Newcastle United vs Arsenal match banter and preview!

Posted on May 19th, 2013 | 124 Comments |

Newcastle United v Arsenal match preview.
A tough climax to a tough season.
Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle.
Date: Sun 19th May, 2013.
Kick off: 4.00pm.
Referee: Howard Webb (Sheffield).
UK TV: Sky Sports 1.

Hello, good afternoon and welcome to our final match banter of the season!

Of course, this game sees us facing Arsenal at St James’ Park. Thankfully, it will not be a do or die game for Premier League survival against very stiff opposition thanks to our previous 1-2 victory against the not quite so stiff Queens Park Rangers – That would have been just too much to bear. Even so, the fact that we have been teetering on the abyss so close to the end of the season is indicative of what a disappointing season we’ve had.

Before I carry on though, just a quick note to let you know that I will actually be at the game this time. Hence, I might not be posting the team sheets, links to watch the game online etc as I usually do. I will try, though if some of you regulars could help out by posting the teams, that would be most appreciated! Alternatively, they can be found on the club’s official website

Previous form.

As you can see in the table below, though our recent form looks much better than it did a while ago, with the Magpies gleaning 8 points from their last six games, it still pales in comparison to that of the Gunners, who have been making a late surge in their attempt to oust fierce rivals Tottenham from the Champions League places. Things are by no means settled for them, with only a point between the two North London sides and Tottenham facing Blunderland in their final game, this will be a big game for the vistors, just as Tottenham’s will be for them. It’s just as well there’s nothing potentially catasclysmic resting on this game for us, as it’s gannin’ to be a tough one!

Team Results Pts
Newcastle United W | D | L | D | L | W 8
Arsenal W | W | D | W | D | W 14

Finally for this part, our two most recent home games against Arsenal have been at the extremes, the last one being a 0-0 bore draw, with the one before that of course being the stunning 4-4 draw between the sides which saw us recover from a 0-4 deficit to eventually even things up at the death as the Gunners went and shot themselves in the foot. Tiote’s final goal is something that will live on in NUFC folklore for quite some time.

Team news.

Newcastle United.

Getting the long term crocks (Ryan Taylor and Haris Vuckic with their cruciate injuries) out of the way first, Tim Krul will also remain out with his shoulder. Fellow goalkeeper Rob Elliot also out due to suspension from his sending off against QPR in our last game. This provides a perfect opportunity to say a fond farewell to Steve Harper, who will get his last competitive game for the Magpies after 20 years of dedicated service.

Arsenal.

Long term casualty Abou Diaby will continue to be out with his knee. Also, Mikel Arteta is a doubt with his calf and will undergo a late fitness test.

What the managers have been saying…

Arsene Wenger.

As I mentioned above, a place in next years Champions League is still being fought for by the two big North London clubs, and speaking on the game’s importance for our opponents, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had this to say:

“Sometimes you think it would be nice to have a game with no pressure, but when you have one you think, ‘let’s get it back, it’s so boring’.”What would be terrible would be to go to Newcastle and have nothing at stake for us.

“We have what we wanted, so let’s just finish the job.”

He also said:

“I had the feeling that it could go to the last day. We are in a position nobody expected us to be in. We have our destiny in our hands, our fate in our hands and that’s what you fight for in th game. It’s a game that we now want to win but at least we fought back to be in a position where we are masters of our own fate.”

Alan Pardew.

Alan Pardew continued to bash away at his latest campaign that Newcastle United could, at least in theory, finish tenth if the Magpies beat Arsenal and everyone below Swansea in ninth loses. He also had some kind words for the abovementioned Steve Harper on what will be his last competitive game for the club. He had no similar words for Danny Simpson however, who could also be playing his last game after almost four years at St James’ Park. It is only fitting that I should pay tribute to both players and their contributions to the club down the years, though I feel that a mere mention here is not enough. So, I will have a bash at something a little more extensive in a later blog or blogs.

Anyway, getting back to Pardew for now, if you are wondering why I haven’t included any quotes from his interview, you can see what he had to say in the run up to the game in the Press Association video below.

NUFC Blog on “Bergkampesque.”

And finally, just a quick mention that not for the first time, yours truly has contributed a little “view from the other side” type thing to popular Arsenal blog, “Bergkampesque” along with Kev from the home of the exclaimation mark, Newcastle United Mad!!!!! which you can see if you follow the link below:

Berkampesque match preview for Newcastle United v Arsenal.

