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Newcastle vs Blackpool – Match Preview



The game tomorrow looks an easy win on paper, but Blackpool could well prove to be a dark horse, and we don’t expect this game to be easy for Newcastle.

We’ve said before that if you look at all the 38 games this season, Blackpool at home is probably the one where the lads would be most expected to get all 3 points.

But football doesn’t always work according to what’s expected, or what those brilliant know-all pundits predict.  Remember where they said Newcastle would end up last season – and it wasn’t back in the Premier League.

Blackpool also have as many points from their first 3 games as Newcastle do, and they have a wily manager in Ian Holloway, so they are in good form right now, and from the games we’ve seen them play this season, they can be a hard side to break down.

We really hope the Newcastle players don’t go into this game thinking they are going to get an easy win, but with Chris Hughton in charge we doubt that will happen – ever, because 3 points against Blackpool is as good as 3 points if we managed to beat say Chelsea – it’s still just 3 points.

Chris has 3 new players now ready to play for the Newcastle United club in Campbell, Tiote and Ben Arfa,  and we expect at least Campbell and Ben Arfa to be on the bench, although Tiote has only just arrived in Newcastle and it may be too early for him to even be on the bench.

But we think Chris will have him there, if only to get used to things on game day at Newcastle, and of course the Ivory Coast International will give Alan Smith tremendous competition from now on, for that defensive midfield position.

We expect Alan to have a particularly good game tomorrow afternoon, because that’s what competition for places will do.

Chris is unlikely to change the side that did so well at Wolves, and since Chris has almost said that today, this is the side we expect him to field tomorrow, with a very strong substitutes bench.

Harper
Perch Williamson Coloccini Enrique
Routledge Barton Smith Nolan (c) Gutierrez
Carroll
Subs: Krul Taylor (R) Ben Arfa Tiote Campbell Ameobi Lovenkrands

That must be the strongest bench Newcastle have fielded in a long time, with two current internationals on it in Tiote and Ben Arfa. No room even for young Tamas Kadar,  with Sol Campbell now available.

We do expect Newcastle to get a fast start to this game, and try to get an early goal, which would certainly help to get Newcastle going and hopefully get the eventual win and the 3 points.

But Newcastle have also learned to be patient if a goal doesn’t come quickly, and we don’t think for one moment they will under-estimate this decent Blackpool side, but the lads certainly have to go all out and give a professional performance tomorrow afternoon.

There’s also the possibility of seeing Ben Arfa and Sol Campbell make their debuts for the club, with Ben Arfa almost certain to feature at some point in the game.

If we can give a professional performance tomorrow, and with a little bit of luck, we can get the win, and the feel-good factor on Tyneside will continue, at least through the next week or so. 😀

Here’s hoping.

Howay The Lads!!

Comments always welcome.


67 comments so far

  • toonster88

    Sep 10, 2010 at 7:32 PM

    Comment #1

    home advantage would suggest a win.and of course the fact that minus last season,we have premier league experience.better players (i hope),good purchases…etc…well if all this dont add up a win…shhheeess!!!!!

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  • GvFalkirk

    Sep 10, 2010 at 7:33 PM

    Comment #2

    Some pictures of Hatem in Newcastle training gear on the official site for you who care

    http://www.nufc.co.uk/page/News/Gallery/0,,10278~2149138,00.html

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  • Captain Beefheart

    Sep 10, 2010 at 7:57 PM

    Comment #3

    It neither looks easy to win n paper, or in reality. What the f*** is everyone taking these days? ‘Pool are identical points to us, and already have won away from home.

    There are no easy games this season, and this is a must win so it makes it all the harder. Not made any easier with 50,000 hard core optimists expecting four goals,

    The moment supporters wise up is the moment we might just start moving forward.

    As for the ‘good purchases’, toonster88, only one of them will be starting. So we essentially have the same Fizzy team we had last season. Gloss it all you like, it wasn’t a brilliant transfer window by any standards,

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  • BeeGuy

    Sep 10, 2010 at 8:18 PM

    Comment #4

    Wow, Beefy. You didn’t take your happy pills this PM.

    I expect that Blackpool will work hard for 90 minutes, and keep things close. They are well schooled and mature.

    Both squads HAVE strengthened, but I think NUFC is deeper and faster than the ‘Pool. We may get out coached, but the local talent should carry us through.

    I don’t expect Barton to get savaged this week, as Pool has way too much class for that. In fact, I think Barton will control the game aided by the the ever improving skills of Carroll. Routledge scored a beauty vs. Pool last year & I could see him getting another. And ain’t it about time for Smiity to put one in the back of the net? With the pressure from Tiote, Smith is covering much more ground these days and potting one goal would only enhance his chances of holding his spot.

