Newcastle v Cardiff – FA Cup match preview

Magpies v Bluebirds
Magpies v Bluebirds
Newcastle United’s long-standing quest for silverware begins in earnest on Saturday as the Premier League takes a step back allowing the FA Cup to come to the fore.

The FA Cup remains the last major piece of domestic silverware we collected back in 1955 which is shocking for a club our size. Even Wigan have won it more recently than us which says a lot!

In my lifetime this competition has just been a source of disappointment. A lot of people go on about the magic of the cup but for me it’s more dread. Even the two final we reached just before the turn of the century were tinged with disappointment and I bet we’ll see numerous pieces of footage of us losing at Hereford or Stevenage or wherever at various points.

Having said that, if we did actually manage to win the thing I wonder just how big the celebration would be? Off the scale would be my guess such is the relative lack of success we’ve had over the years in my lifetime at least.

I look at the league table and we have no real danger of being relegated this season and I don’t think we’ll do much, if any, better than where we are now in the table so why not go for it, take it seriously, name string teams and try and give the fans something they’ve been craving for since 1955?

Newcastle:

Mathieu Debuchy will miss the game as he starts his three match ban following his sending off at West Brom. Fabricio Coloccini will also miss the game after picking up a knee injury in that same game. Captain Colo is likely to be out for six weeks at least.

Cardiff:

Former Magpie Craig Bellamy continues to struggle with a knee injury and has not been involved with the Cardiff City first team since the start of November.

Previously…

We have a good record against Cardiff City and have won the last seven games home and away against the Bluebirds – a run that stretches back to 1981. Equally impressive is our record against City at St James’ Park where United have won 18 times compared to just three wins for Cardiff and three draws adding up to the 24 meetings between the two clubs in the North-East.

Overall 48 games have been played between the two sides, Newcastle have won 22, Cardiff have won 15 with the spoils being shared on 12 occasions.

Final thought…

We know that at least two changes have to be made so I expect Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and either Paul Dummett or Massadio Haidara to make an appearance. The big question is what other changes do we make? I know I said at the start that we should name our strongest side, but they’ve been playing for the bulk of the season so far and have started to look a little jaded in the last couple of games so perhaps resting some (not all) of them isn’t such a bad idea? It’s often said that football is a squad game so why not use that squad? Players like Vurnon Anita, Yanga-Mbiwa, Ben Arfa and Cisse are all there to be used so give them some game time.

For Alan Pardew though it is a fine balancing act. He’ll be acutely aware of the stick he will get by naming a so-called “weaker” side if it all backfires, and with Cardiff City appointing a new manager there is potential for an improvement in performance from them. Then again, Pardew is paid to make the decisions and will live or die by them in the long run but we’ve lost two on the sin so why not go for a change?

Howay the lads!

Date: Saturday, 4th January, 2014

Time: 3pm

Venue: St James’ Park

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.

137 thoughts on “Newcastle v Cardiff – FA Cup match preview

  1. This game also can helps the team to bring back the “winning feeling”….

    Just imagine we lose this, the atmosphere in the dressing room and the pressure to do well against Man city the following game.. 😕

    Although, as always new manager brings a breathe of new…. might be a tricky game against cardiff.

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  2. For me the FA cup still holds that magic, but I think this could be a tricky game for us.
    AOD I agree we need to get the winning feeling back

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  3. TBH, the time for fresh legs was Sunday. Ho hum.

    Very tricky for Pards, this one. I think Cardiff will put in a good shift and be very difficult to keep out. For me, it’s time for a bit of rotation – but to be honest the team below is probably “too rotated”! It also assumes that all these players have been doing a good job in training/reserves, which I’m sure isn’t the case. You still have Willo, Anita and HBA in there for continuity, but the others give us fresh legs. The worry is that they’d have no idea how to play together…

    ———— Elliot —————-
    Mapou – Taylor – Willo – Dummett
    Marv — Anita – Jonas
    Benny – Cisse – Sammy

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  4. Cabaye injured, Debuchy suspended, Krul injured, Colo injured.

    Wouldn’t surprise me if we went on a **** poor run now.

    They call is management for a reason… He hasn’t managed the squad well at all. Short term solutions, no long term gain.

