Newcastle’s task on Wednesday evening will be a tough one against Manchester United.
Tim Krul – big game needed from goalkeeper on Wednesday
The Red Devils were embarrassed by being beaten at home over the weekend by rock bottom side Blackburn Rovers, and no doubt they will want to put that right at St. James’ Park.
And Alex Ferguson has already said that’s exactly what they will do on Wednesday.
It was only the Red devil’s second home defeat of the season after being blasted 6-1 by local rivals Manchester City and only Blackburn’s third win of the season, and it follows on from their creditable draw at Liverpool, and maybe Steve Keen can turn things around this season.
If Newcastle get the first goal, that could help us big time, and start to put doubts into the minds of the Manchester United players, and we have to remember they have a lot of youngsters in the side this season.
The Manchester United defense has not looked good at all this season, and since they lost Edwin van der Saar, new goalkeeper David De Gea has hardly looked the part, and we expect Danish International Anders Lindegaard to get the start on Wednesday in goal.
Tim Krul is looking forward to the match and in the fixture last season Tim had a great game in that 0-0 draw, and the Dutch International had this to say about the upcoming game today:
“Some people will look at it and say it’s going to be hard, but we’ll be looking forward to it,” “And to be honest, we always play well against them.”
“Last year, we had a 0-0 game at St James’, and we just have to get back to those basics that served us so well.”
“We can’t beat ourselves up about Liverpool. We could have won that game – it was one of those crazy nights.”
“We just have to step away from the game, take it on the chin and analyse it. We’re back at home, we’re at St James’ Park and it will be a different story in front of our own crowd.”
And Sammy Ameobi could get a start on Wednesday, as the news today is that Gabriel Obertan will miss the game against his former club, after picking up another foot injury near the end of the game at Anfield.
The more experienced Peter Lovenkrands could also get a start on Wednesday, and the Danish International, who will become a free agent in the summer, has found it hard to even make the bench these last few games.
Comments welcome.
328 comments so far
p
Jan 2, 2012 at 3:53 PM
Comment #81Clarence acuna was very much underrated in my opinion.
As for wed, I think we are in for hiding unfortunately, but of course strange things happen on a football pitch.
ToonDownSouth
Jan 2, 2012 at 3:58 PM
Comment #82shearer
Have to disagree with you there… I don’t recall anything but praise for Guthrie this season. And eveyrone has always slagged off Obertan lol.
But you’re right, it’s always amusing to watch Jonas’ form drop every time the competition goes.
His best spell last season was when we bought Ben Arfa. His best spell this season was up until Marveaux got injured!
GeordieoftheSouth
Jan 2, 2012 at 3:59 PM
Comment #83Joey barton sent off…will miss our match!
shearerno9
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:03 PM
Comment #84TDS
There have been so many people on here saying he is a waste of space – ive actually always liked him, although granted never as a RM as he has no pace what so ever… but as a CM he is quite good and very adequate back up.
I really want to see Gosling get a few games as I really rate him, looks a very skillful player from what ive seen. Anybody noticed stoke tipping away collecting points and quietly closing that gap on us??
jj
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:04 PM
Comment #85TEAM V MAN UTD
……………………………………….KRUL……………………………………..
SIMPSON………..WILLO……………COLLO………….SANTON
JONAS……………CABAYE……….TIOTE…………FERGUSON
………………………………………….HBA…………………………………….
…………………………………………..BA………………………………………
WITH A FEW GOOD GOOD DEALINGS…………
……………………………………….KRUL……………………………………..
SANTON………..SAMBA……………COLLO…………PIETERS
HOILETT……….CABAYE……….TIOTE……ETHERINGTON
……………………………..BA…………….HBA……………………………..
cheikmate
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:08 PM
Comment #86I would play guthrie on the right, think he could do a capable job there, but the right hand side will lack pace. he wud keep evra quiet compared to playing sammy there.
think santon needs to start, raylor was torn apart by downing jus imagine nani or valencia !
ToonDownSouth
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:09 PM
Comment #87shearer
1 point in it. Not good 🙁
roshan MAGPIE
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:12 PM
Comment #88that bloke frimpong from arsenal looks like the clone of Tiote
Willo
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:13 PM
Comment #89Krul
Simpson – Willo – Colo – Santon (if not fit Raylor)
Sammy(Raylor) – Cabaye – Tiote – Jonas
______________HBA_______________
______________BA________________
I’d put Abeid on the right before Gosling, the boy needs to simmer down after that sending off. So Raylor or Sammy, either one can off different things. Santon has to play if fit the MUFC wingers can do a number of inexperienced LB’s.
