Duo Ruled Out For Key Clash

Shearer's Right Foot

Friday brought confirmation that Newcastle will be without defensive duo Daryl Janmaat and club Captain Fabricio Coloccini for the visit of Swansea on Saturday afternoon. It means that Benitez’s options in defence are limited and once again he will have to cobble together a make-shift back four for a crucial Premiership fixture. United’s failure to sign defensive cover during the January window has left them painfully short as horrendous injury problems have once again crippled the Newcastle squad.

Coloccini has been out since before Benitez arrived at the club and suffered a setback this week to remain side-lined with a calf injury. This means that Mbemba will more than likely partner Lascelles at centre half as Steven Taylor is also ruled out, although his form would have seen him benched anyway.

Benitez does have some decisions to make at full back though. Paul Dummett should start at left back if fit enough although Jack Colback’s return to the squad could see him play in that role. Kevin Mbabu’s return to the squad could see him replace Janmaat at right back but Vernon Anita is more likely to start as Mbabu is still short of match sharpness.

The most intriguing aspect of the game lies in midfield as Jonjo Shelvey lines up against his former club as captain of his current one. It would have been nice for Colo to have played to take the burden of captaincy away from Shelvey who has struggled for form since wearing the armband. But the added responsibility for Shelvey against Swansea could go in Newcastle’s favour as he will have a duty to keep his composure in a fixture filled with emotion. Jack Cork has tried to wind Shelvey up on social media and Swansea will probably try to antagonise the Newcastle captain further throughout the game. Newcastle need Shelvey to handle the situation and have the game of his life. What a story it would be if Shelvey could open his account at Newcastle by scoring the winner against Swansea. He will have dreamt it that way, although I’m sure he’ll settle for the three points, no matter how they come.

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293 thoughts on “Duo Ruled Out For Key Clash”

  1. Yes, Shelvey will need to keep a cool head today against his former club. Lets hope he puts on a match winning display eh.
    Just watching Scum v Norwich, Norwich look dangerous from corners and well on top here.
    If they win they are 10 points clear and no way we’ll claw that back imo.
    Thanks for the thread SRF

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  2. And happy birthday to Rafa, I hope our players give you a birthday to remember for all the right reasons.

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  3. Still staggers me some people thought his squad was fit for purpose!

    Yes, Happy Birthday, Rafa. Hope this sorry lot give you a nice present.

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  9. Should the Norwich player should have been sent off? It was no diffferent to the foul that Mitro was sent off for earlier in the season – mistimed tackle on the shin.

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  10. Kim: how are you getting the game? I thought Sky only showed the late game on Saturdays.

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  11. If there was to be a goal we needed it to be a goal scored by Sunderland! Good start to the day.

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  14. If Sunderland win they have three tough games next. Arsenal, Stoke and Chelsea. Although ours aren’t much better to be fair after today.

    Need a Mackem win to be brutally honest if we are to win our games.

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  16. Nothing what they do matters unless we beat Swans today. I’m sick of hearing the players talk about a good performance.

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  22. Looks like Sunderland are doing what we should have last week. How important was signing Defoe !!!

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  24. Cattermole should have been off for 2 yellows. He gets away with as many as he is cautioned for.

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  25. And Cattermole must be the stupidest player ever. He gives away a foul which should have been a yellow on the edge of his box. Then, with Norwich going nowhere gets a yellow for a foul halfway in Norwich’s half.

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  26. Wow! Rafa seriously shaking the players up! No Shelvey or Mitro today!

    About time we had a manager who didn’t give a **** about hurting feelings

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  27. However, it looks like one of those lineups where they want to keep it tight first half and hope for the only goal. Do we ever win 1-0?

    Let’s see what Tiote does today?

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  28. Again Rafa’s selection seems strange. Has he watched Cisse on his own up front chasing his first touch? And Tiote leaving a heavy foot in all challenges? Shelvey has been poor lately but so have Sissoko and Gini while Mitro has looked the part. Very odd again.

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  31. Mitro seemed to play well as super-sub though. He hasn’t looked as good when starting games. Maybe he hasn’t got enough in the tank for 90mins. 3-0 Sunderland.

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  32. Sunderland win a big boost for us (if we win!) but their goal difference is way too big and could play a part.

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  33. Stuart79
    I would drop Wijnaldum away from home, without a doubt. He’s still our top scorer though, which says a lot.

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  34. I said we should of signed Defoe before Sunderland did, he is showing today what a good poacher he is, yet he was too old for us. 🙄

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  36. about time people see that Shelvey doesnt offer much. Isnt great going forward and doesnt hold the fort for the defence.

    No Mitro is a strange one

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  39. Townsend give it to the fucking overlapping player, you aren’t going to score from 30 yards every time.

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  41. Get in. After all the slack the kid got after we signed him he has shown up with some goals at least. I hope to never see Taylor again.

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  42. Lascelles puts the burn on team mates then scores. 21 years old but one of the few men in the squad.

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  47. Newkie, it’s clear we will have to work like dogs to get owt this season, refs have a downer on us

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  48. What’s a **** game! But we’re winning which is something I can’t remember for a while!

    Maybe we just need a scruffy win to get the confidence up. Let’s hope they don’t get back into and we don’t just sit deep and defend because we can’t!

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  50. Kim – after today we play another two games before Norwich even play again! Could apply real pressure but unfortunately, them games are against City and Liverpool… 👿

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  51. These toss pots will be having a right go now. They know we’re vulnerable and nervous. Need to weather storm for 15 mins or even better score.

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  52. Stu, Norwich got a result at Man City but City were missing De Bruyne on the day, just our luck he is back now and on form, in fact the whole City side have bucked up since the Norwich game. 🙄

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  66. Well, they’re absolutely destroying us now. Tiote off and Shelvey on, it’s no coincidence.

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  67. Stu, says it all when we’re leading through a CB’s goal
    And Gomis puts it wide 🙄 They have give us plenty of warnings now, must get a grip back on this game, another goal badly needed

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  68. We’ve got to make a change here. Mitro for Cisse. At least he can hold the ball up. I’ll be amazed if we kept a clean sheet

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  75. Sissokoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
    about fucking time lad, lloking better since Mitro came on

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