After reaching the League Cup final, Newcastle will try to advance in the FA Cup as they take on Birmingham City at St. Andrew’s this afternoon. The recently relegated Blues are on a strong run topping League One in a bid to get straight back to the Championship.
This is who Eddie Howe has selected for today’s match.
Today's team at St. Andrew's ? pic.twitter.com/eh2W4jFiFQ
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) February 8, 2025
Here is who Chris Davies’ will send out for the hosts. Former Mag Grant Hanley is on the bench.
???? ???? ?
Five changes from Tuesday ?
Dowell in from the off ?
Jay up top ?#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/3DfeLhNccU— Birmingham City FC (@BCFC) February 8, 2025
Howay The Lads!
826 comments so far
Mister Tuff
Feb 8, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Comment #121Result good . Loads of fouls off the ball on Toon players – shoulder charges in the back and off the ball.
Players will be glad that is over. Poor reffing.
Mister Tuff
Feb 8, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Comment #122Oh and Osula – very good – gets stuck in – cannot see him as a winger – more central. Good attitude with the necessary aggression.
Poet Of Prudhoe Park
Feb 8, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Comment #123Some drunken old fart thinks brum is worse than a country infested with lady boys 😀
coming home
Feb 8, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Comment #124Heressss wollyyyyy
magicmac54
Feb 8, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Comment #125Coming Home
Evening fella, and yes sad about that lad, but that`s the danger of boxing, all those knocks to the head cause concussion and brain trauma, or even much worse as happed to that lad from Galway. I watched a great documentary about a year ago and they had records of a lot of boxers suffering dementia at a relatively young age, they talked about footballers suffering the same fate by heading the ball, but in the case of football it was more to do with the heavier balls back in the day mate.
lochinvar
Feb 8, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Comment #126Brum is the backside of the country surrounded by motorways. Crap beer and bankrupt council.
Let’s move on.
north east lincs toon
Feb 8, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Comment #127This is what a
good squad does ,applauding Howe on tactical changes ,probably the most physical game we’ve played this season
magicmac54
Feb 8, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Comment #128Young Osula i think is better suited to playing on the wing, he is still a rough diamond, but you can see he has some very good natural qualities, i suspect he could be a very beneficial player in the future, and specially under the expertise of Eddie and the coaching staff.
north east lincs toon
Feb 8, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Comment #129Ousula caries on like this we won’t need to sign another striker,he’s a winner
magicmac54
Feb 8, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Comment #130Get in Brighton happy days.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Feb 8, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Comment #131Thought Tonali was excellent tonight controlled the game and coolest man on pitch slowed game down speeded game up when Birmingham were kicking lumps out of us
lochinvar
Feb 8, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Comment #132Summer transfer speculation starting now.
Bet we go elsewhere and not the obvious choices.
Chelsea are preparing a 50m euro (£41.6m) bid for 25-year-old Bournemouth and Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo.
martoon
Feb 8, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Comment #133Considering the number of changes we made I thought the team performed well especially after their 30 second opener – the lads showed good character.
I think some of you have been watching the watered down, over analysed stuff in the Premiership for too long – this is how football is played in the lower leagues and you have to expect robust tackles in a cup tie like this – ironic that the only player who got seriously injured was one of their players!
Goal line technology has been around for years – long before VAR started – so I’m surprised they don’t have it throughout the football league!!
Munster Mag
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Comment #134Fantastic win in very hard circumstances. Hopefully a home draw next leg. Gotta say we need to we to upgrade Longstaff.
He’s not the this high level
Munster Mag
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Comment #135Osula isn’t a right winger
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Comment #136How did Osula and Willock play? Missed the game just seeing the highlights
Osulas touch in the build up that goal was unreal
Davas
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Comment #137Been out all day and just watched the match.
Ger in, we’re through.
What a Birmingham love in that was with Guy fn Mowbray and that ex brummie player upon.
The ref was crap. So many terrible decisions 2 being the bookings of willock and Osula. He booked willo k for a clash of heads but nowt for the Birmingham player when he clashed heads with osula.
Happy with the win though.
Davas
Feb 9, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Comment #138Considering they haven’t had a lot of minutes, I thought the players did well and gradually improved. Especially willock and i think Targett got better as it went on.
I thought Miley played well, calm on the ball.
Unfortunately, it always seems to take sean a few games to get fully back into the groove but that’s difficult when you aren’t getting many minutes. He still got an assist though.
I think, like magic said, osula is a rough diamond. That take down leading to the goal was sublime and a good assist for Joe. Early days, as it’s only his first game in the position, but he could be useful on the wing for us (as well as up front).
Tonali showed his class.
Raj of Hailsley
Feb 9, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Comment #139I thought Osula looked a other ore effective when coming in from the right.
magscar
Feb 9, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Comment #140Well BBC were somewhat disappointed at not getting the required Giant killing but they certainly relished the battle of St Andrews in the absence of a win for the underdogs
Also got a spectacular goal from them but commentary mostly glossed over the deliberate taking out and roughing up of the PL Prima Donna’s ( would they have been as sanguine if it was one of their favourites?)
