The lads played very well indeed on Monday night, when they ended up worthy winners 2-0 against Aston Villa, and were able to limit captain Michael Owen to a minute or so of first team football, in his comeback from groin injury problems.
Michael Owen – itching to get back in Newcastle’s side
But now with Shola and Oba Martins playing so well up front it would be a little unfair to replace one of them with Michael, and we need a big guy up front in any case, with Shola’s role being to help batter the opposition defense. And he gave Danish defender Martin Laursen a tough game on Monday night, although Matt gave as much as he got, in an intriguing struggle between the two.
So maybe the time is right to try the 4-3-3 that Kevin Keegan used so successfully, when he faced a similar challenge once Mark Viduka came back last season, and it seemed to work so well.
But we’re not sure if Joe has used 4-3-3 many times.
With Joey Barton looking so good as a box to box midfielder. we could definitely play three in the middle of the Park with Barton, Butt, Guthrie and Geremi all challenging for those positions.
We’ll have to wait and see what Kinnear decides to do, but Joe is coming off an excellent piece of coaching from Monday night, where he may have even out-coached the great Martin O’Neill on the night.
We must also be in with a reasonable of chance of getting all 3 points at Craven Cottage, although Fulham are always a difficult team to play, because they always play with 100% commitment and heart every game.
Captain Michael Owen is itching to get back on Sunday and said:
“Hopefully, I can get back in for that one,” “It’s always nice coming back into a team that has won a game or two.”
“And when you win you get a little bit greedy and want another win.” “It wasn’t a serious injury I’ve had, but it’s been a frustrating one, given the timing.”
Owen will be anxious to get back in the Newcastle side as he tries to impress England manager Fabio Capello, who has left him out of the two previous England squads, which have also done so well. Michael needs to start hitting those goals again, although the England boss has warned goals must come with also playing well in the team.
Michael talked about getting back in the England squad:
“That just comes with playing well and scoring goals,” “It’s a by-product of doing well for your club.”
The team Joe selects for the game at Craven Cottage will be interesting now he has some of his better players back. But Mark Viduka and Ignacio Gonzalez are still out with Achilles probelms, with do dates set for their return to training.
Comments welcome.
56 comments so far
DURhamTOON
Nov 6, 2008 at 4:12 PM
Comment #41Guthrie and Geremi although good players didn’t play on monday I think that there is a reason for that, because we played the four best midfielders. I think our success came from well placed passes by Joey almost a cracking freekick from Butt and surging runs and crosses from Duff and Jonas. Lets not fix things that aren’t broken. Why don’t we give Owen time to recover half an hour here and there, because lets face it at the moment we may be in a position with everyone hitting form where we we don’t have to rush him back for once…………….
DC Toon
Nov 6, 2008 at 4:53 PM
Comment #42If you were going to fit Owen into the lineup I would do it as follows:
………………………………Ameobi…………………….
……..Oba…………………………………………………..
……………………..Owen………………….Spiderman
……………Barton………………..Butt…………………
Enrique……….Colo………..Taylor…………….Beye
Not sure if its a good idea, but if he must be fit in, he should play the deep lying attack role he excelled at so much last year.
yemozone
Nov 6, 2008 at 5:52 PM
Comment #43owen in for ameobi at halftime because ameobi is not a good goalscorer
tripp
Nov 6, 2008 at 5:55 PM
Comment #44Owen isn’t ready for a full match yet so this is all premature. Given his fragile nature, he’ll get 20 minutes or so unless things aren’t going well. Why rush him back? I like the super sub idea. As long as Oba’s playing well he should be rewarded with starts.
tripp
Nov 6, 2008 at 6:05 PM
Comment #45DC Toon,
If we HAD to play Owen, I like that compromise. It sacrifices the Duffah, but keeps Jonas on the pitch. The downside is that it sorta puts Oba out wide, and he seems more effective (and happier) in a more central attacking role.
Dom.
Nov 6, 2008 at 8:14 PM
Comment #46i hope so! Owen must play! He is our captain and best finisher and, although his comments in the ress have been promising, we need to play him to stand any chance of him staying! Call me deluded if you like, but I am a firm believer that Owen will stay if this season is a success for himself and the team.
DCToon, I like your line up, I would go for the same players in pretty much that formation.
Dom.
Nov 6, 2008 at 8:16 PM
Comment #47* sorry that was meant to say press not ress
Dom.
Nov 6, 2008 at 8:20 PM
Comment #48—————Given——————
Beye-Taylor-Coloccini-Enrique
———–Butt————————
———————Barton———–
——-Owen——————-Jonas
——————-Martins————
————Ameobi——————-
Something like that, try it out, if not then we might have to drop Ameobi or even Butt to accomodate for Duff and give us more width. Duff doesn’t deserve not to start but I feel that he may need to be sacrificed to accomodate for other players. Butt needs replacing in Jan or the Summer also but at the minute he is doing a decent job, as long as he stops committing stupid fouls!
marhy
Nov 6, 2008 at 9:39 PM
Comment #49if ameobi plays it will be 4-3-2
IrishMan
Nov 6, 2008 at 10:24 PM
Comment #50Marhy,
Presumably your maths are not out of sorts, but rather you are implying that Shola is a waste of space…….
Heavy hitters
Nov 6, 2008 at 11:09 PM
Comment #51Its such a shame we were challenging for the title not so long back and now we have to rely on the likes of Taylor, Ameobi, Guthrie, Cacapa, Geremi, Butt………..has beens and never was beens. My mate Ged died just over 2 years ago, black and white daft and believe me he would turn in his grave watching this lot.
redzer
Nov 6, 2008 at 11:25 PM
Comment #52i think we should stay 4-4-2, if it isn broken….dont fix it, for the time bein least, give charlie nzogbia a run ahead of duffer tho
GIVEN
BEYE COLOCCINI TAYLOR ENRIQUE
BUTT
BARTON
JONAS NZOGBIA
MARTINS AMEOBI
iain
Nov 7, 2008 at 12:37 AM
Comment #53theres not any point changing a winning team that is starting to gel and play good football.
chances are one of oba or shola will tire and owen will come on and get plenty of time to play.
you would have to be daft to change the formation as well to accomodate geremi or guthrie at the expense of duff and jonas the way they are playing
Hirdy
Nov 7, 2008 at 1:04 AM
Comment #54There is no need for Big Joe to tinker with an effective lineup. The lads are showing true grit and determination now. Please leave the squad as is. MO can fight for his place like everyone else. Hoping for another 2 – 0 result against Fulham and gradually drag ourselves away from the relegation scrapheap.
bruTOOOON
Nov 7, 2008 at 5:46 AM
Comment #55get rid of ameobi…..play owen and martin up front. me dont need a target man
ryunufc
Nov 8, 2008 at 3:08 AM
Comment #56not now