Names-dropping ell that friendship cannot be THAT strong ... Lukaku moved to Goodison!
Alan Pardew: “We have a relationship where we have contact.
"It’s important sometimes because you can share information about other teams.
"I was obviously pestering him for Lukaku as well, but that didn’t come off.
“We were one of four or five clubs who were on the phone, but sometimes it’s dictated to you by other factors.
"He’s a great player and as I say if you can let him go, and still have players like Demba, Mata, Torres, Oscar and Hazard as well... they all roll off the tongue.
“It’s frustrating because Demba’s a player who likes to play and he will be frustrated with the situation.”
And talking about Romelu Lukaku .....
Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has been given the all-clear after undergoing a brain scan following his head injury against Everton, the White Hart Lane outfit have revealed.
The club responded to criticism by FIFA's medical chief of the decision not to substitute the French goalkeeper despite him being knocked unconscious by saying medical staff were "totally satisfied that he was fit to continue playing".
Lloris did have a CT scan however after the match in Liverpool and was given the all-clear.
Tottenham said in a statement: "The club can confirm that Hugo Lloris underwent a precautionary CT scan and was given the all-clear and travelled back to London last night.
"The France goalkeeper suffered a knock to the head following a collision with Everton forward Romelu Lukaku in the closing stages of yesterday's Premier League encounter at Goodison Park and was cleared to resume playing after examination by the club's medical team."
Spurs head of medical services Wayne Diesel added: "Once the relevant tests and assessments were carried out we were totally satisfied that he was fit to continue playing."
Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas confirmed that Lloris had been unconscious and could not remember a thing about the incident but said he made the decision for the goalkeeper to continue.
FIFA's chief medical officer Professor Jiri Dvorak said however that if there is any doubt about concussion then the player should be removed from the field of play.
Dvorak said there was a "99 per cent probability" that Lloris would have been concussed after being knocked out when his head made contact with Lukaku's knee - and the Everton striker needed an ice-pack on his knee afterwards.
FIFA hosted a conference on concussion in sport a year ago, and earlier this year updated its guidelines.
Dvorak said: "The player should have been substituted. The fact the other player needed ice on his knee means it's obvious the blow was extensive.
"It's a 99 per cent probability that losing consciousness in such an event will result in concussion."
Villas-Boas said Lloris had been determined to continue, but admitted: "He doesn't remember it because he lost consciousness. It was a big knock but he looked composed and ready to continue."
Dvorak added that the player's view should not be taken into account in such situations.
He said: "When he has been knocked unconscious, the player himself may not see the reality.
"I do not know the details but I know that the Premier League doctors are extremely good and I can imagine that the doctor may have recommended he be replaced.
"We have a slogan: if there is any doubt, keep the player out."
Dvorak said any player suffering concussion needed to rest for at least a week - some advice states three weeks - and subjected to further tests.
Villas-Boas' decision has been criticised as "dangerous" and "irresponsible" by brain injury charity Headway.
Luke Griggs, spokesperson for Headway, said: "We are hugely concerned that a professional football club should take such an irresponsible and cavalier attitude to a player's health."
The Football Association has detailed regulations on head injuries and concussion and though it is understood the governing body is not investigating Tottenham's handling of the incident, the rules state that anyone suffering a loss of consciousness should not play again that day.
The FA regulations state: "Any player remaining immobile and unresponsive to verbal commands following a head injury will be regarded as being unconscious and treated in accordance with established principles for extrication and management of the unconscious player. There will be no return to play during that day."
The rules do however allow for "a transient alteration of conscious level" following a head injury, which says a player can return to play following assessment by medical staff.
