The Wigan game tomorrow afternoon at St. James’ Park is a game Newcastle will be expected to win.
After their fine fighting performance against a top Spurs side last Sunday, it would be a huge let down if Newcastle cannot get all 3 points tomorrow, but of course we have to remember that every team in the Premier League presents a challenge, and no game is ever easy.
But Newcastle should at at full strength tomorrow afternoon, and Alan Pardew said yesterday he expects his players to play the game with the same intensity that they showed in the Spurs game.
While we thought Alan Pardew may make a couple of changes to the side for tomorrow’s game, we think he could well start with another unchanged side, but will almost definitely give three subs a chance sometime in the second half.
And Alan will have in mind the Carling Cup 4th round tie on Wednesday evening at Blackburn Rovers, so some fringe players could get a start in that game.
Krul
Simpson Coloccini (c) Taylor (S) Taylor (R)
Obertan Cabaye Tiote Gutierrez
Best Ba
Subs: Harper Santon Guthrie Ameobi (Sh) Ben Arfa Lovenkrands Marveaux
We will find out tomorrow just how professional a side Newcastle are, and certainly in the past Newcastle have not brought the same intensity to games against the lesser sides, that they show against the top sides.
That has to change, and we have to hope the lads are at their best tomorrow, and if they are, they could win and win easily tomorrow, in front of what promises to be a loud and sizable crowd at St. James’ Park.
It could be that the same three substitutes used last week, Santon, Ben Arfa and Shola Ameobi could come on again in the second half, because all three of them all looked good once they were on the pitch last Sunday.
And of course Shola scored that wonderful equalizer after 86 minutes to get Newcastle the valuable point against Tottenham.
However, these three are all almost certain to start at Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday night, and their introduction will hardly weaken the side.
The keys to this game are the following:
- Newcastle need to bring the same intensity and enthusiasm to this game that they showed last Sunday afternoon
- The defense has to be tight and compact, and this has to be a great chance for another clean sheet, if they concentrate throughout the game
- The strikers are again on form, and Leon Best is due a goal and Demba Ba cannot seem to stop scoring
With some tough league games on the horizon, this becomes an every more important game for Newcastle, and if the lads can indeed get another home win tomorrow, then the side will be on 19 points after 9 games, and will remain 4th top of the Premier League.
That’s before we meet Stoke City a week on Monday night, as the next league game in the prgram.
We don’t want any surprises tomorrow afternoon, but it’s a little worrying that BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson has Newcastle down to win 2-0. 😀
Howay The Lads!!
Comments welcome.
111 comments so far
Toon_Tom
Oct 21, 2011 at 2:47 PM
Comment #14-0
LEROI
Oct 21, 2011 at 2:49 PM
Comment #2HOWAY THE LADS!! This is one we should definatley win if we don’t choke like last season,but i pretty damn sure we won’t this time around!
LEROI
Oct 21, 2011 at 2:52 PM
Comment #34 – 1. BA 2, BEST 1 AND RAYLOR 1 (FK) and DIAME for theirs
Incentino
Oct 21, 2011 at 2:53 PM
Comment #4I love the optimism, Toon_Tom!
TS -77
Oct 21, 2011 at 2:54 PM
Comment #5Krul
Raylor – Saylor – Coloccini – Santon
Ben Arfa – Tiote – Cabaye – Gutierrez
Best – Ba
That would do it, 5 – 0
cyprus
Oct 21, 2011 at 2:54 PM
Comment #6Oops, Lawro has us to win? Worrying, that. Agree that he’ll start the same way. Would love it if he gives 45 to the two subs, and 15 to our super-sub! (Sort out what I mean!
This is a previous post in case you didn’t see it Ed. And best of:
Like others, liked your perspective in the previous article Ed. It’s true, the owner was burned by highly paid players who couldn’t compete with the Wolves of this world. He did try to please us (e.g. Keegan, Shearer), and coupled with some wrong decisions (e.g. Wise, getting rid of Given and others), we went down. Still, it’s time to look ahead. Will we ever forgive? e.g. if we finish top 6, will we insist on hating him? If he brings in more players of the type he has, will we get over our gripes? If he brings stability, will we give him credit? Regarding marque signings, Ed, they do help sometimes, because they do provide an impetus for bigger and greater things: Keegan, Shearer, Ginola, Asprilla…. (let’s not mention the guy in your previous article!) Can we aspire to former glory? Why not, it’s just 11 v 11. APOEL (heard of them?) drew 1-1 at Porto and are leading their group in the Champions League. Could we beat either of those teams, now? You bet.