Howay the Lads!

Team sheets.

Newcastle United (4-3-3): Steve Harper; Mathieu Debuchy, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa; Yohan Cabaye, Cheick Tiote, Jonas Gutierrez; Hatem Ben Arfa, Papiss Cisse, Yoan Gouffran.

Substitutes: Jak Alnwick, Danny Simpson, James Perch, Vurnon Anita, Sylvain Marveaux, Gabriel Obertan, Adam Campbell.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Wojciech Szczesny; Bacary Sagna, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Kieran Gibbs; Mikel Arteta, Aaron Ramsey; Tomas Rosicky, Santi Cazorla, Theo Walcott; Lukas Podolski.

Substitutes: Lukasz Fabianski, Nacho Monreal, Thomas Vermaelen, Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gervinho, Olivier Giroud.

Poll

NUFCBlog Author: workyticket workyticket has written 1095 articles on this blog.

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124 Responses

  1. Unfortunately I will miss the game, but lying in bed this morning, I was thinking the most likely way we will score is through a wonder goal from Ben Arfa or a lucky one, like we had at QPR. The much more likely scenario is Arsenal will win, at least 2-0. We just don’t have a good strike force.

  2. Hoping for a nice end to the season but I doubt Pardew will let that happen.

  3. Shame if this is Danny Simpsons last game for us, he’ll probably go on to play for England now. Along with a few other “rejects”

  4. Marveaux for Jonas and we would create something today. It won’t stay as a 4-3-3, it’ll be more of a 4-4-2.

  5. Nice to see Harper given the armband. Shame it’s his last appearance. Doubt Simpson will feature.

  6. Guti must be sucking Pardew off or something. Unless Pardew seems something about Guti that we dont. I still rate him as a player, but not a starter when we have Anita or marv who are better and should start over him.

    Got a good feeling about today for some reason. 2-1 to us.

  7. Hoping for an epic display from Harps but unfortunately he’s probably going to spend all afternoon picking the ball out of the net.

  8. M’Biwa is a good left back. I hope we keep playing him there and not as a centre back

  9. It is a pattern. We did OK 1st half. I am shocked Anita is coming on. I thought it would be Shola time.

  10. nowhere near enough men forward it’s always 2 vs 5 f*cking awful management

  11. Here in the USA, Steve Mcmanaman is saying Cisse gets isolated up front. You don’t say!!! Ben Arfa looks like he may break one though.

    I want Pardew sacked so this being a nothing game, I think I want us to lose for probably the first time ever.

  12. I dunno who’s groaning but they obviously haven’t noticed our corners for the last two years.

  13. Looks like we’re gonna drop a fair few places, even Norwich are winning at the Etihad.

  14. SJT I’m inside Pardew’s mind. Obertan and Jonas will rape the flanks next year.

  15. So void of idea’s, we don’t cross or play through people. The only half chances come from goal kicks down the middle.

  16. Had enough of this shite now. This man has to go, he is clueless in all aspects. See you in 6 years.

  17. Thank heavens for small mercies. We haven’t played absolutely shite and got tw@tted again.

  18. Best move we’ve done all season. A Colo header to Taylor, pass back from Taylor to Harper and Harper rolling it out back to Colo :)

  19. I bet loads stay for the lap of honour. That’ll secure Pards another 18 years.

  20. Haha Sky Sports trying to make it dramatic. We haven’t even got the ball in the box for twenty minutes.

  21. Has any team in the history of the f@cking world ever, ever, ever gone through a whole season without scoring from a corner? I mean, until us?

    Sack Carver and Stone. That is not acceptable.

  22. Arsenal couldn’t have wished for a more comfortable game seriously. Utter shite.

  23. My god we are shite. I think we get 16th? Piss poor. We need a striker and a manager at the bare minimum.

  24. Bets on who is leaving then? Because I cannot see them staying to play foe that twack again.

    Thank god this season is over, I cannot stomach this anymore.

  25. Hopefully be a thread up tomorrow “Pardew Sacked”.
    We live in hope.

  26. Not a chance SJT sorry mate. Expect the same next season until at least November then people will wake up and Big Ron will save the day.