NEWCASTLE UTD 2 CHELSEA 0
NEWCASTLE: 1. Tim Krul 26. Mathieu Debuchy 6. Mike Williamson 13. Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa 3. Davide Santon 7. Moussa Sissoko 4. Yohan Cabaye 24. Cheick Tiote 53' 11. Yoan Gouffran 85' 14. Loic Remy 23. Shola Ameobi 62'
Subs: 8. Vurnon Anita 53' 9. Papiss Cisse 62' 10. Hatem Ben Arfa 21. Rob Elliot 25. Gabriel Obertan 85' 28. Sammy Ameobi 34. James Tavernier
CHELSEA: 1. Petr Cech 2. Branislav Ivanovic 4. David Luiz 26. John Terry 3. Ashley Cole 7. Ramires 8. Frank Lampard 70' 10. Juan Mata 62' 11. Oscar 17. Eden Hazard 9. Fernando Torres 62'
Subs: 12. John Obi Mikel 14. Andre Schurrle 70' 22. Willian 62' 23. Mark Schwarzer 24. Gary Cahill 28. Cesar Azpilicueta 29. Samuel Eto'o 62'
Alan Pardew can be "all wind and piss", but let's face facts ... he got it right against Chelsea on Saturday.
Yoan Gouffran and Loic Remy dented Chelsea's Barclays Premier League title charge as Newcastle erased the memories of their derby defeat at Sunderland with a morale-boosting 2-0 victory.
Gouffran's 68th-minute diving header and Remy's late strike, his sixth goal of the season, settled a game which blossomed from modest beginnings into an end-to-end encounter.
Indeed, had it not been for keeper Petr Cech, who had earlier made second-half saves from Moussa Sissoko and Gouffran, the Magpies might have won by more.
But while manager Alan Pardew will have been delighted with a performance which started out as a backs-to-the-wall battle and ended in a toe-to-toe slugging match, opposite number Jose Mourinho was left to reflect upon a toothless display from his all-stars.
Chelsea dominated for long periods in front of a packed house of 51,674, but having hit the bar twice within seconds early in the game, did not call upon keeper Tim Krul until 10 minutes from time on a day when victory would have seen them leapfrog Arsenal for a few hours at least.
On a miserably cold and wet Tyneside afternoon, the fare on offer initially did little to lift the mood as an attritional game unfolded.
Chelsea, as befits a team installed as early favourites to lift the title, started confidently and pinned their hosts back for long periods with Eden Hazard leading the home defence a merry dance.
With Fabricio Coloccini and Steven Taylor still injured, Pardew had little choice but to field Mike Williamson and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa at the heart of his rearguard, and just how the Magpies managed to survive an error-strewn opening to the game only they will know.
A series of miskicks and misdirected headers, thankfully for the pair, dropped fortuitously and allowed Newcastle to dig themselves out of trouble.
However, the inability of Pardew's men to retain possession for anything other than a few seconds left them constantly under pressure with Hazard and Oscar capitalising on their profligacy.
They had to ride their luck at times with the crossbar coming to Krul's rescue twice within seconds in the 13th minutes, when Chelsea skipper John Terry climbed highest to head Juan Mata's corner against the woodwork before Fernando Torres' deflected follow-up was repelled in similar fashion.
But for all their pressure, the visitors were unable to test Krul further and as they gradually found their feet, the Magpies began to compete.
Initially, they relied upon the long ball up to striker Shola Ameobi, preferred to Hatem Ben Arfa, with decidedly limited success.
But as they grew in confidence, both Yohan Cabaye and Sissoko tested Cech after more enterprising build-up play, and they headed for the dressing room at half-time satisfied with their opening 45 minutes, but knowing much, much more would be required after the break to secure tangible reward.
As a result, they resumed on the front foot and attempted to attack Chelsea, although their wastefulness in possession continued to court disaster.
Pardew was forced to make a change with 53 minutes gone when in-form skipper Cheick Tiote limped off and was replaced by Vurnon Anita.
In their efforts to take the game to the visitors, Newcastle piled forward in numbers, in the process leaving space in behind which the Blues attempted to exploit in a series of counter-attacks.
But it was the Magpies who went close to the opening goal twice within seconds when Cech made a fine save from Sissoko's skidding 60th-minute drive after he had been played in by Mathieu Debuchy and Remy volleyed straight at the keeper from Ameobi's knock-down.
Buoyed by the growing momentum, Pardew sent on Papiss Cisse for Ameobi as Willian and Samuel Eto'o replaced Oscar and Torres, but it was Gouffran who tested Cech at the foot of his near post after cutting inside Branislav Ivanovic with 25 minutes remaining.
