Ok ok I’m really bad at poetry but I’m just trying to get into the festive spirit of things so forgive me.
One thing however that would help keep the festive mood ticking along nicely would indeed be another win and another three points to extend our winning run to a third game.
But, as always seems to be the case, you can never feel assured of anything when United are involved.
The last two games have come when nobody expected us to get anything. The pressure was off if you like and, credit to everyone at the club, they responded.
But this one is different. Villa will look to make us break them down and try to frustrate us while the impetus will be on us to attack which in turn will potentially open up space on the counter.
Those are just my thoughts anyway…
Early team news, injury updates for both sides, a look at the history of the fixture and some fun facts and stats can be perused over in my match preview which went live yesterday and can be viewed here.
For the actual team news you’ll have to take a look below about an hour before kick-off where I will add it as soon as I physically can. For streaming links take a look in the ‘comments’ section below.
There’s been a lot of talk of mentality this week and how it has changed at St James’ Park. We shall soon see if those are words of meaning or words of emptiness.
Howay the lads!
Newcastle: Rob Elliot; Daryl Janmaat, Chancel Mbemba, Fabricio Coloccini, Paul Dummett; Moussa Sissoko, Vurnon Anita, Jack Colback, Georginio Wijnaldum; Siem de Jong; Papiss Cisse
Subs: Karl Darlow, Kevin Mbabu, Cheick Tiote, Yoan Gouffran, Florian Thauvin, Ayoze Perez, Aleksandar Mitrovic
Aston Villa: Brad Guzan; Alan Hutton, Jores Okore, Joleon Lescott, Leandro Bacuna; Ashley Westwood, Carlos Sanchez, Idrissa Gueye; Jordan Veretout, Scott Sinclair, Jordan Ayew
Subs: Mark Bunn, Ciaran Clark, Kieran Richardson, Carles Gil, Jack Grealish, Adama Traore, Rudy Gestede
I mean, let’s be honest about this, McClaren is making a pigs ear of this. Our central midfielders neither attack nor defend, our best two central midfielders play on the wings while we have a £13m winger sat on the bench! Can someone explain this strategy to me?
Stuart79(Quote)
one of pardews parting shhots is that whereas
Munich Mag(Quote)
pardews parting shots was that whereas toon fans thought nufc were under-performing, he actually thought we were over-performing ! Now we have another average manager been given millions of pounds, and a promising team of internationals to play with, and is still getting it all wrong. what a mickey mouse club, run by absolute imbeciles.
there are good players to be picked up in france, marez cost less than a million from ligue 2, yet we sign diddys like thauvin, cabella, riviere, gouffron and amalfitano who cannot cope with the demands of the epl and cost millions to sit on the bench.
god help us if any of our centre halves or defenders get injured, or rob elliot for that matter !
Munich Mag(Quote)
The system is the problem for me; How many times do we have to be overrun in midfield before the penny drops about playing two men in the middle
The only time we ever looked like a European chasing side under Pardew was when Ba or Remy went to the left and we played with a three man midfield. He has to move Perez to the left with Gini moving inside
CC(Quote)
Simple diamond formation will get men in the middle and get all our best attacking players in the team.
Stuart79(Quote)
Or even a back three as long as we give ourselves a foot hold in the middle
CC(Quote)
I know lads, but some on here would rather stick with McLaren until the end of the season, no matter if we are in the bottom 3 with 6 games to go.
Mashley, the point is and I’ll repeat it again, a change of voice can have an immediate impact in the short term, sometimes even a failed manager can have a honeymoon period. Do you not see that or do you need to join us in the real world? 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
STUART@601 simple mate those running the club know nothing about footy,carr thinks he does how many duds has he brought to the club,2 from 15 is not a good ave some fans blame jabba which is true but carr is limited with the amount of cash he is very over rated imo he has spent millions on duffers he would have got better results looking at our lower lges at least they would put in a better effort,then you need a manager/coach that has more than one way to play,,,,,,,,,we will never get anywhere while you have clowns running the show,a blind man can see we need defenders and a m/f that can create,ime fed up with the whole show i havent been to a game for a long time and will stay away until jabba goes
icedog(Quote)
Troy – We didn’t even get a short term lift when McClaren arrived. I still can’t quite believe that we still continue to employ bang average coaches when Ashley’s whole strategy at the club is buying players, improving them and then selling them. Why wouldn’t you invest in a top coach if that’s the plan?
