Much of the focus has indeed been on Leicester in the build up to the game, which is the price you pay for being so high in the league I guess, and especially on Jamie Vardy who will be seeking to equal a Premier League record today. You can use this Bet 365 Bonus Code to enhance your odds if you’re backing Vardy to make history today.
For the part of Steve McClaren and United it is entirely up the them to stop Leicester in their tracks. However they will need to be careful should they go into the lead as we’ve seen so many times that this Leicester side just does not give up.
The match preview went live last night and can be viewed here. It features news of injury updates for both sides, a look at the history of the fixture, some on my thoughts and some handy stats and facts to wash it all down with.
In terms of actual team news you can find it at the bottom of this article a little under one hour before kick-off and you’re looking for a stream I’m sure our regulars will post a link or two in the ‘comments’ section below.
Events in Paris will be marked at every Premier League ground today but with the largest French contingent in the Premier League on our books it may perhaps be more raw within St James’ Park than at other grounds.
But as tragic as those events were it is a fact that things move on, and that applies to NUFC too! For we must move on and start putting points on the board.
Howay the lads!
Newcastle: Rob Elliot; Daryl Janmaat, Chancel Mbemba, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Paul Dummett; Moussa Sissoko, Cheick Tiote, Vurnon Anita, Georginio Wijnaldum; Ayoze Perez, Aleksandar Mitrovic
Subs: Freddie Woodman, Jamie Sterry, Jamaal Lascelles, Siem de Jong, Yoan Gouffran, Florian Thauvin, Papiss Cisse
Leicester: Kasper Schmeichel; Danny Simpson, Robert Huth, Wes Morgan, Christian Fuchs; N’Golo Kante, Danny Drinkwater, Marc Albrighton; Riyad Mahrez, Leandro Ulloa, Jamie Vardy
Subs: Mark Scwarzer, Ritchie De Laet, Andy King, Jeffrey Schlupp, Shinji Okazaki, Nathan Dyer, Gokhan Inler
FJ: our lot just have no planning capacity. They thought our injury situation would improve contrary to everything that had gone before. They bet the house on Mitrovic being an immediate success instead of hedging and paying the same amount for Austin (in addition to Mitro). Mitro was 20 when we bought him FFS… And other mistakes that we are all too familiar with.
What I want to get back to is injuries. Even before the transfer window closed they knew we had many, many injuries as usual and did nothing. Off the top of my head it was Aarons, Dummett, Marveaux, Obertan, Riviere, Sicknote Taylor, Haidara, de Jong (he still counts), Tiote, Darlow, Elliot. You add the not wanteds of Gouffy and Willo and we have an absolutely threadbare squad. Abdication of responsibility by the front office. It is as if they forgot the recent history of injuries at NUFC and just hoped it would get better. Fck it is not just recent history it is about 10 years of it 🙄
Steve has been saying recently that he has settled on a team. Has he really had any choice? Just like Ugly John before him he is really playing the only ones fit. Whether, to use the Chron’s favourite phrase, they are fit for purpose is a different matter.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
They are making noises about dropping Mitrovic, but who are they going to play, seriously who do we have? A half fit de Jong and an out of sorts Cisse. Or do we play Perez as a single striker? Yeah, right, he is wholly unsuited for that role.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Monk is 2/7 for the sack and McClaren is 5-1. I would swap the 2 of them. Monk was captain of that Swansea team that rose through the divisions and has done a good job with a below average squad. They sold their best player for Man City’s lucre and haven’t replaced him. Swansea have punched above their weight in my opinion and are unlikely to be relegated. With their players, that should be their benchmark, not top 10.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So, by my reckoning there are a few managers we could get:
Monk, with compensation.
Bielsa, Favre, Seedorf and Rodgers on the dole.