But the Frenchman was not to be denied and he got his reward three minutes later in spectacular style.
Cabaye's curling free-kick caused all kinds of problems for the Chelsea defence, but Gouffran read it perfectly to dive and power a header past Cech.
Mourinho swiftly replaced Frank Lampard with Andre Schurrle, but the home side might have increased their lead with 72 minutes gone when Sissoko and Remy carved a path through the blue shirts before the latter saw his shot block by the sliding Terry.
However, Krul had to be at his best 10 minutes from time to beat away Willian's snapshot with an instinctive save, and Debuchy was on hand to block Eto'o's follow-up to ensure the points remained on Tyneside.
Hazard fired inches wide with four minutes remaining, but Remy made sure at the death when he thumped Anita's pull-back past the helpless Cech.
IDEAL FOR CHRISTMAS
MAGPIES IN EUROPE -
HARVEY TO PARDEW
Although NUFC are not talking to the Chronicle or Sunday Sun ... we are!
And the full story is expected to be in newspapers within the next two weeks.
The official new title is "Magpies In Europe - Harvey To Pardew" and is an up-dated version of "From Antwerp To Zurich" - which includes the 14 Europa League fixtures we played last season.
The 280-page book features match reports from the 134 European matches Newcastle United have played, starting with the memorable 4-0 win over Feyenoord in 1968 on our European debut.
Included are stats and the figures you would expect, but also each away fixture has the remarkable experiences of individuals who travelled to watch the matches.
Introduction by "Big Bad" John McNamee, part of the Fairs Cup winning team of 1969.
It is a fascinating history that every Newcastle United fan will enjoy.
And with a limited print-run, make sure you order a copy.
Mail order: Send a cheque for £10.45 made payable to K.Fletcher to:
K Fletcher, 5 Dunelm, Sacriston, Durham DH7 6NU
Include your own address.
ON SALE NOW AT: M&M City News; 140 Northumberland St, Newcastle NE1 7DQ.
The Flower Shop, Spennymoor, Co Durham.
RRP: £10.95
if you want to order, contact us:- Kevnumad@fsmail.net
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THIS WEEK'S FIXTURES
Sunday November 3
Premier League
13:30 Everton v Tottenham
16:00 Cardiff City v Swansea City
Saturday November 9
15:00 Aston Villa v Cardiff City
15:00 Chelsea v West Brom
15:00 Crystal Palace v Everton
15:00 Liverpool v Fulham
15:00 Southampton v Hull City
17:30 Norwich City v West Ham United
Sunday November 10
12:00 Tottenham v Newcastle United
14:05 Sunderland v Manchester City
16:10 Man Utd v Arsenal
16:10 Swansea City v Stoke City
NEWCASTLE UNITED 2013/14
PREMIER LEAGUE
NEWCASTLE UTD 2 CHELSEA 0 (Gouffran, Remy)
Krul, Debuchy, Williamson, Yanga-Mbiwa, Santon, Sissoko, Cabaye, Tiote (53' Anita), Gouffran (85' Obertan), Shola Ameobi (62' Cisse).
Subs: Ben Arfa, Elliot, Sammy Ameobi, Tavernier.
SUNDERLAND 2 NEWCASTLE 1 (Debuchy)
Krul, Debuchy, Williamson, Dummett, Santon, Sissoko (45' Cisse), Tiote, Cabaye, Gouffran (86' Sammy Ameobi), Ben Arfa, Remy (70' Shola Ameobi).
Subs: Anita, Haidara, Elliot, Obertan.
NEWCASTLE UTD 2 LIVERPOOL 2 (Cabaye, Dummett)
Krul, Debuchy, Williamson, Yanga-Mbiwa, Santon, Cabaye (78' Sammy Ameobi), Tiote, Gouffran, Sissoko (45' Dummett), Remy, Ben Arfa (78' Anita).
Subs: Cisse, Elliot, Obertan, Dummett.
