The Newcastle United Blog

134 responses so far ↓

• 1 tomtoon7 // Feb 9, 2012 at 5:15 PM

  UP THE MIGHTY TOON

• 2 Ruddy Marveaux-lous // Feb 9, 2012 at 5:15 PM

  Largely irrelevant to be fair though, because if we qualify for Europa League (CL if we’re dreaming) then our revenue will increase dramatically as a result of that so next year’s table would reflect an increase so I am not too worried

• 3 mattyNUFC // Feb 9, 2012 at 5:17 PM

  this is irrelevant to me. obviously we’ve the cash to compete spending wise with the upper echelons of european football, but it means nothing because we’re on MA’s blue print

  which is 100% fine by me.

• 4 MUTINYbyLEMONS // Feb 9, 2012 at 5:18 PM

  Best strike partnership since Les and Shearer. One of the best goal keepers in the league. Had best defence until Taylor got injured. One of the best midfeild pairing in Tiote and Cabaye and capable young players pushing them in Guthrie, Vuckic and Abeid. Stable financially. And ofcourse we are FIFTH in the league and fighting for EUROPE. If we forget about the way he did it, was Mike Ashley right to sack Chris Hughton so he could bring in Alan Pardew? (yes)

• 5 tomtoon7 // Feb 9, 2012 at 5:23 PM

  cudnt agree more mutiny.Heres HOPIN we can qualify 4European football,i do love a Thursday night at ST JAMES PARK.HWTL

• 6 geoff777 // Feb 9, 2012 at 5:25 PM

  Living in Spain but paid in £’s I wish it was 0.75 €/£ it’s around 0.839.

  Ed, Does this include the 35M? …. WUM

• 7 Ruddy Marveaux-lous // Feb 9, 2012 at 5:25 PM

  MutinybyLemons, while I agree with the point you’re making and agree with pretty much 95% of your post the part I am a bit cautious about is the “Best strike partnership since Les and Shearer”, they have the potential to be the best partnership since Sir Les and Big AL we have yet to see Papis in full flight, don’t wanna be putting too much expectation on him, even though he had a dream debut. I am fully confident that those two will form an understanding and working relationship that most Prem clubs will shudder to face but we just need to be a bit careful about putting too much weight on their shoulders just yet.

• 8 NUbilly // Feb 9, 2012 at 5:27 PM

  @ MUNITYbyLEMONS

  ” If we forget about the way he did it, was Mike Ashley right to sack Chris Hughton so he could bring in Alan Pardew? (yes)”

  Was he completely lucky pardew has done so well compared to what Ashley knew how well he would do?

  In my opinion I think houghton was sacked because he knew Hougton had the fans behind him now and ashley didnt want houghton having power over ashley or speaking out about him possibly.
  Remember, Mike Ashley knows less about footbal than my nephew who is 9. (Remember Keegan speaking out about it on ESPN?)

  I think Mike Ashley got a miracle tbh. I still dont trust him.

  All in all though. Things are going good.

• 9 boater // Feb 9, 2012 at 5:29 PM

  MutinyBylemons – am I having deja vu or do you keep reposting that comment?

  If we get Champion’s league we would be in a position to go for the likes of marvin martin, kagawa, de jong and douglas. Build a side that competes for the top 4 every season.

  Speaking of misspending Champion’s League booty – anyone see Viana’s 60yd goal the other day?

• 10 geoff777 // Feb 9, 2012 at 5:32 PM

  @boater
  Great free-kick

  http://www.marca.com/2012/02/06/futbol/futbol_internacional/1328522745.html

• 11 Ruddy Marveaux-lous // Feb 9, 2012 at 5:33 PM

  @Boater
  I always rated Viana and have seen him play a good few times since he left the Toon and was gutted he never settled in our side because he was/is a top player.

• 12 planb's revenge // Feb 9, 2012 at 5:41 PM

  viana had so much potential. he just wasn’t to settle and it was unfortunate.
  on topic, us dropping to 25th richest means very little in the long run as we are aiming to hit Europe thus earning the club more money. lets not worry bout this

• 13 Scottishmag1 // Feb 9, 2012 at 5:43 PM

  Boater

  See you at the game with our shiny tickets!,

• 14 barkerslovesnufc // Feb 9, 2012 at 5:48 PM

  You think if we still had EMRE! in the middle with Tiote and Cabaye! Emre was a very good passer ov the ball

• 15 ITUNDERASHELL // Feb 9, 2012 at 5:55 PM

  25th, whooooooooow, scarry stuff.
  This is what is wrong in football, bloody money!

