This month was magnificent as we still remain unbeaten. We scraped through in the first few games but then demolished Wigan away and somehow put 6 past Man City and therefore knocking them out of the cup! Several of my players are playing at the top of their game - even backup keeper Antonio Adan.
Gosling and Bigirimana returned to the club while Sammy Ameobi left on loan.
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UEFA Europa League Group A
Marseille 0-1 Newcastle United Ben Arfa
This was a huge win that opens up a 3pt gap for us at the top of the table already.
Queens Park Rangers 0-1 Newcastle United Cisse
One nil again!!!!! Cisse struck early and they battered us thereafter but things got a bit easier when Zamora got sent-off in the 2nd half. They had a goal disallowed also.
UEFA Europa League Group A Newcastle United 2-2 Napoli Gutierrez, S.Taylor
A very entertaining game this in which a draw was a fair result. Adan finally let one in! Bad news was had when Santon got injured and is out for 4 months!!!!!
Wigan Athletic 0-3 Newcastle United Cisse 2, Gutierrez
The unbeaten run continues as we chalk up another away victory.
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Capital One Cup QF
Manchester City 3-6 Newcastle United Cisse 2, Ben Arfa, Gouffran 2, Cabaye (pen)
UNBELIEVABLE!!!!! One of my best ever results this. We were 2 down after 47min and 3-1 down after an hour and then we just blew them away. A magnificent result. Man City playeda full strength team too!!!!!!
Nope. But I was thinking more of the pkm, that is, fixtures->look at match->save match->upload match (which is a filename.pkm file under user_folder/matches/)
Finally our unbeaten run is over. After 20 games unbeaten we lost to Anji and then we lost to Man Utd a couple of games later. The board gave me an extra £5m of a transfer kitty which may come in handy in January while Bigirimana and Sammy Ameobi returned from loan spells.
We got drawn against Leicester City in the Capital One Cup quarter finals and Terry Butcher replaced Chris Hughton as Norwich manager.
Newcastle United 2-1 Everton Cisse, Bigirimana
We left it late here as despite dominating we fell behind on 73min. Cisse qickly levelled and Bigirimana scored the winner on his first game back after his short loan spell.
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UEFA Europa League Group A
Napoli 2-5 Newcastle United Sissoko 2, Coloccini 2, Cannavaro (og)
Oh my word!!!! This was almost as good as the Man City game as we fell behind twice and then blitzed them in the 2nd half. Jonas Gutierrez got 3 assists as Sissoko finally got off the mark for us. We are 4pts clear with 2 group games to go.
Swansea City 1-1 Newcastle United Cisse
I am happy with this as we were poor throughout and quickly fell behind but Cisse levelled in the 2nd half and we held on - still unbeaten!
Newcastle United 2-0 Norwich City Sissoko 2
I would have been extremely ****** off if we lost our unbeaten record to bottom side Norwich. Just as well we won then! Chris Hughton got sacked after this match.
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UEFA Europa League Group A
Anji Makhachkala 3-1 Newcastle United Tagirbekov (og)
My first defeat as Newcastle manager but I expected it as I played a backup team. It was 0-0 at half-time and I had hoped for a point but it was not to be. We have now qualified for the next stage anyway.
Fulham 1-2 Newcastle United Cabaye (pen), Gutierrez
We were excellent here and should have been 4 or 5 up at half-time but we only had an early penalty goal to show for it. We doubled our lead and then they pulled one back but we held on.
Manchester United 3-1 Newcastle United Cisse
My first domestic defeat of the season and we didnt deserve it but they scored with their first 2 shots on goal so it was always going to be hard to come back from that.
DECEMBER A magnificent month as we progressed in both cups (we will play Spurs in the league cup and Fenerbahce in Europe) and thrashed Arsenal and Chelsea. I dont honestly believe we will win the title but a top four place is certainly within our grasp.
There was loads of managerial changes in the Premiership. Allardyce got sacked (hee hee) and was replaced by Roberto Martinez who was replaced by Brian McDermott after he got sacked by Reading who appointed Alan Curbishley. QPR then sacked Harry Redknapp and appointed Sam Allardyce!!!!!!!
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Capital One Cup QF
Newcastle United 2-1 Leicester City Vuckic, Fierro
Through to the semis we go as our youngsters did the job.
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UEFA Europa League Group A
Newcastle United 3-3 Marseille Gignac (og), Vuckic 2
We got the point required to win the group but we did it the hard way. Barton put them ahead (typically) and Gignac doubled their lead. He then scored for us before scoring his 2nd for them! lol. Then it was the Haris Vuckic show and he even had a last minute goal disallowed - thus denying him his hat-trick. View attachment 319404
West Bromwich Albion 1-1 Newcastle United Bigirimana
We should have won this match as we dominated but we couldnt get the winner. They took the lead in the 2nd minute and we equalised in the 4th.
