After all the business about James Milner this week, which only broke the morning after the Coventry game, Newcastle head to Arsenal today with a 5:30 pm kick off at the Emirates Stadium.
The squad is a little depleted, but we should still be able to put out a strong side against Arsenal, who have not been on top form so far this season, being beaten last week 1-0 at Fulham last Saturday.
This is a good chance for the lads to further their good start to the season but it will be a difficult game at the Emirates bit it could be that Newcastle can catch Arsenal off form.
They also played in the European Cup qualifiers on Wednesday, but their squad is used to all the games they play in a season. There will be a recall to the bench today for both Joey Barton and Shola Ameobi may even get start, with all other strikers injured.
Toon in Training yesterday
Barton will attend an FA Disciplinary hearing this coming Friday, and will likely be suspended for a number of games.
Injured players still include Oba Martins, Mark Viduka, Damien Duff, Gérémi and Alan Smith.
There were some good performances from some of the lads on Tuesday night at Coventry and we know Keegan was very impressed with 22 year-old Sebastien Bassong, who could make a surprise start this afternoon alongside Fabricio Coloccini.
Even if he doesn’t it’s obvious he will provide Steven Taylor with good competition this season, and of course Jose Enrique probably had his best game in a black and white shirt and seemed full of industry, skill and effort.
We think the wingers will be Charles N’Zogbia on the left and Gutierrez on the right with Michael Owen making his first start of the season.
This is a likely line-up today:
Given
Beye Bassong (Taylor) Coloccini Enrique
Gutierrez Guthrie Butt N’Zogbia
Owen Ameobi
Subs: Harper Taylor (Bassong) Edgar Tozer Barton Ranger Donaldson
That’s not a bad team, but we have no strength in depth to tide us over any injuries, and of course we will likely lose Barton for quite a few games soon through suspension and Milner has gone – so we must get at least 4 new players in before Monday at midnight. That’s an absolute necessity.
But we think the lads will do well today, and we’d be surprised if they don’t. Anything but a defeat would be good.
Comments welcome.
101 comments so far
Will
Aug 30, 2008 at 9:34 AM
Comment #1Come on the Toon!
legends 1892
Aug 30, 2008 at 9:37 AM
Comment #2Howay the lads!!
Spuggy
Aug 30, 2008 at 9:40 AM
Comment #3Howay the lads!!!!
Can I just say will everyone CALM DOWN you doin my head in – doom merchants.
How many of you have forgotten we were in a relagation battle only a few months ago. We now have Jonas, Collo, Guthrie and Bassong who are proving to be excellent signing and can only improve as they get used to the premiership and the team.
Forget the WOW signing thats a vicious rumour with no solid basis. But we will sign a few player come Monday for sure and they will no doubt enhance what we have again.
RESULT: we’re a much stronger team as is already showing, how many of us thought another 6-0 was possible against Mutd but look what happened.
Enjoy the Arsenal game. If we perform well I’ll be happy as larry, even if we lose. We’re just starting to build a good team, and the competition this year is tougher than ever with big bucks being spent by a few teams.
But we have KK, who doessn’t panic buy and waits to get the right players and if he doesn’t he doesn’t sign them! How good is that!
Aim for top 8 finish this year, top 10 finish is acceptable for KK first full seasonbuilding a team. Anything higher is a bonus and will depend on how other teams gell and of course the luck of injuries to all.
Bring on the Arsenal!!!!!!
ToonEskimo
Aug 30, 2008 at 9:41 AM
Comment #4Good time to play the Wenger boys as they are probably struggling at the moment compared to their normal high standards, it will be interesting to see who Arsene is going to spend his 30m on?
I’d take a point.
Spuggy
Aug 30, 2008 at 9:42 AM
Comment #5See didn’t mention Milner once.
Oh….errrrr….ooops
Soz.
ToonKing
Aug 30, 2008 at 9:43 AM
Comment #6Beye is injured Ed……
we might get beat today…i really hope we get a result though.
Main thing is after the Gooner game is done with….we’ll have a much needed brake and be in a much better position for Hull…..with a few new faces hopefully…
ronaldeano
Aug 30, 2008 at 9:46 AM
Comment #7Whatever team KK puts out, there is no doubt in my mind that we will have a go at beating Arsenal and the lads will run at them non stop for the full 90 minutes. I cant wait 🙂
If we win, that should shut the filthy cockney journo’s up for a while! The only thing that they will have to report on will be us beating Arsenal and our 4 new signings!
HOWAY THE LADS!! 🙂
ObaforPM!
Aug 30, 2008 at 9:49 AM
Comment #8Arsenal will want to come out and prove something today. Can be very tricky this one but with colo on top form he can make anything difficult for the strikers. Hope gutierrez will give in a lot cause i think he’ll be our main guy today 🙂 – anyone know if vela will get on the bench?
Spuggy
Aug 30, 2008 at 9:52 AM
Comment #9Here Here Toonking!!
2 weeks after todays match to get players back fit, bed in new signings – we will be in a much stronger position come home game against Hull on 13th!!
robertsa
Aug 30, 2008 at 9:54 AM
Comment #10aslong as gutierez plays like how he did agenst Man U we will pinch a draw hopefully.
wigaz
Aug 30, 2008 at 9:55 AM
Comment #11God that line up just highlights how small our squad is Ed! well shola’s due a good game aint had one in a while! i can see us keeping both shola & smith. Personally i’d rather smith start than shola, at least he’ll rough up gallas a bit. We need players so much, if monday comes & goes & we end up with same squad we’re in trouble! we need Oba, viduka & duff back asap as once they are we have a good attacking line up.
