Sam Allardyce has recalled Turkish star Emre, Aussie striker Mark Viduka and Czech defender David Rozehnal for the derby clash at the Stadium of Light today.
Nicky Butt (suspended), Jose Enrique and Claudio Cacapa are the players who make way, and it looks like Charles N’Zogbia will operate at left-back in place of Enrique.
Alan Smith drops back into midfield where he is joined by Emre, Joey Barton and James Milner. Michael Owen will be captain for the day, as Geremi again starts on the bench and Michael will be partnered by Mark Viduka in attack. Still no place, even on the bench, for Shola Ameobi, a local Newcastle lad.
It looks like Smith will be out on the right wing and Milner out left, with two attacking midfielders in Barton and Emre – looks like a strange team to us. Not much defensive strength in midfield – wasn’t that one of our faults last week?
For Sunderland, former Newcastle player Michael Chopra starts up front alongside Kenwyne Jones, and Carlos Edwards also returns to the Sunderland side following injury.
TEAMS
Sunderland: Craig Gordon, Nyron Nosworthy, Ian Harte, Danny Higginbottom, Paul McShane, Grant Leadbitter, Ross Wallace, Dickson Etuhu, Carlos Edwards, Michael Chopra, Kenwyne Jones
Subs: Anthony Stokes, Liam Miller, Darren Ward, Danny Collins, David Connolly
Newcastle: Steve Harper, Steven Taylor, Charles N’Zogbia, Abdoulaye Faye, David Rozehnal, James Milner, Alan Smith, Emre, Joey Barton, Michael Owen, Mark Viduka
Subs: Jose Enrique, Oba Martins, Geremi, Habib Beye, Fraser Forster
Referee: M Atkinson
Attendance:Â 48.000 sell out
142 comments so far
wsq
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:36 PM
Comment #41I hate this long ball shiteeeee! Get the futching ball down and play football!
What’s wrong with CLOSING DOWN ON THE OPPONENT! Why is no one CLOSING DOWN! It’s SIMPLE! CLOSE DOWN!!! BIG SAM % FOOTBALL SUCKS!
% FOOTBALL SUCKS!
HIT THE BALL UP THE BALL COMES BACK NO WONDER THE DEFENCE IS IN TATTERS!
yemozone
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:37 PM
Comment #42how can i watch this match online
Eve
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:37 PM
Comment #43OMG there’s no shape, the only reason we’re not loosing is cause Sunderland haven’t been able to finish.
Steve_48
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:37 PM
Comment #44I’ll take 0-0 at half time, some changes needed now for 2nd half, Oba on , take something outa midfield and push up
ABS
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:37 PM
Comment #45BS’s team selection just makes no sense, midfield’s not holding up and we’re getting bombarded from all sides. Defenders playing out of position, attack not getting going; possession almost non-existent. WOW!!!!
Hammy
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:38 PM
Comment #46Tight first half, Harps looks solid, (touch wood) Zog doing well, Owen looking half interested. I think there is only gonna be one goal in this….which way though?
wsq
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:39 PM
Comment #47BETTER PLAY!!!??? HAHA… BULL SHITEE. We will concede in the first 5 mins if we continue playing like this!
THERE”S NO BALANCE IN THE TEAM! NO BALANCE. VIDUKA CAN”T GET THE BALL DOWN LIKE SHEARER.
zogy14
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:39 PM
Comment #48We got know shape in midfield,barton has no pace what so ever,milner cnt play left mid and emre hasnt seen the ball.JUST GET BACK TO MILNER EMRE SMITH AND ZOGGERS ON THE LEFT.The midfield is so packed we need to undo them by getting width.I would rather we attacked them rather than defend.I know its early in big sam reign but this football is utter shit!!
Hadrian
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:39 PM
Comment #49yeah i was gonna say that obafan2 , harper has also gave shay a run for his money . the football from us at times has been better than alot of our games , and the defence is looking good . faye is a one man army at the back today aswell , he was unlucky to get that yellow , we cant afford for him to start being cautious.
i’ll admit i smiled at joey’s horrible tackle there , but im sure it would have been different had the ref saw that , looked like a red to me .
Hammy
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:40 PM
Comment #50wsq…I hope you haven’t got any weapons close at hand mate…….
you sound like a right nutter.
wsq
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:40 PM
Comment #51ALAN SMITH IN THE HOLE! STUPID!!!! EVERYONE IS LOSING THEIR MAN IN MARKING!!
HOW can u defend properly if u don’t mark ure man!!! SUNDERLAND SHOULD BE 3-0 UP!!! FOR GOD SAKE!
WHAT REPETITIVE TRAINING DO THEY DO! WANK*NG?
Eve
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:41 PM
Comment #52Either 1 of 2 things will happen in the second half, either we’ll get our act in order or everything will fall apart. So far no one really is playing well, Harper had to make one save that’s it, Sunderland’s finishing has been poor but sooner or later if it keeps going like this they’ll find the back of the net.
