Successive yet unexpected wins at home to Chelsea and away at Tottenham may have come as a rather welcome surprise, but it could also be argued that they were needed after the defeat to Sunderland.
However the real test for United is what happens next. With two home games coming up the pressure is on us to get results once more. No team has a divine right to beat another and it depends on how things pan put on the day, but being at home against Norwich and then West Brom means that the expectation is firmly on us to make things happen.
If we can live up to those expectations and win both matches we’ll have won all of our league games in November and will have 23 points on the board – a total we didn’t reach until the end of February last season, and only three pints worse off than the season in which we finished fifth and qualified for Europe!
Newcastle:
Mathieu Debuchy will miss the match after picking up a fifth yellow card of the season against Tottenham. Ryan Taylor is definitely out whilst question marks remain over the availability of Paul Dummett. Other than that Alan Pardew has a full squad to choose from including Jonas Gutierrez and Fabricio Coloccini who are both available again.
Norwich:
Ricky van Wolfswinkel, Alexander Tettey, Elliott Bennett and Mark Bunn are all absent through injury although Anthony Pilkington appears to have overcome a hamstring problem and should be available to play should former Magpie manager Chris Hughton select him.
Previously…
United managed to avoid defeat against the Canaries last season, winning 1-0 at St James’ Park and drawing 0-0 at Carrow Road. A win tomorrow would make it three home wins on the spin against Norwich, and this is a match that generally favours the home side.
This will be the 50th meeting in all competitions between the two sides. To date Newcastle have won 21, Norwich 14 with another 14 draws making up the numbers.
Stats and facts:
As this is a match between our former and current manager it’s only right to compare win ratios. IN the Premier League with Newcastle, Chris Hughton managed a win rate of 31.3% compared to Alan Pardew’s win rate of 37.6%.
Norwich have won only three away league games since Chris Hughton took charge.
Norwich haven’t won at St James’ Park since 1988 when Dale Gordon and Robert Fleck gave them a 2-0 victory.
Newcastle have scored more goals from outside the penalty area than any other side this season.
Loic Remy has scored 47% of our goals this season – a higher proportion than any other player for any team in the league.
Final thought…
We really should be looking to win this one. The momentum is with us after two impressive league victories and we have half a team who should be busting a gut trying to get into the France squad now they’ve assured qualification for the World Cup next year.
However this is Newcastle and that joie de vivre can easily disappear just as easily as it arrives, and this is the type of match we always seem to struggle with. Complacency needs to be avoided. With the greatest of respect to Norwich, you know that you need to be at the top of your game to get results against the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham, but this has potential to be one of those after the lords mayors show kind of affairs. I hope my concerns are unfounded.
Howay the lads!
Date: Saturday, 23rd November, 2013
Time: 3pm
Venue: St James’ Park
Toonsy-I’m glad you left out the Dummett mistake the BBC made! Proves your not just copy and pasting and the like…. 😛
Nah but seriously, good review. The pressure is off and yet, in a way, there is more pressure on Pardew tomorrow than there was against either Chelsea or Spurs. Need 3 points and would like to see us win in some style, but any win will do!
Newkie(Quote)
Thanks Toonsy. Yep need to win tomorrow otherwise beating Chelsea and Spurs won’t be a nice bonus anymore. Debbie being out will be a blow but it shouldn’t stop us getting a win as there are players more than capable of slotting in to RB, namely Anita ,and Mbiwa . As you say with France now off to Rio we should hopefully see the French contingent busting a gut for France selection from here on in. By the way anyone heard anything on Remy’s court appearance?, it’s all gone very quiet like.
KIMTOON(Quote)
The weekend is off to a fine start. Howay the lads and make it another super weekend of football.
brisvegas(Quote)
http://mobile.newsnow.co.uk/A/681024643?-11058:809:t
May suggest that Cisse gets the nod ahead of Shola tomorrow.
