Alan Pardew has produced a couple of surprises in that he has given a start to Massadio Haidara at left back, and a good move is that Ben Arfa is also in the starting line-up at Southampton today.
Ben Arfa – starts today at St. Mary’s
And as half expected Luuk de Jong is relegated to the bench, and so is Paul Dummett after a mediocre performance against Everton in mid-week.
It’s not clear where Ben Arfa will play – maybe as a withdrawn striker or he could be on the wing, and of course he could easily interchange with Yoan Gouffran, who can also play in both positions.
It’s a surprise that Massadio Haidara has been brought in, but the young Frenchman must have been playing well in training, and certainly he deserves his chance, and he’s a very good young player.
And for Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez is fit and starts for the Saints this afternoon.
This is a tough game for the Magpies, and we just hope somebody can get the goals, and we’ll have to start this game very quickly, as Southampton are often out of the blocks very quickly at home.
And only 17% think we can win this game and 65% think we’ll lose – so the lads can shock us on the positive side this afternoon.
And with the Saints being only one point behind Newcastle, we have to hope we can at the very least come away with a draw this afternoon at St. Mary’s.
Howay The Lads!!
Teams:
Southampton: (4-2-3-1): Artur Boruc; Calum Chambers, Dejan Lovren, Jose Fonte, Luke Shaw; James Ward-Prowse, Jack Cork; Steven Davis, Adam Lallana, Jay Rodriguez; Rickie Lambert
Substitutes: Paulo Gazzaniga, Jos Hooiveld, Harrison Reed, Morgan Schneiderlin, Gaston Ramires, Guly do Prado, Sam Gallagher
Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Rob Elliot; Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Massadio Haidara; Cheick Tiote, Vurnon Anita; Moussa Sissoko, Hatem Ben Arfa, Yoan Gouffran; Papiss Cisse
Substitutes: Jak Alnwick, Paul Dummett, Davide Santon, Steven Taylor, Dan Gosling, Luuk de Jong, Shola Ameobi
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505 comments so far
yo-yo
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:43 PM
Comment #41Jesper –
I did read the other comments but yours was more nuanced so stood as fair comment.
Ruddy seems to be in full insult mode again – both Torq and Welsh. It’s a pity they don’t run Uni courses on how to get on with folk. IMO – and with a few exceptions – it is a better life skill to make friends than enemies. but you’ll know who the exceptions are 🙂
Just been looking at the games left and we definitely ought to have the aim of of finishing higher than Manure if we have any self respect at all. The home game could be a 6 pointer.
Can’t see Scum getting more than 38 pts with their run in so relegation is looking more likely than not. Catchy’s pal at Cardiff could even finish them off…
BarnoldswickMag
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:45 PM
Comment #42Great to see haidara and benny come in, really looking forward to this game.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:46 PM
Comment #43Ibiza
got it muckin fuddled- off to the local to watch the game on dodgy vision
ilovetoon8788
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:48 PM
Comment #44no chance against a southampton side who play brilliant football.
might get run over today.
5-0 to the saints.
SpaceGhost
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:49 PM
Comment #45Andre Mariner may just help us out after his nightmare outing last week. Benny need to get in the penalty box quickly today & scare the shit out of Southampton’s defence.
BarnoldswickMag
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:49 PM
Comment #46Ilovetoon
Glad to see you thinking posative mate 🙂
Online Guy
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:50 PM
Comment #47Is Mr Pardew saying we should only sign Players from middle class homes with well educated parents ?
IITianToon
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:51 PM
Comment #48That time of the week when I stand on the pulpit and hoarsely utter the words:
“GOOD LINKS PLEASE!!”
HWTL
IITianToon
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:52 PM
Comment #49We always lose in the blue kit
We almost always win in the yellow one.
Douglas
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:52 PM
Comment #50Not been on the blog for a while, Ashley and all have just robbed me of enthusiasm. 5-0 to Saints? Yes I think so.
