Sunday, October 31, 2010

Reasonable Reaction- Aw Screw It, We Murdered the Mackems!

In our short and sweet preview we left you with a 3 word mantra for contemplation on the Derby: Beat. The. Mackems.


Blood in the water.
Getty Images

Even without a public prediction I expected a hard fought game. I expected for it to be a tactical battle, a competition of matchups. For 26 minutes the tie seemed to be just that. On that 26th minute something changed. Kevin Nolan once again found himself in the right place at the right time, and then he found himself at the bottom of a dog pile.

After going up 1-0 I was literally screaming at my screen for the lads not to protect this lead but to continue to attack. I wanted to see a "blood in the water" attitude, and on the 34th minute I was obliged. Nolan, again in the right place at the right time, hammered home from point blank and I started to notice how well this team plays after it gets an early goal. A penalty, converted by Shola Ameobi, in overage had us into the half up 3-0.

When the second half started I was feeling more comfortable about protecting the lead, but the lads continued to keep the pressure high. Titus Bramble suffered the most from that as he was sent off to a chorus on the 53rd minute, which really would have capped off a great day for most folks, but the lads were still not satisfied. Ameobi would be the beneficiary of that dissatisfaction in the 70th minute, and four minutes later The Skipper headed another one home. Have I mentioned that Kevin Nolan is a "right place, right time" scorer? No play better illustrates my point than this 74th minute goal. As Joey Barton's corner crossed in Nolan slid himself into a soft part of the defence, but he wouldn't be on the end of the cross in that spot. But, Shola rose to put a head on it and though he had not a chance to put in on goal at that height and angle he did have a chance to put it right into that soft spot that Kevin Nolan had sniffed out as the right place to be. At that point the Defence didn't have a chance to stop Captain Nolan from becoming Captain Hat Trick a feat not achieved in the derby since the year after my cohort and I were born.

Before I talk about form and starters let me first say that the Chris Hughton rumors have been in very poor form and I hope that this result goes a long way to shutting those shite peddlers up. Off soapbox. Hughton played the same side that faced West Ham a week ago, and much the same style. I was glad to see two attackers up front, and I hope to see more of it. He was dressed smart too, I like to see a coach on the touchline in a suit and tie, and not, say, a hoodie with the sleeves cut off.

Danny Simpson seems to be returning to good form, he looked a lot better than he did at West Ham. Not that he looked at all bad, he just seemed rusty. In fact the whole defense looked great, Colo and Willo are quite a pair, and Williamson has seemed to recover very nicely from his bad luck outing at ManC. Thought they did allow the consolation goal very late.

Tiote continues to hold down the midfeild like, well, I don't really have a good simile for what it is that he does on a weekly basis. He's just in top top form. Jonas did his thing on the left and Barton did his thing on the right, but obviously Kevin Nolan was the story of the midfield.

Andy Carroll had a quiet game, playing more the decoy to open up Shola and Nolan, but handled himself very well I thought. And Shola was Shola, with that lackadaisical approach that he has. I can see why people think he's lazy, but I think he just has an approach to the game that people don't quite understand. We will continue to defend him.

Man of the Match: Kevin Nolan, Obviously.

Beat. The. Mackems. And beat them we did. What a treat for all the Geordie boys out out there. By the way, this win put us 7th in the table! Howay the Lads.

Match Preview: Toon vs. mackems

We like to impress ourselves sometimes. We write previews and talk about tactics, selection, storyline, formations, and form. We make predictions that never come even close to reality, then conveniently ignore them when it comes time to write up a review. Those things are good to talk about - what's a blog for, after all? Sometimes, though, you don't need to read or write something like that to know the gravity of the situation. If you pay enough attention to this site, you know what I feel about this match already. It's time to let the game do the talking.

Only one thing matters today, and it's summed up in three words:

Beat. The. mackems.

Derby Match Previews From Around The Web

The Guardian - The Squad Sheets are always top-notch.

Sky Sports - focuses on Sunderland's defensive prowess and predicts a 1-1 draw.

BBC Sport - features some good statistics and a soundbite from Chris Hughton.

Paul Merson (Sky Sports) - Takes some time to back Chris Hughton before warning him not to play a 4-4-2 and predicts a 1-1 draw.

