A lively venue, Kharkiv’s rather unimaginably named Metalist Stadium – nicknamed the spider due to the appearance of the supporting pillars outside the ground – is likely to be full to the rafters with roughly 500 Geordies squeezed into the 40,000 capacity ground.
The Metalist Stadium was used as a ground for EURO 2012 and should be familiar with Tim Krul as the Netherlands played all three of their group stage games at this very ground. Granted Timmy will be playing this time rather than having to make do with a place on the bench but at least it breeds some form of familiarity within the squad. It’s not a complete unknown to everyone.
Unfortunately, something that isn’t a complete unknown, is the partizan behaviour of their supporters. They are vocal and vociferous but a section of them have also been shown to be racist, something that was brought to light prior to EURO 2012 via a BBC documentary highlighting racist and anti-sematic behaviour within the ground. Let’s hope that tonight it is the football that does the talking and that if anything unsavoury does develop we just walk off the pitch.
Anyway, back to football. United have named a 19 man squad that will be tasked with getting a result in Ukraine. That squad can be viewed here along with some other stuff in our match preview article. Have a gander of you haven’t already done so!
Remember this is an early kick-off here in the UK which is why this is published early. Team news should be out around 5pm (kick-off at 6pm) and will be updated by Big Dave as soon as he can as I’ll be working and will be missing the match. On the other hand, me missing the match increases the chances of us getting a result as I seem to have a knack of just watching us lose!
Which neatly wraps this up. In the build up to the game it’s been argued how seriously we should be taking the match but by the end of the night we’ll know if the Europa League is something we’ll have to think about going forward or whether we can consign another cup campaign to history vault.
Howay the lads!
Metalist Kharkiv: Goryainov; Villagra, Gueye, Torsiglieri, Fininho; Torres, Edmar; Marlos, Cleiton Xavier, Sosa; Cristaldo.
Subs: Disljenkovic, Berezovchuk, Shelayev, Blanco, Jaja, Krasnopyorov, Willian.
Newcastle: Krul; Simpson, Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini (c), Haidara; Anita, Cabaye; Cisse, Sissoko, Marveaux; Shola Ameobi.
Subs: Elliot, Perch, S.Taylor, Gosling, Bigirimana, Gutierrez, Obertan.
Not expecting much tonight. So just hoping if we go down, we go down fighting. Hope there is no racist BS tonight as well.
Santii(Quote)
oh for fk shola 🙁
http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20130221/metalist-v-newcastle-debut-for-haidara_2281670_3084076?
icedog(Quote)
Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Tim Krul ; Danny Simpson , Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa , Fabricio Coloccini (c), Massadio Haïdara; Vurnon Anita , Yohan Cabaye ; Papiss Cisse , Moussa Sissoko , Sylvain Marveaux ; Shola Ameobi
Substitutes: Rob Elliot , James Perch , Steven Taylor , Dan Gosling , Gael Bigirimana , Jonas Gutierrez , Gabriel Obertan
From the NUFC site. Very strong starting 11, but I’m personally not keen Cisse n Shola in the same team coz that means one of them (normally Cisse) out of position on the right. Can’t really grumble at the rest tho, strong defence and with Cabs and Sissoko we should create chances. HWTLs!!!!!!!
Sharpy17(Quote)
The club has us down as a 4-2-3-1 but have Shola as the top man 🙄 I hope they haven’t moved Cisse back to the side
Big Dave(Quote)
there’s a dude on twitter who claims to have inside info who predicted this team would start
check out his timeline –
Bravo365 @AdamFWKnox
M(Quote)
Also, good luck to Haidara on his senior debut and it will be interesting to see MYM at the heart of the defence.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Bit of an odd lineup offensively. Defensively is what a fair few thought.
Andymag(Quote)
Has anybody got any links for the match please? I ain’t got ESPN. 🙁
Really hope we can get a result here. Perhaps the ref saw last weeks game and will make amends…
Cologne-toon(Quote)
COLOGNE-TOON it’s still a bit early for links but should be on here
http://www.firstrow1.eu/watch/170253/1/watch-metalist-kharkiv-vs-newcastle-united.html
Big Dave(Quote)
Starting Shola doesn’t make much sense. He can’t last 90 minutes now at any real pace. Maybe he’ll sit behind Cisse in a 4-2-3-1 even though it seems to be the other way around? Can’t see Shola scoring against that defense. It will require something special from Cabaye or Cisse.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
http://www.coolsport.tv/stream3.html
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Thanks guys!! :-))
Cologne-toon(Quote)
Lets get it on
Howay the Lads
we need to get at them straight away and try to keep the crowd quiet
Big Dave(Quote)
I’m seeing a report of prematch trouble on the Guardian. Anybody heard?