I think Chelsea and Spurs were bonus points, and I doubt even Pardew saw 6 points from those games. But Norwich at home is a game I’d certainly expect 3 points from. Not easy as they are off the back of a good come back win themselves. But nevertheless, we should be winning with one IMO.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy agree mate, trouble is we are so inconsistent at the present time you never know what to expect . 🙄
KIMTOON(Quote)
Well, let’s hope Pard’s masterful man management skills come off then. Cisse has certainly needed something..
Newkie(Quote)
Cisse or Shola – what a mouth watering concept! Can’t wait for the inevitable avalanche of goals 😆
georgio(Quote)
Shola for me. He is currently on form ( for Shola anyways) scoring for Nigeria and qualifying for the World Cup. We need to shake their defenders up from the off. Shola is the man to do that.
Bring Cisse on 2nd half maybe.
On another note our captain wants away again 🙁
Darren(Quote)
http://mobile.newsnow.co.uk/A/681097927?-11058
If they pay the fee I’d let the ***** go!
Sharpy17(Quote)
Fair words from Collo. He’s been a great servant to the club and ifhis hheart is elsewhere I wish him the best. But I’m not letting him go for free. They’re going to have to pony up a reasonable fee
MDS(Quote)
I don’t know if we will win tomorrow but we shouldn’t underestimate Norwich or we could end up losing. Norwich might not be as good as Chelsea or Spurs but they should be treated with the same respect. Our french players might be tired after the Ukraine game. If Norwich get a chance they will take it and defend well but we should win but i’m still wary after the Hull City game ?
stem(Quote)
Keep Williamson in defence and for the love of god no Jonas
stem(Quote)
Had a feeling the Colo issue would be cropping up again. To be fair if he has family issues then he’s probably best off back home as sooner or late he’ll really start to resent being here. That said if San Lorenzo is to be the destination then they must stump up the cash , it’s that simple. Perhaps a bigger Argie club could sign him 😕 ,if the only issue is to be home then it seems the logical way out to me ,unless it’s his old mans club trying to get him on the cheap and not a family issue at all. What ever happens I am grateful to him for his commitment to us the last 4 years, he’s been a good player, and will defo have to be replaced with an equally good player.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Colocini best days our behind him.
stem(Quote)
Stem , There are goals in that team, they don’t need to rely on the front men and we under estimate them at our peril. On the up side RVW is out injured I think. I do however think they are a confidence team ,if they go behind they seem to get very nervy on the other hand go ahead and they really up the game, well that’s how it’s come across to me when I have watched them.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Stem ,you could be right@14, he does seem to be getting more and more niggly injuries now. If he really wants away perhaps he could consider buying out his contract .
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kinnear getting a defender in to replace Colocini then will end up with Titus Bramble or worse ?
Colocini been a good servant to the club and I will wish him all the best.
stem(Quote)
More than happy to drive Colo to the airport meself, assuming he and Lorenzo pay up 10/15mil to cover his contract. Wouldn’t bring him in now personally.
Newkie(Quote)
Reading the fergie biography at the moment and there’s a bit about when he got rid of **** and Phil Neville which could relate to collos situation.
Fergie let them go on the cheap for the best possible move for the player as they were loyal players to the club.
Collo has been a dedicated servant here and deserves some leeway with a future move. If it were to a club supposably better than us then yes put our foot down. But because it’s to his childhood club we shouldn’t be so black and white about it.
Not a free transfer but don’t over price him because we don’t want to lose a few million.
Darren(Quote)
Kimtoon everytime i predict a newcastle win they end up losing, so i dont want to say that because i might jinx them. There’s an outside chance of finishing in the top four but that’s no thanks to Kinnear or Ashley! With a little more help from them we could be a really decent side. I don’t want Newcastle in the europa league again, champions league only for me but i would take 5th than 16th.
stem(Quote)
Darren I agree with that. They just need to make sure they include a see on clause and make his leaving contingent on us signing a replacement
MDS(Quote)
Sell on clause
MDS(Quote)
Tomorrow is going to tell us a lot about this squad’s flexbility. The Scum and Hull have showed that while we can match some of the skills-based teams like Chelski and Citeh, if we’re up against 11 men prepared to get really stuck in, then we’re vulnerable.
