I Wish I Was A Geordie - The Blog of Newcastle United in the US

On The Air: New Year's Revolution

After a Christmas hiatus the IWIWAG podcast is back as the four Santas of soccer talk turn their gifts of gab at a review of the season's surprising first half and a look ahead to the (drum roll) transfer window. Is Newcastle United, as Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes once sang, up where we belong? Does the club have enough officers? Too many gentlemen? Should Cissé stay or should he Gomis? Is there any risk to investing in a long-sleeved Debuchy shirt? Plus: Peeling the many-layered onion of Mike Ashley's mind. Click below to listen, or visit our iTunes page to grab a download and give an opinion. 

I Wish I Was A Geordie 12-31-13

Three Points: Arsenal Defeat

Our three-pronged reaction to Newcastle United's 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at St. James' Park:

Not according to script
Was Alan Pardew too cautious in his lineup and tactics, considering it was a home game against a Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey-less Gunners team? In hindsight, you could make that case, but it's a pretty harsh charge. Given how Arsenal likes to monopolize the ball in the center of the midfield and the success of the Yohan Cabaye-Vurnon Anita-Cheick Tiote triumvirate against Manchester United and Crystal Palace, Pardew's decisions were logical.

Unfortunately for him, his team simply wasn't as sharp as it was in some of this season's signature performances (at Old Trafford and at home against Chelsea come to mind). Newcastle gave the ball away too often early on and struggled to generate consistent offensive pressure until Arsene Wenger transformed into Tony Pulis in the final 15 minutes. Wenger will no doubt forget about his parking of the bus in future weeks when he's critiquing opponents' play and attempting to break the world record for using the word "quality" in a post-game interview.

Frustrated up front
Of course, Wenger's retreat didn't backfire because Newcastle lacked the firepower to take advantage of the conceded possession. Loic Remy had one of his more anonymous games — it's never a good thing when your best scoring chance comes from being blasted in the face with a clearance — and Newcastle missed a central attacking presence before Pardew sent on Shola Ameobi in the 74th minute.

And then there's Hatem Ben Arfa, whose cameo effectively summed up his current standing at the club. He glided past a few defenders and looked dangerous, but bypassed several openings to set up teammates to hammer unrealistic shots. At this point, Ben Arfa doesn't look particularly compatible with the rest of a team that's built on quick passing, solid team defending and counter attacking with speed. He's still of use — particularly against opponents that bunker in their own ends — but it's fair to question his suitability for a more significant role at this point.

The big picture
Still, it's hard to be too disappointed, even if Newcastle missed a prime opportunity to add another upset victory to its résumé. Pardew's troops stood toe-to-toe with the Premier League leaders for 90 minutes — Arsenal looked like the better team for about the first three-quarters of the game, but not by a great margin — only to be undone by an uncharacteristic defensive miscommunication between the otherwise outstanding Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini and Davide Santon.

At the midway point of the Premier League season, Newcastle sits eighth in the standings, three points back of fifth and four behind that precious last Champions League slot. In eight games against the rest of the top nine clubs — those that look a cut above the rest of the league this season — Newcastle has three wins, three losses and two draws. Two of those losses (4-0 at Manchester City in the season opener and 3-2 at Everton) came before this group hit its stride. With each passing week, this team looks more and more like a legitimate top-five challenger.

The question is: Will Mike Ashley and Joe Kinnear do anything in the coming month to enhance their club's chances?

Get Your Phil: Merry Christmas, Geordies!

Guest post by Phil Lavanco written between the Crystal Palace and Stoke matches.

Simply put, the last two away victories validated the decision for every American who picked Newcastle United as their EPL team. The away fans were incredible. Their passion, voice, and presence were felt by me and probably every North American Newcastle fan watching from 3,000 miles away.

Here in the States on both occasions, NBC did a wonderful job of highlighting the stars of both victories: the traveling support. At Old Trafford in particular, the network made a point to show Newcastle fans celebrating and cheering the team long after the whistle. The traveling fans refused to leave their seats, and their unbridled celebration bled through the screen. It was everything you wanted to see when you signed up as a fan of the “greatest league in the world." Those images made me, and I’m sure every other Newcastle fan, swell up with pride acknowledging the exact reason we enlisted in the Toon Army.

