The big news is that Shola Ameobi – the Sunderland slayer – starts for Newcastle United in the Tyne-Wear derby away at Sunderland this afternoon.
And Mike Williamson keeps his place with Fab Coloccini coming back into the side at center-back, so that’s a bit of a shock that local lad Steven Taylor is on the bench.
Tim Krul resumes his place in goal and Danny Simpson comes back in at right back.
We have to assume that Mike Williamson’s has been looking good in training and of course he’s been solid for Newcastle in recent games.
It’s not a huge surprise that Shola starts, and he comes in for Papiss Cisse, who is on the bench.
Newcastle have a strong side out today, and we have to hope they can deliver the goods and beat Sunderland – that’s the only result we want to see at 3:30pm this afternoon.
For Sunderland, Steven Fletcher and Adam johnson both start, and former Newcastle loan player Louis Saha is on the bench.
Danny Rose is also in the side, after his trials and tribulations in Slovakia earlier this week, where he received some disgraceful racial abuse.
The referee for the game is Martin Atkinson from Yorkshire.
Howay The Lads!!
Teams:
Sunderland (4-4-2): Simon Mignolet: Danny Rose, Craig Gardner, John O’Shea, Carlos Jimenez Cuellar: Sebastian Larsson, Jack Colback, Adam Johnson, James McClean: Steven Fletcher, Stephane Sessegnon
Subs: Kieren Westwood Phillip Bardsley Matthew Kilgallon David Vaughan David Meyler Fraizer Campbell Louis Saha
Newcastle United (4-4-2): Tim Krul; Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon; Hatem Ben Arfa, Yohan Cabaye, Cheick Tiote, Jonas Gutierrez; Shola Ameobi, Demba Ba
Subs: Steve Harper, Shane Ferguson, James Perch, Steven Taylor, Vurnon Anita, Gabriel Obertan, Papiss Cisse
Referee: Martin Atkinson (Yorkshire)
302 comments so far
toon_army_redlichtie85
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:37 PM
Comment #1Awful choice
Tooooon
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:38 PM
Comment #2HAHA this post made me laugh – http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=737527
I definitely would have started Shola, he’s a legend and he will DESTROY the mackems with his breathe!
leeb1982
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:38 PM
Comment #3Ohh my god mike the donkey Williamson.
nimo
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:39 PM
Comment #4Williamson over Taylor.. bad choice, a 90% fit Taylor is better.
lucasnufc
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:40 PM
Comment #5HOW is it an awful choice? Please point to me a game where Ba and Cisse have played well together
tomellifred360
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:41 PM
Comment #6Oi, lads. Be positive please! Support the lads, not slag them off.
I hope Shola and Mike have magnificent matches.
rainrix
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:42 PM
Comment #7And the neggars appear, well thats the signal for us in Optimist valley to disappear. Toon toon adios 🙂
~Anita One Bites the Dust~
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:42 PM
Comment #8Apart from the defense. I am happy with that team.
I know Ameobi is not everyone’s cup of tea, but what he does, he does pretty good. I.e winning flick ons and holding the ball.
Both him and Ba had a dominating performance against United and worked well together. Strolla’s flick on, and his off the ball play to help win that free kick (pulling the defenders away).
I also think Cisse is not yet up to par with last season’s performances, and think that opting for the Mackem slayer in this scenario was the wiser choice.
My only concerns is that Williamson has started ahead of Staylor/Perch. I can see fletcher running circles around him.
toonLYF
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:43 PM
Comment #9wouldn’t say it’s an “awful choice”. I think it’s a thoughtful team, and a very strong looking bench with players like Cisse, Obertan and Anita who can come on, offer us pace and danger in the box; and in effect make a potentially much needed difference. Shola had to start really, only thing that surprises me is Taylor, but i’m sure he’s gutted. If he’s not 100% fit there’s no point in sending him out into an intense match. Adrenaline would probably get him through, but i’d rather have him fully fit to play against two very strong teams in Club Brugge and West Brom next week.
Lee Dodd
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:43 PM
Comment #10I would say That is a Good Newcastle Line Up. Steven Taylor as Sub is a Good back up. He is not match fit yet !!!! Cisse as Super Sub . We will Tonk Sunderland Today Just Watch !!!! A screamer from Cabaye a Cracker from H.B.A and A third from Shola !!!! Sunderland will get a Penalty But Miss it !!! Howay The Lads !!!!
therush12
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:43 PM
Comment #11@6 well said!!!
santonthenewmaldini
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:43 PM
Comment #12Look Williamson playing with Colo is a good choice as he plays well with Colo’s presence if Taylor is not fit it might not be a good idea to play him as he has been rusty this season and it will calm the game down especially after his stupid comments which will make Sunderland even more determined!!!
Was the right call to put Simpson into this one as the boy likes a scrap and hopefully he gets stuck into that Mclean early doors!!
Bit worried we are playing 442 again as it looks like they will start with 5 in midfield and 1 up front which means we might get outnumbered in midfield!
Shola and Ba to score in a 2 1 victory
obatoyou
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:44 PM
Comment #13About to start work, will watch game at home later, don’t tell me the score pls 😉 HOWaY the lads!!!!