Stuart79(Quote)
Ice – Carr is seriously under the microscope but Mbemba looks a good player already. Mitro I think will come good but maybe he needs a season to adjust as he is still very young but that’s the whole problem with the transfer policy. Buy young and inexperienced players. No guarantees there I’m afraid.
Stuart79(Quote)
STUART yes Mbemba is a good defender his game would be even better if he had a couple more decent defenders around him,Siko might be better in the middle to judge him better,having two defencive m/f to cover for a **** defence is just mad its no help to the attackers
icedog(Quote)
Troy I’m not bothered if the club gets relegated. It’s been coming along time. I hope we go down just to hurt his shitty company.
Stem(Quote)
Stem, that’s the problem to be honest. Many fans just aren’t bothered what happens and that’s how far Ashley has ruined this club. Personally I couldn’t give a flying **** of were relegated because it will hurt him more than me.
Stuart79(Quote)
who are we “buying young” ? Tiote, Obertan, De Jong, Collocini, Mbemba, Ben Arfa, Cabella, Sissoko, Colback, Anita, Janmaat, Elliot, Wijnaldum, Obertan, Luuk De Jong, Ba, Cisse, Remy ? All seasoned or international players who have let the club down to a certain extent.
buying young…Mitrovic and Perez, one of them a real success…the other has potential, though a massive gamble
Munich Mag(Quote)
I still think Carr has done a decent job overall. Every club, coach and manager occasionally buy duffers and Carr is no different. I’m sure a lot of the players he has recommended have been his 2nd or 3rd choices.
It’s the clubs policy of selling and not being ambitious enough to hold onto the better players and building year on year that is the problem. Debuchy, Ba, Cabaye, Carroll, Santon all moved on but would have made the club stronger and more competitive if retained.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Stuart I couldn’t stand to see another year of Newcastle in the premiership. I would take the wilderness and a chance to get rid of him.
Stem(Quote)
If we had bought Cabaye this summer we’d be a completely and utterly different team. But why didn’t we buy him? Because he was 28 years old and they thought Gini was a better bet. So we buy Gini and play him out wide! UCMIU
Stuart79(Quote)
Stem
I know what you mean about relegation but it could backfire big style. Too big a risk for me.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
A new manager can have an immediate positive impact, but there are no guarantees. In my opinion it depends on how long the board has allowed the rot to set in before making the change. If you look at Villa, Sunderland and us as an example – these groups of players have had a loosing mentality for a long time before the new managers came in.
Sharpy17(Quote)
As for fans being happy to stick with McClaren – I think the truth is it’s more fear of who Ashley will get in next to be honest.
If we thought that Ashley would go out and bring in a top manager/head coach like a Klopp or De Boer, even Moyes then I think most if not all would snap your hand off.
But the reality of expectation having had the 8-9yr prior experience of Ashley is that most would expect a Nigel Pearson or the return of John Carver.
We don’t get a Guus Hiddink as a permanent manager, let alone a stand in.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sam had a little positive period. I think they won 2 out of 3. I just don’t get McClaren and his thinking. The formation and personnel he uses just doesn’t work. It’s ok saying we beat Spurs and Liverpool but we scored with very few chances and our strike force isn’t good enough to take almost every chance. If you concede so much possession in every game we will lose more than we win. We were outplayed by Villa for Christs sake in the second half and complete dominated by Everton who where 11th!!!
It really is terrible and the more McClaren keeps talking about progress the more of a ****** he looks because we’re in the bottom 3 and that is regression not progression! He needs to go if we are going to get out of this comfortably.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu/CC – I agree we need to look at the formation and positioning of key players. I think we missed some good chances against both Villa & Everton, so clearly we need to create more chances to compensate for our lack of quality in front of goal.
