Kevin Keegan has made several changes from the side that fell apart against Liverpool last Saturday.
Keegan gives starts to Martins and Viduka and finally Smith is benched.
But we look a bit weak on the wings and we have to assume Geremi and Martins will start there. Very surprising to us that Charles N’Zogbia is only a substitute and not starting on the left wing.
There is no Damien Duff included so we assume he’s injured, unless he’s been given a night off. It’s good to see big Andy Carroll on the bench.
We wanted Oba to start and Smith to be on the bench so we got our wish, but who’s going to provide the width and attacking flair down the wings?
It looks to us we’ll play 4-3-3 (?) with Michael Owen, Mark Viduka and Oba Martins up front with Nicky Butt, Joey Barton and Geremi in midfield.
But the bench is also strong and it looks like Keegan is going all out attack tonight. With only 3 goals in 8 games, that’s probably good.
TEAMS
Birmingham City: Maik Taylor, Liam Ridgewell, Stephen Kelly, Radhi Jaidi, David Murphy, Fabrice Muamba, Sebastian Larsson, Damien Johnson (c), Gary McSheffrey, Mikael Forssell, James McFadden
Subs: Colin Doyle, Stuart Parnaby, Mehdi Nafti, Mauro Zarate, Cameron Jerome
Newcastle United: Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Jose Enrique, Abdoulaye Faye, Steven Taylor, Nicky Butt, Geremi, Joey Barton, Oba Martins, Mark Viduka, Michael Owen (c)
Subs: Fraser Forster, Claudio Cacapa, Charles N’Zogbia, Alan Smith, Andy Carroll
This is the night of truth for Newcastle.
Howay The Lads!!!
179 comments so far
Tom_Toon
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:35 PM
Comment #1Lovely jubbly.
Forcaaaaaaaaa TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON
joe
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:35 PM
Comment #2owen martins AND viduka!
amazing!
eltrain
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:36 PM
Comment #3Woo!!!! Smith isnt playin! I’ve waited 4 this day for years!
Hadrian
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:36 PM
Comment #4gotta be a goal in there somewhere ?
there has tobe a time those lads look at the teamsheet and think wtf are this group of players doing at the bottom of the table !
Dave
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:39 PM
Comment #5At least with Gerimi on the right we can get a decent ball into the box guaranteed!!!! BArton will want to proove something aswell…… i’ve got a good feeling about this team… plenty of pace
Momo
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:39 PM
Comment #6CELEBRATIONS, BEERS ALL AROUND FROM MIKE ASHLEY LOL. Nah forget the beers, im just glad Smudge isnt playing. Looks like we’ve won the game already 😀
CRAIGG
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:40 PM
Comment #7Oh its a 442
I assumed that it was a 433
Oh well, no Smith and a chance of a few goals with The players brought in i fancy us big time and i have wondered what oba would be like as an out and out wide man not in sams daft formation, Could be an inspired move like Nobby at right back last season.
Ahem wheres the apology from some of you about smiths starting place i said it was due to injuries.
Daiv come on you can finally stop your sarcastic crusade about smith he is history!!!
Tom_Toon
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:42 PM
Comment #8It is 4-3-3 to start.
CRAIGG
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:42 PM
Comment #9Momo even if we dont win tonight this sort of side will take plenty of points off sides like fulham, reading and the scum maybe west ham and spurs
hanzemre
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:42 PM
Comment #10now for a real go at the Brum…hope for a win no matter the score…might 3-2 yeah so be it.
Hilly
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:42 PM
Comment #11I’m excited at the possibilities! Now if we can work the ball up the pitch rather than hoofing and hoping we might have a chance!
Hadrian
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:43 PM
Comment #12sod the attacking flair down the wings ,
owen and martins upfront , viduka sitting behind them holding and pinging balls thru tight gaps .
steve
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:43 PM
Comment #13Looks as good a team as we can put out – come on the toon
CRAIGG
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:43 PM
Comment #14Tom_toon are you sure because i assumed that at first but EDs side has Oba wide left and Owen and Duke up front.
AlexW
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:43 PM
Comment #15duff int injured just dropped
Tom_Toon
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:45 PM
Comment #16no, five live said 4-3-3
Hilly
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:46 PM
Comment #17I would’ve kept Duff on the bench for Smith, but overall, pretty happy
Gloryhunter
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:46 PM
Comment #18Replace Owen with Carroll and I’m on cloud nine. Prove me wrong helicopter boy!
