Rafa Benitez has just named his starting eleven for the game at St. Andrew’s this afternoon against Birmingham City and there’s a surprise with Jonjo Shelvey sick and he starts on the bench.
Mo Diame will play in central midfield with Jack Colback and let’s hope we don’t miss the creativity of Shelvey in this all important game – we certainly missed him when he had that five game suspension over the Christmas period.
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TEAM NEWS: Here’s how Newcastle United will line up at Birmingham City this afternoon. #NUFC pic.twitter.com/zXjNo7PXSm
â Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) March 18, 2017
We almost had the team right this week if Shelvey had started the game.
Daryl Murphy, as expected starts up front and Ayoze Perez gets a start in the number 10 position.
Grant Hanley comes in for Ciaran Clark with Chancel Mbemba on the bench.
This is what Rafa said about the game at his press conference yesterday:
“The good thing about this division is you have a lot of games to put it right. We have one now vs Birmingham, then 7 next month”
“I was very disappointed vs Fulham as we were expecting to do well after 3 good games. We made too many mistakes and lost 3 points”
“It depends on us. If we do what we have to do, which is keep winning games, then it doesn’t matter about Huddersfield.”
“Birmingham have changed their system. They are trying to find solutions. It will be tough, they are more solid now than before”
“The key here is confidence but not over confidence. Every game is difficult.”
Almost four in five fans think we will win this game – let’s hope they are right because it will leave us in a very good league position during the two week International break.
Loading ...Howay The Lads!!
Comments welcome.
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246 comments so far
Dennis Twice
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:04 PM
Comment #1Attack Toon attack, attack!
TyneMouth
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:08 PM
Comment #2Shelvey dropped?…
Didn’t see that coming…
sing in the corner
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:08 PM
Comment #3Bingo bobbins!
WWSBRD
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:10 PM
Comment #4Fairly underwhelmed with that team tbh but howay lads prove me wrong, turn over Birmingham and get that GD flying again
ramboreilly
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:11 PM
Comment #5Defend defend defend by the looks of it
BlacknWhiteBarmy
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:15 PM
Comment #6The team was pretty ineffective against Reading in the last away game. Perez has not wised up to this division and gets knocked off the ball way too easy. Darlows shot stopping is good but he so often fails to command his area resulting in mix ups / goals and a general uneasiness when defending.
This game is winnable – but I think we will concede at least one goal.
beefman13
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:16 PM
Comment #7Hope we can nick it but not over confident, but this is the toon isnt it. like that Murphy is getting a start, and we have a decent bench so you dont ever know!
Jib
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:16 PM
Comment #8Bloomin’ ‘eck 4 – 4 – 2 with everything through the middle !!!!!
BenArfa the magician
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:16 PM
Comment #9Strongest bench we’ve had in a long time, Murphy deserves to start.
sing in the corner
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:17 PM
Comment #10Question is…does anyone dare to tune in to radio Newcastle and listen to the curmudgeonly John Anderson twist for 90 minutes about our lack of offensive play??
Oh well…here goes!!
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:26 PM
Comment #11Team
Darlow
Anita Lascelles Hanley dummett
Diame Colback
Ritchie Perez Goufrron
Murphy
Bench
Elliot Gamez Mbemba Shelvey Atzu Mitro Gayle
10/11 for me, close but no banana.
34m to KO
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:27 PM
Comment #12Diame really needs to motivate himself today, probably end up as MOM đ
MAUTITOON
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:28 PM
Comment #13is this 442?
magspuggy
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:30 PM
Comment #14If john Anderson fell into a barrel of Bristol city’s
He would return pouting and sucking his thumb.
Toon 3-1. Murphy to score and diame motm
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:34 PM
Comment #1526 m to KO
Can’t get6 sound on NUFC
Belfast
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:37 PM
Comment #16It’s 4231 glad to see Diame in his proper position.
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:38 PM
Comment #1722 m
Novocastrian66
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:39 PM
Comment #18Really surprised Gayle isn’t starting.
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:40 PM
Comment #19still no sound
ronaldo aarons
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:42 PM
Comment #20Hanley over mbemba is sensible due to the problems jutkiewic (spelling????) caused us before with his height and physicality.
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:44 PM
Comment #21Finally
firebug666
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:48 PM
Comment #22Essex
Do you have a link marra?
magspuggy
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:50 PM
Comment #23If we win this I’m calling promotion..
Do us proud lads …
Munster Mag
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:52 PM
Comment #24I fancy us for this. Will rafa encourage 2 up front?
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:54 PM
Comment #25Firebug
http://www.nufc.co.uk/liveaudio.html
HWTL HWTF HWTR HWTBRS
Toon toon b&w army
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:55 PM
Comment #2650million pound worth of players on the bench, some prem leagues clubs would love that.
firebug666
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:55 PM
Comment #27Essex
Cheers marra.
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:58 PM
Comment #283minutes
MAUTITOON
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:59 PM
Comment #29here we go, here we go…………
Hail Wor Ashley
Mar 18, 2017 at 2:59 PM
Comment #30What makes people think it’s 4-4-2?
Simply Diame dropped back for Shekvey and say system.
Howay the lads! 3pts a must.
dannitoon
Mar 18, 2017 at 3:01 PM
Comment #31Anyone got radio link… nufc not got it on
MAUTITOON
Mar 18, 2017 at 3:02 PM
Comment #32http://www.nufc.co.uk/liveaudio.html
Thump
Mar 18, 2017 at 3:03 PM
Comment #33@Essex: Cheers for that mate
sing in the corner
Mar 18, 2017 at 3:10 PM
Comment #34Away fans sound amazing, doing the Toon proud as always. No sound from the brummies.
Zekalea
Mar 18, 2017 at 3:13 PM
Comment #35Guessing there are no streams today then?
Black and white armpit
Mar 18, 2017 at 3:15 PM
Comment #36No Zek, not being beamed out
Zekalea
Mar 18, 2017 at 3:16 PM
Comment #37Shame… gonna have to use a good old radio then!
Hail Wor Ashley
Mar 18, 2017 at 3:18 PM
Comment #38Ah, come on, sounds very much like a continuation of last time so far. No reaction, no urgency and no creativity.
Need to up it pronto.
Shadow_Shearer
Mar 18, 2017 at 3:19 PM
Comment #39Thankfully Diame is in DM. I thought in that number 10 position he was only doing a job defensively. But offered no attacking threat. Pulled off a moment of magic once or twice a month. I think he will suit that position better.
Also I’m surprised rafa hasn’t rewarded shelvey by putting him in the number 10 role. I would have tried that by now. If he doesn’t want shelvey there I think we should up grade the number 10 & gouffran in the summer.
MAUTITOON
Mar 18, 2017 at 3:21 PM
Comment #40Hail Wor Ashley
well i better say nothing