Rafa Benitez has just named his side for the difficult game at Nottingham Forest tonight at the City Ground and it’s a strong side with four changes made from the side that started at Hull City on Tuesday night.
TEAM NEWS: Here is how Newcastle United will line up against @NFFC this evening. #NUFC pic.twitter.com/Dx5I6SPN1j
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) December 2, 2016
In come Karl Darlow, DeAndre Yedlin, Paul Dummett and Ayoze Perez for Sels, Anita, Lazaar and Diame.
We had Diame in for Perez in our side so we were one player off.
This is a really important game tonight and we really need the win and all 3 points.
This what manager Rafa Benitez has said about the game tonight:
“Forest are an offensive team and they are dangerous when they attack.” “They are also exposed when they are attacking because they leave space behind.”
“That is always a challenge for us.” “We’ve done well away and we are not conceding any goals.”
“Hopefully we can be as strong as we have been in the past, keep attacking and scoring goals – that’s the perfect balance.”
“We know that it will be tough and we have to be ready after playing extra time and penalties so soon.”
The ratio of fans who think we can win this game is down considerably compared with our most recent league games.
320 comments so far
manxpie
Dec 2, 2016 at 9:54 PM
Comment #281look he’s holding his stomach ffs!!
ridiculous
jasper
Dec 2, 2016 at 9:54 PM
Comment #282Even Lansbury just said that he didn’t think that Dummett should have been off under new rules
Sky team laying in to ref
Spotlight Kid
Dec 2, 2016 at 9:54 PM
Comment #283Sorry, Oleg, the eyes have gone as well…
West Lancs Geordie
Dec 2, 2016 at 9:55 PM
Comment #284200% for effort but despite the referee we shouldn’t put ourselves in this situation. Realistically with the players we have got we are one of the best in the Championship but light years away from a team for the Premiership. The gulf between the top 12 in the Premiership & the bottom 7 plus the other Championship teams is HUGE.
Sorry but we should always put out our strongest side & he didn’t do that against Rovers cos he thought we’d stroll it. How can you leave your top scorer , Captain & most improved player on the bench. Man Utd would have refused to play three matches ( Saturday,Tuesday & Friday) in 6 days & would have got it changed. Ridiculous & an effin abysmal referee yo boot!!
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 2, 2016 at 9:55 PM
Comment #285MOM tonight, all of the players from half time onwards including the subs. If I have to vote for one it would be Hayden.
manxpie
Dec 2, 2016 at 9:55 PM
Comment #286martoon i asked this twice at half time as i was sure it was a new rule but maybe it’s only the prem!??
Rotonda heights
Dec 2, 2016 at 9:57 PM
Comment #287average 257
well put.
mister tuff
can’t really legislate for 2 red cards and a t–t of a ref.
Rotonda heights
Dec 2, 2016 at 9:58 PM
Comment #288essex
hayden was fantastic tonight
Mister Tuff
Dec 2, 2016 at 9:58 PM
Comment #289West Lancs -agree the start of the bad week was Rafas’ team against Blackburn -should have played “the best eleven”.
He obviously thought we could do it – but no we couldn’t.
lochinvar
Dec 2, 2016 at 9:59 PM
Comment #290Nottingham Forest will go down in history as the pet favourite of a ref, missing two penalties , cheating for sending offs and toe poking two goals against nine men after the other team had two penalties disallowed and a goal chalked off.
And by the way their first goal was a foul caused by a player returning from offside/off the pitch and interfering with play.
We were capable of holding onto 1-1 or even 0-1 but the ref bet otherwise
Disgraceful
WWSBRD
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:00 PM
Comment #291Their manager doesn’t think we should of had 2 reds…says it all
Blackley and Brownlie
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:00 PM
Comment #292Watched Shelvey sending off 6 times and can’t see the foul. Neither was a sending off.
Clark was picked up and thrown on the floor like Basil Fawlty with Manuel. Nothing wrong with his goal.
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:01 PM
Comment #293West Lancs
I wondered about that, 3 games that quickly, it’s probably more to do with Sky than the league. They are able to dictate when we play.
I was amazed at how well the lads managed they must have been totally before they started.
SPRINGY
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:01 PM
Comment #294martoon/manx
i thought that only applied to keepers….maybe wrong tho……valiant effort..stitched up by bad ref decisions and shelvey gettin involved in needless bollicks…..mom….the nine remaining players…well done lads
manxpie
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:01 PM
Comment #295pearce the mistic meg of football then guessing they would win 2-1 after it being 11 vs 9
lochinvar
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:02 PM
Comment #296Refs last game was Chester v North Ferriby
Perhaps that says it all
Grumpy
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:03 PM
Comment #297I swear, following newcastle is like dreaming of making love to a beautiful women then waking up and finding its your sister.
Mister Tuff
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:03 PM
Comment #298Rotonda – fair point – but it happens in football.
Saying coulda, woulda shoulda is all well and good when we get beat.
