Sorry for the lack of articles, I have been working away all week in 40deg heat and I have been drinking beer in my minimal spare time because it was simply more appealing than typing away in my stuffy hotel room.
Anyway, today we meet QPR at home after another international break. Our form leading up to that break was exceptional and I guess the big question is will we be able to maintain the rage and take another win. QPR are there for the taking if we are good enough but they are no mugs. This has all the hallmarks of a tough affair and if we take this game for granted we will be in for a shock or two.
Collo is out injured and Pardew has this list to pick his starting eleven from.
Newcastle United (from): Alnwick, Elliot, Krul, Dummett, Haidara, Janmaat, R Taylor, S Taylor, Williamson, Anita, Bigirimana, Cabella, Colback, Sissoko, Tiote, Vuckic, Ameobi, Armstrong, Cisse, Ferreyra, Gouffran, Perez, Riviere.
I really can’t see any change other than Saylor in for Collo and Tiote for Abeid. It has been reported that Saylor if in doubt for this game and if he is, I am sure Williamson will slot in to take his place. It is a shame for Abeid as the lad was looking really good and it would have been nice to see him continue to get games.
QPR are missing Taarabt and Rednapp has these players to chose from.
Queens Park Rangers (from): Green, McCarthy, Murphy, Caulker, Dunne, Ehmer, Ferdinand, Hill, Isla, Onuoha, Traore, Yun, Barton, Fer, Henry, Hoilett, Kranjcar, Mutch, Phillips, Sandro, Wright-Phillips, Austin, Taarabt, Vargas, Zamora.
It will be interesting to see how the crowd reacts to Joey when he makes his return. He certainly seems to be a popular felon..err fellow, amongst some sections of fans. 🙂
Match Facts:
Newcastle United have won five and lost none of the last six Barclays Premier League meetings with Queens Park Rangers.
In those six meetings, QPR have opened the scoring three times and lost all three, while failing to net in the other three matches.
So if we go by the stats we are looking good for a victory but with Newcastle United you never know what will transpire on any given game day.
Howay the lads!
@Stuart79
If I recall you were the only one that wanted Pardew to stay 😛 even your driver wanted him out after the Palace game..
we all wanted him out for a better manager, who wouldnt. but he has turned things around so good for him, he deserves a lot of credit. We’re now playing as a team..
I wanted him gone, it looked really poor for a while, not just this season but last, but I’m so glad I listed to only you as you have proven us all wrong… well done, I’ll post you a gold star 😀 Now perhaps we can end the ‘told you so’ I’m so clever craic and just collectively enjoy the win? we all support the toon y’nar
mark(Quote)
Newks @140 sorry, should of been clearer there mate. Out of interest longest PL winless run is April 99 to sept 99 with 14 games. There’s a couple of 8’s in the late 90’s too. Under percy it’s 14 winless from backend of last season into this one and a couple of 5 /6 winless runs previously.
kIMTOON(Quote)
motm Sissoko, Collback, Haidara, Sammy, Janmaat, Perez, Cabella
in that order.. 😀
mark(Quote)
Pardew later revealed Taylor’s American surgeon, Richard Steadman, was among the crowd for the 1-0 win over QPR at St James’ Park and accompanied him to hospital for a scan as Tyneside holds its collective breath for him.
Pardew said: “We are sweating with Ryan. Fortunately, his surgeon was here in the stands today, he had come to watch from America, so he’s gone with him to hospital with our doctor, and we are just fingers-crossed on that scan.
“He feels uncomfortable with his knee, so the win is sort of tinged with sadness because he is a person and a personality who just not deserve the trauma he has had already, let alone another trauma, so we are just fingers-crossed that he is going to be okay.
“I’m sure all our fans and certainly all the squad and the staff are just thinking about him at the moment.”
mark(Quote)
the diffrence is i think our players are chasing them down quickly instead of standing there like dummy as they used to ,we missed alot of players latley but they are playing like a team ,sammy looks hench standing against staylor from what i saw the other week playing well
batty(Quote)
Mark find a comment when ive sed get rid of pardew ,ive always sed fatty out 😉
batty(Quote)
@ Batty 😀 I was generalising, soz dude..
although.. why get rid of fatty, he’s doing a great job, we’re in the black, he stuck by Pardew 😛 and we’re in a champions league spot. does he not deserve any credit 😯
mark(Quote)
Batty you’re right on closing down players
MDS(Quote)
mark cheers for agreeing about the players i cant stand fatty for what he di to keegan shearer and clueless chris but especially keegam modric and sweinstiger for 17 mill 😯 😯
batty(Quote)
I was at graft today and missed all of the game so can’t comment of player performance. But I was a little worried about this one with the injuries we had – and then to loose Raylor as well, absolutely gutted for him and hopefully not too bad.