But do we currently have the players in the squad to allow us to be able to do that?. I don’t think it will be major investment, so the players we do bring in have to be the right ones to keep us safe this season and look to build upon in the summer. Do I think that will happen – highly unlikely I’m afraid.
Sharpy17(Quote)
That’s true, Sharpy but the likes of Carver and McClaren have been appointed by Charnley and I just can’t see Jabba sitting back and letting this continue. Our next three games are against WBA, Arsenal and Man Utd. WBA will always be hard to beat and we just won’t have the skill to break them down, Arsenal could put 5 past us there and Man Utd are probably going to have a new manager by then. Honestly, I think if we get nothing from our next three games he will be gone.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – so that being the case, what we need first is for Ashley to replace Charnley and possibly Carr before getting rid of McClaren. If it was Charnley who picked McClaren, then that would suggest it was also his idea to go with Carver as interim manager – that means he hasn’t just been unlucky with one bad choice of Mc, that suggests that he is way out of his depth and could just as likely **** up with McClarens replacement too.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ashley’s whole way of operating has led to this mess. Really poor choices of individuals to lead the club. FS Charnley, Pardew, JFK, Carver, McClaren, Moncur and Carr doesn’t escape either. Duffers all of them.
It’s been 3 or 4 years of relegation fights for Villa and Sunderland and eventually it tells. This season or next for us I’m afraid unless big changes are made starting at the top.
georgio(Quote)
Stuart: I was worried about Arsenal and still am. However, Southampton could have put 7 past them easily yesterday so who knows which Arsenal will turn up?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Georgio – correct mate. Can we look at any appointment and seriously say that the new recruit is an improvement. More often than not Ashley hasn’t gone out and brought in the best possible candidate for a role, he’s either promoted from within or brought in his mates. Forget running a football club, you wouldn’t run a business that way – the man is a billionaire so he’s obviously got somethings right, but that can’t be the blueprint I’d imagine.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – Absolutely, Charnley should be sacked. He’s been in charge of the worst year in our history. By all accounts he’s the one who dreamt up this ridiculous transfer policy and wanted McClaren so badly he offered him the job three times!
Stuart79(Quote)
Stu – yip, that’s my point mate. With him and his hair brained schemes out of the way, maybe that would bring better improvement over keep changing the manager. Don’t get me wrong, Mc has made some straight decisions, but would any better manager come in under the restrictions in place at the moment – I seriously doubt it.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy
You say that mate but Remi Garde who was apparently first choice at one point has recently agreed to commit career suicide and oversee villas relegation.
The restrictions placed on managers at SJP surely can’t be as bad as the cost cutting job he had at Lyon or trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear at villa park.
We have signed and continue to sign some very good players and have a high wage bill. We can’t be that unattractive especially to overseas coaches who rarely have final say on transfers
CC(Quote)
CC – you miss my point mate. I don’t want to just find a manager who is prepared to work under these restrictions. I want those in charge to change their ways to accommodate a real quality manager/coach.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I am of the opinion that there would be many top class managers/coaches who would take the job at NUFC, whether under this transfer policy or any other. PL football is very popular and the likes of Moyes or Rodgers would jump at the chance.
Regards Charnley, he’s got to go because he’s been responsible for a failed project and pathetically poor managerial appointments. Whether Charnley is here or not will make no difference to the job McClaren would do. He’s not good enough and his record shows that.
In the cold light of day it really is absolutely staggering that Steve McClaren actually got given the job of managing or coaching one of the biggest clubs in England in the PL. I mean, really, what on earth has he done to warrant him getting this job?
Stuart79(Quote)
Fair enough I would love that as well but I can’t see it sadly.
In recent years the likes of John Williams who did such a solid job at Blackburn & Man city & Antonine Sibierski who has worked as a sporting director in France, Knows English football and has contacts after working as an agent have become available.
Both would have forgotten more about the sport than Charnley but I very much doubt Ashley would even know who they were let alone appoint them…
CC(Quote)
CC@633, totally agree.
