Match Day Banter – Newcastle v Stoke City

Big Dave

Mid-table Newcastle and Stoke fight for top-half berth at St James’ Park
Having been appointed manager until the end of the season, John Carver got off to the perfect start with a 3-0 win at Hull last weekend.
Along with rounding off a brilliant opening to his fledgling managerial career, victory would see the Toon leapfrog Stoke into the top half of the table and bolster JC’s claims for the role on a more permanent basis.
Team news

Newcastle will be boosted by the return Paul Dummett (hamstring), Gabriel Obertan (thigh) and Ryan Taylor (knee) who are fit and will be included in the squad.

Striker Papiss Cisse has a week’s training under his belt following his return from the Africa Cup of Nations and could feature.
Siem de Jong (thigh) and Rolando Aarons (hamstring) need a little more time, while Davide Santon, Remie Streete, Shane Ferguson, Kevin Mbabu, Gael Bigirimana and Haris Vuckic all left the club on loan on Monday.

Stoke will be without skipper Ryan Shawcross for the trip to Tyneside. The centre-half is set to be absent for the next few games because of a back problem that forced him off in the first half of last Saturday’s 3-1 win over QPR.

Walters is a doubt due to a knee problem that has prevented him from training this week, although Hughes is hopeful the forward will be available.
HOWAY THE LADS

Newcastle Krul; Janmaat, Coloccini (c), Williamson, Haïdara; Sissoko, Anita, Colback; Cabella, Perez, Ameobi.

Subs Woodman, Dummett, Abeid, Obertan, Gouffran, Rivière, Cissé.

Stoke Begovic; Bardsley, Muniesa, Wollscheid, Wilson; Whelan (c), Nzonzi; Walters, Ireland, Moses; Diouf

Subs Butland; Cameron, Wilkinson, Palacios, Adam, Sidwell, Crouch

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385 thoughts on “Match Day Banter – Newcastle v Stoke City”

  2. Big Dave@223 I try my best just to scroll through and ignore the daft stuff… but it’s a bit difficult when it takes over the whole blog.
    I suppose I am just one who appreciates the harmony and respect between fellow bloggers… 😳

    Keep the peace and try and show respect is my motto… 😉

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  3. According to Percy before he left this is the best squad we’ve had in years. Then why are we so pathetic? We have some very weak players who need to leave. We have some older players who need to retire. What we don’t have is a deep enough squad or a decent owner.

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  4. And I say let the ladies run barefoot through your chest hair lads. Then everyone will be happy!!! 😀

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  5. You can just imagine Pardew’s team talk before Wednesday…..

    “keep pressing that bloke Williamson at centre half….he’s a right diddy !!”” 👿 👿

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  9. Aye Percy knows all about Willo and Colo MM mate. How fabulous Willo is in attacking set piece situations. How to pull us out of position and then skewer us. I can’t see him playing 4-2-3-1 at home as we just did. Or will he? And that might give us a chance.

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  12. Kim – What chance do you think we have of beating Palace? I’m not too sure to be honest. Carver hasn’t convinced me and if Palace get within a couple of points of us we could then be looking behind us again… Doubt we will get relegated but it’s just another pointless boring season.

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  13. MM @ 227 that is the exact point i’m making IMO if we had more to talk about at the club and on the blog then bloggers wouldn’t get bogged down in verbal wrestling 😉 or maybe i’m wrong

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  14. Big Dave

    Spot on. If you don’t like individuals (that’s life) scroll past and create your own conversations with like minded people.

    I have never felt the need in 7 yrs to criticise any blogger for posting their views. I’ve disagreed with their views and challenged them but not once have I criticised them for their views.

    There’s a huge difference from what myself and the likes of Stuart face. Dave, likewise during the days when we criticised Ashley a few years back when we were in the minority.

    People need to reflect and actually analyse who criticises who. Aussie was as bad as anyone for stirring things up. I have no sympathy for him. I would like to see him come out of his sulk as he had good banter but I don’t want wimps back.

    MM, you are as culpable as most on here because of your onslaught against Stuart

    Stuart is the straightest bloke on the blog. Even I think he portrays a staid character. He doesn’t join in the banter. That’s fine and at times he deserves credit for not reacting to the sarcasm and derision he faces. He always replies with restraint.