Darren Lewis (Mirror Football) - Martin Lipton is out for the week, but he must have left a Post-It note on Lewis' desk reminding him not to pick Newcastle under any circumstances.

Ed Harrison (nufcblog.com) - calls this match the most important of the season, especially considering the rumors surrounding Chris Hughton.

Toonsy (nufcblog.org) - calls for a 4-5-1 and declines to make a prediction.

Rob McCluskey (EPLTalk) - provides some great insight into the derby and some terrific analysis of what we could see. Makes me feel inadequate.

CHN Links: Gameday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Are you willing to do what it takes to win today? (+1 million internets to anybody who knows what that's a reference to.)


Credited to "Barry H." on shiteseats.co.uk

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Shola Ameobi Plays Big During The Tyne-Wear Derby

Obviously, I'm predicting big things for Shola this weekend.



And for good measure...

Cheik Tiote is Happy in Black and White Stripes

In a feature that deserves more than just a line in our Morning Links post, Louise Taylor of The Guardian profiles Cheik Tiote.


I call this one "Blue Steel."
Photograph: Gary Calton, The Guardian

Tiote, who is quickly becoming a fan favorite on Tyneside, speaks about the differences between Dutch and English football, his manager, and his inspiration and heroes. Taylor also interviews Chris Hughton and Steve McLaren, Tiote's old manager at FC Twente.

This is definitely worth a read, so if you're like me and you're falling in love with Tiote's style of play (and if you're not, get with the program!), make sure you check it out.

CHN Links: Saturday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. It always feels weird when football is being played on a Saturday but you don't really care about any of the teams. Hopefully our patience will be rewarded with a decisive victory.


Shola Ameobi celebrates after scoring a goal in a win against Sunderland on October 23, 2005.
Photo credit unknown, pulled from bbc.co.uk

Thursday, October 28, 2010

CHN Links: Thursday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. What an awful sports day. Newcastle lost by 4 and Texas had an awful World Series debut. Let's just look forward.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Match Preview: Magpies vs. Gunners

42: The number of years since Newcastle have won any silverware of any distinction. That's not a drought on the level of the Chicago Cubs, by any means, but it's longer than I've been on this earth. I'd like to see a trophy that doesn't have anything to do with the Intertoto Cup before I'm in the ground, and you never know when you're going to get your opportunities. I've said this before - I don't agree with the idea that you put all of your eggs in the "Surviving the Premiership" basket. Sure, a League Cup victory would mean nothing if the team were relegated, but at some point you have to stop being satisfied with mere survival. Our boys will be putting on the black and white stripes and playing for a chance to advance in cup play tonight, and to expect anything less than for the team to go all out to win is blasphemy in my eyes. The League Cup is as much a part of the season as Sunday's derby match will be. In the words of the great Lester Freamon, "All the pieces matter." Besides, wouldn't it be a shame to waste that win we earned at Stamford Bridge?

Arsene Winger seems to agree with me, and Arsenal's "drought number" is a mere 5. FIVE! Ultimately, I think it is this attitude that proves my point more than anything. I don't think anybody, even the most naive of Magpie supporters, fancies Newcastle as the best team in England right now, but I want this team to be the kind of team that is disappointed when they haven't produced anything in the last five years. I don't want to be content with survival. We're not at a place where we can demand the kind of success that the Gunners can, but winning the League Cup would go a long way towards breeding the confidence that leads to that success. In other words, this match probably means more long-term than this week's tie against the mackems will, as much fun as it is to put the SMB's in their place.

What to do about selection, then? Winger says he will play his squad at "near full strength," while Hughton seems to be taking the opposite tactic. Missing Cesc Fabregas is good news for The Toon, but it won't make a bit of difference if Tamas Kadar is out there kicking around. I expect the lineup will look somewhat like the following, as much as I wish it wouldn't: Soderberg, Kadar, Williamson, R.Taylor, Simpson, Guthrie, Smith, Vuckic, Routledge, Ameobi, Ranger. The saving grace would be a stacked bench that Hughton could use if the scrubs could stay close through 60 or 70 minutes, but that's asking a lot. (Side note: I wonder if reserve manager Peter Beardsley will be on hand to "audition" as the assistant.)

I expect Arsenal to come out guns blazing (pardon the pun) and take a decisive 4-1 victory, which will be a shame, given that Ipswich Town will be among the teams in the draw for the next round. Prove me wrong, lads.

