The 6-0 capitulation against Liverpool has caused a storm on Tyneside as rumours of rifts and cliques have been made public resulting in United falling out with members of the press and even going as far as banning one publication and it’s reporters whilst embarking on a PR offensive to deny any of the aforementioned rumours. I was half expecting to see images of Cabaye and Pardew picking flowers together but alas they never materialised!
The commitment that was lacking against Liverpool and in recent weeks will be under the microscope once more as both manager and players look to bounce back from such a humiliation. It’s crisis time at United and we need points desperately if we are to make sure we don’t end up relegated for a second time within the space of four years.
No doubt looking to get one over us, West Ham have an array of former United players and staff who all have their own reasons for wanting to pile the misery on us. Andy Carroll and Kevin Nolan are of course former players of Newcastle United and both played a huge part in ensuring we returned to the Premier League. Then there is Sam Allardyce who, not content with getting a huge payout for being sacked, also likes to get one over on us each time we play. The Hammer will not lack motivation, that is for sure.
West Ham:
Allardyce has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the visit of Newcastle. James Tomkins (calf) and George McCartney (knee) are again likely to miss out but apart from that Allardyce has a full squad to choose from.
Newcastle:
Mathieu Debuchy will miss the game due to suspension following his sending off against Liverpool last weekend. Massadio Haidara and Sylvain Marveaux are doubtful as they nurse respective hamstring and groin injuries whilst Tim Krul, Davide Santon, Ryan Taylor and Haris Vuckic all remain out.
There is better news regarding Fabricio Coloccini though who is likely to return to the side after missing the last 12 games with a back injury.
Previously…
West Ham are looking to do the double over us this season after Kevin Nolan ensured his current club took all three points away from his former home earlier on in the season.
Prior to West Ham’s relegation, we managed to do the double over them with a 5-0 win at St James’ Park following a 2-1 victory at Upton Park. The goalscorers for us that day – Kevin Nolan and Andy Carroll!
Upton Park has been a happy hunting ground for us in recent years. We’ve won three of our last five trips to West Ham and drawn another one of those five with our only loss in the last ten years coming courtesy of a 3-1 defeat back in 2008.
The Hammers have had the upper hand over us at their ground over the years however. There have been 58 meeting between the sides with West Ham winning 29, United winning 15 and the other 14 ending in a draw.
Overall, home and away and in all competitions, United to hold a slight advantage having won 49 meetings between the two sides compared to West Ham’s 38 victories with 35 draws having been contested between the two sides in their 122 clashes to date.
Match stats and facts:
West Ham have only lost once at home in 2013 (Tottenham) and have only lost four home league games (Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton) all season.
Newcastle have the second-worst away record in the Premier League having won just one league game on the road all season.
West Ham goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen has made a league-high 155 saves this season.
Newcastle have the worst defence in the league having conceded 66 goals this term, one goal more than relegated Reading, two more than relegation rivals Aston Villa, and four more than 18th placed Wigan.
Final thought:
Once again I find myself dreading the weekend and wondering just how bad it will be rather than how good we can make it. I honestly would love to see a reaction after last weekend but I just can’t see it. I’ve almost resigned to the fact that we’ll get relegated and will only get saved if Wigan fail to bridge that five point gap and I honestly can’t see us picking up another point this season given how we’ve been “performing” for quite some time now.
Suffice to say, I’d be delighted with a point!
Howay the lads!
Date: Saturday, 4th May, 2013
Time: 3pm
Venue: Upton Park
If Cisse is off his game Munich @72 it will have to come from Ben Arfa or Gouffran, or better still both. Gouffran must have more impact early on or Pardew will have him off and Shola on. Then we really are knackered. If we let Ben Arfa get trapped and surrounded on the sideline he will be ineffective. Any decent manager should be able to design a few decent plays to get Benny the ball in some space in the attacking half. I’m not holding my breath with Pardew though.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
DAVE is faith something you have trust in 😉
icedog(Quote)
I think we should all be taking another hard look at what the club does this coming summer as far as making the changes required in management are concerned. A club sitting in 17th place with 3 games remaining must make changes when the ineptitude is so obvious, or risk alienating its supporters. In my opinion we have been very patient but very anxious about the quality of the team this season. It’s been pointed out over and over again both by supporters on blogs and by pundits in the media and the facts back them all up. Ashley must now know he has an incompetent MD for example. There is no more time for excuses Ashley. Get him out.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Oblong @65 ,I would hope if Simmo comes in at RB he’ll give a good account of himself as he needs to secure a move to a good side .