Troy@551, look at your comment @535 you did say he was sacked.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim
That was just me trying to get a bite out of Gashley. 😆
He was technically sacked though. 😉 hounded out. 😉
Ok I’ll give you that one. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
That was just me trying to get a bite out of Gashley. 😆
He was technically sacked though. 😉 hounded out
Double fail 😛
Gashley(Quote)
dont worry guys. I’m sure Troy is offering all sorts of favours 😯 to his bezzy Steve Wraith to get on the old dog and bone to Arry n Oddle
I’m sure Arry could give the players a wink and a nudge of confidence whist Hoddle and his curing hands could get our players off the injury table
If not, El Tel is an easyjet flight away in Eldorado ..
Of all the managers you could of said and you pick those 3. I handed them to you on a plate and boy did you feast 😛 😆 😳
Gashley(Quote)
He was technically sacked though. 😉 hounded out 😯 WOW!
Gashley(Quote)
I’m flying to Australia tomorrow at 1pm and by the time I land we will no doubt have been beaten by WBA and no doubt he will play the same team yet again!
Stuart79(Quote)
Wow!I’ve really ratted Mashley. 😆 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
😯 ETel 😆 😆 😆 😳
seriously mate. were you on the appy backy when you said that 😆
Gashley(Quote)
Have faith Stuart mate. Enjoy Aus. Always wanted to go there.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Who’s getting sacked first? McLaren or van Gaal?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
If we play the Belgian midget strikers against West Brom I’ll be well satisfied. They’re sober again now. 😯
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Troysta @640: you have rattled nobody. WOW. You never do. In your own mind, maybe … LOL, Pardew, Clueless Crew.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Don’t we need to see more of Thaujam to decide whether he’ll make it in the Prem? Why pay all that money for him and then not play him much? We try to get all of our attack from Sissoko and Wij. It’s too much ground to cover. Bring them higher up the pitch. Mitro is starting to remind me of Carroll. He looks like a carthorse plodding around out there.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
It’s us and Norwich battling it out for 17th place for the rest of the season unless Mashers does something really significant in the window.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
We want Kuqi!!! Boom, boom, boom boom boom!!
Shefki Kuqi!!!
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2 everything will be alright when Obertan return’s to full fitness. He is the winger of Mike Ashley’s dream.
Stem(Quote)
We might even be tempted to pay Sammy’s wages for 6 mths to remain in the league. Oh the excitement is killing me.
Stem(Quote)
We can also bring Armstrong back from Coventry so he can come on for four minutes when we are three nil down.
Stem(Quote)
We do have options that will hardly cost Lee a penny.
Stem(Quote)
Just can’t see us beating the Baggies sadly.
kimtoon(Quote)
Plus we have a third round cup run to look forward too. Then the players have a holiday to Dhabi. Oh the excitement of our players getting a free holiday.
Stem(Quote)
Kim that makes two of us.
Stem(Quote)
If Pulis sets up WBA to be hard to beat we won’t beat them. He might do that too as they’ve been struggling recently.
It will be boring either way.
Stuart79(Quote)
Fck em. If we cant beat West Brom then who can we beat… Fck em. They have 2 players suspended. Fck em.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Can’t beat Villa or Sunderland, Eric so what Chavez WBA?
Stuart79(Quote)
the premier league really has improved quantatively, and anyone can beat anyone these days. Almost all of the teams can play possession football, apart from the toon and the makkems that is, and thats why both teams are in the bottom 3. each of them have tried hard to get relegated over the last 2 seasons, and at least one of them, if not both, will succeed this season. the toon have had more than enough chances to arrest the slide, and ashley and his incompetents will deserve everything coming to them.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Mashley
Choice:
Bottom 3 with 6 games to go;
Do you;
A. Stick with McLaren who led us to the situation or
B. Sack him and give Venners a go for 6 games.
Answer honestly.. My answer would be B.
The question goes to anyone. The Xmas question is obviously hypothetical and Venners is the only alternative.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
So Mitrovic is struggling with a ankle injury which means Toney is next in line. Dear God – how has it come to this? I’ll tell you how – fucking penny pinching wankers running the club! It was obvious we needed an additional striker but oh no, the tops pots were sure we’d be ok.
This football club doesn’t deserve to be in the PL I’m afraid. It doesn’t act like a PL club one iota.
