The game tomorrow between Newcastle and Wolves will see two teams trying to regain some of their dignity.
Both teams last time out conceded five goals with Newcastle being hammered 5-0 at White Hart Lane (sorry to keep saying this) and Wolves going down 5-1 at home in the black country derby against West Brom.
The disaster against West Brom cost Mick McCarthy his job at Wolves, and it looks like Terry Connor, Mick’s Assistant manager when he was in charge, will take control of the side tomorrow, and he’s been preparing the team this week for the visit to Newcastle.
Alan Pardew has talked about how the Wolves players will be trying to put in a performance at St. James’ Park for their departed manager, and this will not be an easy game.
But on the other hand, Newcastle will be able to field their strongest side, with Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye and Ryan Taylor all available again.
Cheick was off at the African Cup of Nations, Yohan has just served a three match ban for violent conduct at Brighton, and Ryan has recovered from his ankle injury he picked up against Aston Villa, and we expect all three to be in the starting line-up for tomorrow.
Even though Newcastle were trounced at Tottenham, it seems Newcastle fans are still upbeat about the season and where the side can finish in the league this season.
Newcastle are still very well positioned in in 6th place in the league, and just one point (two points if you consider goal difference) out of a Champions League position in 4th place.
And from what we have heard from the training ground this week, the lads are ready and willing to make amends for their terrible display in London almost two weeks ago.
I wonder if I’m the only one who has found it rather difficult these last two weeks – and cannot wait for the game tomorrow afternoon to start – and hopefully the lads can deliver the goods – all 3 points.
That’s what happens when you put in your worst performance of the season – get hammered 5-0 – and have to wait two weeks to get back on track.
Certainly a win tomorrow and we’ll be in great shape in the league table.
With Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse up front and with Yohan Cabye and Cheick Titoe back in central midfield, Newcastle will be fielding their strongest eleven.
And there’s a very good chance the lads can get all 3 points, especially if Ba and Cisse are as sharp as they were in the last home game against Aston Villa, when both scored excellent opportunist goals.
We think the team Alan will start tomorrow will be as follows:
Krul
Simpson Coloccini (c) Williamson Santon
Taylor (R) Cabaye Tiote Gutierrez
Ba Cisse
Subs: Elliot Ferguson Perch Guthrie Ameobi (Sh) Ben Arfa Lovenkrands
That’s a strong starting eleven and not too bad a bench either, and we are hoping the lads can win the game.
The keys to the game are what Alan Pardew talked about yesterday, and the first one and the most important is to “close the back door.”
And the Newcastle manager mentioned in his news conference yesterday that’s something we didn’t do at all at Tottenham.
So we hope to see a much better performance from our back four tomorrow, as we’ve conceded 11 goals in the last four league games, and it’s simply ruined our goal difference.
With Cabaye and Tiote back in central midfield that should help the defense out, and we hope that Ba and Cisse will be in top form for tomorrow’s game.
A win is what we want to see (and all we want to see), and with Tottenham playing at Arsenal in one of Sunday’s game, a win tomorrow will see us in at least 5th place in the Premier League.
And if Chelsea cannot beat Bolton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge tomorrow afternoon, we’ll be in 4th position.
At this stage of the season that cannot be bad.
Howay The Lads – we can do it!!
42 comments so far
NEWEXPATMAGPIE
Feb 25, 2012 at 9:56 AM
Comment #41Happy to see some of you being so optimistic!
Hope your all proved right come six-o-clock this evening!
klenja
Feb 25, 2012 at 9:57 AM
Comment #42……………………………………..krul……………………………………
………simmo……………willo………colo………….santon………
……..HBA…….mr.t…………………….caby………..gutie…….
……………………cisse…………..ba……………..
make tiote stay close to HBA so if HBA loses the ball tiote can do wat he does best…….tackle n get the freakin ball 😀