Steve McClaren has just announced his team for the home game against Stoke City this afternoon and there’s just one change with Vurnon Anita coming in for the injured Jack Colback.
Teams:
Newcastle (4-4-2): Rob Elliot; Daryl Janmaat, Chancel Mbemba, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Paul Dummett; Moussa Sissoko, Vurnon Anita, Cheick Tiote, Georginio Wijnaldum; Ayoze Perez, Aleksandar Mitrovic
Substitutes: Freddie Woodman, Massadio Haidara, Jamaal Lascelles, Siem de Jong, Yoan Gouffran, Florian Thauvin, Papiss Cisse
Stoke (4-2-3-1): Jack Butland; Glen Johnson, Ryan Shawcross (c), Phillip Wollscheid, Erik Pieters; Glenn Whelan, Charlie Adam; Marko Arnautovic, Bojan Krkic, Xherdan Shaqiri; Jonathan Walters
Substitutes: Jakob Haugaard, Marc Wilson, Stephen Ireland, Marco van Ginkel, Ibrahim Afellay, Mame Biram Diouf, Peter Crouch
Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire)
As we expected Yoan Gouffran comes in on the substitute bench since he can play in central midfield at a stretch – and we seem to be short of central midfielders.
But it’s the usual 4-4-2 formation with Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ayoze Perez up front – and we really need a win in this game – especially after what happened last Sunday at Sunderland.
This is what Steve McClaren has said about the game this afternoon:
“We will expect a vibrant, very good Stoke team who have an excellent manager and squad who can take the club forward.”
“They played 120 minutes in midweek and got a good result but I don’t think that will be a factor. The fitness of teams nowadays is such that you can play a game on Tuesday and still be ready to go again at the weekend without a problem.”
“We had a very disappointing result against Sunderland but we’ve had a very good week off the field – very focused and intense. We’ve been reflecting on one of the strangest derbies I’ve been involved in.”
“We know we have to take our chances. Against Sunderland we had 21 attempts, eight on target, we took our chances against Norwich and we need to do that again against Stoke.”
“It’s imperative we get the win,” “Recently we’ve had good performances so now we’ve got to keep reproducing those performances week in, week out.”
“We’ve shown what we’re capable of doing and we’re creating chances, which we weren’t doing before.” “In the long term I can see this team winning games. In the short term, we need to start winning tomorrow.”
Three in five fans think we can win this game this afternoon.
A win this afternoon is what we all need.
Howay The Lads!!
285 comments so far
toonbrother
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:02 PM
Comment #1With colocinnin in the mix a clean sheet is virtually impossible!
Shadow_Shearer
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:04 PM
Comment #2Wot on earth is Elliot doin in the starting line up. I’d rather see woody given a chance
catchy in norway
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:06 PM
Comment #32-0 clean sheet for both the toon and Colo
WWSBRD
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:06 PM
Comment #4Anita and Tiote CMwhat a glorious forward thinking team for what really is pretty close to must win
Wonderful
firebug666
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:07 PM
Comment #5Shadow_Shearer
Woody is only a young kid mate, he has no experience at this level, and my worry would be it would come to soon for him.
Look what happened to Alnwick when he got pushed into the side.
He needs to go back out on loan when Darlow is fit.
WWSBRD
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:09 PM
Comment #6firebug
Alnwick was poor before he was pushed into the first team tbf
almondrichie
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:10 PM
Comment #7worst team selection….why on earth Aarons, Mbabu, and thauvin starting….then how on earth are we gonna create goals….this man is bound to get us relegated…don’t ever anyone dare to say that we are too good to go down….we are a laughing stock and one of the worst teams in premiere league…i bet my ass we get RELEGATED and another loss is staring in our face today…..
this guy spoiled my matchday mood….useless colo and tiote still starting…f**off steve…
Blackley and Brownlie
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:10 PM
Comment #8Shadow_Shearer
Have you seen Woody play then?
Essex Geordie Bill
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:10 PM
Comment #9After all of the previous match’s comment about having a great bench the one today does not inspire me with a lot of confidence, I’m sorry to say.
almondrichie
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:11 PM
Comment #10why on earth aarons,mbabu,thauvin not starting*
bettyswallocks
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:12 PM
Comment #11Toonbotherer……… If we want to hear from an a..e hole, we can fart.
Roosta
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:12 PM
Comment #12No Mbabu or Aarons in the squad, Gouffy gets in incase Anita gets crocked, thats sad if Gouffran is the next replacement in that position, and he isnt very good at that.
firebug666
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:12 PM
Comment #13WWSBRD
He was being raved about as a great prospect for the club though.
Still, I think it would be too early for Woody, and the occasion to big for him.