Bobby Ollox
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:41 PM
Comment #53Their needs to be a change in defense – tighten up at right back where we seem weak- and bring on Enrique for Barton to let Zog move to midfield. There is no link up from defense to attack – see if that makes some service to the front
If not then Martins on at 60 minutes for Viduka.
wsq
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:41 PM
Comment #54HOW MANY TIMES HAVE U SEEN OPPONENTS TRYING TO SHOOT FROM 30 YARDS OUT!!! NO ONE IS CLOSING DOWN!! YEA I NEED A GUN TO INTIMIDATE THESE PLAYERS TO CLSOE PPL DOWN!
Hammy
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:42 PM
Comment #55Aye Joey’s nut splitting tackle…….ooouuucchhhhh!!
might not have heard the last of that….
zogy14
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:43 PM
Comment #56Milner has been shoking this season ,looks like hes lost a yard of pace,maybe conferidance down.Cant wait till duffers get back,when is he back?
ObaFan2
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:43 PM
Comment #57lol wsq why do you bother?
It’s a derby@ Sunderland, hard fought and yes we’ve been lucky but still well in it.
Dragoner
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:44 PM
Comment #58we are playing awful football, taylor is awful at rb, and zog and rozenhal aren’t tracking back quick enough. why are we not closing them down, an easier way to stop jones would be to stop them from crossing, rather than gettin 3 people on him at all times leaving other scum players with free headers etc
Eve
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:45 PM
Comment #59The only way we’ll keep a clean sheet (which I’m sick of hearing about) is if Sunderland continue to not be able to get a decent shot a goal. It’s a joke. The only reason we’re not behind is cause of their poor finishing.
wsq
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:46 PM
Comment #60IF I WAS AT THE STADIUM I DON”T CARE IF I GET BANNED FOR LIFE! MY MSG COMES ACROSS GRAB A PLAYER A SHOUT IN HIS FACE! CLOSE THE F*&**NG ASSHOLE DOWN!!!
JUST LOOK AT MILNER HOW FUNNY HE IS TRYIGN TO SHOW THE PLAYER INSIDE! BUT WHAT DO U KNOW HE CAN CROSS EFFECTIVELY WITH THE WEAKER FOOT NOT LIKE HIM! HE HAS TO TRUN 360 several times to put a cross in!
Dragoner
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:46 PM
Comment #61if we lose this match, sam is really gonna get slated, negative football yet again, i know we are away, but it hasn’t done us any good in the past so he needs to change up a bit, seeming a bit like a one trick pony
wsq
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:47 PM
Comment #62Exactly Dragoner!
wsq
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:48 PM
Comment #63Exactlly again Dragoner! I don’t mind % football but it’s not working.. if this doesn’t work.. why keep on doing it!?? why?
coolsmurf
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:48 PM
Comment #64we made sunderland look like world beaters…and it’s only half-time!
Hammy
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:49 PM
Comment #65Second half coming up……..wsq, hope we win for your sake….I can just see you going on a killing spree if we somehow lose this one.
There’s passionate……..then there is you.
Calm down my friend.
Kick off…back to the telly….
Hadrian
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:53 PM
Comment #66why isnt oba on ? , if he gets sick and leaves that will be allerdyce’s legacy among geordie’s .
wsq
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:53 PM
Comment #67HOW DOES A MEDIOCRE SIDE LIKE SUNDERLAND GET SO MANY CROSSES IN>!! U TELL ME!! IMAGINE WHAT ATEAM LIKE MAN U WOULD DO!! 50 CROSSES PER MINUTE!!
Hammy
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:55 PM
Comment #68SSSSSShhhiiiiiiitttteeeeeeeeeeee
Andy H
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:56 PM
Comment #695 M INS AFTER HALFTIME. WE CONCEDE AGAIN. WHAT IS HAPPENEING!!
wsq
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:56 PM
Comment #70I TOLD YOU!!! FIRST 5 MINS!!
Obafan
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:57 PM
Comment #71Taylor off the pitch and put Beye in. And then Owen off and Martins in…. The sooner this happens the better it will be..
joshi
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:57 PM
Comment #72wsq, right keep the calm, theres still time.
Hammy
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:57 PM
Comment #73I know wsq read that…….
That’s the 0-0 game plan out the window….
wsq
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:58 PM
Comment #74THE MORE GAMES WE PLAY THE MORE STUPID WE BECOME!!
joshi
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:58 PM
Comment #75aaaahhhhh i feel sick.
wsq
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:58 PM
Comment #76EVERY SILLY MISTAKE WE CONCEDE!! STORY OF NEWCASTLE”S LIFE!
Hadrian
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:59 PM
Comment #77ohh dear . fan , shit and all that .
Obafan
Nov 10, 2007 at 2:59 PM
Comment #781-0 here we go again. Though times are coming for the Toon. Look at our fixtures.
MARTINS MARTINS MARTINS MARTINS
Taylor go home man!!!
wsq
Nov 10, 2007 at 3:01 PM
Comment #79IVE SWITCHED THE TELLY OFF! PATHETIC!!
wsq
Nov 10, 2007 at 3:02 PM
Comment #80LOOK AT WHAT ALAN SMITH WAS DOING! HE JUST STOOD THERE DOING NOTHING! LOOKING AT THE BALL!!
WHAT DID I SAY JUST NOW??
CLOSING DOWN NO CLOSING DOWN!!