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  5. Bad news on the injury front, and yes I think Pards has left it too late to rotate.

    But it’s still not as bad as many teams have. Certainly not as bad as we’ve had at this time in previous years. 11 1st-teamers out, wasn’t it?

    WTF is the FA doing scheduling the FA cup for right on the end of the tightest series of PL fixtures of the season?

    Terminal fuckwittery in football. Any thicker and you’d have to water them.

    Anyway – getting back to the original question: who would people put out there tomorrow if they were AP?

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  6. Whumpie – It’s not like it’s a shock. FA Cup 3rd round has been around this date for as long as I remember.

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  7. God I’m desperate for us to win a cup and this is the one I want us to win, for me there is still romance to the FA cup.

    Whumpie@3 I like that line up, Cisse was at his most prolific in the 433 formation with Ba and Benny feeding him, and he links well with Marv too. Do I think we’ll see that line up though ,well no tbh.

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  8. Also ,why is it teams always change their bloody managers just before playing us 👿 I expect that to have a big baring on the game tomorrow, if only cause they will all be out to impress Ole 🙄 .Gonna be a tricky one me thinks.

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  9. Dave – I feel the same about the FA Cup mate. But for one reason or another we have been gash in it the last few seasons. In afraid I don’t see tomorrow being any different unfortunately.

    Whumpie – I think that team you’ve put up may well be spot on mate. Maybe Hiadara instead of Dummett. I don’t see Oba getting in, Bigi?, not sure.
    I hope he takes Armstrong along for a look out as well.

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  10. Kim,
    Every game is a tricky game when you support the Toon.

    If we lose this one, the pressure will start to build again. Simply can’t see a result against Man City. Could easily be four defeats on the trot and another shocking cup season under Pardew.

    He has to go out to win this game so there can’t be wholesale changes. But I’d definately rest Remy. The others he doesn’t have a choice but to rest. He’s overplayed into injury.

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  11. With Krul, Cabaye, Debuchy and Colocini all out (allegedly in the case of Cabaye and Krul) I would go with:

    —————————-Elliott——————————
    Santon—-Williamson–Yanga M’biwa—-Haidara
    —————————-Tiote——————————-
    ———————Anita——-Sissoko——————-
    Ben Arfa—————Cisse——————Gouffran

    Subs:
    Alnwick
    Dummett
    Taylor
    Jonas
    Sammy
    Shola
    Remy

    It gives Santon the opportunity to get used to playing right back before two tough games versus Man City and West Ham. I would have given Elliott the game anyway and the rest of the team virtually picks itself apart from Cisse

    I think Remy needs a break and Cisse needs the game time. I still have not given up on him yet and im sure he will come good again with adequate support and supply.

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  12. JJ, yes it’s a shame it took injuries to force a team rethink. He said last week he’d be making changes because of the xmas busy period, but all he did was drop Anita for Shola 🙄 ,he has only himself to blame really .

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  13. Even with that line-up, we can put out a decent bench, with Haidara, Obertan, Bigi – perhaps Armstrong, as Sharpy suggested.

    Trouble is, I suspect Cardiff will go for a strong and familiar 11; with a new manager and no time for him to get bedded in, they’ll not dare try anything completely new. It may crock them for the next game, but I can’t see them doing much else.

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  14. I wouldn’t be surprised if Pardew is just resting Cabaye and Krul too, maybe. Call them injuries and if it goes tits up he has more excuses. Cabaye’s always ready to come off after an hour or so.

    I’d play:
    Elliot
    Santon Willo Mbiwa Haidara
    Sissoko Tiote Anita
    Benny Gouffran Sammy

    Still a strong team. I want us to win the fcker not wimp out again.

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  15. I thought Tiote, Goofs and Sissoko all looked knackered at Brom. Could have been the weather, mind – that was enough to make anyone want to go back to bed.

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  16. Oblong ,you would think he would get something decent into him from those two out wide wouldn’t you. We have to be getting up in support much faster though as we have looked very leggy of late. Benny could defo do with starting this game as he’ll be nice and fresh and I’m not sure Cardiff could handle his trickery.