  27. Fortress Newcastle last three games lost 3 goals for 0 goal against 10 and we were lucky to get 0 and we will still keep our useless manager.

  28. i really hope ashley swallows his pride and sacks pardrew. good bye steve harper, danny simpson and colocini. at least we didn’t get relegated!

  29. Usually I am excited for the brand new season, but this time I am not if Pardew stays. Even if we sign some top names we will still be the same.

  30. That game partially summed up the season but not quite.

    We were boring – again. I can only think of 2 games all year that I actually enjoyed watching – Chelsea and Southampton. This is not entertainment.

    We have been truly awful in most second halves even when we did well in the 1st half. This tells me that Pardew gets outcoached and outthought.

    When we put a move together there is never anybody there to finish it off.

    We conceded 67 goals.

    I was going to put up “1-0 to the Arsenal” before the game but I didn’t want to jinx us.

    Pardew out.

  31. Is there any Newcastle United left?, Or just a pale Mike Ashley United imitation?
    Even the crowd look like they are somehow hand picked, Through having to join the supporters club.
    So it looks like he’s even dictating who gets into the stadium, To an extent.
    A few year ago this would have been unacceptable to Newcastle fans, And Pardew would have been shown the door, Many moons ago.
    The crowd are not even getting on his back, They should have stayed and called for him to be sacked.

    The game was predictable, But Pardew will have his excuses lined up in abundance.
    I think getting beat at home 1-0, Is sometimes worse than a hammering, Because it shows very little industry or nous, To get back into it.

  32. Joe did you go to the game? I’m amazed people stayed and clapped that shite. Maybe the saving grace was people staying to give Haper a send off. No doubt the 37th minute applause Pardew thought was for him.

  33. i heard pardrew’s thinking of replacing colocini for titus bramble next season, if he leaves that is!

  34. Christian
    Petition signed, could do with many more signing!

    We need an Andy Carroll up front, opposition defences are getting an easy ride at set pieces. Didn’t look like we had any real guile in midfield either.

    More of the same next season would be just too depressing.

  35. GOT, as quite a few have said, if we keep Pardew we should get THE Andy Carroll to play up front.

    I never went along with the theory that he was just a bruiser. I think he is a decent player. He might free up some space for Ben Arfa and Cisse.

    I have resigned myself to the fact that we will never play attractive football under Pardew so we might as well try to play winning football.

  36. Not a great game but not that bad, could have gone either way.
    At least we didn’t play hoofball, but a combination of pass and go, plus a few long balls.
    Unfortunately Cisse got little support, often up front alone.
    How do we expect him to score if we dont both supply him and be there to support him ?
    I could see he was pissed by being taken off, for Campbell who looked completely out of his depth, Pardew playing to the (local boy) crowd.
    I also question his taking off Gouffran and why he didn’t start Marveaux, instead of Jonas.
    Nice to see HBA running at the defense, nice to see anyone running at the defense.
    Yanga-M’biwa showed he can bring the ball up field, yet still get back and cover and considering he’s primarily a CD, good to see that kind of adaptability.
    I think we got ourselves a good player here.
    As I have stated, the side lost, but didn’t embarrass themselves and there’s the making of a good side, if only we had a manager and a few changes.
    Watching Tiote to-day, looks like there’s been little improvement in either his distribution or being able to avoid dumbass unnecessary tackles
    I would sell him if anyone is interested and sign young McCarthy from the relegated Wigan, who can do it all.
    Plus we could add someone who can play behind the striker, like Shane Long, (would love his team-mate Lukaku) but no chance, De Jong, or Hoilett could do the job, as could Weimann at Villa.
    Lets see what happens, but Cisse needs help.
    What happened to Douglas, big tough CD, who would make forwards think twice and he can play, hell we could have Yanga-M’biwa relieve either Santon or Douglas.
    As you can see I don’t expect Collo back next season, too bad !

  37. Chuck, you’re more positive than I am!

    We’ve only created one clear cut chance in the last 4 games and that was the off the line effort from Cisse. We scored a penalty and a gift from Green and Boswingwa against QPR, and could still be playing now and have created nothing against Arsenal.

    We won’t sign bugger all really in the summer again, as the mouth piece thinks 80% of the team will do it for us next season.

    This will be another wasted summer, full of garbage soundbites from the manager, resulting in sh*t hitting the fan by Novemeber / December next season. Wonderful.

