Manchester United never seem to give us an easy rude and I’m sure that will be the case again this evening.
However the need for Newcastle to pull off an unlikely result is massive and doing it in a game where we’re essentially expected to get nothing would be a very welcome bonus. But then we’ll have to see what happens.
At the time of writing the match preview (which you can see here) we hadn’t signed Henri Saivet and the deal was still at the medical stage. Subsequently he signed and it appears that we’re also close to completing the signing of Jonjo Shelvey from Swansea.
A welcome boost but neither will be able to assist us this evening anyway so instead we turn to the ‘older’ heads.
For the team news check out the bottom of this article. I’ll try and publish it one hour prior to kick-off but I have a poorly boy at home to sort out so may be delayed.
In terms of broadcasting we are live on BT Sport which is generally good news if you’re looking for a stream. You can normally find a link in the ‘comments’ section below.
Howay the lads!
Newcastle: Rob Elliot, Daryl Janmaat, Chancel Mbemba, Fabricio Coloccini, Paul Dummett, Jack Colback, Cheik Tiote, Moussa Sissoko, Georginio Wijnaldum, Ayoze Perez, Aleksandar Mitrovic
Subs: Karl Darlow, Jamie Sterry Jamaal Lascelles, Yoan Gouffran, Sylvain Marveaux, Siem De Jong, Ivan Toney
Man Utd: David De Gea, Ashley Young, Chris Smalling, Daley Blind, Matteo Darmian, Morgan Schneiderlin, Marouane Fellaini, Jesse Lingard, Ander Herrera, Anthony Martial, Wayne Rooney
Subs: Sergio Romero, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Paddy McNair, James Weir, Juan Mata, Andreas Pereira, Memphis Depay
Look starts up if you want Aussie,
I don’t care how many starts he has. I care how many goals or assists he contributes per minute.
Shamrock(Quote)
Aussie – But Bentaleb & Paulinho are holding midfielders, and I’m not sure looking at Chadlis stats make him flop – I’d take as well personally
Sharpy17(Quote)
You asked for expensive flops you muppet..i gave them too you..
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Aussie Magpie Fan
January 15, 2016 at 11:28
And you said “Spurs have their share of expensive flops and Townsend still can’t make a go of it… ” Which I said he was playing regular when they were there so again… what was your point? Or are you just wrong?
Stuart79(Quote)
Aussie – you didn’t though. You said Bentaleb who came through the youth system, Chadli who cost less than £6m and Paulinho – who whilst he did cost a lot of money, does not play in the same position as Townsend.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Duhh.. even the flops are getting more game time… 😯
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
47 apps – 3 goals. Obertanish.
georgio(Quote)
Aussie is completely lost here now… Townsend was getting more game time than the three players he’s mentioned even thoiugh 2 of them don’t play in his position…
Stuart79(Quote)
What about for England Georgio and what about assists?
Stuart79(Quote)
So there is only one midfield structure Stuart? Wow… 442 all the way for you. 😳 .. Show me where his game time advantage over his team mates is… you are making **** up.. as Georgio says.. English Obertan…
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
He has played over 40 times in the last two seasons which says to me he has played regularly in his position. Unless Spurs played with 13 men?
Stuart79(Quote)
just for the record… mangers/coaches can sacrifice wide players for a more defensively sound midfield structure. This would mean putting more bodies in the middle of the park if they were a better option that an average wide man…
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Just for the record… it would appear that the managers of Spurs over the past 2 seasons haven’t done that because Townsend has played a lot of games – Especially for an “average” wide man aplying for a team who have finished top 5.
Stuart79(Quote)
I wonder if Carr & McClaren are having the same ‘debate’ about Townsend right now 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – I hope we sign him, if only to **** Aussie off and prove him wrong yet again with his performances.
Stuart79(Quote)
Sorry Aussie comparing a wide player to a DM makes no sense. Trying to justify your rationale just shows you know you made a **** up in your argument. We are all human I suppose!
Shall we all draw a line under it and move on. Clearly he divides opinion but if he comes in then no doubt he will play regularly and I hope all fans get behind him.
Shamrock(Quote)
giving the position in the league spurs are in – why would they offload townsend if he’s as good as many people think he is.
– probably because he’s not.
if there is £12 million to spent then go and spend it on austin or remy – either one will score the goals that would keep us up.
simples.
roy cropper(Quote)
Nobody is saying he’s the messiah. But he’s better than anything we currently have in the same position. I’d be very disappointed if we did not sign a forward regardless of whether Townsend came in.