CHN Links: On A Wednesday My Trial Was At-tested

Good morning Toon Army.

It's Carling Cup week and later today we'll face an Gunner side that Wenger has promised will be strong and looking to win. While avoiding relegation should still be the main priority of Chris Hughton and the lads, I'd still like to see us put a good foot forward in these Cup matches. Follow us past the break for a look at that and other things.

Reasonable Reaction Wednesday: Toon Too Much for the Hammers, by Just a Little

Due to time constraints today, this will be the cliff-notes version of a match review.

I wondered last week which Magpie team might show up in Boleyn, and the answer was, I think, a move in the right direction. The team that lost to Wolves and Blackpool was the team that showed up first, which was admittedly disconcerting. But; after allowing that first goal, the side that beat Everton started struggling for dominance. At the end of the day I think that better side was on the field more often than not.

Good work roomy! Src: Telegraph via Action Images

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

CHN Links:Tuesday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Good news for Andy Carroll as he basically ducks one of his assault charges. Details on that and more stories after the jump.


Andy Carroll as he appeared in court on Monday. I say Chris Hughton pulls off the suit a little better.
Photo credit unknown; pulled from chroniclelive.co.uk

Monday, October 25, 2010

How the Internet Saw The West Ham Match

For your reading pleasure: a roundup of reviews from Saturday's win after the jump. Enjoy!


Andy Carroll celebrates his header on Saturday.
Photo credit unknown; pulled from thesun.co.uk

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Saturday, October 23, 2010

CHN Links: Gameday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Let's beat the Hammers!


Andy Carroll celebrates a goal against West Ham United on January 11, 2009. The teams drew 2-2.
Photo credit unknown; pulled from dailymail.co.uk

Friday, October 22, 2010

Match Preview: Toon head for Hammers

In my look forward during the International Break, I called the game against Wigan a must win game. Well we didn't win, but the fashion in which we were able to fight back for a draw still gives me great hope for the season. The Toon come into this game with West Ham forcing me to ask the question: Which team will show up? I hate having to ask that question of a team I support. It is one of the most frustrating parts of being a fan. But, here we are.

So, if I ask myself that question, I answer like this. I think that we saw glimpses of that team that we all prefer last week. If we can grow the amount of time that team shows up on the pitch we'll be in good shape. Since we're facing West Ham, there is also a little room for that other team. Of course I don't want to see them, but the thing about exorcising demons is that the demons have to be present.

I see this game as a chance against one of the weaker teams in the league to do some pruning, so to speak. Pruning out the bad habits, pruning out the melancholic attitude that has shown up in spurts, pruning out the sense of deserving that my partner illustrated days ago.

I expect the lineup to look something like this:
Krul
Simpson, Colo, Willo, Jose
Guthrie, Barton, Tiote, Jonas
Nolan
Ameobi

Bench: Soderberg, Raylor, Routledge, Carroll, Perch, Campbell, Smith, Lovenkrands

Perch gets the bench after a very poor game last week, and, let's face it, Ameobi is the only striker is starting form. But, CH loves the 4-4-1-1 format so I think that's what we'll see.

A tough game on the road today, but if the right team shows up the Toon can get 3 points here. If last week was a must win that ended in a draw, that makes this week all the more must win.

Prediction: NUFC 2-0 WHUFC

Portsmouth "likely" to be shut down

A sad day for football fans, as it looks like the fight to keep Portsmouth open has been lost. (BBC Sport) No team should ever have to suffer the fate of this once-proud club.

CHN Links: Friday Edition

Good afternoon, Toon Army. Chris Hughton's "testing times" just got a little more trying. Read more after the jump.


Carroll's car was set on fire, its windows were smashed, and its bonnet was forcibly opened. A quick search tells me that "bonnet" means trunk.
Photo credit unknown, pulled from guardian.co.uk

Thursday, October 21, 2010

A Word on Words, with Apologies to Clint Eastwood

As long as we're airing our grievances about sports, I'd like to take issue with the way some people react to results. Specifically, I get frustrated when I hear or read about fans discussing whether a team deserved the win or draw or loss it received on a given day. They're not the only ones to do it, either. Earlier this week, I linked to the post-match video where Chris Hughton was defending his team to the media by saying that they "deserved" the draw against Wigan.

