Rob Elliot has played nine games for Newcastle since coming in for the injured Tim Krul and you can see how much his confidence has grown over that time.
And when you think he started the season as 3rd choice goalkeeper behind Tim Krul and Karl Darlow he’s had a remarkable season so far.
Rob had another very good game for us yesterday and made one terrific save near the end of the match from the impressive Rudy Gestede that could have saved us from an embarrassing defeat.
Rob Elliot – brilliant late save from Rudy Gestede
Rob is our Man of the Match for the second week running with 22 % of the vote following his great performance last week at White Hart lane when his two terrific saves kept the score down to 1-0 at half time and was a foundation for Newcastle to come back and win the game 2-1.
While we were 1-0 up yesterday with a goal from Coloccini in atrocious conditions, Aston Villa came back at us in the second half and we also missed at least three golden opportunities to score in the second half.
When that happens it’s difficult to win the game.
But Rob Elliot is showing himself to be a Premier League goalkeeper and he’s been in great form for us so far and he’s also shown leadership both on and off the field.
Long may it continue.
The next two players in the voting are very close with 15% of the vote – Vurnon Anita and Chancel Mbemba.
Vurnon Anita has been playing well for us this season without much fanfare and it seems that Steve McClaren is able to get the best out of the Dutch International and he’s an unsung hero at Newcastle.
Another energetic performance from the holding midfielder epitomized Newcastle’s play as he ran his socks off for the side – and it’s another well done to Vurnon – and keep it up.
Chancel Mbemba is one of two excellent signings we made in the summer – with Georgino Wijnaldum being the other one and both start every game for the Magpies.
Chancel has played in every single Premier League game this season and he has settled at Newcastle extremely quickly.
Yesterday he put in another strong performance at the back alongside Fabricio Coloccini who was also good yesterday (in 4th place in the voting).
Chancel looks to be an excellent signing for Newcastle and the former Anderlecht player can be in central defense for years to come.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
59 comments so far
Tsunki
Dec 20, 2015 at 4:37 PM
Comment #1A.s.h.l.e.y. O.u.t!
Tsunki
Dec 20, 2015 at 4:39 PM
Comment #2Mbemba had another solid game, and Thauvin for his time on the pitch changed us up a bit until it became evident it wasn’t the weather for skills or short passing.
Ron Knee
Dec 20, 2015 at 4:40 PM
Comment #3Real Madrid leading 9-2!
Tsunki
Dec 20, 2015 at 4:40 PM
Comment #4…that said it was a day for testing keepers, so I voted Elliot.
Ron Knee
Dec 20, 2015 at 4:43 PM
Comment #5Speaking of Chancel, what’s happened to TFL?
Tsunki
Dec 20, 2015 at 4:44 PM
Comment #6Ron…Ha ha I don’t believe it…WHO are they playing? 🙂 Jeff, your team is on!
😀
Tsunki
Dec 20, 2015 at 4:48 PM
Comment #7Ah that makes sense – Rayo were doing OK until they had two sent off.
Ron Knee
Dec 20, 2015 at 4:49 PM
Comment #8Tsunki
Of course, Vallecano are playing with nine men. I don’t suppose that helps.
lesh
Dec 20, 2015 at 4:49 PM
Comment #9Ed continues to beg the question why Santon was sold in January.
Charnley saw the opportunity of getting a few quid for him rather than hang on to the lad – in short, Charnley’s obsession with the finances rather than the good of the Club on the pitch.
He’ll never change as long as Ashley’s got his hand up his back!
And the sad thing is, a Chinese business paid over £200m for a bit of the action with Citeh, when if NUFC was an attractive business proposition they might’ve bought Ashley out.
We can but hope.
Ron Knee
Dec 20, 2015 at 4:52 PM
Comment #10Christ, it’s 10-2 now.
Big Pappa Cissé
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:03 PM
Comment #11Dummst seems like a nice lad, but no way is he a Premier League defender IMO . A left back should be a top priority in Jan (fingers crossed its Willems) as all our attacks come down the right and it is far too predictable . I would even have Mbabu in over him despite it being his wrong side.
Also Wijnaldum has been great this season, however he goes missing far too often in games playing out wide . Thuavin came on and put in some great crosses that Mitrovic will love .
From now on I would play :
–Sissoko——–Anita——–Wijnaldum——–Thuavin–
——————-Mitrovic———Perez———————–
Jib
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:05 PM
Comment #12Vallecano were leading 2- 1
NEVER EVER
Upset Real Madrid in the Bernabeu
lesh
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:08 PM
Comment #13So, Watford spank the bindippers 3-0.
At least we weren’t the only one!
LGFUAD21
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:09 PM
Comment #14I only saw the first half yesterday.
The pitch really did not help us at all. I haven’t seen St James look like that since the pre season against Fiorentina.
My observations from the first half. Dummet can be a good cb. He can read the game well but when he’s pushed into a wide birth he doesn’t seem comfortable hugging the touch line. I’d say give Mbabu a shot.
I don’t really have anything to say apart from that. There were a lot of confusions and mix ups mainly between de my and sissoko. Hopefully that’s just a lack of playing time together to gel.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:13 PM
Comment #15lesh…damn it! 🙁 so we weren’t particularly great?
