Shola Ameobi gets a start today at West Brom, and Vurnon Anita moves to the bench, and surprisingly that’s the only change to the side that lost 1-0 to Arsenal on Sunday.
Shola Ameobi – gets a start at the Hawthorns
It looks like Alan Pardew will play in an attacking 4-3-3 formation at the Hawthorns today with Loic Remy, Shola and Yoan Gouffran the three up front – with Sissoko being in the midfield three today.
Alan Pardew has resisted making more changes – for example to give Ben Arfa and/or Massadio Haidara a start – but presumably the manager will need to make changes for the next game at home to Cardiff on Saturday, in the 3rd round of the FA Cup.
After losing at Arsenal last time out – this is an especially important game and we are hoping to see Newcastle get back their winning ways.
The referee for this game is Lee Mason.
Howay The Lads!!
Teams:
West Brom (4-2-3-1): Ben Foster; Billy Jones, Gareth McAuley, Jonas Olsson, Liam Ridgewell; Youssouf Mulumbu, Caludio Yacob; Morgan Amalfitano, Stephane Sessegnon, Chris Brunt (c); Nicolas Anelka
Substitutes: Boaz Myhill, Diego Lugano, James Morrison, Zoltan Gera, Matej Vydra, Saido Berahino, Shane Long
Newcastle (4-3-3): Tim Krul; Mathieu Debuchy, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon; Moussa Sissoko, Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye; Yoan Gouffran, Shola Ameobi, Loic Remy
Substitutes: Rob Elliot, Massadio Haidara, Steven Taylor, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Vurnon Anita, Hatem Ben Arfa, Papiss Cisse
Referee: Lee Mason (Greater Manchester)
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464 comments so far
NUFCarter
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:14 PM
Comment #441We are so boring to watch
Eastwood
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:14 PM
Comment #442Hey guys, anyone know how to turn this page into mobile version as new phone screen aint so big, cant find the option anywhere :S
JP...from The Rock
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:14 PM
Comment #443If a hear another deluded fool calling Strolla Fcuking Ameobi a ‘HERO’ or anything of the sort I would kick the shit out of them in a flash.
The worst ‘striker’ in history. FACT!
NUFCarter
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:15 PM
Comment #444Well we can forget our title hopes. haha
asenski
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:15 PM
Comment #445it is not shola’s fault it is pardew who gives him a time to play!
JP...from The Rock
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:15 PM
Comment #446But it wasn’t only his fault we lost, the whole team looked LOST! What a disgusting performance and I can only hope Pardew is tearing u the dressing room as we chat!
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:16 PM
Comment #447TS…I think you need to watch that game again ????
…and not sending off Krul very much add to the inconsistency and so does not sending off that WBA player for trying to tackle Cabs with his studs first and for not booking a WBA player for blocking Benny.
Toon1978
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:16 PM
Comment #448Remy is good enough but not CL. A few players thinking above their station. Sissoko gave the ball away more times than i have seen any other player give a ball away.
Ancientcoptic
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:16 PM
Comment #449For those that claim some of us are ‘fickle.’ Try not turning against your fellow fans.
We are a simple bunch of fans to please, all we ask is attacking football… we will take the loses, so long as we see that our team is trying to win games.
We want to see our team play the game the way it is meant to to be played, not setting out to beat teams by tactics, as if we are inferior somehow.
Good teams play good football, simple.
I thought Pardew was attempting to switch us over to that ethos, but low and behold, he has gone back to his counter-attacking pickpocketing football.
toonarmydownsouth
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:17 PM
Comment #450Well what a shocking performance from every single player not going to single any one player out, they were all well well under par
Sadly can’t argue with any decision against us, Ref had a good game
Debuchy’s red was well deserved, but I’m not going to let one moment of madness overshadow the fact he’s been our MOTM for about 2 months! Hopefully he gets a b0llocking and puts it behind him, luckily he only misses the cup game, right?