Klinsmann, because he has to be getting sick of the **** he has to work with in the USA squad. Come to think of it it would be a busman’s holiday if he came to NUFC.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
All of those managers @304 have better records than McClaren and I include Monk because he hasn’t had a failure. Would they come? I doubt it. The team picks itself because of injuries and lack of depth and they can’t buy their own players. Also, Fatman is demonstrating again that if you pay peanuts on the management/front office side you get Monkeys.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And Troysta: I am not calling for McClaren’s head. I am rationally going through the alternatives and listing a few mitigating circumstances. We are probably stuck with McClaren unless they change the whole structure of operations. No manager in their right mind would take over this club unless they were guaranteed 50 mil for their choices in January and given a big wedge of a contract. It is all too predictable. I have hardly said a word, good or bad, about McClaren but I had an inkling of how it would unfold and this is it.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So Steve is moaning about the central midfield situation with Tiote now injured. Who let Abeid go or let Bigi go on loan with Colback injured?. Mitrovitch to be dropped which is fair enough but is not going to make a lot of difference to our poor defensive record. And if Cisse is no longer good enough surely Armstrong or even Toney should be considered. If Spurs can blood youth why can’t we? Stars in Steve’s eyes I suspect and a lack of ruthlessness.
Groucho(Quote)
Why would we drop Mitrovic? It doesn’t make any sense because Palace have been scoring goals for fun from set pieces under Pardew. Who would mark Scott Dann at corners? I am sure it is all talk trying to get Mitro motivated because we really do not have any alternatives. Cisse is a (non) impact sub at this point.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It comes back to the same thing at Newcastle United where whoever the “Led-Coach” happens to be will be held accountable for someone else’s choice of players.
Is it fair that a coach is going to live and die through the actions of Batty Man’s fatha ?
It doesn’t matter who comes in they are having a failed ex “Northampton Town” managers players foisted upon them.
How can someone be judged and have to carry the can for someone else’s failure ?
I don’t believe for one minute that Steve McClaren’s position on the board has any substance to it what so ever.
There were reports a couple of weeks ago where McClaren wanted a new Centre-Half brought in but he was overruled by Charnley and Bobby Concur in favour of keeping Collo The Clown.
Again McClaren was wanting Charlie Austin signed on to score goals but he was overruled again by the gruesome twosome in favour of “Ten Ton Tess” Mitrovic.
I don’t know how anyone is going to be able to work and get results in that kind of environment !
joe hawkins(Quote)
Groucho: I think we have no choice in CM now. We have to bring in Sissoko or Wij. Something has to change so de Jong must start even though I don’t think he is fully fit. That would allow Perez to play as an attacking midfielder. I think we might see this in hope, rather than design:
Elliot
Janmaat MBemba Coloccini Dummett
Sissoko Anita Wij Perez
De Jong
Mitrovic
Or else, Cholo’s dreaded Colo as a defensive midfielder may come into play 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I can’t see us beating Palace, Not a chance. Colocini and Janmatt are very poor at the back. Pardew know’s this already and he can pick holes with our defence. Tony Pulis has sorted the team out set piece wise so that also works to his advantage. He also has a wonderful midfielder like Cabaye. Away advantage as well. This has 3-0 written all over it. Mock my words as Troy would say.
Terry(Quote)
Eric that team looks absolutely rank. A half hearted Sissoko is better than nothing I suppose. Janmatt always up the other end of the pitch and gets caught out. Colocini very slow and past it. Eliote is very short for a goal keeper. De Jong is he fit enough for a start or will his collapsed lung give him another injury ? Mitrovic not sure would rather have Perez or Cisse.
Terry(Quote)
Our team is rank. Wij and Mbemba not included.