• 16 catchy in norway // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:03 PM

  @ MUNITYbyLEMONS

  no i dont think he was right to sack CH, i dont think AP has pulled up trees,

  im not a big CH fan, and i dont think he could take us to that next level, in the same way i dont think AP carnt, this season has been a very strange season regards chelsea, ars and liverpool, and we have had quiet a lot of luck, we all need luck,

  the other thing with pardew is, he seems very reluctant to change things, he leaves subs until very late. and when he does make a sub. its normally a defensive one,,

  next season is the big test for him

• 17 boater // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:05 PM

  Nice one Scottish Mag – see ya there. Looking forward to hearing the redknapp chants.

  I was never that sold on Emre – skillful on his day but too hot and cold for me. Viana was one of the best passers of the ball I have seen at SJP but Souness dismantled that squad of all the young talent. I did like Acuna ‘the bull’ come to think of it but he wasn’t a patch on Tiote ‘the beast’.

• 18 Scottishmag1 // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:08 PM

  Yep boater

  I’m in the upper visitors tier, looking forward to the apprehension!! And a cheeky point

• 19 eastend toon // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:11 PM

  or three scottish!

• 20 Scottishmag1 // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:12 PM

  Aye or three eastend, tough one though, need to contain their midfield and Bale

• 21 boater // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:15 PM

  catchy – For all Liverpool and Arsenal are not at their best this season – man city and spurs have shot up, so it’s not like the league is any less competitive – probably more so with the promoted teams doing so well for two seasons running now.

• 22 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:18 PM

  It’s a game we’re expected to lose so in that respect we’ve nothing to lose.

  So I would like to see us go for it. I don’t think you can defend against spurs for 90 mins, I think you have to play them at there own game.

  Such a shame dream boat and tank aren’t back for this one. This will be the line up me thinks…no change from last game.

  ………………………Krul……………………

  Simmo…..WIllo……….Collo…..Santon

  Obertan…..Perch…….Guthrie…..Jonas

  ………………..Ba…………………………….
  ………………………….Cisse……………….

• 23 mattyNUFC // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:19 PM

  ruddy

  in reguards to our agreeing on something

  like i’ve said, i’m not an eternal pessimist. pretty sound logic i feel goes into most of what i judge

  i used to be adverse to MA but now fully appreciate his plan more than anything. do i still think a bit more ambition could be shown? of course

  i also used to be hugely in favor of pardew, but i feel he’s too stubborn and over the ensuing months has made some baffling decisions in reguards to line-ups and substitutions (not just HBA, mind). i’m still trying to figure out whether he is imo tactically inept or trying to prove a point (more specifically Shola’s continued, unwarranted inclusions, the lack of faith in youngsters who he thought would really be pushing the first team by this point this season and, adversely, sameobi’s continued inclusion when he continually looked miles off the first team- again, imo) but neither of which can be good for the long term.

  don’t ever think for one second though i don’t look at the table and see us fifth and it still doesn’t bring a smile of bewilderment to my face. I’m as enthused as the next guy. bottom line: i just don’t care for pardew. the same phoniness i felt when he first replaced CH was quelled by an uninspiring unbeaten run, but i just can’t buy into what he says our how he goes about things anymore. he seems like the prototypical US politician to me….smoke and mirrors and a nice haircut

  anywho, back to work

• 24 Scottishmag1 // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:20 PM

  Spuggy

  Agree, if we r chasing the game then replace oby with hba u never know

• 25 boater // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:21 PM

  Scottish Mag – South upper gangway here – first time at WHL. Normally an open game against the spuds- could get stuffed but if we can keep Bale and Modric quiet we’ll have the Demba Demba double barrel at the other end.

• 26 Scottishmag1 // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:25 PM

  Ditto Boater

  South upper gangway block 47 row 15 seat 262 / 263′ keep an eye out for a Scottish !!!!

• 27 mattyNUFC // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:27 PM

  spuggy

  without doubt that’ll be the line-up

  my team when we’ve got our CMs back

  simoo…..perch….colo….santon
  ………………..tiote……………………..
  ……….guthrie…cabaye…………….
  HBA…….cisse……………..ba……..

• 28 boater // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:28 PM

  Matty – what are you going on about mate? You mistrust him because he played Sammi Ameobi when we had injuries? He’s an exciting youth player who had scored two wondergoals in the summer. He played shola as part of a tactic to hold up the ball – and it was working if you look at results. You might not rate those players but it was hardly bewildering decisions by him.