Shamrock(Quote)
Ime just saying there is a few ifs about the guy,better than we have yes,if we had been sitting in mid table I would say no as I would try and bring a young kid through but maybe needs must at this point of time and time is something we don’t have
icedog(Quote)
Stu – everyone is entitled to their opinion mate. I don’t agree with Aussie but at the moment it’s all hypothetical anyway. You can look at a players stats and say he’s not good enough, but I would argue that Jason Puncheons stats at Saints were probably poor – he’s went on to do well at Palace. Zaha for Man Utd has done well with Palace as well. Pinear could get into the Spurs side but was excellent at Everton and Sigurrdson at Spurs versus Swansea. Marc Albrighton was allowed to leave Villa on a free but looks really good for Leicester.
There will of course be examples the other way as well, but my gut says Townsend will be a good un – others are allowed their doubts though.
I’m sure they will be happy to be proved wrong – or to rub our noses in it if not 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
ROY I tend to lean your way mate
icedog(Quote)
being very disappointed & a newcastle fan go hand in hand.
roy cropper(Quote)
aye ice – they should concentrate on getting a goal scorer over the line.
roy cropper(Quote)
Shamrock sums it up perfectly.
Stuart79(Quote)
Disagree about Spurs flops, Chadli was a good buy at 7 mil when you look at some of the dross we have signed for bigger money. However agree with Aussie on the general theme – I don’t really want Townsend, especially if that means we don’t sign a striker. That being said we do need a proper winger, and what I would say is that he is a better option than Obertan, Marv, Sammy, Cabella and right now also probably Thauvin.
I just feel there are better options. Aren’t we going to have to pay like 15 mil?
Shaqiri signed for Stoke for 12 mil for god sake, and he is a class apart from Townsend imo.
Newkie(Quote)
NEWKIE@550 Stoke got him for a song imo would have loved him at to on makes me mad when I think we. played more than that for Thauvin
icedog(Quote)
They are funny little points people are making:
Roy – we should go for Townsend coz they are willing to let him go so he mustn’t be good enough. Maybe they want the £12-15m to help fund a new striker?. Go for Austin instead – why has nobody else gone for him or signed him yet? – would that not trigger an alarm bell in the same way?.
Newkie – don’t doubt Shaqiri is a good player, but ‘class apart’? how come he’s at Stoke then?.
I agree with Sham – nobody arguing the case for Townsend is saying we are getting a Worldy here – hell we’re bottom 3 at the mo so that’s never going to happen. Simply that he is better than what we have.
Personally, I think he can offer similar to what Benny gave (tho he is far less technically gifted). But what he lacks in WOW he makes up for in workrate. That’s just my opinion though.
Sharpy17(Quote)
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jan/15/chieck-tiote-move-shanghai-shenhue
Incredible to see how a player like Tiote has fallen. He should have been busting a gut to play well for us and have us higher up the table. I just don’t get how his form can have dropped so much the last couple of years when they should have been his prime period of his career! He should have been thinking he would either get us into the CL one season or go to one of the really big clubs and play in the CL for a few years with them. Surely not go to China at the age of 29…shows either a lack of ambition and drive or maybe an injury has taken its toll?
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Tiote will be joining Tim Cahill,Demba Vs and even M Sissoko at Shanghai. The game is really growing over there and they are giving a 3 year contract on a 10k per week pay rise. Not bad really and he’s never Gina get a serious CL team now.
Shamrock(Quote)
Funny how players at other clubs always seem better than they are to certain people on here…the grass is always greener and all that.
If the likes of Shaqiri, Townsend, Austin, Richards, Lescott (and others that people have posted that we should have gone for), were that good consistently, then they’d be higher up than they are. Look at the likes of Johnson when he moved to the scum. Some flashes but he’s not done well. Richards and Lescott have been dire, yet some fans saw them as the answer to our defensive issues.
Townsend coming in would depend on the situations with Aarons and Thauvin for me. If Aarons can stay fit and Thauvin can grow in confidence, then we don’t need him.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Well Thauvin is leaving so you don’t have to worry about him and Aarons is never fit so we can’t rely on him. As for the other players you mentioned; How do you know they haven’t been successes? I think Sunderland are pretty happy with Johnsons signing. I also still think Richards is a good defender but as for Lescott – he’s never been that good.
Stuart79(Quote)
I would stay clear of Townsend ? Hasn’t played a game this season ? Fallen out with the manager just mean’s he has a bad attitude. This has got Thauvin part 2 written all over it.
Terry(Quote)
I just don’t understand why people want Townsend ? Wouldn’t Arsenal’s Gibbs be a better choice ? Out of all the RM out there we can’t do better than Townsend.
Terry(Quote)
Best get rid of Shelvey pronto then Terry.