To keep a clean sheet is a great achievement IMO. Nice goal from Sissoko and Cisse missed a bit of a sitter I hear.
A long way to go, but 4th in the league is just nuts when you think where we were 6-8 weeks ago.
Sharpy17(Quote)
bottom of the League on 22nd September
4th in the League on 22nd Nov
MENTAL
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
correction 5th
the slide has begun 😳
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Batty glad to see you putting Mark straight 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
strangely after Percy saying we are happy to concede possession more, we actually had the majority today.
Percy must have used his reverse psychology on wax face.
worked a treat.
ycmiu
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
were 5th in the leauge 😉 cheers dave 🙂
batty(Quote)
I reckon the Pardew out brigade has brought Pardew out of his defensive shell 😛
we play with purpose now, badgering players instead of containing & hoping for goals from counter attack
Players look much fitter, we even manage a few more bodies in the opponents box
he’s finally found a formation that the players seem happy with.
its been a long time coming, but he had to change his ways or he was doomed..
One of the biggest changes has been Sammy. tackles back, tracks back and plays the ball at the right times, mixed with some great skill down the flank
mark(Quote)
bb 😆 162
batty(Quote)
Mark did you see that pic of staylor and sammy standing together sammy has been on the weights he looked way bigger than staylor hench sammy 😉
batty(Quote)
aye, hes a big lad. saying that so was his bro Shola, and his Sis 😆
I hope he doesent get as big as Shola.. Shola had the pace of chubby brown, too big & cumbersome
mark(Quote)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/5lfd Pardew on 20 minutes….
Munich Mag(Quote)
At the moment I am in shock. We haven’t even needed luck to win these last six games, we have deserved it. And with all of these injuries, it is quite unbelievable. Does anybody have Pardew’s address, I need to see if he has a picture in his attic?
I will take it and applaud Pardew. He has done a fantastic job in the last 7 or 8 games. The 20 before that, not so much 🙂 We were on the front foot today which is the way Pardew says his teams play.
In case there is any crowing, that crow said we had a **** squad, would be bottom three at Christmas and that Pardew should have been sacked if we lost to Leicester.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
happy days – decent team performance, some worrying passes out from the back at times which could have caused issues against a better team
Still – 5th with West Ham and Burnley next – hopefully a point from West Ham and 3 against Burnley before a hard December
stevep(Quote)
Was the man wearing the armband today our future captain do we think?
Sharpy17(Quote)
sharpy – Percy hinted at such apparently.
We have seen with Tiote how having the armband ‘ups’ their game a bit more.
Sissoko was very good today, particularly turning defence into attack with his box to box runs.
long may it last
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Boots – I said when we signed him that he was a definitive signing – and the fact he waved some kind of loyalty bonus or signing on fee to push the deal through in the Jan showed he was desperate to join.
He’s still a young lad and I think he’s going to be a big player for us for a long time – I hope anyway.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I was thinking about Abied’s toe – as you do on a Saturday night 🙂 Pardew said it is not serious and not a “significant” toe. I assume that means it is on his wrong foot and not his big toe. Inject some novicaine and he might be good for next week. With Tiote, Taylor and Cisse available we might actually have some depth against West Ham.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sounded like Pardew was laying the land today for no striker being brought in this January. Saying Perez has surprised him as before he thought we were a striker light. So we aren’t now?
Anyway, another gripe; we don’t seem to see any value in paying over £9m for someone and that’s why we baulked at buying Bony. I reckon he would have been bloody good value at £11m
Stuart79(Quote)
Eric I am glad those 3 are coming back next week. Hopefully we can pull one over them. I take it one game at a time and hope for the best 🙂
terry(Quote)
Williamson did make me feel very nervous in defence today. I hope it’s a temporary thing and Taylor and Colocini will be back soon. I’m happy with the result anyway but there’s harder team’s to face which is why I don’t want Willo.
terry(Quote)
Have we been shown on MOTD and I missed it cus we surely aren’t last. 😕
Andymag(Quote)
Andy I’m watching it now though I missed the first 10 mins so we may have been on . That hammers-toffee match was spicy mind.
kIMTOON(Quote)
great news about Ryan Taylor
no long term damage
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
“Thank you all for your positive messages,” he posted on his official Twitter account.
