Metro-Blog: So, talking points from Monday’s game between Manchester City and Newcastle United – it’s hard to know where to start…
Of course, we knew perfectly well who the favourites were and even a fighting performance in defeat would have been no disgrace, but 4-0 actually flattered an awful Newcastle United performance.
Manchester City were so in control of the game that it seemed they could hardly be bothered to make the odd penalty shout or two when they could have. They also scored another perfectly good goal which was ruled out by an incorrect offside decision.
Despite his sending off of Steven Taylor for yet more of his stupid and counterproductive antics, Andre Marriner – the same referee who presided over our 6-0 demolition by Liverpool last season – actually seemed to have mercy on us at some points in the game.
However, the main talking points were off the pitch if anything, both before and after the game itself. First there was the news that Yohan Cabaye wouldn’t be playing amidst further news of a bid from Arsenal.
Was he being tucked up in bubblewrap in anticipation of a move? Or was Alan Pardew telling the truth when he said in the post-match interview that he felt Cabaye’s head had been turned and he wasn’t in the right mood to play?
There is something else we Magpies fans have become wearily familiar with – complete disbelief and stupefaction at Alan Pardew’s total lack of a grip on reality in his post-match assessment of games.
Speaking from his own parallel universe, the Silver Supremo said the team ‘gave a good account of ourselves in the first half’ claiming it was Taylor’s sending off just before half time which ‘made it a difficult night’.
This was despite the fact that we were already 2-0 down at that point – a scoreline which was also flattering to Pardew’s Magpies at the halfway point.
Everyone else – even the most partisan fan – could see that we had been ripped apart from the moment the referee blew his whistle.
As if this this wasn’t enough, when the interviewer asked later in the interview what his priorities had to be between the interview and his game with West Ham on Saturday, Pardew bizarrely responded: ‘I don’t think we had too much to be concerned about tonight.’
Alan – I’m sorry, but you are either a liar or you are deluded to the point of insanity if you didn’t see anything to worry about in our performance.
Finally, never missing any opportunity to use events surrounding him and the team as an excuse for poor performances, he also wasted no time in using the aforementioned Cabaye imbroglio, saying: ‘I don’t think the result would’ve been the same had he played.’
Why didn’t you pick him then, Alan?
Newcastle United Fixtures ...
Saturday August 24
15:00 Premier League Newcastle United v West Ham United
Wednesday August 28
19:45 League Cup - 2nd Rnd Morecambe v Newcastle United *Sky Sports
Saturday August 31
15:00 Premier League Newcastle United v Fulham
Saturday September 14
15:00 Premier League Aston Villa v Newcastle United
Saturday September 21
15:00 Premier League Newcastle United v
Hull City
Monday September 30
20:00 Premier League Everton v Newcastle United *Sky Sports
Premier League fixtures ...
Wednesday August 21
19:45 Chelsea v Aston Villa
Saturday August 24
12:45 Fulham v Arsenal
15:00 Everton v West Brom
15:00 Hull City v Norwich City
15:00 Newcastle United v West Ham United
15:00 Southampton v Sunderland
15:00 Stoke City v Crystal Palace
17:30 Aston Villa v Liverpool
Sunday August 25
16:00 Cardiff City v Manchester City
16:00 Tottenham v Swansea City
Monday August 26
20:00 Man Utd v Chelsea
NU-MAD - WE TELL IT AS IT IS!
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Squad Numbers ...
1 Krul, Timothy Michael
2 Coloccini, Fabricio
3 Santon, Davide
4 Cabaye, Yohan
6 Williamson, Michael James
7 Sissoko, Moussa
8 Anita, Vurnon San Benito
9 Cisse, Papiss Demba
10 Ben Arfa, Hatem
11 Gouffran, Yoan
13 Yanga-Mbiwa, Mapou
14 Remy, Loic
15 Gosling, Daniel
16 Taylor, Ryan Anthony
17 Amalfitano, Romain
18 Gutierrez, Jonas Manuel
19 Haidara, Massadio
20 Bigirimana, Gael
21 Elliot, Robert
22 Marveaux, Sylvain
23 Ameobi, Foluwashola
24 Tiote, Cheik Ismael
25 Obertan, Gabriel Antoine
26 Debuchy, Mathieu
27 Taylor, Steven Vincent
28 Ameobi, Samuel
29 Vuckic, Haris
33 Good, Curtis
34 Tavernier, James Henry
36 Dummett, Paul
41 Newton, Conor
42 Alnwick, Jak
44 Streete, Remie
49 Campbell, Adam