Newcastle v Club Brugge – Europa League match preview

An evening clash awaits
Newcastle return to Europa League action tomorrow when Belgian outfit Club Brugge visit St James’ Park in what will be third game in the group stage of the competition.

Brugge will be the fifth Belgian opposition we’ve come up against in our history, having previously tussled with Anderlecht, Zulte Waregem, Royal Antwerp and Lokeren.

They aren’t doing too badly this season either. It’s early days on the Belgian league but given the fact that I spend so much time here in Belgium I nearly always end up watching their version of Match of the Day and have seen them a number of times this season. They have one of two players who have jumped out at me as being handy. One plays for Anderlecht and goes by the name of Dieumerci Mbokani. The other we should see tomorrow and goes by the name of Carlos Bacca.

Club Brugge currently occupy first place in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League but only on goals scored ahead of Anderlecht. Offensively they can cause problems but defensively they can be got at as their goals against tally, and a thumping from Bordeaux, will testify to.

Newcastle:

Newcastle have a clean bill of health aside from the longer term injuries to Haris Vuckic, Dan Gosling and Ryan Taylor. Fabricio Coloccini is alright after coming off against Sunderland on Sunday but he may be rested for the Premier League game against West Brom this weekend. The same could be said for a number of purple players.

However we could see Spanish flop Xisco come out from the cold for this one and the former Deportivo man may be rewarded for his three goals in the U21s in midweek with a spot on the bench. And why not? Isn’t that why players play in them, to be in with a shout of playing for the first team? Sylvain Marveaux also played well in that midweek game and could come back into the side for this one.

Previously…

Obviously as there has been no meetings between the two sides previously I can’t really cover any previous games between us, so instead what I’ll do is cover a few bits of European history for each respective side.

Although they’ve never won a European trophy, Club Brugge have come close twice. They were beaten by Liverpool over two legs in the 1976 UEFA Cup final, losing 4-3 on aggregate, before again falling at the hand of Liverpool in 1978, losing 1-0 in the final of what we all now know as the Champions League. They are the only Belgian club that has made the final of the old European Cup.

They’ve played in European competition in 39 years of the 45 since they made their debut in the Fairs Cup back in the 1967-1968 season racking up 231 games in all European competition. The UEFA Cup/Europa League is the competition where they have spent most of their time though having played 126 of their 231 continental ties in this competition.

For Newcastle, this will be our 125th European tie. We’ve won 71 games, drawn 24 and lost 29. Our last European defeat on home soil came back in 2005-2006 when Deportivo La Coruna came away from St James’ Park with a 2-1 victory ending our participation in the Intertoto Cup and ensuring we missed out on qualifying for the UEFA Cup proper that season.

Final thought…

Put simply, if we win our two remaining home games then we are likely to have done enough to progress to the knockout stages, however I think our away results will have a bearing over whether we go through as group winners or runners up. There fore it is important that we name a string side and see off the challenge the Belgians may present.

But once again we return to the balancing act between domestic and European commitments. We need to keep some players fresh for the weekend visit of West Brom so I expect to see a mixture of fringe players getting a chance along with some more established names making an appearance.

We do have enough to see off the Club Brugge. They are a decent side in the Belgian league, but it isn’t the best standard so it is a game we should be looking to win. Still, the job needs doing and regardless of how unfashionable the Belgian league is, we still have to make sure we turn up geared for a win.

Howay the lads!

Date: Thursday, 25th October, 2012

Time: 8:05pm

Venue: St James’ Park

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.

122 thoughts on “Newcastle v Club Brugge – Europa League match preview

  1. It will be nice to see a few younger players get a run out tonight.. I wonder if Wonder Marv, the disappearing Frenchman will make an appearance?

      (Quote)

  2. I’d rather have Micky Quinn up front than have Obafemi-friggin Martins back… Undoubtedly the dumbest footballer I have ever had the displeasure to watch.

      (Quote)

  3. Aussie – Sammi seems confident he’s in, which will be good if so coz he’s not played much this season.
    SSN reckons Elliott is injured so he’s out, but fancies Tiote to play which is likely with his ban.
    You’re right about Marv tho, he’s gone missing hasn’t he. To be fair, with Fergie playing well I think it’s pushed Marv down the pecking order a bit.
    I think the likes of Marv and Oba could do with a few games proving themselves in the reserves.
    Hope Abied gets a place on the bench tonight and gets on at some stage.

