As we reported earlier today it appears that Jonjo Shelvey took the axe quite well on Saturday although he said he was surprised and frustrated at not starting against his former side.
But Jonjo stressed it was all about the team and trying to save Newcastle from relegation and not about any one individual player.
Jonjo Shelvey – fans have been superb
Jonjo is also hoping to start the game tomorrow night against an in-form Manchester City side – and maybe be reinstated as captain but at Rafa’s press conference just concluded today the manager admitted he had not decided on the starting line-up and who would be the captain.
But if being given the captaincy inspires Moussa Sissoko to play at his best then maybe Rafa should keep the Frenchman as captain through the end of the season since it looks like Coloccini will find it difficult to return from that calf injury.
This is what Shelvey has said today about tomorrow night:
“This place will be bouncing,” “We’re all going home now with real belief, and fingers crossed they’ll stick with us.”
“The fans have been superb. You go over to them at the end of a game, and not one of them are giving you bad signs.”
“They’ve been clapping us off the pitch when, to be honest, we haven’t deserved that. It’s nice and it’s so nice to give them a win.”
Most fans think we will lose the game tomorrow night.
24 comments so far
Jail for Ashley
Apr 18, 2016 at 2:15 PM
Comment #1If we win tomorrow and pull out the drop zone it will be huge.
hibbitt
Apr 18, 2016 at 2:19 PM
Comment #2Jail for Ashley
i would be happy with a draw and a solid performance
Jail for Ashley
Apr 18, 2016 at 2:33 PM
Comment #3hibbitt,
We’re due something off of them as we’ve played well a few times and been unlucky. We hadn’t beaten Swansea st home either although MCity have a lot more to play for.
toon kk
Apr 18, 2016 at 2:35 PM
Comment #4hibbitt
Is a draw enough? I’m not so sure it will be. I just hope we turn up with our players being so unpredictable it’s either going to be a embarrassment or a quality cup tie.
Bobbybee
Apr 18, 2016 at 2:44 PM
Comment #5We can get away with a draw if we can beat Villa away. It’s gonna be tough for Norwich and the mackems as well and we could do with them not winning another game 🙂 That would make life a lot easier. Sterling and Kompany back for the match Tuesday, but we can play on Kompany’s uncertainty over his calf. He can’t possibly be 100% confident it will hold up. A job for Tiote perhaps?
hibbitt
Apr 18, 2016 at 2:45 PM
Comment #6toon kk
not sure it is but the one thing i do know is we can’t get beat so i would take a point now
duncandisorderly
Apr 18, 2016 at 2:52 PM
Comment #7I’d definitely take a draw – 2 wins and 2 draws will probably be enough…
Hail Wor Ashley
Apr 18, 2016 at 2:57 PM
Comment #8If we’re gonna set up similar to weekend, the only candidate for change should be Gini. Only one that didn’t really contribute to the system. Perez or Obertan should replace him. I’d go with Obertan. Would be a big call for Rafa to drop Gini, but can’t say it hasn’t been coming if he does.
Bring Mitrovic on 10-15 mins earlier. If Kompany plays and Cisse has done a good job of testing his fitness by dragging him around, he’ll loathe to see a fresh Mitrovic entering the fray. Just got to make sure we’re at least still in it by then.
Get a point and I’m back aboard the belief bus. Though my head predicts a 3-1 win for Man City.
Malackay
Apr 18, 2016 at 2:58 PM
Comment #9What I am about to say could be classed as delusion, however I’d like to make clear that I am not saying we are going to win, but…….. some reasons to be positive about match tomorrow:
– NUFC confidence will actually exist. We actually look a lot more organized.
– City without Silva and Nasri – Sterling unlikely to start
– Kompany coming back could disrupt the ever improving Otamendi/Mangala partnership
– City played away to Chelsea Sat evening so won’t have had time for much preparation
– City are the early kick off on Saturday so may look to rest 1 or 2 players (wishful thinking)
– City, whilst wanting to secure top 4 status, will have one eye on the Champs League Semi with RM next week
Granted, there are a lot of factors why City remain the firm favorites to get the three points, most notably they are Worlds apart in class – particularly Aguero and KDB.