    Credit to him. My automatic response is to take the ****. Back to where I started. I don’t give two hoots about people’s response to my banter.

    MM and many others love to show your dislike for me and a couple others but if we retaliate in the same manner you form a little group and seek sanctuary in numbers.

    Get a grip. Don’t be like Aussie. 😉

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  15. Wow. Just read my post. I’m pissed. I know what I want to sat but totally pissed.

    However. I’m sure you’ll get the gist. MM. Ninny. 😉

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  16. Troy there has been a few on here that hold the complete opposite views to me and some of the stuff they come off with makes me think that they must just accept any **** handed to them in life without saying a word. But I have never attacked their views because I believe they are entitled to their own opinion with out me attacking them or ridiculing them.
    But at the same time I have been abused, ridiculed etc for my anti Jabba views with out retaliating

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  18. Stu@237, We should be capable mate, they were terrible yesterday, if Leicester had that bit more composure and the luck Palace had they would and should of got something from the game. As one pundit said today, it was daylight robbery by Palace. I want to see us with more up front I don’t like the loan striker cause we don’t get up quick enough in support.If it has to be 1 up front then why not this , Cisse with Perez,sissoko and cabella behind.

    Krul
    Janmatt Dummett/Willo Colo Haidara

    Abeid Colback

    Perez sissoko Cabella

    Cisse

    I know it may be bit scant for back four protection but there is enough creativity up front to keep palace defenders busy. Mind you I thought Haidara and Sammi linked well today it’s just Sammi can’t last the 90.

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  20. Kim glad to see Vuckic had a decent game but TBH I think that is about his level, he had so much potential but due to injuries etc I don’t think he will ever reach it now

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  22. Why on earth are we selling Rangers merchandise and kit on our website? What the fck is going on at our club? It’s not a football club it’s a arm of Sports Direct and I call on all supporters to react like Rangers fans did today. Stay away!

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  23. Stu I seen that, but the problem is they won’t stay away they will keep going and giving Jabba their hard earned coin.
    I also seen that JC had a word with Cabella about having to show some respect after being took off.

    Just watching MOTD and Colback was lucky not to see red

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  25. Wow, posters having a mutual masterbation session today. Is this the new nighty-night club? 😆 😆

    As for the game, I think it was a typical Newcastle performance in what was a pretty typical Premier League game. Lots of huffing and puffing at speed, without much sublety. It’s been that way for the vast majority of the last 50 years. But the game had its moments, as they all do, and it was tense, which is one of the things I love about football.

    Should’ve won. Winning always makes things more watchable.

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  28. Stu@247, It doesn’t surprise me mate, pretty sure they been selling Rangers tops in the shop for a while too.

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  30. KIM@251 I said last night those bloody bookies know how to make a few quid must not have made enough during the circus at the toon over a new coach,a fool and his money is soon parted like those that keep turning up at SJP

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  33. Bris – “Should have won”! Their keeper had one save to make in the whole of the game and we were at home! What we saw yesterday were two poor sides and a draw was about right.

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  37. Williamson says Carver is doing a fantastic job. Is Williamson the easy scapegoat or is he just ****? To continue the animal metaphor he always looks like a deer in the headlights whenever a ball is near him. He always points to other players even though he is the obvious outlet. Should a Championship level player really be the unofficial spokesman for a premier league club. I would rather he shut up because he is not deserving of his place. Get well soon Dummett lad (Saturday may have been too early for you but I hope Wednesday isn’t)

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  38. Poor game from two bang average teams. 1-1 was fair. I expect the same at Palace.
    It should really been 3-1 though. Can’t imagine what Obertan was doing. He was only 8 yards out. Mmm. . . should I score or pass to the marked Sissoko. Absolute idiot! And why oh why can’t Krul come for those type of looping crosses. A definite weakness in his game.

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  40. I know Williamson is ****. I’m told so on here. But didn’t I read that he has our best clean sheets ratio of any current CB. Is that true?

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  41. Georgio – to be fair the unmarked Sissoko looked offside to me, but Obertan should have done loads better than that like – 3 on 1 really should result in a goal.

