Kevin Keegan has made several changes from the side that fell apart against Liverpool last Saturday.
Keegan gives starts to Martins and Viduka and finally Smith is benched.
But we look a bit weak on the wings and we have to assume Geremi and Martins will start there. Very surprising to us that Charles N’Zogbia is only a substitute and not starting on the left wing.
There is no Damien Duff included so we assume he’s injured, unless he’s been given a night off. It’s good to see big Andy Carroll on the bench.
We wanted Oba to start and Smith to be on the bench so we got our wish, but who’s going to provide the width and attacking flair down the wings?
It looks to us we’ll play 4-3-3 (?) with Michael Owen, Mark Viduka and Oba Martins up front with Nicky Butt, Joey Barton and Geremi in midfield.
But the bench is also strong and it looks like Keegan is going all out attack tonight. With only 3 goals in 8 games, that’s probably good.
TEAMS
Birmingham City: Maik Taylor, Liam Ridgewell, Stephen Kelly, Radhi Jaidi, David Murphy, Fabrice Muamba, Sebastian Larsson, Damien Johnson (c), Gary McSheffrey, Mikael Forssell, James McFadden
Subs: Colin Doyle, Stuart Parnaby, Mehdi Nafti, Mauro Zarate, Cameron Jerome
Newcastle United: Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Jose Enrique, Abdoulaye Faye, Steven Taylor, Nicky Butt, Geremi, Joey Barton, Oba Martins, Mark Viduka, Michael Owen (c)
Subs: Fraser Forster, Claudio Cacapa, Charles N’Zogbia, Alan Smith, Andy Carroll
This is the night of truth for Newcastle.
Howay The Lads!!!
179 comments so far
Davy C
Mar 17, 2008 at 8:58 PM
Comment #121Well, I worried that the 4/3/3 wouldn’t work and unfortunately I was right. I’d take Viduka off and put smith on – he’ll hold it up better and is more mobile. Zog has to come on for either Geremi or Barton who have been a waste of space as expected. Barton losing the ball stupidly again led to their goal.
They’re scrapping more than us and we are doomed if this continues. 🙁
toonjon
Mar 17, 2008 at 8:59 PM
Comment #122at least we might win a trophy if we go dwn.
god i hope we dont go down. would rather have my balls chopped off
geordie nick
Mar 17, 2008 at 8:59 PM
Comment #123ozzy at least barton has had the ball to make terrible passes all geremi has done is give a few free kicks away and get booked, butt has probly been our best player 2nite so far, we need martins up top playin through the centre
toon1978
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:00 PM
Comment #124Newcastle are a disgrace,cant pass,cant score overall cant play football we re an embarassment we dont deserve to be in the PL crap is an understatement. BARTON is a disgrce how he got to be a Pro footballer is beyond me. OWEN on a hundred and seven grand a week what a laugh i wouldn’t pay him 50 pence, GEREMI is finished ROBSON said his legs were gone 3 years ago, FAYE is not a good player at all and ENRIQUE gives the ball away more times then i have ever seen from any other player. OVERALL NUFC are a very very poor team and to me not one player on that pitch tonight cares about the toon, im sorry to say this but we deserve relegation and relegation is PROBABLY what is going to happen. Birmingham have players are mediocre but we cant even compete against them.RUBBISH beyond belief i have seen better from the under 10s on a Sunday.
Eamonn
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:01 PM
Comment #125There’s been four relegations in our 115year history, mid 30’s, 60/61, 77/78 & 88/89. I thought all that was behind us , but we’re so close right now. I hope for our sake that KK hasn’t lost it. I don’t blame Ashley as Sam wasn’t his man. I guess Ashley must be sweating now, he’s gonna take some heat if we go down.
Foxy
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:01 PM
Comment #126I think if we dun get a result this game then its almost def that we will drop
ehssi
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:02 PM
Comment #127Newcastle have played well the last two minutes…send Dennis wise down to the looker room, so he could talk to them and scare them!
geordie nick
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:02 PM
Comment #128evryones been gettin at smith wantin him dropped for weeks and as soon as it happens ppl are comin on here sayin bring him on, dont make sense to me, wats smith gonna bring to the team, creativity? no, pace? no, goals? no so why bring him on, the only person on bench tht can change the game is charlie, get him on now
Kevin Lawson
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:03 PM
Comment #129When has owen ever played on the wings grr its so annoying.