Sooo, the Academy must be better, we need attackers, we need creativity, we need central defenders. Without investment we need a miracle next year.
ilovetoon8788
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:52 PM
Comment #5146BarnoldswickMag
can’t help it mate. we just don’t have any quality at all. and i dont rate HBA. i think his pants. and will be our weakest link.
we will be in for a drubbing today.
manxpie
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:53 PM
Comment #52good team arfa certainly needs to repay the faith and put on a full performance and so does cisse
i’m goin for a 2-1 win
Mike's Iron Curtain
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:54 PM
Comment #534-0 to Southampton.
IITianToon
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:56 PM
Comment #54Brazil kit woohooo!!!
BarnoldswickMag
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:57 PM
Comment #552-2 cisse brace and lallana and rodriguez 🙂 hope we nick the win though.
wolfshead@toon
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:57 PM
Comment #56it is a strange thing for pards to say given as rotonda has pointed out he is an ex glazier and an oik which he thinks means he shoulnt be allowed to be a manager
catchy in norway
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:57 PM
Comment #57manx you knob
dont you think all the players need to show that ?
mpst of the players are getting games without producing anything , yet are still picked, why is HBA so different
oh if you only had a brain
Online Guy
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:58 PM
Comment #58Peter Beardsley was brought up on a council housing estate in Longbenton and of working class parent’s ..You could not meet a more intelligent fast minded well co-ordinated Person…. World class player .
If you don’t have the fire in your belly you wont reach
the hight’s of a Wayne Rooney, Bobby Charlton,
George Best, etc . If those guys were Academic in any way they would have walked a different line
manxpie
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:59 PM
Comment #59enjoy the game catchy!! 🙂
wolfshead@toon
Mar 29, 2014 at 2:59 PM
Comment #60manx
i hope so otherwise i will have to buy an umbrella for all the hate rain lol 😉
fray bentos
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:00 PM
Comment #61@34
Betting against your own team
What a fan!!!
Mike's Iron Curtain
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:03 PM
Comment #62Won’t see us better that move of theirs all match.
jockonthetoon
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:03 PM
Comment #63Come on lucky Brazil strip!
Douglas
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:04 PM
Comment #64Have they scored yet?
Marty-Toon
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:06 PM
Comment #65Streams?
scrotty
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:08 PM
Comment #66working for me
http://www9.aoso.ru/2014/03/26.html
Toon Tang
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:09 PM
Comment #67yanga aint an RB eh jesus he pushes in as if hes a center back when there’s no one to mark
toonarmydownsouth
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:09 PM
Comment #68Great to see some positive changes to the team
Let’s hope for at least a spirited display today at the very least
toonarmydownsouth
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:11 PM
Comment #69WBA beating Cardiff 2-0 already
Bye bye Cardiff, bye bye Ole
Nufc-83
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:11 PM
Comment #70I would rather Shola at RB than yanga he is a joke and has been since he has played there surely dummet is better option or risk santon ffs
Toon Tang
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:13 PM
Comment #71im really surprised marriner aint sent off the wrong payer yet, hes always at it.
knottsy82
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:13 PM
Comment #72Yanga mbiwa is gonna cost us this game
Mike's Iron Curtain
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:14 PM
Comment #73Haven’t been near their goal. They’re laying siege to ours.
toonarmydownsouth
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:14 PM
Comment #74If only we could combine Santons skill and pace, Dummetts tenacity and crossing ability and Haidara’s defensive positioning we’d have a decent LB!
Mike's Iron Curtain
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:15 PM
Comment #75HBA playing wonderfully……..
Marty-Toon
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:16 PM
Comment #76Rob Elliott well done lad
Big B
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:16 PM
Comment #77nervous start
colwell
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:16 PM
Comment #78fcuk me we are shite
Toon Tang
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:16 PM
Comment #79knife through butter eh
mindshaft
Mar 29, 2014 at 3:16 PM
Comment #80Elliotts having a busy game