    Williamson isn’t a embarrassment to football, he’s just finds himself at a level higher than his ability. I think he’s an easy target and an easy scapegoat because his mistakes tend to cost us – but he can’t be blamed for Cabella heading into Begovics hands, or Perez missing the target with 2 good opportunities, or as mentioned Obertans wasted chance.

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  42. I personally think we need to play Cisse up front to have more of a goal threat – but who out of Perez, Cabella and Sammi do we drop?

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  43. Prem – not seen it but wouldn’t totally shock me. There are some people who blame every goal conceded and every dropped point on the lad, which is just embarrassing for them really. We all know Williamson can’t actually *play* football with the ball at his feet and that is why he is massively unpopular and slated. That’s understandable with football fans, but I don’t see how you can level the dropped points at him. What the hell was Krul doing (As many have already said) he was in no-man’s land for the goal. Crouch is a giant and he is bound to get a header on target at some point – the keeper needs to be ready and he wasn’t.

    Unfortunately the boys up top didn’t help us, can’t blame Perez too much seeing as he skinned two defenders to open up a great position for himself, but I was shocked to see him blaze over. Obertan did have a good part in our opening goal and he made a difference when he came on – let’s not forget this was the lads first game in 3 months or so so he was bound to be rusty. But his squaring to Sissoko when he clearled should have gone for goal himself just sums him up as a player. Indecisive and frustrating. The physical ability and talent is there, he just can’t seem to make the right decision when it matters.

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  44. I don’t think there’s much difference in quality between all our centre backs. Bang average.

    If it’s Williamson bashing this week, it’ll be Taylor, Colo or Dummett bashing other weeks.

    Always been the same bashing.

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  45. The reality is that most of our team are pretty ordinary players and that’s why we’re mid table and we’re mid table last season too. It’s not rocket science why we have the third worst defensive records in the league and why we have one of the lowest scoring records in the league. It’s not a good combination.

    Still people criticise the coaching staff but time and again the players show themselves to be average in stats, performances and league position.

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  49. We certainly experienced many years in the champions league and top 6 finishes including runners up and cup finals with the previous owner, so to suggest without jabba we would be a mid table club is a strange statement.

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  50. Absolutely, Troy. We have average everything which more often than not rests in average results. That would be fine I suppose if the club would at least come out and say this. We still haven’t heard a single thing about their medium to long term plans and ambitions for the club. I think the supporters deserve this so then at least we can make an educated decision on whether to invest in a season ticket.

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  52. we lived way beyond our means under sjh and ffs,if it wasnt for ashley we could of done a leeds..we are now a mid table club living with in our means.

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  55. Troy – Hitman is probably referring to total history rather than recent history, where we’re probably around the 7-10 mark with Villa, Everton and such?

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  56. spot on newkie.
    bd we were buying players on hock under sjh and ffs that couldnt last,lucky for the club they found a mug like jabba,if he had of done dd he would of run a mile.

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  57. Newkie

    Let Hitman explain himself. 😉

    Despite the obvious failings of FFS and SJH, they did an awful lot of good.

    Absolutely nowhere near doing a Leeds imo. The closest we came to that was when Ashley took us down.

    Let us not forget, huge tv revenues have financed NUFC since Ashley took over. That money would have been available to FFS. Don’t be fooled by Ashley and his propoganda. We now owe him £130m. We only owed £70m when he took over.

    That £70m was a mortgage and included the financing of the stadium. Ashley is trying to sell land to stifle further expansion. I will never accept that Ashley has saved us. There’s no truth in it.

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  58. Sharpy

    People are allowed to debate issues that interest them. We don’t need comments like yours. Discuss so eying else with other people.

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  59. Whatever the financial situation where we currently are a well run midtable club. well, 7th; What is not in doubt is the only periods of success greater than recently was when either KK was financed to do a Blackburn, but failed, and When we had a world class manager in SBR. Ashley is certainly not the pantomime villain he is proported to be, anymore than Pardew is a failed league one manager out of his depth in the EPL.

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  60. Sharpy – “at a level higher than his ability. his mistakes tend to cost us”
    We’ve had the guy for 4 full seasons now and I’ve never seen another pro footballer with such a low skill level. If he’s not an embarrassment then the club is for employing him and the coaches for picking him.

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  61. Troy 😆 I just thought I’d give my psychic powers a whirl like, Hitman has confirmed them!

