The Toon Army Thread

[scon]

I've often reflected upon my selection of teams to support as no doubt you have too NUFC Tiger,their lack of success and whether my life would necessarily have more joyful moments if I supported Man U/Barcelona/Geelong/Hawthorn etc.Merely idle pondering 'cos I'm never going to change either and the teams chose me as much as I chose them due to history and circumstance.At least my Rugby union affiliations provide a little more achievement in my success starved sporting world as I support the Canterbury Crusaders and the All Blacks.
Sir Alex has certainly been very direct in his comments about Scumberland/Mark Bosnich and very complimentary in his comments about the mighty Toon Army,but it's not exactly news.
Missed the game and the replay but it must have been a gargantuan effort to keep them at bay for an hour with a man short.Dummett showed brilliant anticipation,timing,technique,precision and confidence to slot that goal like Alan bloody Shearer!
On the EPL highlights package one of the commentators was saying that Newcastle(Kinnear)had mucked up by neglecting to put a 'right to renew/make loan deal permanent' clause in Loic Remy's contract and so any club can make an offer;doesn't sound too clever.Anyway things continue to be more upbeat than I had anticipated for this stage of the season and it has me looking forward to the weekend.
Thanks again for all the updates.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

I've often reflected upon my selection of teams to support as no doubt you have too NUFC Tiger,their lack of success and whether my life would necessarily have more joyful moments if I supported Man U/Barcelona/Geelong/Hawthorn etc.Merely idle pondering 'cos I'm never going to change either and the teams chose me as much as I chose them due to history and circumstance.At least my Rugby union affiliations provide a little more achievement in my success starved sporting world as I support the Canterbury Crusaders and the All Blacks.
Sir Alex has certainly been very direct in his comments about Scumberland/Mark Bosnich and very complimentary in his comments about the mighty Toon Army,but it's not exactly news.
Missed the game and the replay but it must have been a gargantuan effort to keep them at bay for an hour with a man short.Dummett showed brilliant anticipation,timing,technique,precision and confidence to slot that goal like Alan bloody Shearer!
On the EPL highlights package one of the commentators was saying that Newcastle(Kinnear)had mucked up by neglecting to put a 'right to renew/make loan deal permanent' clause in Loic Remy's contract and so any club can make an offer;doesn't sound too clever.Anyway things continue to be more upbeat than I had anticipated for this stage of the season and it has me looking forward to the weekend.
Thanks again for all the updates.

Yep, I often wonder 'what if' too mate - imagine what our history would be like if we had of won the league back in 95/96 or 96/97 or the FA Cup (going out in the semi's in 99/00 and 04/05). Snag a bit of silverware there and our fortunes may have been vastly different. Regardless, we wouldn't have it any other way - that ultimate success, if it ever comes, will be all the sweeter and more enjoyable after waiting so long.

All good on the updates my friend, always my pleasure to share the joy and news of our beloved Toon Army!

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Big game tonight! Pardew said we will be playing 3 attackers so looks like goals, drama and cards set to flying about.

Howay the lads!

 

[scyth]

well that was painful to watch.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

well that was painful to watch.

Regretting staying up for that - 4 hours sleep isn't the ideal way to start a Monday morning!

Oh well, truth be told, I'm not hugely down by this (compared to last year's 3-0 at home). We will play them again later in the season so hopefully we can help send them on their way down to the championship!

Some positives to take out of the game - Debuchy's first goal for the club (starting to come into some good form now) and the fact Scumberland had to actually give away free tickets just to sell out the game - NUFC, still the biggest club in the NE!

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Looks like the off field troubles are still here to stay. Club banning 3 local papers for their coverage of the march/protest by fans prior to the Liverpool game.

Cashley really needs to go - if only a billionaire would save us

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/hideous-arrogant-public-reaction-online-6246248

Some interesting comments from fans on the Chronicle website (one of the banned papers).

 

[NUFC Tiger]

League cup game tomorrow morning vs Man City. Tough game to say the least but a win would certainly take the sting out of a poor derby showing.

City are likely to rotate their squad and probably will be more focused on other competitions (League, Champions league etc) so may not try as hard. A win puts us in the final 8 and makes us a chance to possible secure a long overdue trophy!

Think Pardew will try and play a strong team though with a short turnaround against Chelsea coming up and the derby being only a few days old, he may need to rotate the team as well.

I think we will see Elliot, Anita, Dummett, Yanga Mbiwa, Haidara, both Ameobi's, Marveaux, Obertan and Cisse all feature, maybe like the below?

(4-4-2)
Elliott
Dummett Yanga S. Taylor Haidara
Marveaux Anita Sissoko Sammy Ameobi
Cisse Shola

Subs would include Obertan and probably a few senior guys like Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Colo (if fit), Remy, Tiote etc.

Would love to see the boys give it a crack but City's second string would still give our best 11 a real test.

Hopefully Joe Hart plays!

Howay the Lads!

 

[moomba]

Talk you'll put out a weakened team now. So should we but it will still be pretty strong.