• 29 eastend toon // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:29 PM

  yeah tough gig down the lane but here’s hoping AP does let the lads play a free flowing game. i agree that we need to play spurs at their own game, its our strongest quality too. would’ve loved cabaye and tiote back but hell, ya can only paint with the colours god gives ya!

• 30 Jonny // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:29 PM

  I know HBA won’t start but this has to be the formation if he does:

  ——————–Krul———————–

  Simpson——Willo——Colo——–Santon

  ——————–Perch———————–

  ————Jonas———–Guthrie————

  ———-HBA———————–Ba——–

  ———————–Cisse———————

  Pardrew might be tempted to play this formation against spuds with Oba instead of HBA because Spurs play a 4-4-1-1 and Perch can sit on VDV. Let Jonas and Guthrie battle it out with Parker and Modric. Jonas has to be on HBA side so he can cover when their LB overlaps.

• 31 Ruddy Marveaux-lous // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:30 PM

  mattyNUFC I think the sensible thing to do from regards our dispute is to draw a line under it and just accept that while we are both enjoying the status in the Premier League that Newcastle United is currently enjoying and that we both want the best for NUFC we do disagree with what we see in our manager. I am a purist with regards to football, as a defender by trade (in kickabouts mind) I appreciate the finer art of defending, especially the philosophy of defending from the front, I simply love seeing attacking players tracking back. Losing while playing attacking attractive football does not interest me in the slightest, I will settle for boring ground out victories every day of the week but that is not what AP’s teams do, he is, despite his criticisms, very adaptable with regards style and tactics. But the mature thing to do is to probably accept that on this point we will differ because our views are entrenched at this point, if AP can ensure victory whilst playing attractive football which maintains a strict defensive policy then perhaps we will all be joined in unity but until then we may figuratively shake hands and agree to disagree.

• 32 mattyNUFC // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:34 PM

  boater

  pickin up where one left off, eh? oh well, this one then i’m off

  he had a multitude of choice before Sameobi. that is a fact

  Hold up play you say? why not throw steve harper up front then….shola’s hold up play consists of slowly dinking the ball between his cumbersome legs before either a) tripping over it b) losing control of it or c) somehow managing to get the ball back to one of our players, which of course is what we want, but rarely ever happens

  feel free to carry on with this if you want, let this get bogged down in pro/anti shola jargon for which there will be no end….i was simply replying to ruddy, so, let the ridiculousness commence, have fun, i’m out

• 33 mattyNUFC // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:35 PM

  ruddy

  i guess the difference lies there! I was an attacking RB, full of pace but never one to give up on the defensive attributes either, mind. i guess we’ve traced back through our childhoods to find the root of our disagreements. well done

  ciao

• 34 Ruddy Marveaux-lous // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:38 PM

  Feels like a counselling session where we’ve reached a breakthrough. For any snide/childish or insulting remarks I may have made I do apologise, sometimes I can be quite heavy handed and dismissive. After all this is a forum for like-minded people, in the sense that we all support Newcastle and all want this club to get back to its rightful place. We are all agreed on the destination but may differ on the way we get there.

  See ya mate!

• 35 Scottishtoon95 // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:49 PM

  jonny
  you seriously expect simpson to deal with bale on his own, parker and modric arent the biggest threats.

• 36 Jonny // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:53 PM

  @34 No i think Obertan will start and we will play a 4-4-2 but at the top of my post, i said if HBA starts i think that should be there formation and Jonas will cover for bale. And Modric imo is their biggest threat!

• 37 woodsee // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:53 PM

  Ahh but Sunderland,in a brummie accent,we are far richa than yaw

• 38 woodsee // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:55 PM

  Harry Enfield show if anyones scratchin there heeds

• 39 Level 7 Hero // Feb 9, 2012 at 6:57 PM

  That’s a canny good amount of revenue considering we’re not in Europe. Wonder if we’re the highest club in the list who doesn’t lay in a European competition.

• 40 AndyMac // Feb 9, 2012 at 7:08 PM

  Why is it that half the responses in an average thread have nothing to do with the topic at all ?? Is it something to do with ADHD ?

  As for NUFC’s turnover plummetting to 25th dont let me hear those whingeing “We cant compete” muppets spewing out their usual apologist crap.

  We are a big club, we can support crowds of 50k on average but we have two muppets in charge who cannot see the bigger picture.

  The Far East, Africa and US are all vast untapped markets for this club probably because the Fatman’s business empire (or his vision) doesnt stretch that far. If we were really switched on then NUFC TV plus Asia and US operations would help swell that pitiful £73m to nearer the Spuds at least !

