Alan Shearer makes three changes from the side which drew at Stoke last weekend with Andy Carroll, Steven Taylor and Jonas Gutierrez coming in to the starting eleven, for this afternoon’s crucial game at White Hart Lane. Shola Ameobi, Danny Guthrie and David Edgar make way, and are all on the bench this week.
It may be that Newcastle will keep the 3-5-2 formation with Steven Taylor replacing David Edgar in the center of the back line of three. David is very unlucky, to say the least, to be left out of the starting eleven, after last week’s solid performance at the back for the Magpies.
But Alan could also play a back four with Beye S.Taylor Bassong and R.Taylor (Damien Duff) at the back.
Gutierrez takes the place of Danny Guthrie in a three-man central midfield alongside Butt and Nolan, while Andy Carroll, scorer of that brilliant headed equalizer at the Britannia Stadium last Saturday, starts in attack alongside skipper Michael Owen.
That’s what most Newcastle fans were hoping for. We have to say we hope we start with a back-line of four, because playing three to us, leaves to much space for the skilled Tottenham forwards. It looks like Robbie Keane and Darren Bent will be the Spurs two strikers.
It also seems that Alan has considerable faith in Ryan Taylor, who he has started in every game since he’s been at the club this month.
Oba Martins, who missed last week’s game at Stoke returns, but only to the bench, and has presumably lost his place after Andy’s terrific performance and goal for Newcastle in those last 20 minutes last week – a good move by Alan.
As expected Mark Viduka is on the bench for the first time for a while, but no place for promising youngster, Nile Ranger, as Shola is preferred as a sub today – that’s a pity.
Tim Krul is preferred as substitute goalkeeper to Fraser Forster, and since Tim was the substitute goalkeeper last week, and they usually rotate, we assume Tim is now the official back-up to Steve Harper.
Forget draws – we need a good win today – Howay The Lads – we can do it!!
TEAMS
Tottenham Hotspur: Heurelho Gomes, Tom Huddlestone, Aaron Lennon, Darren Bent, Wilson Palacios, Luka Modric, Robbie Keane, Michael Dawson, Verdan Corluka, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Jonathan Woodgate
Subs: Alan Hutton, Gareth Bale, Didier Zokora, David Bentley, Frazier Campbell, Carlo Cudicini, Jermain Defoe
Newcastle United: Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Steven Taylor, Sebastien Bassong, Ryan Taylor, Damien Duff, Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez, Nicky Butt, Michael Owen (c), Andy Carroll
Subs: Tim Krul, David Edgar, Danny Guthrie, Shola Ameobi, Oba Martins, Mark Viduka, Alan Smith
Referee: Mark Halsey
Attendance: tbc
280 comments so far
ian
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:21 PM
Comment #81rodzilla, yes I agree if he is still carrying the injury, if he is and Ranger has pace then he should have been on the pitch.
Pace is non existent on our side.
But Rodzilla this is the side that those idiots Moncur and Mcdonald go on and on about and it is crap. Pace is everything.
Toon Graeme
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:21 PM
Comment #82F sake.
Rodzilla
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:22 PM
Comment #83Stevo, I’d be looking back at Bolton and Hull personally, but I know what you’re saying mate. We do have a good record against Spurs but they look a lot better now than they have done for a fair few years.
…..2nd half to come yet lads.
COME ARN!!!!!!!!!
Toon Graeme
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:22 PM
Comment #84Come on corner!!!!!
Tom4Nufc
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:22 PM
Comment #85Someone show them how to take a corner?
Toon Graeme
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:22 PM
Comment #86FFS – first man!!!
TheToonKing
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:23 PM
Comment #87Where is Butt and Nolan ?? seriously ?? they are just strolling through the middle …..walking even……
It’s like watching an FA Cup game against a premier league team and Regional one……terrible……simply horrid play….
ObaFan2
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:23 PM
Comment #88Totally outplayed first half, something has to change!
As for our deliveries from set pieces… sigh!!
The Original Todd
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:23 PM
Comment #89i hope they were saving it for the 2nd half, b/c that was not pretty….
DevonMag
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:23 PM
Comment #90I haven’t been on here for time cos this blog has basically been going to the dogs with the amount of bollocks people post on here, but you lot need to sort it out! (not all)
‘Best fans in the world’ my arse, some of you are the most miserablly pessimistic bunch of sods! The game’s not been THAT bad, granted we’ve made silly mistakes but we’re nufc for f*cks sake, it’s what we do! I dont see us winning this game but it’s a good thing the faithful that have travelled to white hart lane dont have the same attitudes as alot of you or we’d be royally fu*ked! And this is NOT the game that will decide our season, portsmouth is. Loose that and we’re down. Keep the faith lads!
BT9MAG
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:24 PM
Comment #91Sometimes teams deserve to go down and survive – I hope that’s us this year!
We’re terrible…
toonoholic
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:24 PM
Comment #92i dont see a return in this game . honestly the season is over. i have never been so pessimistic ever. the players are not responding. even god cant save us !
Rodzilla
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:25 PM
Comment #93ian, I reckon we could do worse than give Lovenkrands a run out for Duff.
