A quick turnaround to face The Toffees on Sunday, but to be honest, whilst I fully expect Pardew to bluff on about the mood being good amongst the camp, the same can not be said about the mood amongst our support.
What Pardew, his coaching team and his players are serving up is nothing short of “substandard.” It’s not defeats at Old Trafford per se, which vex so many people, but the manner does and the blame apportioning of that defeat wasn’t valid. The performances vs. Sunderland, Southampton, Hull, Crystal Palace, Stoke and West Ham have ranged from abject, to limp. It’s not good enough, it’s not acceptable. In my opinion, Pardew has no real answers to finding long term, good form.
That on it’s own deserves scrutiny of his position and when you consider our alarming form last year and near relegation the one previous to that, why would anyone conclude that this man is the right man for Newcastle United?
However, as I digested the team news for the Man Utd game, I couldn’t help but think about those not in the team, namely, Cabella, Ferreyra, Riveiere, those on their way out of the exit door like Yanga-Mbiwa and Marveaux and those who’ve been on the periphery of the team for long periods of their United careers, like Anita and Obertan and just wonder whether our manager’s requirements and our chief scout’s recruitment blue print are in any way at all aligned? Simply, they can’t be.
When working to such a limited budget, as we do, how can we afford to make judgements on players who cost £12 million (Cabella), £8m (Mbiwa), £6.5m (Anita & Riviere) and then just decide, they’re not what we’re looking for/need and confine them to the bench? I’m not saying Pardew should pick players because of price, most of these players have looked inadequate for the Premier League, what I’m getting at, is how are they even here, when they don’t seem suitable for us? Why is this happening? But most importantly, how do we put this right?
In the meantime, we’ll probably get another howking off Everton tomorrow, who wont be below us in the table at 6:00 on Sunday night. Fuck their form, it doesn’t matter, they’ll hammer us, in fact they’re probably looking at this game as a perfect opportunity to bank 3 points and add to their 2 wins so far.
Lukaku has 7 goals. Mirallas has 6. Mirallas, Stones, Howard and Jagielka need fitness assessing Besic, Hibbert, Atsu, Gibson and Osman are out. Steven Naismith is suspended.
Team News
There has been some promising news on the recoveries of Jonas Gutierrez and Davide Santon, whilst Tim Krul is rumoured to be ahead of schedule on his recovery. Siem De Jong is back training but none are in a position to feature here.
The issue with Papiss Cisse’s knee seems no nearer finding a solution, whilst every setback Rolando Aarons has, hints at something more deep rooted with the lad’s ability to recover from hamstring injuries, at such an early age, this is worrying. Abeid is expected to recover from injury, just in time to jet off for Algeria’s African Cup of nations campaign. Canny eh?
In the meanwhile, team selections will continue to baffle. Cheick Tiote returns from suspension.
Injured
Ryan Taylor – Knee – No return date
Siem De Jong – Groin – No return date
Gabriel Obertan – Groin – No return date
Curtis Good – Hip – No return date
Davide Santon – Knee – Leicester (a) 3rd January
Jonas Gutierrez – Leicester (a) 3rd January
Tim Krul – Ankle – Chelsea (a) 10th January
Rob Elliot – Ankle – Chelsea (a) 10th January
Mehdi Abeid – Toe – Chelsea (a) 10th January
Rolando Aarons – Hamstring – Southampton (h) 17th January
Possible Team (4-2–2)
1.Jak Alnwick: 2. Daryl Janmaat, 5. Steven Taylor, 6. Fabricio Coloccini (Capt), 3. Paul Dummett: 4. Cheick Tiote 8. Jack Colback: 7. Yoan Gouffran: 10. Moussa Sissoko, 11. Sammy Ameobi, 9. Ayoze Perez:
Subs
Freddy Woodman, Massadio Haidara, Mike Williamson, Vurnon Anita, Remy Cabella, Papiss Cisse, Emmanuel Riviere
Referee: Craig Pawson
History vs Everton at SJP
1984/85: Lost 2-3. United made a flying start to life in Division One but, the wheels had come off following tough trips to Arsenal and Liverpool. Everton would romp the league, Pedro and Waddle caused the Blues a few headaches. But Everton pinched it and ran out winners after twice coming from behind. Attendance, 29,452
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Part 2
1985/86: Drew 2-2. United would be inconsistent without Waddle, but Beardsley and the emerging Gazza were our stars and both scored in this one, but Trevor Steven and Graeme Sharp earned the visitors a draw. Attendance, 28,031
1986/87: Lost 0-4 Christmas ruined with a Boxing Day hiding and Trevor Steven, now proving some sort of jinx. Attendance, 35,079
1987/88: Drew 1-1 Things weren’t exactly going as planned, with poor league form…. The Boy from Brazil was brought in to lift the gloom…. It worked… all beit for only one season. Mira banging in our equaliser! Attendance, 20,266
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Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
1988/89: Having been creamed at Goodison Park in the opening game, our season never really recovered, there was however, a tidy win over the Blues. Mirandinha and Liam O’Brien on the mark. Attendance, 21,012.
