Newcastle have had a very good year in 2012, but the last two months have been a little gruesome and since we drew 1-1 at Liverpool on November 4th we’ve lost seven of our last nine games and have slumped in the league to 15th position, just 5 points above the drop zone.
We’ll have to hope we don’t suffer yet another defeat at Arsenal this afternoon, but the odds are in the London club’s favor, since their game with West Ham on Wednesday was postponed because of a tube strike – and therefore they’ve had all week to prepare for Newcastle.
And we are 2 points worse off with 20 points, then we were in our relegation season, and that tells us that in the last 19 games of the 2008-2009 season we got only 12 points – no wonder we were relegated.
We have to hope that as we get our injured players Yohan Cabaye, Steven Taylor and Ben Arfa back early next month – we can start to climb the league table – and a top ten finish is still possible and even likely – if we can start playing somewhere near our best form again – which we have done over the last several games.
Our opponents Arsenal have come into some good form of late, and are now seventh in the table, and have won their last three league games against Wigan, Reading and West Brom and now have 30 points from their 18 games so far in the league.
Arsenal are always a tough side to play and this is what Alan Pardew had to say about the famous club:
“Arsenal are a great club with great players and it will be difficult for us. But if we put in the performance we did against Manchester United then they won’t relish seeing us.”
“Our performances have been terrific over the last four or five games.” “Hopefully we will get something for the effort and confidence and ability in each other that we are showing.”
And Saturday’s game is the 171st match between the two clubs, and the 157th in the league, and Newcastle are level with Arsenal with 66 wins against the Gunners in all competitions.
The full record against the Gunners is played 170, won 66, lost 66, drawn 38 – and we’ve scored 235 goals and conceded 244 goals in all competitions with the London side.
Newcastle of course still have a number of injuries to deal with, and to add to that Mike Williamson misses this game after picking up his 5th yellow card at Old Trafford, but the good news is that Cheick Tiote returns from his one game suspension.
The in-form Vurnon Anita is also out with an ankle injury that he picked up very late in the game at Manchester, but he is expected to be fit to play against Everton at St. James’ Park next Wednesday night.
Jonas Gutierrez (knee), Yohan Cabaye (groin) and Hatem Ben Arfa (hamstring) will again be missing as will local lad Steven Taylor (hamstring) as well as Ryan Taylor and midfielders Dan Gosling and Haris Vuckic, who all have knee injuries, and maybe are out until the end of the season.
This is the team we think Alan Pardew will start today:
Krul
Simpson Coloccini (c) Perch Santon
Marveaux Bigirimana Tiote
Cisse Ba Obertan
Subs Harper Tavernier Streete Ferguson Ameobi (Sa) Campbell Ameobi (Sh)
18 year-old South Shields center-back Remie Street could see his first appearance on the Newcastle bench today, and maybe the Newcastle manager will give Shola Ameobi a start in the line-up today.
For Arsenal, Olivier Giroud and Tomas Rosicky have now recovered from illness and are in the squad for today’s game, but defender Andre Santos (stomach muscle) and midfielder Abou Diaby (thigh) are both out, but they will return to training next week, and second string goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is out today with a foot injury.
It’s going to be very difficult for Newcastle to get much out of today’s game, but on the other hand we also have to start winning some of these tough games, and today’s a good a day as any to do just that.
let us know how you think the game will go today.
Howay The Lads!!
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98 comments so far
fray bentos
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:39 PM
Comment #81@Rotonda Post 20
Who cares what he says, and isn’t it good that his statments conflict? do you really want him to go and tell Wenger our gameplan?! If you going to moan atleast make it about our results or football not nitpicking about pointless statments made by managers before games
toonarmydownsouth
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:39 PM
Comment #82Last couple of mins and the stadium if sh1te was already half empty!