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  17. There is far too many games over the holiday. Did we have to have the New Years Day one? Too many and a lot to do with squeezing in International breaks. Do we need them? Why can’t internationals be played on Weds? 👿

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  18. Georgio – daft, isn’t it? Yes, it’s the same every year – but every year we see dozens of players injured as a result. Meanwhile the world has to stop for two weeks several times a year to accommodate internationals.

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  19. Does anyone else have a weird combination of dread and chuffedness at the prospect of Saylor returning?

    Great to see a local, 100% black-and-white player in there – but how long before he play-acts, fouls or otherwise muppets his way to a red card or a penalty?

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  20. On my point of supply and support….

    Is it just me that is very worried about our lack of wide options??

    Ben Arfa – Not in my opinion an out and out winger, more of a RF in my opinion. also he likes to drift inside and shoot which limits the chances he creates for others.
    Gouffran – works very hard wherever he plays and is a great team player but again not an out and out winger and drifts inside a lot to support the striker.
    Sissoko – Growing into the role as a RW and is doing well but isnt a winger and i only see him as a short term solution.
    Obertan – Seems to have spat the dummy and will be away. was nerver good enough anyway.
    Marveaux – Personally I prefer him in a central mid role but even when considered as a winger seems to be out of the picture completely.
    Jonas – offers little going forward and has looked better centrally in my opinion.
    Sammy – Not sure he will make the grade
    Ferguson – Has a great left foot. Will he make the grade? Also on the few occasions i have seen him for Birmingham he has played more centrally.

    Thoughts?

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  21. Oblong – I think you’re right; that’s a big list of ‘nearly wingers’. But tbh, 100%, get-to-the-line-and-cross wingers are a rare breed generally these days.

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  22. Kim – so who would you have up top? I’d rest Remy, tired of Shola and dont ever want to see Cisse again.
    Whumpie – little harsh on Saylor. He seems to have got a lot lot worse than I remember while he’s been out. 😉

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  23. Georio – you’re probably right. We could do with some old-school, geordie blood back on the pitch. You never know, he may have actually had enough of a shock since that stupid elbow at the beginning of the season. Could he have actually learned something?

    Sorry. Must be the Friday effect. Daft thoughts. 😆

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  24. —————————-Elliott————————-
    –Yanga Mbiwa–Saylor–Dummett–Haidara—
    ——————-Anita———Bigi———————
    ——–Ben Arfa——Marveaux——–Sammy——-
    —————————Cisse————————–

    I personally would give Santon and Gouffran a day off they look knackered. I would rather MYM at centre half but because of our lack of options at right back would shoehorn him in there.

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  25. Little Adam Campbell scores on his debut last night and interviewed on SSN – if anyone has the App.

    Could work out to be a good loan move for all parties involved that one – fingers crossed anyway.

    Connor Newton seems to be doing well there as well to be fair.

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  26. I can’t believe our **** owner! He can’t even get us an upgrade on Shola! 1-2 million would find a better replacement than Shola or even Cisse. I got a feeling there ignore the situation like they always do and hand Shola a new contract ? This really pisses me off about Ashley!

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  27. Taking a break from a painful discussion with JJ/KK on the other thread 😡
    Fitness permitting I would go as strong as we possibly can.
    Gouffran and Sissoko definitely to be rested, along with the injured Cabaye/Colo/Debs.
    Would play:
    Krul
    Santon
    Mbiwa
    Willo
    Dummett
    Tiote
    Anita
    HBA – on the right
    Marv behind the striker
    Sammy – on the left
    Remy up top.
    OR
    Remy on the left
    Cisse up top.
    This is arguably the first year in ages that we don’t have much to play for in the league. I can’t see Ashley strengthening enough to see us challenge for CL and we currently aren’t threatened by relegation. I would rather focus on a cup than getting Europa as I don’t think Europa will have much bearing on whether people like Cabaye stay anyway.

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  28. Well Salano, although I agree Gouffran needs a rest. I hope Cisse takes advantage of this chance and scores from it.

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  29. If Pardew gets to the final we are in europe next season. If we win the europa league we automatically go into the champions league.

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  30. Kimtoon,
    Still not quite sure why he couldn’t John he was alive, but enjoyed anyway.
    Last episode of the second series was as good as anything I’ve ever seen!