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  • pearceet

    Sep 10, 2010 at 8:23 PM

    Comment #5

    Harper
    Raylor Williamson Coloccini Enrique
    Tiote
    Barton Nolan (c)
    Gutierrez Ben Arfa
    Carroll

    This is the team I woould love to see tomorrow ……… Unfortunately I dont see it happening but no biggy why change a successful formula
    HWTL!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • BeeGuy

    Sep 10, 2010 at 8:28 PM

    Comment #6

    Blackpool reporting that their youth coach has suffer a brain stroke and is in critical condition.

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  • howay man

    Sep 10, 2010 at 8:31 PM

    Comment #7

    RYAN TAYLOR SHOULD START AT RIGHT BACK!

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  • photocox

    Sep 10, 2010 at 8:32 PM

    Comment #8

    Nice photos Kirk.
    I agree with Beefheart about no game being easy on paper, television, online or reflected in the odds. Cup final: that’s the attitude we need to have tomorrow and almost every game moving forward. Take the points or stare relegation in the face again.

    I am really looking forward to seeing Hatem run around with the ball and provide “ammunition” our Big Poppa. And if this blog is correct, getting a maxed out performance from Smithy would certain add strength to an area that I believe is still frail.

    Howay

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  • wilkyvondooom

    Sep 10, 2010 at 8:36 PM

    Comment #9

    beefy mate, please go have a word with yourself cos your patters about as appealing as chrissy waddles is these days.

    ‘it wasn’t a brilliant transfer window by any standards’

    you say that only having seen james perch play out of all the signings.
    who else did you want? robbie keane turned us down n there aint many other options available to us with the little amount of money we have to spend.
    i think it was a good transfer window all in all n come january i’m confident we’ll futher strengthen in th striking dept.

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  • sweendog

    Sep 10, 2010 at 8:45 PM

    Comment #10

    Captain Beefheart .. it was a very good window considering the no captial outlay statement .. ben arfa is pure quality .. tiote was a shrewd buy .. perch is steadily improving … I’m more than happy ..
    put it this way we’re much much better than 2 years ago ..
    3-1 the toon tomorrow ..

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  • smiley_nufc

    Sep 10, 2010 at 8:47 PM

    Comment #11

    Evening Lads/Lasses..
    Got my ticket for the game tomorrow and cannot wait!
    Got me and 2 mates ticket in the Milburn, Bar 1892 stand.
    This is my second game at SJP, first one being Chelsea 2 seasons ago (Shearers return) and I honestly cannot wait for the game tomorrow night! I hope Big Andy grabs a brace aswell as King Arfa getting a runout too..
    Come on the Lads!!!!

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  • sweendog

    Sep 10, 2010 at 8:50 PM

    Comment #12

    lawro has us 2-1
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8984153.stm

    he must have forgot to predict arfa’s screamer in the 81st min.. 🙂

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  • sweendog

    Sep 10, 2010 at 8:54 PM

    Comment #13

    smiley_nufc .. enjoy mate .. should be a good one ..

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  • smiley_nufc

    Sep 10, 2010 at 8:56 PM

    Comment #14

    Cheers sweendog! You going mate?

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  • CT

    Sep 10, 2010 at 9:04 PM

    Comment #15

    Lads just enjoy 3-1 no probs! Beefy I bet u r an hypocondriac `cos u sure fkn depress me, entitled to your opinion,yes. It`s the samaritans blog u need mate!!

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  • Captain Beefheart

    Sep 10, 2010 at 9:16 PM

    Comment #16

    Wilky@9: ‘…you say that only having seen james perch play out of all the signings.’

    Precisely, mate! ONE (1) ex-Fizzy RB after over THREE (3) months to strengthen a Fizzy squad in all departments BEFORE the new season (CH’s words not mine), and yet we were reportedly waving around a cheque for 8m Euro for Wolfswinkel in the last few days. The money was clearly there, the planning or determination wasn’t.

    Remember we needed loanees and temps all last season as well, so were clearly under strength even for the Fizzy (OneSize, PVA, Pancrate)

    I applaud the signing of Tiote and HBA, jury out on Perch, Campbell is this season’s OneSize, and Gosling is still 50/50 whether he’ll ever kick a ball this season – if ever. We didn’t land a striker or a left back, both stated targets, and failed to get Taylor to sign up (or offload him for some real cash before he slimes off on a free).