Shamrock(Quote)
Sharpy – Stoke are better than we are mate, and they have friggin Hughes at the helm, god that’s an embarassing sentence.
He’s not Bayern class that’s for sure, but he’s still better than Townsend and certainly done more on a football pitch in his time. Oh, and he’s the same age.
Newkie(Quote)
Isn’t Gibbs primarily a left back?
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Shapiro is better than Townsend for sure. I believe Townsend is over priced at 14m and will be shocked if we pay more than 10 for him. But he’s still a better option than what we have.
Shamrock(Quote)
sharpy @ 552
you do have a point about austin – that said were your alarm bells not triggered that nobody else was in for shelvey?
my take on it is their both ticking bombs – 1 that could have constant injury problems & the other a nut job.
the thing is i would still rather have these 2 over what – old man river – has been pulling in from france.
roy cropper(Quote)
Shelvey’s not a bad player. Done more than that fool Townsend.
Terry(Quote)
Stuart
Why do you almost always seem to deal in absolutes? Thauvin may or may not leave depending on who else comes in and what McClaren really thinks of him and his state of mind, and Aarons is a young man who has had injury problems. I seem to recall the likes of Gerrard having serious injury troubles when he was young but he grew out of them. At least give those players a chance.
Johnson cost a fortune, hasn’t done much, is seemingly a bad egg with the accusations at him and has been involved in several relegation battles. We want and need players who are good enough to be in the top half.
Both Lescott and Richards were once good but look where they’ve been for the last few years. Many England caps between them but no top half club would touch them now. I wouldn’t be surprised to see one or both playing in the Championship next season.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
You would rather we go after two player’s with bad attitude’s. This could really backfire.
Terry(Quote)
I don’t know nothing about Saviet either. Could be yet another french reject.
Terry(Quote)
TDS yes we need a LB more than we need bloody Townsend. Shamrock as for you wanting to keep Colocini and not go after a new CB say’s it all for me. 19th place in the table.
Terry(Quote)
Newkie – I don’t disagree with you mate. But Stoke are still only a mid table side at best – Shaq stands out coz he’s a good player in an average side is all I’m saying. Maybe Townsend could be an average player that stands out in our ***** side 😆
Terry – no alarm bells for me when it came to Shelvey mate. I was amazed that Swansea were letting him go to be honest. Could be the difference of us staying up & them going down 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)
TERRY
I’d say we need to score goals more than anything. We have players who can do a job at left back already.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
The only one that isn’t an absolute is Thauvin and you will see he will be gone.
Stuart79(Quote)
SHARPY17 @552 i agree with what Your saying and their must be something not ticking the right boxes with Austin but he proved he can score goals at this level though . while i have liked Townsend when playing for England and he has done the job for the 3 lions its not for nothing he is not getting playing time at Spurs , i have read that his manager thinks he is a lazy sod that never tracks back , i would not know because i have not watched him playing that often for them .
Axel(Quote)
Terry… show me where I have said Colo does not need replacing?
Shamrock(Quote)
The obvious point about Townsend or not is he would be replacing Sissoko at RW. Sissoko has created 37 chances already this season! And a fair few assists. The money should be spent on a bloody striker FFS.
georgio(Quote)
De Jong out for a couple of weeks due to being poked in the eye! YCMIU!
Stuart79(Quote)
I’m sorry Shamrock that was premandup in the summer.
Terry(Quote)
ROY CROPPER Shelvey being a bit of a nut case is not a problem mate we have had that type before and they were good for the team . Bellamy being one , i agree with you i would rather another couple of that type than bottlers from over the channel like Thavin , Cabella , Oba
Axel(Quote)
Townsend playing on the left at a woeful QPR: 2 goals, 2 assists and created 15 chances in 12 matches.
I think his main problem is this hipster left footers cutting in from the right/right footers cutting in from the left bollocks. At Spurs he seems to spend what little game time he gets coming inside & shooting at every opportunity.
Here as a touchline hugging natural left winger whipping early crosses in, Sissoko/Janmaat bombing up the other side, Gini off the front & midfield players who can actually play through teams instead of in front of them, would look pretty useful IMO
CC(Quote)
Ok Terry thanks for apology. Colo can still do a job and he had a hood game vs manure, but we desparetely need a solid CB to replace him in the starting line up and have needed a new Captain ever since he got appointed!
Shamrock(Quote)
Georgio and TDS then we need Austin.
Terry(Quote)
We need a couple of nutters in the squad. Nutters normally upset the Apple cart a bit and tell it how it is. Quite often the best leaders are nutters. I think Shelvey will be good for the club.