Not a huge fan of starting HBA as he is still recovering but Best looks anemic. Shola on at some point after the hour mark.
jimiley
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:13 PM
Comment #90Time for Alan Smith to step up to the plate and earn his 60K a week. Where is Smudger? Is he still in the squad, playing with the reserves or is he doing a Tevez. Not bad money if you can get it. Golf for 60K a week and a handicap of 10.
shearerno9
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:13 PM
Comment #91TDS
The problem is they actually look quite solid and will buy if they need to… on the other hand with us – we always look like were going to collapse at any given moment – ie injury to coloccini/ba/krul and were gone and to top it off will not sign what we desperately need. But as i said earlier, LB + CB and i think we will be fine until the summer
Jail for Ashley
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:22 PM
Comment #92Stoke just a point behind as it stands,we need to pull our fingers out or socks up.
Toon Tang
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:25 PM
Comment #93jj – etherington ? hahaha
thats good good dealings if its on a free my friend haha
mattyNUFC
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:33 PM
Comment #94i agree, sammy should not start. he needs another year before he is seriously pressing the first team.
still wondering if fergie will be given a chance at left wing….
mattyNUFC
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:35 PM
Comment #95god no, gosling’s back in the debate, huh? I know we support the team and all, but you want to talk about a long way to go? danny boy needs to go out on loan to a championship team
shearerno9
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:43 PM
Comment #96matty
Why send him on loan?? he can play RM/RB/CM/DM/AM so play him right and drop obertan for a few games… why send him on loan? he should be up to speed and he should be considered ahead of the rest of the young lads
Irie-Magpie
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:44 PM
Comment #97We can chop and change the team as much as we like, but i do think what we’re missing is true grit (and i’m not talking about the movie) (Blackburn in the cup and the Arsenal comeback type of grit), these last couple of games we’ve being left wanting, Liverpool wanted those 3pts more than us.. AP needs to get serious and realize that we’re playing below what we’re cable off and demand 100% from every player or else risk being dropped (yes i know we may not have the dept but mediocrity can not be tolerated. Blackburn took it to Man U, 5under1and took it to Man City, the squad needs to start believing again…
phillyg
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:45 PM
Comment #98Team for wed-
————-krul
simmo-collo-willo-santon
————–tiote
raylor—————–guit
———hba-cabay
ba
This has got to be the team “round pegs in round holes”.
Raylor can deliver the perfect ball and so ba would flourish. Ba has scored 14 with poor delivery he could be even more prolific with the quality delivery. I said it before Cabaye and HBA together in CAM role would be deadly. Cabayes precise passing and HBA creativity would be devastating against Manure who struggle to field a quality defensive midfielder.
Willo
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:46 PM
Comment #99I agree send Gosling on loan to the Championship and re-assess him when he comes back. Either one you start, Fergie or Sammy you bring the other on at the hour or so. Move Jonas right and let them have the left.
phillyg
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:46 PM
Comment #100Ba as centre forward not the lone advanced right winger haha.
Jail for Ashley
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:52 PM
Comment #101Lads
Haway,Gosling looked way out of his depth against Norwich and a silly challenge got him sent off and was the final nail in the coffin for us as far as a result was concerned that day,and against Everton we played like we had ten men anyway that day it would have been ridiculous if he got sent off for that handball that Krul had covered anyway,I think he needs a bit of time in the championship next season to iron out a few of his immature mistakes.
Marty-Toon
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:54 PM
Comment #102Fergie isn’t fully fit I think.
What is Krul on?
Let’s not beat ourselves up about Liverpool game,WE COULD HAVE WON IT!
Not the game I watched,we had 2 shots on goal all day and we were rubbish all overvthe pitch.
AP has been giving him coaching on how to talk to the press
Dannyo
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:57 PM
Comment #103Gosling is struggling a bit with his confidence imo. He wants it too much, u could see it in the game when he got sent off. Played too erratic, didn’t get the rythm in, same happened in the league cup. Too erratic, wanted it too much, ended up making mistakes. He was immense in pre-season, i think he was a bit more relaxed then, cause it was more about getting fit than cementing a place in the team. Gosling has the ability, he needs games, he needs to pace himself, Pards must help him relax and then he’ll get into is rythm. Gosling will be a great player for us imo, he shows u that he wants it, but he’s going against the wall a bit atm.
