Tiresias

Just to be daft, this game might be one to give Mehdi Abeid a shot, since he seems to be impressing the reserves, and we need to at some point. How about Krul Santon Saylor Colo Raylor Abeid Tiote HBA Cabaye Guti Ba Think it'll end up too defensive actually but didn't Cabaye play there for his last club? Would like Abeid get some gametime if he is being lined up to replace Tiote when he's off at the ACN

Quieter and the stats bare that up, he didn't pass as successfully, and was sad he didn't manage to test Friedel from range. Not a bad game by any stretch though, tiote just seemed to step up this game, happy enough with him.

tbh with the players we have the difference between 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-1-1 is pretty academic, it's basically where you choose to draw the wingers in the diagram. I think since we seem to be using wingers who cut inside I prefer to describe it as 4-2-3-1, demonstrates the slight reduction in width, whereas 4-4-1-1 seems to imply wide men. Marveaux maybe can do both. Either description makes sense really.

Stoke, and the game will be completely shit, and afterwards I will conclude I'd rather lose than win games like Stoke

Just fiddling with guardian's chalkboards, he was fantastic, made 6 tackles, no unsuccessful tackles (much better than Parker despite everyone saying how great he is at 'mopping up). He made a lot more passes than Cabaye today as well, though as usual Cabaye's passing was more forward and towards important areas. We had much better passing stats (though Parker did have good stats for this too, but Modric less so, cos he was on wing for loads of it I suspect). Cabaye and Tiote midfield is just so :fwap:

He's probably going to need a lot of rolling of eyes more than anything.

Reading that throughball and coming out to clear it in time sometime in second half was spot on. Another solid game, Spurs didn't make him do enough to really impress of course, which is how one wants it.

Would like to see Krul Santon Saylor Colo Raylor Tiote Cabaye Marveaux HBA Guti Ba Seems the squad we've been building towards, and had enough time now. Best didn't put in his best shift last game, so willing to drop him for HBA.

Think Obertan gets some unfair stick, he's alright, and one day he'll race clear and get a goal, or race clear and be hacked down for a red. Would still think he'd actually work better as an impact sub, coming on against tired legs is a good idea, though then for that I'd prefer Sammy ahead of him anyway...

Their defence is a mess, and starting to think that only Shawcross is a worse defender than Gary Caldwell in the league... That said we will probably be all cocky and overconfident and we'll concede 3 flukey goals

Should be comfortable win.

Think he was desperate to get a goal or such, he needed to lay off the all more, needs more time on pitch but slightly less annoyed by his lack of starting now. Marveaux needs to start instead of Obertan though ASAP.

Man Tiote was a rock today, and his shot wasn't far off. Can people stop saying our midfield only looks good against bad teams already. Most midfields are going to succumb to the Beauty and the Beast (should totally be on the back of their shirts)

Gutirerrez MotM for me. New contract seems to have given him superpowers Colo solid. Ben Arfa wasn't great to be honest obviously needs time, needs to be more willing to pass it, made some good runs then rather than laying it off ran into a defender, but he'll get there. Draw against totenham is great, better is coming from behind twice, pity Colo didn't follow it up but he's not a striker for a reason, oh well. I'll take a point from this very happily.

crap

Gah.

we've settled thankfully

we're getting pushed ba\ck then hoofing it up, not happy.

That's what I'm afraid of, Tiote and Cabaye are well able to boss around lesser midfields, but this is a class above, and we could struggle. Tiote could well spend a lot of the game trying to keep ontop of VdV and Cabaye will be trying to hold up Parker and Modric, we could be pushed back.

gah but expected

Honestly first game I wouldn't despair over us losing, so looking forward to it fretting less over needing the points, as long as we perform well I'll be happy. We're going to have a hard month of games versus good teams though, now is when team spirit is tested.

if true what a twat, FA should come down like a ton of bricks, and hell I'd hope if true club itself wouldn't be happy with him. On the game, Man U showed liverpool way too much respect for some reason with a defensive formation that invited Liverpool onto them, Liverpool look, as they have this season, alright but lacking in guile, Suarez their only real creative player.

Optimistic: 2-2 draw Realistic: 1-2 loss Pessimistic: 0-19 loss, shola comes on and proceeds to accidently injure Hatem Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Tiote and Colo, and Pardew transforms into Steve Bruce

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/oct/15/steven-taylor-newcastle-united-premier-league

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/oct/15/steven-taylor-newcastle-united-premier-league :lol: