Haris in the hole – Game On! Liverpool v Newcastle

toonsy

This is Anfield! It's also a dump!
Welcome one and all to the ‘Game On’ article which will take up through every twist and turn of the match this evening as Newcastle take on Liverpool at Anfield.

Haris Vuckic is handed a start and will play just behind lone striker Demba Ba which may come as a surprise to some who expected to see Hatem Ben Arfa start the match after an impressive scoring cameo against Bolton at the weekend. Other than that, Newcastle are unchanged. Ryan Taylor retains his place and even though Davide Santon is fit to return he must make do with a space on the bench.

For Liverpool it’s an ex-Newcastle forward line as Craig Bellamy is paired with Andy Carroll in the absence of Luis Suarez who sits out the match courtesy of a one game suspension for his contemptuous hand gesture at Craven Cottage a few weeks back. Steven Gerrard takes a place on the bench while another former Mag, Jose Enrique, starts.

For a bit more information why give Shamrock’s most excellent match preview a look by clicking here. It’s always a good read and is a good way of spending a few minutes before the big kick-off.

If you can fins a decent stream then please share it with your fellow Mags. The game is on Sky this evening but not everyone has it or is in the pub so if you can find a good’un make you you leave a link to it below.

Right now though, it’s Game On!

Howay the lads!

Liverpool: Pepe Reina; Glen Johnson, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger, Jose Enrique; Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam, Jay Spearing, Stewart Downing; Andy Carroll, Craig Bellamy

Subs: Alexander Doni, Martin Kelly, Jamie Carragher, Jonjo Shelvey, Maxi Rodriguez, Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt

Newcastle:Tim Krul; Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini, Ryan Taylor; Gabriel Obertan, Cheik Tiote, Yohan Cabaye, Jonas Gutierrez; Haris Vuckic; Demba Ba

Subs: Rob Elliot, Davide Santon, James Perch, Hatem Ben Arfa, Sammy Ameobi, Shola Ameobi, Leon Best

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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466 thoughts on “Haris in the hole – Game On! Liverpool v Newcastle”

  2. all i can say is that hopefully for us Suarez is not here tonight because it will be an other story. Caroll is completely a ghost for the moment. And toonsy i dont think Liverpool is putting so much pressure on us or they have a nice chasing ball..? We miss some easy easy pass when our player was no way under pressure, for me thats is not normal for a premier league player who is 7th in the league

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  4. If its a change? maybe Hatem for Haris but in my opinion Pard will change nothing at half time the result is good for the moment so why to change for him?

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  7. Toby we are drawing at Anfield, but have been battered in the first half, and scored a lucky goal. Of course we are happy, but we cannot paper over the cracks, we cannot retain the ball.

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  8. Pleased Suarez is not playing the night or this would be a very different score line . Our midfield need to get a foot in the game second half . Its still there for the taking this game .

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  10. Liverpool remind me of a nasty Jack russell nipping at your ankles, as Toonsy said they are hunting in packs. Only thing for it give it a kick, we need to get medieval on those boys 😈

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  11. Its men against boys up to now, Obertan is not at the races, anyone ever seen him tackle, Ba does not stand a chance, AP you have well and truly buggered things up.

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  12. Goal has been given to Cabaye. His header was on target before Agger deflected it so there ya go 🙂

    Gwan Yohan 😀

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  13. oh well .. half time , we are doing well but as much as i love vukic i think benny would be a better option going forward!! hope benny comes on 2nd half and i think santon might come on since raylor is on a yellow!! benny and santon 2nd half subs all the way for me HWTL

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  16. Army69 I think you’re spot on there. Raylor looked terrified for the last 15 there, Downing has battered him so far…

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  17. ash1001
    December 30, 2011 at 20:45

    Its men against boys up to now, Obertan is not at the races, anyone ever seen him tackle, Ba does not stand a chance, AP you have well and truly buggered things up.

    ???? 1-1 at half-time against a team we havent beaten at home in over 20 years (for a reason) and yet Paerdew has buggered things up… 🙄

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  18. In that case Toonsy if Ba gets our second and Benny (when he comes on )our third my prediction comes true ,3.1 to the toon.

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  19. Munich Mag
    December 30, 2011 at 20:48

    Army69 I think you’re spot on there. Raylor looked terrified for the last 15 there, Downing has battered him so far…

    CHRIST SOMEONE HAS FINNALLY AGREED WITH ME ON SOMETHING 😯 😯 😯 😆 😆 😆

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  20. we`ve been poor but Liverpool haven’t exactly been making Krul pull out all the stops, only started playing after they scored and it was a poor goal to give away.. the pool set up very well tactically though, letting tiote having the ball and marking cabaye, vuckic and ba out of the game, none of them are getting a sniff.. tiote playing decent but pulling out a fabregas standard through ball just isn’t his thing.. hate to jump on the HBA bandwagon at half time but think he could take the ball off tiote and hurt them more than vuckic, need to pull one of those CB away from Ba because he`s being comfortably double marked at the mo.. looked like Raylor took a knock too, Santon probably safe bet to come on given Raylors booked as well… still hopeful we can get something out of the game but it will be a grind

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  24. Army69…..I always agree with you mate, but seldomly post it. I just watch from afar, and think, Army69 knows his crack. Take nee notice of them other ones like… 😉

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  32. Dave – I think we’ve won all games that we’ve taken the lead in 😕 That was a few games ago though so not sure.

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  33. Toonsy so you see not so difficult to make 10 passes we just need that each player take his responsibalities and stops to get rid of the ball

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  36. One Foot Wonder & Penalty Spot it’s Pardew that picks the team and decides on tactics, if you think the tactics and team selection are right then fair enough. Liverpool are no great shakes but we are making them look good ,and thats down to tactics and certain players not been at the races

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  52. ash1001
    December 30, 2011 at 20:58

    One Foot Wonder & Penalty Spot it’s Pardew that picks the team and decides on tactics, if you think the tactics and team selection are right then fair enough. Liverpool are no great shakes but we are making them look good ,and thats down to tactics and certain players not been at the races,

    fair opinion although liverpool while may not be the liverpool of old are certainly a better team than us in quality and depth- fact is the can and have beaten the top teams unlike us who are lucky to snatch a draw.

    I cant knock pardew for playing a 4-4-1-1 at anfield. I’m happy he’s given Vuckic a chance despite him playing poorly, and I cant blame him for picking Jonas who to me is having a very bad game. We are a top 10 team sitting in 7th liverpool are still a top 6 team and playing like one

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  66. Only Gerrard can put those balls in for Judas…we need to cut them out…

    HBA coming on ! Why ?…..we look comfortable… 😕

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