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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2013 12:12:33 GMT 1
Newcastle head off to South Wales this Wednesday to face an injury hit Swansea side and looking to make it five wins on the bounce. Recent seasons have seen the lads win, lose and draw down there so on that basis almost anything could happen. It should be interesting to see whether APee once again starts with the same team or shuffles the pack. Personally I would keep it as it is and simply apply the principle if it ain't broke don't fix it. With any side confidence is a key aspect and in that regard The Toon must be brimming with it and certainly you would hope no matter who is picked to play they will give everything to gain another win. The work rate of Gouffran and Sissoko is certainly not in doubt and with both on the score sheet at the weekend I will be hoping for a repeat performance come Wednesday evening. Perhaps surprisingly I'm also hoping for something similar from two players that many supporters still believe are simply not good enough, namely Stroller and Williamson, however they are currently confounding the critics. I also like the way The Toon press the ball and hunt down the opposition when not in possession. It was a feature during our fifth place season and appears to have returned to good affect in this campaign. Mr T is far more potent when doing the simple stuff, win and give it, rather than when he tries to play fifty yard cross field balls or dribble past three opponents. Meantime it also appears that Cabaye can now do what he does best which is simply run the show from midfield. With the added freedom to go wherever he wants to dictate the play. While up front alongside Stroller, Loic Remy is just a dream to watch, with his intelligent movement and clinical finishing when given the opportunity to score. All in all the players are making it happen in a positive way. Swansea are going through a bit of an injury crisis at the moment with Bony being the latest player to be ruled out. That said there is a possibility Michu could be back after having missed the last five games. Either way The Swans do try and play football on the ground with a tidy passing game rather than just hoof it about and hope something happens. In some ways that may well suit this current Newcastle side all the more. Looking forward to watching an entertaining game and should The Toon get off to a good start expect to gain at least a point if not all three. What do you think? Lights Oot!  |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2013 12:17:43 GMT 1
More food for thought regarding The Toon's visit to Swansea from those nice people at Opta... Swansea City have won just one of their last 11 league matches at the Liberty Stadium (W1 D5 L5). Newcastle have alternated between wins and defeats in their last seven league away games (W4 D3). Going further back, Newcastle United have won just five of their last 26 (W5 D7 L14) away from home in the Premier League. Three of the four goals scored in the league meetings between these sides last season were netted in the 85th minute or later. Loic Remy has scored eight goals in his last nine Premier League appearances and also assisted a goal in the weekend victory over West Brom. Of the 10 players to have scored more than five PL goals this season, only Aaron Ramsey (33.3%) and Romelu Lukaku (36.4%) have a better shot conversion rate than Remy (29.6%). Yoann Gouffran has scored in three of his last four Premier League appearances, while he assisted a goal in the other appearance during this run. Only Fulham and Crystal Palace (both four) have picked up fewer home points than Swansea (6) this season. 18 of Newcastle's 19 Premier League goals this season have been scored by Frenchmen. Newcastle can match Arsenal's 2013-14 record of five consecutive PL wins if they take all three points in Swansea. Lights Oot!  |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2013 21:53:09 GMT 1
According to BBC sport Manager Michael Laudrup says forward Michu is not fit for Wednesday's Premier League clash with Newcastle at the Liberty Stadium. The Spaniard has not played since he suffered an ankle injury in the 1-0 defeat by Cardiff in the South Wales derby in November. However goalkeeper Michel Vorm could return from a knee problem to face Alan Pardew's side on Wednesday. "Michu is better...but it's difficult to predict," said Laudrup. "Michu has been out for four weeks now...we will see what happens. He is confident that he is towards the end [of the injury]. "He is training inside and we will go out and do something with the physios in the next couple of days and we will see at the end of the week how he is." Michu was expected to be sidelined for a month but Laudrup claimed there was a chance the Spain international could be back for the Newcastle game. Vorm missed Sunday's 3-0 defeat at Manchester City with a knee injury and Laudrup will make a late decision on the Netherlands keeper as well as midfielder Leon Britton, who has been troubled by a toe injury. Swansea will be without a host of injured players for the Premier League clash with Newcastle. Wilfried Bony (hamstring) and Angel Rangel (calf) are sidelined with injuries suffered against Valencia, while Garry Monk (knee) is also missing. Bony's injury is not as bad as first feared and he will only be out for 10 days despite limping off with a hamstring injury during Swansea's 1-0 defeat to Valencia in the Europa League. Laudrup had feared Swansea's record signing would be out for "several weeks" but following a scan the Ivory Coast international was diagnosed with a Grade One hamstring strain which has a recovery period of around 10 days. The Swans will be without defender Rangel for between two and three weeks after the Spaniard suffered a Grade Two calf strain during the same match. "Bony's injury is less than we first feared," said Laudrup. "But we will take it step by step and we cannot say exactly when he will be back. Angel is not so bad, but it's at least a couple of weeks." Lights Oot! |
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Post by Captain Marvel on Dec 4, 2013 0:23:12 GMT 1