Hopefully Pards saw that too, and has done something about it. We need the hard bastards in the squad – Willo, Shola, Tiote – to ensure we can be resilient enough. Fancy passing isn’t going to do the trick against the Canaries; they’ll just chase it down and harry us out of the game.
Whumpie(Quote)
@ DARREN
you call him captain i call him a useless long haired yeti that should not get in the team anymore and certainly should not get the armband back, but im sure theres still mugs in here will back him
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Toon with a hard fought 2-1 tomorrow. Remy first half, Cisse in the last quarter. Williamson sent off. Howay the lads 🙂
Munich Mag(Quote)
I would take a 2-1 victory all the way to new years for Newcastle United.
stem(Quote)
Darren@19-I know they were manure players, but there is a massive gulf in class between Neville/**** and Colo.
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie, Collo has been paid humongously in return for slumming it at the toon. He hasn’t deserved jack-**** loyalty wise if you ask me. Collocini shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath as Neville and ****…
Munich Mag(Quote)
@ NEWKIE 27 says
Darren@19-I know they were manure players, but there is a massive gulf in class between Neville/**** and Colo.
spot on **** and neville could play unlike collo 😆 😆 😆 😆
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
@toonarmyelite Mug 😯
What’s with the hostility mate. Not so long ago 50000 mugs were shouting his name from the stands.
Short term memories aside, Collo might be going about it the wrong way but the old Dicanio way of doing things rarely works. Just look at how we handled Cabaye, we are still getting the best out of him. It’s too easy to dismiss a player as being a mercenary without knowing the full facts.
I agree Tiote should hold onto the armband though, he has been a breathe of fresh air in his new captaincy role.
Darren(Quote)
I don’t buy this sentimental **** about Colo.
If he wants to go back to San Lorenzo or what ever, then either they or he have to stump up a decent fee. A couple of million at least.
No way in hell he should be allowed to walk away on a free transfer.
This may be sport, but it is also BIG business.
Can’t recall a similar thing happening before.
Plus it would set a president for any other players who want away.
Bollix to that. You get nowt for free in this life. 👿 👿 👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Toonsy good preview 😉 we should be taking all 3pts but then its this type of game that we sometimes dont turn up for.
As for Colo I hope he doesnt get the armband back and he shouldnt be just walking back into the team either, and the sooner he is gone the better, but if San Lorenzo dont cough up I would let him go and with hold his papers.
Big Dave(Quote)
@ DARREN says
@toonarmyelite Mug 😯
What’s with the hostility mate. Not so long ago 50000 mugs were shouting his name from the stands.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<, sounds to me spec savers ganna do a roaring trade then 😆 😆 😆 😆
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Tiote should definitely keep the armband
MDS(Quote)
Agree Tiote should keep the armband, but if Colo plays he wont. 👿
Pardew should tear a strip off colo for bringing all this back out into the public arena AGAIN.
The sooner he goes the better now. ****
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
<<<<<<<< dos not think we will get a fee for the long haired yeti,which dont really bother me,would just like to see his reported 80k a week wage off our wage bill in truth
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
@toonarmyelite 33 it’s a good job the plans to build those slides outside St James park have been scraped 😉
Darren(Quote)
TOONARMYELITE@36, Ashley probably has his eye on both, getting the 80 grand a week off his spread sheet whilst getting a couple of mill in transfer fees for the curly one. Not a bad move if you ask me, we have a ready made replacement there anyway in Iron Mike Williamson.. 😉
Munich Mag(Quote)
@ MUNICH MAG
il will be amazed if we get a fee for him now bud, his wages are to much in my opion for some1 to pay a fee for him
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
TOONARMYELITE by the time next summer comes round he’ll have two years remaining on his contract. I reckon there’ll be some tough negotiating going on to get him out of his contract in the summer of 2014. At the same time unless Collo puts the money up himself I cannot see it coming off. I wouldn’t be in a hurry to walk away from 80K a week either to be honest, no matter how much I loved San Lorenzo 🙂 The Argy league is so gash these days he can probably play there for a couple of years once he leaves the toon…he’ll be approaching 34 around that time..
