De Jong just making absolutely sure he maims Ben ArfaVenue: City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester. Date: Sat 19th November, 2011. Kick-off: 3.00pm. Referee: Chris Foy (Linesmen: D Bryan & D.C.Richards).
Don’t forget that as usual, we will also be doing our usual “what the managers have been saying” review in the run up to the game, and also our regular “match banter” feature where you can make comments, share good streams for the game etc while the match is in progress. This should be going up around and hour before the kick off. Also as usual, we shall also be posting our report of the game some time after.
Well, it’s all gone quite swimmingly for Newcastle United so far, even against contenders such as Arsenal and Tottenham where we departed with honourable draws. However, the next three games (Man City, Man United and Chelsea) could well be reality check time, starting with this one away against table-topping, moneybags Manchester City.
...and yet we still lack depth.Interesting scenes today as Newcastle United fans chanted “If Sammy scores, we’re on the pitch”… and then Sammy Ameobi decided it would be a great idea to score.
Needless to say, on fled hundreds of Toon fans, some of which travelling all the way from Newcastle upon Tyne, forcing the referee to actually postpone the game. During the madness, a steward was hit in the face by a Darlington supporter, which I’m sure we can all agree is simply out of order.
Newcastle United were at the Northern Echo Arena for the second time in as many pre-seasons to open up their pre-season campaign. Fraser Forster began between the sticks with Hatem Ben Arfa making his first appearance since his horror tackle by Nigel De Jong. Joey Barton scored after just 3 minutes and at some point afterwards (relying on Twitter for information here!) Sammy Ameobi dared the Newcastle fans with his goal. (more…)
Barton: Victimised by Refs?Newcastle United striker, Peter Lovenkrands, has come out in defence of teammate, Joey Barton. Speaking in an interview, the Danish international said of the midfielder’s treatment at the hands of the men in black:
“Joey gets decisions given him against just because it’s Joey Barton that’s involved.
“There’s no doubt that officials look more towards Joey than they do to anybody else on the pitch. If anything controversial happens, it’s his fault. It’s a shame for Joey because he’s a good player, but he’s always having to deal with other issues.
“The treatment he’s getting is not fair, and I feel sorry for him. He’s dealing with it though and he deserves a lot of credit for that.”
Lovenkrands went on to cite a specific example in Newcastle United’s last game. against Aston Villa, where he felt that a free kick which eventually led to the only goal of the game and defeat for the Magpies.
“The free-kick that Aston Villa scored from at the weekend was only awarded because it was Joey, it happens to him all the time. (more…)
Hughton: Ref rage.Usually mild mannered manager, Chris Hughton, was in danger of exploding on the touchline today, as the incompetant performance of referee, Stevie Wonder James Linnington, reached it’s nadir around the 70 minute mark of the FA Cup travesty againt West Bromwhich Albion. Seconds after refusing Ameobi a penalty at one end, he then awarded a penalty AGAINST the Magpies, along with a harsh red card for scouse right back, Ryan Taylor, sending an already livid Hughton into paroxysms of rage.
In a post match interview, Hughton fumed:
“It is normal at the end of the game when you think that decisions have gone wrongly against you that some sort of anger and frustrations come out.
“The first goal, I can’t for the life of me see how a linesman can rule that over the line from where he was.
“I thought that the first penalty we conceeded was a soft one, and if the referee is going to give a soft penalty like that he has to give the two penalties that were agaist Ryan Taylor and Shola Ameobi.(more…)
Nolan has stolen the three points!For such a relatively average game, this one managed to have a little bit of everything. And yet for the majority of it, Newcastle fans were once again left wondering whether this was going to be another long, hard season. With inept displays from Harewood, Carroll and in particular Gutierrez in the first half and everybody else just apparently and not for the first time, stuck in second gear, it looked like it might actually be a long, hard afternoon.
Once more Chris Hughton ignored what seemed to be the obvious opportunity to play Ranger but was forced into changes as Kadar came in for the injured Simpson. Nicky Butt also returned to first team action for the suspended Smith. Otherwise, we looked the same as we did against Scunthorpe, yes before someone says it, not great!!
I don’t get Gutierrez, I really don’t. For the umpteenth time I watched a game where he over-elaborated and held possession when the easiest thing and right thing to do, was to pass it. Instead he held onto the ball for far too long, got tangled up in a challenge and either lost the ball or threw himself on the floor in a heap. Anyway, Doncaster came here seemingly with every intention to try and play but with ex-Toon player, James Coppinger in the side, they never really looked like threatening. And then on 18 minutes they scored……..when a flick from James O’Connor to Sharp led to a low right-wing cross that seemed to take a deflection that picked out Dean Shiels who had the easiest of jobs to tuck it away. However, that goal was self-inflicted as Kadar had given the ball away cheaply and the defending was half-hearted. (more…)
