Sunday sees the most crucial Tyne-Wear derby in recent history take place at St. James’s Park. The game between Newcastle and Sunderland is the one every fan looks forward to anyway, but this match has so many subplots and elements to it that it has football fans all over the country talking about it.
Both teams are stuck desperately in the league’s relegation quagmire sinking deeper and deeper into trouble.
Newcastle have sacked their head coach and replaced him with a manager of genuine pedigree. The fixture is Benitez’s first game in charge at St James’s Park in front of his own fans. The managers of both teams infamously do not see eye-to-eye and have had very public spats in the past.
Sunderland’s manager was sacked by Newcastle owner Mike Ashley and subsequently ‘Big Sam’ claimed Newcastle weren’t ‘big’ enough for him!
The game is a new manager’s second fixture after being appointed, something Sunderland have done three times before, winning on each occasion. Sunderland have won the past six derbies. It is something of the like we have never seen before, but ultimately it all comes down to three measly points that could make or break either side’s bid for survival.
The win for Norwich means that even if Newcastle were to win the game, they would still not climb out of the relegation zone. But interestingly you could argue that the Norwich win actually puts a little more pressure on Sunderland to win the game whereas before Saturday, a draw would have seen the Mackems remain above the relegation zone.
For Newcastle it means that victory is absolutely crucial. With only eight games remaining after this one, we will be cut adrift if the unthinkable happens.
In many ways all the usual things we would be looking for in a new manager’s first few games; formation, selection, motivation, tactics, substitutions, performances etc are all rather irrelevant.
All that really matters is those three points. Three vital points, three pivotal points, three priceless points.
I fully expect Newcastle to come flying out the blocks, roared on by an electric crowd similar to the one which saw Newcastle register a vital win to stay up on the final day of last season against West Ham. Who was their manager that day? Oh yeah! Yes, a repeat of that would do very nicely indeed.
Whether at the game, in the pub or at home, enjoy the game folks; it’s going to be edge of your seat stuff!
ffs
richietoon(Quote)
😈 FFS
Big Dave(Quote)
Well thats it then. Going down.
Shamrock(Quote)
Poor players
and there you go Defoe scores
can’t complain
kimtoon(Quote)
Best team winning.
Georgio(Quote)
We were better under Tufty
Stuart79(Quote)
We’ve been **** for 3 seasons now. Take a look at that pathetic defending. Too many poor and docile players.
My money is on 0-3
Munich Mag(Quote)
Fans all sat looking glum, get singing you muppets, team need you now.
kimtoon(Quote)
Complete dogshit.
Could only see them scoring – COZ WE HAVE **** ALL UP FRONT!!!!!.
WHY ARE WE STICKING WITH A FRONT LINE THAT CANT FUCKING SCORE MAN!!!!!. WHY ARE WE PLAYING SISSOKO ON THE LEFT FUCKING WING!!!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Well what a **** poor showing that was. Do our players have any pride?
Shamrock(Quote)
By a long shot. No team. Just a bunch of individuals
Probably the poorest team in the league by a long shot.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Fact is, everyone saying under a better coach we’d be better are missing the fact that you cannot make a silk purse out of a pigs ear.
kimtoon(Quote)
We are down now that’s it and all about it.
Terry(Quote)
At least we wont have too take another derby defeat next season ,not being in the premiership and these scum bastaards will be.
AXEL(Quote)
What has our midfield done, absolutely **** all.
Terry(Quote)
kiss goodbye to the premier league.
won’t be back for a long long time
absolutely PUTRID
:wave:
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Going down
gashley(Quote)
Well what a pile of *****. Same old ****. Sissoko is just bad, bad, bad. Colback heading for a red, in fact lucky not to have it already the way he got hold of Borini’s shirt..
We need a miracle now.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Cisse the only option now. Mitrovic is the admitting defeat.
Terry(Quote)
We have spent 45mins passing the ball from midfield back to defence and back to the keeper.
Perez is coming too deep to find the ball and Mitrovic just has no movement at all. Shelvey has been a CB most of that half.
Complete ****. Huge 2nd half, but we deserve to go down at the moment.
Sharpy17(Quote)
7 on the trot
beggars belief
👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
We just don’t look like scoring or creating anything unless Townsend scores a worldy. No change of manager will keep this team up, Charnley and Carr have to be sacked as well. Can we respond in second half? Mitrovic just never looks like scoring.
DJG(Quote)
Rafa is defo a quality manager but these players are just so poor… Cannot see us getting a goal. I would get Colback off and Anita into left back, take off Sissoko for De Yong, and take of Mitrovic for Cisse.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Well, there is zero chance of us scoring a goal today . Quite disappointed Rafa hasn’t got a better reaction from them after all the extra training. Here’s a laugh, Fat Sam gave his players a couple of days off.
kimtoon(Quote)
Dubai, agree
kimtoon(Quote)
We still have another 45 mins of footie left guys 🙄 keep a bit of faith and belief
Big Dave(Quote)
Rafa got it wrong so far. shelvey playing as a erd CB has been ineffective as Scum still all over us and his passing from so deep has had no influence at all. Sissy on the left having no effect. Should he even be onbthe pitch? CM non existent. Mitro doing **** all yet again. Even getting outmuscled. Big changes required and 3/4 of our back line on yellows. Not looking good.
