Game on! Newcastle v Chelsea

toonsy

Back on home turf
Hello, and welcome one and all to what is likely to be an emotional ‘Game on’ article that takes us through every twist and turn of Chelsea’s visit to St James’ Park.

It’s an early start so well done for getting out of your pit, but there is good reason to be doing so as fans of NUFC get the chance to pay their respect to a modern great of Newcastle United, Gary Speed, who tragically passed away last weekend.

As you will all be aware of, a day of tribute was planned by the club including the singing of the famous Welsh hymn ‘Bread of Heaven’ and the holding up of cards in the East Stand that will depict the number 11 followed by a minute of applause in recognition of a player who represented the Black and White cause a total of 284 times. The full tribute will now not go ahead at the request of Speed’s wife as she would like to be in attendance although the minute of applause will still be observed.

Moving back onto the game, it won’t be easy, but it’s a game that we could win, if that makes sense? Basically I’ve read the views of some who seem to think that three points against Chelsea is a given. I don’t happen to follow that train of thought and think some are vastly underrating Chelsea on the basis of, by their standards, a poor run of form.

I don’t expect a win, but I do think we are capable of pulling off a victory. However I’m also mindful that Chelsea have quality that can hurt us all over the pitch and that it’s only a matter of time before they click and get a result. We must guard against any complacency and ensure that it doesn’t happen against us today!

In terms of match previews, once again Shamrock has provided another excellent, detailed preview which you can read by clicking here and whilst your at it why not take a gander at Ben’s take on the match by clicking here.

With the match being on Sky there are sure to be plenty of internet streams although I always urge caution when predicting the availability of them, even when technically there should be plenty knocking about. Luckily I’m at the match today along with Marktoon and Jay Jay so I don’t need one, but the rest of you guys do so if anyone happens to stumble across a decent one then why not hoy a link to it in the ‘comments’ section below and share it with your fellow NUFC fans?

That just about sums this particular article up now and it’s over to you guys to get the banter flowing. Keep your eyes peeled for my match report which I’ll get on as soon as I get back as it’ll be written from being at the game first hand, again. Hopefully I can write about us getting three points in the bag, again.

Howay the lads!

Newcastle: Tim Krul; Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Ryan Taylor; Gabriel Obertan, Yohan Cabaye, Danny Guthrie, Peter Lovenkrands; Hatem Ben Arfa; Demba Ba

Subs: Steve Harper, Davide Santon, James Perch, Dan Gosling, Sammy Ameobi, Leon Best, Shola Ameobi

Chelsea: Petr Cech; Branislav Ivanovic, David Luiz, John Terry (c), Ashley Cole; Ramires, Oriol Romeu, Frank Lampard; Daniel Sturridge, Didier Drogba, Juan Mata

Subs: Ross Turnbull, Jose Bosingwa, Ryan Bertrand, Raul Meireles, Florent Malouda, Salomon Kalou, Fernando Torres

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.

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377 thoughts on “Game on! Newcastle v Chelsea”

  25. Matta has been dangerous all game so far. We did nothing to stop him. It was a matta of time that he was going to punish us.

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  28. If we get any thing out of this game today without Tiote ,Jonas and now Colo out it will be a masterstroke.

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  30. It’s not been a bad half, lads. Been pretty much an even game. However, I would make one change for the second half; I would bring on Santon for Raylor.

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  31. Good point Kim. We knew Perch coming on for Colo was going to hurt us, but hopefully that’s the only incidence today.

    Guthrie has looked immense though, and Ba is doing some great work. Shame that header hit the post.

    Fun to see them triple marking Ben Arfa. Surely somebody needs to get open for him at those times!

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  32. Even half king arfa what game you watching Ba and Guthers our best players the rest haven’t turned up

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  33. Raylor has done great defensively, putting in good tackles and getting where he needs to be. I really don’t know how you could think that Santon would be ready for to step into this game while we’re already missing Colo. Dont mess with the defense any more

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  34. Bastards should be down to 10. This 4-3-3 just doesn’t work, can’t do it without Jonas and Tiote we’re just getting raped on the left and guthrie can’t get over to cover it. Its not been a horrible half, but I’m sure I’m not the only one that thinks Perch and Raylor on the left will be massively vulnerable.