Faye’s error was f*cking awful 🙁
If we carry on playing like this we deserve to go down.
My only hope is that we win our home games against the mackems, reading and fulham.
I really can’t believe we play football this crap and tbh its been getting worse each season since Bob left.
KK will get em sorted but i don’t know whether it’ll be in time to save us 🙁
ToonKing
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:07 PM
Comment #130incredible, i’m watching the game with foreign commentary and the dude just said ” so let’s recap the first half of Birmingham – Newcastl..haahha..haha.”
i’m goint to vomit now….
Davy C
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:08 PM
Comment #131Geordie Nick – smith has had a lot of stick and yes I agree with you but he does hold the ball up well and is more mobile than Viduka which is what we need if Owen and Martins are to get brought into the game cos they’re getting muscled out. If Zog comes on as well he’ll be able to pick up ball from Smith or Viduka on his game – unfortunately he had a poor first half. Fingers crossed for the 2nd half – I feel sick!
ToonKing
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:08 PM
Comment #132here we go again…god save us…
toon1978
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:10 PM
Comment #133barton cannot pass a ball for toffee
toon1978
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:11 PM
Comment #134WISH BARTON WOULD F… OFF
Hadrian
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:13 PM
Comment #135owen 🙁 /cry owen 🙁
YongMalaysia
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:14 PM
Comment #136i stil beleive we wil get a win today, fight it man…
but i didnt see any space from midfield into penalty area, they don know how to run or take place… no tactic!
GP
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:15 PM
Comment #137Barton – Stop doing stupid little tricks, you’ve got no flair and this is no time for that anyway.
ende
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:16 PM
Comment #138if only joey could pass as well as he puts out eyes
ToonKing
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:18 PM
Comment #139MICKEYYYYYYYYY!!!! and OBAAAAAAAAA
OzZyMagpiE
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:18 PM
Comment #140YESSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
toon1978
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:18 PM
Comment #141hahahahaha we scoreeeeeeeeeee hahahahahahaha bloody hell
Gloryhunter
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:18 PM
Comment #142They think it’s all Owen ….
Hadrian
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:19 PM
Comment #143owen 😀 /smile owen 😀
ToonKing
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:19 PM
Comment #144thank god……
ende
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:19 PM
Comment #145MORE! MORE! MORE!
Hadrian
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:21 PM
Comment #146there fighting this half ! .
typical owen/liniker 😉 goal , pace or no pace he somehow always ends up on the end of them .
ende
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:22 PM
Comment #147Is it me or is Butt playing fairly well? What the hell’s wrong with him?
Eamonn
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:22 PM
Comment #148Owen just paid back his transfer fee with that one! Barton & Butt are fighting for it now. Great to see KK celebrating again.
toon1978
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:25 PM
Comment #149Newcastle really need to sort the passing out it is really poor
ToonKing
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:26 PM
Comment #150bloody hell, i know i drank a few pint’s tonoght, but still.
DID I JUST SEE A FEW MINUTES OF GOOD FOOTY FROM US ??!!
toon1978
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:27 PM
Comment #151were giving free kick away in daft areas which could cost us.
toon1978
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Comment #152ENRIQUEEEEEEE nearly
ToonKing
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Comment #153holy crap, were playing were playing !!!!!!@!! unfookin’ belieavable
toon1978
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:30 PM
Comment #154BARTON AGAIN GET THIS IDIOT OF THE PITCH
Hadrian
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:30 PM
Comment #155ahhhhhh thought that was in from martins ,
come on lads !! smash em !
keegam musta sent a rocket up their ass .
ToonKing
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Comment #156Mickey gettin hot…….
ende
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Comment #157Maybe Barton should be playing at DM.
Milner – Emre(am) – Barton (dm) – Zog
Might help our midfield woes?
Eamonn
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Comment #158Did I just see Viduka sprinting!!!!! Love to have been a fly on the wall at half time. KK must have unleashed Arthur Cox on em!!!! 🙂
toon1978
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:36 PM
Comment #159GEREBRIN ON ZOGGY FOR GEREMI
OzZyMagpiE
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:36 PM
Comment #160the thing abt geremi even tho his set pieces r shit iz dat he is existant on da field(playing wise) unlike smith….