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:16 PM
Comment #16LGF…so you could tell Dummett would be a great CB by watching bring less than impressive at LB?
Who’s de my?
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:16 PM
Comment #17*bring = being
Jib
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:31 PM
Comment #18Tsunki I was wrong about Shelvey !
Do you want to call me JonjoRayJeffJaneJib ?
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:33 PM
Comment #19The poster that speaks monkey will do!
banjax
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:34 PM
Comment #20The wet blanket yesterday was not just the weather but our inability to stick sitters into the net. Although the performances are generally improved, I just can’t get away from feeling that it won’t take much for the team to lapse back into lethargic ways, maybe caused by too much Xmas pudd or the thought of greener pastures in the transfer window. Again I can’t get over the impression of our players looking fragile and liable to crack at any reasonable pressure put on them. Regardless of improvement, drastic re-organisation of the way the club is operated is desperately needed. The whole system of recruitment, management (including manager) needs changing. The level of ambition at the club needs to be significantly higher with tolerance for poor performance based on winning football matches, no more, no less. Currently our team is just bumping weakly along the bottom of the Premier League and being outperformed by the like of Watford and Bournemouth. When you measure our performances against those clubs, you get the drift of how far Newcastle United have fallen.
Jib
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:42 PM
Comment #21To think the “experts” on here were having a right go at Charnley for not buying Andre Ayew (you know who you were ).
He’s total crap and has just been subbed after offering SFA all game , he makes Cissé look like Ronaldo !!
lesh
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:42 PM
Comment #22Sorry Jesper, we’re great but not really great.
It’ll take a little while for you to get used to that view but you’re tough and can face facts!
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:46 PM
Comment #23lesh…I’ll try and get use to the idea 😉
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:47 PM
Comment #24Jeff…for you!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qng-7EB6nSU
Jib
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:51 PM
Comment #25Thankyou thankyou Slaven Bilic one of the best bus parkers in the EPL !!!
We’re still out of the broon stuff
Jail for Ashley
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:51 PM
Comment #26jibberish,
What expert views have you ever expressed to be an authority on other peoples expertise, your posts are now known for their complete inaccuracies as you have been well and truly found out as being full of shyte !
jimmysmith
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:52 PM
Comment #27Dummet isn’t going to be playing left back long term, but neither is Mbabu, so I suppose you can see why McC would pick the more experienced of the two, and also Dummet doesn’t get roasted or drop his head, but he still isn’t much kop. De Jong similarly adds a bit of required character, although you suspect he has more football to offer too given time. To be honest the side has no more than three or four fully mature and complete players of a genuinely high quality, and a similar sized group who look capable of joining them, and others who look capable but not integral, but you can see how the squad could be developed into something very good given the spend that is being mooted.
Hail Wor Ashley
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:54 PM
Comment #28Robertson – IN!
Glik – IN!
Shelvey – IN!
JFA – OOT!
magpie6699
Dec 20, 2015 at 5:55 PM
Comment #29Swansea -West Ham 0-0. At least we’re not in the bottom 3 ar Xmas.
croftus5678
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:00 PM
Comment #30i dont agree with poor old dummett getting so much stick !
we all know he’s only avg and will never be top prem player but tbf he’s more suited to cb than he is lb as he just does not have the pace or ability to go forward imo.
he does a half decent job at covering lb imo but thats all he should be.
based only on yesterday we gifted villa a point with both not closing down for the goal (as usual) and not finishing our easy chances and that goes for wijnaldum/mitrovic/perez/siem and sissoko who all should have scored.
AncientC
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:06 PM
Comment #31Bafetimbi Gomis has been caught offside more times this season than Everton, Manchester City, Leicester, Watford, West Brom and Aston Villa.
I didn’t see the game today, but from what I have seen of Gomis recently, we saved ourselves a fortune in wages on a complete donkey.
croftus5678
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:06 PM
Comment #32imo we should be trying to sign.
jethro willems
jonjo shelvey
joel matip
thomas ince
charlie austin
ship out;
ober
goofy
williamson
bigi
vukic
fergie
sammy
saylor
tiote
marv
river
good
and we should have a decent team.
Belfast
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:17 PM
Comment #33If we’re really looking to bolt the cart to the horse we should just sign Andy Carroll.
Kill all the birds with one stone.
Cart horse already bolted.
I’ll get my coat.
Belfast
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:19 PM
Comment #34That joke went down well on Ruddys blog Skunki.
Tougher crowd on here.
Hail Wor Ashley
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:22 PM
Comment #35Ruddy still running with his blog? What a cnut he was.
Belfast
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:27 PM
Comment #36Haha aye updates it every six months a think. They all laugh at my jokes though.
Belfast
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:32 PM
Comment #37Well I say “they all” but there’s nobody there to be honest.
Belfast
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:37 PM
Comment #38Heard laughing in the distance one time but I think it was my own laugh echoing.
Belfast
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:41 PM
Comment #39Could probably break the comments record here
Belfast
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:45 PM
Comment #40Well at least we aren’t in the bottom three at Christmas.
Fancy a win against Everton for some reason. Then another winless period.