Re Campbell ,I could be wrong but I’m pretty sure he’s had a positive impact on every game where he’s come on as sub. Another thing to bare in mind is he’s not been in the losing team so won’t feel the pressure of the others and also has pace and is fresh and the thing about youth is you tend to have little fear,it’s old age that sets the doubts in . 😉 Play him I say ,why not.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Ice the state we are in it’s just blind faith, but I just can’t give up hope that we can pull it out of the back 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
G2, we have too many non-football men at the pointy end. We should leave Ashley and Llambias to do what they do best, making loads of money, and get someone in who knows about football.
If you look at the CV’s of our combined footballing personnel, including manager and coaches, it is pretty pish.
Munich Mag(Quote)
The team will have 2,000 supporters behind them tomorrow. I hope the pride comes back into our performance. I think a lot of the old players must be looking at this season and shaking their heads in disbelief. Not just Shearer and the usual commentators like SuperMac but anyone who cares about the team. I know I’m having a very hard time with it as is my Dad. He has watched with increasing anxiety and doubt about the club’s future once again, as with the recent relegation season. How can anyone blame us for being worried? Yet I’m still going to have my kit on and hope in my heart for tomorrow.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
DAVE i dont think we will get owt,but i think its time out for wigan this yr which could save our bacon,but no faith in pardew mate
icedog(Quote)
Surely Ashley can find Llambias a job at one of his tat stores Munich @81? You’re absolutely spot on but Ashley seems not to have arrived at the same conclusion. Will it take another relegation to wake him up? I definitely hope not.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
@Geordietwo
That’s rubbish mate, even if he scores, (like at West Brom…) he’ll be subbed for Shola 😉
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Ice alot of fans dont have faith in him but the most important thing is do you have any faith in Jabba getting a proper replacement in 😕
Big Dave(Quote)
You’re probably right ST @85. And we’ll probably see Perch on for Ben Arfa, or no Ben Arfa to start as well. Why start attacking players when we defend so well? 😆
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Going to burn off some anger now mates. Be back soon.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
DAVE@86 thats easy NO,like his gear everything on the cheap
icedog(Quote)
Hi folks – sorry I haven’t popped in for a while 😳
Busy busy busy
Personally, I can’t see us getting anything at West Ham
My wish though is that we play well and if we get beaten it’s only marginally
That would give us something to build on for the QPR game – which is a much better target for 3 points.
Get tonked at West Ham and confidence will be all over the place.
Wish I could be more positive – but that’s my view anyroadup!!
UTD111(Quote)
@Geordietwo
Ha, that’s not even a joke, we will definitely see Perch for HBA!
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
On another note, anyone that continues to question HBA’s commitment is bang out of order imo.
Fine if you want to believe Cabaye rumours.
However, press report without a shred of evidence vs player statement
Even if the player may turn out to be lying, I would never side with the tabloids without proof. He’s come out and said he’s committed, that should be end of story.
Especially as if anyone is going to save us, it’s him.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Well tommorrow is when we see if Pardew and the players are together or split . If they put a blood and guts performance in we will win and it would shut the national press up for a week or so . If we put another performance in as the last 2 home games then i will right us off and know we are the 3rd team to get relegated . We have the skill and pace to run their midfiel ragged tomorrow but only if Pards picks the right team . Tomorrow is our make or break .
Axel(Quote)
UTD111 yeah haven’t seen you about for a while yeah mate QPR should be an easier 3pts but maybe we would be better getting 3pts of the hammers aswell 😉
ST I have never questioned Bennys commitment to us as I do think he thinks highly of us and more so the fans and the way we treat him.