Terry(Quote)
Terry mate, I was putting up what we have. I mentioned earlier that we need Mitro for Palace’s corners and what choice do we have in CM? Steve tried Cisse instead of Mitro on Saturday and it made no difference, so what is the point of dropping Mitrovic when at least he can head the ball at corners? I wish we had better choices and less players injured but we don’t.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I just can’t see McClaren dropping Colo or Janmaat. They just gave one an extended contract and they have no cover for the other. Janmaat should be told not to believe his own press. He may have been the assists leader last year but he has to defend first and let Sissoko take on the role that he should be doing.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Also Terry, do you think I would pick that team with so many out of form at the moment? No, it is what we are stuck with due to the bad decisions of the front office. Of course, I could do what they do on Ed’s and put up a fantasy team assuming we had bought Shawcross and Austin in the summer. What good would that do for this week?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Actaully Cholo did it @176, including Aarons and Colback in the team. You may as well pick Shearer.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric mate I honestly couldn’t pick a better team but I’ll have a go.
Eliote
Dummett Lascalles Mbemba Colocini Janmatt
Toite Colback DM
Sissoko Wij Thauvin
I am without a striker, park the bus time. Bloody terrible but Wij can be are attacking midfielder for the day.
Terry(Quote)
Terry: The 2 worst players on the pitch (among many) were Coloccini and Janmaat. Do you think McClaren will replace them with their understudies – Lascelles and MBabu?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Terry: Colback and Tiote are injured mate. I suppose Tiote could conceivably be fit, but given our luck/record…
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Things are bad Eric mate. Is Anita available ? I’d have him for Toite. Mitrovic can play as a lone striker and clear a few headers. Pick a first 11 has never been so difficult.
Terry(Quote)
Do you know we have 10 of the 11 players available that beat Norwich 6-2. Anita came in for Tiote to start the second half that game. The only one missing is Colback.
Its a funny old game.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And that is the team I suggested Schteve will play against Palace, substituting de Jong for Colback and changing the formation.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I would have Calum Roberts on the bench on Saturday in case Sissoko fails to turn up.
Groucho(Quote)
Mitrovic getting dropped… Jesus man! Talk about throwing a gun away because it doesn’t fire bullets even though it’s not loaded!
Stuart79(Quote)
He’s mad if he drops Mitro, it’s his presence at corners and set pieces that stops us conceding more than we do. 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)
Kimtoon: I said the same thing earlier. Who is going to mark Scott Dann, Cisse? 🙂 It is all mind games. Last week Mitro supposedly had a telepathic link with Ayoze and Schteve was going to build the team around that.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I know I have written a lot today. I don’t know, I just think that when we have a bad game we should stand up, just like when we have a good game. I am looking at you Lionel Speed 😉
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Peter Beardsley needs sacking as well. He should have produced a upcoming player by now!
Terry(Quote)
Clarence Seedorf is in secret talks to become our next head coach according to the mag. 87 per cent of fan’s dont want McClaren. They do crack me up the mag. If Lee Ryder ever gets the boot then the mag is the best place for him.
Terry(Quote)
Apparently Goof played defensive mid for the U21’s today? So if Tiote is out then is he going to play there? People said Pardew was bad, but it looks like Shteve plans to play two midfielders out wide and a wide player at defensive mid! 😆 Love this club.
Dropping Mitro would be madness as well, we’ve spent 16 mil on the lad, he’s not perfect but hardly his fault our defenders were, from what I saw, a total fucking joke (mbemba aside – AGAIN) on the weekend.
Newkie(Quote)
FJ at 296 – I don’t recall many people saying Mitro was a better signing than Austin. I think most people wanted and expected Austin irrelevent if Mitro came or not.
I really believe the board still did the minimum they thought they could get away with to ensure we survived this season. It was not ambition they showed by spending 50 million, it was the minimum required and even then they did not get it right. Why they did not flog the dead wood or just pay off their contracts I don’t know. Completely inept and its all driven by MA’s business model. Be under no illusion. MA is the problem and swapping coaches or board members around whilst sticking to his current model will make no difference to our long term PL standings – if we are ‘lucky’ enough to stay in it….
Shamrock(Quote)
Lee Ryder has also written an article in the Cronicle about Clarence Seedorf in secret talks with Newcastle. Lazy journalism, absolute bollox.