ginkoh
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:03 PM
Comment #7We have some mental point to prove tomorrow. We will fight to win every time we get on the pitch and for tomorrow, give all our best to them and see how can we go. Hopefully 3pts will be ours. HWTL !
shearer4pm
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:07 PM
Comment #8just put my bet on, toon to win 5-1… 50/1
colo to score first… 33/1
just got a feeling haa
joppadoni
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:11 PM
Comment #9gunna be a tough game tbh. still i think 3 – 1. undoubtedly raylor will hammer a freekick in at some point :S
AP's Black & White Army
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:17 PM
Comment #103-0 by half-time. A few switches – Ben Arfa, etc – another 3-0 in the second-half!
toonLYF
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:18 PM
Comment #11great video showing the return of the entertainers, includes recent footage like shola v spurs, sammy v scunthorpe and jonas v wolves
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgJDV84dPp0
Ameobi No.9
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:22 PM
Comment #12We beat villa 6-0 last season with a pretty average side last season.. so maybe a 9 goal thriller to us may not be too unachievable.
9-0 toon. 10 points to me if I guess the scorers and assists correctly.
Ba, Best, Saylor, Obertan 1 goal. Benny 2 goals and King Shola Hat-Trick, all assists coming from Krul making a 90 yard run up field with the ball and then sliding it past the defenders for our respective goalscorers.
JAMSHA
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:28 PM
Comment #132-0 for me
connor_nufc
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:29 PM
Comment #14not feeling confident at , i feel it could one of those games which we mess up on
WWJBD
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:30 PM
Comment #153-1 toon is my punt. Hopefully a Cabaye screamer for us all to drool over….that said if Cabaye scores I will go completely mental!
Watching MOTD2 again and boy do I wish we signed Shane Long
ilovetoon8788
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:31 PM
Comment #16i predict a 2-0 win. gonna be close. we are all predicting cricket scores in our favor, but hope we don’t fall flat on our faces after the game tomorrow!!
LEROI
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:37 PM
Comment #17lets hope lawro has just got the amount we’ll beat em by wrong! He just hates 2 c us doin well! he’s probly noticed that his predictions r always wrong so he’s trying a new way to put that thatched haired hex on us ha ha ha!
joppadoni
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:52 PM
Comment #18oh dear champagne charlies watching our game on SS… we never win when hes watching… and what is it with his hair these days?
toonLYF
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:54 PM
Comment #19/watch?v=EgJDV84dPp0
great video of recent times at newcastle, including:
shola v spurs
jonas v wolves
sammy v scunthorpe
demba v blackburn
ben arfa v forrest
HENDAS-NUFC
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:59 PM
Comment #20Goto say think this is going to be a hard game i think we will have the most possesion and attacking but wigan are 1 ov those teams that will put 11 men in deffence so we dont score and then lob 1 up the fields to nick it. but saying thats the way were playing think we should smash wigan to peices so win what ever score will be outstanding HAWAY THE TOON ILL BE THERE ROARING YOU GUYS ON
unclepauly
Oct 21, 2011 at 4:11 PM
Comment #21what worries me is that this is first game of the season that we are expected to win handsdown….
hoping and praying that we can do the business.
my local pub is showing the match live at 3pm tomorrow im absolutely chuffed to bits ! on greek satellite tv.
Minato
Oct 21, 2011 at 4:13 PM
Comment #22I think if we score fairly early Id expect us to hammer in 3 or 4…honestly though im expecting it to be far more difficult..they tend to play a five man midfield which can be tough to break through…I predict a tough win for the toon 2-0
drongo
Oct 21, 2011 at 4:13 PM
Comment #23This gane is a potential banana skin… always dangerous to go into a match with half an eye on your next opponents. I worry there is a bit of that going on…
For that reason I would make a couple of changes from the start – couple of the lads with a bit to prove….
Minato
Oct 21, 2011 at 4:16 PM
Comment #24I agree with Drongo…I think a few changes could help iron out complacency…every toon fan seems to think a win is the only outcome…sets up for disappointment
Durham_Toon
Oct 21, 2011 at 4:21 PM
Comment #25I hope we see at least 1 change to the starting line up and for me that is Santon for Simpson. If he plays on the right or swaps with Raylor is anybodys guess but it’s time to give the lad a start.