But I do think he will get very disillusioned with Pards insistence that he has to be a winger/defender
Big Dave(Quote)
4-3-1-2 for me tomorrow like:
—————– Elliott —————
Simmo – Saylor – Colo – Jonas
— Cabaye – Sissoko – Anita —
————– Ben Arfa ————
—— Cisse ——- Gouffran ——
Maybe swap Jonas with MYM but that’s what I’d go for. Those 3 up front would turn Collins and Tomkins inside out IMO.
We’re due either a comprehensive win or a drab nil/nil draw – either of which I’d take right now.
I think we’ve have our fair share of close call wins or comprehensive **** kickings 🙁
HWTLs!!!!!!!!!!!
Sharpy17(Quote)
I like the look of that team Sharpy. I would play M’Biwa ahead of Jonas at left back though.
Oblong(Quote)
in my head its saying we can sneak a win here if Barfa starts…
in my heart we’re beat 2-1.. Carroll and Nolan scoring their goals.. 😥
mark(Quote)
Mark you know what they say don’t let your heart rule your brain 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Oblong – for me it’s a no brainer mate. It’s the formation the players played last season that may not have produced the most attractive football but it won us games and importantly wasn’t hoofball.
Colo and Saylor are strong together, Anita played in a similar midfield 3 at Ajax and was class. I also think it would suit Cabs and Sissoko. Benny would have his freedom to do some damage. Cisse played better in a front 2 when Ba was about and needs the support of Gouffran who also prefers playing through the middle.
Vast majority of the players happily playing in a formation that suits, jobs a good un, 3 points in the bag – I thank you 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy
It was very attractive football I thought, hence Pards called it champagne football. The ball was played along the ground, to all the players strengths.
Andymag(Quote)
SHARPY you mean pardew has to leave out jonas and shola the slayer out perish the thought 😀
icedog(Quote)
Ice Jonas is a touchy subject with me , while I have always been a big fan and admirer of his work rate and an admirer of Pards sticking by and showing faith in players that are going through a rough patch, there has to come a time when Pards says sorry Jonas I have tried my best but we have someone else until you find your form, but he doesn’t he just sticks with it.
Big Dave(Quote)
DAVE i have always been with you on jonas a lot never saw the work he did do even off the ball,but he has lost it now for some reason and been like that for a while now,for me he needed a couple of months out and get back to a fighting weight imo
icedog(Quote)
@ sharpy.
I like having Anita in the team simply for the fact he can pass a ball. We seem to struggle in that department. Ridiculous for prem footballers.
He seems to have slipped down the pecking order in Pardew’s mind though…..Gosling has been getting on ahead of him.
Can’t see Pardew’s leaving Jonas or Tiote out tomorrow…..they’re undroppable! 😯
Oblong(Quote)
Jonas is a big factor in our slump for me. Its like having 3 defensive midfielders with him, Cabaye and Tiote.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Yes the decline in Jonas’s play along with Tiote, Cisse and to some extent Cabaye and the long absences of Ben Arfa have all been killers for us. We just don’t have skilled replacements for any of them. That should give Ash/Llam food for thought shouldn’t it? Or are we wasting our breath as usual?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
TROY as i said to you the other day,coming from a sporting family your should know that football players are like big babys and when down and have no trust in there manager theres not much that can be done in a short time,not like other sportsmen who have to pick there own **** up
icedog(Quote)
Andy – back end of last season, when he was playing 4-3-1-2 or 4-3-3 however you wanted to look at it, it was some of the best football I’ve seen us play in a very long time. It had a great balance of defence and attack and (other than Ba) the players seemed to really enjoy it.
Ironically I think we actually have better players to play that formation now than we did then, yet despite all his shuffling (try both Cisse and Shola wide right 😯 ) he has yet to go back to a formation that worked ❓ ❗
Ice – it would also include leaving Tiote out the team as well mate 😯 (dramatic scream face)!!!!
Oblong – Anita is one of the very few players in our squad that can string 5 consecutive passes together. IMO a very classy player and with Anita, Sissoko and Cabaye there you have 3 midfielders who can defend but also get forward and support the front 3. Benny, Gouffran and Cisse can all run the channels but equally can all play through the middle and all can score goals given the opportunity and I think they’ll create for each other.