I’d like to say start with Mitro ahead of Cisse but stats show how much more of an influence Mitro is coming off the bench. I wouldn’t mind swapping Gini for SDJ though.
Bookies see us as a 25% chance of staying up, compared with 10% on Friday evening. Lets hope it looks like 50% come 10pm tomorrow evening.
Bobbybee
Apr 18, 2016 at 3:15 PM
Comment #10I’d take a draw tomorrow if only for the confidence factor. Getting beat could unravel what confidence was gained from the Swansea match – despite the gulf between the two different sides. A win would be monumental and it’s not quite beyond impossible. Another game for the fans to rise to the occasion and the players to believe in themselves. The consequences of a victory could see Norwich and that other team suffering from panic attacks. Let’s be honest, they expected Swansea to turn us over, let alone City. The mackems did us a great favour, albeit unintentionally and we now have to grasp it and move forward.
Jail for Ashley
Apr 18, 2016 at 3:34 PM
Comment #11I wouldn’t take a draw now, we’re due a win against them and now would be the most important on of the lot.
Essex Geordie Bill
Apr 18, 2016 at 3:36 PM
Comment #12I’d like to not see Aguero playing, him suffering a minor injury in the warm up would be a bonus, happy to see him fit for the rest of city’s games.
Graeme
Apr 18, 2016 at 3:46 PM
Comment #13A draw would be a great result – A win would be miraculous!!!
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Apr 18, 2016 at 3:50 PM
Comment #14This will be the first time in ages where we have played City on the back of a confidence boosting win they do not like to be pressed and harried off the ball so if we do that from the very first minute to the last we can get a result
Jib
Apr 18, 2016 at 3:53 PM
Comment #15Obertan for Wijnaldum !
will die for the toon army
Apr 18, 2016 at 3:56 PM
Comment #16we are Newcastle United.We have good players and Rafa Benitez is our Manager.
……………………Darlow
Anita…….Mbemba……Lasceles….Dummy
……………….Tiote………….Colback
Townsend……..De Jong………….Sissoko
…………………………Cisse
will die for the toon army
Apr 18, 2016 at 4:00 PM
Comment #17Lee we played him after Chealsea this season. and they beat the hell out of us.
sparky55
Apr 18, 2016 at 4:13 PM
Comment #18A draw is more than enough…it’s our game in hand (even though against Man city). .. a point would be terrific for two reasons..1.) .it may well be the deciding point that keeps us up come the end of the season and 2.) from a confidence perspective a draw would be like a win and it’ll give us the confidence we need to get the points we need to survive.
Let’s not go stupid and expect a win…a draw is remotely possible but possible it is and as long as the team think we can do it then we’ve got a chance
Malackay
Apr 18, 2016 at 4:18 PM
Comment #19will die for the toon army – That is the exact team I’d pick.
toon kk
Apr 18, 2016 at 4:18 PM
Comment #20It’s going to be tuff, City blew Chelsea away at the weekend, hope they’re not so clinical with us. I’m pleased Saylor isn’t in our team, he really let’s us doon.
Wayayman
Apr 18, 2016 at 4:31 PM
Comment #21I’d love to see Tiote get some payback for that worldie he scored against them which was then chalked off.
Malackay
Apr 18, 2016 at 4:31 PM
Comment #22Swansea beat Chelsea last week. Chelsea are already on holiday by the looks of it.
Agree though, City are a huge task. A draw would be incredible.
Back Door Man
Apr 18, 2016 at 4:40 PM
Comment #23As fans our basic need is to gulp the fizzy drink of honest performances and not to be continualy waterboarded with the rancid piss that’s been dispensed this season. We need men with the heart famously shown by Jonas in that final game last season and belatedly by a few last Saturday against the shaggers.
So who’ll turn up tomorrow night to quench our thirst, will it be the brave and daring or the usual glut of effete pricks? If the latter then they need to be publicly horse-whipped.
lesh
Apr 18, 2016 at 4:43 PM
Comment #24Not sure it’d be a good move to recall Shelvey anyway let alone make him captain. That would set Sissoko’s indifference off again and we need all 11 players on the field playing their hearts out.