“I appreciate them all, just to let you know I have no major problem an[d] I had to come off today … just to be on the safe side.
“I was just gutted to come off that’s why I got so emotional as I’ve worked so hard to get back. Thanks again.”
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
ha ha scumberland are shyte 😛
nowt to fear from them next month
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
I remember people saying something about Dummet like.. Nice try but the kid isn’t good enough’. Pfft. They ain’t saying that now.
DJG(Quote)
We were second last Kim 🙄
Andymag(Quote)
maybe he wasn’t, but now he is
plus I bet he wasn’t playing as a CB then either
He is clearly growing into that role well enough and well done to him.
Made a howler early on, but got away with one.
Is percy taking all the credit for him yet ?
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Good win yesterday and good atmosphere. No really outstanding player for me but an excellent team effort which is no bad thing. Great goal by Sissoko who I thought had a quiet first half. Now for some humble pie. Earlier I questioned Raylor’s value because of his lack of pace but yesterday, had he unfortunately not got injured, IMHO he was clearly in the frame for MOTM. Just one goal but on another day it could have been three or four. I thought Cabella had a good game and I was surprised he was subbed.
I thought we missed Colo’s distribution. Krul, Williamson and Dummet need to work on this aspect of their game, especially Krul.
On the subject of Pardew I hope he continues to succeed. Has he turned over a new leaf? At times he played with two up yesterday.
I was one of those who wanted Pardew out. I don’t apologise for that. IMO his failings were such that calling for his head was fully justified. However, like most of us, I want a successful team playing positive football. If Pardew gives us that well done him
.
Groucho(Quote)
Really pleased for Raylor, was very concerned there for a moment, but his tweets last night were positive :grin:, had he stayed on the pitch he was MOTM for me .
We are in a golden spell at the moment if Percy can orchestrate a win over the Mackems it will be the cherry on the cake, especially given it’s just 5 days before Christmas when we face them. That should be holly on the cake I suppose. Only problem is if we get beaten well by Chelsea and Arsenal we may be a bit low on confidence when we face them, also Burnley are scoring again now so that won’t be an easy game, then again I don’t suppose any games are really easy .
kIMTOON(Quote)
Groucho – well said fella. Spot on last paragraph.
Kim – Defeat to Chelsea and Arsenal is not a problem really, and won’t even be a shock. If we can get some points in our next 2 away games, it will be fine.
The mackems can’t score for toffee so I don’t see we have any worries there. Should be a very Happy Xmas 😛 😛
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Burnley not only scored, but defended solidly too.
They conceded something like 75% possession to stoke and got 11 men behind the ball to virtually deny stoke any opportunities.
The key for us will be to score first and make them chase the game.
The west Ham match will be a really big test for us though. But we have been playing better away from home lately (post Southampton 😳 ) so I believe there is hope. Would be well happy with a draw.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
It’s so refreshing that we can enjoy a great toon win without people giving it the big “told you so”, “Pardew is great”…etc etc… 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
I see the Pardew out brigade are dying on their feet today. They must be waking up cringing, thinking they’ve made such fools of themselves on a forum read worldwide.
YCMIU
Troy Stavers(Quote)
abracadabra……. 😆 😆 😆
They all know who they are Troyster 🙂 “oh it’s all gone quiet over there….”…
Pardew for England !!
Munich Mag(Quote)
Aye and those who wrote the squad off as **** relegation candidates must be wincing considering yesterdays result was acheived without Taylor, Coloccini, Santon, Abeid, Tiote, De Jong, Aarons, Obertan, Riviere & Good
CC(Quote)
Troy Stavers — grandson of the great mystic Baba Vanga.
Alan Pardew is an average manager doing the best he can with a poor squad . We will finish the season in 16th place on 40 points but only if Ashley spends a shedload of money on new players in January.
Troy Stavers– mystic mug.
sidekick(Quote)
Sidekick
My prediction about Pards is the same. He’s an average premier league manager. I’ve never blamed him or tried to hound him out because I could see the difficulties he’s faced.
He’s excelled with this poor squad. His motivational skills are something I’ve always praised. He’s got them motivated alright.
