Newcastle head to Villa Park on Sunday for a match that carries slightly less significance than the last time we played there.
This is not to downplay the fixture as each and every game is important and points are up for grabs in every one of them, but at least our Premier League survival and impending doom isn’t hanging on this one game like it was last time.
The mood is certainly one of ‘getting our own back’ as we take on an Aston Villa side that are hovering perilously close to the drop zone.
The fixture was always going to be earmarked by NUFC fans who wanted to go to Villa Park and set the record straight after the way that their fans acted, and it was one of the games that I looked out for when the fixture list was released way back before the start of the season.
I was supposed to be going to the game but a mix up, a lack of cash, a misunderstanding and now other commitments have got in the way so it will be a spot in front of the TV for me unfortunately. However, if you are going to the game, especially by train, be warned that there are no trains from Birmingham city centre to either Witton or Aston due to industrial action.
Back to the match now, starting with the home side.
Aston Villa are currently sitting in 16th place in the table, just two points ahead of 18th placed West Ham. Whilst this is probably not the position that they want to be in, they do have the players to get out of it and they also have the luxury of a squad that has a clean bill of health.
Last time out they managed a rather creditable draw 2-2 with Everton as Darren Bent helped himself to two goals. With him in the side they are always capable of grabbing a goal although to be fair it’s not scoring goals that has been the problem – keeping them out at the other end has been!
For that match at Goodison Park they lined up with a team of;
Aston Villa: Brad Friedel, Kyle Walker, Richard Dunne, James Collins, Luke Young, Stewart Downing, Jean Makoun, Nigel Reo-Coker, Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor.
In contrast to Aston Villa’s clean bill of health, Newcastle are struggling to field a team. Injuries and suspension will play a large part in Alan Pardew’s team selection as Kevin Nolan, Cheik Tiote and James Perch all miss the match due to disciplinary problems whilst Hatem Ben Arfa, Leon Best, Dan Gosling and Alan Smith are all missing as they continue to recover from their respective injuries.
Jose Enrique should be fit to feature although young Shane Ferguson is on standby should Enrique’s fitness falter ahead of the game, whilst Stephen Ireland is fit to play but can’t due to the terms of his loan deal prohibiting him from playing against his owners.
Newcastle’s last game was a 4-1 over Wolves in a match that delivered a timely win to extend the gap between us and the bottom of the table. I expect us to name the same side as that minus Kevin Nolan and Shane Ferguson which will leave us, after a bit of a shuffle, looking a bit like this;
Newcastle: Steve Harper, Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Ryan Taylor ( 🙄 ), Joey Barton, Danny Guthrie, Jonas Gutierrez, Peter Lovenkrands, Shola Ameobi.
Six of the last seven home games between the two sides have ended up in a home win. The other one was a draw.
Villa have won only five of their last 25 league games and would be sitting in 3rd place in the table if they’d have gone on to win all of the games in which they have taken the lead. They have dropped 23 points from winning positions this season – more than any other team in the league.
Villa have also conceded the most goals from corners this season (13) and the most headed goals (also 13) this season, so perhaps this is something that Newcastle could exploit? Mind you, we’ll have to watch Ashley Young as he has won more penalties than any other player (5) this season.
Newcastle go looking for only their second league double of the season. The only other one came against West Ham after 2-1 and 5-0 wins over The Hammers. The current points haul of 39 points after 31 games is our highest at this stage of the season since 2004.
There is no doubt in my mind that Villa are in a false position, but then there is also no doubt that Newcastle can give anyone a game on their day. It will be interesting fixture and both sides have a point to prove. Hopefully it’s Newcastle that can reinforce their point and leave Villa edging ever closer to that dreaded drop zone.
Howay the lads!
P.S. The match will kick-off on Sunday at 4pm for those who don’t already know.
About toonsy
A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.
cant wait fot this 1!!! imo if we win we stay up!! i think raylor should play as it will be a competetive game , just hope sho puts the same effort in as what he did againdt wolves and weve gota chance cos the lad was excellent!! my prediction aston villa 2 newcastle united 2 HOPE IM WRONG and a win 4 the toon army HWTL
Army69(Quote)
YEYYY FIRST ONE 2 COMMENT LOL
Army69(Quote)
heres a question 4 yous …… how high up have newc got 2 b in the table to qualify for europe??
