This week we welcomed Henri Saivet and Jonjo Shelvey and at the time of writing I think it’s fair to say Shelvey is going to be a Toon Army favourite!
Newcastle United:Elliott, Janmaat, Coloccini, Mbsmba, Dummett, Sissoko, Shelvey, Colback, Wijnaldum, Perez, Mitrovics.
Subs: Darlow, Lascelles, Gouffran, Saivet, Aaron’s, Riviere, Toney.
West Ham United:Adrian, Timkins, Collins, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Noble, Kouyate, Obeyang, Antonio, Valencia, Payer.
Subs:Randolph, Reid, Song, Jenkinson, Moses, Jelevic, Cullen.
Referee: Neil Swarbrick.
HWTL!
Mitro will come good I’m certain of that, comparing him to Shola, Troy is fishing yet again my fellow bloggers. All strikers go through spells of not being able to get that elusive goal, even the likes of Big Al had barren spells, and Harry Kane has had a wobble this season too. I tend to think he needs it on his head more, think if that kind of service comes to him we will see plenty of goals. The important thing is he’s not hiding and whilst not scoring he is bringing others into play which is massive in itself. Time will tell of course but 5 months is too soon to write him off. We do need another forward because Cisse is crocked and it will remove pressure from Mitro and Perez .
kimtoon(Quote)
CC, Excellent point@225
kimtoon(Quote)
Anybody who has been to away games over the years will maybe have bumped into NUFC fanatic Cliffy from South Shields. Recognisable by this jet black hair the guy never missed a game home and away. Sadly he has passed away this week.
A NUFC legend RIP Cliffy
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
If we do bring in Townsend and a good striker as a man of honour and a man of my word I will go and re purchase my season ticket (it’s still available surprisingly…) as I will think finally we are starting to act like a football club. Big IF though…
Stuart79(Quote)
are French imports tarnished here now? not one mention of Saivet on his debut
.
We’re desperate for players and he’s slipped in unnoticed..
I though he look assured and steady yesterday..he looked fdecent on the ball, made some canny blocks and looked for the forward pass.
a mixture of all we have in central mid. Tiote / anita and Colback
Gashley(Quote)
lol hang on Stuart79
we havent sold anyone yet. 😆
Who would ppl play on the left. Perez or Townsend?
Gashley(Quote)
wow the club will be forever grateful Stuart… thanks for helping the club out…legend…
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Tough one, Gashley. Perez would be better through the middle as yesterday he did slow play down sometimes but he still played very well.
Stuart79(Quote)
If we bought Townsend surely Perez would be dropped . hmm
Gashley(Quote)
Still fancy only one in. Would rather have a striker than Townsend.
Stuart79(Quote)
@aussie. It’s a easy process. Ashley shows he has a slight interest in our club, not just SD advertising and we back his interest by turning up. Harmonious simple relationship that works well if the balance is right.
Went to the man u game in the platinum club.£80 a ticket?? My God I would not pay 30 for some of the **** the toon serve up but if we were decent, fair do’s
Gashley(Quote)
I think we could without Townsend tbh if we had a striker. Aaron’s is back too
Gashley(Quote)
<<<<<<<<<<<< would rather have Lacazette than Berahino meself that Berahino thinks he can turn up to training when he likes and his attitude also sucks,hes defo the sort of dude that can upset ya dressroom in my opinion
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
All the comments about Mitro, I agree his hold up play is brilliant and just hope as a striker he comes into his own next season. This season putting the ball in the net has been a nightmare from him, we need a proven pl goal scorer to play alongside him and help him. Mind you, a £13m striker shouldn’t need the help, but he does. So 2 birds with 1 stone, get someone into put the ball in back of the net and help him come good
Simon(Quote)
Gashley I get it mate… you’ll forgive everything as long as money is being spent… you tarts 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
a new striker will arrive in my opinion and his name will be Lacazette
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
It’s very rare that a new signing comes in and does exactly what it says on his tin. Shelvey was exactly what I thought we were buying. Well done son.