• 41 WLtoon // Feb 9, 2012 at 7:17 PM

  i think we need Obertan in on saturday. His pace will be important when helping Simmo deal with Bale.
  I would,nt play HBA full stop. We need to keep the ball as much as possible against Spurs,HBA would just give it away.

• 42 GeordieGesus // Feb 9, 2012 at 7:22 PM

  WLtoon, you’re giving lessons on. “How to start a World war.”

• 43 Rotonda heights // Feb 9, 2012 at 7:28 PM

  It’s funny someone put on an earlier thread about the different type of ” neggars ” groups you can belong to!!!

  I freely admit I was pro Ashley but anti Pardew. I really wanted a Gus Poyet or Brendan Rodgers footballing type of manager.

  But while I am still not a fan of a high line, 442 and long ball football, it is hard not to acknowledge Pardew’s achievements in getting us to 5th. It’s hard not to be getting a bit excited now as well. So credit where it is due. Sometimes a team can play well and win in spite of a manager, not because of him, but that is doing Pardew a dis-service.

  I guess you have to ask yourself would Chris Hughton 1) have identified and spotted Cisse and 2) would he have been given the 9M that ashley obviously felt confident enough to trust pardew with to get him?

• 44 jimmyxavi // Feb 9, 2012 at 7:31 PM

  @ AndyMac…………….

  Maybe the entrepreneur who is worth nearly a billion should hire you…………….

  Or maybe he should tap into the “untapped Far East, Africa and US” I forgot that no clubs had already done this.. Honestly it makes me wonder why you haven’t made billions with your extensive business knowledge.

• 45 Rotonda heights // Feb 9, 2012 at 7:32 PM

  wltoon,

  HBA won’t give it away any more than Guti, Obertan and Shola (if he plays) will and would probably deliver far better service now we have our better strikers. Can’t believe so many people are writing him off.

• 46 achtoon // Feb 9, 2012 at 7:34 PM

  How can an article abouy the clubs turnover dropping turn out to slagginh pardew off and then saying the club should be competing with the top vlubs in europe. Firstly chris houghton would have got us relegated. Check his points per match total for his premiership, ober the season he would have been lucky to get to 40. Pardew has got us to fith and im sorry but luck has had nothing to do with it. You dont take 4 points of manure with luck. In fact we have been unlucky. Our 3 first choice CDs injured at the same time for a period. And big turn over doesnt equal big spending. Most of the top 30 clubs are english and we cant all be competing for the CL. Oh, hang on, nufc are competing.

• 47 Rotonda heights // Feb 9, 2012 at 7:36 PM

  Andymac

  ” muppets who can’t see the bigger picture!!”

  Come back when you’re a billionaire and have made deals like getting 36m for carroll and buying BA and Cisse for 9M, for just one example.

• 48 jimmyxavi // Feb 9, 2012 at 7:37 PM

  @achtoon

  Because as I’ve stated before most of the people are retards who would rather slag a club off instead of revelling in the fact that we are 5th!

• 49 Ruddy Marveaux-lous // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:00 PM

  Andymac people can talk about whatever they want. Who are you to dictate whether the comments on the thread are on topic or off topic? Judging by your on topic comments which are blinkered and incorrect in my opinion perhaps you should try going off topic the odd time, you might have more luck making a bit of sense.

• 50 achtoon // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:01 PM

  Exactly jimmy. When ashley started he was saying he wanted to follow an arsenal type model which until recently was successful. Now other PL clubs ate saying they want to follow the newcastle model. The problem people have with ashley is because he is two steps ahead of the people who think they are two steps ahead of everyone. He is planning for 5 to 10 years ahead. Look at the eufa rules for four years time and see where nufc will fit. These financial accounts were for our promotion year so not really representative of our new position.

• 51 ITUNDERASHELL // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:05 PM

  Can’t wait for the whole sorry edifice to come tumbling down and players to earn 50 grand a year tops, get rid of the sky channel and the morons who call Obertan OberTON and consciously put down little clubs like the toon.
  Would love to see Lawrenson working for a living and Arry were he belongs, you thuoght I was going to say P++++n but you woul be wrong, England would be a fitting finally to his contribution to society.

• 52 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:06 PM

  Yawn.

• 53 achtoon // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:07 PM

  Back to football though I would love to see hba be successful coz he is talented bit something isnt right. We are winning without him so why should pardew change it. As for providing balls for our forwards, I really dont think they need it. Those dembas will score from nothing

• 54 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:10 PM

  I don’t think Pards is necessarily a supporter of long ball. We tend to mix it up in matches, with some long balls. I for one fon’t mind a long ball if it has purpose and finds it’s target.