The goal of football is to score more goals than your opponent. The goal is not to have more possession, to win more tackles or free kicks or corners, or to put more shots on goal. Those are certainly good ways to accomplish that goal and they can be good indicators of form, but they are means to an end, not the end itself. I think sometimes we forget that.

Is this a semantic argument? Perhaps. In any sport, the scoreline never tells the true story. A 2-2 draw doesn't necessarily mean that the teams were evenly matched, so we search for ways to describe how even the play was. Perhaps one team dominated, but the other got lucky. Does this mean that the "lucky" team didn't deserve the point? Not at all. That team succeeded in what they were supposed to do: put the ball in the net. Maybe they didn't do it in the most efficient way, but they did do it. Our descriptions of the stories of games have gotten lazy. The language we use matters. There is no "deserve" in football. There is no theoretical table where points are given for style or crisp play from the back line. There is a table built on results and the bottom line, and that is the only one that counts. What's deserve got to do with it?

CHN Links: Thursday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. News about Chris Hughton's state of mind, a rumor about Calderwood's replacement, and the reserve team results after the jump.


"Whether it be this period of the season, halfway through the season or at the end of the season, these are the pressures you have to deal with." - Chris Hughton
Photo credit unknown

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Reasonable Reaction Wednesday: Wigan Athletic 2, Newcastle United 2

The idea behind Reasonable Reaction X-day is that sometimes we need a couple of days to let our emotions go before commenting on a game. This is our attempt at some semblance of objectivity.


This man made a huge difference, especially when he was moved to the right side.
Photograph: Steve Drew/Empics

A draw is perhaps one of the most unsatisfying things in sports. As an American, one of the obstacles I run into most when trying to convince my friends of the merits of soccer is that they can't handle a sport that seems so content with not settling the score on the field. Doing battle for 90 minutes and then not getting a result is something I've had to get used to as a fan of a Premiership team; in fact, calling a draw a result at all is still not something I'm used to. Still, what I have gotten used to is the fact that there are good draws and bad draws. I can't decide which this is.

On one hand, Wigan is a very beatable team. Before the season started, I had them pegged as a serious relegation candidate, though to be fair one of the other teams I chose sits alone at 6th in the table right now. To draw with a team of that caliber feels like a loss, especially at home.

On the other hand, save for a crucial couple of minutes in the first half, The Magpies dominated play to the tune of 57.5% possession while spending 60.5% of the time in Wigan territory. Granted, much of that was a result of Wigan playing conservatively for much of the second half, put part of it is also due to a passing success rate of 83.0% and a success rate on tackles of 90.0%. For the most part, Newcastle played sound football. Hughton had the defenders playing a high line again, and though you could probably blame the second goal on that line, it worked for the most part. Besides the two goals, Wigan strikers only managed to get one other shot off inside the box, and they were caught offside 6 times.

Not that there weren't problems with the play. Charles N'Zogbia proved once again that one some days all it takes is a defensive breakdown and an unstoppable laser shot to put your team on top 2-0. James Perch was out of position all day; I wonder if he feels uncomfortable playing that far forward. Tim Krul's performance left something to be desired. He wasn't terrible, but when you're truly tested three times, to come up wanting twice is borderline unacceptable. Danny Guthrie also proved, in my opinion, that he belongs in the back, not on the wing.

The verdict? While I still wouldn't call this a good draw, it is an acceptable one, if only because it seemed to reveal a character we weren't too sure this team had. Hopefully, the loss of two points won't hinder us in the table down the road, but it's early enough that they can certainly build on that late frenzy and turn it into something profitable.

Talking Points:
1 - Charles N'Zogbia's celebrations - fair or foul? Traditionally, players don't celebrate when they score on their former teams. Did this sit well with you?
2 - Do you like Jonas Gutierrez on the right side, as he was late in the second half?
3 - What do you think of Andy Carroll's proposal that he and Shola Ameobi play up front from now on?
4 - Consider the following: In the final 16 minutes (plus stoppage time), Newcastle had 4 shots, 3 of them from well inside the box. Suppose Coloccini hadn't finished the final shot. What we have here is a lack of execution. Should that have gotten Chris Hughton sacked?

Video Highlights at CaughtOffside.

