So it’s off the Etihad Stadium where once again my expectations are dragging along the floor somewhere and all I ask for, like last week, is effort, application and commitment. If we manage that then, again like last week, we may find ourselves pleasantly surprised.
I don’t want to delve into recent history too much as I’ll cover that later on but suffice to say it’s been woeful against Manchester City. We can put up fights against Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal yet for some unknown reason we always seem to just roll over for City and with the talent an oil baron can fill a football team with that isn’t a good combination.
But Manuel Pellegrini’s are not proving to be infallible. They started off the season like a dog out the traps but they have hit a rocky patch in recent weeks and haven;t exactly set the house on fire in the Champions League. Not that the Champions League bothers us, or is likely to bother us, anytime soon!
Manchester City:
Yaya Toure, Vincent Kompany, Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy and Fabian Delph are all absent through various injuries for the home side. However it’s not all bad news as Wilfried Bony, Kelechi Iheanacho and Eliaquim Mangala are expected to return to the side following recent spells on the sidelines.
Newcastle:
Jack Colback is nursing a calf injury and may be forced to sit this one out. Cheik Tiote could cover for him after a return to fitness.
Gabriel Obertan, Rolando Aarons and Massadio Haidara are all out so Kevin Mbabu is likely to earn a second Premier League appearance following an impressive debut last weekend. Steven Taylor, Paul Dummett, Emmanuel Riviere and Sylvain Marveaux are also out although the latter is edging closer to a return to fitness after some reserve appearances.
Previously…
You have to go back to February 2001 to locate our last league victory at Manchester City – a 1-0 win courtesy of an Alan Shearer goal – and we’ve failed to even draw since the 2006/2007 season. Having said that we did win in the League Cup there last season but our last three trips to the Etihad have seen us lose 4-0 twice and 5-0 on the other occasion.
There have been 164 matches between the two sides in all competitions and the record is pretty even to be fair with United just edging it with 67 wins compared to 61 for City.
Stats and facts…
Newcastle are the only side in the entire football league not to have scored a goal away from home this season.
United need to win today to avoid our worst ever start to the season in the Premier League era.
Manchester City have lost successive league games, having previously won a club record 11 matches in a row. They last lost three consecutive league matches back in November 2008.
City are unbeaten in 17 league meetings with Newcastle (W15, D2), their longest-ever run without defeat against a single opponent in the Premier League.
Final thought…
Hope is in short supply from me today and I fear the worst. City can tear any team apart on their day let alone a team that is still trying to find out if it has legs let alone finding its feet. I suspect we’ll be discussing another defeat come the full-time whistle, and with an international break to ponder it over following the game the mood looks unlikely to improve.
Team news:
Manchester City: Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Nicolas Otamendi, Eliaquim Mangala, Aleksandar Kolarov, Fernando, Fernandinho, David Silva, Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero
Subs: Willy Caballero, Martin Demichelis, Bacary Sagna, Manuel Garcia, Jesus Navas, Wifried Bony, Kelechi Iheanacho
Newcastle: Tim Krul, Daryl Janmaat, Chancel Mbemba, Fabricio Coloccini, Kevin Mbabu, Moussa Sissoko, Yoan Gouffran, Vurnon Anita, Gerginio Wijnaldum, Ayoze Perez, Aleksandar Mitrovic
Subs: Rob Elliot, Jamaal Lascelles, Mike Williamson, Cheik Tiote, Florian Thauvin, Siem de Jong, Papiss Cissé
1) We were always going to regret not taking the chances in the first half against a team like this and 2) our defending this half has been nothing short of atrocious!
Stuart79(Quote)
Scum down to 10
kimtoon(Quote)
Don’t concede in the first 10 mins of the 2nd half … We concede fucking 3 with time for more!!!
That’s fucking disgraceful!!! and has shafted all the good work I saw in the first half.
Welcome back to being a toon fucking fan.
Sharpy17(Quote)
“A real up hill battle getting anything from this now.” TGUIBH The greatest understatement in blog history!