Shamrock(Quote)
Had to go back to Halloween 2010 for Kevin Nolan hat-trick and last win. How pathetic is that? Nearly last decade.
DJG(Quote)
Lol not won a game at home when losing at half time since 2006.
Shamrock(Quote)
cleared off the line 😯
kimtoon(Quote)
How absolutely useless is the enigma Sissoko. A pub player.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Need to get Colback off quickly.
Shamrock(Quote)
Hour mark, time for changes Rafa
kimtoon(Quote)
we should get Cisse on
Big Dave(Quote)
We are just poor. Should be creating chances in waves in a game like this.
Shamrock(Quote)
Shamrock mate we are ****, that’s why we are where we are. It’s simple really .
Munich Mag(Quote)
No xutting edge. No decosive movement in the box. We just dither.
Shamrock(Quote)
One point will be a bonus.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Having to call on Ding Dong says it all really.
DJG(Quote)
A point is not good enough. If we cant beat relegation rivals at home then we are done.
Shamrock(Quote)
Shamrock we would need to score to get a point.
DJG(Quote)
Going down, get used to it.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Way too few shots on goal
Munich Mag(Quote)
MM im done if we dont score twice in next 15 minutes. No more blog. No more following the results. Whats the point. Absolute garbage.
Shamrock(Quote)
I swear Carr is a bigger comedian than his son, bloody **** he’s spent money on this last season or so. That £13m on Thauvin should see him shot.
Pappiss is on
kimtoon(Quote)
Perez is the only one earning his money
Munich Mag(Quote)
Always the same with Sissy. No end product.
Shamrock(Quote)
Two pulling Mitro down there
kimtoon(Quote)
Is wijnaldum still on?
Munich Mag(Quote)
That was better from Sissy.
Shamrock(Quote)
mitro 😀 😀 😀 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
Fk me we can score after all. Lets have another one please.
Shamrock(Quote)
Mitroooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
kimtoon(Quote)
Well done Gini and Mitro.
Shamrock(Quote)
There was two pulling him down earlier he deserved that goal
kimtoon(Quote)
Fucking ref.
Shamrock(Quote)
Mitro wins a 50\50 and its a foul. Oshea pushes Mitro with putstretched arms and its fine. Wtf.
Shamrock(Quote)
Is he out cold?
Shamrock(Quote)
mitro doesn’t know what he is doing
Big Dave(Quote)
Well I guess we have earnt a reprieve. Need to beat Norwich now. Think we are done though.
Shamrock(Quote)
Not bad – it was a must not lose!
Georgio(Quote)
well I think we needed more than a point, but im just glad that the team never threw in the towel like most of the bloggers did 🙄
Big Dave(Quote)
Yeah defo, he went down like a rag doll, even our Hazel could see it 😆 Couldn’t walk straight when he was being led off. Credit to him though, he was desperate to go back on.
kimtoon(Quote)
Still need 4 points from 2 games. That hasn’t changed in my opinion. Massive game at Norwich. We need to hope the coaches can work miracles in two weeks.
DJG(Quote)
Newcastle better win 5-0 against Norwich next game! 😆 😆 😕
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
I think we our done now.
Terry(Quote)
That come back feels like a win. Scum fans will be gutted, thought they were out the bottom 3 and hanging on in the end.
kimtoon(Quote)
Thats the spirit Terry 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Big Dave that’s me mate.. I’m sure we’re going down.
I look forward to you rubbing my nose in it though if we survive.
Munich Mag(Quote)
MM but how can we expect the players to keep the faith and keep fighting, if we the fans have gave up mate
Big Dave(Quote)
Well I’ll take that point in the end but just not good enough really. We cannot keep playing for just 45 mins when the match is 90… Better second half, but I would’ve taken off Sissoko or Perez instead of Townsend who I though played well.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Big Dave they get paid millions mate, unfortunately half of them shouldn’t be anywhere near a toon strip, they are the reason why we are at the bottom of the league.
Throw in that waster Mcclaren and the other diddy Charnley and you have the reasons right there. Too many poor players managed by imbeciles.
The Rafa Factor is our only hope because we really do have some poor players..
Munich Mag(Quote)
Hahahaha!!! Big Sam gutted!!!
How long can they continue to play well and not win?
Stuart79(Quote)
There’s BIG DAVE only one talking sense,as per normal,good job half these bloggers are not managers we would be down already give Rafa time to suss the players ffs
Icedog(Quote)
Big Dave if we win our next two games we might just stand a chance but if the first 45 min’s are anything to go by then not a chance.
Terry(Quote)