Munich Mag(Quote)
Alan Shearer always wanted to play for his boyhood club as well. Did Blackburn take the sentimental approach for him?.
It’s funny how San Lorenzo want Collo so much, but don’t want to pay a fee. Colo desperately wants to play for his boyhood club – but doesn’t want to buy his contract out?! 😕
A great servant to Newcastle?!, it’s November and he’s taking about wanting away ASAP!. He’s supposed to be our club captain FFS!, we are all talking about trying to get a mini run going with a win against Norwich.
As a club captain and a supposed great servant, I’d be hoping to hear him say “the boys have done a great job in my absence, Mike and Mapou have be brilliant. But I’m fit now and desperate to play my part in the teams good run at the moment. The transfer window is a long way off, if San Lorenzo and Newcastle want to do business then we will see. But for now I just want to get back playing for Newcastle”.
That’s what I’d expect from a captain and loyal player. Not creating unrest when things are going well for the team.
Find out how much Man City want for Boyata, charge San Lorenzo the same about and let the cheating ***** **** off back to Argie!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
well said Sharpy
Its a ferking disgrace if I’m honest.
Only at Newcastle 👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
@ MUNICH MAG
thought he had 3 years left after this season bud
@ SHARPY17
good point bud wondering meself what some of the other players think ,about the surposed captain trying to jump ship again the guy the other players surposedly should be looking up to and the quicker that useless long haired yeti gone the better in my opion
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
@sharpy17 fair point. If he is to be sold to San Lorenzo though it will have to be for a reduced price. This is probably the best for everyone I feel.
Still think he should be remembered fondly among the fans. He was a good captain for us. Ok on 80k you’d expect it. From what I can remember he did a professional job getting us back up to the prem and never complained once.
Also, he is a gentleman who never took any Newcastle fans offer of shagging their wife, that’s gotta be commended 😆
Darren(Quote)
BB/TAE – some people’s sentimental approach is just fucking beyond me like!. He’s been paid bloody handsomely for being a ‘good servant’, over £4m per year for his ‘loyalty’.
If San Lorenzo can’t afford him, he can stump up the money!. He ****** enough birds to cause this problem in the first place – he ain’t fucking us over as well!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I know its no good keeping an unhappy player, but surely he is ripping the **** out of us, if he thinks he can just go for nowt.
The club and fans owe him nothing.
If he or SL cant/wont stump up the readies, then he goes nowhere.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
its always the same at the toon someone has to rock the boat 😕
icedog(Quote)
Darren – he’s been a good player for us (first season aside), but I’ve never rated him as a captain personally.
I hope we work out a way for him to go, coz I certainly don’t want him at the club now!. The bloke is a disgrace if you ask me.
If we could get someone like Boyata for £4-5m, then ask San Lorenzo for the same. If they can’t afford it, then Colo can stump up half if he’s so desperate to get away.
Sharpy17(Quote)
TAE@43, 06.2016, that’s when the Curly ones contract expires apparently…. can someone quickly work out 3 x 52 x 80K a week and post it on here, so we can all get all gooey over Collo’s loyalty to…er… Banco Santander or …
It’s a faaaanny old game, and it aint all abaaat the maaney….but it would be for me 🙂
Sounds like someone is stirring the **** again regarding Collo…
Would be ecstatic with a win, but will settle for a draw tomorrow to be honest…
Munich Mag(Quote)
MUNICH MAG
around 10 million in wages over the next 2 and a half year,thats why i would let him go just for free
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
@sharpy Not seen much of boyata to make a comment about him but if we are to improve as a squad he must be able to pass from the back to replace Collo if he does go.
Also a note on Mbiwa I think he will be a class act in the future. Some of the clearances he makes are quality, brings back memories of Woodgate when he first joined us. He has his lapses in concentration but hopefully that’s just him adapting to the English game. He should definitely get as much game time in the prem as possible as it will pay off for us big time.