I’m pleased I could see it in him. The Pardew knockers are looking like knackers now. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Pardew aint an average manager, he’s decent, and could be very good/great with the rights adjustments and without a Money Mike Ashley who ruin his momentum. Brendan Rodgers is an overrated manager who has good press because he seems to play what people call “Good Football”, but good football cant work if you dont get results, or if you dont have some great players like Suarez or Sturridge to compensate a **** defense or a **** defensive organisation. He’s a decent manager for an averaage Swansea but thats all. Sterling has been hyped, but even Rolando Aarons would’ve look great with Suarez and Strurridge (For those who say that Aarons is the new Sterling, thats bollox, he has to be better).
Cholo A. Sall(Quote)
Troy
You know I don’t rate Pardew higher than poor , but with the players at his disposal he should have no difficulty picking a winning team.
I still expect him to be here till the end of his contract and, despite that , I
predicted we would end this season in 8th place on 60 points.
We are still on track for that finish . 😀
If he had excelled with this squad we would be sitting on 30 points today.
I know you will have enjoyed watching the win yesterday. Were the crowd buzzing from kick off or were the crowd flat prior to the goal?.
I have sat in SJP for 90 minutes without a murmer from the crowd . In fact the atmosphere was so dead it was like sitting in a morgue.
You said you had a free ticket for the game and that you would not give a penny to Ashley., but had you paid to watch the game do you think you were given value for money?.
.
sidekick(Quote)
it only goes to show that if you persevere with your manager, give him enough money, then it stands to reason that after a couple of years the manager will get it right. ffs even Sam Allardyce won a manager of the month award.
Laudrup and Rodgers are looking a bit sick now aren’t they ?
Must say I enjoy the high tempo footy played by Martinez’s Everton…
Potchechino or whatever his face is called is also doing just fine…
the big cloggy at man ure is also struggling big time, and they got REALLY lucky yesterday, no matter what the media and BBC dreamers would like to tell us, Arsenal battered them…
Hats off to Pardew and his squad…let’s enjoy it while we can..:-)
Munich Mag(Quote)
MM: I am enjoying this run but still think the criticism of Pardew last season was deserved. He lost the team and that even included Coloccini at one point. We were playing a miserable brand of anti-football and being battered 3 and 4 nil every other week. If he had been sacked in the summer nobody would have moaned.
Still, he has performed a minor miracle what with all of our injuries. I am scratching my head and rubbing my eyes and long may it continue. We really didn’t look like conceding yesterday with the untested defensive partnership of Dummett and Williamson. If anybody had said to me at the start of the season that those two would keep a clean sheet I would have said they were mad. Dummett has really surprised me and along with Sissoko and Colback has been our best player this season.
So, what do I know 🙂
Still no room for crowing though (I don’t mean from you) as – keep him unless we can find someone better – is not exactly a ringing endorsement. I will give Troy credit though that he did mostly stick to his guns only changing his mind after really bad games which is understandable because we all get emotional about our team. Let’s see if he sticks to his guns about squad quality 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
MM: Also, I am watching Spurs now and watched Liverpool earlier. I am not sure what to think after all that money was spent neither team seem like they have a clue what they are doing.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Perhaps they will come after Pardew 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric Sykes, I’ve thought this for years, and it is now coming home to roost. The EPL really isn’t as good as we all think it is… average managers can come good too, it’s just a question of perserverence…
Munich Mag(Quote)
I got the impression that perseverance was that last thing yous advocated.
FTSOTB
YCMIU
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy@205 what do you mean there mate, is there something behind your statement ? Would you have been downhearted had the toon sacked Pardew during the clubs dreadful run ? Although I can imagine what you’re answer will be 🙂
Just because I’m congratulating Pardew now, doesn’t mean I didn’t want him sacked because of his teams performances over the last 15 months.
That’s the way it is in a results orientated business. Or are you advocating that each club should sign a manager for say 3 years and let him have a free reign, for good or bad, and during that time the manager should be devoid of criticism ?
Munich Mag(Quote)
Troy: I wouldn’t sack the Managers of Spurs, Man U or Liverpool. They have hardly had a chance to prove their worth in their present jobs and have done very well in the recent past. None have gone on the death spiral playing appalling football like we did at the end of last season. Can you not see that there is some justification in wanting him sacked? Of course you can, because you were on the verge of it a few times.
Now, I am extremely happy that Pardew seems to have pulled a rabbit out his hat. How, I don’t know, as he seemed to be clueless for like a 20 game stretch. Maybe, he was asleep or decided to rest on his laurels before getting the much needed kick up the ars@ of being in the relegation zone. Whatever it was, his team are playing much better and seem to have a bit of attacking flair and inventiveness. That’s sort of all I ask. I have been disappointed enough to know the odds of winning anything are very small – although Swansea won the League Cup and Boro and Fulham got to the Europa League final so I can dream.