Newcastle United 4-0 Chelsea Cisse 3, Gouffran
This is just getting stupid. We inflict Chelsea's 2nd league defeat of the season as we thumped them as Cisse scored 3 in 8 first half minutes. This was Chelsea's first game back from the Club World Cup so maybe that was a factor.
A huge win but we didnt play well. They battered us but we took a 2 goal lead and managed to hold on. Debuchy got injured and is out for 4 months - Santon should be back soon though.
JANUARY We are Wembley bound!!!! We despatched Spurs in the Capital One Cup semis and will play Man Utd in the final. This month was hectic as we were missing several players throughout and often made 5 or 6 changes game by game.
We also progressed in the FA Cup where we will play Aston Villa in the next round and in the league we were average. Still in pole position for a Champions League place though.
Transfer wise we loaned out Amalfitano, Gosling, Good and Richardson and brought in Will Hughes from Derby for £8m. Hopefully he can get a few games this season before really pushing into the first team next year. View attachment 319524
Newcastle United 4-1 Southampton Ben Arfa 3, Anita
Thats 21 goals in our last 6 league games now. A nice easy win.
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FA Cup 3rd Round
Newcastle United 3-0 Charlton Athletic Marveaux 2, Campbell Adam Campbell gets his first goal for us here. Hopefully the first of many...............
Capital One Cup SF 1st Leg
Newcastle United 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur Gutierrez, Toivonen (og)
This was a great win as we had Yohan Cabaye sent-off after only 10min yet we dominated the whol game and got 2 late goals to have us with one foot in the final.
Newcastle United 2-1 West Ham United Gouffran, Yanga-Mbiwa
Another win as our excellent home form continues. Matt Taylor scored in the 2nd minute of first half stoppage time and promptly got sent-off in the 3rd! Cabaye got injured and is out for a month.
Newcastle United 3-3 Tottenham Hotspur Ben Arfa, S.Taylor 2
It was vital that we didnt lose here and in a topsy turvy game we got a draw. We led 1-0 and 2-1 but Ola Toivonen scored a hat-trick for them.
Capital One Cup SF 2nd Leg
Tottenham Hotspur (0) 2-1 Newcastle United (2) Gouffran (Agg: 2-3)
We were so depleted here due to the amount of games played, injuries and the African Cup of Nations so I was overjoyed when Gouffran struck in the 5th minute. Perotti levelled for them within a minute but by the time Gallas scored late on we were already safe.
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FA Cup 4th Round
Newcastle United 2-0 Peterborough United Gouffran 2
This month saw us lose the Capital One Cup final to Man Utd on penalties however we progressed in Europe and in the FA Cup so it wasnt all doom and gloom. I also managed to get an excellent feeder side in the form of Dinamo from Croatia. They usually produce some fantastic talents!!!!!
Aston Villa 1-4 Newcastle United Sissoko, Gouffran, Vuckic, Gutierrez
17y/o Will Hughes made his debut here and he got one assist and the man of the match award!
Newcastle United 2-0 Queens Park Rangers Sissoko, Ben Arfa
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UEFA Europa League 1st Round 1st Leg
Fenerbahce 1-1 Newcastle United Sissoko
How we didnt win this I will never know. We fell behind early on and then we just battered them. Gutierrez had a last minute goal chalked off.
FA Cup 5th Round
Newcastle United 2-0 Aston Villa Cisse 2
Into the quarter finals we go where we will play Blackburn at home.
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UEFA Europa League 1st Round 2nd Leg
Newcastle United (1) 4-0 Fenerbahce (1) Ben Arfa, Fierro, Sissoko 2 (Agg: 5-1)
I rested a couple of players here for the upcoming cup final and despite that we got a comfortable win. Lazio will meet us in the next round.
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Capital One Cup Final
Manchester United 1-1 Newcastle United Ben Arfa (AET Manchester United won 4-2 on penalties)
So close!!!!! In a tight game they had an early goal disallowed which was the highlight of the 90min. In extra time Kagawa put them ahead only for HBA to level in stoppage time. Unfortunately Cisse and Bigirimana missed their penalties to hand the cup to them.
With all the cup games we are playing I kinda didnt realise that we are in with a shout of the title!!!! Dont think it is going to happen but you never know!
Anyway this month saw us knock Lazio out of Europe (Rubin Kazan next) and Blackburn in the FA Cup (Man Utd next) as well as have a couple of league games. Off the field the youth intake was pretty average although there was one shining light........... View attachment 319742
UEFA Europa League 2nd Round 1st Leg Newcastle United 2-0 Lazio Sissoko, Cisse
A nice win in a game in which we dominated from the get go. Cisse also had one disallowed.
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FA Cup QF
Newcastle United 2-1 Blackburn Rovers Vuckic, Bigirimana
This was an even game but we sneaked through and will face Man Utd in the semis.
Newcastle United 3-1 Swansea City Cisse, Ben Arfa, Cabaye (pen)
This was Papiss Cisse's first goal in the league since his hat-trick against Chelsea in December! Incidentally we have scored in EVERY league and cup game so far this season.