On the Mitro argument. He has missed a lot of good chances, too many in fact, but I like him and he does offer really a lot in terms of worrying/disturbing CBs. His hold up play and lay offs are good. He’ll come good, we just need to persevere. Wouldn’t mind another quick striker though instead of Townsend.
That’s 3 excellent performances in a row. I’m enjoying our games again!
georgio(Quote)
ToonArmyElite@241, you could be onto something there mate, the toon are hoying money at him like nowt, maybe he will give in in the end ?. They are really keen on this bloke, and he does look like a class act. A lorra money though on “another Frenchie”…. 😆
Munich Mag(Quote)
Georgio, me too… we are actually playing some nice football… we had some good runs under Pardew but the football was never easy on the eye… dare I say it… we actually have a little swagger… Still, we need to bank some points so results matter more than anything at the moment..
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
MUNICH MAG
his club wants to take the money so i can see them forceing him out if they have to so my moneys on him arriveing 😉
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
😉 that helps Aussie. Its not all about the money. If he makes the the right choices at the right time it’ll make it easier for us to support his reign.
What company in the world can make huge sums (tv money) and not invest. from small to large companies, lack of investment will result in failure..
Gashley(Quote)
Look at Janmaat, some ppl were wanting him dropped and sold at the beginning of the season. He’ll add plenty assists if we have the right players around him.
Gini for me is the steal of the season. what a player. has the skill of gazza and doesnt stop running, can score goals too. he’s gone next year lol
Gashley(Quote)
Aussie 😉
georgio(Quote)
Hats off to Ashley, and also McClaren for making the moves in the January transfer market. Still a long way to go before we are safe, but both players seem to have increased the quality of the squad. Plus the presence of Shelvey will bring out an all round improvement in our play which will make a massive difference in turning those close 1-0 defeats into 1-0 wins.
A real pity that Dummet went off injured, because this forced Colback to left back, having formed an excellent midfield pairing with Shelvey. Hopefully Dummet won’t be out too long.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Gashley@247, Janmaat is a dodgy defender. What can’t you see about that mate ? 😕
Hopefully he will improve with better players around him, but without doubt he is better going forward than defending..
Munich Mag(Quote)
<<<<<<<<<<<<< cant see us selling Gini meself would have to be a proper monster offer for that to happen 😉
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
MUNICH MAG
I disagree 😉
Gashley(Quote)
Aussie – only comments I made about Whickham at Sunderland was that the fee Palace were prepared to pay for him was ridiculous. I was told that was the going rate for English players. The player I was banging on about at that time was Danny Ings mate 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)
SHARPY17
Danny Who not really heard of him since he was dumb enough to join Liverpool 😆
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Isn’t Ings long-term injured ?
Gash@252, that’s your perogative mate :-). He had a great game yesterday though, and his part played in the Wijnaldum goal was sensational !
What I enjoyed yesterday about the game, is just that, the enjoyment in watching the toon is returning. We have players throughout the team who can get you off your seat. That has been lacking in recent years…
Munich Mag(Quote)
Well imo Mito will be a top striker when the kid ssettles,once he gets a couple of goals he will be fine,liked the way he tracked back he’s got quite a bit of power in the air needs more balls into the box from wing play
icedog(Quote)
Kings got a real bad injury before he played a game really,out for season we are told
icedog(Quote)
Ings
icedog(Quote)
Assuming Gini goes centrally that means that the most likely player to be dropped if w edid sign towsend would be Perez. Personally I think Perez is a better player, and will go on to be better for a certainty. Out of interest, would people prefer him or Towsend in the first 11?
Newkie(Quote)
Icedog, Mitro also has a great shot on him. He should try going more for power than finesse, a bit Shearer-like. Give the ball a good welly and the goalie has no chance.
