Interestingly this is Alan Pardew’s 500th league game as a manager. His record currently stands at 211 wins, 132 draws and 156 defeats during his tenure at Newcastle, Southampton, West Ham, Reading and Charlton. No doubt he will be itching for a 212th career league victory.
Standing in the way is Paul Lambert who is looking to guide Norwich City to their first ever league double over United. However, like us, Norwich have been stuttering of late and have not won in the last three games. Indeed Norwich will kick-off the game in 13th position – their worst league placing since mid-September.
Newcastle
Sammy Ameobi, Steven Taylor, Sylvain Marveaux, Leon Best, Nile Ranger and Peter Lovenkrands are all definitely out while news is awaited on Ryan Taylor who missed the Monday evening trip to Arsenal. Two fresh doubts involve Danny Simpson and Cheik Tiote who both picked up knocks during the match on Monday. The former looks like he might make but there are big doubts over the availability of Cheik Tiote. Steve Harper could be back on the bench as he resumed training at the start of the week.
Norwich
Paul Lambert will welcome back Jonny Howson after the former Leeds midfielder was ruled out last week through illness. Daniel Ayala, James Vaughan and Marc Tierney are all still out with groin and hamstring injuries respectively.
The match
I hate the term ‘must win’, especially when there is still over a quarter of the season remaining. Isn’t every game a ‘must win’ game?
Anyway, if there ever was a ‘must win’ game for Newcastle then this is it, especially if the players and manager are harbouring any thoughts of European qualification for next season.
It’s been four games since we beat Aston Villa. Since then we’ve been thumped by Tottenham, thrown away a two goal lead against Wolves, had 29 shots at goal and missed a penalty against the Mackems and lost to a 95th minute goals at Arsenal giving us a return of two points from the last twelve available.
Poor form indeed, but I’m actually quite confident that we can get back to winning ways tomorrow. We’ve been hard to beat at home and have only lost to Chelsea and West Brom on home turf. We also have a defence this time around, and regardless of whatever criticism is thrown at Mike Williamson that is something that we didn’t have when we lost 4-2 at Carrow Road earlier on in the season.
As NUFC_stats pointed out in his superb article yesterday, Norwich basically battered us in the air last time out. We had Danny Simpson and James Perch in the middle of defence, and against Grant Holt and Steve Morison – both superb in the air – they stood pretty much no chance.
This time we at least have some presence. They will still be a threat of course, but we are also better equipped to deal with it and should be looking to stifle any attacking play that comes from either wing.
The Canaries also aren’t the best defensively and have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 28 Premier League away games. If they concede tomorrow they will take the record for most consecutive away games conceded in from Coventry City.
In short, we should attack attack attack. Play Benny, play Ba and play Cisse. They will cause damage.
Selected stats
Norwich last won at Newcastle back in 1988. They’ve failed to win a Premier League game at St James’ Park and have been sent packing back to East Anglia on the back of 3-0 defeats on each occasion.
Newcastle have conceded 16 goals in 2012, a stat not helped by letting in ten goals in the games against Fulham and Tottenham. Only Wolves and Blackburn have let more goals in since the turn of the year showing us exactly where we need to improve, and probably why we seem to be a bit more cautious in terms of attack at the moment.
Norwich currently have 999 Premier League points to their name. You can figure out what is needed to take them to 1,000…
Tim Krul will make his 50th Premier League appearance for Newcastle.
Howay the lads!
Date: Sunday, 18th March, 2012
Time: 4pm KO. Live on Sky
Venue: St James’ Park
Ugly, pretty, 1-0, 5-0, 5-4. First half, second half. I don’t care, just want to see us get 3 points tomorow and avenge the embarrasing away defeat where our lack of cover was exposed.
DJG(Quote)
Wishing chelsea,spurs,liverpool any two gets to fa cup final.
😐
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Don’t want to spoil their goals conceded record push – Ba hat trick, one for Benny should seal the deal 😀
Tsunki(Quote)
Probable aerial assault from them tomorrow. If Tiote’s not available (or even if he is?) maybe Perch is the DM choice? He’s tallish, isn’t he?
This seems like the kind of scrape Williamson should be good at–hammering away at their battering ram forwards, right?
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
its going to be long ball all day long from norwich as they look to get as many set plays as possible around our area. set plays are their thing without a doubt. i am not sure of this game, only cos we have been **** for so long i cant recall, score draw at very best.
craig chisholm(Quote)
Fabrice Muamba
Cardiac arrest? 😯
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
i think fabrice mamba is dead *** shocking.