Worst case scenario NO SIGNINGS! best team we got with no injurys? ha ha!
======Given=====
Beye==Taylor==Colo==Enrique
====Guthrie/Butt====
Jonas===========Duff==
=======Owen=======
===Viduka===Oba
Didn’t include Barton as god knows when he’ll be available after suspension, God dam FA!
Hope we have more players in by Tue 2nd like!
Geordie SPIDERMAN18 (GG7)
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Comment #12im peed off abot jimmy milner, but im quite hopefull we will get qaulity in, we wont get no high profile signing, but hopefully good ones.
Toonboy
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:09 AM
Comment #13Im off to the game today. Howay the lads 🙂
smithio
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:10 AM
Comment #14Thought Shola failed a transfer medical last week. A “not 100% fit” Shola agains Arsenal away. Doesn’t fill me with confidence. Hope he plays the game of his life and someone buys him before Monday.
James
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:13 AM
Comment #15with beye out and shola likely to be on the bench, I think the team will be more like
=========Given=========
Edgar==Taylor==Bassong==Enrique
Gutierrez=Coloccini=Butt=Guthrie=N’Zogbia
=========Owen=========
Pretty defensive but still enough to trouble them with the front three
Toonboy
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Comment #16Anyone else going to Arsenal game????
Optimist
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:16 AM
Comment #17Geremi’s injured?
Colin Bolin
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:17 AM
Comment #18One of the new signings is Uruguayan International IGNACIO GONZALEZ of Valencia. He is coming on a years loan.
http://www.elpais.com.uy/08/08/30/pdepor_366852.asp
Goody goody gumdrops.
Shot Bru!
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:17 AM
Comment #19If Beye is injured what are the choices for RB. Play Taylor there and keep the Colo Bassong partnership or play Colo at rb with Taylor and Bass @ cb. Or how about Edgar @ rb. Probably this is the reason KK is takin alook @ Zayatte as we lack a bit of cover at RB.
totsy
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Comment #20i reckon a win is on the cards today arsenal aren’t in the best of form and don’t have the strongest team in the world……..2-1 newcastle
Marty
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:22 AM
Comment #21Howay the Lads!!!!!!!
They will give a good showing today but not sure if we can get something out of it,but i am very willing to be surprised…
NZOG N JONAS to play great today i reckon our best hopes of pinching something.’
LETS GET BEHIND THE TEAM TODAY!!!!!!!
:-)))))))))))))))))))))))))) TOOOOOOON
dick
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:23 AM
Comment #22dont think ashley will be at game, not in the away crowd anyway, not untill everybody has calmed down and we can judge the whole mess on tuesday morning
Shot Bru!
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:23 AM
Comment #23Good shout James.
ice dog
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:23 AM
Comment #24i said last tues there would be two signings,sav plus one if MA would agree to signing on fee for sav now milner has gone maybe two more that was my imfo,enjoy game SPYRO look forward to your comments on return,
beyethegreat
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:26 AM
Comment #25hope we dont sign atouba
SouthernMag
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Comment #26We’ve signed Ignacio Gonzalez from Valencia
http://www.elpais.com.uy/08/08/30/pdepor_366852.asp
It’s a one year lone deal. I don’t know anything about him. I think he’s just signing for Valencia but being loaned straight away.
Anyway I’m off to the game today. I can’t wait.
dougnufc
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Comment #27What position does Ignacio Gonzalez play?
Graham
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:35 AM
Comment #28For some reason i’m pretty optomistic about to day. Arsenal aren’t having the best of times , and although they won easy in midweek (Lemington Labour Club could have done a job against Mike Baldwins FC Twenty), they’re still not up and running.
It will be difficult, but I fancy 2-1 either way today. But i’d settle for a draw!
asdf
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:37 AM
Comment #29who is Ignacio Gonzalez???
ObaObaOba
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Comment #30Unfortunatley i cant read spanish. But i thought he played for danubio or someone like that? I dont know much about him but i think he played/was with monaco? Skillfullish winger right? might mean milners replacement already then?
The Entertainers
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Comment #31Given
Taylor Coloccini Basson Enrique
Jonas Butt Guthrie Zog
Smith !!!
Owen
Graham
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:42 AM
Comment #32Looks loike a lb to me – dont know if hes any good though…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIbljBgv0ys
dick
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:43 AM
Comment #33gonzalez is spanish 20 years old 6 ft attacking midfielder played for real madrid scored about 5 goals
geordie 4 life
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:43 AM
Comment #34i was looking forward to this game until i saw ed team
BIG USLESS AMEOBI UPFROUNT NOOOOOO
we should play kid they all carnt be injured aswel
SouthernMag
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Comment #35There is some info on the comments by Valencia fans on here.
http://valencia.theoffside.com/team-news/david-villa-to-stay.html
hitman
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Comment #36i hope we beat the arse today might get ashley in the mood to open his wallet
Graham
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:46 AM
Comment #37Diuck – Gonzalez is a Uruguayan. By the looks of that report he may have played for Monaco at some stage but not sure!
I Made 1000
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:47 AM
Comment #38good morning beye the great, its big rick
Spuggy
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:49 AM
Comment #39Here’s the translated link re the loan signing of Ignacio Gonzalez by Newcastle!!
Difficult to see what date it says on this website?
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=bf-home&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elpais.com.uy%2F08%2F08%2F30%2Fpdepor_366852.asp&lp=es_en&btnTrUrl=Translate
I Made 1000
Aug 30, 2008 at 10:51 AM
Comment #40a think it will be 1-1 nzog to score