Stuart79(Quote)
what does this do to our confidence, it was bad enough already
kimtoon(Quote)
jesus fucking christ. I’ve had enough now, screw this.
Newkie(Quote)
oh dear god 😳
kimtoon(Quote)
comedy central
hopeless
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
I’m off to clean out the fish tanks, I’ve had it with this ****, goal difference taking a hammering here.
kimtoon(Quote)
30 mins left
more pain still to come
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
this is a nonsense
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
What?!!
Just went to workshop cause a mate wanted to borrow a clamp.
It was 4-1.
6-1?!!!
You Yew(Quote)
Silva again.
georgio(Quote)
Hell of a team talk Steve! Jesus Christ!
Stuart79(Quote)
I use to think Pardew had some strange half time team talks but Stevie has taken it to a whole new level.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – give your head a shake man will ya!!. You really pinning this on McClaren and not the players like?!.
I can’t watch anymore.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Bearing in mind this is a Man City side coming into the game in poor form, without arguabyly their best player in Toure and their Captain and best defender.
So, maybe we should be glad it’s not 10-1. Yet.
Newkie(Quote)
Nice to see Colocini organising the defence today against Manchester City.
Stem(Quote)
However much it costs, KLOPP needs to be here by Monday, absolutely clueless.
No matter how good Man City are, whatever happened at half time was a disaster.
McClaren simply is not good enough, never will I have a go at Pardew again, £10 million for Cabaye, and he runs the show today, we spent £24 million on Cabella and Thauvin and what have we got sweet FA
ash1001(Quote)
Im pinning this seasons starts and performances on McClaren, Sharpy. He’s responsible ultimately. Our spirit is non existent and that IS his responsibility!
Stuart79(Quote)
Play time for city now. Shame after the first half
georgio(Quote)
Attaching blame seems harsh to me. City have been unplayable around our penalty area. Not nice I know but hard to blame McClaren for that
georgio(Quote)
Sharpy who the hell are we supposed to pin it on, we have spent nearly £50 million, and look where we are, For example Crystal Palace have spent £10 and are 3rd.
Sack everyone at the top seems just about right.
ash1001(Quote)
So… Normal service resumed then …
Dubai-Toon(Quote)
We have had a free week, and look knackered now, Man City have played champions League and look at them running the legs off us now,
ash1001(Quote)
One step closer to relegation. This isn’t the same Newcastle United anymore. McClaren deserves the same criticism John Carver got! He is no better if you ask me.
Terry(Quote)
Georgio – Not too sure City have been unplayable to be honest. The second half we have just given them so much space it’s been frightening and we have crumbled and wilted like a a rose in the desert. In fact I find the way we conceded 5 goals in 10-15 mins is a joke and the coach/manager must take responsibility for a team crumbling in this manner.
Stuart79(Quote)
It was good for half an hour. Pity we just happened to run into one of those quarter hours where everything went well for the opposition. They happen in football, as anybody who has been involved in the game knows.
I don’t think it’s really a reflection on anything other than football. Freaky things happen.
brivegas(Quote)
McClaren deserves all the blame. John Carver took his fair share. What makes McClaren so special ?
Terry(Quote)
In the bigger picture we are likely to be bottom of the league and 5 points from 4th bottom. Let’s not forget that and also that only 20% of teams with a start like that have stayed up.
Stuart79(Quote)
McClaren smiling at Paul Simpson, makes me sick.
Fans do not deserve this ****, there has to be something wrong, it has happened to many times.
ash1001(Quote)
For all those criticising – did you expect us to win at City? Really?
georgio(Quote)
Stuart we don’t stand a chance of staying up. We are a sinking ship at the moment. We need win’s and we aren’t getting any.
Terry(Quote)
Georgio what about Watford and Sheffield Wednesday. We can’t even beat the weaker team’s let alone Manchester City.