Terry(Quote)
You know Gouffran has 18 months on his contract, right. He is not great but did put in some decent performances a couple of years ago. Why the fck would we send him on an emergency loan for 5 or 6 weeks when we basically have 15 fit players? And we have the Christmas period coming up. He is not ideal but he has PL experience – just don’t play him in defensive midfield.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Louise (Mackem) Taylor of The Guardian is now suggesting playing Coloccini as the defensive midfielder. If it gets him away from centre half it might not be a bad thing and Cholo A. Sall has been suggesting it all year. When Coloccini comes up against a pacy (Vardy) or tricky (Aguero) striker we fall apart.
He might be less of a liability as a CM where his lack of pace might not matter as much as he will not be the last man. Makelaly was hardly Usain Bolt. He has the ball skills and he will not be dropped, so why not play him there when we have no-one else anyway.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Colo at DM may not be a bad idea. At least when he goes walk about from there there won’t be a gaping hole in our backline. Trouble then is that there’s three CBs playing and more chance of one getting injured…ideally we’d have a settled backline with Colo and Mbemba every match, given Colo is still our captain (terrible decision imo) he is basically guaranteed a start. But if our defence keeps regressing even with the purchase of the best CB we’ve had in yonks with Mbemba then surely we’ll have to mix things up..
Newkie(Quote)
Until Rivierre returns we don’t have any other option than Mitrovic. The poor lad is starved of any service never mind decent service.
Personnel and tactics need to change now. Central midfield for starters. What options we have are hard to assess but something has to change. Janmaat should be ejected from the side. Dummett needs moved to centre back, clueless at left back.
Apart from that everything is risy in the garden
Toby Le Rhone(Quote)
Another sycophantic article from Ryder. He says that McClaren is safe because “the board don’t do knee **** reactions”. What Lee? You mean they didn’t want to replace Carver with McClaren with 3 games to go? Yes they did and they were stupid enough to think that McClaren would blow the little credibility he had left by accepting their offer.
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-uniteds-steve-mcclaren-not-10490429?
Ryder also said that Carver was offered the chance to stay at SJP but chose to walk. Is that true? And in what capacity would he have remained, Tea Boy?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Just about to watch Pards vs Scum. Where do they find these fat little mascots. Don’t they do PE in school anymore?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Newkie – I’d far sooner see Mc experiment with Colo at DCM than bloody Gouffran!!. I understand Bmouth are interesting in Goof – I bet it’s not for his defensive qualities – mind that said, I’m not sure what offensive qualities they’d be overly interested in either to be honest.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Fek. What was Scott Dan thinking, just boot it lad.
DJG(Quote)
Knew Allardyce would make them hard to beat. Palace look like they could take another 20 corners and wouldn’t score.
DJG(Quote)
DJG – we knew the result before a ball was kicked mate. Pardew has never known how to get one over on the scum 🙄
Sharpy17(Quote)
fecking scum, wouldn’t you just know it 👿
kimtoon(Quote)
Cos – fucking – Mick!
Stuart79(Quote)
Sharpy – Never sure what happened to goof, he was hardly ever a flair player but he seemed to have that leon best quality of being a very average footballer who happened to be at the right place at the right time. It has since dried up though and sadly there’s not enough about his game to warrant keeping him if he’s not netting. That said if we give him to Bmouth you can bet he’ll start scoring tidy goals again – like Gosling on the weekend!!
Scum win then eh. I really do fear for us this season. Which is an absolute joke when you look at the players we have. Yes we have some weak links, but generally they are good international class players who are just not performing. Last year we had a better first 11 than most teams and now we have three new first teamers ffs.
Newkie(Quote)
Thing is, can anyone see our defence keeping them quiet for 95mins, next week? Coz I sure as hell cannot. Worrying times indeed. Zaha and Bolasie will be a nightmare for our fullbacks.