    Can’t believe ITV4 only showing Spuds and Lfool games like!

      (Quote)

  4. Sharpy, cheers for the info… I’m not surprised that our game is not shown on tv 😈 **** weak by the broadcasters 😈

      (Quote)

  5. Aussie – that’s the trouble though isn’t it, I mean how do teams catch the big (in terms of finance) clubs, if when you do qualify for the Europa League, the TV companies still line the pockets of those clubs. I don’t see Lpool playing more entertaining football than ourselves.
    Stinks really.

      (Quote)

  6. Sharpy, unfortunately fans in other countries are originally drawn to certain teams because they are winning things. So you can imagine which teams are very popular here in Oz 😉 … It seems that most broadcasters are still working on those principles and we don’t get to see these games on TV here…. Luckily Foxsports here plays every game live during the PL season so I don’t get to miss a game. :mrgreen:
    Euro games, well that is different story… 😕

      (Quote)

  7. TC… When Oba had time to think was when he had problems 😆

    The toon games on ESPN isn’t it….can’t be on ITV as well 😉

      (Quote)

  8. Aussie – I understand that, and I suppose it’s all viewing ratings for these TV companies, just don’t understand how teams like ourselves can get an equal footing if we can’t get on the main stream channels.

    Richie – I’m not sure?, is it on ESPN?, if so it’s better than nowt but I don’t have ESPN so it would be nice to see the toon on ITV for a change!. I mean they seem to rotate the Champions League games.

      (Quote)

  9. Richie, you seem to have done alright in life with out thinking too much 😆 😆

      (Quote)

  10. Aussie…I’ve done ok so far…hence a morning on the PS 😆

    Sharpy….according to nufc.com it is….I don’t have ITV or ESPN so makes no odds to me anyway 😥

    I think the CL games are rotated cos it’s a joint deal with SKY maybe?

      (Quote)

  11. It is on ESPN so im sure there will be loads of links knocking about.

    We’ll be on itv soon enough when anzi and udinese dispose of liverpoop… 😉

      (Quote)

  12. If it is any consolation Richie, I have always believed that thinking is over rated 🙂 🙂

      (Quote)

  13. (THIS IS A GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING. THIS POSTER IS LIABLE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW. ONLY ENGAGE IF YOU AREN’T SENSITIVE AND DON’T TAKE HISSY FITS)

    @Sharpy

    The days of buying players like Martins have gone surely. He didn’t want to hang round when we got relegated so I would never accept him back.

      (Quote)

  14. Troy – Why?, because we are signing bigger and better players now?!.
    We let 2 CFs go in the summer and replaced them with nobody, which has undoubtedly left us light up front – and had Senegal progressed in the ACoN we would have been screwed.
    My understanding was that we were looking for a 3rd choice CF, someone who would understand that they were behind Cisse and Ba in the pecking order and wouldnt create too many waves in doing so.
    All I’m suggesting is that Martins on a free transfer and £10k pw would add strength to our current squad. I wouldn’t spend money on him but he wouldn’t be a bad short term signing.

      (Quote)

  15. Troy – also, in terms of him not wanting to stick around. The board was having a bloody good clear out at the time, even if he wanted to stay, I cant imagine the board wanting him to. I dont see it the same as the likes of when Nolan, Barton, Carroll or Enrique

      (Quote)

  16. (THIS IS A GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING. THIS POSTER IS LIABLE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW. ONLY ENGAGE IF YOU AREN’T SENSITIVE AND DON’T TAKE HISSY FITS)

    My thoughts are , we have built up a good team spirit since he was last here. There were many rumours circulating at the time that he was taking drugs. I just believe it would be a backward step.
    There’s plenty more good players out there without having to resort to the likes of Martins IMO

      (Quote)

  17. Troy – I don’t dispute that mate, and honestly, I hadn’t heard those rumours. I was suggesting a short term deal, a rolling one year contract or something like that until we sign better.
    I’d have taken Pogrebnak on a free contract as well.
    I agree we need to build a better squad, but we need to pick up points along the way, and we need a squad big enough to give option. Cisse isn’t scoring and if Ba gets injured or suspended I don’t know where our goals are coming from.

      (Quote)

  18. (THIS IS A GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING. THIS POSTER IS LIABLE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW. ONLY ENGAGE IF YOU AREN’T SENSITIVE AND DON’T TAKE HISSY FITS)

    @Sharpy

    I wouldn’t worry about Cisse. He’ll come good again. We have two top strikers in Ba & Cisse. I’m more concerned about the lack of goals from midfield which has been a problem since Nolan left.