  But there are plenty of times when we’ve played it along the deck. We’re certainly not as bad as the big sam days or stoke.

• 55 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:11 PM

  Makes me smile so much the end of this video….class…..

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMDZCZ0dRd0

• 56 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:12 PM

  @ ITUNDER

  Haha yeah, it took shearer about a year to start pronouncing Kuyt correctly.

• 57 ITUNDERASHELL // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:13 PM

  Spuggy he does mix things up and there is nothing wrong with that as it can catch teams out. Even Barcelona do it, as you know.

• 58 mikenotiades // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:17 PM

  MUTINYbyLEMONS

  Very good point.. If we could forget how Ashley got the club in this position.. He’d could be looked upon in a very very good light, considering all factors.

• 59 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:18 PM

  Ba is a legend

• 60 achtoon // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:18 PM

  “I love syrup. Why? Strawberry syrup. ” Haha. His range of goals remind me of one player and he used to score a lot of route one goals.

• 61 check the toastie // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:19 PM

  Any pardew lovers going to try and justify why shola starts in front of Cisse at the weekend, if there is a doubt in anybody’s mind that this could happen, that is why people still question whether pardew is the man for this club, i enjoy and appreciate were we currently are and were we are going but one issue still baffles me and this is it. Plus Shola is actually decent off the bench, clear as day.

• 62 Ruddy Marveaux-lous // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:24 PM

  I am a huge Pardew supporter and usually part of the “Pardew can do no wrong brigade” but if he starts Shola at WHL in front of Cisse in a game where we could get something out of it then I will be somewhat annoyed. I won’t try and justify it but I will, as always, bow to his superior knowledge.

• 63 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:24 PM

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51h9GM6sHSo&feature=related

  Tiote COMPLETELY owned Manu like. Best performance this season by anyone in a B&W shirt. Boy do we miss him.

• 64 ITUNDERASHELL // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:27 PM

  I think Ashley is doing such a good job he should be our next monarch, only kidding lad if you read this blog site which I doubt.
  Love to see the club buy a non entity and turn him into a superstar like Tiote or Krul or Cabaye or Ba or Cisse or?
  Can’t wait to see who the next few non entities are.
  Seriously though two or three more and the neggars are going to have some job and might actually start to enjoy us being slightly bigger than not a big club.

• 65 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:30 PM

  Here’s one for Gorg and Indian incase they think I’m being biased haha…

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5KafuOcyn4&feature=related

• 66 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:32 PM

  Are all the spaceships phalic in Flash Gordon (on ITV4).

  Gordon’s ALIIIIVE……Classic.

• 67 achtoon // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:33 PM

  I understand why cisse didnt start against villa but his performance. must make him a must at WHL. But lets not start criticising before we see the result. Everyone was on here slagging pardew off for his team selection for manue then we won 3 nil. Its easy to slag him ofg when things go wrong but the table doesnt lie.

• 68 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:33 PM

  Yes I’ve been drinking.

• 69 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:34 PM

  Who says Ameobi’s gonna be played ahead of Cisse?

  Two chances……fat and no.

• 70 ITUNDERASHELL // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:35 PM

  Spuggy YOU ARE A NAUGHTY BOY!

• 71 check the toastie // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:36 PM

  ruddy – the problem is you know it might happen, and for me it has happened this season when he has had better options, thats why i still doubt him, think the season is so good you cannot argue, but i still doubt whether he is the man to take us to a trophy, that doubt will probably remain for a little while yet, depending on performance,
  I must say after the first half at fulham i thought we were the new arsenal, seems to have gone back into his shell since.

• 72 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:37 PM

  Errrrr Better options than Shola before Ba and Cisse were back?

  Cause Best, Lova and Arfa are giants?

• 73 ITUNDERASHELL // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:38 PM

  Who is going to replace Colocinni if he leaves. I know it won’t to be Titus Bramble!

• 74 Ruddy Marveaux-lous // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:41 PM

  Well it wouldn’t be the first time it happened, but if it does happen then we’ll just have to wait and see what happens and then come final whistle dissect the game to pieces like we always do haha I would be of the opinion that considering Cisse’s début he has to be a must for the game against Spuds, if he isn’t then we’ll obviously, by default, be playing a much more defensive game.

• 75 ITUNDERASHELL // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:41 PM

  Could Ameobi play in defence, god nodon’t even go there in jest.

• 76 check the toastie // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:43 PM

  Spuggy the point is Shola was playing in front of best and arfa before Ba went to ACN, anybody defend that? if you do you have no clue. And if there is a slight doubt in your mind that he will select shola in front of cisse, and there is in mine then please justify the selection, be my guest. if there is doubt then you doubt the manager. i repeat i like pardew, he has done wonders in team spirit and workrate, but shola doesnt fit into these pardew team ideals.