Darren(Quote)
@ DARREN
that clearance off the line v spuds was awesome thought spuds were nailed on to score there 😯
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
I agree with Sharpy17 about Colocini. He is our captain, our players have had two good games with out him! He should be patting them on the back and getting on with the job his paid to do. No-one put a gun to his head and made him sign that contract. Pardew doesn’t need this **** before the Norwich game. He should pay out of contract and come to a mutual agreement with Ashley ?
stem(Quote)
Finding a good defender for 10 million is a nightmare. Everybody wants Chelsea, Arsenal, Manu, Liverpool or a london club. This is bad timing and with Kinnear and penny pinching Ashley at the helm you would be naive to think about getting a descent replacement?
stem(Quote)
if it helps will even kick collo up to the airport meself 😯 i mean drive 🙄 just wants and end to the collo drama ASAP and if that means riping up his contract then so be it 😉
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
TAE – I understand your point about wages saved, but if we allow Colo to leave for free – what message does that send out to the other players mate? – Cabaye who wants a move to Arsenal or Benny wanting to go to PSG?.
Top defenders cost money to replace though mate and its not like we have someone waiting in the wings to replace him. Willo is playing well at the mo, but he’s 30 himself so will need replacing himself soon. Taylor is gash IMO and Mapou has still got some developing to do, but will get there I reckon.
Darren – Boyata would be a solid defender and a cracking partner for Mapou IMO. He could do the Willo role but has pace and technique (that’s not a pop at Willo by the way).
Sharpy17(Quote)
Agree that Colo shouldn’t be making the comments, but can’t argue with them tbh.
Ronaldo used to go on about how he was dreaming of playing for Real Madrid, as did Fabregas for Barca. Didn’t stop either of them performing well for their clubs, and it hasn’t stopped Coloccini (aside from a blip about a year ago). He himself says that he respects the decision of the club to keep him, and will always give his all while here.
People acting as if something might have changed in the past year, the manager, team and fans all know he wants to leave. Who cares if he says it again so long as he is doing it on the pitch.
And this “give him away for free”, where the hell has that come from.
Honestly, two clean sheets without him, and some want shot of our still undisputed best defender! 😯 Madness.
Tbh I would rather have Colo being honest, than some pony-haired **** giving it all about how much he loves the club then whining to get away first chance (note – I don’;t think Carroll was fully forced out – see Xisco for reasons..)
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
ST – Ronaldo moved for £80m and Cesc for £35m, and yes San Lorenzo wanted him for nowt!, they said so much last Jan!. No-one doubts he still wants to play for them, but he was happy enough to sign a new contract with us, so he should shut his fucking trap and get on the what he’s paid for!. If SL want him they’ll make an offer in Jan – then he can talk about it, not the day before a home game.
Oh, and **** him. My back 4 tomorrow would be
Santon – Willo – Mapou – Haidara
Colo gets the bench at best.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Trumpet
Xisco was not offered better money by another club and a more successful club. Howay, utter **** comparison.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Munich-you honestly think **** was a better player for us than Colo? Surely not? I agree he deserves **** all loyalty, but sir alex doesn’t sell players cheap because they are loyal, he sells them cheap because they are ****. Aka Neville and ****..I liked **** as a person but he was never PL title winning class. One of the worst of that generation, and that’s why we got him 😆
Newkie(Quote)
ST – your long haired **** also brought £35m into our club, and do you have any proof of him whinging or wanting to move?. He didnt say publicly he wanted to leave or hand a transfer request in that I’m aware of. But his sale did allow us to really strengthen our first team.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Colo should be allowed to go and he should be remembered as a cracking player who gave his all for the club.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
@Sharpy
I’m not saying that we should sell, completely the opposite. If his performances keep up, I’d be happy to keep him until his contract runs out and lose him for free, I think he would be a good tutor for the younger players.
But him talking about what he wants, is no difference to Ronaldo/Fabregas in that he has assured everyone that he respects the decision not to sell him.