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
lil Vurnon has started very well
M(Quote)
Cabs needs to practice his set pieces more
Big Dave(Quote)
or let Anita take em
M(Quote)
@lee_ryder @damianspellman loads of trouble before the game. Metallist charging Newcastle fans. Police letting them do it #nufc
MDS(Quote)
ooh la la! this is some tasty football, even Danny Simpson getting involved…
M(Quote)
super-confident play
M(Quote)
I think we need to make our control count as im sure they will start to come at us more at some point, so we need to bag a goal soon 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
😯
Big Dave(Quote)
sloppy couple of mins
M(Quote)
Their players love rolling round every chance they get
Big Dave(Quote)
well played there bad luck Cisse
Big Dave(Quote)
Keep it at 0-0 first half then come out strong in the 2nd and try and nick a goal early. They’ll have to come at us then coz they’ll need 2, so we play tight and hit them on the counter attack – jobs a good un 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)
Fuk they have got away with about 4 challenges like Haidara’s
Big Dave(Quote)
Just have to say Ameobi has been one of our best players. Marv has been pretty poor though.
Hope we don’t have another game of two half’s like we have had so many times this season.
Santii(Quote)
Santii what exactly has he done to be our best player 😯
Big Dave(Quote)
Good first half still in a tie that could go either way. First goal now looking crucial. Could be the only goal in the match.
If anybody ever tells you Marveux is a better player than Jonas they are telling porky pies. Tulisa hasn’t improved Simmo’s passing over recent weeks. Shola is king.
Dan Gosling go make yersel a hero my son
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
He has been the center of all the chances we have created lol.
Santii(Quote)
Getting concerned with the number of needless free kicks that Colo keeps giving away on the edge of the box,
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
Impressed with Haidara tonight!
Cologne-toon(Quote)
Santii ok 😉
TGS he has been getting a bit clumsy lately, looks like Jonas will be getting an early run out, hopefully that means Strolla making way and Cisse going up top, as Strolla for me has offered no threat what so ever 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
Lol dave talking out your **** like usual 😉
Santii(Quote)
Is it me or does Haidara look a big slow?
Stuart79(Quote)
come on Cabaye thats a **** poor ball
Big Dave(Quote)
Santii i’ll leave the childish insults to you 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Marveaux is **** get Jonas on
Andymag(Quote)
noooo
M(Quote)
Come on Marv 🙄
Big Dave(Quote)
what a shocking decision
M(Quote)
Marveaux missed a chance of qualification
HBA39(Quote)
Was that a cross or shot? Only Marv will know
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
fricking nightmare that Marlos character
M(Quote)
Bloody Marveaux
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Why is Cisse always in the wrong place. A difficult skill to perfect
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
looked like a dive no replay yet 😀
Santii(Quote)
Pen 😆 😆 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Sissoko turned on the burners there like
M(Quote)
Nope defo Pen 😀
Santii(Quote)
Shola time
M(Quote)
Anybody but Cisse
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Get in there Strolla
Big Dave(Quote)
Yeah
Andymag(Quote)
If there is one thing Ameobi is good at, it’s penalties 😀
Santii(Quote)
Shola is King. Long live the Mackem slayer
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
KING SHOLA
Newkie(Quote)
Just keep it tight for 5-10 mins
Big Dave(Quote)
Only able to follow updates….
Was it the right call?
MDS(Quote)
Yeah MDS
Santii(Quote)
In all seriousness, good pen that like. Game on!!
They have to score 2 now.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Cisse and Cabaye having really a shocking game.
HBA39(Quote)
Cisse 😯
Big Dave(Quote)
Get Cisse off that pitch before he flogs this game
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Here we go another poor Cabaye ball 😀
Santii(Quote)
seems Cabaye needs a moving ball to hit a decent cross
M(Quote)
Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Slayer…
Second all time European scorer for Newcastle United strikes again!
Moreno(Quote)
wow, that was very very **** from Marv
M(Quote)
Tim Krul Super Goalie
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Few Krul to the rescue
What was going on there like
Santii(Quote)
Colo 🙄
Big Dave(Quote)
class ball by bambi 😀
What the **** was sissoko holding his face for? almost cost us that one..
Newkie(Quote)
We need to get men behind the ball and play on the counter.
Santii(Quote)
Simmo has been decent tonight
Big Dave(Quote)