I found myself overwhelmed with cathartic joy for the local Newcastle supporters who, quite literally, could not contain their delight. This might just be a personal feeling, but our distance from the club will always limit the level of our support. There is a bit of a glass ceiling. And even with our hometown clubs, most American fans have baseball, NFL, basketball, hockey, and college teams to occupy our minds. When the Mets season takes its predictable downward spiral, I just ignore it and start paying attention to the imminent Jets season. 

As we have been told many times, in the one sport that matters, Newcastle is a one-team town. The picture above says it all: one city, one club. When our stateside support for the black and white reaches a 10, they get to an 11. They are the reason NBC made a point of showing the supporters wildly cheering at Old Trafford during their postgame coverage. They are the reason every gameday director knows to keep a camera focused on the away section. An overexuberant fan even risked being tackled by two stewards to receive Mathieu Debuchy's shirt at Selhurst Park. They reach a level of jubilation and pride in their club, and in their town, that we Americans wish we could experience.

Just in to the Get Your Phil news desk...

On Monday, Tim Sherwood was named "head coach" at Tottenham Hotspur on an 18-month contract. Basically, the club reserves the right to fire him at any point for practically no money. It’s the exact opposite of Alan Pardew's contract. Now that Tottenham has thrown in the towel this season, our boys sit in sixth place with only one real challenger to make up ground behind us, Manchester United. With the January window days away, does this give an impetus for our frugal owner (to put it mildly) to invest in a squad that could challenge for a Champions League spot? Of course not. No one even thinks he will, which is depressing.

Because of all the changes to the so-called big clubs, this season is uniquely different. There is a clear pathway to the Scrooge McDuck pot-of-gold Champions League riches. This is a very good and talented squad, but it is not deep. One or two injuries and the team is stretched to its limits. Every transfer window is not an exercise in how Newcastle can get better, but a desperate attempt to cling to the players we have. It’s a shame, because this core of players can really do some damage this season.

It’s been nice knowing you, Papiss

I want to do a transfer window column next time around, but a quick note before that deeper dive. As the title indicates, I think we need to cut ties with our number nine. It’s not a confidence issue anymore. It has been too long of a poor stretch to simply be a lack of self-belief. In addition, there is no reason to build a system around him. Why should a team which has lost once in two months build around an out-of-sorts striker? There is just nothing more we can do to get this guy to play to his capabilities. Likewise, Newcastle should not invest any more resources to get him back on track.

Newcastle has a bit of New York or Boston feel to it. To succeed in black and white stripes, a player has to be mentally strong, as well as supremely talented. St. James' Park is not a place where the support will clap you because you showed up and laced your boots properly (In the States, we call these supporters St. Louis Cardinals fans.) Papiss Cissé is not cut out to be a Newcastle United player anymore. And that’s OK. The system changed, and we are too far down the road for him to figure it out.

I wish you well, Papiss, in your next destination. I hope you score a million goals in Germany, Russia, France, or wherever you land outside of the Premier League. We will always have that goal at Stamford Bridge.

Mike Brazilliamson

Speaking of players who have had their fair share of abuse, if I told you at the start of the season there would be a "Mike Brazilliamson" Twitter account (@getmike2brazil) that isn't a joke, who would have believed me? The man continues to be immense in black and white. Just remember the fine folks here at I Wish I Was A Geordie who pondered the potential of the tower of power since September.

Newcastle Stat that may only interest me (shamelessly plagiarized from Peter King)

It’s amazing to me that we hadn't scored three times in a match this season until Crystal Palace. With all the firepower Newcastle has on offense, and the good streak we are on, it simply boggles my brain. Hopefully the manager loosens the belt of his $5,000 suit and let the Fightin’ Frenchies play a bit more. I guess it would help if we had more than one striker putting the ball in the net. [Editor's note: Phil wrote this before watching NUFC stick Stoke for five goals on Boxing Day. He also didn't realize that there is another forward at the club in the Premier League's top 15 goalscorers...]

Newcastle tweet of the time in between columns

The setup: Against Palace, the camera cut to Pardew on the sidelines. In the background was Hatem Ben Arfa, who looked like he would rather be anywhere else but on the bench.

I’m not sure those jokes will ever get old. But hey, he would come on later and score a goal. In my face, huh?

Merry Christmas and happy new year to all out there. Enjoy the festive season, and be safe while doing so. From my family to yours, happy holidays.

Lineups Vs. Arsenal: Could Playing Ugly Bring A Win?

