Chelsea maintained their unbeaten record tonight with a rather easy 3-0 win over Tottenham at Stamford Bridge, with substitute Loic Remy getting a good opportunist goal just after he came on as a substitute for Didier Drogba in the second half, and Chelsea continue at the top of the league, having won eleven and drawn three of their 14 league games so far this season.
Nemanja Matic – suspended for Newcastle game with 5 yellow cards
Serbian International defensive midfielder Nemanja Matic picked up his 5th yellow card of the season early in the second half, and therefore will miss the game against Newcastle on Saturday, and it will be the first Premier League game this season he has not started for Chelsea.
And England International Tim Cahill suffered a concussion in the first half, and did not appear after the break, with 20 year-old former St Etienne youngster and Newcastle target Kurt Zuma deputizing in the second half.
So if Tim cannot make it, at least Chelsea will not be at their strongest, and it was interesting that Mourinho took Cesc Fabregas off after 75 minutes, so that he didn’t pick up a 5th yellow card.
Cesc will likely start at St, James Park on Saturday.
And the 3-0 defeat of Tottenham moves Newcastle into 9th place in the PL table, and ahead of Tottenham on goal difference.
Sunderland were 1-0 ahead – which is the score of the last four of the fixtures at the Stadium of Light with a lucky goal from Conor Wickham – as the ball ricocheted off him into the goal.
But four unanswered goals for City gave them an easy 4-1 win and they remain 6 points behind Chelsea and seem to be starting a surge in the last few games.
Hull City got a good point at Everton in their 1-1 draw – and go above Burnley, who drop back down to 3rd bottom.
It will be a difficult game for our lads at St. James’ Park on Saturday – but they already know that – and we hope to see Newcastle at or near their best in that game – and then you never know what may happen.
Certainly we have nothing to lose – with Chelsea expected to win.
Howay The Lads!!
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145 comments so far
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 12:49 AM
Comment #81Hinny
Onya pet.
I will be watching too with Shearer curled up on the couch next to me
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 12:51 AM
Comment #82Having problem with the crossword today
Nourishment for the mind
PA_U_UM
any ideas?
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 12:53 AM
Comment #83You let that flea bag in the house!!
Only joking Collies are the best. Would of had one but too much work. Ended up with a Demonic Ferret or a Fox Terrier. Love her to bits though. Still black and white with the demeanour of Vinnie Jones
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 12:55 AM
Comment #84Pat – you must have got the P word wrong. It’s Valium
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 12:58 AM
Comment #85Hinny
He us a great dog. Got him from the pound a couple of years ago and he had been an outside dog, severely mistreated and very unhappy. You wouldnt recognise him. He likes to chase all the cockies in the garden…….just like E…….lol
Its not Valium pet. Its 7 letters and the P is correct.
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:01 AM
Comment #86Sorry Pat. One track mind today.
Google it.
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:02 AM
Comment #87Got it.
Pabulum
Whatever that is…..lol
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:02 AM
Comment #88Try crossword solver on Google. Our firewalls block it here for me. Just tried.
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:03 AM
Comment #89Its been a while pet…..lol
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:03 AM
Comment #90Pabulum – bland or insipid intellectual matter, entertainment.
there all this time we thought we were watching NUFC and its really this lot Pabulum United!!
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:06 AM
Comment #91Aye… bring back Kev for a bit more excitement
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:08 AM
Comment #92Keegan – That was when I was in the football wilderness called life without Foxtel. I know he was legend status player wise but was he really any good as a manager. Heard mixed reports.
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:14 AM
Comment #93I could see what he was trying to achieve but as a manager, I felt he lost the plot by being too romantic about the game and less tactically astute.
There was no doubt he was a great man manager and motivator but as a coach, his ability to see the full picture was clearly evident.
His reluctance to organise the team defensively was a telling factor and I was never taken in by his frequent threats to quit when he didnt get his own way.
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:14 AM
Comment #94Very unlikely to be the sort of lad to put up with MA’s nonsense.
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:14 AM
Comment #95Inability
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:16 AM
Comment #96I do remember some dickhead over here calling him a kiddie fiddler. Not sure where that came from but I punched him in the throat anyway.
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:18 AM
Comment #97In my defence I had had a few and he was deliberately trying to pick me.
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:18 AM
Comment #98Canny
He wasnt. Thats why he resigned and took the club to court on constructive dismissal charges.
However, he failed to see the big picture and whilst I had a certain amount of sympathy for him, he should have realised the financial situation the club was in at the time wouldnt allow the club to sign the players he wanted which evidently included Schweinsteiger Lampard and Henry.
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:19 AM
Comment #99Canny
Well down on that. I hate it when people do this.
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:20 AM
Comment #100Do you think Shearer might do better or is he likely to be same way?
jimmysmith
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:21 AM
Comment #101Canny, Keegan saved us from relegation to the old third division and within three years had us 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League. FIFA had us listed among the top ten club and international sides and awarded the club a special commendation for the quality of our play. Keegan’s Newcastle passed the ball around at breathtaking speed and precision back then, the like of which had perhaps never seen before. We were wonderful, and he is a true Newcastle legend.