CARDIFF CITY 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Remy 2)
Krul, Debuchy, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Tiote, Cabaye (86' Ben Arfa), Gouffran, Sissoko, Remy (71' Gutierrez), Cisse
Subs: Anita, Yanga-Mbiwa, Elliot, Sammy Ameobi, Dummett
EVERTON 3 NEWCASTLE 2 (Cabaye, Remy)
Krul, Debuchy, Yanga-Mbiwa (46' Williamson), Coloccini, Santon, Tiote, Anita (69' Cisse), Ben Arfa (46' Cabaye), Sissoko, Gouffran, Remy
Subs: Elliot, Obertan, Sammy Ameobi, Dummett
NEWCASTLE 2 HULL CITY 3 (Remy 2)
Krul, Debuchy (86' Tiote), Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini, Santon, Cabaye (62' Gouffran), Anita, Sissoko, Ben Arfa, Cisse (73' Marveaux), Remy
Subs: Williamson, Elliot, Sammy Ameobi, Dummett
ASTON VILLA 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ben Arfra, Gouffran)
Krul, Debuchy, Coloccini, Yanga-Mbiwa, Santon, Anita (74' Tiote), Cabaye (88' Sammy Ameobi), Ben Arfa, Sissoko, Remy (63' Gouffran), Cisse
Subs: Elliot, Marveaux, S Taylor, Dummett
NEWCASTLE 1 FULHAM 0 (Ben Arfa)
Krul, Debuchy, Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini, Santon, Ben Arfa, Sissoko, Anita 65' (Cabaye), Marveaux 74' (Remy), Shola Ameobi 65' (Gouffran), Cisse
Subs: Gosling, Elliot, Sammy Ameobi, Dummett
NEWCASTLE 0 WEST HAM 0
Krul, Debuchy, Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini, Santon, Ben Arfa, Sissoko, Anita, Marveaux 66' (Sammy Ameobi), Shola Ameobi, Cisse 72'
Subs: Gosling, Bigirimana, Elliot, Vuckic, Dummett
MAN CITY 4 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Debuchy, Coloccini, S Taylor, Yanga-Mbiwa, Sissoko, Tiote, Gouffran 45+4' (Dummett), Ben Arfa 65' (Sammy Ameobi), Gutierrez 44' (Anita), Cisse
Subs: Elliot, Marveaux, Shola Ameobi, Obertan
LEAGUE CUP
NEWCASTLE 0 MAN CITY 2 (AET)
Krul, Debuchy, Williamson, Yanga-Mbiwa, Haidara (45 Dummett, 80 Ben Arfa), Anita, Tiote, Gouffran, Sissoko, Shola Ameobi (66 Cabaye), Cisse
Subs: Remy, Elliot, Obertan, Sammy Ameobi
NEWCASTLE 2 LEEDS UTD 0 (Cisse, Gouffran)
Krul, Debuchy, Williamson, Coloccini, Dummett, Gouffran (90' Vuckic), Anita (80' Gosling), Tiote, Marveaux, Sammy Ameobi, Cisse (71' Obertan).
Subs: Ben Arfa, Yanga-Mbiwa, Bigirimana, Alnwick
MORECAMBE 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Shola Ameobi, Sammy Ameobi)
Elliot, Debuchy, Yanga-Mbiwa, Good, Dummett, Bigirimana, Gosling, Marveaux 88' (Sissoko), Vuckic 46' (Shola Ameobi), Sammy Ameobi, Gouffran 71' (Ben Arfa)
Subs: Santon, Anita, Alnwick, Streete
Newcastle United Fixtures
Sunday November 10
12:00 Premier League
Tottenham v Newcastle United
Saturday November 23
15:00 Premier League
Newcastle United v Norwich City
Saturday November 30
17:30 Premier League
Newcastle United v West Brom
Wednesday December 4
19:45 Premier League
Swansea City v Newcastle United
Saturday December 7
12:45 Premier League
Man Utd v Newcastle United
Saturday December 14
15:00 Premier League
Newcastle United v Southampton
Saturday December 21
15:00 Premier League
Crystal Palace v Newcastle United
Thursday December 26
15:00 Premier League
Newcastle United v Stoke City
Sunday December 29
13:30 Premier League
Newcastle United v Arsenal
Wednesday January 1 2014
15:00 Premier League
West Brom v Newcastle United