Army69(Quote)
As far as I can tell we could drop 3 places today. But by virtue of goal difference, Sunderland would have to beat West Brom at home, Stoke would have to beat Spurs away and Fulham need a draw at Man United.. but can’t see that happening and with any luck Man U will pull their goal difference down to below us.
DJG(Quote)
I don’t actually think this is a bad midfield you know…
Jonas–Guthrie–Barton–R.Taylor
for all the tutting and eye-rolling about Taylor, we wasn’t actually that bad until that stupid foul. He can take set-pieces aswell.
DJG(Quote)
Can’t see us winning without tiote and Nolan but stranger things have happened 🙂
jay jay(Quote)
jay jay
Bartons the only player that we cannot win without and he’s playing. 🙂 I think we will miss Nolan and Tiote like. Depends how well Guthrie plays.
DJG(Quote)
Anyone watch Take it like a fan there?
Had Joey and Simpson on did a quiz, Barton knows his stuff like.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
heres a question 4 yous …… how high up have newc got 2 b in the table to qualify for europe??
Army69(Quote)
Just found this.
Barton: games 25, assists 7, goals 4.
Gerrard: games 21, assists 4, goals 5.
Lampard: games 16, assists 1, goals 6.
Barry: games 29, assists 2, goals 2.
Parker: games 29, assits 2, goals 5.
Carrick: games 23, assists 0, goals 0.
Dunno if its all right but its for this season, think that shows Barton is one of the best English midfield players.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
6th its not gunna happen!
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
army 5th
batty(Quote)
spencer 5th 😉
batty(Quote)
is it? :S
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
yep cos bolon or stoke wiil be as losing finalists 😉
batty(Quote)
ahh right.
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
5th?? i thought 6th 7th and 8th qualified for europe aswell???? cos how was villa and that in it last year? they didnt finish 5th?? or did they??
Army69(Quote)
Are you in the army mate?
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
er wey if its 5th then nevermind !! i think we can build from this season buy sum mint players in summer and go 4 glory then eh!! sounds gud 2 me
Army69(Quote)
no im not in the army mate , i was tho!!
Army69(Quote)
Qaulify for europa league is 6th. England get four spots.Two go the cup wwinners or losers and two for 5th and 6th in the league. We are nearer 16th than 6th so just forget about it
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Where we all drinking tomorrow or are we starting tonight 😉
jay jay(Quote)
Nice to see Wolves are getting beat 🙂
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
Toby l rhone we 9th, you do the maths!
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Wolves getting hammered….again
Moreno(Quote)
Spencer
I knew I would reel someone in.
Football wise not numerical we are as I say
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Wow… Bilyaletdinov what a goal.
I won’t miss Wolves.
AndrewNUFC(Quote)
Moreno
They are getting cuffed three nowt and have been the better team. Its crazy. Sloppy defending
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
buda iam sure 1 of them 4 places is through fair play leauge 😉 so 5th
batty(Quote)
Batts are you not given the bloggers the benefit of your fine race knowledge and give them a few tips for the National ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
dave whats the state of play m8 🙂
batty(Quote)
aye come on batty, whats your picks?
Jobey07(Quote)
jobey look 🙄 😉
batty(Quote)
Batts do you bet on the national ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
Wolves remind you of the many championship sides we played last year. OK between the two eighteen yard areas but defending and finishing they are very poor.
Probably end 3-3 now i’ve said that
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Jobey get your money on it kid John McCririck is only an apprentice to Batty
Big Dave(Quote)
dave aye m8 but only 50 quid or so ,its not a race too lump on
batty(Quote)
🙄 😯
Big Dave(Quote)
Big Fella Thanks 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
The missus picked silver by nature, pretty astute. I have went for the midnight club to win and west end rocker each way
Moreno(Quote)
dave wor shan has had 20 on the race 😆
batty(Quote)
moreno aye silver by nature my missus has had that ,but only 2 greys have ever won it 😕
batty(Quote)
Batty- i had state of play last year, i’ve gone for niche market.
