In 29 league games this season, Crystal Palace have scored only 19 goals – the worst in the Premier League – and in fact it’s the lowest number of goals scored by any club in the top four leagues in England.
Marouane Chamakh – injured and out of tomorrow’s game
So if you look at that statistic, you could say that Palace should muster little threat to Newcastle tomorrow, but that would be dangerous – very dangerous, because strange things always happen in football – and when you are least expecting them.
However, it gets even worse for Palace, as they currently have what amounts to a striker crisis, in that both strikers Marouane Chamakh and Dwight Gayle are out of the Newcastle game with injury.
Marouane Chamakh, the Moroccan International and former Arsenal striker has a hamstring strain, and now Dwight Gayle as an ankle injury, and it’s not known how long he will be out for.
Glenn Murray and Cameron Jerome, who is on loan from Tony Pulis’ former club Stoke City, has one goal in 22 appearances this season and is available for the game tomorrow.
And Glenn Murray make up the two strikers that are fit for the game at St. James’ Park tomorrow afternoon.
This is what Tony Pulis has said today about Chamakh being missing:
“Chamakh won’t be fit for Saturday. It is a massive blow because he plays that position so, so well,” “He is a good player, can score goals and he can drop into that number 10 position.” “It is a miss, but we have to get on with it.”
So it would appear if Newcastle can get a goal, and better still a couple of goals,we should have a decent chance of coming away with all 3 points from the game – maybe.
But of course Newcastle are not the threat in front of goal we are when Loic Remy is in the side, and he’s out injured tomorrow and also Tuesday night against Everton, with that calf injury.
Tony Pulis is probably hoping for a shock result at St. James’ Park tomorrow, with Newcastle missing two of our very best players — Mathieu Debuchy and Loic Remy – and striker Papiss Cisse and Luuk de Jong not showing any goal scoring form recently.
So just like last week at Fulham we have to wonder where the goals will come from and that’s why we hope Ben Arfa, Sylvain Marveaux and young local lad Adam Armstrong are on the bench, because all three have those creative skills necessary to open up opposing defenses.
Then we hope somebody – maybe Moussa Sissoko again – can put that ball into the back of the net.
Howay The Lads!!
Comments welcome.
100 comments so far
Belfast
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:11 PM
Comment #1Same barber as Lescott by the looks of it.
MacToon
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:14 PM
Comment #2http://www.nufcblog.com/2007/05/22/a-review-of-the-st-james-park-expansion-project/
Unfortunately the picture on this story has disappeared but the reason the plans were shelved is quite clear, Ashley bought the club.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:14 PM
Comment #3GT…I feel like their is something missing from the story here mate; it just make no sense to me!
Graeme
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:15 PM
Comment #4Ed, Thats good news? We have no strikers worthy of the name at the moment either. Its likely, on current form, our best hope for a goal is from Gouffran, unless he’s stuck out on the wing yet again!!
So, Palace cant score, WE cant score either – I’m pleased I wasnt planning on being at the game anyway – it has bore draw written all over it!!
Ciaran
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:16 PM
Comment #5I e-mailed Ed this morning, provided him with the link to the story in the Chronicle – an actual story – yet we’re faced with an article about the injuries to Palace’s forward line…
Maybe he is giving the people what they want. Low-brow football chatter while Ashley sells our future from under our feet. Jesus wept.
MacToon
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:18 PM
Comment #6Ciaran, I’m hoping for some more news on Cabaye and other players who don’t play for the Toon any more 😉
Belfast
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:19 PM
Comment #7Lets have a silent protest Ruddy !
Thump
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:19 PM
Comment #8@Mac: The picture used on the article was the same here: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=458915
I think it was the ntl-sports image that was used if memory serves.
Tsunki
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:24 PM
Comment #9Ha good one Belfast you and silent good one good one.
MacToon
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:24 PM
Comment #10Ah, nice 1 Thump. How you doing? Long time no see. You up for the man U game by any chance? 😉
Interesting about the expansion story, it was all to be completed before the olympics but it’s weird we were so close to liquidation (according to some) but still had plans to expand the stadium………..
Ciaran
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:27 PM
Comment #11MacToon
Here’s hoping for a Demba Ba, Andy Carroll double swoop exclusive of ‘Will NUFC offer these 2 a way back?’ followed by an exclusive of how many minutes Cabaye has sat on the PSG bench.
Goody gumdrops.
Belfast
Silent protest in the sense that I shut up? You’d love that wouldn’t you…
Tsunki
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:27 PM
Comment #12So, if that bounder Ashley is indeed flogging the silverware, hang on bad choice of words there, but you know what I mean, figuratively speaking, yeah anyway if he is doing that bad thing – maybe my second idea about him settling for a maximised attendance might be the plan. He’s not worried about the future, as he knows he won’t be in it.
Belfast
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:27 PM
Comment #13You’ll not be invited anyway Skunki.
No riff raff welcome.
mag
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:29 PM
Comment #14As we’ve never not scored against Palace since 1982, another dubious record for the Pardew hall of infamy beckons tomorrow.
mag
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:31 PM
Comment #15Sack Pardew the moronic oaf for being a Pardew!
Belfast
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:31 PM
Comment #16I see mactoon and Thump are planning gay orgys again. Thanks for ruining my dinner.