    If Asley had displayed some, just some, of the energy he expended on getting rid of players last summer after we were relegated to bring down the wage bill I would not be complaining – but Ashley is clearly gambling again and that’s why I can never feel happy with him at the top.

    He probably thinks it cheaper to bribe the judge in Big Andy’s trial than invest in a Prem standard striker as cover. And if Big Andy is injured…?

    We are treading on eggshells at present, and two key injures could be disastrous. All avoidable if the transfer window was used a lot more affectively than it was.

    Sorry if my patter is unappealing, but faced with the dreammongering propagated in the blog what else can one say….?

    HWTL, we’ll suck those hollow tangerines way dry and spit 7 pips into the back of Kirkland’s fruitbasket, Big Andy will get 3 of ’em and the Toon be top of the table by end of October. Europe here we come.

    How does that sound???

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  • slazberger

    Sep 10, 2010 at 9:36 PM

    Comment #17

    captain beefheart – i get your annoyed at people saying we will stuff another team, but you must admit we will have target games which we should be looking to get maximum points from, and this is surely one of them?

    as soon as someone has a score prediction you reply with a negative response. what is the problem with others having an opinion on the score?

    personally i don’t often make predictions but hope if the game is tight the fans will remain patient and support the team until the last minute.

    i also support the way ashley and CH have conducted their business this summer, and struggle to see who else they could have brought in considering as you say we are a fizzy squad. its about little steps for me the next few years building steadily and therefore being able to attract higher profile players in the future.

    i’m not one of the people who thinks we will get into europe, but i also don’t have the attitude that we might as well give up now.

    hwtl

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  • Mags

    Sep 10, 2010 at 9:38 PM

    Comment #18

    Captain Beefheart (16)

    I just cannot understand where you are coming from, if Ed’s posts and the bloggers who respond irritate you so much why you bother to:

    a) visit this site in the first place?
    b) read what the bloggers say?
    c) Bother responding?

    Perhaps you would care to explain?

    We all accept our team is far from being the ‘finished article’ with regards to being a steady premier league side, but I take my hat off to Chris Hughton who is doing a dam good job in difficult circumstances.

    I am confident we can compete and more than hold our own with the lower end clubs in this division.

    So please lighten up, get behind your team and less of the sarcasm would be appreciated too.

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  • Mags

    Sep 10, 2010 at 9:52 PM

    Comment #19

    Also, I for one canna wait to see Hatem Ben Arfa tomorrow.

    During the long drawn out will he / won’t he discussions with his former club, I steadfastly believed we would get our man and we have.

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  • CT

    Sep 10, 2010 at 9:53 PM

    Comment #20

    Euro place not a chance! Relegation hopefully not a chance. Tomorrow will benchmark our season, Everton and Stoke will tell us what to expect! After that we`ll know, but confident 14th t0 10th is realistic and very acceptable.

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  • Solaidback

    Sep 10, 2010 at 9:57 PM

    Comment #21

    Beefy Fella, wind yer neck in for frak sake, the seasons just begun & already you’re depressing the shit of me… yes we all know that Ashley hasn’t blown loads of money on prima donnas but we knew that back in May or did you miss the statement of intent!!

    We’ve done very well on the transfer front his summer, we got 5 decent looking players for around £5m, we’re supposedly put bids in for Wolftinkler & Keano but were rejected, we almost got Fur but he wanted too much wages or would you we bankrupt ourselves yet again just to stop you frakin whinging….

    No one is expecting us to light up the PL this season but it would be nice not to have to dig some fans up from the depressive state they seem to be in when we’re not doing too bad… leave that sort of depressive moaning until we’re actually playing bad yeah….

    HWTL…

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  • GeordieTartanArmy

    Sep 10, 2010 at 10:10 PM

    Comment #22

    Saw ben arfa driving through central station tonight when coming out of it – amazed but he was in traffic so I could not try to meet him
    there was someone in the back who i could not quite see but it looked alot like tiote

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  • slazberger

    Sep 10, 2010 at 10:20 PM

    Comment #23

    as long as it wasn’t a prostitute in the back GeordieTartanArmy. lol. what was he driving?

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  • Irie-Magpie

    Sep 10, 2010 at 10:24 PM

    Comment #24

    Hey lads any streaming links for this game?

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  • slazberger

    Sep 10, 2010 at 10:28 PM

    Comment #25
  • slazberger

    Sep 10, 2010 at 10:51 PM

    Comment #26

    tried putting a link up but it is awaiting moderation Irie-Magpie

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  • CT

    Sep 10, 2010 at 10:55 PM

    Comment #27

    T`morrow lads,Give it some!! Back ASHLEY n THE BOARD! but most of all back CHRISSIE n COL, absolutely unbelievable the way they have galvanised the team and us! And with a proper buisness plan! Let`s hope the result matches all our hopes and aspirations!!
    HWTL!