1993/94 Won 1-0 Our first win in the Premier League, courtesy of Malcolm Allen’s cracker. Attendance, 34,833
1994/95 Won 2-0 We’d sink the Toffees at SJP thanks to Ruel Fox and Peter Beardsley, but they’d knock us out of the FA cup at the Quarter Final stage at their place. Attendance, 34,465
1995/96 Won 1-0 A Les Ferdinand winner got us back on track after a little bit of a blip. If only we’d won the league this season!!! Attendance, 36,557
1996/97 Won 4-1 We’d fall behind to an early Gary Speed but we’d recover with a late flurry of goals. Les Ferdinand, Robert Lee, an Alan Shearer penalty and a Robbie Elliott goal did the trick. Attendance, 36,143
1997/98 Won 1-0 Rob Lee’s late winner a week after we’d put Barcelona to the sword in the Champion’s League. Attendance, 36,705
1998/99 Lost 1-3 A day to forget. Shay Given let in some of the softest goals you’ll ever see whilst Alan Shearer misseda penalty which would have levelled us up at 1-1. As it was 2 for Kevinj Campbell, 1 for Scott Gemmill meant Shearer’s consolation penalty mattered not. Attendance, 36.775
1999/00 Drew 1-1 We were making good progress in the UEFA cup under Bobby Robson, but our league form was in a stage of recovery. Another Shearer penalty cancelled out Kevin Campbell’s opener. Attendance, 36,164
2000/01 Lost 0-1 The irritant, Kevin Campbell with another goal at SJP. Attendance, 51,625
2001/02 Won 6-2 Fun in the Sun as we blasted Everton on Good Friday. Drunken Ferguson’s celebration of an early goal for the visitors left a sour taste, but it didn’t last, Shearer, Cort, O’Brien, Solano x 2 and Bernard dusted the fuckes. Attendance, 51,921
2002/03 Won 2-1 The day Alan Shearer hit that meteorite into the Gallowgate net….. and Craig Bellamy poked in a winner. Guess who scored for them! Attendance, 51,607
2003/04 Won 4-2 It was up and into the top 4 after this win, sadly, we’d fall just short in the end and Didier Drogba’s Marsielle would end our UEFA cup campaign at the semi final stage. 2 more for Shearer plus goals for Bellamy and Dyer. Attendance, 52,155
2004/05: Drew 1-1. Bellamy for us, Lee Carsley for them. The season would end with 2 cup heartbreaks in 4 days. Attendance, 51,247
2005/06 Won 2-0 Nobby Solano bagged 2 and Roeder would eventually guide to us to the promised land of the Intertoto Cup. Attendance, 51,916
2006/07 Drew 1-1 This one ended up 10 a side after Bramble and Hibbert were sent off. Shola Ameobi had put us in front but Tim Cahill would equalised. Attendance, 51,107
2007/08 Won 3-2 A good win for Fat Sam’s side. Nicky Butt, Emre and Michael Owen for us, with Andy Johnson and an OG for them. Attendance, 50,152
2008/09 Drew 0-0 Nolan dismissed, block this season from your mind!! Attendance, 47,683
2010/11 Lost 1-2 1-0 up through Leon Best, Everton hit back with goals from Osman and Jagielka. Attendance, 50,128
2011/12 Won 2-1 Ryan Taylor scored a cracker and Heitinga scored an OG, Rodwell got their goal. Attendance, 50,671
2012/13 Lost 1-2 Cisse nudged is in front early on, the fun didn’t last, with a Baines rocket nearly ripping the net off before Amichibe poked in a predictable winner. Attendance, 49,351
2013/14 Spanked 0-3 All-round shit, to be honest. Attendance, 47,662
Everton Fanzines
When Skies Are Grey – Click here
Danger Men
Lukaku usually terrorises us. Should be a fun afternoon.
Predictions
0-3
CHRIS BETTS – Follow Chris on @tfbettsy1892
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All of the players listed as now being questionable are good enough for us. It’s down to bad management and bad organization of said players. Cabella especially will be a fine player given time, something denied him by the manager (despite signs of a growing understanding between him and Perez earlier in the season) and the fans, many of whom seem to have decided he’s not good enough already, just so they can have something else to moan on about. Judging Riviere on what we’ve also seen is pointless. His only run of games came when we were essentially asking him to be Jan Koller.
A better manager could get much more out of our squad than Pardew can.
We’ll lose. I could go on to explain why, however the author has covered all the key reasons and Dave Chapman has summed up the relevant abilities of the two managers rather succinctly.
You’ll be glad you were wrong then Andy!
New formation 4-2-2 could be the way forward LOL #pardewout
Christ, the eternal optimist, Mirallas will be fit, Lukaku is playing, Martinez pisses tactically all over Pardew’s stupid face, we are literally fucked, if I’m wrong i will apologise to Master Bates.
“Pardew’s stupid face.” Might just be the funniest phrase of 2014 there
Good chance I meant!
We should have a good choice of winning this one when you look at the personnel that will be missing from their team. Lets see
We’ll see, but, personally I think Eto’o, Lukaku, Barkley, possibly even McGeady will have a field day, and with Barry and McCarthy available, I think they can stifle any midfield threat we might have. We’ll see, but I think we might get well beaten. I hope I’m wrong though