WWSBRD
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:15 PM
Comment #14firebug
Long time ago mate Alnwick has been pants for a fair few years
Might be too soon for Woodman but it’s too late for Elliott by the looks for it
Hail Wor Ashley
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:17 PM
Comment #15Tiote and Anita have never played well together, due to them both having the inclination to drop deep, whereas Colback, whether through design or not, covers more of the pitch and occasionally gets in and around the box. Anita hopefully will have that role today and will be allowed to press high which he does very well as he’s nippy across the ground.
Hope the clown Tiote has a clean game, a tall order I know.
Has the same feel as the Norwich match – win or things are looking desperately gloomy.
firebug666
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:18 PM
Comment #16WWSBRD
I agree on Elliot like, but we have no one else, and Woodman may get a game if Elliot gets crocked, We either need Darlow back fit, or a new keeper in January.
chicousa
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:21 PM
Comment #17Gouffran on bench as backup DM is frightening! No surprises at all in starting lineup….would have preferred Dummet instead of Colo and Mbabu at LB. HWTL
WWSBRD
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:22 PM
Comment #18Firebug
I wouldn’t of be distraught if Woodman started ahead of Elliott today
Nufc-83
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:24 PM
Comment #19Can anyone explain what Elliot has done wrong? In my opinion he is not much worse (if at all than krul) however I don’t rate krul highly at all so that’s not saying much.
firebug666
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:24 PM
Comment #20WWSBRD
Well he may get his chance as Stoke are a very physical team.
catchy in norway
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:27 PM
Comment #21Chealsea have bigger problems than us
Hail Wor Ashley
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:28 PM
Comment #22Elliot doesn’t do much of anything. A GK that barely ever makes a save, if the opposition shoot and it’s on target 95% of the time it goes past him.
He’s very good at doing token dives and is better than Krul at distribution, that’s it.
Chelsea sinking, Mourinho in deep trouble. Nice to see the originators of sugar daddy PL getting their comeuppance.
WWSBRD
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:28 PM
Comment #23firebug
Am not sure Stoke will need to be all that physical to beat our back line, which I think Hughes agrees with as Diouf is on the bench
nut meg
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:29 PM
Comment #24chelsea 1-3 down !
Jib
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:29 PM
Comment #25bettyswallocks // Oct 31, 2015 at 2:12 PM
Toonbotherer……… If we want to hear from an a..e hole, we can fart.
Very childish
But it made me chuckle 🙂
Blaydon-Toon
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:30 PM
Comment #26NUFC 83 I agree on Elliot – has not let in any howlers and has much better distribution than Krul which is not hard as my 5 year old could probably give him a run for his money
firebug666
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:35 PM
Comment #27WWSBRD
They may not need to be, but it’s in their nature as a team. However I think this is a winnable game for us, and as you say with our poor defence 22 goals conceded so far this season, we will need to score 3+ to secure a win.
If lady luck is on our side they could have a couple of players sent off as an added bonus.
I am worried about the midfield pairing, especially Tiote, on a good day he can be awesome, but he doesn’t have many good days lately.
I think I’ll go for 3-1 Toon win.
catchy in norway
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:35 PM
Comment #28whilst i agree, there is not much between our 2 keepers, Elliot does not inspire me at all, when you are a keeper you need presence, and for me he seems way to quiet and does not command his area the way i believe a prem keeper should
catchy in norway
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:37 PM
Comment #29on our 2 dmc, i hope Anita is the most mobile of the 2
Blofal
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:41 PM
Comment #30I’m visiting Chelsea forums just to watch the fallout of this…
colwell
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:41 PM
Comment #31Well at least Stoke have a back up plan if plan A doesn’t work chuck Crouch and Diouf on and score a few goals from crosses Colo and Mbemba won’t win a ball in the air.
davetoon
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:43 PM
Comment #32Not sure why we let Williamson go out on loan. I would feel the same if he was playing instead of Colo
colwell
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:43 PM
Comment #33Shaqiri vs Dummett haha what a contest
WWSBRD
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:43 PM
Comment #34firebug
I expect a draw mate
WWSBRD
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:44 PM
Comment #35Actually I think we will lose but am trying to be positive
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:46 PM
Comment #36This is probably the most expensive bench of “talent” that we have ever had under Ashleys reign !!
But looking at them I dont see anyone that is in form or is motivated enough to change anything when they come on !
This is going to be a tough game Hughes always sets his teams up to act like thugs but they have a bit more quality going forward now
Blofal
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:46 PM
Comment #37Crouch always scores against us
Ron Knee
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:47 PM
Comment #38Blofal
It’s called maintaining tradition.
Lindisfarne
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:48 PM
Comment #39TOON! TOON!
HWTL
HWTF
LONG LIVE SUPPORTERS
colwell
Oct 31, 2015 at 2:49 PM
Comment #401- 3 Unfortunately we are shite nothing this season has shown me otherwise. Wrong defenders and the least creative CM in the prem.