(?)
sirjasontoon
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:26 PM
Comment #94That was awful,not going to bother watching the 2nd half I would rather watch paint dry useless twats.
Toon Graeme
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:26 PM
Comment #95Its hard to watch – who thinks pompey home will be any different!!!
Howay lads – come oot fighting.
chanty
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Comment #96i can’t see where we will get our goals from, we have no creativity in midfield
Rodzilla
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Comment #97toonoholic
…God doesn’t exist mate, so I wouldn’t count on him/her either.
😉
Toon_Factor
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Comment #98We are formationless. Gutierrez is the only one creating chances. Butt OFF, Martins ON.
BT9MAG
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Comment #99Rodzilla – If Mcloven was fit I’d had played him from the start, he always looks committed, works hard and actually has genuine pace!
toonoholic
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Comment #100mike ashley played his cards closely to his chest and honestly he has saved miserably. his 5 yr plan was champions league and not champion ship. . i dont know about you guys, but i think some poor buys, some poor managers and a very very poor owner will cost us of our status. if the players dont stand up for themselves in the next 45 minutes , isee no reason why they wld in the next 3 home games.
Jan Stavik
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:29 PM
Comment #101My god, we’re going down because of the sale of Shay… Harper is SHITE!
No was we’ll get any points from this match, we have a poor goalie, two decent defenders in Bassong and Beye, one good midfielder in Gutierrez and the rest are more or less useless. Loot at Butt and Nolan… They are not even good enough for CCC.
toonoholic
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:29 PM
Comment #102rodzilla somehow there are no signs of god when it comes to helping the north east !
Rodzilla
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Comment #103sirjasontoon
I bet you DO watch the second half. Watching paint dry can sometimes be quite compelling, under the right conditions. 😉
brownrob
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Comment #104To be perfectly honest… the team has got progressively worse every season since Sir Bobby was saked by Fat Freddy Shepherd… who ruined the clubs finances and almost put us into administration!
Toon Graeme
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Comment #105Bents goal was either in or out. So it could be so differnet. I hope the lads get a right rcket up their arse!
howie17
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Comment #106im not trying to harp on about keegan but last year he came in, was brave and got us the results with a daring formation.
if we started 2nd half with
harper
s.taylor,beye,bassong,duff
butt,guthrie,guti
owen
viduka martins
similar to end of last season.
martins on for nolan, guthrie for r.taylor, viduka for carroll
Michael12
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:31 PM
Comment #107Players all over the place, no system in place. To pundits on star sports all say this. The players do not know where they should be and what they should be doing. Symptomatic of no tactics it is so obvious.
Shearer is out of step and out of his depth.
Toon Graeme
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:33 PM
Comment #108The heart rate and bllod pressure is increasing as the adverts nearly end.
HOWAY LADS – come on!
BT9MAG
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:33 PM
Comment #109howie, decent formation but it won’t happen…no manager makes 3 changes at half time – what happens if we pick up 2 injuries. – we’re down to 9 men!
brownrob
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:33 PM
Comment #110Well… we have no Left Back, Martins is injured but on the bench.
Owen is a spent force, Viduka is seeing out the last 2 months of his contract.
Oh, and Keegan came in January… it took him almost 10 games to get a win…
Hugh de Payen
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:33 PM
Comment #111It’s not looking good but we’re only 1 goal down.
We need a recharged 2nd half now like we did at Stoke but if we keep playing like this we’ve had it.
toonbrother
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:34 PM
Comment #112And here I was thinking Shearer had genuine ideas for turning this team around. Really sad to see us going back to the same old failed 4-4-2 formation with our two best players – Guthrie and Martins- wasting away on the bench.
Brutooon
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:34 PM
Comment #113Nicky Butt useless and old.
Owen- need to learn new tricks, his skills can only be use 10 years old !
butt and nolan need to control more of the ball.
Hope this time next year we will be on the top of the championship table 🙂
bring martins in.
The Original Todd
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:35 PM
Comment #114i’m no expert, but we seem to be playing deep in midfield. spurs get all the time and space they need. when newcastle finally get the ball, there’s no one to pass to, and no support.
shearer HAS to do something. it isn’t working like this.
ian
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:36 PM
Comment #115Sorry rodzilla, screen went haywire couldnt get off the mobile screen!! answered on a different post!!
I would like to see Lovenkrands and Guthrie central midfield.
I like Duff at left back, he may find it tough today though.
Martins needs to be fit for any hope of a win.
Butt should be subbed on the pitch 20 minutes before the whistle every game we arent winning.
Azvael
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:36 PM
Comment #116I dont understand why we dont put someone in front of their first man on corner !!! The ball never go behind him anyway.
Toon Graeme
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:36 PM
Comment #117Here we gan lads! Fingers crossed – we need a f’ing miracle!
Toon Graeme
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Comment #118Smith on!
Hugh de Payen
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Comment #119I think the worst thing is that we just look clueless in terms of creating a goal. There just seems to be no inspiration.
Tom4Nufc
Apr 19, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Comment #120oh shite, smith on….