• 77 eaststandgeordie1982 // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:44 PM

  lads ive just finished my tiling course and i done this as my final task i think you will all like it

  http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3318235520436&set=a.1596505918272.82458.1404692386&type=1&theater&notif_t=photo_comment

• 78 Ruddy Marveaux-lous // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:49 PM

  @Spuggy

  Therein lies the next problem that needs to be addressed. If we do qualify for Europe next season we are going to have to have much more strength in depth in both our striking options and in defence. We have a wealth of midfield talent, but we have, by the looks of it, 2 excellent strikers and a couple of decent strikers which is simply not good enough if we are going to move forward. Our defensive frailties are well documented so this is obviously another area we would need to strengthen. I think we would see increased activity in the transfer market this summer if we do make it into Europe

• 79 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:50 PM

  Justify a selection that hasn’t been made yet. Hmmm what if he puts Beardsley in front of Ba?

  What? Pointless debate. Cisse and Ba are the first strikers on the team sheet, by a mile. Ameobi and Lova will serve as 2nd half subs to see the game out until Ba and Cisse are up to full PL match fitness.

• 80 ITUNDERASHELL // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:52 PM

  Its a game of two halfs, come to think of it four quarters as well.
  I wish people would give Ameobi a break, Pardew knows he is ageing and slow and of limited use to the Toon,but Ameobi is willing to help out and is a real defender of the club and what it means to the City.
  Soon, very soon he will be a memory and probably cheering the lads on at home games and hoping we have better players than he was representive his City.
  His wish is about to be realised.

• 81 achtoon // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:52 PM

  Check, pardew isnt our first manager who has liked ameobi. I watched him score against barcelona at the nou camp and he is one of our top european goal scores. In fact he has scored more european goals than the whole of scumberland fc. Shearer said he is the most naturally gifted footballer hed played with but us fans think hes sh1t. Strange.

• 82 Ruddy Marveaux-lous // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:53 PM

  Well there is as much merit to speculating that Ameobi might be playing as there is stating categorically that Cisse is going to start every game with Ba. I promise I won’t say I told you so if it doesn’t work out the way you think it will.

• 83 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:53 PM

  Ruddy

  Totally agree, we need a third choice striker to cover for the boys when they’re at the ACoN in 2013. Defensive signings however are a top priority in the Summer – we’re riding our luck right now, if Collo or Willo get injured we’ll leak goals.

• 84 Jail for Ashley // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:55 PM

  I think Pards could see that we were going to have a good season with some of the players that were brought in over the summer,even though he must have been a bit pi*sed off that the defensive cover wasn’t bought,but he did say that he wouldn’t get it right all the time and he hasn’t,but 5th in league more than half way through the season must surely prove that he has gotten it right more times than he has made mistakes.

• 85 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 8:57 PM

  On the logic of Shola before Cisse, wouldn’t Pards have put shola on when Best got injured?

• 86 ITUNDERASHELL // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:02 PM

  Collo and Simpson may not be at the club next year, but don’t panic, we will replace them with better and younger players.
  We need a new striker as back up and a good young un to develop when Ameobi and Lovenkrands move on.

• 87 Ruddy Marveaux-lous // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:03 PM

  I’m not saying that Pardew doesn’t think Cisse isn’t better than Shola, all I am saying is that I do think there will be games between now and the end of the season that he will start Shola instead of Cisse, if he feels a different approach is required. I do hope that he give Cisse as much game time as humanly possible starting with Tottenham this weekend!!

• 88 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:13 PM

  Shola in front of a fit Cisse. Ne chance bonnie lad.

• 89 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:15 PM

  JJ hooper scores 2-1 the toon

• 90 achtoon // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:15 PM

  On a totally different strand, does any one follow nile ranger on twatter? What a gangster.

• 91 ITUNDERASHELL // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:16 PM

  Ameobi could have come on when Best got his injury but he didn’t and I think he wont come on if Ba or Cisse get injured. He may come on if both get injured, but I hope not, but if he does its because he is needed.
  We do need a player up front as back up for sure next season and a youngster as well.

• 92 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:17 PM

  Ach

  NO, I’m too scared he’ll pop a cap in my ass.

• 93 Toonbyblood // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:17 PM

  Spuggy: watching Flash Gordon too. My favorite line.

  First wave…DIIIIIIVE!!!

  Classic.

