A bit of surprise in the Newcastle side today to face Chelsea, as Peter Lovenkrands has been drafted in to replace the suspended Jonas Gutierrez, and Sammy Ameobi is on the bench.
And that’s the only enforced change from the team that started against Manchester United last Saturday, and miraculously came away with a well earned point.
It had been expected that young Sammy Ameobi would be a straight replacement for Jonas, but Peter must have been impressive in training this week, and the experienced Danish International striker gets the nod.
Danny Guthrie will again deputize for the still injured Cheick Tiote, and Danny will need to be at his best to try to win over the midfield for Newcastle against a top Chelsea side.
Leon Best is fit again and takes his place on the bench, and he’s likely to see some action in the second half today in front of a capacity crowd. Steve Harper is back on the bench for Newcastle after completing his one month loan spell at Brighton.
For Chelsea Daniel Sturridge and Dider Drogba start up front for the Pensioners, and captain John Terry and Frank Lampard also start.
The London side will be going all out for the win today, after losing three of their last five league games, and a win will put them back into 4th position in the table and above Newcastle.
Howay The Lads!!
Teams:
Newcastle United (4-4-1-1): Tim Krul; Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Ryan Taylor; Gabriel Obertan, Yohan Cabaye, Danny Guthrie, Peter Lovenkrands; Hatem Ben Arfa; Demba Ba
Substitutes: Steve Harper, Davide Santon, James Perch, Dan Gosling, Sammy Ameobi, Leon Best, Shola Ameobi
Chelsea: (4-3-3): Petr Cech; Branislav Ivanovic, David Luiz, John Terry (c), Ashley Cole; Ramires, Oriol Romeu, Frank Lampard; Daniel Sturridge, Didier Drogba, Juan Mata
Substitutes: Ross Turnbull, Jose Bosingwa, Ryan Bertrand, Raul Meireles, Florent Malouda, Salomon Kalou, Fernando Torres
516 comments so far
niafron
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:07 PM
Comment #281We generally do not take such play options in France. I’m curious to see if it will work or not.
toon-nutters
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:07 PM
Comment #282what a shame.. thank god..we didnt have speedo’s tribute today!
gorgonzola
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:07 PM
Comment #283Great ball ba Ameobi should have done better with the kick too he was alone…but man o man we are piss poor today…what is going on….
Oleg G
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:07 PM
Comment #284I just cannot understand this. Why players aren’t moving? I am so mad.
AP's Black & White Army
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:08 PM
Comment #285We are so wasteful, have being all season.
Steve_48
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:08 PM
Comment #286Taxi for Raylor, Stanton on
Bye bye Lampard……. moaning tw@
seantoon
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:08 PM
Comment #287Loved seeing lampard have a stinker
Thump
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:08 PM
Comment #288Lover has really impressed me today like.
toon-nutters
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:09 PM
Comment #289santon or best in ? santon for me..raylor looks all over the place w/o jonas! 🙁
ilovetoon8788
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:09 PM
Comment #290we have poor wingers. the only difference..
Special K
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:09 PM
Comment #291I’ve been quietly impressed by Shola so far, decent record against Chelsea too. #optimistic
JackButler
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:09 PM
Comment #292Lovern has done well today, I’m not his biggest fan but he’s done a good job so far
gorgonzola
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:10 PM
Comment #293Guthrie is very good must say…
AP's Black & White Army
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:10 PM
Comment #294Need to ruffle Luiz!
Oleg G
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:10 PM
Comment #295Best for Loven with 3 man upfront? 🙂
toon-nutters
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:10 PM
Comment #296@JB +2
seantoon
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:11 PM
Comment #297Get off obertans case man it was a nice move an a nice cut back only everyone gambled at the front post rather than the penalty spot
Thump
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:11 PM
Comment #298If we stop this long ball shite we have a chance of getting something out of this.
AP's Black & White Army
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:12 PM
Comment #299AP needs to take Obertan off, he’s so sloppy.
JackButler
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:12 PM
Comment #300We need to play 4-4-2 from the start we look more solid
Special K
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:12 PM
Comment #301It aint nice to see but keep whacking those long balls up to Ba & Shola, getting something out of it 9/10
toon-nutters
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:12 PM
Comment #302why cant we just keep it on the ground..
ilovetoon8788
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:13 PM
Comment #303they have better centre midfielders.. so we must attack from the wing. but the thing is our wing is terrible. so its extremely hard to get anything out of this game.
toon-nutters
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:14 PM
Comment #304alan pardew.. u moron! 😡
Steve_48
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:14 PM
Comment #305Ba nearly took Cole’s head off, shame, try bit harder next time
Dannyo
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:15 PM
Comment #306How Raylor is still on the pitch, i just cannot fathom… We’re still in with the shout tho, but a couple of quick feet are missed up top :/
Special K
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:15 PM
Comment #307We’re getting nothing on the ground, Ivanovic & Cole have the better of Loven & Obertan. Direct style is looking like the only way to get something from this
AP's Black & White Army
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:15 PM
Comment #308Perhaps Obertan can catch? He’d make a good wide receiver, in American Football.
seantoon
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:15 PM
Comment #309Howay ba should have took coles head off there the pr**k
niafron
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:15 PM
Comment #310We can’t stop long balls, for the team is splited in two part now.
Pard made a clear choice with Shola. More size and physicall presence up front, less ball control.
So we must play long balls now. Look like a desperate tactic, but it could work if we’re lucky.
Maybe Pard feeled the team can’t do better than that today.
JackButler
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:15 PM
Comment #311After everything we did to get a point last week, we must get something out of this game, our next four fixtures look good for us
Thump
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:15 PM
Comment #312Lads, did you know that Chelsea could have had 294,117,6470 Freddo bars instead of Torres?
Neither did I.
thebionicMAG
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:15 PM
Comment #313Obertan wtf?
Raylor? Yeah no Jonas and Sturridge absolutely a$$ raped you. Can Santon really be that bad?
AussieToon
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:16 PM
Comment #314Get Ryan Taylor the hell off!!!
gorgonzola
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:16 PM
Comment #315loosing ball in your won half…this is crazy we are quite poor today
Thump
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:17 PM
Comment #316Raylor ffs get back man
AP's Black & White Army
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:17 PM
Comment #317We have half a good team on the pitch, today.
niafron
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:17 PM
Comment #318On the plus side, we by plaing long balls, there’s less turnovers in the middle.
So there’s less oportunity for them.
toonbrother
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:17 PM
Comment #319We are SH*ITE
Keith in France
Dec 3, 2011 at 2:17 PM
Comment #320Who would be a manager – one week ago he was great now according to some he is a moron.