DJG(Quote)
How long’s fatty been there? Two wins already. ****. I’m off to boil me heed.
DJG(Quote)
Newkie – when Goof played alongside Remy he did well. Personally I would have had him on that right flank and pushed Sissoko back to midfield. I would rather see Goof being tried alongside Perez both behind or alongside Mitrovic to add a bit more pace up front.
It’s crazy watching Mc playing 4-4-2 when we have no wingers on the pitch. He has 2-3 far better options in 4-3-3, 4-3-1-2 even 4-2-3-1 in my opinion.
Sharpy17(Quote)
DJG – it looks like Sam went 3 CBs tonight with Coates, O Shea and Kaboul and then Billy Jones and Van Aarnolt as wing backs – 5 at the back when needed.
Sharpy17(Quote)
wah doomed for sure now.
Just can’t effing believe that result tonight.
I think we will be relegated long before the end of the season.
Probably by mid march.
Watch Palace knock 5 past us next weekend.
Way to go ya fat ******* 👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
The number 1 priority for us this season was to defend defend defend.
First and foremost, we had to stop shipping goals.
Abject failure.
Bollox to the lot of em.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
When you look at the scum team tonight their only width was their full backs – everything else was through the middle. But when you have Defoe & even Fletcher with experience and a natural goal scorer like Defoe on the pitch, they always have a chance of nicking a win.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy he knew that Palace would get crosses in and win corners, so he just stuck three capable Centre backs in there. Difference is, we’ve got Colo the clown and Mbemba the midget. O’Shea is only suited to that role now, but he does it well. Fullback, or high line and his lack of mobility gets exposed. But in the job he was asked to do tonight, there’s not many better. He ain’t stupid old Allardyce you know, they came with a plan to be hard to beat and nick it if they coil and they executed it perfectly. Don’t anyone be fooled into thinking this was a flook, or Palace had an off day, because they didn’t.
DJG(Quote)
DJG – we could go that way with Mbemba rightside, Lascelles middle and Dummett left side. Janmaat and Haidara or Mbabu as wing backs.
Fat Sam obviously knew Bolasie & Zaha were major threats out wide so nullified them with 5 at the back. I’m fairly certain some would see that as negative, but I think it’s good tactical nous and give them a great chance of taking at least a point from the game – as was they’ve left with all 3.
Sam still played with Clat, M’Vila and Larrson as Central midfielders – so kept it really tight and gave Palace a real job to break them down.
Sharpy17(Quote)
That’s why the likes of Pullis and fat Sam keep teams up. They make their sides hard to score against and hard to beat. They have their midfields and defence compact and tough to get in between. I don’t imagine either would put Anita or Gouffran at the centre of their midfield.
Sharpy17(Quote)
That said, I do think Fat Sam has a real job on his hands keeping Sunderland up despite tonight’s result.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Thing about Sam is, he doesnt mind changing things if something isn’t working. Well we have been trying the same thing since August and it just doesn’t work. But don’t worry, it might work sometime when we’re in the fizzy. Although I wouldn’t count on it looking at McClarens record in that league too.
Stuart79(Quote)
Oh and I’d like to say how disgusted I am that McClaren isn’t under and pressure about his job! How on earth can a manager/coach not be under pressure with a start like this and performances like they’ve been putting in? It’s a joke! Charnley has to go too imo. Carr is on a sticky wicket too for me.
Stuart79(Quote)
I went onto Palace’s board and they are now starting to see the full Pardew effect for themselves first hand 😀
They are saying the exact same things they were criticizing Newcastle fans for not too long back.
joe hawkins(Quote)
So perhaps in hindsight, the fat twats biggest mistake was sacking fat Sam in the first place.
Ha ha how ironic. He is just the man for the job in hand. Keeping a team in the EPL.
Shyte football yes but stability guaranteed.
YRCMIU.
