Match Preview/Stats/Thread: Newcastle Utd v Chelsea
By Tyne-Talk December 1 2011
Newcastle United host Chelsea this weekend in a battle of Premier League places. A win for Villas-Boas’ side will see them go above Alan Pardew’s high flying team. The game which was brought forward to a 12.45pm kick off to accommodate Sky Sports should be an emotional affair after the passing of Gary Speed last weekend and a minute’s applause will be held before the match.
Newcastle go into the game on the back of three wins, two defeats and then a draw against Manchester United last weekend from their last six games in all competitions. Chelsea travel on the back of a defeat to Liverpool in the Carling Cup with two wins, one draw and three defeats from their last six games in all competitions.
Cheik Tiote misses his fifth consecutive game with a knee injury, as does Sylvain Marveaux (groin) who will be out until next year.
Leon Best (groin) returns to the side having recovered from injury, whilst Jonas Gutierrez is suspended after seeing Red at the weekend.
For Chelsea, John Terry is unlikely to have his mind on the game if he features, after having the case of alleged racial abuse handed over to the Crown Prosecution Service for review.
Michael Essien (knee) and Josh McEachran (ankle) are the only injuries within the Chelsea squad, so manager Andre Villas-Boas has plenty of choice to choose from.
Fact: Newcastle have lost just once in their last 16 league games and are unbeaten in 10 Premier League games at home.
Fact: No club has scored more goals than Chelsea in the 1st half of a game in the Premier League this season.
Fact: A win for Newcastle could see them go third. A defeat could potentially see them drop to 7th depending on other results.
Newcastle United FC
Chelsea FC
13
Played
13
26
Points
25
7
Won
8
5
Drawn
1
1
Lost
4
19
Goals Scored
28
12
Goals Conceded
17
Match Preview/Stats/Thread: Newcastle Utd v Chelsea
Posted by: TyneTalk (IP Logged)
Date: 01/12/2011 21:26
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Ref having a torrid game, or indeed wearing a blue shirt. If Taylor takes down Sturridge like that he'd be off and no question. Terrible defending for their goal though. We've had plenty of possession and can get something out of this. C'mon, lads!!!
Well AP will need to the on the fact that the entire shape ofthe game was determined by a poor decision from the ref. sometimes that happens, like last week for us.
Gonna be on pins & needles over Saylor and Colo. Disaster if even one is out for long.
Just finished watching the game (couldn't get up at 0530). Yeah, Chelsea should've been done to ten early, but @#$%& happens. Chelsea out classed our side. Gutherie was slow, out of position, and gave up possession; Raylor was horrible-why keep pushing forward when you are are getting skinned. Ben Arfa? Just not good enough this day. And it goes on.
Maybe we won't sell Tiote now seeing as we've showed we need the guy in the middle. We aren't deep enough to maintain top 4 without Tiote, Colo, Jonas, Taylor.
Deep breathe time. We were going to lose at some point. Shake it off and hope the injured make it back. Oh, and that the Board gets us players in to bolster the side.
Right, the ref was shocking! But, the linesman was worse, he just didn't appear to be watching the match and didn't appear to have any confidence.
The amount of decisions which went Chelseas way today!
Overall we played well, but as soon as they got their 2nd I knew they would get a 3rd. The result did not reflect the game.
Obertan - yes very very frustrating to watch. I have always defended him but today it was difficult, then he swapped sides and then swapped back again - very odd.
He was too selfish with the ball and on several occasions he was waving for it and was bypassed.
We we unlucky not to score today and if we had it would have changed the game, as ours boys heads noticably dropped in the 2nd half.
Totally gutted as coming into the game I thought we were going to get something, and had Sideshow Bob been sent off, it would have changed the game, and couldn't understand the referee for not giving him the red, if he didn't feel it was a foul then fair enough but to give the freekick then it had to be red.
Times in the game we were totally out classed, but we had enough chances to get goals, so I look on the positive side, that we have had the 3 big teams out the way off the bounce, as well as Spurs and Arsenal, so we can now hopefully go on a run
We need a bit more cover as depending on how Colo and Saylor are then we could be screw@ed, as I did Panic when Perch came on, and Colo would have put a lot more pressure on Drogba, and probably would have stopped the chance. Obertan was awful today, and I thought he was lucky not to be subbed, as I thought Lovernkrands did ok, taking everything into consideration, I few players were well under par today with Raylor being one of them.
Hopefully for some of them it was just a bad day in the office, and we can bounce back
Colorado-absolutely right about Tiote. Guthrie is not a bad backup but we need wor Cheick. I'm hoping AP decided to take his time bringing him back, not expecting much from these games in any case...
Considering perch's reputation I thought he had a decent game once he came on . apart from letting drogba have a free header for the 1st goal he made some good important tackles which was a suprise as I admit i did groan and roll my eyes when I seen him come off the bench
I think the biggest reason for today's defeat was down to pardew , I think starting in a 4-3-3 was a big mistake the team just didn't seam right and left raylor exposed which sturridge took advantage of in the second half once we had changed back to a 4-4-2 with ameobi up front it seamed to keep sturridge quiet and we looked more of a threat going forward (if only obertan could control a ball or cross ) but it just didn't seem to be our day an just kept hitting the woodwork
Pardew has more than earned the right to make a few mistakes tactically this season though as I don't believe anyone expected to be where we are
Can anyone please tell me why Ben Arfa was replaced at half time? I agree with bringing shola on but Hatem is the best player in our team. Could not believe it. Am I the only one who thinks this?
I'm with Annie. Loven was running his ass off and to be fair, HBA still looks unfit. I was calling for Shola or Best for Hatem at half. The only problem with us playing 4-3-3 is that Simpson and Raylor appeared to be completely unaware of that fact.
To be honest Tom I didnt think we played 433. I was at the match and just thought Loven replaced jonas on the left. He stuck to his job at first but did drift in a little before running out of steam. I would have been much happier to have had Sammy on from the start.
I just dont think Pardew would have changed formation after playing all season 442 or 4411.
I thought Ben Arfa was poor and wasnt surprised he was brought off. Thought Shola really changed things for us and the ball stuck up front well.
Ben Arfa might be our biggest talent but he has a long way to getting back to his best. I just hope he sticks at it as if his head goes down or he starts to throw his toys out of the pram he could be shown the door. We have played a lot this season with 2 strikers and if we bring in another in January it could be the way we go. We are more about hard graft than flair and in a lot of games Im not sure we can carry someone who can go missing.
I didn't think Ben Arfa was great, but he certainly was better than Obertan, and I thought Lovernkrands was doing better than either. I thought we were going to go for a 4-4-2 from the start, and I was suprised that Gosling didn't come on, which meant we could have pushed Guthrie to the right wing for Obertan.
I suppose the game plan changes with the Colo injury as I doubt that the defence would have been changed
Yeah i agree Hatem wasn't playing well but it only takes one moment and he can change a game. I would much prefer to have him on the field than not. Even if he is playing wide right instead of Obertan. I think if we have a player of Hatems ability than we have to utilise that. It frustrates because now I bet you he doesn't start against norwich and they are the kind of team you want him to play against.
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