    Sharpy 😆 😉

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  62. Dear God! Now Ashley has saved us from doing a Leeds!!!! You couldn’t make this stuff up…

    But I would say one thing; Are we really living within our means? Hell yes! We’re living so well working our means we have a shed load of money in the bank! What’s the point of a football club having loads of money in the bank of they don’t spend it on better players?

    So I would argue we are living way, way withing our means and I mean to much within our means because it is having a negative impact on the most important thing at any football club – the team!

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  64. Troy – I can post what I want. If you don’t like it read on 😉 – or is this a dictatorship and we must all conform to how Troy wants things.

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  65. The words, “We were going to do a Leeds or Portsmouth” rolls off some people’s tongues without having a clue about the reality of the situation.

    Prem

    I take it from your post, you are happy with Ashley? Do you enjoy following the toon nowadays? Do you look forward to the games? Do you still go to the games? Do you envisage anything other than mediocrity in the future with Ashley in charge?

    If you can provide positive answers to those questions then I want some of what you are drinking. 😉

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  66. Kim@288 – to be fair, I think Linekar made the comparison first, two or three weeks ago on MOTD, when Shearer was sat there like! 😆

    He’s certainly not as barnstorming as Shearer was to begin with at Blackburn, it’s odd because watching him nothing particularly stands out – but he is banging them in right now, scoring some top goals. Spurs churn out some very good players indeed.

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  67. No Sharpy it’s not a dictatorship but I really don’t see why you make a sarcastic remark because bloggers are discussing something they are interested in and football related. Is that a fair point to make by me? 😉

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  68. The recent Deloitte finances show our position clearly:

    Six clubs disappearing way off into the distance – Spurs are nearest and are 40% ahead of us, and about double the wage bill.

    We are 7th by revenue, but there are another 8 clubs equalling or exceeding our wage bill (as far down as WBA), mostly by an annual opeerating loss (borrowjng money on the collateral of next years’ TV money). there will always be clubs willing to finance this way.

    So, barring a dramatic season by us and a poor one by one or more of the ‘big-six’ we are competing in a mini-league for 7th – 15th.

    Mid-table, even under a new owner, unless we are prepared to go into major debt. Personally, I’d like to see us spending up to, rather than well within our means, to become ‘best of the rest’, more local lads coming through and us have the ambition to have a go at the cups. Until the TV money goes out of football, sad as it is, I don’t see that we can get back to challenging the leading clubs / regular Europe etc.

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  69. GTE – I will ask you as I didn’t get any answers yesterday from anyone but why can Spurs go from having a turnover less than ours to being 40% ahead of us? They only had one year in the CL also.

    We have not spent one penny of the club money during the last 4 years and every player we have bought has been financed by a player sale. This must put us as one of the most financially stable football clubs on earth but what’s the point in having the money if we don’t spend it?

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  70. the facts remain that our commercial revenue hasn’t grown since Ashley bought the club. He has just stripped everything back! Disgrace!

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  71. Troy, I’ve seen worse.

    As GTE says, we are what we are.

    To break into the top 4 going the financial route, we could not do it because of FFP. We would not do it because to spend a billion pounds just to get champions league football is not going to happen as any investor could get that elsewhere a hell of a lot cheaper.

    So aiming top 6 is responsible. But for that to happen we have to have an owner who would put more in than Ashley will now. There is no doubt that there were opportunities for him to be the owner we all want, but his mistakes and the fans reactions to them have soured the relationship.

    Yes I would like to see more, No I don’t expect to. I have doubts that any new manager would improve matters significantly, just as I doubt that a new manager will.

    So given the situation the choice is mine. Moan about everything or take the positives. What I won’t do is blame everybody else and call it a fiasco. And no Dave I am not aiming at specific fans.

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  72. The only positive to take out of this is that we are still a PL club. That puts us well and truly in the Stoke, WBA and Swansea category.

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  73. Troy the sarcasm police now 😯 😆 I’d say that’s ironic but then I’d get accused of being sarcastic 😕

    I personally believe the debate has been done to death and don’t believe anyone will be converted to the opposing opinion – but people are more than welcome to have it all the same – only you chose to deviate from the debate to comment on my remark.

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