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  31. With injuries , a suspension and some players needing a rest , we should line up against Cardiff :-
    —————————————Elliott

    Santon———-Willo—————————-Mbiwa————–Dummett

    ————-Sissoko—————Tiote—————–Anita

    ———————————–Marveaux

    ———————Obertan———————–Saylor

    With arguements raging over who is worse , Shola or Cisse , the reality is they are both performing poorly with neither able to score.
    I have more faith in Obertan and Saylor. They would get a hatful between them 😀

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  32. Solano , yeah I know but I think his undercover thing would only work if he made his death totally believable and he couldn’t risk John giving the game away ,he had to be seen to move on in a new life.

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  33. Here’s hoping for a very good effort against Cardiff. An absolute must to proceed to the next round when playing at home in our first fa cup game this season. I would go with Mbiwa and Willo flanked by Haidara and Santon. Start Cisse up front with Ben Arfa and Gouffy. Play a good strong midfield as well. A 2-0 win to us and move on from there.

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  34. i would rarther stick a wheelie-bin on the half way line than play shola up front at least we could play the ball off the bin 😈

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  35. Ice mate good to see you on here. How were the holidays for you and the family? We’re doing well. I’m disappointed with our play of late but the new year may turn things around. All the best lad.

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  36. Kimtoon I think Cisse should start only because I want him to start earning his money from the club. If he doesn’t rise to the occasion and score a couple of goals then he should be sold and replaced.

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  37. Spot on STEM @45. That’s how I feel as well. You’ve been very fair to Cisse so far Kimtoon lass along with Big Dave and a few others but he has to start proving himself again straight away.

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  38. Cisse has been very poor this season and it’s worrying really. Can’t see Remy staying or Ameobi being offered a new contract by the club. Gouffran, Sammy and Campbell will be all we have left.

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  39. Has anyone else wondered if Krul’s really skinny feet affect his kicking. It must be like trying to launch a ball with a pair of cross country skis on 🙂

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  40. G2 I don’t think will get anywhere near 9 million for him but another cheap player like Gouffran would do very nicely. You know Ashley will only spend the bare minimum on a player but I’m not asking mega bucks.

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  41. G2 aye ime fine mate,only been on blog a little due to laptop breakdown then the tablet frezzing wife tends to hogg the laptop at the mo,waiting for my tablet being returned from repair 🙁 but son has had a baby girl born 6wks early (icepup) but alls well 😀 i just cannot put my finger on cissie poor form a good goalscorer for 3yrs then nowt cant understand it from such a young player must be getting into his head now,he needs a break of some sort and he wont get it sitting on his backside imo mate

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  42. No it won’t be possible to get our money back for Cisse STEM mate unless a miracle happens and he starts banging them in again. I hope he can score a few this season and we can get him sorted out to a decent European team for 4 or 5 M pounds. Bring in a young fast forward and a decent target man of size to complement Remy. Stop mucking about Ashley and offer Remy a decent wage or go after a premium striker to replace him.

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  43. I’m at least half serious about Krul’s feet. Have people had a look at those things? They can’t be more than 3 inches wide! 😆

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  44. G2, I’m thinking Cisse must be really low on confidence by now, but Pards has to show some faith in him or he will be a has been in everyones eyes. I do believe we don’t get forward quick enough to support him and it’s starting to happen with Remy too, both he and Cisse are now snatching at chances, it’s just Remy’s have come off better. Shola offers sod all up front and starting him last Wednesday was an utter waste of a place, I said it before kick off and so it was ,he was even worse than normal but then they all were.

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  45. G2 never really looked at his feet if ime honest but will look now 😉 but i do wish he would work on throwing the ball more rarther than big boot,a good throw out would be better to set the attack quicker m/u had a keeper that was ace at it

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  46. Aye ice mate I know all about computer problems. Just spent about 300 quid to have my desktop and my daughter’s laptop repaired. Computer network malware or some bollocks according to the lads that fixed them. Fed up with it as I pay for a premium internet security setup (supposedly 👿 ), Good to hear about the new grand daughter. Tell pup to keep up the good work mate. 😀

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  47. Cisse got 13 last season plus 7 chalked off wrongly, so was really 20 which isn’t half bad imo. Now I know all players get goals wrongly chalked off but bloody hell 7 😯 that’s rank poor officiating imo and I wouldn’t mind betting half them decisions were based on his tendency to stray off in the mind of lino’s and refs when they aren’t sure . He’s had another legit goal wrongly chalked off this season and he’s hardly got on the pitch poor sod 👿

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  48. Yes I have to agree Kimtoon lass. The cup is the ideal time for Cisse to break out. Let’s push forward and really attack them right from the start with a 4-3-3 formation. Lot’s of action in Cardiff’s third. We still don’t get enough players in the box quickly enough on attack. It’s ridiculous. What is Pardew doing in practice? I agree that Remy has had far fewer decent chances as well of late. Pardew is too defensive against poor sides.

