Obertan fit, Tiote doubtful and Pardew cautious

Posted on November 25th, 2011 | 48 Comments |

Gabriel Obertan back in contention for a Newcastle United place.
Back in contention
Newcastle United injury round-up and manager’s opinions ahead of Saturday’s visit to Old Trafford.

There’s good news for Alan Pardew as the word on the street is that Gabriel Obertan will be fit for Saturday’s game, although it remains to be seen whether or not he gets a start. Less encouraging news is that Tiote is still ‘doubtful’ with his knee ligament problem, although as far as I understand he hasn’t been ruled out yet.

Leon Best is likely to be back in contention for his usual place up front alongside Demba Ba too but I wonder how Pardew will set things up. Hatem Ben Arfa showed signs of some of the skills we bought him for when he played against Manchester City, but is it enough for Pardew to start him even with Best fit?

Anyway, Pardew fears a backlash from Man United’s midweek draw and said:

“I know he will be smarting from Wednesday’s draw, so unfortunately, we are on the back of a negative from Manchester United’s point of view, so it will be a tough game for us.“

He went on to say:

“If you are going to Old Trafford against the quality of player and the atmosphere that’s created, of course you are going to find it very, very difficult. The odds are that you are not going to get many victories, and 1972 suggests that maybe we are due one.

“You need a bit of luck, sometimes the ball to roll your way or fortune to favour you. But you have got to force that. We have got to force them into a situation where they might make a mistake, or we have a forward running beyond and a player commits himself and they are down to 10 men.

“It’s crucial when that chance comes along that we take it, because we aren’t going to get many chances there.”

Manchester United are certainly fallible this season but it’s still tough for any team to come away from Old Trafford with points (unless that team happens to be Manchester City!) and I think Pardew’s assessment is a fair one.

I don’t think last week’s defeat puts us under any additional pressure and I doubt dropping points at Old Trafford will either. Few teams get points at either City or United. Nevertheless, I’d like to think we’re capable of giving them a good game and – as Pardew says – if things run our way we might be able to grab a point.

I’d be disappointed, though, if we don’t pick up points at home to a woefully out of form Chelsea the week after. In fact I think we should be annoyed if we don’t get 3 points from that.

HWTL

NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10). Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.

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48 Responses

  2. na sir jase, i am there with you on that one, i feel a draw at least. i think manure and chelski are very doo-able this season, esp chelski.

  3. I fancy us to do Chelsea at home they are under immense pressure and I think if we play like we did against City we can get a win Craig.
    Don’t think we have any fear of teams like we used to.

  5. Best chance in years, though could do with Tiote. HBA has to play against their defence, Best has improved but would be easier to defend against than HBA.

  6. Im starting to get a bit concerned about tiote’s injury…. Im starting to think that the board are starting to protect him by no tplaying him as they no the big club sharks are closing in and may try to start a bidding war for him..

    I hope I am wrong but it seems a little strange that AP is always up front with his injury updates but Nothing or very little is being said about Mr T’s

    Going onto the man u game i think we stand a really good chance if we can keep there wingers quite, they will no doubt target RT so fingers crossed he can step up tio the challange and prove a point to all those who doubt him

  7. I agree Foxy I reckon Tiote is as good as gone especially if the £20m plus rumours are anything to go by.
    Collo will be sold on and I think Krul will also be on other clubs radar with a possible summer exit.
    I heard somewhere that Marveux is out until April? I did say he was an accident waiting to happen when we got him in,Santon seems scared of the premiership and I can’t see him settling in anytime soon and Simpson will be sold on with contractual breakdown being used as crow bar as usual.
    At a glance including wages saved and money from past transfers like AC and reduced wage bill be should have a war chest of about £2million if MA can find his cheque book.

  10. Any one see any similarities to tiote and Carroll last year? Both were injured in November and Carroll was wrapped up in cotton wool until sold. It wouldn’t surprise me if tiote didn’t play another game for Newcastle.

  11. I think we will see another influx of players from overseas again either cheap,free or whatever Supermac….seems to be a pattern emerging though each window profit is made and wages cut.
    Mick I am a realist and also understand that NUFC is run to max profits,build up talent to sell on.
    It isn’t a case of me being happy or unhappy,just making some points which is what the blog is designed for.
    I don’t think I am alone in my opinions….but even if I was I would still voice them.

  12. sirjasontoon says:

    “I don’t think I am alone in my opinions….but even if I was I would still voice them.”