  My all out attacking team for Spurs:

  —Simmo—Collo—Willo—Santo— (there’s a theme there)
  ———-Perch———-Guthie———
  Ober————-HBA———-Gutti–
  ———————Ba———————

  4-1-4-1 would work as well with Perch as DM.
  Cisse to come on in second half.

  DIIIVVE.

• 94 eastend toon // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:18 PM

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckT7duCgX7s&feature=related

• 95 achtoon // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:21 PM

  Nile beeeeaaattchhhhh ranger

• 96 Dannyo // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:22 PM

  It’s pretty much guaranteed that Campbell will be with us during the next pre-season, and if he’s good enough, he’ll be the 3rd/4th striker imo.

• 97 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:23 PM

  Toonbyblood

  Oooo I like that 451 – yes would like to see that more, he could start Cisse up top and Ba behind which is more likely.

  Why haven’t we tried 451 more?

• 98 Jail for Ashley // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:23 PM

  I think the Europa league will be difficult for any club without a big squad and who are also competing for the Champions league,if you look at the last few years winners,I think its because these teams can play full strength teams for the Euro nights as their domestics leagues are generally very poor,even La liga outside their top six,if you take a look at Spurs you would have to say that their full strength team would have destroyed all of the teams in their Euro group,I dont think we’d fare much better but it would be great to have European nights again at SJP,I think a good idea would be to sell 10 pound tickets to get a full house,much better than 20 quid and the ground looking half empty.

• 99 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:27 PM

  @ Toonbyblood

  Did you ever see Flesh Gordon, I mean a spoof of a spoof, seriously.

• 100 achtoon // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:29 PM

  When tiote falls out of a boat, he doesnt get wet, the water gets Tiote’d….. Sorry the drinks kicking in but I did like that night of banter.

• 101 eastend toon // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:30 PM

  ok chaps, i’ve just been watching as many vids on youtibe of demba’s goals… i cant find any other place where he kisses the turf?

• 102 eastend toon // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:31 PM

  achtoon, its only snowing now because it knows tiote’s out of town

• 103 achtoon // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:34 PM

  Eastend. Tiote drinks napalm to calm his heartburn.

• 104 planb's revenge // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:42 PM

  @99 spoofs of spoofs. or spoofs of comedy movies are utterly pointless right?
  what do people here rate our chances against the dirty saggy faced cockneys boys?

• 105 achtoon // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:46 PM

  Eastend, that photo of ba and cisse kissing the sjp turf together will go down in folk law. It will be the first of man.y

• 106 planb's revenge // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:49 PM

  tiote heads the ball he doesn’t jump, he pushes the earth away from him

• 107 kevymartins // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:54 PM

  Makes you miss him lol

  http://youtu.be/K64goYqqcN4

• 108 eastend toon // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:55 PM

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be_cG5-6uNY

• 109 eastend toon // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:55 PM

  pretty much sums us up chaps

• 110 eastend toon // Feb 9, 2012 at 9:56 PM

  ach… the US didnt drop napalm on vietnam… they dropped tiote

• 111 kevymartins // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:04 PM

  http://youtu.be/kFv5kNVq_EM

  for all the geordies

• 112 Hatem // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:04 PM

  I’m going skiing for a week lads, really excited now see you after we smash tottenham 5-1

• 113 kevymartins // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:05 PM

  eastend they droped tiote?? …you mean tiote droped them

• 114 nightfa11 // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:06 PM

  i understand why colos stalling on his offer..he wants europe..hes world class & he should play in europe..but if for some reason we dont qualify for europe this season…i think it would be stupid of him not to sign an extension..at 30 no club will see him as a long term investment..he would probably be a starter in first season where ever he goes..but after that he would be a squad player..while here he would be a captain till the day he retires..

  i have a feeling he’ll sign soon…i think he stalled..cos he wanted from the board to bring reinforcements in January & not selling anyone..to see we mean business..

• 115 super magpie // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:06 PM

  I see people are still criticising pardew. Is 5th after 24 games not good enough? Considering some people though we’ d go down. Some people need to look at themselves and think about that. I couldn’t be happier that we’re 5th. Il be happy with top 7, I don’t think the whole squad will last the rest of the season.

  Results on paper

  Spurs L 42pts
  Wolves W 45pts
  Scum W 48 pts
  Arsenal. L 48pts
  Norwich w 51pts
  WBA W 54pts. West brom have a very poor home record
  Bin dippers D 55pts
  Swansea D 56pts
  Bolton W 59pts.
  Chelsea L 59pts
  Stoke. w 62pts
  Wigan W 65pts
  Man c d/l 65/66pts
  Everton D 66/67pts

  P W D L
  38. 19. 10. 9. That will get us 5th maybe 4th.