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  49. Ice ,How’s the baba doing?

    G2, you got a bit of a thing for Timmy’s feet going on there 😉 😀

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  50. You’re spot on @56 as well Kimtoon. A lot of his chances chalked off because of his rep of going offside. He probably should have ended up with at least 17 goals I would agree. But that’s in all competitions and he really did fade badly this season. It’s a shame I agree but how long can we stick with him if he gets playing time and continues to not score? It’s a tough choice for Pardew and our cheapskate owner will be grinding his teeth.

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  51. Check those things out Kimtoon lass. His feet are at least a foot and a half long and 3 inches wide! No really! It’s unbelievable he can even stand up! And I’m more of a leg man by the way. 😆

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  52. G2 , Don’t worry though, feet fetish is pretty common place ,my ex used to love my tootsies, well apart from when I was kicking up the **** like. 😉

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  53. Kimtoon I don’t know if it’s Pardews tactics or Cisse to be honest but when he first joined he was brilliant. If a goal or two against Cardiff restore’s his confidence the good. We can’t keep giving him chances if it doesn’t benefit the team. It might be best to part terms and find someone else. I even think Ba was better than Remy and I do miss Ba but Ashley’s fault once again ?

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  54. Look what’s happened to Ba though STEM. He’s messed himself up big time going to Chelsea. Greedy agents did him in. I think he was our best striker in a long while. Remy is good but once again he and his agents will get greedy, especially if he gets 20 or so with us this season.

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  55. G2 , You know what you say about guys with big feet 😉 Oh to be a fly on the team bathroom wall 😆

    Stem@62, I know he was at his best or seemed to be in a 433, as for Ba yep ,great player but only ever saw us as a shop window sadly ,but then I think that’s the case with a lot of them now.

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  56. KIM baba doing great was only 4lb 9oz born but flying now,i think me and you have talked the cissie problem a few times now and we still dont have a answer if those chalked ones had been given would be a 20/25 goals a season player how much would that type of striker cost now in the PL so imo it must be worth working on for pardew imo

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  57. Pardew had better hurry up and fix Cisse soon ice mate. Surely that thunderous penalty should give him a lift? Kimtoon you are a naughty one. Fly on the wall indeed. If the dimensions are proportional you might not be able to see something that thin! 😆

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  58. It’s such a shame Ashley didn’t offer him more money G2. If Kinnear could get him on loan I think will finish the season on a high. Shame there has to be greedy agents.

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  59. So if Cisse doesn’t score a couple against Cardiff then he’s a lost cause and should be sold? 😆
    He has hardly been on the field in two months. I’d give him till the end of the season before I make that decision especially considering he’ll be our only remaining striker.

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  60. Aye STEM it’s become ridiculous mate. Enough is enough. But Ashley has to be cheaper than anyone else of course. He’ll be busy counting his pennies again now, wondering if he can afford a 4M pound bid for some player worth twice that.

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  61. G2 😆

    Ice , That’s not a bad weight for pre term mate ,my girl was 5lb 7oz at 3 weeks early and Lewis was only 5lb.2oz at 2 weeks early, so pups mrs did well there . So glad all is well send pup my best anyways.

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  62. Not at all JJ mate but he has to start somewhere and he won’t get that many opportunities unless he scores. Give him the full game against Cardiff and continue to bring him on early in the second half as often as possible. But he must start taking his chances at a reasonable rate. If he could manage 6-8 goals in the second half of the season it would be a huge turnabout for him.

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  63. G2 Ashley disrespect’s a lot of teams by being to cheap. I don’t blame people for protesting against him. If he offered Ba more wages we wouldn’t have to shell out 10 million pounds on a new player.

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