Given the walking pace Newcastle enjoyed against nine-man Stoke in Thursday's second half, Alan Pardew doesn't have to make any lineup changes tomorrow. Since Pardew typically bristles at having his routine disrupted, it must be a comforting feeling. Nonetheless, I think the manager should shuffle his pack a bit, as commentators like to say. And the reason is simple: table-topping Arsenal is not Stoke City. Maybe a different, more physical approach would work better tomorrow. It's a far cry from my typical philosophy of the game, but sometimes bullying a high-flying opponent can be effective, if not always pretty.

As always, I'll pick my preferred starting XI and give my reasons why, then conclude the post by trying to pick Pardew's brain.

Keeper and back four: Tim Krul; Mathieu Debuchy, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini, Massadio Haïdara

Four of the five players here started on Boxing Day, so let's focus on the one change I suggest - Haïdara for Davide Santon. Obviously, Pardew sees something he likes in the left back, who sadly must have some sort of boot magnet in his legs with the amount of times opposing players have flown into him studs-up. And with the rest of the lineup I've laid out, going with the ex-Nancy man makes sense. He's probably a better defender than Santon, who always seems to have a couple shaky moments in every match. As Theo Walcott will likely line up at right wing, Newcastle will need all the defense on that side it can get. And in the attack, Haïdara's left-footed crosses will be useful in a 4-4-2 formation. In that setup, Haïdara provides the width that Santon so rarely offers.

Midfield: Moussa Sissoko, Cheick Tioté, Yohan Cabaye, Yoan Gouffran

Almost exactly two years ago, a formidable Manchester United rolled into St. James' Park and was thoroughly humiliated. Maybe the biggest reason why was the performance of Tioté. He exemplified the midfield enforcer role, harrying and intimidating his more skilled opponents from start to finish. I don't think Wayne Rooney has been the same since. Back from his suspension, Tioté needs to wreak a similar amount of havoc against another "big club." These are the matches he was made to star in.

Some food for thought on the improvement in Newcastle's squad, even since the fifth-place campaign. In that famous 3-0 win in January 2012, Tioté and Cabaye started in midfield, with Ryan Taylor and Jonás Gutiérrez on the wings. I'd say Sissoko and Gouffran are a step up in class, wouldn't you?

Forwards: Shola Ameobi, Loïc Rémy

The other thing to remember about that night against Man U was the surprising effectiveness of Shola Ameobi in a brutish Newcastle attack. It certainly wasn't pretty, but it surprised a team not used to seeing its opponents be so aggressive. Arsène Wenger's teams often fall victim to the same tactics. Even though I stump for a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 when virtually no one else does, I'll change my tune and argue for Shola to get the start tomorrow. With Newcastle within reach of the top four, and even the top of the table, I'd rather see three points than pretty football.

That means leaving out Hatem Ben Arfa after a pretty strong performance on Thursday, which is a bit harsh on the French Swaggy P. But we know that no matter what style Newcastle plays tomorrow, Arsenal will have plenty of possession and a ton of chances to score. I wouldn't feel comfortable with Ben Arfa on the pitch in that scenario. The odds of a costly mistake are, sadly, just too high. But with a more favorable matchup on Wednesday, Newcastle fans won't even have to wait a week to drop another Hatem Bomb.

Who Pardew will pick: Krul; Debuchy, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon; Sissoko, Tioté, Cabaye; Ben Arfa, Rémy, Gouffran

Three Points: Everyone Scores Against Stoke

Three takes on yesterday's Boxing Day bloodbath, quicker than it took Stoke to get two players and its manager sent off:

Atkinson in a giving mood: Newcastle's first-half performance started out patient, as it was early against Crystal Palace, then turned to passive. That allowed Stoke to take the lead in a fairly directionless affair and put the stereotypical St. James' Park nervousness into play. Then Christmas came a day late for the Toon.

Was Martin Atkinson's decision to send off Glenn Whelan harsh? Probably. But Newcastle has been on the other side of some shaky red card decisions in the past (Cheick Tioté at the Stadium of Light last year immediately comes to mind), so maybe it's some karmic justice. Plus, Whelan can't really have too much of a complaint about his second yellow, seeing as he kicked out at Yohan Cabaye when nowhere near the ball. The no-doubter red card for Marc Wilson a few minutes later gave Newcastle all the momentum it would need to get its shooting boots on.