  38. To be honest, I tend to agree with Chuck on this one. I think we played better than we have for weeks, although that’s not exactly a high standard to exceed.

    Our final cross/ball into the box is still dismal though. We’ve lacked for quality delivery all season in my opinion. I think Cisse has come in for some too harsh criticism at times because he’s often isolated and has had poor service. I think he’s done well to get 13 goals this season given that he played second fiddle to Ba for half of it and lacked for quality service and/or support for the rest of it.

  39. We’re in a terrible state Hugh. It won’t improve either as Pardew never learns from his mistakes and will continue to make them next season. He’s not a young up and coming manager who needs to make a few errors to learn from them, he’s an arrogant 51 year old managerial failure.

    He honestly believes the tosh he comes out with, and voids any blame directed at him onto the players or nonsensical ‘excuses’. If we hadn’t had Demba Ba’s individual brilliance for the first part of the season, we’d be planning a season in the Championship. We’ve created nothing all season, we can’t even get a shot on target from a set-piece.

    As a fan, and a lover of football in general, he’s drained any hope or enjoyment I once had out of me. I dread to think of what his negativity has done to the players, though you can see part of it through our performances and final league position. That is just the tip of the iceberg.

    Once he’s disposed of, there’s still no solace, as the owner and his sidekick will once again mess it up and hire a no nothing for £6.19 per hour. It’s nothing but failure from top to bottom. 3 relegation battles, 1 relegation, a season in the Championship and a 5th placed finish in 6 years under them. These were actual relegation battles too, not just flirting with it, we’d practically got it home naked in bed.

    It’s just a nightmare.

  40. Yeah Jimbob! I kinda thought Ashley would do the right thing, this time, but it aint to be.

    And we do actually have some good young players, I was impressed by the Yanga-M’biwa, as an attacking wing back, who knew ?

    Yet he got back and defended well, so we know he can cover for Santon, or play the CD role.

    That’s three LB’s if you count Haidara.

    Get Douglas in and hang onto Simpson and we have our back line sorted.

    If given some playing time I think Anita will come good, he and Cabaye can cover the DM midfield playmaking role, but I would like to see us bring in McCarthy, who excels in that role.

    With Sissoko alongside working a similar role, both putting his foot in and using his pace to bring the ball forward.

    We can use Tiote to sit in front of the back four when needed.

    Gouffran and Marveaux, can play on either wing, as can HBA, or each can play in the middle.

    HBA can also play behind Cisse, or in a roaming role.
    Midfield and Strikers sorted.

    I’m not sure an out and out striker would be the best type to play with Cisse, it didn’t work with Ba.

    So what about a playmaker come second striker, like De Jong, Long, Weimann, Hoilett, to support him, all hard working guys.

    But if we sign the French guy Aubameyang, O’K !

    And by the way, we should let Williamson. Gosling, and R.Taylor go, plus Amalfitano, and Obertan,plus any other sick note or player designated just not good enough.

    By Christmas we should see how things go and if we are in the lower realms of the division, then spend what’s necessary.

    It’s wouldn’t be a large squad, but a quality group and of course they would or should all get plenty of playing time.
    But at lest we now have only the league to concentrate on.

  41. Jimbob, We’ve had two decent seasons out of six, Since Ashley turned up.
    The rest of the time has been abject misery and struggle!
    The doormat is off again!, Saying his team is is 80% built, And 3 more signings, Will have us, Where we want to be.
    In reality, It’s going to be more of the same, Until Ashley wakes up, And gets rid of this joker, Before he does any more damage.
    By the time that happens, It could well be too late!

  42. Jimbob, I was not there yesterday, And i will not step foot inside St James’ park ever again, Until Ashley leaves!
    I used to have my season ticket next to my cousin, But i gave it up, More or less straight after he rocked up.
    I never bought into his crap, And i was there when the knacker, Was acting the big man, And trying to buy the fans off, With pints.
    Never believed in what he was doing, And never will!

  43. Pardew said: “They’d seen us on the Sunday after Thursday games, and they said there was definitely an energy lacking in the team.

    “The squad wasn’t big enough – but next year it’s about getting the right two or three to take us forward.”

    Yeah that’s why we’ve been even worse since we were knocked out of that cup. He said there were “no more excuses” in January when we had those new players. Is this ‘Europa League’ an illness the players have? Like Glandular fever, because they’ve had it all year. Probably have it again next season too somehow.