Jobey07(Quote)
stuart is normaly a pretty good tipstar ,he tips loads of losers 🙂
batty(Quote)
Shan’s a header 😉 I hope she wins 😀
I dont bet but I normally pick a catchy name like Big Fella Thanks just to see as I like watching it. Dede picked surface to air 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
😡
Brisvegas(Quote)
silver by nature would be a good one for you Batty 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
1425: BREAKING MAN UTD TEAM NEWS:
Eight changes from Wednesday’s Champions League win over Chelsea by Sir Alex Ferguson, including recalls for Nani, Chris Smalling and Dimitar Berbatov. More to follow.
^^^^^^^
Does that warrant a fine for Fergie?
Jobey07(Quote)
Inside soucre Jobey?
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Wolves 0-3 Everton 🙂
Good result for us is that 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
Source
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
dave @47 thats why the missus picked it 😉
batty(Quote)
you at home dave
batty(Quote)
BBC spencer….
Aye, Cracking result for us.. they’re gunna struggle.
Jobey07(Quote)
I was having a crack with you Jobey!
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
yeah… not funny 😡 😆
Jobey07(Quote)
@53 yeah mate im out sorting the garden and stuff but came in for a break 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
dave hello bud what a friend you are ,dont push it you think your a big fella you and the tother one Becauseicouldntsee what the state of play was you will be gettin the midnight call of me and money cant buy youtime so you better comply or die 😆
batty(Quote)
alright sorry… 😥
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
Batty- 😆 😆 😆
Fecking hell, how long did that take you? 😆
Jobey07(Quote)
jobe 😉
batty(Quote)
My mrs has put seven horses on. Don’t ask me which ones as I don’t really take much interest in this barbaric Grand National event 😉
toonsy(Quote)
batty- such a talent 😉
does she wear the trousers sy? 😉
Jobey07(Quote)
toonsy 😆 it isint any more barbaric than you 😆
batty(Quote)
Batty’s a poet and I didn’t even know it 😆 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Batty has the Cub been down to see you’s yet 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
I dont put bets on horses I dont have a fecking clue about them 😆
If someone on here told me to put a bet on one I would 😆
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
dave f
batty(Quote)
spencer- santas son is a certainty in the national, worth a fiver
Jobey07(Quote)
REMINDS ME OF TOONSY THIS
An Australian ventriloquist visiting New Zealand walks into a small village and sees a local sitting on his veranda patting his dog. He figures he’ll have a little fun, so he says to the Kiwi
‘G’day mate, mind if I talk to your dog?’
Villager: ‘The dog doesn’t talk, you stupid Aussie.’
Ventriloquist: ‘Hello dog, how’s it going mate?’
Dog: ‘Yeah, doin’ all right.’
Kiwi: (look of extreme shock)
Ventriloquist: ‘Is this villager your owner?’ (Pointing at the villager)
Dog: ‘Yep’
Ventriloquist: ‘How does he treat you?’
Dog: ‘Yeah, real good. He walks me twice a day, feeds me great food and takes me to the lake once a week to play.’
Kiwi: (look of utter disbelief)
Ventriloquist: ‘Mind if I talk to your horse?’
Kiwi: ‘Uh, the horse doesn’t talk either…I think.’
Ventriloquist: ‘Hey horse, how’s it going?’
Horse: ‘Cool’
Kiwi: (absolutely dumbfounded)
Ventriloquist: ‘Is this your owner?’ (Pointing at the villager)
Horse: ‘Yep’
Ventriloquist: How does he treat you?
Horse: ‘Pretty good, thanks for asking. He rides me regularly, brushes me down often and keeps me in the shed to protect me from the elements.’
Kiwi: (total look of amazement)
Ventriloquist: ‘Mind if I talk to your sheep?’
Kiwi: (in a panic) ‘The sheep’s a f*****’ liar……’
icedog(Quote)
good one jobey, ill put 50p on 😆
SpencerTheToon(Quote)
do it 😉
Jobey07(Quote)
Ice 😆 😆 😆 😆 Yeah mate thats Toonsy with the wellies on him
Big Dave(Quote)
bad day for the teams at the bottom
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
just have 75quid back 😆
SpencerTheToon(Quote)