    YOU ARE NOT ALONE SJT :)

    Interesting point made by Foxy and Stephen. I recall the Carroll saga went as far as flying to Finland/Denmark ??? allegedly seeing a specialist whereas some bod on some blog had seen AC in a bar in Newcastle on the night he was allegedly supposed to have been in Scandinavia :)

  13. sirjasontoon – fair enough & a valid opinion – but are you saying there is a policy of everyone is for sale at the right price? With not even a core of players to build a team around? With a rump of contracted players who nobody wants – even on frees?
    If so then to some degree every club in the PL & other Leagues in Br or abroad are in the same boat
    – just look at Arsenal – what club can keep any player who decides (or is enticed) to move on
    – manure & Rooney? look what happened last season when they had to stuff him with mega-money to stay.
    So what are we? An extreme case? – not realy.
    An average case case? – probably.
    So what exactly are we complaining about?

  14. Andy Mac says:

    November 25, 2011 at 1:16 pm

    “YOU ARE NOT ALONE SJT”

    Aye, I was wondering when “gloom” was gannin’ to be joined by “doom”. :-)

  15. Cheers Andy….I don’t purposely focus on the negatives but I just feel that under the current regime nothing can be taken at face value and if anyone believes everything that comes from The board and Pardew’s mouths then that is entirely upto them.
    I aint really a betting man but if money is to be made on players then I would bet my bottom dollar that they will be sold irrespective of the consequences to the team.

  16. workyticket says:

    “Aye, I was wondering when “gloom” was gannin’ to be joined by “doom”. :-)”

    Pot, Kettle M8t :)

  17. Supermac says:

    November 25, 2011 at 1:27 pm

    ” – just look at Arsenal – what club can keep any player who decides (or is enticed) to move on
    – manure & Rooney? look what happened last season when they had to stuff him with mega-money to stay.”

    Aye Supermac, Arsenal can’t offer their players as much as Barcelona or Real Madrid, but we can’t offer our players as much as teams like QPR.

  18. Supermac says:

    “sirjasontoon – fair enough & a valid opinion – but are you saying there is a policy of everyone is for sale at the right price?”

    I think you’ll find Super that Delbias has stated that somewhere in his dim past ? I’ll try and dig out quotes.

  19. I think that at a certain price, players should be for sale. Tiote has been excellent for us, but is he worth 20 million? I don’t think so. If someone is willing to swoop in and throw mega money for him, then fair enough, take the cash and go. People keep harping on about Carroll, but look how he’s settled in at Liverpool. Would you rather have him up front right now, or Ba?

    Also, what is your basis for Santon being afraid of the Premiership? He’s barely played because Raylor has been in form (apart from against Citeh). The kid is the Italian U21 captain, I think he’ll probably be able to handle himself once given the chance.

  20. sirjasontoon says:

    November 25, 2011 at 9:50 am

    “Got this down as 1-0 Toon on the predictor….we live in hope…. ”

    I’ve just been looking at the prediction league SJT. It looks like a big fightback is required against the mighty Geordie Magpie as we approach the climax.

  21. My first reaction to SJT’s sentiments was to agree with him but then I started thinking of recent sales 2009/10/11. Really we haven’t sold anyone really vital to the overall team performance other than perhaps Enrique. Carroll went for silly money and I think most teams would have done likewise, Bassong (wanted to) went for a good fee away from a relegated club. Nolan wasn’t a big loss IMO, Barton had issues with the management. Sorry to disagree with general sentiment but I can’t see why we are perceived as a selling club on the basis of the sales done by the management.

    Furthermore our buys have actually enhanced the team despite some recent injuries.

    I am open to further sensible enlightenment and reasoned argument. Subject to the proviso that the doom and gloom scenario doesn’t actually happen. :)

  22. So why not all of us accept (and stop wasteing time & effort complaining about)that in principle any player at any club (no matter how popular or their length of contract) is available at the right price!
    Carroll at £35m – sell him
    Tiote at £20 – sell him
    Cabaye – ? Krull – ? Andy Cole – ?
    The skill is knowing when to sell & how much for.
    Clough & Taylor, Shanks & Paisley, and Fergie usually got it right – they sold established players and replaced them with a mixture of top class & unknowns (eg Keegan an unknown fron Scunthorpe for £30,000).
    Is this not what we are doing?
    But what gets me is then why offload youngsters like LauLau for peanuts?