Alex(Quote)
Knowing the threat they have up front in Holt & morrison we must ensure that they are more concerned with stopping us attacking and not supplying those two. That means Benny ,Ba and Cisse must play for an all out attack . No more babysitting the back four either ,enough already . Let’s go for it now and if we do lose at least we can say we had a right go and didn’t just sit back inviting pressure. We are at home and the onus is on us to attack.
kimtoon(Quote)
What on earth happened to Muamba? This is eerie… Hopefully he’ll be okay…
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Muamba 😥
toonsy(Quote)
Wasn’t breathing when he was taken off. On his way to hospital. Game abandoned
toonsy(Quote)
Game abandoned, as it should be. Shocking… Come on Fab…
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
***
WTH has happened with muamba 😯 hope he’ll be ok, that horrific news.
andymag(Quote)
Dreadfull news about Muamba, hope he’s gonna be o.k ,what a shock 🙁
kimtoon(Quote)
Collapsed on the field, I’ve read. Nobody near him according to accounts I’ve seen–just dropped, received several minutes of CPR, defibrilator (sp?) and has been taken away to the hospital, still receiving treatment…
Really horrible…
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
i saw him drop down suddenly to ground with eyes closed shut. 😥 😥
Sudden cardiac arrest i presume. 😥
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Not looking good for muamba – shocking news, would imagine rest of weekends fixtures will be abandoned out of respect
Stevep(Quote)
Hope the lads ok, but jeez, still trying to resuscitate on way to hospital! Doesn’t look good. 🙁
Looked like he had some sort of fit originally.
Doesn’t half put things in perspective doesn’t it? It’s just a game at the end of the day.
Stuart79(Quote)
Jeez this is shocking news, hope he pulls through
Stevep(Quote)
Terrible news about Muamba – hope to god he’s ok.
Sharpy17(Quote)
The ESPN reporter in the tunnel says that Bolton are preparing a statement to confirm that Muamba is on his way to hospital. There is no further information, and we still don’t know whether attempts to resusciate Muamba have been successful. It’s hard to articulate just how shocked everybody looks, from the referee to the players to the ESPN team.
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
From the Guradian’s MBM write up–perhaps some reason for hope at the end of the comment?
6.38pm The crowd are slowly, solemnly filing out of the ground. Jon Champion, the ESPN commentator, is talking about players who have died after collapsing on the field. Both he and the presenter Rebecca Lowe say they are “fearing the worst”. As the ESPN summariser John Barnes points out, however, there are myriad examples of players who have collapsed on the field and survived.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Can anyone think of some of the “myriad examples of players who have collapsed on the field and survived”? I feel like I’ve heard that before too but can’t think of a single name.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
As Stuart says, the fact he is still getting CPR in the ambulance, after ten minutes of CPR already ain’t good. Even if he pulls through he’ll be in a **** state.
Only 23. really really shocked.
toonsy(Quote)
It happened to Kanu at Ajax didn’t it, that what me dad told me.
andymag(Quote)
Aye , it doesn’t look good for the lad. He won;t be playing football again if he pulls through, which obviously I hope he does.
wolfie(Quote)
Made more shocking by the fact hes only 23 ❗ 😐
andymag(Quote)
Must have had a hidden defect somewhere, made all the worse due to the fact that footballers will get health checks every day and for something not to be found even having all the checks gives you no chance really.
Shocking!
Stuart79(Quote)
Come on Fab…
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
I was just reading about Mark Vivien Foe and it said his heart defect wasn’t even revealed till the 2nd autopsy, so these kind of defects, whether heart or other, can be extremely hard to find, evidently.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
fsotc@30- Yes Marc vivien foe was the only one i can think of in recent times , it was during a cup match if i remember rightly .
kimtoon(Quote)
bad news, my friend died on the pitch when he was 17, theres nothing that can be done I’m afraid the heart is so complex that its difficult to pick upon defects.
Alex(Quote)
Jez was just watching the news and seen the muamba story 😯
Big Dave(Quote)
What ever must his family and the other players be going through what an awful thing to witness.
kimtoon(Quote)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiB46_sjCvI&feature=player_embedded
Apparently he was having certain fits at start. ❗
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
AOD – I don’t think now is the time to speculate on anything we don’t know about. Just time to wish the lad makes it through and get behind him.
toonsy(Quote)
devestating news for muamba and his family , lets hope the lad can pull through!!! PLEASE GOD!!!!
Army69(Quote)
Hello Spambot!