Munich Mag(Quote)
MM aye he has to learn that quick this is the PL not a second rate lge he played in he has it in him imo it will come,think it would have came quicker if the club wwasn’t in the ***** he’s trying to be too careful to make sure,doesn’t work as you say hit the swine
icedog(Quote)
Ice@261, spot on. He’s just a bairn, and it’s obvious that he loves playing for the toon. We’re gonna get some great times out of Mitrovic that’s for sure.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Newkie
Perez ahead of Townsend
Townsend ahead of Colback.
Perex never has and never will be a success as a wide player.
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
TLR in the modern game you have to have a defensive midfield player who you going to play there??
icedog(Quote)
Mitrovic should have scored more goals than he has and will be disappointed himself that he hasn’t …. Full stop!! no returns!! 😛
Debuchy being linked with Villa, would anyone take him back as cover?. I know priorities are other positions but good player and if he could be got at a good price …
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ice
We’ve just sold our best defensive midfielder. If Colback or Anita are regular starters then we will never progress.
Just to let you know I was in the Percy last night and the dance floor upstairs still has that wave movement.
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
http://www.themag.co.uk/2016/01/very-interesting-alan-pardew-comments-from-crystal-palace-fans-as-cracks-appear/
Palace fans giving Pardew stick already. They are 8th ffs! Chill out Palace fans. Your club has no right to be a top 10 PL side so he must be doing something right!
Shamrock(Quote)
Toby – it’s years since Tiote was our best DM. Percy still shaking eh?
I keep thinking we need another quick striker to go with Mitro. There again, Gini looks pretty good there 9(or 10) in 22 games. Main worry now is injuries if Mbemba, Colo, Gini got a knock we’d be in real trouble.
georgio(Quote)
Being greedy I think we could really do with a proper left back. One for the summer of we stay up I reckon.
Man Utd have spent £300m over the past couple of years and they’re dog ****!
Stuart79(Quote)
Shamrock at 267,
Did you really say Palace have “no right” being 8th? And we do, do we?
No club has any right to anything and Newcastle far more than most has this ridiculous delusional sense of entitlement. It’s part of the reason we’ve failed because expectations have been high to the point of people needing locking up for their own safety.
Look at Chelsea, was winning the league last year or fighting relegation this year their “rightful spot”?
Jesus that attitude does my head in.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Toby – true, I suppose we’ll have to wait to see how effective Saviet is and then we’ll know what options it gives us. For me, Perez has to play.
Newkie(Quote)
Funky – I don’t know one single Newcastle supporter who thinks we’re entitled to anything! What are our high expectations? I only know people who expect us to try to be the best we can be, show effort and pride in the shirt. High expectations would be expecting us to be challenging for the league and I don’t know one single supporter who expects that.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart,
We’ve had plenty on here in the past, Ed’s blog, anywhere online that Newcastle fans lurk. It isn’t a myth, plenty of fans of this club rant about how we shouldn’t be where we are and we should be chasing Europe, etc. Not all, obviously but a large amount.
No club “should” be anything other than existing and trying its best – that’s the major problem with Ashley, he doesn’t try. Titles, cups, relegation, it’s all a result of the season, not divine right.
The same ***** I hear from England’s FA – “we should have won a trophy sinve 1966” – you didn’t so you shouldn’t have done anything so shut your mouth, FA.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Actually, Funky a club that attracts 50,000 fans for every home game should be chasing Europe as we have more resources than most apart from the obvious. Just the same that a City or Chelsea should be challenging for the league because of their resources. But that’s not an expectation, an expectation is a feeling of entitlement and I really don’t think any NUFC fans feel were entitled to be challenging for Europe, just that we should be due to the resources we have compared to other clubs.
Stuart79(Quote)
haha.
newcastle fans are delusional and expect too much.
you couldnt be further from the truth if you tried.
hitman(Quote)
thats a line straight out of TDS book,us dumb northerns dont know anything,
and because im a southerner know everything.
🙄
hitman(Quote)
Stu – I agree about LB. I’d let Haidara go and look to bring in either Jetro Williem or I really like Marcos Alonso who’s currently at Fiorentina but knows the league already having been at Bolton & a loan spell at the scum last season.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’ve just been catching up with some of the rumours and saw a couple saying weve been offered Alexandre Pato for £10m.