Everyone on the scoresheet: That's picture's not Photoshopped - Papiss Cissé did, in fact, score in yesterday's match. So did Loïc Rémy, twice, even after missing the penalty when Wilson was sent packing. Yoan Gouffran, who some of my colleagues say couldn't shoot his way out of a paper bag, scored in his fifth straight match at SJP. (He's the first to pull off that feat since some guy named Alan Shearer, by the way.) And Yohan Cabaye again hit paydirt following a well-timed move at the edge of the penalty area.

The scoring spread illustrates something that too many casual observers of the club are missing this season. In years past, Newcastle has been very much a one scorer at a time club. Going back to late 2010, you had Andy Carroll, then Kevin Nolan, Demba Ba, Cissé, Ba again, Cissé again (sort of), and now, if you listen to the naysayers, it's all Rémy. Sure, his brace today gave him 10 goals for the season, third in the league. But Gouffran and Cabaye have perfectly good chances to hit double figures as well this year. And unlike in 2011-12, when Cissé and Ba neutralized each other to some degree, their goals aren't really coming at the expense of Rémy's.

Benny being Benny: Practically the only player who didn't hit the net yesterday, though not for lack of trying, was the Premier League's version of Swaggy P, Hatem Ben Arfa. He's gone from universally loved on Tyneside to a bit polarizing, as recent matches have shown that the club can be successful and entertaining even without Ben Arfa putting on a show. And his performance yesterday is exactly the sort of thing which gets the haters' hackles up and gives his admirers something to drool over. He set up Gouffran's goal, drew the penalty which set the stage for Cissé, and provided plenty of YouTube-ready moments along the way. He also gave the ball away trying unnecessary tricks and didn't really have to track back with Newcastle coasting in the second half. So is Ben Arfa a regular starter going forward? The jury's still out.

Lineups Vs. Stoke: Downing The Potters On Boxing Day

It's the midst of the festive period, and now the matches are coming thick and fast. (Cliche quota fulfilled.) Whether Alan Pardew wanted to make changes to his lineup or not, he's being forced into rotating players because of certain stars' fondness for yellow cards. Tomorrow, it will be Cheick Tioté getting a mandatory day off. How will the manager fill the hole in the midfield?

As always, I'll explain why I want Newcastle to line up in this particular fashion. And today, I think Pardew and I are on the same wavelength - no "predicted XI" necessary!

Keeper and back four: Tim Krul, Mathieu Debuchy, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini, Davide Santon

In the span of a couple of months, Newcastle's defense has gone from a real problem area, with an out-of-form keeper and a lot of question marks in front of him, to a source of strength, just as it was two years ago. Williamson is doing his best to end up on a plane to Brazil over the summer, and Debuchy deserves serious consideration for the Premier League Team of the Year if he keeps this up. With three matches in quick succession, I'd like to see Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Massadio Haïdara given chances to play, but neutralizing the towering Peter Crouch might not be the best opportunity.

Midfield: Moussa Sissoko, Vurnon Anita, Yohan Cabaye

While Sissoko is being moved out of his right wing position in the absence of Tioté, he should line up as the right-most central midfielder in order to capitalize on his partnership with Debuchy. That duo has been an absolute nightmare for teams to deal with, and by keeping him relatively close to the right back in the formation, hopefully Newcastle should still be able to reap the rewards. Sissoko has spent a lot of his time tucked into the center of the field anyway over the last few weeks, because Debuchy has been able to control the entire left flank on his own for long stretches of matches.

Cabaye's reemergence has made all the difference in the midfield. I don't know whether it was his injuries, mental health, general lack of fitness, or all of the above, but he was shockingly immobile and passive last season, and it created problems which resonated throughout the team. Now, I'd really like to see how much ground he covers in a given match. Against Crystal Palace on Saturday, I saw him as the furthest player forward, pressing the opposing center backs into mistakes, as a trailing runner into the box for his goal, on the wings dictating play and firing crosses into the box, and back around the Newcastle penalty area helping break up attacks. To have a player do all that, and do it well, is really fun to watch.

Forwards: Hatem Ben Arfa, Loïc Rémy, Yoan Gouffran

Essentially, the big decision Pardew has tomorrow is whether to revert to the 4-4-2 and start Shola Ameobi, or keep the same shape as last week and play Ben Arfa instead. My preference is to use Shola in matches where his physical style contrasts the opposition - in other words, play him against finesse teams instead of bruising ones.