Crawfordladd17
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:40 PM
Comment #83My team
Krul
Simpson Perch Coloccini Santon
Tiote Marveaux Bigi
Cisse Ba Obertan
Subs Bench
Harper/Elliot(who cares)
Tavenier
Ferguson
Amalfitano
Abeid
Shola Ameobi
Sammy Ameobi
Missing Ben Arfa, Cabaye, S.Taylor, Gosling, Anita, Vuckic, R.Taylor all injured. Williamson suspended.
toonLYF
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:41 PM
Comment #84just watched the Sunderland game and can honestly and unbiasedly say Johnson and Fletcher are terrible. Fletcher spends all of his time rolling around on the ground, soft as shite. As for Johnson his delivery is even poorer than Jonas’. Shite team with a great keeper.
fray bentos
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:42 PM
Comment #85@Catchy
Again who cares what Pardew says about fitness levels, all that counts is what he says to the players & coaches and whether he listens to them
wreker16
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:44 PM
Comment #86Tads
Almost certainly, what then happens to the front 3 though?
Does It go:
Fergi. Ba. Cisse
Or:
Obertan. Ba. Cisse
Or does cisse feature down the middle? What’s happening
toonarmydownsouth
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:44 PM
Comment #87LYF
Like most was quiet keen on johnson but its been easy to see why he couldnt get near the citeh or england squad!!
nick_9
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:45 PM
Comment #88Crawford I think that is the team we have to go for. We don’t really have many alternatives so I would be surprised to see anything different.
catchy in norway
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:45 PM
Comment #89fray bentos
come on man
its not about the game plan, its about him not thinkg about what he says,, this is just another occasion he messes it up,,
it reflects on him as a person, he seems confused with what he wants to say, so says anything
pardew and game plans, dont go hand in hand
but you know that
eaststandgeordie1982
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:45 PM
Comment #90I would go with this
Krul
Simmo streete colo santon
Tiote perch
Marv
Oba cisse ba
A CB should play CB its worth a gamble
Toon1978
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:48 PM
Comment #91Any links lads?
check the toastie
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:48 PM
Comment #92Maybe would play Tav full back and push Santon into a midfield three with cheick and Marv, would drop Bigi, dont think this is the game for him personally, thought he struggled a wee bit at Old Trafford.
Love the way Santon runs forward, wont see much if that if hes having to look after the Ox all afternoon, giv Tav a go and see if he can step up for me.
catchy in norway
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:48 PM
Comment #93fray bentos
so you dont care that the guy says very confusing things
do you think he has a switch that makes him talk jibberish to us the media and fans, then intelegent to the coaches and players
i think you will find that this is the man, lock stck and barrel,
conflicting and confusing
check the toastie
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:51 PM
Comment #94toon – 5.30 kick off mate.
nick_9
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:52 PM
Comment #95Tads to think many fans on here wanted nzog, Johnson and gervinho yet look how they have turned out. I was one who wanted Johnson but I haven’t been impressed lately. If i was to take a player from them lot down the road it would be rose, I wouldn’t mind is nabbing him from them
Mister Tuff
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:52 PM
Comment #96I see that Cisse is now saying in an SSN interview that he does not agree with the boards decision (presumably to get rid of Ba in the summer).
All these contradictory interviews/tweets/ posts need to stop -is just adds to the confusion /fuels rumours of behind the scenes problems.
Easy to sort out – comments contrary to the clubs policy/statements -two weeks pay fine.
catchy in norway
Dec 29, 2012 at 2:53 PM
Comment #97i can see it
krul
santon simpson colo ferg
bigi tiote perch
cisse ba marv
i think away from home he wont start with obertan, i think he will be setting up for counter attack football
he knows his defence is weak , so i expect 3 DMC
fray bentos
Dec 29, 2012 at 3:07 PM
Comment #98@Catchy
“do you think he has a switch that makes him talk jibberish to us the media and fans, then intelegent to the coaches and players”
When ufc fighters or boxers go round bad mouthing opponents before fights do you think they go round bad mouthing all their coaches, agents and friends aswell? (granted there will be exceptions)
He’s in a sport and business, just because he says something doesn’t mean he means it