NUFC Facts
Goals: Ameobi 72', Coloccini 90+4'
Yellow: Tiote 55', Carroll 88'
Lineup: Krul, Coloccini, Williamson, Jose Enrique, Perch (Ranger 88'), Barton, Gutierrez, Guthrie (Routledge 66'), Tiote, Carroll, Lovenkrands (Ameobi 61')
Unused Subs: Soderberg, RTaylor, Kadar, Smith

CHN Man of the Match: Cheik Tiote









by Guardian Chalkboards

CHN Links: Wednesday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army.


We'll miss you, Colin.
Photo credit unknown

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

CHN Links: Tuesday Afternoon, I'm Just Beginning to See

Despite the title, or in spite of the title, good morning, Toon Army.

As you may have seen in our breaking news update, Andy Carroll has been charged with assaulting an ex-girlfriend, and glassing some poor Joe. Glassing is a word I didn't know as a verb until yesterday. Oh well, learn something new every day....

I'm pretty depresed that I had to hunt down a picture of a broken bottle being wielded today...

Monday, October 18, 2010

Another Assault Charge for Andy Carroll

Andy Carroll was released on bail today after being charged with assaulting an ex-girlfriend sometime in the morning hours yesterday. Carroll has been ordered to live with club skipper Kevin Nolan and is scheduled to appear in court on January 10. Carroll is already scheduled to make an appearance in court on a separate assault charge one week from today. (The Shields-Gazette)

CHN Links: Monday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Sorry for the hiccup yesterday. Everything is fine in the family.


I want curly hair too!
Photo credit unknown

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Housekeeping (Again)

Because of a family emergency (everything is really OK; it's just one of those things that sucks all the time out of your day), the CHN Links post for Sunday will be posted a little later in the day than normal, and the Wigan Athletic match review will likely be posted around the same time. Thanks for your patience with us!

Saturday, October 16, 2010

CHN Links: Gameday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. The International Break is over! Match previews and last minute news after the jump.


This is a prank, right?
Photo courtesy of football.co.uk, no credit listed

Friday, October 15, 2010

CHN Links: Friday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Fabio Capello tells us why Andy Carroll was not selected to play against Montenegro and Chris Hughton gives several interviews, all after the jump.


Danny Guthrie scores a penalty against Wigan Athletic in 2008.
Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images Europe


Thursday, October 14, 2010

CHN Links: Thursday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. International breaks are long. Good thing neither England nor the US laid an egg this week...


Strip courtesy of studs-up.com, larger version may be found here.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

CHN Links: Goodbye Ruby Tuesday

Top of the morning to ya, Toon Army.

Will today finally be the day we can start looking forward to Wigan and cease with the banter ad nauseam over the De Jong/Ben Arfa scandal? Probably not. We're as angry about the debacle as any one, right, but at some point we're going to have to realize that crying over spilled milk does no one any good. There's still a bit more of that on the table, but we'll try our hardest to move forward.

Can we wave goodbye to this scandal yet?

Monday, October 11, 2010

CHN Links: Monday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. The de Jong/ben Arfa saga takes a strange turn, plus some transfer rumors and more after the jump.


We've been critical of Nigel de Jong, but he's no Todd Bertuzzi.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

CHN Links: Andy Carroll Day Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. We're declaring today Andy Carroll Day!


Who doesn't love this man?
Photo courtesy of Sky Sports

Friday, October 8, 2010

Carroll Signs!

Andy Carroll signed a 5 year deal today! You can let that breath out that you've been holding in. To quote my compatriot, "Jog on Citizens."

CHN Links: Friday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Do you believe everything Chris Hughton says? No disrespect, but I don't. Details after the jump.


If there were a match this week, we would probably be done talking about this guy.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

CHN Links: Thursday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Good news for HBA's future with the club! Read about it after the jump.


"I will relish the day that I'm able to pull on a black and white shirt again." - Hatem ben Arfa

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

CHN Links: Wednesday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. If this were a normal week we could move on from De Jong talk and go on to the next opponent. Alas, it is not, so we will not.


Apropos of nothing; I just thought it was cool looking.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Non-League Week: A Look Forward

Normally we'd take in a local match during the non-league week. In a way, we will be as out Texas Ranger enter the MLB post season, we'll be on hand for Saturday's game 3 of the five game series. But as footy goes this week, we look forward. After seven games, Newcastle has seven points, four from home and three on the road. The team has shown flashes of pure brilliance as well as falling absolutely flat at times. Let's take a look at our next seven games and make some predictions about how we'll sit in the table as December creeps close and just before Chelsea rolls into town for a league match.