DevonMag
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:45 PM
Comment #14What’s the likelihood Pardew dropped Taylor because of his comments midweek? Annoying, tbh, he’s in my fantasy team…
toonarmydownsouth
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:45 PM
Comment #15Great to see shola start hoped he would! Need him even more so if taylors not fit need someone on the pitch who bleeds newcastle
Nimo
He taylor maybe be better at 90% than wilo but given his injury history would you risk him if he’s not fully fit for one game and risk loosing him for god knows how long or rest him for one more game
tomellifred360
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:46 PM
Comment #16Have a feeling their defence will be focused on Shola.
Therefore, lots of time and space for Demba.
eaststandgeordie1982
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:46 PM
Comment #17He’s cattermoles dad he’s cattermoles daaaaad jimmy saville he’s cattermoles dad!
Wandering Geordie
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:47 PM
Comment #18Judge them after the game…Get behind them .At the end of the day they wear the Black and white…As long as they beat the pond life today
Gateshead-Mag
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:47 PM
Comment #19ameeeeeeeobi!!!
the lad was made for this game, has played well wenever hes played this season aswell, links up brilliant with ba
yeeeeeehaaaaaa!!
think I need a bucket of water chucked over me
~Anita One Bites the Dust~
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:47 PM
Comment #20I wonder if Rose is in the right frame of mind for the game today. If he isn’t, Ben arfa will waste no time in dominating that side of the pitch
MagPieMan
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:47 PM
Comment #21I wonder if Taylor on he bench because of his interview
~Anita One Bites the Dust~
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:48 PM
Comment #22I wonder what would happen if both Ameobi’s were to play.
Strolla the Mackem Slayer,
Sammy the ???
BelfastMagpie
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:48 PM
Comment #23Gardner at rb for them.
Surely Ben Arfa has to play on the left?
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:49 PM
Comment #24Lose and I’m starting the drum-beating, for Pardwho to take to the chopping block.
~Anita One Bites the Dust~
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:49 PM
Comment #25Well Benny tends to drift so at some point he will attack from the left.
Mackem team:
Sunderland: Mignolet, Gardner, Rose, O’Shea (C), Cuellar, Colback, Larsson, Johnson, McClean, Sessegnon, Fletcher.
obatoyou
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:50 PM
Comment #26*throws bucket of water at Gateshead_mag* pull yourself together man, we r @war!!! Got to head up to the floor deal some blackjack, good luck and enjoy.
seancavaz
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:50 PM
Comment #27Willo to score from a Cabaye corner, Ameobi obviously to bundle one in, to then go off injured only to be replaced by an angry Cisse, fletcher gets fouled by Tiote in the box, results in an outbreak of scuffles, Tiote laughs as he gets another yellow, resulting penalty ends up in the stands! Punt from Krul, flicked on by Ba to the on rushing Ben Arfa, skips passed three wild challenges, flicks it over to Cisse, chest, knee, bang, underside of the bar! Screamer! 0-3……if carlberg did derbies! Lol
BelfastMagpie
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Comment #28I wanted Shola to start like.
Cisse has been crap this season so far.
Gateshead-Mag
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Comment #29obatoyou
thanks for that mate
working on christmas?? tough break
Trent Toon
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:52 PM
Comment #30He’s saved us once, he’s saved us twice. Come on SHOLA we love you. Tame those mackem dogs!!!!!! YEAAHHHHHHHHH
Lee Dodd
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:53 PM
Comment #31Any Links for the Game Lads ???
~Anita One Bites the Dust~
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:53 PM
Comment #32“Aye on about our players who can’t get into their team and Williamson keeps him out, and he wouldn’t get into ours!”
I suppose Pigs have learnt to fly…
jesperfuglsang
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:56 PM
Comment #33This link should be a good one:
http://www.vipboxsports.eu/football/82373/1/sunderland-vs-newcastle-united-live-stream-online.html
nimo
Oct 21, 2012 at 12:57 PM
Comment #34tads if it was JUST 1 game then yeah but this isn’t Just 1 game.. its the game, win it could ignite our season.. lose and the whole city on a downer
catchy in norway
Oct 21, 2012 at 1:00 PM
Comment #35im gutted for cisse,, he is losing out because of pardews poor tactics in previous games,,,
cisse and ba are both good goal scorers, shola isnt,, the problem has been the lack of chances created for them to score,,,
every week the team has played way to deep,, lets hope we play football in scumderlands half, and create something
toonarmydownsouth
Oct 21, 2012 at 1:01 PM
Comment #36Nimo
What if we lose him for the season?
Stevie taylor starting + not bieng match fit/slightly off the pace = red card or long term injury!
niafron
Oct 21, 2012 at 1:01 PM
Comment #37Bonjour messieurs.
kirkyman
Oct 21, 2012 at 1:01 PM
Comment #38good link for the game guys……………..
http://coolsport.tv/stream1.html
catchy in norway
Oct 21, 2012 at 1:04 PM
Comment #39with both willamson and shola in the team,, its a long ball game,, again
i hope not
Ashton
Oct 21, 2012 at 1:05 PM
Comment #40We will be playing with a 442 formation. It might work today because we have Shola who is a good target man and is suited to the 442 but in the long run 442 is not the way forward and I just can’t fathom why Pardew insists on playing with this formation!