I would say put HBA on the right for Obertan but AP has already said several times he’s not a winger so it would mean dropping Ba or Best….
joppadoni
Oct 21, 2011 at 4:22 PM
Comment #26i dont agree with pardew on keeping the same team if they are winning. if the other players are chomping at the bit to play they should perform if the theory holds true about complacency. id give a few starters a bench role tomorrow and start a few who have been ‘dying’ to get a game… espesh if as said previously that wigan may pack the midfield then maybe we should do the same although our midfield could be packed with players able to shoot from distance and score. id certainly look to put raylor at RM and stick santon in at LB with Ben Arfa behind Ba to start. |Obertan to come on after 60 and Best and Shola for the last 20. cant wait for the game all the same. like every weekend 😀
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Oct 21, 2011 at 4:34 PM
Comment #27Pards is drumming into the team that we can only look one game at a time so those of you that are worrying that we may be underestimating Wigan is unfounded i feel. We as fans are allowed to underestimate them because our feelings towards Wigan won’t impact upon the team but Pards will be highlighting the potential dangers and banana skin look of this game, so I think we will see a very hungry, very committed display from the boys but Wigan do play football a bit, however their defending is pants, space aplenty for our boys to exploit, if Benny boy gets on the field Wigan won’t know how to deal with him, potential goal fest…won’t take a guess at the score but depending on how Pards has set our lads up for this match will determine whether we grind a win or go for it and really hammer them, I can’t see us losing or even drawing this game it will be a win, just a matter of how much.
fergie
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:14 PM
Comment #28Proof that Newcastle are the Premier League’s Most Improved team:
http://toonbarmy.wordpress.com/2011/10/21/nufc-pl-most-improved/
Toonbyblood
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:24 PM
Comment #29I think it’ll be a mistake to play the same team.
This is a time to give some of the other players a run.
Playing the same team for the next few Prem games will mean burn out but the time they play the bigger teams.
Marv, Benny and Santon need to play with the rest of the team more. Then they’ll have more options come the bigger games.
danuneek
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:24 PM
Comment #301-2 Wigan. Everybody on here has jinxed us!
Was it just me or does anybody else feel Ben Arfa held onto the ball for a bit longer than needed against Spurs. He got caught in possession too many times. I do love the lad, but I think he Pards does right feeding him in slowly. Once he gets his match sharpness back he’ll be quality. Perhaps Wigan is the ideal match to do that?
My team:
——————Krul——————-
Santon——Taylor——Colo—–Raylor
——-Cabaye—Tiote—Marveux——
Ben Arfa———-Ba—————Jonas
WWJBD
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:26 PM
Comment #31danuneek
HBA will only play as a withdrawn striker while Pards in our manager
danuneek
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:40 PM
Comment #32Well he said he thought him more effective down the centre, not necessarily as a withdrawn striker. But with Cabaye and Tiote dominating in the center, my thinking was that position would give him freedom to run with it and cut inside on his left foot, similar to where Messi used to play for Barca a few years back. I was thinking this, but Jonas is our star man at the moment from the left.
—————Krul—————-
Santon—Taylor—Colo—-Raylor
—–Cabaye–Tiote–Ben Arfa—–
Jonas———-Ba———-Marveaux
WWJBD
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:41 PM
Comment #33No mate he was on the radio last night and said HBA would only play as a withdrawn striker under him
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:45 PM
Comment #34Listened to that interview on BBC Newcastle with Pards, he was talking about Gabriel Obertan and he is definitely playing against Wigan,
“We wanted him to take on the full back, and maybe that is something that I will be encouraging him to do against Wigan and maybe we’ll see something more from him against Wigan”
So anyone who thinks that we will be playing a 4-3-3 or Marv on the right is incorrect, so dunno when Marv is gonna get his chance.
ginkoh
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:50 PM
Comment #35I think we will play the same team but change Best out for Ben Arfa. and If Santon still not get the start against Wigan, he will start for Blackburn game with Marveax
Krul
Santon-TAylor-Color-RAylor
Obertan-Tiote-Cabaye-Jonas
Ben Arfa
Ba
Barras
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:50 PM
Comment #36If that is the truth Ruddy Marveaux-lous then I think it could be a big mistake.
It’s time for Santon, Marveaux and Hatem Ben Arfa. To have they’re change, in fact it was time against Tottenham, now it’s just becoming ridiculous.
WWJBD
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:52 PM
Comment #37I think it will be the same team again. HBA and Santon getting run outs and Marv if Guti does the unthinkable and doesn’t play a blinder again
Barras
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:53 PM
Comment #38chance*
Why play a stronger team for the Carling Cup and a weaker team for the Barclays Premier League, its just ludicrous.
WWJBD
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:54 PM
Comment #39Barras
Why is it becoming rediculous? The team are playing well and are 4th in the league
G
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:54 PM
Comment #40Wigan ain’t that bad a side. They have been unlucky with a lot of results this season, and they are grafters across the board. Much as my heart says 5 nil or 6 nil win, my head suggests 1 goal will separate the sides, hopefully on our terms!