I can’t imagine there is much truth in it, but if there is a chance of getting him I would jump at it for £10m. A top quality player and still only 26.
Sharpy17(Quote)
so that 65 yard cross field missile pass by JJ, was it a fluke, or is that par for the course for this lad ? Exciting times ahead if he can repeat that kind of stuff.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Boots – that was nee fluke mate!! – that kid can pass a ball.
It’s one thing being able to see a pass – it’s another to be able to execute it but that’s the kids game. I made no secret about the fact I was a big fan and I was buzzing when we signed the lad. I think he’s going to go on to be a big player for us.
Sharpy17(Quote)
FJ @ 270.,No, a club of Palaces size and history has no God Given right to be a top 8 PL team and their fans need to cut Pardew some slack – because he has overachieved with them so far. As for this so called attitude you have accused me of having – show me where I have claimed we have a right to be Top 8? Or where I have said we are a better team than them? Get off your high horse and stop making sh@t up.
Shamrock(Quote)
I thought it was a good game on Saturday and everyone played their part, including Mitrovic.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Big week I reckon. If we can get a decent signing or two in then I reckon it can boost confidence even more and we can go to Watford and win.
Stuart79(Quote)
it just shows most fans do know the game well.
We’ve all been asking for one of the 2 defensive midfielders to be dropped for a playmaker, only problem was, we didnt have one. Shelvey fits the bill nicely.
hopefully the Shelvey mania dies down a little and we can get on with securing our safety.
Mitrovic had one of his best games. going off reports he had 72 touches and had a part in most of our play.
Townsend or Perez? Perez for me…
Gashley(Quote)
Both Townsend and Perez. The latter still has a lot to learn and having both gives us flexibility to change things up and keep them on their toes.
Shelbey had a cracker but I felt his long range shots were woeful. I think he had a rush of blood to the head a bit with the fans urging g him on and I hope he calms that down a bit bit my word can he pass.
I see no long term problems with Mitro.
Shamrock(Quote)
I look at Mitrovic and see better attributes already than the likes of Troy Deeney who is nearly 28. Mitro is only a bairn who’s having to learn the English way as well as the English game.
One is response time is sharper he’ll start knocking them in.
Gashley(Quote)
Shamrock: some idiots have caught the disease arsenalus tiote feaver that causes them to cry out shooooot every time Shelvey gets the ball. The only antidote is that the person in the next seat puts a gag on them for 95 minutes once a week until May. Dr. Stu will be providing gags free of charge to all once he buys his seat back.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, we will find out shortly if I will be buying it back. Still 50/50 for me on whether we will bring the two players in.
Stuart79(Quote)
Mitrovic created 2nd most chances in the PL this weekend. Second only to Christian Eriksson.
Stuart79(Quote)
Gash, that “most fans know the game well” comment is off the mark… how would that apply to Troy and Eric for example? 😛
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
see everton about to sign Byram lol let them have him he would have to be at least twice the player i was watching last season to get into our team 😉
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
I know everyone if gagging for us to sign a striker and winger but it’s really obvious the front four are doing well already. Seems they really enjoy playing together too which is very important. I wouldn’t be disturbing that to bring in a Townsend for example. Now, a top LB would make another difference!
georgio(Quote)
Yes gash, and since AMF never talks about the game we don’t know what his views are 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I don’t talk footy with you Eric coz I want to converse with someone who know what they are talking about 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
😆
is right here AUSSIE MAGPIE FAN 😆
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Media in Italy saying that Napoli are prepared to pay £25m for Sissoko. Would anybody take that and then spend £12m on Townsend?
Stuart79(Quote)
Nah AMF you don’t talk football full stop. I am sure you will be back if we start to win consistently.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Would snap your hand off for 25m…
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
…..and Eric still knows nowt about footy 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
be madness to sell sissiko at this point in time we need him to help us stay up
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)