Hadrian
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:46 PM
Comment #19one sadistic thing im getting out of all this mess , is that each game is nailbiting stuff !!
you’d think we were gunning for the title with how important these last games have become 🙁 its exciting , in a sick and twisted sort of way .
Davy C
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:48 PM
Comment #20I think he’ll play more of a 4/3/3 with Martins maybe helping out in midfield now and then. It may be a case of playing a long ball up to Viduka with Owen and Martins picking off him. Not a great way of thinking but we have a mix of battling players along with goalscorers. Hopefully we’ll get a win with this team but just as important – we don’t want to lose.
I’ve got no nails left already and the match hasn’t started yet!
Toon! Toon!
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:49 PM
Comment #21Heres my usual offering to the blog:
Sopcast link for those that divn’t have setanta or cannit gan doon the pub
sop://broker.sopcast.com:3912/43343
Confirmed working. enjoy!
Gloryhunter
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:49 PM
Comment #22“Exiting” Hadrian? Only the Brum supporters at half time 🙂
ObaFan2
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:49 PM
Comment #23Thank you Lord, NO SMITH.
yahooooooooooooo
Come on the TOON……….
CRAIGG
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:50 PM
Comment #24Well thats fine by me if we play as well as these players can than Birmingham will be annihilated.
Reminds me of the days when Pedro played just off Alan and Les or Even when Tino played with Shearer or Ferdinand
proper KK teams.
t-g-w
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:50 PM
Comment #25What’s so surprising about Owen, Martins and Viduka all starting? Haven’t seen that for aaaages. Since the days of… Sam Allardyce!
Kevin
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:51 PM
Comment #26Hey all – I’m going to be stuck at work during the match – so keep the running commentary coming! I’m psyched that Smith’s starting on the bench – now let’s show that striking power!
Tonight’s going to be a tough night – Birm are on top of their games at the moment – I’m hoping for a 2-0 victory but in honesty I can see a 1-1 result.
daiv
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:52 PM
Comment #27Craigg
Def a bettter team without Smith and the forward line looks great. I am worried about the midfield because there is little creativity and pace there. I hope the forwards do not get isolateed due to lack of supply. Fingers crossed….def more hopeful.
ScottyT
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:52 PM
Comment #28this day will forever be known as alan smith day insted of st patricks day .. i sed that a while back if he got dropped lol
CRAIGG
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:53 PM
Comment #29TGW i cant remember Sam playing Oba, Owen and Viduka in the same team
When owen started he changed to 442
And when Oba started he played Viduka central Oba Right and Milner Left
Griff
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:54 PM
Comment #30Guys ivefound the best stream ever….
has a chatroom lol
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cox
ende
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:54 PM
Comment #31HOWAY THE LADS
geordie nick
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:55 PM
Comment #32tom toon ur wrong its 442 with oba on left wing
Hadrian
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:57 PM
Comment #33we didnt sell out for the away match !! ?
gutta
Tom_Toon
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:57 PM
Comment #34geordie nick ‘ur’ wrong, its 4-3-3
Gloryhunter
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:57 PM
Comment #35http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cox
Griff: It’s about a full second ahead of Setanta on Virgin FFS! Well done kidda 🙂
ObaFan2
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:58 PM
Comment #36Team looks good imo, even with Oba left.
Just heard some Newcastle tickets were left for the first time this season!
Oba will hopefully float around causing trouble.
CRAIGG
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:58 PM
Comment #37Daiv i said on on a previous post that i would have started with this side in a 433
————Harper————
-Beye-Taylor-Faye-Enrique-
—–Barton—Butt—N’Zogbia—–
-Owen—–Viduka—–Martins-
Just swap Geremi for Zoggy, but Geremi a better dead ball taker and KK is probs trying to use Viduka, Faye, Taylor and Beyes quality in the air and the movement at set pices from Owen and Martins to hurt them.
dick
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:59 PM
Comment #38no midfield to talk about .looks like the big boot to viduka .hope it works
big pea ov the weab
Mar 17, 2008 at 7:59 PM
Comment #39wot times kick off coz sopcast isnt workin for some reason help
ObaFan2
Mar 17, 2008 at 8:01 PM
Comment #408 o clock ko