.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
So much for taking the new lads a long time to settle. 🙂
MDS(Quote)
Really pleased for Obertan…. getting lots of playing time, getting better and better and looks like he’s having a great time. Beats sitting on the bench in a top four team… oh wait we are a top four team 😀
Susan(Quote)
Overall very good performance. Our midfield is right up there now I would suggest. Have to say Nolan and Barton leaving was a good thing for us, allows the new boys to grow and move in a more continental, technical style.
Ratings in my opinion:
Krul: 6. Little to do really. Couldn’t stop the goal, however needs to open his mouth a bit more often and alert defenders to oncoming players sneaking up like Hoilett, who could have had another goal. Distribution from kicking not the best either.
R Taylor: 6. Mistake led to the goal, however put in 1 or 2 decent crosses and probably saved us a goal early in the 1st half.
S Taylor: 8. Owned the Yak a number of times, ensuring he could not get into the game and allowing Colo to influence us further up the pitch. Looks calm and assured these days. Finally achieving his much discussed potential.
Colo: 9. Did well when called upon defensively, however his high marks today are given due to his obvious passing ability. Great ball over the top late on, great ball to Best to set up Ba and some really nice simple passes out of our 3rd of the pitch to enable the midfield to dominate with the ball at their feet.
Simpson: 5. Stood off the winger a couple of times allowing crosses in, one of which directly led to a goal. Shocking **** up dealing with a high ball over the top into the box. Only reason he gets a 5 is because he linked up very well with Obertan in the 1st half down the wing. He is not a very good full back, but if we somehow eneded up playing a 5-3-2 with 3 across the back line and 2 wing backs, he would do well. Not for us in the long run. Maybe a a new signing at right back would give him a kick up the *** and make him concentrate? Is he a bit incompeent because he has no real competition for his shirt?
Gutierrez: 7. Covered Raylor well and got involvedwhen he could. Most of his work today was off the abll, allowing Obertan and the middle players to get on with it, but his hard work tracking back and runs forward off the ball stretched Blacburn and allowed us to play.
Cabeye: 7. Very neat passer of the ball. A lot of it is the simple stuff that keeps a team ticking along nicely, but he rarely loses the ball, gets stuck in defensively and makes runs forward stretching defences. Will not be long until he breaks his duck. Going to be a Toon legend as long as he is not sold off!
Tiote: 9. Some very nice passing, great tackling. Put pressure on the opposition and broke up their attacks. Great show. 🙂
Obertan: 8. Will track back, take the ball to the byline and cross it, will cut iside with ease. Willing to have a go at goal and is not a bad crosser of the ball. Good work ethic and scared the bejeesus out of Blackburn today!
Ba: 9. 3 very well taken goals. A good finisher of the ball, miles better than Best in that department. Not as much off the ball as I would have liked to see, but scored a hat trick. Cant ask for much more than that!
Best: 7. Interesting one this lad. Kudos for getting an assist. Good work stretching the back line, however today in an interview he spoke abou the dream of claiming that #9 shirt for himself. I know his goal scoring ratio is good at the moment, but it will not last based on tadays showing. He had 5 good chances to score. Not remote chances, but very good opportunities and he blew them all. Long way off being our new ‘messiah’ I’m afraid, but definately worth a place in our side for now and worth keeping in the squad in the long term too.
Marveaux and Ben Arfa: 6. Some neat touches, but Benny in particular clearly still quite rusty after such a long lay off.
Pardew: 9. Turning this side into a very good one, dare I say it? If the board recognise what he is doing and back him over the next couple of windows, we could be looking at the start of a new exciting era. I’m not saying winning the league or anything daft, but pushing for Europe certainly provided we can nick a point or two off the top 4 and hold our own against the likes of Spuds and Liverpool. H’way the Toon! 🙂
Shamrock(Quote)
Some have said Best doesn’t contribute other than scrapping in goals here and there.
————————–
And I have been one of them. Will gladly eat my words today. Thought he was immense
MDS(Quote)
Flashes of that special player from HBA, I thought, but a little ring-rust too. It was a perfect moment to get him on–10 man Blackburn, a clogger of a team, just for 20 minutes when they were already beaten. It was like an inoculation for a real game situation–easing him in slowly.
The team seemed to know they should give him the ball every chance they had, to help him get back on the pace and get as many touches as possible. I think he held the ball up himself a bit too much once or twice, but that’s all part of the readjustment, in my eyes.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Right, right, another positive is the gradual improvement in Tiote. I thought he was getting better last week, but today he was really good. I can only remember one time when he let a stray pass fly and he kept the ball much better today too. Really, really good today. He’s coming back.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
No yellow cards for Tiote or anyone else. And no injuries.
Susan(Quote)
Has Tiote had 3 games this season without a yellow? Good lad 🙂
Susan(Quote)
In the next few weeks, the only game that will probably break our hearts looks like Tottenham (Everton in there too), but in November we’ve got City and United away and then Chelsea all in a row. That’s a tough stretch of games, but we’re lucky in that it comes pretty far along in the season and the team should be pretty well gelled by then. Interesting times…
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
little pea gettin mushed for the mancs
TOONPIPES(Quote)
that tackle on evra was naughty
hitman(Quote)
I have NO idea what I just said on the radio. None. Gone in a flash. Summat about Pardew and Hughton…. um…
****.
Ho hum. They gave me a radio. Hairy smurf.
Whumpie(Quote)