  23. So why not all of us accept (and stop wasteing time & effort complaining about)that in principle any player at any club (no matter how popular or their length of contract) is available at the right price!
    Carroll at £35m – sell him
    Tiote at £20 – sell him
    Cabaye – ? Krull – ? Andy Cole – ?
    The skill is knowing when to sell & how much for.
    Clough & Taylor, Shanks & Paisley, and Fergie usually got it right – they sold established players and replaced them with a mixture of top class & unknowns (eg Keegan an unknown fron Sc*nthorpe for £30,000).
    Is this not what we are doing?
    But what gets me is then why offload youngsters like LauLau for peanuts?

    *this posting was bounced cos of our old friends sc*nthorpe

  24. Supermac says:

    November 25, 2011 at 3:26 pm

    “*this posting was bounced cos of our old friends sc*nthorpe”

    There’s even an entry in the Wikipedia about the problem Supermac. It also mentions PENIStone in South Yorkshire, LighTWATer in Surrey and CLITheroe in Lancashire. It doesn’t mention anything about TWATt in the Orkneys though.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scunthorpe_problem

  26. Supermac says:

    November 25, 2011 at 4:06 pm

    “thanks worky – I should have remembered the problems with the cup match!”

    Hugh’s the best PHP geek on here. He could probably write a better rude words filter which dealt with substrings in a less clumsy way.

  27. Whats the odds on a 4-4-2 against Man. U.?

    Does Obertan remind you of the Mekon ?

    Will he stay or will he go (Simpson) ?

    Anyone remember Harper, who sat on the bench for ten years, waiting for a starting role ?

    Will he stay or will he go (Tiote) ?

    Having paid around five big ones for Santon, how come he gets no playing time ?

    Will he stay……(Colocinni)?

    Should Pardew have threatened Simpson in the media, or should contractual talks take place in private?

    Who can we expect to join the club during this coming window ?

    Who will go ?

    Can we expect a revolving door situation with players, in the future, or are we in the process of building a competitive side ?

    How far will Ashley splurge, on new faces, TEN-FIFTEEN or TWENTY million ?

    Or does he only look at the clubs bottom line (Ashley)

    Who’s logo do you want Virgin or Nike, homophobes are excused from answering this question, for obvious reasons.

    Can we expect to see the Newcastle United black and white vertical stripes worn any time soon ?

    So where will we finish ?
    Top six
    ” Eight
    ” Ten
    other ?

    To-morrows side
    __________KRUL__________
    ____TAYLOR_____COLO_____
    SIMPSON___________SANTON
    _____CABAYE__GUTHRIE____
    OBERTAN____________JONAS
    ________BEN ARFA________
    ___________BA___________
    SAMMY
    RAYLOR
    ABEID
    GOSLING
    GOALIE

  28. “Who’s logo do you want Virgin or Nike, homophobes are excused from answering this question, for obvious reasons”

    Yeah just call me homophobic cos it shouldnt even be a question ? I note the Fatmans ability to turn fans against one another with monotonous regularity and I’m saddened to think that after a couple of weeks even the diehards have accepted this shlte without question !

    St James’ Park. End of.

  29. BTW anyone who claims that Tiote for £20m is good business needs their head seen to. In August 2005 a Chelski side, desperate for a Makelele replacement, shelled out £24m for Michael Essien.

  32. Hugh
    No! Absolutely not.

    Workey
    Actually, was refering to the possibility of having a big red Virgin written on the front of the new strips, not exactly what the Geordie faithful would be eager to be seen wearing doon the Big Market, (of a Saday neet) or the Quayside i would imagine.

    Andy mac
    Perish the thought mate.
    I was stricktly refering to the logo as the one affixed to the vertical black and white stripes.

  37. Hugh
    We may have a problem with our Hermaphrodite folks, who knows with them uns, they could swing either way ?

  38. On the issue i might add,
    Dont want it said, I’m not down with Ites and phobes, even phones of every stripe.
    As long as they are Black and White and vertical.

  43. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    November 25, 2011 at 10:52 pm

    “Hello was invented by Edison to use when testing the early telephones, apparently.”

    It wasn’t “invented” by Edison Clint, it goes back further than the invention of the telephone, though Edison did suggest it as the usual telephone greeting and that was the one which caught on.

    Personally I prefer Alexander Graham Bell’s propsed greeting, “Ahoy hoy,” as used by Ned Flanders in “The Simpsons”.

    Graham-Bell didn’t really invent the telephone either, that’s another myth. He nicked it off an Italian gadgie called Antonio Meucci.

  46. someone just phoned me to say that chelski have offered £20m for Antonio Meucci – so Tioti should be safe!

  47. Clint – na, Keith Richards invented the ringtone, at least the one on mine = riff from All Over Now
    To have a bell as a ringtone is not very imaginative is it, they mustn’t have been very inventive in those days.