supatoonkid
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:58 PM
Comment #104My Team would be (4-4-1-1):
Krul
Simpson, Williamson, Collocini, Santon
Gutierrez, Tiote, Cabaye, Ferguson
Ben Arfa
Ba
Dannyo
Jan 2, 2012 at 4:59 PM
Comment #105I’d like to add that i also think Gosling will be a scoring midfielder, he enjoys so much going forward, u could see it in every game.
shearerno9
Jan 2, 2012 at 5:02 PM
Comment #106Dannyo
Spot on lad, I really think he has the quality but now after the bad injuries he had is trying to hard to do everything and get a place/impress everybody. During pre season i thought he could really push on and challenge for a spot in the first 11 – pardew needs to calm him down and let him play his game his way
planb
Jan 2, 2012 at 5:02 PM
Comment #107Obertans out so thats some good news, Pardew will get his usual kick up the arse off old blood and guts fergie the heats on now stoke a point behind and the rest not far off january could be a bad month for pardew the chancer with ashley refusing to back him in the transfer window and pardew starting to play big sam football instead of on the floor its booted straight up from the back mostly by that imbecile simpson it might be taxi for pardew!
supatoonkid
Jan 2, 2012 at 5:06 PM
Comment #108I picked this side because I think Ben Arfa has to start as him and Cabaye work very well together plus he has XP over Vuckic in big games like this. I think Gutierrez should start on right always (he played his best there I think also when Marveaux comes back I’d have him on the left so Guti will be on the right). I chose Ferguson to start because he is more defensive than Sammy Ameobi also Guti always loves to get back and help the defence in the big games (remember in his first game for us vs Man Utd, he was very energetic in his tackles you’d of thought he was a RWB). Anyway I believe Sammy to be more of an impact sub than a starter ATM IMO.
Dannyo
Jan 2, 2012 at 5:09 PM
Comment #109Cmon lads, u can’t be happy about other peoples illnesses or injuries, have a heart for goodness sake.
So Sammy will start in place of Obertan, your really belive he’ll do that much better? Will be interesting to see ofc, and altho he’s been thrown in at the deep end in some of his latest cameos, he hasn’t really influenced anything.
I look forward to see him play from the start again tho, but i’m not happy other players are injured. Might be that Sammy does worse than Ober did, when Ober was going at Evra last time around.
We’ll see.
Gateshead_Geordie
Jan 2, 2012 at 5:10 PM
Comment #110Seems like a straight forward decision on who replaces Obertan. Ben Arfa can slot in RW no problems. Problem solved 😉
toonthompson
Jan 2, 2012 at 5:14 PM
Comment #111wayne routledge scored his first premier league goal
seantoon
Jan 2, 2012 at 5:14 PM
Comment #112GK Krul
RB Simmo
LB Santon
CB Willo
CB Colo
RM Abeid
LM Gutti
CM cabaye
CM Tiote
AM
seantoon
Jan 2, 2012 at 5:15 PM
Comment #113GK Krul
RB Simmo
LB Santon
CB Willo
CB Colo
RM Abeid
LM Gutti
CM cabaye
CM Tiote
AM Ben Arfa
ST Ba
toonthompson
Jan 2, 2012 at 5:18 PM
Comment #114off topic but happy birthday Santon
roshan MAGPIE
Jan 2, 2012 at 5:19 PM
Comment #115my team
KRUL
SIMPSON
COLO
WILLIAMSON
SANTON
GOSLING
CABAYE
TIOTE
GUTI
BA
BEST
its a 4 4 2 formation
Marty-Toon
Jan 2, 2012 at 5:25 PM
Comment #116Joey got sent off today 🙂 what’s new?
Stoke and Norwich won again.
Strange season this,Villa beaten at home by Swansea after their big win the other day
Dyer8
Jan 2, 2012 at 5:27 PM
Comment #117vs Man U
Krul
Raylor..Willo..Collo..Santon
Cabaye..Tiote
HBA..Vuckic..Jonas
Ba
JackButler
Jan 2, 2012 at 5:30 PM
Comment #118Think Pardew will go with
Krul
Simpson – Willo – Colo – Santon (if fit enough)
Gosling – Cabaye – Tiote – Jonas
Best – Ba.
With HBA coming off the bench for Best on the hour
Irie-Magpie
Jan 2, 2012 at 5:40 PM
Comment #119@Martytoon, that’s right and if you look at it all the result seems to be going/giving us a little help in staying in touching distance of that possible 4th place finish.
robtheguru
Jan 2, 2012 at 5:42 PM
Comment #120Obertan out = 3 points!