    Ugh, just shoot me.

  44. Jimbob, This time last year we were all predicting what would happen to Pardew.
    I remember your words, at the time, “The fifth place, Would be his high water mark”, And we then all agreed he would crumble under the pressure.
    So most of the fans have come across like psychics, Because we all knew, What was going to happen.
    The most damaging thing is though, The so called “Top Brass”, Who supposedly run this club, Didn’t have the foresight to anticipate, The disaster!, Which inevitably, Was going to come, After their summer antics.
    Pardew was happy to go along with them, So more fool him!
    The only saving grace of the dupe, Is he is rewarded for making them their 60 million quid.

  45. Agreed Joe, but I thought with the players available even he would struggle to get the team relegated, and he almost did!

    Sadly the club is run by two people who have no idea about football, and they’ve found the perfect man for them. Imagine what a good manager could do with the type of players Graham Carr scouts. I’m sure many managers would think twice about working under them, but I’m sure a few would and I bet some Premier League and continental managers look at our squad and wonder what they could do with it.

    Nufc.com made a good point in their Arsenal match review that surprised me slightly as they’ve taken a bit longer to accept Pardew is as useful as a chocolate fireguard…

    “Mediocre, listless and unconvincing, yet again. If the manager truly believes that only minor tweaks are required to fashion this side into something worth watching, then he’s in need of urgent psychiatric help.”

    He actually does need psychiatric help, I’m convinced of this.

    “Salvation may lie in the fact that the fourteen Europa League games played this season won’t be a burden in 2013/14, but the domestic cup success of both Swansea and Wigan this season means that a full-blooded assault on both competitions is a pre-requisite.

    “Elsewhere, Kevin Nolan’s hat trick for Sam Allardyce’s West Ham helped them to a tenth place finish, while a 3-2 victory at Manchester City helped Chris Hughton’s Norwich City into eleventh, three points ahead of us.

    “But we’re better than that now. Apparently.”

  46. Jimbob, He is stone mad, Is old Pardew, That there can be no mistaking!
    To think the likes of Hughton, Nolan and others were bounced
    out of the club, To make way for so called new brooms like Pardew, You couldn’t make it up.

  47. Pardew spoke to Arsenal’s backroom team after the game and they felt that it was the Thursday night Europa League games that have killed the Magpies this season.

    Pardew said: “They’d seen us on the Sunday after Thursday games, and they said there was definitely an energy lacking in the team.

    “The squad wasn’t big enough – but next year it’s about getting the right two or three to take us forward.”

    What a TWAT.

  48. Don’t wind me up Jason :-)

    We’ve got all summer to listen to this shite every day. I’m so fooking glad I’m travelling, if I had to read it every day I’d go psycho.

  49. I have virtually ignored him for 2 years…can’t believe some of the plop he comes out with.

    Where you off travelling?

  50. Joe, he really is mate. Jokes aside, he’s barking. He actually believes everything he says and repeats the same ideas, expecting different outcomes. The definition of insanity. He needs sanctioning.

  51. Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Loas and all that, then off to New Zealand on a working visa for a year or so. Probably then Oz again. Last time I was travelling we got relegated and were in the Championship so I’m glad it hasn’t happened again! I’ll miss watching the footy though. I think :)

  52. I bet Swansea do well next season and if they don’t Laudrup won’t piss and moan about the Europa League.

  53. Thailand is quality done BK,Phuket and James Bond Island weather was smashing too.
    If you get the chance head over to Hong Kong JB proper cool place :)

  54. Yeah I nearly chose Hong Kong as my stop over SJT, I might get chance while I’m out that way to do it.

  55. Cool I’ll look into it a bit more. Still don’t have a set plan, just landing in Bangkok and seeing how I feel. Don’t want to be in BK too long though.

  56. I’m not bothered if i get shot down, But who ever stayed behind to applaud that “Tinpot toerag” Pardew, Then you are all a disgrace.
    What the hell is wrong with you people, Have you all had a collective lobotomy?
    Give them the heart make them fight, Do not reward failure, Or you are not going to have a club to support, In the future!

  57. Jimbob, He doesn’t want “Sanctioning”, He needs “Sectioning” lol.
    Like i have said before, Mourinho is “The Special One”, Pardew is “The Special Needs One”!

