Game On! Newcastle v Manchester City

toonsy

Game On at St James' Park
Game On at St James’ Park
Good evening everyone. and welcome to this match article which will take us through every twist and turn of our Capital One cup tie against Manchester City.

Before I get onto the match tonight I wish to offer an apology.

You’ll notice there was no match report on the game at the weekend which is basically because I couldn’t bear to write about it. Fickle perhaps, but it was a hard defeat to take and I don’t wish to relive it. I’d also like to apologise for the lack of a match preview for tonight. I had planned to write it yesterday but by the time I finished it was 11pm and after working for 15 hours I was pretty pooped by the time I got home and decided to hit the hay before starting work again just nine hours later. One day I’ll win the lottery and not have to worry about money. One can dream…

Speaking of dreams, this game is about silverware and it would be nice to see us actually win something. Unfortunately though I’m struggling to get myself motivated for this because of the club stance on cup competitions which are, in their own words pretty much, not the priority. For me,we’re in it so why not try and win it?

To stand a chance of winning it though we first have to beat a side who we’ve failed to record a win against in eight years. Manchester City always seem to turn it on against us and no doubt we’ll transpire to give another insipid performance and limp out of what is most likely our most realistic chance of silverware.

The game itself is live on Sky here in the UK so finding a stream shouldn’t be too difficult. If you do find a good one then please share it with your fellow United fans by leaving a link in the ‘comments’ section below. Full team news will be published as and when it becomes available.

I’m not usually so downbeat but with everything that has gone on and continues to go on at our club I can’t help but feel disillusioned about it all. Hopefully tonight the players can give a performance that will start to heal the wounds suffered at the weekend, but this is a cup game and it’s only the result that counts, whether that comes in 90 minutes, 120 minutes, or even with penalties.

Howay the lads!

Newcastle: Krul; Debuchy, Williamson, Yanga-Mbiwa, Haidara; Sissoko, Tiote (c), Anita, Gouffran; Shola Ameobi, Cisse

Subs: Elliot, Dummett, Cabaye, Sammy Ameobi, Ben Arfa, Obertan, Remy

Manchester City: Pantilimon, Richards, Boyata, Lescott, Kolarov, Rodwell, Garcia, Navas, Milner, Jovetic, Dzeko

Subs: Hart, Zabaleta, Nasri, Negredo, Silva, Fernandinho, Demichelis

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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230 thoughts on “Game On! Newcastle v Manchester City”

  6. ne bother toonsy. most couldnt be arsed reading the Sunderland review anyway.

    I hope the fighting toon turn up but I doubt it, I fear we’re in for a tough few weeks.

    If I supported the regime we must go for an all-out loss 2day as Europe would be disastrous for us… and we may have to spend some of that tv money come Jan if we get through… that wouldnt be good.

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  7. Have you been on the happy juice Toonsyor delirium with lack of sleep? No way will it take Man City 120 mins to dispense with our lot, probably more like 12 minutes 😥 . Think we’re in for a right twonking tonight. However pissed off, confused, etc they are with Pardew they need to stand up and be counted to minimise the next round of humilitation likely to be dished up on national telly within 4 days.

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  8. Toonsy cheers anyway as I really didn’t want to read about the mackems game it was hard enough watching it without having to read about it.
    As for tonights game I really don’t expect much, but at the same time we can turn it on against some of the bigger teams and when we arn’t expected to get anything.

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  9. Good grief, I’m glad you lot aren’t playing tonight. Beaten before you start. Hold your heads up man.

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  11. Toonsy – thanks for the explanation mate, I thought Ashley had banned you as well 👿 😆
    I’d me shocked if there was anything but defeat tonight TBH but the inconsistent toon could well prove me wrong. The only thing I’ve learned about our team this year is expect nothing, appreciate everything (on the pitch that is!).

    I fear we may be discussing defeat for the next few games in the league as well unfortunately.

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  13. I think relying on our inconsistency for a possible win tonight, is otherwise known as clutching at straws.
    😛
    City want the cup as it will be the new blokes first trophy.
    We have nee chance. IMHO

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  14. @NUFCOfficial: #NUFC v #MCFC (4-4-2): Krul; Debuchy, Williamson, Yanga-Mbiwa, Haidara; Sissoko, Tiote (c), Anita, Gouffran; Shola Ameobi, Cisse.

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  19. Newcastle line-up: Krul; Debuchy, Williamson, Yanga-Mbiwa, Haidara; Sissoko, Tiote (c), Anita, Gouffran; Shola Ameobi, Cisse.

    Subs: Elliot, Dummett, Cabaye, Sammy Ameobi, Ben Arfa, Obertan, Remy.