Shamrock(Quote)
Als for new signings i think its time too tie Mbabu down too a new contract his is up in the summer and he has looked good the couple of chances hè has had . Would be typical of us too loose him and Aarons for nothing in the summer.
Axel(Quote)
Shamrock I do get bloggers mixed up at times. I agree Colocini needs to be on the bench in a supportive manor next season. I’m not knocking Shelvey I hope he comes good. I’m not sure about Townsend unless Sissoko’s leaving for a CL team. Remy or Ba on loan or sign Austin permanently.
Terry(Quote)
Key quote from McClaren’s conference today was ” The board are looking at progressing the club this window”
Stuart79(Quote)
Whatever that means Stuart.
georgio(Quote)
CC – good point mate. I’ve never seen him on the left. There’s just something about him that doesn’t sit right for me. I’ll get over it if we sign him and I don’t think we will. Lots of contact with Marseille apparently. Might be Thauvin but possibly their striker Mitsbuyachi?
georgio(Quote)
Dam young Mbabu out for weeks with injury just when the kid was coming on
icedog(Quote)
TERRY
Why Austin? I’ve said all along that he can’t be quite all that if clubs are still shying away from him and he was willing to spend a season in the Championship. The likes of Ricketts, Scowcroft and Jeffers have scored loads of goals in the PL one season and look what happened to them.
I’m not saying he’s not a decent striker, but I don’t agree in making him out to be a clear 20 goals a season man for us.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
The number of players that fans on here were crying out to join us only for them to go elsewhere and no nothing…it’s incredible! Yet, when 1 player does go elsewhere and he’s a success, then the club are stupid for missing out on him.
I think Steve Harper described it pretty well when he said the club is very binary…the fans often seem to think a player is amazing or ****. There isn’t much inbetween…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
I honestly don’t know if Townsend would be good or not, but I do know he’s rapid and given our often slow build up in attacks he would be a big plus in that respect. Being a nutter is no all bad as it often means passion and channelled the correct way that’s no bad thing imo.
kimtoon(Quote)
TDS, You are incredible. Do you still not understand how the thing works when players are out of contract? You are still going on as if he’s not very good because nobody has bought him – even though he’s out of contract in 6 months!
Stuart79(Quote)
De Jong poked in the eye and out
Mbabu injured and out
🙄 ycmiu
kimtoon(Quote)
STUART
You flip flop more than a fat man at the start of Summer!
It’s not relevant that he’s out of contract in 6 months! If a club wanted him enough, then they’d pay the money to ensure they get him and not someone else!
Let me give you an example…you want a car that’s listed at £20k in the showroom but you know the place is having a fire sale soon and it could be worth considerably less. The car is worth £20k and at any other garage would be worth £20k too. If you wait, you run the risk of one of the following happening:
1 – the car isn’t in the fire sale (Austin signs a new contract)
2 – someone else pays around £20k (someone buys Austin before the summer)
3 – someone else buys the car in the fire sale before you do (one of several clubs who will want him for free, do get him)
So what happens if you don’t get him? You end up going out and spending £20k on the same car from somewhere else, but you’ve spent months driving around in an old banger when you could have had your new car…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/jonjo-shelvey-kenny-dalglish-told-me-the-newcastle-fans-will-love-me-34367853.html
kimtoon(Quote)
KIM
That’s the kind of comment we like to read from our players! The only other players I’ve really read good stuff from recently have been Mitrovic and Taylor. Actually Krul and Elliott too come to think of it. We need more with that attitude. Other comments seem pretty much managed by the club or agents…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Excellent read on Townsend
http://thepremierleagueowl.com/andros-townsend-newcastle-united-and-a-tide-of-snark/
kimtoon(Quote)
TDS, He was very contrite in his presser on sky. Very aware he’s in the last chance saloon and extremely grateful that a club as big as us came in for him. I do hope he can live up to his potential with us for all our sakes.
kimtoon(Quote)
It’s interesting that he’s gone up from Charlton to Liverpool, then down to Swansea and then back up to us. In terms of the profile of the club. If his next move is down, then he’ll never fulfil his potential. He either achieves it with us, achieves it by earning a big move to a CL club, or he’ll just be another decent English midfielder with unfulfilled potential.
He talks the talk…let’s hope he can walk the walk with us! He’ll definitely love the passion at the ground.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
tds, agree
kimtoon(Quote)
TDS – You are even going against the reality and FACTS now! This is incredible!
Are you seriously telling me that a players value doesn’t go down the closer they are to the end of their contract? How many players with 6 months of their contract left leave for the same price they would have been with 2 years left? The way you see it, just doesn’t happen. Jesus, I hope you aren’t someones accountant as you’ll have them bankrupt in no time.
Stuart79(Quote)