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  36. This would be such a different game had the ref not bottled it over Luiz at the start. Hopefully Luiz will make another one of his rash challanges 2nd half. Also why we not getting at Terry a bit more he looks slower than ever to me.

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  37. Arfa Chance,

    What do you say about Chelsea? They haven’t been so spectacular, apart from Sturridge and Mata.

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  38. Mike Dean is a joke of a referee, bottled it when Luiz should have been sent off. Since then he has shown clear bias to Chelsea, this is the problem with refs these days, there are no young ones coming up who would ref a game fairly. Most of them these days have an allegiance to a particular team.

    Why not put Santon on as LM? He could then offer cover for Raylor who is struggling with Sturridge. Then Santon could join in the attack as he has a lot of pace too.

    Pardew will no doubt shout at them and get them pumped to get on Chelsea’s nerves. Let’s go out their and beat those cheating scum!

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  39. Well, a couple of points. Loven has done terrific offensively but goes missing way too much defensively leave Raylor too exposed to Sturrigde’s speed. Game has been fairly even. But a bit woeful defending on the throw in that led to the goal sadly. But howay, the game is not over and we are without several key players now and still giving it a good go.

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  40. @112 You said it all they’re dogsh1t and there for the taking but Pardew inexplicably has played Lovenkrands giving Raylor no cover leaving him wide open to Sturridge

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  41. Why on earth would we bring Santon on for Raylor? He has no prem experience whatsoever, awful shout.

    It’s games like this that you realise how valuable Gutierrez is, both going forward and defending. Obertan needs to learn from him, when Guti has nowhere to go he will always draw the foul or throw, it’s all about gaining that extra yard up front, we are giving the ball away too easily in the final 3rd.

    Guthrie is playing well i think, but we definitely miss Tiote’s defensive presence.

    Suddenly without Colo our defence looks very, very weak, all English though! When is the last time that has happened in a prem game do you think?

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  42. I cannot believe nobody has mentioned the referee. Luis last man? Sturridge diving, numerous times, the throw in which ked to the goal, which the linesman never flagged for, the numerous tackles that Chelsea have got away with while we get punished.

    Fallout for getting a pen last week. Even if we do equalise I would count on the ref ruling it out.

    Ba has been great, Lovo has has his moments, perch has done nothing wrong at all yet and Guthrie has impressed. Oh and krul obviously. Chelea fans are cnuts and our boys aee attacking our end this half.

    Hwtl

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  43. we should give it a rest on the ref’s lol…. what short memories we have as just last week it was a ref that gave us the point at old trafford. you win some and you loose some and we won big last week with the ref.

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  44. Totally agree with you Zoe on the Luiz incident. Dean should either send Luiz off or not do anything. Cant really give a yellow for bringing down the striker as the last man. Also agree about Santon. Maybe he could come on once Loven goes off steam, as I doubt he will do a full 90 min.

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  46. i want too see best on at some point and a couple of decent crosses into the box for him . He will get us an equaliser , there is still something to get in this game .

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  47. Toonsy apparently Pards has went to speak to the ref about it, so I have a feeling he will try to make up for it, because he has made a major **** up not sending him off

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  48. APP: Yeah he clearly bottled it but didn’t hesitate when his assistant gave a pen. The rules say if the last man denies an obvious goal scoring opportunity then he should be sent off, Luiz did that but the Ref was a right ponce and decided not to give it at all. Really gets on my nerves when refs do that.

    I think Pardew will mae sure he has them fired up for the 2nd half, hope luck is on our side in this half

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  50. I am sure pardew will tell the players to target david luiz in whatever ways to get him send off. 🙄

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  59. Shola on to add a height threat to target Luiz and their CB’s makes sense to target them from the air

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  61. Apparently the official indicated at half time they thought Ba’s chance wasn’t a “clear goalscoring opportunity”. Not entirely sure how that could have been the case.

    WTF. 😕 👿

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  64. Really don’t get the praise for Raylor. I think he’s massively overated because of a few decent goals.
    As a defender he is very average and the opposition always targets his side.

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  70. The goal didn’t come from Raylors side, and i think the main reason they would exploit that side is because of Sturridge.

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