Hart wont play, hopefully Pantilimon will match the clean sheet Hart got against you in August.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Brave and a spirited effort from the guys, played well for most of the match but obviously lost out to a team with a bit more quality with the score finishing 0-2 to City.

A shame that Haidara got injured on his return to the team, hopefully he can come back soon. We had our chances but couldn't put them away sadly.

Oh well, another cup run is done for the season. The dream of silverware will continue to linger

 

[NUFC Tiger]

http://m.heraldsun.com.au/sport/foo...newcastle-united/story-fni2wcjl-1226750709345

A nice (and surprisingly good) article from the Herald Sun today about young Curtis Good, the Aussie CB on the books at Newcastle.

Had a lot more knowledge/references than I would normally give the Herald Sun credit for (such as our heavy French connection and how some of Good's teammates were French internationals who helped dismantle the socceroos recently).

Would be great to see him get on the bench for the Chelsea game with no Steven Taylor or Colo available. Haidara is also injured as is Ryan Taylor so we are very light at the back. Could see us going Debuchy, Yanga, Williamson, Santon with Good (CB) and Dummett (LB) on the bench.

Ultimately, I think it would be better for Good, us (Newcastle) and us again (socceroos) if he went out on loan to a championship team and played regularly. He wants to make the WC squad so he needs to get minutes to get into the frame. Hopefully Ange gives him a look in for the Costa Rica friendly

 

[scon]

Must admit I've been having a bit of trouble reconciling my love for the club with my disgust with the owner and dismay with the management.Thought the Sunderland game was really disappointing;lacked energy,invention and application;horrible signs in a team when players fail to play for each other.Found it quite dispiriting and just thought that the performance reflected the state of play in the club overall:Cashley and Kinnear are muppets of the highest order and the coach is not able to get the players' heads above it all.Even Ben Arfa played like a bloody 12yr old and should have been off the field in the first half.
Anyway that's out of my system and the Man City game must have been a vast improvement although I didn't see it.To match it for 90 mins with the most physically powerful challenge in the EPL says a lot about the guts that is in the squad(unless MC were woeful).Tonight we've got what is probably the most individually skilled squad with a world class "Special One" at the helm.So the challenges are coming thick and fast and the team will only be in the game if they bring their best which is what I'm hoping for.Will be huge achievement and will lift everyone if we can get a result against the yupsters.

 

[moomba]

Thanks

Must admit I've been having a bit of trouble reconciling my love for the club with my disgust with the owner and dismay with the management.Thought the Sunderland game was really disappointing;lacked energy,invention and application;horrible signs in a team when players fail to play for each other.Found it quite dispiriting and just thought that the performance reflected the state of play in the club overall:Cashley and Kinnear are muppets of the highest order and the coach is not able to get the players' heads above it all.Even Ben Arfa played like a bloody 12yr old and should have been off the field in the first half.
Anyway that's out of my system and the Man City game must have been a vast improvement although I didn't see it.To match it for 90 mins with the most physically powerful challenge in the EPL says a lot about the guts that is in the squad(unless MC were woeful).Tonight we've got what is probably the most individually skilled squad with a world class "Special One" at the helm.So the challenges are coming thick and fast and the team will only be in the game if they bring their best which is what I'm hoping for.Will be huge achievement and will lift everyone if we can get a result against the yupsters.

Sorry, we were woeful.

Newcastle had a very good first half but pretty poor as well after that.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Must admit I've been having a bit of trouble reconciling my love for the club with my disgust with the owner and dismay with the management.Thought the Sunderland game was really disappointing;lacked energy,invention and application;horrible signs in a team when players fail to play for each other.Found it quite dispiriting and just thought that the performance reflected the state of play in the club overall:Cashley and Kinnear are muppets of the highest order and the coach is not able to get the players' heads above it all.Even Ben Arfa played like a bloody 12yr old and should have been off the field in the first half.
Anyway that's out of my system and the Man City game must have been a vast improvement although I didn't see it.To match it for 90 mins with the most physically powerful challenge in the EPL says a lot about the guts that is in the squad(unless MC were woeful).Tonight we've got what is probably the most individually skilled squad with a world class "Special One" at the helm.So the challenges are coming thick and fast and the team will only be in the game if they bring their best which is what I'm hoping for.Will be huge achievement and will lift everyone if we can get a result against the yupsters.

This so much

Morale throughout the fanbase seems pretty low, a lot of it due to the off field stuff with Cashley and his bizarre running of the club. I think that could be one of the reasons I didn't hurt as much after the derby loss to scumberland. The tailend of last season, the offseason and our start to the season have - basically the last 6 odd months has been a really trying time to support the club. The whole thing is just a mess. Cashley is happy to pocket the cash (even happy to sell Rangers FC gear in the official club shop), Pardew is happy with 7 odd years left on his contract and tries to pep talk the fans through the media but a lot of it is just words with not much to show on the park. All of it seems to influence the players as well though I think a lot of them were guilty of not doing enough against the scum (perhaps we need more local players in the side that know the significance of the game?). The Supporters trust have also apparently been banned by the club from attending forums. You really couldn't make up how much of a PR disaster we are!