And the penalty was stonewall, krul as usual hesitated then got it all wrong
And please give poor Goofy a rest the lad looked absolutely knackered against Arsenal so can’t understand starting him today, same with Remy and Santon
NUFCarter
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:17 PM
Comment #451HBA can be mesmerizing one week but Diabolical the next.
Shola can be alright for a few games a season but utter camel sh1t for the rest
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:18 PM
Comment #452I want that 1 and a half hour back of my life ????
Thump
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:19 PM
Comment #453@toonarmydownsouth: Straight red card = 3 game ban. We’ll see him back at Norwich.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:19 PM
Comment #454Carter…why single out Benny or are you just making conversation?
Ancientcoptic
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:20 PM
Comment #455Ben Arfa makes one bad decision and gets singled out LOL… (If you watch Suarez, he does that all the time, but gets 90 minutes to apply his craft)
Lets not bring up the name ‘Sissoko,’ did he even complete a forward pass all game?
NUFCarter
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:20 PM
Comment #456Toon1978
A bit like HBAs aspirations of winning the Ballon d’or
JP...from The Rock
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:22 PM
Comment #457Feeling awful now after what has been a horrible start to 2014 for me. The personal shite I half to put up with last night and now this! Feeling hopeless.
The whole team should be embarrassed and deducted wages just for that crap- including the manager!
If he starts Strolla ever again I will call for his head!
jimiley
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:22 PM
Comment #458It is a fact that we play badly at Xmas and New Year. Too much broon ale. Unprofessional.
Ancientcoptic
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:22 PM
Comment #459NUFCarter
Ben Arfa said he would like to win the Ballon d’or, which player wouldn’t.
He didn’t say that he should be in the frame to win it.
Is there a problem with that?
pottsclock
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:25 PM
Comment #460Probably worst game of the season. Half the team had no energy. I thought Benny was quite lively when he came on put we had no possession or opportunity to get the ball to him. But given the energy level of Sissoko I would say start Benny against Cardiff.
When Mbiwa/Haidara came on you could see that the back four were not used to each other.The chance and penalty would not have happened with the usual back 4.
Next game please.
Nufc-83
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:25 PM
Comment #461Ameobi is so useless and has been for such a long time the day we get rid will be like wining the title for me. I would fine debuchy for a tackle like that it was totally stupid and blew us out of a game that we where strugging in already.
Malta Mag
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:26 PM
Comment #462Tactics were correct even though I’m not a Shola fan. With a big strong WBA team we needed added presence and although it was an awful game you can’t blame Alan Pardew or Mike Ashley for that reckless challenge by Debuchy? Some of you will no doubt be pleased as it gives you a chance to have your normal rant and whinge. Thank f*** I don’t sit next you when I come over, because hanging’s too good for some on here. PARDEW FOR PRIME MINISTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our Toon
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:28 PM
Comment #463For months fans on here have been churning out the dross of HBA shouldn’t be playing, work rate blah blah blah!! Yet after 30 mins these same ppl are calling for HBA to come off the bench!! I think Benny has had enough here, he will leave and will do very well at which ever club he ends up at!!
Best player against Stoke even when they had 11 men!! Then gets dropped for being MOTM against Stoke!! Teams are built around best players and it’s managers responsibility to get the best out of guys like HBA!! We are 8th though which is on par for where we should be with our squad!! I don’t understand why we didn’t go 442 against arsenal like we did when Chelsea played us and why today we went 442 when 451 away from home has got us 2 wins in a row against a much improved palace and man utd
We should concentrate on our strengths rather than worry about nullifying the oppositions threat!! Defensive mindset first and attacking intent after simply not good enough against a manager less WBA!! He couldn’t even outwit a caretaker manager!!
d.ginola
Jan 1, 2014 at 5:39 PM
Comment #464Shola is a disease to the team whenever he starts the game. Not only is he slow and fails to get into position, he tires the team as well both physically and mentally by failing to link up with the game play. Absolutely useless.