While Stoke is not the Stone Age-level club it was under Tony Pulis, I think Ben Arfa's skill is more likely to open up its defense than Shola's strength. Obviously, Ben Arfa's defensive work will always be an issue, but with Sissoko able to cover him to some degree, and Debuchy also in excellent form, hopefully the right flank will be protected well enough. Starting Ben Arfa also sets up a potential Shola start against Arsenal this weekend, in a match where Rémy might need a bit of a break. It's just an idea, but it seems like a reasonable one to me.

Three Points: Crystal Palace Whitewashing

Our trio of takeaways from Newcastle United's 3-0 whipping of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday:

Rampant Debuchery. In his post-match interview Alan Pardew singled out Yohan Cabaye as the club's "X factor," but there was nothing unnameable about the way Mathieu Debuchy ruled his lane front-to-back in another scintillating performance. Debuchy has a long reputation from France as a threat coming forward, but his lapses on defense and the rough edges in his passing game appear to have been rounded off in recent weeks. He runs a lot of interference for Cabaye and Moussa Sissoko and whoever else might be visiting the right side, and he's becoming a steady duel-winner - 6 out of 9 on Saturday. Like the rest of his team, Debuchy appears to be benefiting from a consistent role and developing an identity. This is the player we dreamed he might be when he rode a wave of promise to England, and he might well get better still. Debuchy looks like a star in the making.

Confidence and control. High hopes from a good run of form, an opponent desperate to battle away from the drop zone, poor conditions in a passionate away ground - too often these are the key ingredients in a Newcastle disappointment. Which makes it all the more impressive how United maintained its chokehold on Saturday's match from start to finish. The Magpies racked up 70 percent possession in the first half and 67 percent overall, and while possession can be misleading, on Saturday it yielded a Swansea-esque 576 passes with a sizzling 84 percent completion rate (to Palace's 270 and 67). It wasn't passing for passing's sake, either - Newcastle went for the long bomb when it was there, and made enough promising runs to score another couple of goals. If you judge a Europe contender by the way it puts away inferior competition, Newcastle looked like one Saturday.

A festive holiday table. In case you're wondering whether this club is for real or as good as the Europa qualifiers two years ago, note: At this point of the season that eventual fifth-place club had three fewer points, one fewer goal scored and the same number conceded, with a tougher set of matches left to finish the first half. Last season Newcastle hit its current 30-point mark in March. It's not hard to come up with reasons for the rise in form. This team is generating more chances than any since Pardew's arrival, converting them at a solid clip, and finding steady combinations at the midfield and back that aren't easily picked apart on runs and counters. More than sugarplums ought to be dancing in the heads of Newcastle fans as they drift to sleep this Christmas season.

Three Points: Southampton Draw

Three conclusions from Newcastle United's enthralling 1-1 draw with Southampton at St. James' Park:

A fair result for a well-played match
Newcastle failed to protect its one-goal halftime lead and couldn't cash in on any late chances to rescue a win. But it's hard to be too angry over a point from this one, considering the performance and the opposition.

It was a back-and-forth game, contested by two good teams that pushed each other for 90 minutes. Southampton had more of the ball in the first half, but Newcastle looked dangerous every time it attacked. Then, Southampton turned it up a notch to get its equalizer, and Newcastle responded by closing the match with a flurry (albeit one that didn't result in a goal). Loic Remy's incredible second-half miss — he should have also buried a chance in the first half, but at least he put that one on goal — cost United, but the Saints' Steven Davis also hit the post with a wicked volley. A draw felt like the fair outcome.

Anyone who couldn't appreciate this game and the performances of both teams probably isn't a genuine soccer fan.

What just happened?
Have you ever seen such a bizarre final few minutes of a game?

First, Moussa Sissoko, who stood out all game along with Vurnon Anita (who capably filled in for Yohan Cabaye), Cheick Tiote and Mathieu Debuchy, inadvertantly hit referee Mike Jones in the face in the midst of an argument with Southampton goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga. Jones went down a little bit theatrically, but he most likely wasn't expecting to get popped in the face, and Sissoko did get him in the nose and eye. Credit to Jones for not overreacting and pulling out a card.

A few minutes later, a late tackle on Newcastle substitute Massadio Haidara prompted a melee involving members of both teams' coaching staffs. Newcastle goalkeeping coach Andy Woodman did something to get himself removed from the dugout, and John Carver looked angry. Angry John Carver frightens me.

A sign of things to come?
For the second time in three games, Alan Pardew made a second-half switch at left back by sending on Haidara for Davide Santon.