Hopefully we can get something from the Chelsea game tonight but I think a loss could be on the cards (though we tend to find something when no one gives us a chance).

Another Sissoko double would do nicely

Let's not be all doom and gloom though, this is Newcastle United and we are used to the constant ups and downs! Here's a pretty uplifting quote from the immortal Sir Bobby Robson that the Chronicle put on the front page earlier today:

"What is a club in any case?
Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it.
It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes.
It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city.
It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love."

Howay the lads! Keep the faith!

 

[scon]

No worries NUFC Tiger.I was in Portugal in 2004 when I wandered down some cobbled street and saw a newspaper headline that Newcastle had sacked The Bob.I was shaking my head for months.
Beat Chelsea tonight and we've begun the climb back to Bobby credibility.If not we'll have to begin again tomorrow,but I've got a weirdo feeling we'll do good against the odds and stronger squad tonight.All things crossable crossed.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

No worries NUFC Tiger.I was in Portugal in 2004 when I wandered down some cobbled street and saw a newspaper headline that Newcastle had sacked The Bob.I was shaking my head for months.
Beat Chelsea tonight and we've begun the climb back to Bobby credibility.If not we'll have to begin again tomorrow,but I've got a weirdo feeling we'll do good against the odds and stronger squad tonight.All things crossable crossed.

Agree@scon -the same game last season was probably our result for the season -another 3-2 win would be an excellent uplift for the fans and players!

0-0 at HT, good so far. Playing well so far, defence holding firm and Tiote controlling the midfield. Need to do something with Shola and Remy though, maybe drop one back into the midfield.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

What a win! 2-0, really brings a bit of joy and happiness back. Being a NUFC fan, there is always a lot of frustration and pain but rare games like this make it worthwhile!

Krul awesome in goal, Debuchy, Yanga, Williamson, Anita, Cabaye, Tiote, Remy and everyone put in a great effort.

Bring on Spurs!

 

[scon]

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!
MY FRIDGE IS YELLING AT ME "OUI,OUI YOU,THERE'S 60 MORE PINTS OF NEWCIE IN HERE TO DRINK."
I'm going to sit in my house and power-guzzle through the replay immediately.The bloody club has got schizophrenia they were champions in the second 45 tonight.In fact I think I'll go straight to the single malt!What a bloody club!!!

 

[scon]

Is it because Pardew has his tongue up Ashley's arse that stops him from saying I'm going to build my midfield around Anita?

 

[Thistle]

Not sure how but every season it seems you pull out a belter of a performance against us. Becoming an annoying trend especially considering you dished out a pretty rubbish effort against your main rivals last week! Anyway you deserved the 3 points and always thought Remy was a gun, great steal for you guys.

 

[moomba]

Ha ha, theres a story in the Mirror from Birmingham sources that Joe Kinnear enquired about buying Shane Ferguson earlier in the year.

You may think "hang on, we already have someone called Shane Ferguson who is currently on loan at Birmingham".

Joe Kinnear, evidently did not.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Is it because Pardew has his tongue up Ashley's arse that stops him from saying I'm going to build my midfield around Anita?

Agree on Anita - was stiff to lose his place earlier in the season.

He was very good when he came on (not that Tiote had played poorly either).

I wouldn't mind Cabaye, Tiote and Anita all playing together against Spurs.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Not sure how but every season it seems you pull out a belter of a performance against us. Becoming an annoying trend especially considering you dished out a pretty rubbish effort against your main rivals last week! Anyway you deserved the 3 points and always thought Remy was a gun, great steal for you guys.

Haha don't worry Thistle, this was about as good as we've played all season - we've been very inconsistent and seem to get up for the big clubs like Chelsea and Liverpool (city the exception to the rule) and struggle against teams we should be beating (Hull and West Ham at home and the loss in the derby last week).

I think this might have been Pardew's first win over Mourinho too. I thought Willian and Eto'd were very good when they came on.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Ha ha, theres a story in the Mirror from Birmingham sources that Joe Kinnear enquired about buying Shane Ferguson earlier in the year.

You may think "hang on, we already have someone called Shane Ferguson who is currently on loan at Birmingham".

Joe Kinnear, evidently did not.

I'm actually a bit surprised how long this one took to hit the main stream media - the rumours of this are a few weeks old now - saw a few rumours on social media sites.

While I can't stand the clown and know he's horribly out of his depth as DoF, he did get us Remy which is looking like a nice pick up

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Interesting stat mentioned earlier in the week, since we regained promotion to the EPL, we've kept 31 clean sheets. Of those 31, 21 of them have included Williamson in the back 4.

He's a limited player and isn't blessed with the passing/ball playing ability of Colocinni or the physical speed and strength of Yanga Mbiwa but he does the job with no frills.

Given you never hear him kicking up a fuss about being on the bench or getting into trouble off field, he's a great squad player and professional to have. Also brings a bit of height down back which is always good against set pieces.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

1-0 win over Spurs. Great team effort again and Timmy Krul, 12-15 saves, a lot of them of very high quality. Lad played the game of his life.

Wins over chelsea and spurs and now home games vs norwich and west brom, lets keep this run going!!!

Howay the lads!!