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:22 AM
Comment #102Haven’t heard of the first dude but would have loved to seen the other two in a NUFC shirt. Worked with Franks sister in London briefly lovely lass. Stunner too! Was engaged at the time or might have pushed her to fix me up. Lol. Well I can dream!!
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:25 AM
Comment #103Would we want him back if the cries of AP – OOT are ever heard? I guess from what’s been said Ashley would have to go too?
jimmysmith
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:27 AM
Comment #104I’m afraid the Keegan of old doesn’t exist any longer, and as Expat fairly pointed out, his philosophy not without its flaws.
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:28 AM
Comment #105Jimmy
Yes. He did but with an incredible amount of backing from John Hall.
Yes. We played some exciting football and we were everyones favourite second team but he has romantic notions about the game and failed to address the obvious problems in defence.
It is still a mystery to me why he bought Asprilla when quite clearly, we needed a couple of quality defenders that year which would have seen us win the league by a country mile.
His substitutions were awful. When you are leading at Blackburn and Anfield with 20 minutes to go, you make substitutions to close the game down. All Kk wanted to do was attack attack attack and that was his ultimate downfall in my opinion.
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:31 AM
Comment #106What’s Glenn hoddle up to these days? Always thought he’s holistic approach to player health was inspirational.
That would knock this injury crap on the head.
Read his book about the 98 world Cup. Remember watching that Argentinean game and thinking we were gonna go all the way. Even when Becks went bye bye we still looked awesome. Best England Team I’ve ever seen. Although you two were probably at the 66 game weren’t ya.
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:34 AM
Comment #107Hinny
Schweinsteiger is captain of Bayern Munich and at the time of the James Milner transfer to Villa in 2008, Keegan had him lined up to replace Milner. We sold Milner for 12 million and Scheeinsteiger would have cost 7.
Lampard had been apparently offered 200k per week by Keegan in private talks and he was keen to leave Chelsea at the time but Ashley blocked these transfers due to the financial status of the club which I could understand, to be honest.
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:36 AM
Comment #108Hoddle us on the backroom staff at QPR supporting Redknapp in some coaching capacity.
jimmysmith
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:36 AM
Comment #109Yeah, in January of 1996, I quit my job in Aussie to come back to Blighty to see ‘The Lads’ lift the title. The rest is of course history, and so yes, I’m all too starkly familiar with KK’s tactical shortcomings, but you know what, fug it, we were great.
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:39 AM
Comment #110200K a year in 2008 and they only on 45K a week now or similar aren’t they. Yeah sorry kinda with Ashley on that one!
Shame like, Lampaards one of my all time faves. Paul Scholes too.
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:39 AM
Comment #111Jimmy
KK shouldnt have come back for the second stint. It was a mistake. I know his soccer circus project in Glasgow was in financial difficulties at the time and the pay off he won from the club would gave gone a long way to getting him out of financial mire he was in at the time.
jimmysmith
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:43 AM
Comment #112Yes, regrettable second stint, and probably largely the catalyst for Ashley no longer caring a fig for what the fans want.
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:44 AM
Comment #113Jimmy
It might also be pointed out that he disbanded the reserves at NUFC because he didnt want them playing on SJP. Because of that, we may have lost out on some quality future players, Michael Carrick being one.
Furthermore, Kk was a serial quitter and in his management career, what did he ever win trophy wise?
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:44 AM
Comment #114Soccer Circus you say. Sounds like NUFC is exactly where he needs to be. Sorry got a touch of the Welshies there.
Really though what is soccer circus? Tow of my favourite things. sounds fun
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:45 AM
Comment #115Canny
Scholesy was a great player but a dirty little barsteward…..lol
jimmysmith
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:46 AM
Comment #116I remember Llambias once bemoaning Kev for wanting to spend like Mourinho. That is probably a clearer case of Ashley not doing due diligence. Definitely a mistake second time round, in hindsight of course.
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:47 AM
Comment #117Expat,
Hence the appeal, Hun, hence the appeal!! hehe
jimmysmith
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:48 AM
Comment #118Actually, if he’d met him halfway, I’m sure things would have been very different. The club was being run disastrously back then.
Canny in Canberra
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:49 AM
Comment #119You can’t fault the forward play and the run/chances created from nothing. Thought I saw a bit of that in HBA in the beginning. shame that never evolved.
expatmag
Dec 4, 2014 at 1:49 AM
Comment #120Hinny
It was more like a develpment school for kids around Scotland where they were entertained and coached in the finer arts of the game.
Trying to get under privleged kids off the street and into sport is very magnaminous but it ultimately led to him running up a debt of 6 million pounds resulting in him closing it down.
I think he nay gave reopened it since.