      (Quote)

  19. Didn’t really have a problem with Martins leaving, we got 10mil or something for him which meant we recouped what we spent, unlike a lot of other players. Still, I see your point about the dressing room Troy…but then, isn’t our policy based on Soccernomics, buy problem players and then sort em out? 😉

      (Quote)

  20. I mean Ranger is probably on 10k pw and I can’t see Oba causing more problems than that little *****.

      (Quote)

  21. Troy – I have no major concerns with Cisse. I’m sure he will be back soon enough and is dealing with it in the right way. But I’d still like at least one more CF at the club.
    I would agree that the midfield need to start chipping in aswell and Benny and Cabaye would be the obvious 2 and I don’t see many goals in Tiote or Jonas.
    Of the rest of the squad, Oba, Marv, Abeid, Sammi and Vuckic may all have a goal in them but they haven’t taken their opportunities yet.
    Thinking about it, the squad still needs a lot of work

      (Quote)

  22. Yeah Troy we do miss Tugboats goals but then when Carroll left so did Tugboats goal, so I think Carroll was the one that was making the chances, so you would need a striker like Carroll to provide the chances for the MF to score more than a couple of goals a season.
    Cant wait for the game tonight, I just hope we put out a strong team.

      (Quote)

  23. I really hope that Sammy and Shane Ferguson can shine to tonight. Wouldn’t mind seeing Mehdi get a rumpus as well

      (Quote)

  24. I’m really looking forward to this game. I mean I look forward to all the games but this one excites me because I feel that our younger players are starting to man up and the experience once again tonight that they gain will see us end the season with a squad of players we didn’t really know we had in terms of standing up to be counted.

      (Quote)

  25. Blimey Wolfie where you been hiding to 😉 .

    Evening all ,looking forward to the game and hope Fergie and Sammi do well if they are playing.

      (Quote)

  26. 😯 Wolfie haven’t seen you from before the transfer window closed 😉
    Kim yeah I hope they give us a pre game chat cause the last time one game finished then they went straight to our game as it was about to kick off the fukers

      (Quote)

  27. Hiya Kim.

    I’ve been training up to be a cheerleader for the Newcastle home games and they are starting in a few weeks.
    I look dead sexy in the gear like. We have to do some high kicks and jumping over each other and then a pyramid thing.

    The pom poms are mint and I shoved one down me Y fronts and it looked like I’ve got a massive set of “ahem’s” on me.

    The lasses haven’t sussed out I’m a bloke yet because I was clever enough to tuck me “ahem” under me with a sanitary towel over it.

    Next time you’re there…look out for me…I’ll be the one with the beer gut and hairs protruding from my Y fronts.

    Don;t say owt though Kim…you know , don;t start shouting, ” Wolfie’s got a sweaty ***” or owt because I’ll lose me job and it’s a tenner a match. 😆

      (Quote)

  28. Dave ,reckon that’s gonna happen again as it starts at 8pm which I should imagine is pretty much ko time.

      (Quote)

  29. Hello All. How long until kick-off. I don’t think I have my time zones right. Still an hour away?

      (Quote)

  30. Groovy then. Cheers all. Looking forward to it and hoping there will be plenty of links. It’s right at my lunch time, so I can stream it here at work. Digging Europa games.

      (Quote)

  31. Dave…Rodz fell in a vat of cider, he expects to have drunk his way out by the middle of next week 😉 :mrgreen:

      (Quote)

  32. Dave, I don;t fall out with anyone, I’m a happy lad.
    I might be a stubborn basket at times but that’s just my strong opinion nose I have on.
    I can take any ship that’s given and I can give a bit back but I don’t hold any grudges. 😀

    I’m not Rodders or anyone though, just Wolfie.
    I’m very well liked on the Toontastic board, they all love me about the same as all the torch bearers loved Frankenstein. 😆

      (Quote)

  33. NEWKIE, I haven’t mate, I’ve been busy making other friends on various Newcastle sites and got a bot side tracked with the amount of love I was afforded. 😆

    I’ll never desert the Newcastle, no matter how poo we play. Me Nana won;t allow it and always threatens to waft her pleated dress in me face if I ever mention the word defeat. 😆

      (Quote)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *