Newcastle played well against Manchester City last night, and the game went to extra time before City broke the deadlock with a couple of goals, but there were several good performances for the Newcastle side from Cheick Tiote, Vurnon Anita, Mathieu Debuchy, Yanga-Mbiwa and Shola Ameobi being our best players.
Alan Pardew – happy enough before the game last night
And it was probably a mistake in retrospect (which is always easy to point out after the game of course) that Shola Ameobi was replaced by Yohan Cabaye after 67 minutes, – it should probably have been the more ineffective Papiss Cisse who was replaced, and Papiss missed two very decent opportunities to win the game for the Magpies.
But it wasn’t to be, and now having played extra time last night, it looks like Alan will not hold any real training sessions before the Chelsea game, which has an early Saturday kick-off time, just to make things a little worse.
“We’re in a tough run of games.” “They were tough opponents. From where I was standing, there was a real physical presence about them.”
“We’re feeling that in the dressing room. There were a lot of bruised bodies and tired legs.” “We’ve got a quick turnaround. It’s got to be feet up for us.”
“It’s galling to go out because of the performance levels of not just the team, but the fans as well,” “They didn’t give us a hard time about Sunderland. I appreciated that.”
“It’s a shame we didn’t get a victory for them. They came to support the team and we responded to that. We couldn’t have done any more in terms of effort.”
“We’ve got to hope we get the breaks against Chelsea. If we play like that every week, we’ll be OK.” “If can hit the levels we hit against City, we’ve got a chance against Chelsea.”
It was always going to be a tough four game schedule, and we’ve managed to lose the first two games., which were probably the easiest two of the four, because we played bottom of the table Sunderland who hadn’t won tall season, and a second eleven Manchester City side last night in the League Cup.
Now we will full strength sides against Chelsea at home and Tottenham away in the next two games.
It will be difficult to get much out of these games – but of course you just never know with Newcastle.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
25 comments so far
Himanshu Dhingra
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:26 AM
Comment #1Haidara is our baines.
find a place for him and santon
Himanshu Dhingra
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:28 AM
Comment #2any one know where does connor newton play?
Rotonda heights
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:31 AM
Comment #3Apparently the biggest kick in the teeth is that Ashley would demand compensation from Crystal Palace to take Pardew.
So not only would Ash wriggle out of paying 7 years contract pay-off to get rid, but he’s asking compo on top that will almost certainly scupper any chance of it happening!! Could only happen to us.
Himanshu Dhingra
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:32 AM
Comment #4hope debuchy and cabaye don’t pick up yellow cards.
need them against spurs, think we can beat them after their Europa league match on thursday.
Transfer Sage
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:32 AM
Comment #5Last night the lads battled well.
What I took from the game was that Pardews teams look a lot more effective with a big man up top in a 442 and I think that’s why he wanted gomis. We looked a much bigger threat with shola.
But in the second half we still played better than recently as we were getting a few chances in the box which we haven’t done much of, great ball by Benny for cisse.
Also is Ben arfa fit? He’s doing the clever little revers turns he normally does but he can’t seem to use that little burst of acceleration that he normally has? Maybe he is carrying a knock or he just let himself go a bit.
Himanshu Dhingra
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:33 AM
Comment #6Vernon Anita is a type of player with whom other players enjoy playing as well.
Transfer Sage
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:34 AM
Comment #7Dhingra
Got a real chance with spurs, they aren’t scoring a lot at all so we have a chance with our goal scorers
Himanshu Dhingra
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:35 AM
Comment #8TS
any news on NUFC’s plans for January.
martoon
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:36 AM
Comment #9Himanshu – I think he has hamstring trouble again.
Transfer @5 – You can’t be saying that according to most on here 4 3 3 is the only way 😉
Himanshu Dhingra
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:38 AM
Comment #10Marts
I heard, I meant when fit.
Transfer Sage
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:38 AM
Comment #11Dhingra
Nothing really. Not keeping in touch as much these days so not seen my mate for a month or so. Probably see him in a few weeks so update you then.
ToonDarnSarf
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:39 AM
Comment #12Ibiza
Exactly. It highlights the issue that we are a striker short. I said it over the summer that we were fine if Remy and Cisse stayed fit and on form but in trouble if they’re not. And that lack of confidence will filter through the whole squad. The rest of the players will get frustrated that they graft hard and create chances to win matches only for the chances to be missed again and again…
I don’t think it’s fair to have a go at Pardew here, it’s more to do with Ashley’s policy of only buying players where there’s a clear quick win in terms of the value of the asset rather than looking at the bigger picture and ensuring we have a squad that is well rounded and can compete at the level we want to.
One Lukaku type striker and we would be right in there with Everton.
Transfer Sage
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:40 AM
Comment #13Martoon
I think 433 would be best for us but pardew is best at using 443 from what i see.
JAMSHA
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:41 AM
Comment #14yes,buy heskey
Ian Toon
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:41 AM
Comment #15Perspective is everything. Everyone commenting on the game last night saw the same match though through different eyes. But wow, it would appear that the vast majority found the game gripping and thought we played some quality football though yet again with no end product.
For me it was one of those games that was gripping and somewhat like reading a novel where you repeatedly question what was going to happen. At the time I guess loving the expectation more than the actual game. Regrettably with spurned chances as we tired, we dropped ever deeper and the inevitable happened. If you don’t take your chances when your on top ! Still I eagerly await the next fix.
I agree with much of what ToonDarnSarf , Ibiza and Lilongwe had to say. Football is great for thinking, engaging and arguing- nice to have an overall good performance and something to agree with for once.
JAMSHA
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:42 AM
Comment #16pardew knows we gona loose im sure he will play cisse
fatman
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:42 AM
Comment #17We are tired 9 games into the season, yes we are tired because we keep loosing, what makes you more tired than loosing,
Rotonda heights
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:43 AM
Comment #18Sage
We were s…e for an awful long time when we played 442 last season. It’s just long balls all day long. Everyone moaned as it was awful to watch compared to a more fluid 433
You might win the odd game here and there but you are only ever going to achieve mid-table at best or an odd cup run with hoof ball. Ah … maybe that’s why Pardew is manager.
dcdick
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:44 AM
Comment #19Not fair to blame Pardew ?????
He was happy to take all the plaudits when we somehow managed to hit 5th in the league (seems like a lifetime ago now)
Nothing is ever his fault……………..but he is in charge of team selection & “tactics”………………..it’s time for a change
Pardew out !!!
martoon
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:45 AM
Comment #20Transfer @13 Aye 4 3 3 would give us a definite advantage 😉
martoon
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:47 AM
Comment #21* 4 4 3
sirjasontoon
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:50 AM
Comment #22“We’re feeling that in the dressing room. There were a lot of bruised bodies and tired legs.”
Excuse lined up for the Chelsea game already.
blew
Oct 31, 2013 at 9:51 AM
Comment #23HD@2
Newton plays at St Mirren
Malta Mag
Oct 31, 2013 at 10:05 AM
Comment #24Great performance from everyone last night but that final strike just didn’t come. The conspiracy theories about the club not wanting cup success were certainly blown away. No need to fear Chelsea or Spurs but reality is we may still lose to two teams who are slightly better than us on their day.
I feel that we are one good centre half and centre forward from having an excellent team. Don’t tell me there is a better midfield than ours in the country but you always feel they have one eye over their shoulder in case the defenders make a blunder..
toonicle
Oct 31, 2013 at 2:57 PM
Comment #25Building the excuse for our Chelsea loss this weekend.