Still think though if we had our best -suitably rested first eleven – they would have stuffed Forrest and all the other stuff would not or would hardly be discussed.
manxpie
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:03 PM
Comment #299do you retract your moron comment then rotonda it was a shocking wipe out of shelvey and a shocking decision
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:03 PM
Comment #300Blackley totally agree, Lansbury was just as guilty if not more so.
Bobbybee
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:04 PM
Comment #301🙂 🙂 Anyway, gutted. Don’t get this praise for Forest. Nine men for more than half the game, and scraped a win. Wtf is good about that? Rafa to speak. Shhhh.
SPRINGY
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:04 PM
Comment #302lochinvar
it’ll be chester le street v north shields after that performance….ref was utterly spineless
Belfast
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:06 PM
Comment #303Agree Blackley. Lansbury actually fouls him beforehand. I’d definitely appeal that.
Blackley and Brownlie
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:06 PM
Comment #304If that Shelvey/Lansbury incident happened in the street, Shelvey would’ve been deemed to be acting acting in self defence. He barely touched Lansbury and was just protecting himself from further hammer.
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:06 PM
Comment #305My wife asked me what nationality the ref was, I said he must be Martian as he plainly doesn’t understand how we play here on Earth.
lochinvar
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:08 PM
Comment #306Steve Martins films included ” The Jerk” and then “The Muppet Movie”
Couldn’t make it up but the ref did
WWSBRD
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:09 PM
Comment #307Rafa is spitting
Goromagpie
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:10 PM
Comment #308Rafa: “Surprised by Lansbury. Maybe he is proud of himself.” #nufc
Mr Random
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:10 PM
Comment #309Referee was called Steve Martin. I have found the headline for tomorrow:
“Beaten by the Dozen”
SPRINGY
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:11 PM
Comment #310belfast
it wasnt given for the tackle,it was kicking out….aye lansbury kicked out first but shelvey should of done he did….but he didnt shelvey kicked back…missed and lansbury sold the linesman a dummy first holding his face then his stomach….because shelvey kicked out theres intent so i doubt he’ll get off with it…..shelvey got out smarted by lansbury..thats it.
West Lancs Geordie
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:11 PM
Comment #311Agree B & B initial foul by Lansbury & ball had gone before “kick bags”. Unlike Prem Refs & officials will go with underdogs. Sad thing is three matches in 6 days could cost us dearly come end of season. Sky TV too powerful & expensive. I’m binning them off in next few weeks & getting one of these smart internet based boxes for a fraction of the cost.
OldCrowMedicineShow
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:11 PM
Comment #312Rafa redder than a beet on that interview.
I have a strong feeling that this loss is a turning point–the anger and hunger that will arise from this week will ensure we stay up top.
sing in the corner
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:12 PM
Comment #313Rafa seeeeething!!
Have a MAN HUG from me Rafa! 🙂
On to the next one…
Someone is going to feel the wrath of the toon in the next week or two!
SPRINGY
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:12 PM
Comment #314shelvey was calling someone a bitch earlier on….clear as day on the screen,i thought then he needed to be careful.
lochinvar
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:12 PM
Comment #315Rafa – well controlled response.
But all the pundits, Rafa and even the Forest manager agree that the ref was a disgrace.
No comments from Sky about our disallowed goal or penalty claims.
The FA have to take action or are they part of the problem ?
manxpie
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:13 PM
Comment #316so not even 1 replay of our penalty decisions or disallowed goal
and we pay alot for it so why so many adverts ffs that take away from the thing we are watching
West Lancs Geordie
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:16 PM
Comment #317Springy Belfast So wot was the penalty given for as the ball had been cleared downfield. We know why the red card but Penalty why?
SPRINGY
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:16 PM
Comment #318manxpie
wasnt even mentioned at half time,all forest…..ive heard people say theres bias outthere against the toon,but ive always said swings and roundabouts….but after that,then skys non mention of our goal or penalty claim…it doe make u wonder.
phoonck
Dec 2, 2016 at 10:30 PM
Comment #319Proud of the lads though we lost. The lads did all they could to keep us at bay. Everyone put in a shift and not once did we give up fighting, a stark contrast to our relegating season.
We LOST not to a better team but to a mediocre referee. I’d love to challenge the FA and look into the many dubious decisions the referee had made such as failing to award us a penalty for the hand ball from Yedlin’s cross, failing to award us a penalty when Clark’s has had hands all over him and eventually bringing him down, the sending off of Dummett and the resultant penalty awarded and not allowing the Clark’s goal to stand which is fully legit and amongst many many more.
HWTL
Keep the Faith
Rotonda heights
Dec 5, 2016 at 2:53 PM
Comment #320manx
shelvey is still a bit of a tool though, as his upcoming racist comments hearing confirms.
On 80k a week they could call me baldy or a lot worse. he has to learn to walk away or he becomes a liability whether it’s self defence or not.