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
FSOTC – Blitzed 😉
Just ignore it as it makes you look like a nutter when I get rid;)
toonsy(Quote)
My reputation in tatters! Or confirmed, I suppose.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
just been reading muambas tweets on twitter and sounds a good lad! hes also a father 🙁 , please god let the lad be ok , terrrible terrible news
Army69(Quote)
FSOTC is a nut job anyway
Big Dave(Quote)
I keep checking for news, hoping for the best for the boy, Army. Only 23 years old.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
The word “nutter” makes me chuckle. We don’t use that stateside. Do you folks say “bat-****”? Can’t recall if I’ve seen or heard a Brit say that.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
23 is no age at all!! just shows you it can happen to anyone!! sad sad day for football!! imo if something bad happens i think our game tomorrow should be called off for respect
Army69(Quote)
good news muamba is in a stable condition!!!!
Army69(Quote)
According to Sky, Muamba is stable is stable in hospital
toonsy(Quote)
lets hope thats true and he pulls through!! what a horrible day
Army69(Quote)
As an atheist, amen to that. I hope it’s true and he’s alright. Come on Fab!
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Reuters reporting he’s stable too:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/feedarticle/10149551
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Thank god for good news update on Fab .
kimtoon(Quote)
I have to say top marks to the medical staff at the game ,looks like their quick actions have saved his life .
kimtoon(Quote)
What a relief. Hope his condition improves.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
KIMTOON
March 17, 2012 at 20:38
I have to say top marks to the medical staff at the game ,looks like their quick actions have saved his life
defo!!! fantastic news he is stable!!
Army69(Quote)
Bolton later issued a statement saying that he was “in a critically ill condition in intensive care” at the heart attack centre at the London Chest Hospital.
cut & pasted from the guardian
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Good to hear the Lad is stable even if critical 😥
Big Dave(Quote)
oh no, didnt realise he was a father, thats horrible, please let him be ok 🙁
andymag(Quote)
Is it just me or has routledge improved significantly since being at Swansea? His crossing seems decent every time I see him, which is for the most part on MOTD granted..
Newkie(Quote)
Like now for instance….vital in the build up for both goals…although fulham do look terrible.
Newkie(Quote)
Me, personally, would cut out about 20 strips of cardboard, from, say, an old cardboard box or sumik; the type you’d often saunter past on the way to the local cardboard box shop, as I do often (when I’ve ran out of cardboard boxes) drop them all on the floor, kick them to one side, then utter the words “Chrysanthemum Cinerariifolium”, and watch how many mosquitoes turn up.
At that point I’d most likely be restrained again
Rodzilla(Quote)
I know, init.
Rodzilla(Quote)
…who’s got the crisps? 😛
Rodzilla(Quote)
…got some olives here like, tharra bit shiny like….
……….
________…..____….
“””””>>>>>>>>>>…..—>>
………..____________
… 🙄 that’s a canny funny-looking olive that like.
Rodzilla(Quote)
Comment on the last 3 articles:
Don’t think it is a must win game; it’s more of a really-good-idea-to-win game.
I’d like to see Cisse play as well.
And think, re commend or condemn, that somewhere in between is called for. Everybody has done good and bad – including management and board. And we done good to start and done not-so-good lately.
As the statistician with feet in the fridge and head in the oven said: on average my temperature is ok.
brisvegas(Quote)
yum yum, tea-time. 😛
Make mine a strawberry cheesecake base, made out of gravel and dolphin **** 😎 . Top it off with a rabbit and centipede mousse, scattered with dried coriander 😳 and a smattering of koala 😛 and alsation spunk croutons.
Rodzilla(Quote)
🙄
…alsation spunk croutons, 50p a pund like
🙄
…
…you ain’t seen me 😎
Rodzilla(Quote)
😯 😕 😮 😆 😯
Rodzilla(Quote)
🙄
Rodzilla(Quote)
3 nowt anyway
Rodzilla(Quote)
prifor it whinnits like this like; nee fkn tools aboot.
RADGE!
aye. proppa radge on heea like 😈
RADGY GADGEEEEEEEEYYYY 😡 😈
😳
😐
Rodzilla(Quote)
…changed a bit in here like, since a was last here like.
Dave’s hoovad, a can tell that like.
…think Ice might’ve purra few more ornamints up too
canit tell really.
…next question? 😯
Rodzilla(Quote)
evri 1s mental on here 😯
Rodzilla(Quote)
LOL@72
lololol
Rodzilla(Quote)
strawberry cheesecake
NOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOMNOM NOM NOM NOM
😀
Rodzilla(Quote)
big fat ****
…feeling like a big fat **** 😮
Rodzilla(Quote)