MacToon
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:34 PM
Comment #17Lol Belfast, I knew a comment like that was around the corner as soon as I pressed submit!! I suggest you practice what you preach and indulge in a silent protest too 😉
jimmysmith
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:34 PM
Comment #18Maybe the plans were shelved because Ashley came in as a buyer or maybe Freddie was talking a pile of shite. Jesus, 300 million quid. The club went for half of that with an existing 100 million debt.
Mister Tuff
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:38 PM
Comment #19Just checked out the link from Thump re the old plans for the stadium development. The image of the new Gallowgate end was tremendous – if it ever was developed we would have some stadium. Worth checking out of what could have been. Another dream in the bin.
jimmysmith
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:40 PM
Comment #20That Chamach fella always looks like he’s just fallen out of a large horses uterus.
GeordieTwo
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:40 PM
Comment #21It just doesn’t sound very Ashley-like? Isn’t a casino and hotel right up his alley? Money, money, money Mike.
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash
New car, caviar, four star daydream,
Think I’ll buy me a football team
Money get back
I’m all right Jack keep your hands off my stack.
Money it’s a hit
Don’t give me that do goody good bullshit
Belfast
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:41 PM
Comment #22What you’s do in your spare time is entirely up to yourselves mactoon.
GeordieTwo
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:41 PM
Comment #23Let’s get his entire stash and shove it up his jacksy! 👿
Tsunki
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:53 PM
Comment #24G2 – I think it’s more like ‘Us and Them’ from Dark Side of the Toon.
OhSholaAmeobi
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:56 PM
Comment #25My team for tomorrow. Slightly controversial with Marveaux. No Shola or Gosling cos’ they’re s****.
Krul
Mbiwa Willo Colo Haidara
Sissoko Tiote
Ben10 Marv Gouffy
De Jong
Bench: Alnwick, S.Taylor, Dummett, Anita, Sammy, Armstrong, Cisse.
mag
Mar 21, 2014 at 5:58 PM
Comment #26Palace 2-1 as we have give up for the summer holidays.
GeordieTwo
Mar 21, 2014 at 6:03 PM
Comment #27Ha! Very good Tsunki mate. In a dark, bitter way sadly. What have we come to with Ashley as owner?
GeordieTwo
Mar 21, 2014 at 6:12 PM
Comment #28Off for a bit.
Jail for Ashley
Mar 21, 2014 at 6:28 PM
Comment #29If I ever wanted a job on Mashleys PR team, I would include this on my CV and say my name was Andy, employment guaranteed.
AndyNUFC // Mar 21, 2014 at 1:21 PM:
Ibiza firstly, any money Ashley makes is good for us long term as it either means if we go down again he would have to pump money back in to make us an attractive, top flight prospect for buyers.
• AndyNUFC // Mar 21, 2014 at 1:39 PM
I never once said it was good for the club, load of bollocks.
Online Guy
Mar 21, 2014 at 6:49 PM
Comment #30Are the bids in as regards Ashley’s land sale ?
Easy way round it if its open to offers over £5 million
£5 million split 52.000 ways is only £96 quid each ..easy !
We have a sprinkling of celebs with healthy bank accounts that could step in ..We, or they, can then hire the land back to the council at the same figure Ashley makes from the council, £88 thousand per year, until such time a new owner steps in and wants to develop the ground .. We then sell it back to the new owner as it’s held in trust for the Club by the supporters until a new owner-s come along ..in the meantime it gets cheaper for supporters as the trust will benefit to the tune of £88,000 per year and rising. Simple’s.
Can you organise it Ciaran ?…… here’s my money.
Ibizatoon
Mar 21, 2014 at 6:52 PM
Comment #31Online…Not a bad idea. Where has this new found intelligence come from? 🙂
Novocastrian66
Mar 21, 2014 at 6:56 PM
Comment #32I think safe standing will get the go ahead and therefore capacities will increase without having to splash a fortune on ground development.
Selling the land makes sense, let’s face it there aren’t any queues for season tickets anymore.
Hopefully Ashley will put the money back into the club. I’m not holding my breath on that one though.
Online Guy
Mar 21, 2014 at 6:59 PM
Comment #33Ibiza ..cheeky !
welshgeordie9
Mar 21, 2014 at 7:08 PM
Comment #34Evening gents and belfast
welshgeordie9
Mar 21, 2014 at 7:11 PM
Comment #35I go for a 2-0 win tomorrow
welshgeordie9
Mar 21, 2014 at 7:17 PM
Comment #36Where to begin
toon kk
Mar 21, 2014 at 7:19 PM
Comment #37Welsh
who’s going to score the two goals in your predicted win? Remember Remy is out.
welshgeordie9
Mar 21, 2014 at 7:20 PM
Comment #38Why is it when I’m on here nobody else is on, what have i done I haven’t upset anybody have I
Ha ha ha
welshgeordie9
Mar 21, 2014 at 7:22 PM
Comment #39toon kk
Anything can happen, we still got gouffran and sissoko who between them there’s goals and assists
Gordonthetoony
Mar 21, 2014 at 7:24 PM
Comment #40Young Armstrong won’t be in the squad as apparently Pardew has said he’s not yet ready for the PL. this season. WTF. We have nothing to lose so blood the youngsters NOW for experience.