Boots(Quote)
Carr should be sacked for the Thauvin signing alone. Not to mention Marveaux, Obertan, Cabella, Gouffran, Haidara, De Jongs, Riviere. That’s a list of dreadful signings!
georgio(Quote)
What is this ***** about Mitrovic being slow and fat? One of his Serb teammates, who is mad at him, says it and it is accepted wisdom 😕 He had no service or support at Bournemouth and was taken off against Leicester because Schteve was desperately looking for a spark.
De Jong says he is fit and is campaigning for a start and should get it, but not at the expense of Mitrovic. We have so few fit players that we should be able to fit them both in the team. Cisse and Thauvin will play some role in the next few (nightmare) games so they should bide their time against Palace and be subs. They haven’t shown they deserve anything else this season so give De Jong a go and let’s see if he is really as fit as he says.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stuart 79, Go to The Chronic’s website where you will see an article which says the magic words of “No Knee-**** Reactions” and how McClaren will be given time and money to turn things around.
It was all very predictable and Steve is nowhere near to getting the sack at Newcastle because he has proved he is malleable to the needs of the pathetic regime.
Added to the fact Don Hutchison reckons he has spoken to a lot of out of work managers and the word around the campfire is no one would touch Mike Ashley with a barge pole !
So it looks like Newcastle are stuck with the so called “Wally” for the foreseeable.
joe hawkins(Quote)
Joe Hawkins: I only watched the first half hour of Palace. What are they saying? Let me guess, he is playing players out of position and has their flair players like Bolasie and Zaha playing as supplemental fullbacks.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
They will be saying that eventually if they are not already because Pardew eventually sets his team up in his own image of when he played.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
De Jong will play one game and be out for the rest of the season. At least in January if he manages to stay fit till then we can get rid of the useless ****.
Stem(Quote)
Eric – play De Jong? Really? Can’t play in the PL. He’s proved it every time he steps on the pitch.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio: we are really short handed, so this is when De Jong needs to step up and prove he is fit. He has only had 15 minutes here and there so let’s see what he can (or cannot) do. At least we will know. Better than playing Gouffy as a defensive mid FFS.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, That’s about the gist of it along with : “Why Can We not Break Teams Down At Home.”
“Why Do We Play Like An Away Side At Home.”, “Pardew Has Kept Us In This League But His Football Is Awful To Watch.”, “Why Haven’t Any Of Our Strikers Not Scored A Goal This Season.”, “The Service Is Non Existent”, “Crosses Hitting The First Man.”, “Set Pieces Are Non Existent.”, “Why Does Pardew Praise Opposition Managers Before The Game Which Seems Like He Is Throwing In The Towel Before A Ball Is Kicked.”, “Why Is Cabaye Passing The Ball Sideways And Backwards.”, to name a few and where have we heard all the likes of this before 😛
The funniest thing about it was one guy came on at the end of the thread and gave them a rollicking for criticizing Pardew and said look we had a go at the Geordies for the same thing and now look at us !
Sorry Palace fans but you will have a lot more of that to look forward to 😥
They reckon McClaren’s team talk is already done after Sunderland’s defeat of them and they reckon we will get a draw on Saturday.
joe hawkins(Quote)
I wonder if Macca watched that match last night ?
Surely he would yes ?
So I find myself wondering if he will follow a similar plan as fat sam.
I’d be happy enough with a draw if im honest.
0-0 would be great.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Palace fans turning on Pards, surely not. Isn’t he their hero 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
BB, I don’t think it matters if he watched it or not tbh, they’ll still thump us. Unless our bigger players decide to step up to the plate we are probably beat before a ball is kicked.
kimtoon(Quote)
Palace is a must win game for us. If we lose that then are chances of staying up are slim. Still relegation to me is a positive step but we need to stay down more than one season to finally be free of Ashley.
Stem(Quote)
Stem, I would hate us to drop, simply because I think we’ll drop again and be years in the wilderness. If we should come straight back up it will come at a cost as our debt to fatty will only increase even though it will be of his own making.
kimtoon(Quote)