There was once a time when playing Tottenham used to pretty much guarantee us three points, but that isn’t the case anymore. They are a Champions League team these days and play nice, attractive, attacking football which is very pleasing on the eye. I have an irrational dislike of ‘Spurs, but even I’ll doff my cap to them on that front.
The match will signal the return of John Carver to the Newcastle dugout for the first time in over 6 years as he takes his seat next to Alan Pardew for his new assistant manager role. The last time Carver was in our dugout we won 3-0, more of the same tomorrow will do very nicely indeed.
First of all though, Newcastle have to dig in and try to scrape a team together. The term ‘bare bones’ has never been more relevant, and with the lack of a breakthrough in the transfer market as yet, the selection problems won’t get any better for the visit of Tottenham.
Andy Carroll is still sidelined with a thigh injury, Steven Taylor is out with a hamstring injury, Alan Smith is likely to be out for the season with ankle ligament damage, Dan Gosling has suffered a slight setback in his recovery from a cruciate injury and will not be risked, Kevin Nolan has a throat infection and probably won’t be able to play the full 90 minutes, and Cheik Tiote serves the second match of his three game ban. Ryan Taylor and Hatem Ben Arfa remain sidelined with their respective long-term injuries.
See what I mean? Bare bones….
We know Danny Guthrie is set to start, and we know that the goalkeeper and defence are pretty settled, and we also know that it is likely to be Shola Ameobi and Leon Best up front for us, which just leaves the midfield as a problem for us. Well not so much a problem, more the fact that it will be weakened. I’d go with a team a bit like this:
Newcastle: Steve Harper, Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Joey Barton, Danny Guthrie, Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi, Leon Best.
In contrast, Tottenham have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the trip to the North-East. Former Magpie Jonathan Woodgate is still injured, as is Ledley King, Tom Huddlestone and Jamie O’Hara. Apart from that, Redknapp has a clean bill of health for his squad, and he can also call on new signing Steven Pienaar after the South African midfielder signed from Everton in midweek.
Last time out Tottenham managed a rather tame 0-0 draw with Manchester United. In that match they played a team consisting of:
Tottenham: Huerelho Gomes, Alan Hutton, Michael Dawson, William Gallas, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Aaron Lennon, Wilson Palacios, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, Rafael Van der Vaart, Peter Crouch.
Tottenham last won on Tyneside back in 2004, whilst Newcastle go looking for a fifth consecutive home win over ‘Spurs. If Tottenham score first they generally win, and they have done that on nine occasions so far this season. However, they do concede goals and have done so in their last 11 consecutive away league matches.
Newcastle have won more corners than any other team this season, with the current count being 160 corners for The Magpies. Kevin Nolan will score his 50th Premier League tomorrow if he can find the back of the net.
We haven’t lost a league game since I stopped predicting results, so I’m going to continue that omen and see if it works in our favour again!
Howay the lads!
Richietoon 😆
jay jay(Quote)
Hughton is on the sofa of Football Focus
Sime(Quote)
Very concerned about our lack of options. What the hell is the club doing selling our only RW?? What do we do when Nolan runs out of oomph, or if Joey gets a knock or a red?
The starting line-up is strong, but when they bring on fresh legs and we’ve got none, we could be overrun.
Still, I fancy Guthrie to have a good game and possibly score, along with perhaps Ranger coming on for Nolan and finally finding the net.
I’d take a point, frankly, but here’s hoping for more…
Whumpie(Quote)
funny rumour doing the rounds, Peter Beardsley doing a talk at the Dunston Fed talk-in last night was asked about Ranger said he was ‘average and a ******.’
hahaha
I Love Mike(Quote)
Hate sleeping in. Half the day gone now 😡
toonsy(Quote)
Ye’ve not missed much Toonsy
Whumpie(Quote)
My dad’s a Spurs supporter so I’ll be delighted if we could get a win today. It’s going to be hard but it is still possible as we playing at home and a good start or an early goal could get the crowd on our side and keep the lads going for the rest of the game.
ahmed4nufc(Quote)
gan away for a day/ngt and still nowt on transfer front from radio richie, needs to re-tune me thinks,and toonsy knows nowt either,he wont laying aboot in bed 🙁
icedog(Quote)
Whumpie – Certainly not on the news front anyway 😀
Watching Wolves v Liverpool and trying to work out what the best result for us is? 😳
toonsy(Quote)
Ice – I’ve heard a rumour that we should get someone today. Sometime around the match. Also heard that we are in for an American as well, or maybe that is the one? Who knows….
toonsy(Quote)
Where ya been anyway Ice? Batty says you got locked up by the bizzies for being drunk in charge of your scooter 😯
toonsy(Quote)
toonsy liverpool win would be best for us
batty(Quote)
I just can’t bring myself to want Liverpool to win 😈
toonsy(Quote)
toonsy aye big dave sed they dragged the dog of screaming 😉
batty(Quote)
aye let them win 2 1 😉 😀
batty(Quote)
pool look *****
batty(Quote)
Reet off to the match….Toonsy..Clint Dempsey 😉 🙁 😥 maybe 😕
Enjoy lads, Howaaaaayy the lads.
richietoon(Quote)
Batty – I hear they had to CS gas him and plasticuff him to calm him down. Walking sticks all over the place 😀
toonsy(Quote)
0-0 is definitely the best result for that one Toonsy. I’ve a bet with me scouse supportin mate that if Liverpool finish atleast three places or more above us I owe him a tenner- anything else and he owes me. Reckon I could be on for a bit of cash there…
DevonMag(Quote)
TOONSY thanks for up-date,went to blackpool for a show,scooter gans great now since batty put that 2ltr souped-up engine on the back for me 3grand well spent 😀
icedog(Quote)
well that’s the end of that then… Hope we beat spurs!
DevonMag(Quote)
Very true Whumpie. We will need to address the deoth issue in the summer. Our bench will look shocking today…
MDS(Quote)
^^^Sorry-wrong thread^^^ 😳
MDS(Quote)
just hope its not ireland dont want that git,does nowt for me.
off topic toonsy wor lass wants to know when you are going back on the radio she likes your voice,gan tak her to quacks,cannott be reet in the heed 🙄
icedog(Quote)
Ice’s mrs fancies me 😛 😆
Pass mate. It’ll be a while I reckon. Mind you, they did e-mail me when Hughton got the sack to go back on but nowt happened.
toonsy(Quote)
this is a strange one ❗
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/869038/birmingham-reject-seb-larsson-transfer-request?cc=5739
icedog(Quote)
Reminds me of us and James Milner, Ice 🙄
toonsy(Quote)
me thinks been some cop outs here to replace rout,swp,bentley,larsson,didnt want any of them,but whats ganning on something not reet somewhere ❓
icedog(Quote)
I agree Ice. Really makes no sense letting Rout go without a replacement lined up.
MDS(Quote)
Problem see tone other teams and not players not wanting to come. At least that’s what I get from pardew’s comments
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
Problem seems to be other teams and not players not wanting to come. At least that’s what I get from pardew’s comments
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
Anyone spotted a lineswoman in Liverpool match? 😯 😛
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
AOD – She is doing better than most blokes aswell 😉
toonsy(Quote)
Match thread up guys, with teams. As expected really selection wise
toonsy(Quote)
I agreed. 😎
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
as long as they keep off t.v.on match days,there gobs just dont seem reet to me 😆
icedog(Quote)
Great ball by Guthrie, fizzy player my testies… 😀 😀
CC(Quote)