    Manchester City line-up: Pantilimon, Richards, Boyata, Lescott, Kolarov, Rodwell, Garcia, Navas, Milner, Jovetic, Dzeko.

    Subs: Hart, Zabaleta, Nasri, Negredo, Silva, Fernandinho, Demichelis.

    …anyone fancy 4/1? 😯 😛
    😐

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  21. Oh dear. Please tell me he’s not reverting to 4-4-2 with sissoko on the wing. Then again please don’t tell me he’s staying 4-4-3 with cisse on the wing

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  23. MDS…I wish we could get away with 443 😉

    Last 8 here we come woooooooooooo hooooooooooooo 😛

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  24. MDS, Pardew doesn’t do formations. Just chuck some decent players on the pitch and see what happens. 😎

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  26. Rodz…Not that accurate, they have Hairdryer down as being injured and he’s playing tonight 😉 😆

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  27. Richie:). My bad…though we might need it.

    Rodz- thats my biggest problem with pards. He plays what he thinks are his best players regardless of their strengths or position. I still don’t know what sissoko’s actual position is and he’s been here near a year now

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  28. I can’t see a natural formation there like but **** it it’s 11 verus 11 and our strongest 4-3-3 formation have been jerkyll and Hyde so far so why the hell not. I’d love to know where Marveaux is as well?.

    If he’s playing Cisse and Ameobi, it would have made more sense having Obertan right and Sammi left of a 4-4-2 and have them getting crosses in the box.

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  30. Richie, I did say ‘fairly’, to be fair. 😎

    MDS, in my opinion Sissoko is definitely a central midfielder. Good pace, quite combative and with an eye for goal. Problem we have, is Pardew has too many CMs and doesn’t know how the **** to accommodate them all. We’re consistently playing players out of position cos we ain’t got any (decent) wingers. Fucking domino effect on the whole team.

    …did anyone read John Gibson’s swipe at Ashley in today’s Chronicle anyway? 😯
    …canny funny like, in a sad sort of way. 😥 😆

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  31. I thought they would go with Dzeko up front. Big forwards give us nightmares. Especially skilled ones. Shola and Cisse starting? How is that meant to work? At least they didn’t field anything like their best 11.

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  32. …Pards just telling David Craig we weren’t far from our best against the mackems.
    Was he watching the same game as me? 😕

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  35. Mark has it spot on @15

    No service or creativity from a midefield of Anita, Sissoko & Tiote.

    442 = Sissoko & Gouffran on the wings, Cisse & Ameobi up top.
    433 = Gouffran & Cisse either side of Ameobi

    Either way the forwards won’t get any service.

    or maybe, just maybe…

    Pardew & Carver must be thinking 4213 as that’s what Man City play:

    1) Tiote & Anita stopping ALL Man City attacks & complete dominating their midfield. As soon as they get the ball they should hopefully hoof it up to Ameobi.

    2)Sissoko doing amazing through balls with his incredible vision & passing range if the ball somehow makes it’s way to him.

    3)Ameobi playing like Drogba & generally being a nuisance against the City centre halves. Also he’ll be knocking the ball down for the pacy Gouffran & Cisse both of whom would run onto it and score.

    4) When not in possesion we could revert to 451 with Cisse on the right wing, Ameobi as the striker & Gouffran playing left wing.

    5) Win the game 4-0 for revenge.

    I think we’ll be ok. Cup final here we come!!

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  36. ….what a fucking puppet.

    Pardew attempting to talk sense through tactics and formation to David Craig, reminds me of a new born kitten seeing a mirror for the first time.

    (and I’m not sure who’s the kitten)

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  46. I really do hope this is a tactical master piece that my feeble mind simply cannot understand, Rodz.

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  56. Just curious–how do you calibrate those inconsistency sensors, Rodz?

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  58. Come on, Papiss, start restoring that goal scoring ratio, kid. Let’s have two or three from you tonight, eh? Don’t think he’s ever scored a hat trick, has he?

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  59. FSOTC, I got a cheap flux capacitor from eBay, some brown wrapping paper, sellotape and PVA from Wilkos, and some chicken offal from my local abattoir. The manufacturing process is a family secret. 😉

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  61. Is this a 4-4-2 when defending and a narrow 4-3-3 in attack? I’m lost.

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  63. Be careful with those cheap flux capacitors, brother. They run hot and could melt.

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  65. Is there a game on? What’s happening?

    Where the eff is Marveaux? Did he go in to the past to make sure his parents meet at the Fish Under The Sea dance?

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  66. Nice work there from Shola, Cisse and Debuchy there.

    Is the Sholanator a false 9? Or just a false footballer?

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