Newcastle are 1-0 down at the break through a goal from Shaun Wright Phillips, which was set up by Robinho.
Newcastle have a strange line-up tonight with 22 year-olds Bassong and Taylor at the center of the Newcastle defense, and Coloccini playing in front of them in defensive midfield.
After just 17 minutes Newcastle’s patched up side found themselves 1-0 down, when Robinho pulled away from the marking of Bassong, just on the edge of the penalty area and the Brazilian slotted Shaun Wright Phillips through and in behind left-back Enrique.
The England International then fired through the legs of goalkeeper Steve Harper, who was making his season debut tonight, in place of Shay Given, whop presumably has already played his last game for the club.
And then shortly after the goal, Michael Owen received a knock and was replaced by Argentine Jonas Gutierrez, and the Newcastle side looks even weaker than it did at the start of this game.
But in this first half Man City were having all the possession and it will take a big improvement in the second half if Newcastle are to get anything out of this game.
Shawn Wright Phillips was booked for a foul on Enrique right before half time, and the referee added a couple of minutes of injury time and then that was it for the first half.
This has been a poor performance from the Newcastle side so far tonight, and they just cannot seem to get going at all.
We desperately need to pick up league points as we have just a single point from our last 4 league games, and a defeat tonight will probably see us back in the bottom 3 again.
Add to that the fact that two of our better players, Given and N’Zopgbia are on their way out of the club, and defeat tonight will surely bring more doom and gloom to Tyneside.
Newcastle have an awful lot to do in the second half and have looked second best in the first 45 minutes.
And it could be that all the upsets at the club and the complete ineptitude of the Newcastle Board, as well as players wanting to leave the club, are starting to get to the squad, and that could signal disaster for Newcastle, if this downward spiral is not corrected soon.
The next 45 minutes of this game would be a good place to start, if we are not going to go down to our 7th game without a win.
Manchester City: Joe Hart, Nedum Onuoha, Wayne Bridge, Micah Richards, Vincent Kompany (c), Nigel de Jong, Stephen Ireland, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Pablo Zabaleta, Craig Bellamy, Robinho
Subs: Kasper Schmeichel, Darius Vassell, Jo, Elano, Javier Garrido, Gelson Fernandes, Felipe Caicedo
Newcastle United: Steve Harper, David Edgar, Jose Enrique, Steven Taylor, Sebastien Bassong, Joey Barton, Fabricio Coloccini, Damien Duff, Geremi, Michael Owen (c), Andy Carroll
Subs: Fraser Forster, Peter Lovenkrands, Xisco, Kazenga LuaLua, Ryan Donaldson, Brad Inman, Jonas Gutierrez
Referee: Michael Jones
Attendance: tbc
301 comments so far
Brazilian Geordie
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:01 PM
Comment #1Say what you want but we have to win this game and nobody will convince me we don’t. If it’s to lose like that then just don’t come to the field. We have to trust the players wearing our colours, and be brave more than ever, no matter the difficulties.
Keep supporting, and remember this is still our beloved club.
Girth
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:01 PM
Comment #2sounds like we are doing well…..
DanOx
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:04 PM
Comment #3how was that not a pen? ffsits like the refs have a secret pact to relegate us this season
ObafemiMelinswe
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:05 PM
Comment #4Any link to the game that works?
AndyNUFC
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:05 PM
Comment #5We’ve been robbed of 2 penalties. The referee is about as shocking as Geremi’s freekicks.
nufctoon
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:06 PM
Comment #6even given could not have saved that from 6 yards out our back line are in fking london
Ross
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:06 PM
Comment #7two blatant penalties denied. Fair enough the referee has made some poor decisions in our favour-a nothing foul from enrique on bellamy, and he gave a gk when the deflection came of colo. however, we have had both taylor and carroll just pushed off the ball in the air. richards wasnt even on the right side of the ball when he just threw his shoulder into taylors back, had he not, taylor would have nodded it into an empty net. ridiculous.
beyethegreat
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:06 PM
Comment #8BG
good attitude
toonoholic
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:07 PM
Comment #9cant believe the refreeing.
DanOx
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:07 PM
Comment #10CrazyJoe.. time for some subs…
DanOx
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:08 PM
Comment #11great joeys injured
Ross
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Comment #12christ, barton off injured. this is disasterous.
sparko
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Comment #13refs have it in for jfk not newcastle i think
beyethegreat
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Comment #14gutierrez misses the mackems
toonoholic
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Comment #15great no jonas against mackems
sirjasontoon
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:10 PM
Comment #16ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
AndyNUFC
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:10 PM
Comment #17THE REFEREE IS A F*CKING JOKE, HOW CAN GOING FOR A 50-50 BALL IN THE AIR BE A BOOKING?! WRIGHT PHILLIPS MADE A MEAL OF IT. A DISGRACE.
toonoholic
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:11 PM
Comment #18wats wrong with the refree ?
AndyNUFC
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:11 PM
Comment #19how was that a booking?! It was a 50-50!!!!
DanOx
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:11 PM
Comment #20its never geremi who gets suspended/injured is it? lifes not fair
Turkish Magpie
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:11 PM
Comment #21he dont
It’s not within a week i think he misses WBA
BT9MAG
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:11 PM
Comment #22this is getting worse!
Ross
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:11 PM
Comment #23Jonas, Barton and owen all out for the mackems
toonoholic
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:12 PM
Comment #24aaaaaaaaaghhhhhhhhhhhhhh
sirjasontoon
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:12 PM
Comment #25almost scored we are cockeyed tho
Spyro
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:12 PM
Comment #26Hope your right Turkish. Would hate to be going into the derby Given, Zog, Owen, Barton and Jonas down.
Turkish Magpie
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:13 PM
Comment #27Duff is looking great up front!
DanOx
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:13 PM
Comment #28whaaaaaaaat?!!?!?!!
Turkish Magpie
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:14 PM
Comment #29hopefully Martins back for Makems
tino97
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:14 PM
Comment #30Bloody Hell.
2 Penalties surely????
Barton, Jonas and Owen set to miss the Derby. Life is a shitter!!!
DanOx
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:15 PM
Comment #31duff should have shot… too unselfish… nice run tho..
Turkish Magpie
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:15 PM
Comment #32Hoorah finnally an injury to the oposition!
Turkish Magpie
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:16 PM
Comment #33Lovenkrands has been quiet
toonoholic
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:16 PM
Comment #34proud of the magpies !
DanOx
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:16 PM
Comment #35hahaha big bad bass 53 – bellamy 0
BT9MAG
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:16 PM
Comment #36bassong down now aswell!
Turkish Magpie
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:17 PM
Comment #37bassong injured?!?!
Ross
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:17 PM
Comment #38this is looking disasterous. i was so ready for the mackems but im starting to dread it. If we’re missing Jonas, Barton and Owen we’re in serious trouble. our two best midfielders in barton and jonas..and irellevant of what you say about owen-our only goal scorer.
Geordie_Craig
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:17 PM
Comment #39well it looks like we are knackered for the derby with jonas owen barton missing it. Plus the fact that zoggy prolly will be gone along with given, we defo need new faces before the makem game, otherwise we will be fielding an under 18 side lol. This just cannot get any worse from now on in can they?????
toonoholic
Jan 28, 2009 at 9:17 PM
Comment #40we are screwed