Terry(Quote)
Georgio – I don’t think anybody expected us to win, not even Lionel or TDS but I also didn’t expect a shambolic collapse of epic proportion.
Stuart79(Quote)
My man of the match is Colocini. His a **** defender and a **** captain and he always gets picked.
Terry(Quote)
Stuart – so how do you blame McClaren for that?
georgio(Quote)
It’s a coach/manager’s responsibility to build a spirit and resolve in the squad. We have none! That’s an epic failure of the coach.
Stuart79(Quote)
Did you think that in the first half or last week then?
georgio(Quote)
another one bites the dust
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
butchered!
roy cropper(Quote)
buy a proper fucking def ffs 😯
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Giorgio – Are you seriously saying that just one half from nine games is acceptable and proof of the squad having a good spirit?
Stuart79(Quote)
Great achievement if nothing else to have -11 gd after 8 games.
Stuart79(Quote)
STUART79 119
just about sums up our defence 🙄
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Aaahhooogah!!! Aahhoooga!!! Major suckage in the second half! Prepare to abandon ship!!!!
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Attention Newcastle United!!! You have exceeded maximum allowable suckage in the Prem!!! We are hereby putting on notice. Further suckage will be closely monitored!!!! Journo’s will be notified to write humiliating reports!!!
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Why on earth did McLaren start Gouffy as a DM? Is he completely mad???
GeordieTwo(Quote)
That thud you just heard was us landing in 20th place mates. Stay calm. Do not panic. There are enough life vests for everyone. Go to your assigned stations and evacuate with caution….. 😳
GeordieTwo(Quote)
GEORDIETWO 123
think he was trying to easy tiote back in 2nd half dont think they wanted to play tiote for the full game been out a good while so wont be match fit,but should of been put on at the start of the 2nd half
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
He’s your first post match interview with McLaren and yours truly, the Senior Official Club Journo: SOCJ: Steve what was your first impression of that game? Steve: Well, I would call that a game of two halves G2. I liked what I saw in the first half. I wasn’t too keen on the second half… SOCJ: What did you think of your defensive duo of Anita and Gouffran Steve? Steve: Well they seemed to have a bit of trouble sorting their feet out. I noticed a few problems handling Aguero, DeBruyne and Silva. But only a few problems mind. I’m convinced they are a top notch defensive pairing…. SOJC: Any plans for the international break Steve? Steve: Well I was planning to give the lads a few days off, possibly drive them to Blackpool and let them run around at the beach….But now…Hmmm….I think we might need a bit of extra practice….. SOCJ: Well thanks for that Steve…..I think???
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Probably right TAE mate but what a disaster that was. Gouffran is not a defender. Absolutely hopeless. Two up front when you have no decent defense is madness away from home. Try that against weaker sides but not Man City….
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Last week we went downhill from about 75min, this week it was 40mins.
in McClaren we have 2nd rate manager backed by a league 2 coach and a coach ( with a good Spanish reputation) who has no PL experience, so its all down to McClaren, and he is ‘not fit for purpose’ aided and abetted by the clueless ones – Charnley, Carr, Moncur.
ash1001(Quote)
GEORDIETWO
to let in 6 goals in about 20 mins of football is disgraceful 🙁
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
time the armband was taken away from collo
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Existing weaknesses at the club:
1. Goal – Krul has had no competition for years now. However he’s left stranded by his defense so often there is no way to assess him fairly.
2. Back four – extremely poor and have been for at least 3 years now. Colo: too small, slow, and old. Saylor: permanent sick note Willo: not Prem standard and hasn’t played for ages so we dare not bring him in.
Mbemba: basically on his owon. Fullbacks: Janmaat ok going forward but gets caught out fairly often. Left backs: no experience, too young to start. Dummett too slow.
4. Midfield: our best position because that’s all we ever buy is midfielders. Still a lot of dead wood to move out. Gouffy, Obertan, Tiote, Anita (too small) need to be moved on. Others are just bedding in.