  That is a realistic view

• 116 kevymartins // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:07 PM

  skiing in italy or nufc vs totenham on espn at home

  i would take the match but thats me an im a complete hardcore fan haha

• 117 nightfa11 // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:09 PM

  Toonbyblood

  not a bad lineup, but cisse over hba anyday for me.. cisse works way harder.. id put hba on the wing…1 half obertan..& 1 hba… obertan really impressed me lately…but when he gets tired he starts making mistakes.. so 1 half each.

• 118 Hatem // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:13 PM

  i havent missed a match this season too. How did you know it was Italy?

• 119 Ben // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:14 PM

  Am I the only one who is not that impressed with HBA?
  Sure he has silky skills but his work rate is questionable, gives away possession most of the time, has a Ketsbia like tendency to run with his head down into cul de sacs ignoring the obvious pass, and gives the team nothing when we don’t have the ball.

  Wouldn’t have a place in my team at the moment. AP has it spot on!

• 120 Offkey // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:15 PM

  Ketsbia was brilliant

• 121 Dannyo // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:15 PM

  U’re joking, two last posters are Hatem and Ben…. Where’s Arfa when u need him, lol.

• 122 Tonytoon73 // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:16 PM

  Off the topic here. But would anybody want that c@nt redknapp be england manager.

• 123 achtoon // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:16 PM

  Some one once made tiote toilet paper but it wouldnt take any sh1t. Jokeing aside I said we could take 23 points from our remaining games in january, we already have a few of them. That should take us to fifth. By the way how many mackems think they are going to get a CL place. Muppets.

• 124 nightfa11 // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:17 PM

  Tonytoon73

  i would..only if its before saturday..

• 125 nightfa11 // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:19 PM

  btw, rodgers should manage england

• 126 Tonytoon73 // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:20 PM

  nightfa11 we will beat them saturday mate

• 127 super magpie // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:22 PM

  I think people are overreacting about HBA, he’s not the type of player who will track back, and probably never will be. He wont start til cabaye n Tiote are back. I think pardew will try this out.

  Krul
  Simpson willo colo santon
  Cabaye Tiote Guthrie
  Cisse. Ba. Ben arfa

  Looks pretty strong
  Once we get a lb, switch santon to RB And it looks good

  Team for spurs

  Krul
  Simpson willo colo santon
  Obertan guthrie perch Gutierrez
  Ba cisse

• 128 nightfa11 // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:24 PM

  Tonytoon73

  i hope ure right..i expect a lot of goals.. hopefully 3-2 for us=)

  probably some defoe..& 1 of their defenders.

  and for us..well..ba..i think its time for colo to score..&….hmm..santon?

• 129 eastend toon // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:50 PM

  we need a classic oba goal against the scum… and with the dembas… we can play that card

• 130 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 10:58 PM

  It’s funny but now we have Cisse, I think the need for HBA is greatly reduced. Hey, I’m a fan as much as the next man, but I no longer see the raging gulf waiting to be filled by him. Cisse was fantastic the way he closed down the defence and turned it into attack.

  I hope he makes it, because if he can add hard work and selflessness to his play he’ll be as good as Mata, Modric and one day maybe even silva. I mean have you seen Barcelona when they don’t have the ball, they arguably work harder (because they’re so good at keep ball) to get it back, so it’s not just Newcastle who want to play that way, it’s the very best.

  If he doesn’t refine his game, it’s not the end of the world – to be honest it will be his loss, because the football stage is his for the taking, but I feat there is a stubbornness to him, as revealed in his ‘philosophy’ comments about pardew.

  Time will tell, he will get another chance.

• 131 Spuggy // Feb 9, 2012 at 11:00 PM

  fear*

• 132 gorgonzola // Feb 10, 2012 at 12:19 AM

  “Here’s one for Gorg and Indian incase they think I’m being biased haha…

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5KafuOcyn4&feature=related”

  Thanks

• 133 gorgonzola // Feb 10, 2012 at 12:21 AM

  “If he doesn’t refine his game, it’s not the end of the world – to be honest it will be his loss, because the football stage is his for the taking, but I feat there is a stubbornness to him, as revealed in his ‘philosophy’ comments about pardew.”

  Nothing wrong with that but pity no other player is being so earmarked as he is what I and some others are saying…

  He should just leave as he will always loose the ball here and there just like any other player, just looks bad on him cause he actually tries to do something with it…

• 134 warwick // Feb 10, 2012 at 12:39 AM

  Good to see pardew watching the u 18′s in the cup, especially in the freeze.