Sharpy17(Quote)
G2 i know what your saying but what gets my goat is pardew going on about injurys and players not having PL exp ect we have players of inter/nat exp in the side,you never heard the stoke manager or villa manager or wigan manager going on and on about this sort of thing and have a lot smaller squads than us they just get on with what they had,ime sorry but the three amgios come out with the same **** if jabba has a pair he wants owlheed and pardew kicked into touch,thing is hes a cheap skate and dont think it will happen
icedog(Quote)
Ice sportsmen are a different breed than when you were young back in the early 40s 😆
Geordietwo @ 106 thats you spot on again lad, I might see Troy about getting you in as a speaker on the train 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
It would be my pleasure Big Dave @110. 😀 Icedog @109 that’s absolutely spot on as well mate. Pardew and Llambias spent too much time in the early part of the season bigging up the squad when we knew it wasn’t true. Then suddenly Pardew realized the squad wasn’t good enough as the number of games caught up us. We brought in 5 in January but the seeds were already sown for a difficult finish. Trying to hide behind players like Shola when others started to struggle just wasn’t going to work. Then Pardew stuck with Jonas for too long when he was out of form. He still doesn’t know what kind of game he’s going to get from Tiote either. Without some decent football knowledge in the top management it’s always going to be reacting to one disaster after another instead of planning ahead.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
That should read ” as the number of games caught up to us” 😳
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Dave – don’t mention the bloody train will ya, we’ll have B&B back on with his choo choo bollocks again man 🙄 👿
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy
I’ve been arguing that for months now, we’ve improved our squad adding internationals who suit the sort of football we played last 3 months of last season but I don’t know if its fatigue, inexperience or poor tactics but its just not worked.
Andymag(Quote)
I CAN REPEAT ALL MORRE TIME IS POSSIBLE …
PLEASE MR PARDS USE FORMATIONS COMPATIBLE WITH CONFIGURATE PLAYER ❗
4-3-1-2 OR 4-3-2-1 💡 YOU NEED HELP MR PARDEW ❗
SISSOKO IS NOT A WINGER OR CREATIVE PLAYER …HE S N0 6 OR 8…
AND CABAYE TOO…OK ❓
HATEM BEN ARFA IS ONE MOST BEST FUCKING CREATIVE IMPACT PLAYER IN EUROPE ❗
HE IS A. VERITABLE AND AUTHENTIC N0 10 CREATIVE IMPACT ❓ ❓ PLAYER ❗ OK NOW ? SO PLEASE LISTEN THE LOGIQUE SYSTEM AND WASH YOUR FUCKING MIND …THANK YOU VERY MUCH ❗
djebs9(Quote)
If we stuck with Pardew next season would he have the plums to drop players like Jonas and Tiote if they continue to struggle? The same applies to Shola. Surely any decent manager would drop all of these players when out of form? For next season I would bring in 2 strikers, a replacement for Tiote, a replacement for Colo and we may also possibly have to replace Cabaye and/or Ben Arfa. I would also clear out Simpson who is out of contract and bound to leave anyway, Gosling who I believe has lost too much development time and pace due to injuries, and Obertan who just didn’t pan out at all. That is already a big number of changes but absolutely essential to recover from this season. I would try to talk Shola into retiring as well. Give players like Anita and Marveaux a fair chance to make the first team. Give Vuckic as much of a chance as possible to recover from all the injuries as well but hard decisions will have to be made on him in the end. This isn’t an impossible task but has to be done by the right people. That’s a hint Ashley.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
wigan win toon lose
batty(Quote)
Well I don’t think it will be tight. I think we’re either in for a 3-0 stuffing or we will win 2/3-0.
Let’s do the talking on the pitch and stop talking *****.
Stuart79(Quote)
DJEBS9 I like your style mate. Straight to the point. 😀 I think your tactics might be a bit too advanced for our Pardew however. I just keep thinking also how Robson would make out with this side? He had such vast experience in different countries and leagues that I can’t help but think he would have us in the top 6 this season. Whether or not he could get along with Ashley in the long run is another matter. 😥
GeordieTwo(Quote)
this team formation is massive equilibrate and hba need protect behind him when defender catch him … ❗
he must be free on front attack and imprevisible ❗
if cisse no ball he s no score …cisse need a n0 10 behind him for giving pass well or shooting far like vatem can do ❗
never never pards try hatem on n0 10 position …just one or tow times 10 or 15 mn when the funcking match was over ….