I don’t trust Pardew and never will though. His record is of going on terrible runs and getting sacked so I think it is only a matter of time 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It seems we weren’t nearly as bad as we played in the first 7or 8 games. But this run will come to an end soon. I think we’re about a 12th place team by the end of the season. Several teams are playing well below their ability and that will change. We’re fifth place with a negative goal differential! No other club in the top 9 can say that.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2, one of my big criticisms of the football the toon played over the last year was this stop start shuffle shuffle pass it backwards stuff…it was really boring, and also ineffective. I also got the feeling that players were just going through the motions without putting a shift in. That the effort levels have now increased is a big plus, the least the team can do is give 100%, and it didn’t seem that way earlier..
Munich Mag(Quote)
G2@208, based on the the status as per yesterday, which other 11 teams do you expect to finish above us ?
Munich Mag(Quote)
The form of Liverpool is shocking. Two players out (Suarez gone, Sturridge injured) and they fall apart. Strange days. Arsenal will recover and end up top 4 as usual. West Ham will drop down the table. We will drop down the table. The final standings will look a lot more like people usually expect because money talks.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
I could see the following teams finish above us Munich mate:
Chelsea, Man City, ManU, Southampton, Arsenal, Tottenham, Swansea, Everton, Liverpool, West Ham, and Stoke (just barely ahead of us for West Ham and Stoke). Tenth or 11th is possible for us because it will be very tight in the middle of the pack.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
The middle of the table is exactly where Ashley wants us. That way there will be very little pressure on him to sack Pardew or spend on the club. This run will end soon and the struggles and complaints will begin straight away. The West Ham game will be very interesting. Supposedly it will be a battle of two rising sides who belong in the top 6. We’ll see if it’s true or not.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
I think you’re right Munich @209. We have a better work rate and some players who weren’t playing well have finally been dropped. I’m thinking mainly of Gouffy. But also we play better without Santon who was very poor defensively last season and who I realize is out because of injury.And Dummett is better as a CB than he was as a LB. I love the potential of Perez. We do have some positives going forward but I think people should realize anything near our current form will be impossible to maintain and we’re bound to slip down the table quite a distance.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
After the start to the season we had this is miraculous but it just lets Ashley off the hook far too easily. He isn’t suddenly a genius. He’s still a cheapskate with no real interest in the club going forward except as a vehicle to sell tat and a way of collecting the massive TV revenue.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Enough from me. Let’s hear from more sensible people. 😆
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2@216, six posts on the trot, without interruption from other “sensible” bloggers breaks blog convention mate 🙂
Munich Mag(Quote)
I watched Colback carefully against QPR. He’s very solid. His passing was accurate and excellent. Those who think he’s poor should watch him again. I think he’ll get another England call up. Roy will be watching his performances as well. I prefer him to Tiote now.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2, now you have another 5 shots…do you want to get something off you’re chest ? Has your lass gone to the bingo, and you are on your jack ?
Munich Mag(Quote)
Agreed Munich mate @217 😆 I feel happy for the team but it just lets Ashley off far too easily. That’s what grinds my gears lately. Could he not see how well we’re doing and throw some money into the transfer pot in January and give us a big boost?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2 looking forward to getting Abeid back. Would like to see him up against a heavyweight midfield such as Chelsea or Arsenal, to see how he holds up..
Munich Mag(Quote)
No, I’m fine now Munich mate. Got it all off my chest 😆 Still you lot mark my words! We are not a top 6 side over an entire season!!! Harrumph!!!!
GeordieTwo(Quote)
That will be interesting Munich. He looks like a fine player to me so far. Our midfield when fit should be very strong. We still lack depth at CB and striker however. Wake up Ashley and grab this opportunity to improve us in January!!!
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2@220, just because Ashley is a gazillionaire it obviously doesn’t necessarily mean he has to hoy his millions about. He had until January before he needed to press the panic button and put his hand in his pocket. Pardew has turned things round now, and hopefully we’ll get enough points on the board to be safe, which is as ever for a small club like Newcastle our first and most important achievement, anything else is a bonus..
Munich Mag(Quote)
G2, where did you read that about us being a top 6 side ? …or did I miss something mate ?…
I’m still waiting and hoping that the real Cisse returns to the fold, because man what a finisher he is. Plus we really need him !
Munich Mag(Quote)