As expected Sol Campbell and Steven Taylor will make their first Premier League starts of the season against Chelsea this afternoon.
And again, as expected, midfielder Cheik Tiote returns from his one-game ban, with Alan Smith on the bench, after he deputized for the Ivorian at Bolton last Saturday.
But Newcastle captain Kevin Nolan is out of the game with an ankle problem, and Wayne Routledge comes in on the right wing to the side, and Newcastle will attack Chelsea in a 4-4-2 formation, with both local lads, Andy Carroll and Shola Amoebi starting up front.
It looks like Danny Guthrie will have a really important role today, as he in central midfield with Cheick Tiote, so we have to hope the youngster is up for the battle with Chelsea’s top midfield this afternoon.
Patrick van Aanholt is on the bench for Chelsea, after the Dutchman was on loan last February at Newcastle.
The referee for the game today is Andre Marriner.
Howay The Lads!!
Teams:
Newcastle: Krul; Simpson, S Taylor, Campbell, Enrique; Routledge, Guthrie, Tiote, Gutierrez; Carroll, Ameobi.
Subs: Perch, Kadar, Ranger, Soderberg, Best, Smith, Lovenkrands.
Chelsea: Cech: Bosingwa Ivanovic Alex Cole; Ramires Mikel Malouda; Kalou Drogba (c) Anelka
Subs:Turnbull, Ferreira, Bruma, van Aanholt, McEachran, Kakuta, Sturridge.
73 comments so far
andoni
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:15 PM
Comment #41Steven has gained some weight, isn’t it?
Marty-Toon
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:17 PM
Comment #42Guthries passing has been piss poor
Thump
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:23 PM
Comment #43Good point but I reckon we could have won that.
tdt
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:24 PM
Comment #44well done team
Marty-Toon
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:25 PM
Comment #45PHEW!!!!!!!!
1 point is better than none.
We were so not fit in the las half hour.
Lots of them out of Match Practise
Thump
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:29 PM
Comment #46The problem is we’re just lumping crosses into the box rather than actually placing them. Simpson’s crossing is bloody woeful like!
hadthetshirt
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:31 PM
Comment #47Good performance although we looked tired near the end.Tiote,Enrique,Campbell,and Taylor were excellent.Carrol is a real handful.Infact most of the players did well.Is anyone else a little concerned about Krul.
I wonder what 23 does to justify a game.If he isn’t fouling he’s offside.Maybe time to give Ranger a start.I bet loverman is peed off watching 23 play.Or what about cisco,surely he cannot be worse than 23
GeordieGerman
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:31 PM
Comment #48If the ball hadn’t deflected off Jose. Tim would have stopped it.
baro
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:34 PM
Comment #49Atleast we got a point out of this game and really deserved! Especially in the 1st half. I’d rather have Steven Taylor and Sol over Willo and Collo any day of the week! All I want is Danny Guthrie dropped! He was absolute horror today! Simpson really struggled Routledge was awesome! The defense was crystal clear! Enrique, STaylor, SOl were awesome! What a danger ranger was! Carroll was awesome like always!. Ameobi should of scored in 2nd minute, but he showed good strength!
GeordieGerman
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:34 PM
Comment #50Let’s hope Tottenham win today. So we stop in 9th place.
baro
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:35 PM
Comment #51Agree! Tim Krul had been perfectly positioned but Jose came in the way. I really thought we should of picked up 3 points today
baro
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:36 PM
Comment #52ATLEAST! JOEY BARTON IS BACK!!!!!!
acuna
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:39 PM
Comment #53Krul- Poor handling at times.kick outs terrible at times.overall (6)
simpson (6) ok.supported well.does get caught out very often tho.need to deliver crosses better.
Taylor (7) good game
Campbell (7) good game
Enrique (7) good game.at time too casual on the ball tho.
Routledge (7)played well.
Tiote (7.5) our defensive midfeilder and playmaker.we NEED an out and out playmaker
Guthrie (5) Oh dear.didnt grab his opportunity let say
Jonas (6) Lost a lot of ball in the last 10.put us under pressure
Carroll (6) Alex had him in the second.worked hard
Ameobi (5) Started well.his laziness took hold after
balubas1
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:40 PM
Comment #54We should be very pleased with todays performance. Would be interesting to see the same team we had today only swap Ameobi for Ranger and Barton in for Guthrie.
arcarius
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:41 PM
Comment #55Some sour feeling inside me, we should have gotten 3 pts or what not
But take nothing away from the lads today,especially Enrique!
Apart from maybe Guthrie/Jonas/Ameobi
Very content with a point! 😀
eplforecast
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:41 PM
Comment #56Two main points.
Chris Hughton needs to SUB PLAYERS IN faster. He takes WAY TOO LONG to make a decision, which can cost us games.
Ameobi was a spectator up front, and not making any runs behind the channels, or even dropping back to become available . Looked tired and dead ripe for a substitution.
Ranger came on around 10 minutes too late, and we were lucky to have escaped without conceding in that period.