At Swansea, Santon simply looked gassed. That didn't seem to be the case on Saturday, but it's worth noting it was Santon's loss of possession in midfield that sprung the counter attack that gave Southampton its equalizer.

For all the defensive improvements Santon has made since arriving from Inter Milan in the summer of 2011, he hasn't developed much with his on-ball decision-making. He still routinely dribbles his way into hopeless situations, which is exactly what happened on his costly giveaway. And Santon's crossing is about as impotent as it gets, at least from the left flank. Haidara, on the other hand, looked back to the promising player we saw last season — powerful, fast and direct. (Although Hatem Ben Arfa must not have been too impressed, considering he had Haidara wide open on the left during a late foray forward, but opted to dribble into traffic; shocking!)

This isn't to say Santon should be sold come January, when he'll turn 23. But with Haidara and Paul Dummett providing Pardew with intriguing left-footed alternatives, Santon shouldn't be the automatic choice at left back anymore. I've said it before and I'll say it again: The idea of Santon playing further up the field intrigues me.

Lineups Vs. Southampton: Filling In For Cabaye

Just like two seasons ago, there has been a fair bit of change in Alan Pardew's "settled" side. Injuries, suspensions, and midweek matches have forced the manager to adjust, and tomorrow's match against Southampton will be no different. With yellow card magnet Yohan Cabaye serving his one-match suspension, Pardew has to find a formula that works.

This week, my preferred XI has the exact same players as my guess for Pardew's picks, but in a slightly different arrangement. As always, I'll explain my choice first, then finish off the post by predicting the actual team.

Keeper and back four: Tim Krul; Mathieu Debuchy, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini, Davide Santon

Why mess with a good thing? Though Coloccini hasn't been at his best for much of the season, even during the recent excellent run, he had a captain's showing against Manchester United last week. As Pardew has admitted, it's incredibly harsh on Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa to leave him out of the lineup, but sadly there isn't a place for him at the moment. And in late August, who would have predicted that Debuchy would turn into Newcastle's player of the season? He'd get my vote right now, and he should be in the Premier League's team of the year if he keeps up this level from here on out.

Midfield: Cheick Tioté, Vurnon Anita, Hatem Ben Arfa

Tioté and Anita are obvious choices for two of the midfield spots given their recent performances. Ben Arfa, on the other hand, is maybe not the first person you'd think of to replace Cabaye. Here's why I like him here. We saw what Cabaye did last week from this position. With two defensively responsible midfielders behind him, he had more license to press the Man U defense without tracking back as much as he typically would. That obviously suits Ben Arfa's game, as he doesn't really like going in reverse. One key, and I hope Pardew stressed it in training this week, is movement off the ball. That's what led to Cabaye's goal last week, but it's something that Ben Arfa isn't really great at. Finding gaps between the defense and midfield is exactly what's needed to thrive in this role.

Forwards: Moussa Sissoko, Yoan Gouffran, Loïc Rémy

The other reason for putting Ben Arfa in a central position is Sissoko's successful partnership with Debuchy on the right wing. If the two hadn't grown into such a devastating combination, it may be easier to slide Sissoko inside for a match and put Ben Arfa on the perimeter. But it could be a serious mistake on Pardew's part to make that switch tomorrow. 

In addition to their obvious offensive abilities, Sissoko has been an effective auxiliary defender when Debuchy makes his frequent tantalizing forays down the right flank. That's not a role Ben Arfa would relish, which could lead to disaster when Jay Rodriguez or Adam Lallana decide to take the fight to Newcastle. In my view, moving Sissoko would be too much of a risk right now. Though I don't think Pardew sees it my way, this arrangement makes much more sense.

Who Pardew will choose: Krul; Debuchy, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon; Tioté, Anita, Sissoko; Ben Arfa, Rémy, Gouffran

On The Air: New Formula At Old Trafford

On this week's celebratory IWIWAG podcast, the irregular regulars reunite to give Newcastle United its share of credit for Saturday's historic victory at Manchester United's hallowed ground. We look at what's working Newcastle's new formula, who's working (or not) and why. Are Debuchy and Sissoko winging it? What's gotten into Tiote? When will Anita get noticed? Who would win a Moyes-Ben Arfa cage match? Plus: Our exclusive breakdown of the United costume party, including a worldwide APB on Chewbacca. Click below to listen, or visit our iTunes page for a download into your very own computer or mobile device (reminder: iPhones require iOS 7 to access the festivities). Howay!

I Wish I Was A Geordie Dec 10 2013