Newcastle head off to South Wales this Wednesday to face an injury hit Swansea side and looking to make it five wins on the bounce. Recent seasons have seen the lads win, lose and draw down there so on that basis almost anything could happen. It should be interesting to see whether APee once again starts with the same team or shuffles the pack. Personally I would keep it as it is and simply apply the principle if it ain't broke don't fix it. With any side confidence is a key aspect and in that regard The Toon must be brimming with it and certainly you would hope no matter who is picked to play they will give everything to gain another win. The work rate of Gouffran and Sissoko is certainly not in doubt and with both on the score sheet at the weekend I will be hoping for a repeat performance come Wednesday evening. Perhaps surprisingly I'm also hoping for something similar from two players that many supporters still believe are simply not good enough, namely Stroller and Williamson, however they are currently confounding the critics. I also like the way The Toon press the ball and hunt down the opposition when not in possession. It was a feature during our fifth place season and appears to have returned to good affect in this campaign. Mr T is far more potent when doing the simple stuff, win and give it, rather than when he tries to play fifty yard cross field balls or dribble past three opponents. Meantime it also appears that Cabaye can now do what he does best which is simply run the show from midfield. With the added freedom to go wherever he wants to dictate the play. While up front alongside Stroller, Loic Remy is just a dream to watch, with his intelligent movement and clinical finishing when given the opportunity to score. All in all the players are making it happen in a positive way. Swansea are going through a bit of an injury crisis at the moment with Bony being the latest player to be ruled out. That said there is a possibility Michu could be back after having missed the last five games. Either way The Swans do try and play football on the ground with a tidy passing game rather than just hoof it about and hope something happens. In some ways that may well suit this current Newcastle side all the more. Looking forward to watching an entertaining game and should The Toon get off to a good start expect to gain at least a point if not all three. What do you think? Lights Oot! I think the longer this team are together on the pitch the stronger it will get. The fact is the side is packed with international players mostly French but France are a really good side all in all things are going in the right direction fingers crossed it stays that way. By the way WL slap on the back for you for your write ups are as good as ever. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2013 14:44:45 GMT 1
By the way WL slap on the back for you for your write ups are as good as ever..............I think that even though Lites Oot carries the forum singlehandedly , that his messages lack their old bite and punch.........this is of course understandable bearing in mind that he is growing older and more mature(a track I took a long time ago).
I mean they are good , but I wouldn't want to share a hotel room with mirrors on the ceiling with him...........Is this what you are saying Capn?
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Post by Blue Star Broon on Dec 4, 2013 18:45:55 GMT 1
Nice thread WL, lots to chew on. Expect the same side as WBA but if we take the lead hope he don't wait until 88th minute to sub. We got Manure in just a few days and complements to the work rate the players are showing but would love to see Benny get some playing time after his stint on the bench. Wor Canny is really enjoying Jonus's absents from the bench.............has really brought the smite oot in him!
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Post by Blue Star Broon on Dec 4, 2013 20:23:18 GMT 1
Just saw on FB Benny gone AWOL and Cisse's dropped from bench? Anybody confirm? Pardew's Good Ship Lollypop is listing......oh dear!
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Post by Blue Star Broon on Dec 4, 2013 21:41:48 GMT 1
down 1-0 at the half..............oh dear
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Post by Blue Star Broon on Dec 4, 2013 23:13:57 GMT 1
when Pardew's answer to going behind is "the bewildered lightbulb" you know we're DOOMED FFS 
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2013 1:30:24 GMT 1
This was enough to send me for a smite!
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Post by LeazesEnder47 on Dec 5, 2013 5:08:16 GMT 1
Just saw on FB Benny gone AWOL and Cisse's dropped from bench? Anybody confirm? Pardew's Good Ship Lollypop is listing......oh dear! p NUFC.com reporting that HBA is reported to be "sick" and Cisse has a heel injury Broon!!!!!! Apparently, ref Howard Webb had a nightmare......... Turned down 3 legitimate penalty appeals and didn't send off Shelvey late on..........Tosser!! World Cup all over again.......FFS!!!! First Toon game he's reffed this season and hopefully his last!! Ah well, the defeat was gonna come sooner or later, makes Saturday's task that bit harder now. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2013 13:00:24 GMT 1
Had Remy scored from that header in the first half the outcome may have been different, although being honest The Toon didn't do enough for me to deserve much out of the game. Scoreline probably flattered Swansea at the end and as you say Leaze's some poor officiating from Webb didn't help much either. Certainly two decent penalty shouts plus the head in the face of Debuchy from Shelvey kind of summed up the night and made it one to forget. Here's another one Webb failed to make a decision over...  Lights Oot! |
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Post by Blue Star Broon on Dec 5, 2013 17:27:36 GMT 1
Nicked this from Marc Duffy who Bloggs fer the Toon
Webb
The Newcastle Evening Chronicle produced some stats on Wednesday afternoon showing the referees who have penalised Newcastle the most since the start of the 2011-12 season.
Regular Newcastle viewers won't be surprised to hear that Webb was top of the pile from 15 referees in giving Newcastle players yellow cards. And he also second in awarding free kicks against Newcastle.
His showing Wednesday did nothing to quiet the conspiracy theorists when he failed to award Newcastle an obvious penalty for a handball from a goal-bound Remy shot, and then missed Shelvey throwing a head-butt at Debuchy minutes before he went on to score his second goal. They were two decisions you'd expect a World Cup final referee to get right.
There was a second appeal for a penalty from Newcastle seconds before Swansea doubled their lead when Yoan Gouffran tumbled in the box under a challenge from Ashley Williams, but that one was less contentious.
Newcastle will feel hard done by. If the penalty had been awarded, it was a whole different ballgame, and Swansea should have played the closing stages of the game with 10 men.
One final thought: I found it ironic that Newcastle were beaten so comprehensively by a team that displayed more energy despite their participation in the Europa League. Pardew kept telling Newcastle supporters that's why their team were so poor so often last season!
Liked the last bit about Pardew's Europa League excuse last year. However had the Fatman bolstered the squad prior to the season maybe things would have been brighter. Wondering how much Swansea added to their squad in anticipation of Europa League competition?
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Post by Captain Marvel on Dec 5, 2013 21:08:51 GMT 1
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