I can recall the old days of blood and thunder and I’m glad they’ve been left behind
How any non- Birmingham (or possibly anti PL side fans) could justify the yellow card count 3 to us!!! 4 to them ( and no reds) I don’t know
Yes it was called out partially in post match but not in any recrimantory way more a bit of a laugh with Shearer as usual trying to be impartial
Anyway we’re through and just need to find out at what cost injury wise
Apart from the over physicality of Birmingham they did play some football and might do well in Championship next season IF they reign in that style of taking out the man as they will get more yellows in the league than they got away with yesterday
For the avoidance of doubt I accept in the cup higher placed sides will face opponents ready to get at them but I also expect referees to afford some protection to the player being roughed up and prevent possible injury
magscar
Feb 9, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Comment #141On players most grew into the game and I can see why 2 goal Willock got MOM but Tonali was very good and Osula did catch the eye if a bit over enthusiastic to make his mark given his chance
I don’t think anyone from our mostly bench warming players made a case for a first team spot at Man City ( barring some unwanted injury) but at a pinch I an see Eddie trying out Osula on RW if Murphy is out in coming weeks
I think only disappointment was Longstaff but he did have his moments and Wilson although not seeing a lot of ball got his usual poachers goal and might make a few more games (?) 🙂
Davas
Feb 9, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Comment #142It was handy that the game was on the iplayer. It meant I could watch the whole game late last night without knowing the score. The bonus being that I could just fast forward the half time garbage.
Had to turn the commentary down low though as it was doing my head in.
jane
Feb 9, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Comment #143“Osula isn’t a right winger”
needs to keep his mouth shut
Davas
Feb 9, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Comment #144Very quiet on here after a good win.
For years, before the takeover, our season was over by now.
Raj of Hailsley
Feb 9, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Comment #145Davas,
Unfortunately it has become a trend when it seems a whole lot busier after a defeat on here 😕
Davas
Feb 9, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Comment #146Raj
It does seem that way. Although it’s quiet on discord too.
Hibbit
Feb 9, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Comment #147morning all i’m still about ,
got a full house at the moment wife’s sister hubby and 3 teenage kids are here from Oz, her other 3 sisters hubbies and families are all due to meet us at the pub for lunch at 12, not had a minute to my self since tuesday ,
i was able watched the match but haven’t been able to catch up on the blog, bit of a blood and guts cup game, thats how games used to be, but to be honest i thought football had move on since those dark days but apparently it hasn’t, and still lives on in birmingham,
got to go i’ll catch up when i can
Davas
Feb 9, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Comment #148Hibbit
Enjoy your day 🙂
Raj of Hailsley
Feb 9, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Comment #149I noticed a poster called PeterK who only turns up a matchdays to spew his bile, ironically asked ‘IrishRob’ where is everyone???
There’s nobody turning up on matchdays because of the absolute cesspit of negativity a handful of them have turned the matchday experience in to.
jimiley
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Comment #150Shearer nodding like a stupid dog when it’s described as blood and thunder.
No mate, it was gridiron and how they ended up with 11 men is a mystery.
Shearer needs to grow some and be honest. Loads of biased red pundits and commentators and it needs evening up a bit.
Tired of him sitting on the fence.
Dougall
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Comment #151Think Osula did a great job out wide and i think that is where we will see him get used for the remainder of the season as if Wilson stays fit he ain’t getting in up front is he
JaveaToon
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Comment #152Great win, a proper old fashioned cup tie with the lower league kicking lumps out of the big boys and a shite ref and linos to boot. What’s not to love?
Just back from chilly Madrid to a warmer Javea, table booked at the Chinese soon so off oot in a bit.
Great White Hunter
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Comment #153Hi All, Remember me…..lol, said I was not going to to post again a while back, but you know its in your blood and I can see the blog is struggling with knowledgeable experts, only joking. A couple of things, Luke Edwards told me about 5 weeks ago that the New St James would be virtually in the old Footprint as has been mentioned recently. Rightly or wrongly he seems to have been informed that is the place for the New St James etc… Last nights game…..personally I think Birmingham were very physical and more than in your face, dirty is the word ! I played and was brought up with this type of football, but, sorry, the game has changed a lot, the standard of referees at this level is very poor, unfortunately times have moved on in the game.regarding brute force or physical etc….Osulla could be a gem for our squad in the near future, hopefully. Sorry Essex Bill regarding your sad
news, my payers are with you. Anyway, I,m back posting like me or not ! Cheers folks. GWH
Raj of Hailsley
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Comment #154GWH,
You’ve been missed, don’t be a stranger, not touting for over the road as I post on both but get yourself registered on Discord in case this place ever goes t!ts up, it’s a back up way of keeping in touch.
Raj of Hailsley
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Comment #155GWH
I hope to Gawd that’s where the new ground will be, it ticks all the boxes and surely keeps at least 90% of the fan base happy.
magicmac54
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Comment #156Good day folks
That was such an exciting cup tie against Birmingham last night, i must confess i really loved the physicality and cut and thrust of the game, it really provided an edge to the whole proceedings, a throwback to a different era if you like.
While there is a lot to like about modern day football, i personally think the game has become to sanitized, as a consequence to many players getting booked or sent off for totally innocuous tackles or challenges.
Raj of Hailsley
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Comment #157JT,
With all this curvature of the ball malarkey there’s not a chance that ball crossed the line 😀
Legolas
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Comment #158Lots of comments about the commentary of the game yesterday. I thought the commentators were supposed to be impartial. How can this be achieved if you have an ex pro who played for Birmingham and someone who worked on the mackem games for years in the 90’s. It beggars belief.
Munster Mag
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Comment #159Good to hear from you gwh!
I don’t come on here much during the games now, engaging more with the Irish lads as it’s a quicker platform with some very witty lads.
Thought we did really well in a filthy tie where the ref was useless. The sort of blood and thunder comments from the commentators were embarrassing.
Delighted for Osula, really excited to see how he develops.
magicmac54
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Comment #160Great White
Hunter
Great to see you back again Sir, i have always greatly enjoyed your posts and knowledgeable feedback, please stick around and don`t be a stranger marra.