It annoys me that he has to comment, but the rags would probably construe a “no comment” however the hell they want anyway.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
@Troy
If Carroll could have been “forced” out of a club where the town loved him, then I struggle to see how we couldn’t force Xisco out of a city that didn’t want him here 😉 ❗
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Sharpy
Of course I am delighted that we got 35 Mill for Carroll.
I just appreciate (not the timing) the honest saying you want a move, but knuckling it down until a transfer materialises over Carroll’s, dead-line day “give me another pay rise or I’m off”/transfer-request, and Cabaye’s refusal to play.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
I would play Anita in Debuchy’s place and keep the rest the same.
Shola may be on a high after his Nigeria goal, and will hopefully give their centre backs a bit of a battering.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
If it is true, Colo should be immediately stripped of the captaincy and allowed to leave for approx 2m with all bonuses etc forfeited.
He has been a very good player but please lets not get too emotional.
Has the FOOL been sacked yet?
He is sure as he’ll to **** it up tomorrow against the mighty Norwich. lol
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
Troy-surely he is worth at least 5 mil, would you not want the club to miss out on a fee for him? Unless we wrap a 100% sell on clause, because honestly i think he would be more useful to San Lorenzo as a sale than an actual player by the time he gets there…he could still play a few years in Italy or Turkey imo.
Newkie(Quote)
And yes, Tiote for club captain from now. He has passion, more loyalty (than the rest seemingly) and most importantly-he plays WELL with the armband-unlike Cabaye and Colo who have performed as they would usually, imo. Give him the captaincy and a starting role, for so long as he is in form.
Drop sissoko.
Newkie(Quote)
Troy – same goes for every player then I suppose does it?.
ST – if he said he’d like to play for them one day – as Ronaldo and Cesc did then still bad timing but fair enough. But he didnt, his words are ‘as soon as possible’. So he doesn’t want to see his contract out with us, he’d be off on Jan 1st if he could – which is bad **** craic in my eyes mate.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Newkie@60, no way am I saying that mate. I think there are some crossed wires here bud.
I meant what **** and Neville achieved for their club, the club which they showed loyalty towards, is far superior to what Collo has achieved at the toon. I remember the first 1,5 seasons that Collo played at the toon he got some severe batterings and looked somewhat of the pace. In later years he came good of course…..
Collo will go down as one of if not the best foreign player we have had playing at the toon. At the same time the bloke has been paid handsomely for it, and he couldn’t really complain if the club fined him for his outburst.
Two “captains”, trying there fooking hardest to get the hell out of here…Collo and Cabaye…laugh, I nearly got the beers in 👿
Maybe Jonas was down Argy way having a word with his missus to keep things straight, strange goings on somewhere behind the scenes. 😕
Munich Mag(Quote)
Sharpy,
Yeah it’s complete bollocks. But slim silver lining is that he isn’t throwing a strop just yet, so stuff what he ‘feels’. I definitely wouldn’t let him go for free, and I sure don’t think A$hley would.
I think he’s pretty “irreplaceable” for us atm – in that whatever little money we get for him (due to his age) would no way be able to afford a replacement for him. I guess Mbiwa is the obvious – and look to find a better physical defender to play against over Saylor/Willo.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Solano, Collo probably wants to make the Argy squad for the World Cup, so he should maybe get his **** in gear at the toon instead of blathering to the media.
The Legendary Super Eagle Shola will show us the way tomorrow 🙂
Munich Mag(Quote)
Munich-oh right ok then, in that case I agree with you. I thought you were talking on the same lines as TAE who was saying Colo wasn’t in Nevile/**** class. ❗
People say he showed “Loyalty” after relegation-but there was also the fact everyone thought he was **** and nobody wanted to pay him more than 80k. Was harder for him to jump ship than people like Duff and Martins. And look how they are viewed, especially the former (although Duff was a complete bellend on unmatched proprotions) Colo and Cabs both want out, whatever excuses their fawning lovers will make for them. Tiote for captain for me. Keep the other two while they play well-but expect nothing in return.
Newkie(Quote)
Munich
If they weren’t so expensive – I’d definitely buy a Shola, Nigeria top 😎
Who would have thought that he would be the representative geordie at the WC! 😆
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)