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  • punk skunk...

    Sep 10, 2010 at 11:42 PM

    Comment #28

    Capt.
    ‘Woe is a me bop, oh droppa re bop…’
    …What this world needs is a good 2 dollar room & a 2 dollar broom…But there’s still too many people…
    Howay man?
    😉

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  • antmanbee

    Sep 11, 2010 at 12:04 AM

    Comment #29

    Punk Skunk @ 27
    S’just brickbats ! ;0)

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  • Brutooon

    Sep 11, 2010 at 12:22 AM

    Comment #30

    Ben Arfa to play in the last 20 mins, when we are 4-0 up

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  • Brisvegas

    Sep 11, 2010 at 1:10 AM

    Comment #31

    Howay, man, Beefy, less of the realism, will ya. The bairns are dreaming, let them sleep. They’ll wake up eventually.

    My tip 36-0 to the Toon. And the following day the rest of the premier league will forfeit their games cause they know they are not good enough to beat us.

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  • Mac

    Sep 11, 2010 at 1:38 AM

    Comment #32

    Beefheart you truely are one of the most annoying people i have ever had the misfortune to come across.
    If you’re dissapointed in Newcastle, the way the club is heading, the management,players,owners and chances of the team,stop watching or support someone else. What a tit.

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  • baro

    Sep 11, 2010 at 1:55 AM

    Comment #33

    Since its ST.James Park than of course we will win! We are unstoppable at home. 26 game unbeaten home streak will never end. I just can’t wait for the game to start. 3 debuts waiting under way. King Arfa, Campbell, and the lion king Cheik Tiote. My prediction is a 4-0 win to Newcastle.

    NEWCASTLE 4-0 BLACKPOOL

    – Carroll
    – Carroll
    – Enrique
    – Jonas

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  • baro

    Sep 11, 2010 at 1:56 AM

    Comment #34

    http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20100910/all-smiles-with-new-partnership_2281670_2149983

    SMMILLLLLEEEEEEE!!!!!

    Lambias is doing a great job getting sponsorship partners.

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  • baro

    Sep 11, 2010 at 2:01 AM

    Comment #35

    ————————–Harper———————–

    Perch——Willo—————-Colo——Enrique

    —————Smith————Barton————–

    Routledge————–Nolan—————Jonas

    ————————–Carroll———————

    2ND Half:

    ————————–Harper———————–

    Perch——Willo—————-Colo——Enrique

    —————Tiote————-Barton————–

    Ben Arfa————-Ranger—————–Jonas

    ————————–Carroll———————–

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  • Toon XI

    Sep 11, 2010 at 2:43 AM

    Comment #36

    Ameobi brace today…followed by a 10 year contract extension.

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  • benishiryo

    Sep 11, 2010 at 2:59 AM

    Comment #37

    damn wld vuckic ever get a chance? putting lovenkrands on the bench is enuff. why do we need ameobi

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  • TOONTOONTOON

    Sep 11, 2010 at 6:37 AM

    Comment #38

    Captain Beefheart if we took any notice of you we would just run up the white flag at st.james tomorrow.Do you own a factory that makes anti depressent or something mate and trying to boost your bussiness mate.Why dont ya log on to the sunderland blog and depress them instead of coming hear god knows they deserve u mate.I dread to think what your comments are going to be like when man ure or chelsea come to town.You have gone from being some1 quite sensible to the blogs prize idiot mate.And i would love to know, why you think you have to right to knock perch after only 3 games you idiot.Another point what gives you the right to stick campbell in the same bracet as one size,just gos to show me how much you really know about football mate and that is not alot.And my last point but by noway least, you have gone from ashley is the right man for the club to ashley out,well here is awake up call ashley is staying,ashley is taking the club now in the right direction,and if you dont like it thats just tough titty aint it idiot.Im going for a 5-1 to the TOONTOONTOON .

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  • 44881

    Sep 11, 2010 at 6:38 AM

    Comment #39

    RE Baro:
    would love to c the same squard as vs Wolves to play in the first half, n play ben arfa, tiote n lova in the 2nd half in the normal situation…

    lova has class n he deserves to play…for sol, juz to confirm hes fit n make sure he can play in big matches

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  • wilko

    Sep 11, 2010 at 6:57 AM

    Comment #40

    very important game today in terms of morale boosting , another win is another confidence platform for us to use come on lads play with your heads and your hearts today and win this game H TL

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