Stuart79(Quote)
troy@660, Venables is a dinosaur mate, belongs to another era. when did he last achieve anything of note in english football …or any football to be honest ?
Munich Mag(Quote)
@mm
Don’t rise to Troy’s windups. He’s obviously pulling your xmas cracker?
You don’t really think Troy’s hopefully El Tel will save us 😯
Gashley(Quote)
Troy @ 660
6 games to go, a bloke with a dodgy tan and cockney accent is hurried into the changing room. Players with bewildered looks on their faces, asking who’s he to Charnley.
There you go lads, a VHS tape for all of you from the 80’s. It’s El Tel 😛
You really have had a masterstroke with this one… 😆
Gashley(Quote)
El TELs last job. Yes folks 13years ago, when Perez was still in first school aged 9
Leeds United (2002–2003)
In July 2002, Venables joined Leeds United as manager. Although the extent of Leeds’ disastrous financial problems were only beginning to become clear with club captain Rio Ferdinand sold to Manchester United only a fortnight into Venables appointment, he still inherited a stronger squad than the one that had qualified for the UEFA Champions League two years earlier (effectively, since Ferdinand was bought after qualification.) Despite this, by December of that year the side had crashed out of both the League Cup and the UEFA Cup and were languishing in the bottom half of the table.
Leeds were further weakened in January 2003, when Jonathan Woodgate was sold to Newcastle United without Venables being informed, in an attempt to pay off mounting debts. Venables threatened to leave if Woodgate was sold, but was persuaded to stay by Peter Ridsdale.[12] With the club spiralling towards relegation, and amid later substantiated rumours of further player sales by the board Venables was sacked in March 2003.[13] Leeds later escaped relegation under Peter Reid, securing safety with a remarkable 3–2 win away to reigning Premier League champions Arsenal.
Gashley(Quote)
Haha. 😛
El Tel and his pigeons. (Have you read his book) 😆
I know I would rather listen to El Tel for 6 games rather thsn droning McLaren. He’s as inspirational as Aussies football tactics 😆
I can see him now in his sheepskin and jewellery talking Xmas tree formations. Perfick for Xmas time actually. Get him in now! 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
The alternative in the scenario is McLaren. 😆
I can’t wait to see if Mashley gives McLaren to the end of the season like he said he would. 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
McLarens latest record.
Spent a fortune in the championship with Derby, more than any other club and couldn’t make the play offs 😆
Comes to the toon and gets £50m to spend and halfway through the season he has us languishing in the bottom 3. 😆
YCMIU 😆
I can see Gashley now with his brolly he got for Crippa.
But. He will stick by him even if it means we are in the bottom 3 with 6 games to go.
YCMIU
I would rather have Terrys pigeons in charge. 💡
Troy Stavers(Quote)
😯 desperate times 😛
Gashley(Quote)
Ii would ever had of appointed SM. I thinks he’s awful, always have been apart from 1-2 seasons.
I would only give him until the season if there were no better options. If we could sign a decent manager now, I’d get shot instantly, why wouldn’t I. I don’t like him.
Until now, Venners option is obviously you pulling our legs, come on, admit it’s a wind up 😆
Gashley(Quote)
*Never of had
Gashley(Quote)
Lol this is how **** we are. Arguing who’s best to take us forward. SM or Venners…. Well done ashley 😥
Gashley(Quote)
Haha. Gashley. I never wanted SM but I was forced into having him as you and the Clueless Crew drove him out. ;-D
I don’t want Venners. It’s a ridiculous suggestion made by you as an alternative for 6 games to go. The fact is, for 6 games only in a desperate position, in the bottom 3 with 6 games to go, I would take Ron Atkinson above McLaren in that position.
I rate Ron Atkinsons football nouse two rungs above yours and one above McLarens. You haven’t stepped on the ladder yet. 😆
I can’t wait to see if you shout for SMs head before the end of the season. You’ve set your stall out now. Magic 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
*drove my man Pardew out*
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Lol I jokingly handed you the name Venners. you took the bait, hook line….
Lol its on your toes now mate. You argued the toss foe Venners. I’ve so very embarrassed for you 😛
Gashley(Quote)