Nice Graphic huh? I predicted that you'd love it.


CHN Links: Tuesday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Lots of stuff about Hatem ben Arfa and Martin Atkinson today. Nothing like a little bit of controversy to get us through yet another international break.


Full strip (entitled "Dubious Freekick," how awesome is that?) available on studs-up.com
(h/t:
CaughtOffside)

Monday, October 4, 2010

Nigel De Jong Dropped From Dutch Squad

According to Sky Sports, Holland coach Bert van Marwijk has dropped Nigel De Jong from the squad for Euro qualifiers following his tackle on Hatem ben Arfa. van Marwijk called it "a wild and unnecessary offence" and added, "I have a problem with the way Nigel needlessly looks to push the limit." This turn of events in the international game calls to my mind De Jong's challenge on American Stuart Holden in a friendly match 3 months before the World Cup. van Marwijk, who had a front seat for that challenge, has apparently seen enough and will now take action.

At a time when Manchester City supporters (and their manager) continue to insist that HBA's injury was simply an unfortunate byproduct of good, clean play, it is refreshing to see that somebody outside of Newcastle upon Tyne disagrees.

Reasonable Reaction Monday: Manchester City FC 2-1 Newcastle United FC, Match Review

After the Chelsea game in the Carling Cup, we had a mantra about what had happened after just six minutes. Six minutes gone at Manchester City saw Nigel de Jong tackle through the ball in unnecessary fashion into the standing leg of Hatem ben Arfa. We cannot comment on his intentions, but his left foot was toward the ball and his right leg was bent and lifted higher than one would expect, resultant in it being about calf high on HBA's weight-bearing leg. One cannot quite call the tackle dirty, though it smacked of the intent to make a statement, the sort of tackle by letter of the law legal, but in spirit is malicious. Whatever his intentions, when ben Arfa was stretchered off the field, every Manchester City player applauded, except one.... The fall out has seen that ben Arfa has suffered a double break above the ankle. He'll be out for months.

This sort of play needs to be weeded out of the Premier League. Thanks ABC Deportes for the photo.

CHN Links: Morning After Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. I think a blowout would have been better for my psyche.


The lone bright spot.
Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

Sunday, October 3, 2010

CHN Links: Gameday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Let's go hunting for an upset.


This is the first result that pops up when you GIS "Newcastle Upset." Aren't you glad we've got meaningful football to talk about instead of rehashing this garbage?

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Match Preview: Toon Headed to Manchester 2600 Strong

The away allocation in Manchester City Stadium is sold out to see The Citizens take on the Magpies. We hear that Hoots will leave the side unchanged, again. Given the roller coaster ride that the season has been so far for both of these clubs we expect; well, we don't know what to expect. One thing that has been constant for our side at least is a fighting spirit and we expect that, at least, to continue. That give Newcastle a puncher's chance, doesn't it?

Headed east, well to the Eastlands at least.

CHN Links: Saturday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Is now a good time for Fabio Capello to go after #9? Are people really that upset about the time change of a game that's 30 days away? Find out after the jump.


Read between the lines, Citizens.

Friday, October 1, 2010

CHN Links: Friday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Hopefully Man City's tussle with Juventus has them all tired and weary.


Joey Barton in a reserve match last year.


Chris Hughton told Lee Ryder that his squad is relearning how to play in the Premiership. Within the piece are some notes about the upcoming match with Manchester City.

Andy Carroll was not named to England's U-21 squad, leading many to speculate that he will get the call for the senior squad. England will play Montenegro in Euro qualifying on October 12. Craig Levein remains hopeful that he can convince Carroll to use his eligibility as a Scot. In club news, Carroll told Lee Ryder that he wants to sign a long-term contract with The Toon. Finally, he spoke with Ryder about his mini scoring drought and about how he's ready to find the back of the net again.

Lee Ryder reports that Tim Krul was ready to call it quits, but Chris Hughton convinced him to stay. Good thing, too.

Craig Stoddart writes about Ryan Taylor's desire to play for the first team. Taylor is very much aware that Newcastle need to get better results at home, according to BBC.

Finally, The NUFC Official Site is reporting that the Derby match scheduled for Halloween has been moved up by a few hours at the request of the police.