Carroll is obviously the star of the team at the moment, but without Barton, I can’t see anyone giving him decent service from the flanks and at set pieces.
Guthrie is absolutely shit. He has no cross, no set piece delivery, and his passing is average. Worst of all, he seems incapable of closing players down and goes for the most unimaginative passes ever.
Tiote is absolutely necessary for NUFC to compete within this division.
balubas1
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:43 PM
Comment #57acuna: Dont really see how you can slate Krul in this game.. Same goes for Jonas.. Jonas is alone against 3 players most of the time so I’m delighted with him that he manages to hold the ball so well as he does.
Agree on Guthrie though… good ballcontrol at times and vision, but its too much “almost” with him. Lacking the physique sadly so…
eplforecast
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:43 PM
Comment #58Honestly I think Hughton needs an assistant who can help matchday tactics with him
He may be a good man manager and is holding the fort down very very well
I still feel though, he can be a bit slow in subbing players in and making bold decisions given his timid outlook
balubas1
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:44 PM
Comment #59eplforecast:
Best post in here so far.. 🙂
balubas1
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:44 PM
Comment #60Nr 55 that is
eplforecast
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:45 PM
Comment #61Guthrie will probably never cut it out in this division as a central midfield player.
balubas1
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:46 PM
Comment #62agree… it’s a bit sad though, as I like the lad. It’s just the cruel reality..
I’m hoping some people claiming Routledge is “championship quality” may eat their words soon.. He has performed well when he’s had the chance
BiffBaffBoff
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:48 PM
Comment #63Apart from Ameobi, all the other players played well today, if Ranger was put on earlier who know what would have happened.
We did look very tired in that last 20mins or so tho which is worrying considering we play alot of games over the next 6 weeks or so.
Happy with a point tho, hopefully we can beat West Brom next week and then kick-start our season! With us playing Liverpool after that, who will be without Gerrard, I can see us beating them too if we play like we did today and against arsenal/sunderland/villa
baro
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:49 PM
Comment #64Krul 7
Simpson 5.5
STaylor 8.5
Sol 8.5
Enrique 8.5
Routledge 7.5
Tiote 8
Guthrie 5
Jonas 7
Ameobi 7
Carroll 8
———
Ranger 7
eplforecast
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:50 PM
Comment #65Yup, Central midfield is the most important part of a team, and u generally want your best players in that position, who are consistent performers.
Tiote has all the qualities that big teams (Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal) look for in a DM. Wins ball, then holds the ball well, spins around to look for a player in space, plays a good short pass to start attack.
Guthrie looks as if he needs to step it up a notch to find his “niche”, he seems way too average in all aspects of his play. Almost like Alan Smith really.
colwell
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:50 PM
Comment #66Points todays-
Guthrie too slow just not good enough but Barton will be back next week!
Routledge played well against the best LB in the prem don`t forget that.
Taylor realy good made loads of important blocks.
TIOTE, CARROLL AND ENRIQUE there normal awsum performance!
only bad players were ameobi and guthrie my best mates a Chelsea fan and thought Routledge was our beat player today!
Thump
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:51 PM
Comment #67Ranger was thirsty for a goal but all he had were long balls and he had to make the rest of the way up himself. Good effort from the lad for the time he was on the pitch.
eplforecast
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:52 PM
Comment #68Given S.Taylor had a good game, and reminded the premiership that he is an established central defender. It is likely that some teams will be looking to offer him a deal in Jan. Can’t see NUFC holding on to this one, esp with Williamson signing a new deal.
Thump
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:52 PM
Comment #69I’d love to see Vuckic given a good chance like. He started getting comfortable in the last few games he was in and I reckon he could at least match Guthrie’s performance today.
Thump
Nov 28, 2010 at 3:57 PM
Comment #70Have to agree eplforecast. He didn’t look best pleased out there tonight.
eplforecast
Nov 28, 2010 at 4:03 PM
Comment #71I have to say that the whole team does not look comfortable playing the ball to Ranger (only long clearance balls for him to chase down)
S.Taylor will probably go to Liverpool, Everton or Villa. He didn’t look happy, but did the job professionally.
Unless NUFC ups their offer to him. Campbell can’t last too much longer.
Moreno
Nov 28, 2010 at 4:29 PM
Comment #72Guthrie, once again, wastes every set piece we have. That’s it, I am writing to company secretary and asking it to be passed on to hooghton. Why can only I see this? I say it every time he plays, he is completely useless. Whoever mentioned Nolan has competition in centre mud from Guthrie is on smack
balubas1
Nov 28, 2010 at 4:59 PM
Comment #73I’m a big fan of Nolan but when playing at home with 2 strikers, I think Barton and Tiote should play central midfield and give Routledge the right wing. When playing away or against very strong opposition we should play Nolan off Carroll. He is excellent when getting in the box, but he’s slightly behind when it comes to his other responsibilities as a central midfielder.
No slating of King Nolan.. it’s just a tactical truth. I also think Ameobi should be given a few games on the bench now.. Give Loven, Ranger or even Xisco a chance with Carroll.