5. Attack: Mitro and Perez may be decent but at the rate we concede goals it won’t really matter as we’ll be relegated and they will leave.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Never seen a worse 20 minutes of football in the Prem TAE mate. The only thing that came close was when Derby County were in the division for one season a few years back. That was diabolical. They had attackers so wide open they could have had a nap before scoring. Aguero is on a different planet to our defenders. Or should we call them defenders?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2 I don’t want to go on about the clubs problems or i’ll be here all night. It is save to say I am slowly losing interest in NUFC and I’ve got Mike Ashley and his yes me to thank for that.
Still the championship isn’t the end of the world.
New owner
Better chairmen
Better scout
Better board members
Better sponsors
More british players
Terry(Quote)
As I’ve said before, the next 4 matches will determine the season. Norwich, mackems, Stoke, and Bournemouth. If we get 4 points or less from those 4 games we’re going down.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
That would get us rolling again Terry mate @133. But don’t forget, Mike is staying until we win something….. 👿
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Ime going just going to say————–nowt
icedog(Quote)
Well said ice mate. That’s all our club deserves right now….. 👿
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Against an average Prem side Aguero would have had 2 or 3 in a complete game playing like that. Against us he had 5 in an hour and then off to relax.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Too many softies in the squad with no bottle. I’m still calling Sissoko out as overrated and the first that should be shown the door. Next up is Colo. He is no leader and not good enough at this level any more. The so gle biggest failing this year for me is not clearing the dead wood. If the rot is still present in your foundations then you can’t expect building improvements to hold or last. Its basic common sense!
Shamrock(Quote)
That Collocini contract extension worked out well.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I don’t think anybody saw that coming or wanted it. Massive mistake.
Shamrock(Quote)
I am going to have to take a big deep breath and not even think about NUFC for a couple of days. After about 4 halves of acceptable football in 2015 we have another capitulation. The more things change the more they stay the same.
I am not sure how much more of this I can take after 50 years?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Presumably Steve gave the same half-time talk he gave against Chelsea.
Groucho(Quote)
We haven’t won a game yet this season and have -11 goal difference along with being 5 points from safety. Let’s just let that sink in for a second…
Is that just being negative or are them the facts of the situation?
Stuart79(Quote)
we regularly capitulated under Pards too, this is the first time under Steve and when you are up against the likes of Cities front guys it is difficult. Our problem seems to be that we are frail of mind. Heads drop far too easily, it was exactly the same under Pards and Carver.
kimtoon(Quote)
Exactly, Kim. We have players who don’t want to be here and have a habit of appointed failed managers who are average at best. Not a great combo in my opinion.
Stuart79(Quote)
there is a fundamental issue with concentration at the back once we concede. Confidence is a major issue and not helped by the awful set of opening fixtures. I have seen glimpses of a good team both last week and a bit in the first half today. We did well at Manure and against Arsenal too albeit we lost the latter. I’m clinging to the hope that we will turn it round sooner rather than later. I hope they use the international break to find a winning formula, lose to Norwich and Scum and I’m pretty sure we are going down.
kimtoon(Quote)
I stopped watching around the time they hit 6, can someone confirm what happened with Sissoko as some are saying he feigned injury ?
kimtoon(Quote)
@1-0 I even dared to believe we could win 😳 😆
We’re a 1 trick pony, when Mitro is seeing plenty of the ball we look good, if he’s snuffed out there’s no plan B.
We have some very poor players mixed with inexperienced ones.
A few players wanting away and a lack of quality in the squad.
Ashley’s fault. We’ll escape relegation but another **** season under fatty.
Gashley(Quote)
Kim – re Sissoko. he took the lightest of challenges and rolled around like a ***** as is the way these days. To me it just looked like the perfect opportunity to get off the pitch. We were well and truly beat by then and i reckon he just had had enough. He has no heart when we are losing. And in truth I have seen NOTHING from him of any value anyway.
Get rid I say.
Seriously, Willo has 1,000,000 times more heart and courage than this guy.
(imho) 😉
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)