  58. I know SJT, If I want to see as much as possible, otherwise I’ll never leave :)

  59. I will be, down to Koh Phangan too. Once I figure out my itinerary. Which will probably be when I get off the plane and a Tuk Tuk driver says he can take me there for 500 Baht :)

  60. It wasn’t this bad last year and we did have some decent games. There was writing on the wall which I chose to ignore – Wigan, Spurs, Fulham, Wolves.

    How can’t he see it? How can he say we lacked depth yesterday? Who the f@ck would he have played? We had Perch, Anita and Marveaux on the bench and he bemoans the fact that Shola was injured (I am not a Shola hater, he is just a limited player). What, we didn’t have plan B Shola long ball!!! That hasn’t worked in months – the other managers have figured it out.

    They also know that Cisse is isolated up front.

    It is so frustrating because he is not a fool. He set us up to play well against the Russians, and Man U last year but then he will revert to type and go 9 men behind the ball or play 4 wingers if we fall behind.

    I have watched NUFC a long time and I know these players have talent. They are not Graham Oates, Kenny Wharton or, god forbid Amdy Faye. Pardew should hire some decent coaches and step back.

  61. Do I need a ‘Europa League’ Vaccination befrore travelling South East Asia? Or is that only if you play for NUFC.

  62. I am not sure if we tried to win that game yesterday after we went a goal down. Why take off Gouffran when we needed to score?

    The game had an inevitability about it. I couldn’t see us scoring, even though there was a chance of Ben Arfa brilliance and he tried really hard.

    The team did try hard and made Arsenal look ordinary as well. Is that as much as we can expect?

    Still, it wasn’t the worst way to end the season. That would have been after Liverpool :)

  63. :lol: It’s an airborne virus SJT, spread by verbal BS. Just have to wear earplugs and I’ll be Ok.

  64. <<<<<<< hopes no1 wants to win anything for at least 3 years, cause thats what ganna happen if useless collo decides to stay mark my words

  65. TAE @ 115: now really, that’s just an inane comment. Who are we gonna get to replace him? Mats Hummels? Nah-30 starts a year at CB for Perch…

    Last comment on this match: glad to see the fans give Harper the respectful send off he deserves and which our horrible owners have refused him. Best wishes, Steve! You’re right, this club hasn’t deserved your loyalty but some of us do appreciate it!

  66. @ tunyc
    2 goals a game or there about tells me hes poop, and hes the defence organiser so the buck stops with him and when we all sat here next year wondering why we still potless still condeeding nearly 2 goals a game dint say i did not warn ya

  67. tunyc: we did let in 68 goals this season. I tried to give Pardew the benefit of the doubt, but that is 1.8 goals per game. Something is rotten in the State of Denmark.

    Maybe we can get the Prince of Denmark to replace Pardew?

    I don’t think it was Coloccini’s fault though. Mats Hummels would be good next to Coloccini :)

  68. Oh, and tunyc: can you go round and sort out Chuck for me. You are not all like him from NYC are you?

    Make sure he doesn’t slip and break his hip. We don’t want a lawsuit.

  69. Worky: I can’t stand the Guy. What he writes is always angry and like a drunk old man.

  70. Phisix @ 9.

    Can you really not see what pardew sees in Gutierrez?

    Would you like to keep Gutierrez happy? Or his best mate? Or hope Gutierrez keeps his best mate happy and they BOTH stick around?

    Whose is Gutierrez best mate?

    Do we need his best mate even more than we need marvaux on this pitch?

    I think pards is trying to keep colo happy. Collo had a blinder of a game yesterday and personally has more of a part to play than gutz, and probably marv put together.

    I’d rather have collo on the pitch than marv, so if it means keeping gutz happy the I guess that’s what it takes.

    But I agree I’d rather have marv on the pitch than gutz, but If it meant losing collo I might think twice.

  71. The Geordie Prophet says:
    May 21, 2013 at 2:12 am

    “Phisix @ 9.

    Can you really not see what pardew sees in Gutierrez?”

    His tackling and that sort of thing?

  72. Well, to be fair his work rate, esp last year was immense and Pardew’s patented “headless chicken football” system seems to demand it. We were the hardest working side in the league last year. “Work smarter, not harder” must be an unfamiliar adage with Wor Allan.