i hope pards open his eyes and his mind but i think never never you and i will see that…shhit style still is chit style …..don t move baby…la la la la ❗
djebs9(Quote)
Batty @117 that sounds a bit ominous. Are you really that pessimistic for tomorrow mate? I’m thinking worst case is we lose and Wigan gets a draw at the Brummies. In fact I think Wigan will lose so it might take some of the sting out if we get a bad result.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
DJEBS you tell them lad
Batts where is the faith 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
thank u mate gordietwo…i think for sUre bobby Robson haved do 1000 x better than pards long ball style…
this is long ball style ❗ tu tu tu tu ..this long ball style ❗ tu tu tutu tu….
remixed special pards ❗
i m dispointed 😥
djebs9(Quote)
g2 aye got a bad feeling ,dave all my faith has gone were going down
batty(Quote)
carrol and nolan will be laughing at fatty come tomoz night
batty(Quote)
I would say as well if we get stuffed tomorrow it just makes the QPR game all the more important to win. I won’t give up until we’re actually relegated but it’s not going to come to that.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
DAVE @110 i used to think you were a top guy,ime starting to think richie could be right about you 😆 😆 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
Sharpy@95 I’d go for that as well like
Newkie(Quote)
get fat freddy back and KK and big AL together fixed 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
batty u need a cup of scotch drink mate… 😉 and keep faith …next season fighting in premier league and for the top 7.. 😀
djebs9(Quote)
That’s the spirit DJEBS9. With the right manager and some decent summer buys we could do just that. 😀 I’d love a new managing director while we’re at it. No surprises there either.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
God i am depressed , me throat is burning up me family jewels are hurting like **** and the doctors dont know why ,i have had every test they can think off . We have been humiliated in our last 2 home games and we are staring relegation in the face and fecking Chelsea are coming to Amsterdam to play in the Final . Then again it could be worse at least i am not a Mackem . PHHHHHHHHHHHH
Sorry just needed to get that off me chest .
Axel(Quote)
Batty did you hear that mate? Have a cup of scotch and cheer up. We’re all in this together lads and lasses.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
DEIN from the the gunners knows the game inside out,and not there now,give him a call jabba asap
icedog(Quote)
Axel have a cup of scotch with Batty mate. Sounds like you’ve got a bad infection there. Lots of chicken soup with your scotch.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
we might be lucky and jabba might move pardew upstairs and get someone in that knows what they are doing 😐
icedog(Quote)
Thanks GEORDIETWO might just try that m8
Axel(Quote)
it looks like poeple have been drinking to much scotch 2 points from relegation tomoz only 1 way and thats down
batty(Quote)
i see pardew has said they might not any players in from france nxt yr maybe look elsewhere,thats it son build up the french lads for t/morrow,**** heed
icedog(Quote)
AXEL @132 , i’m no Doctor mate BUT that sure sounds like mumps 😯
KIMTOON(Quote)
Batts maybe you need a few wine gums 😉
Ice keep the faith and never listen to Richie unless he is agreeing with me
Big Dave(Quote)
Batts you can never have too much scotch to be fair. 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
Batty lad come on! You’ve got to try harder than that for us. Chew the wine gums while you drink the scotch mate. I foresee a better effort in my crystal ball so everyone chill!!
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Kimtoon you tell him! He’s going to ruin what mojo we have left I swear. 😥
GeordieTwo(Quote)
In todays Mirror they have the definition of doublespeak in business and management. One word that caught my eye was WOMBAT, it sums up Lamearse perfectly as it means -Waste of money brains and time . 😆
KIMTOON(Quote)
so the team that got batterd by the scum and dippers at home are gonna win at westham ,no chance then we will lose to qp ****** r
batty(Quote)
Or you could have strep throat Axel mate. Are other parts of your body hurting like in your armpits and under your jaw (lymph nodes I think)?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Beautiful Kimtoon. That’s my nickname for Llambias from now on WOMBAT!
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Kim why do you think me and Richie call Aussie the wombat 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Aussie Magpie Fan should love WOMBAT as well. 😆
GeordieTwo(Quote)