As bogey teams go, Blackburn take some beating – literally!
For the last four years we have been beaten home and away by these Lancashire tosspot’s, but now the time has come to, hopefully, change that.
I haven’t got much time for Blackburn, although I don’t quite know why, and it annoys me that they seen to have some sort of trump card against us and always manage to pull off a result regardless of the form that either side is in at the time.
Newcastle will have a secret weapon tomorrow though, and I’m not talking about new boy Shefki Kuqi, although he will go straight into the squad tomorrow against one of his many former clubs. Instead I am talking about the nearly 5,000-strong Toon Army that will be invading the town of Blackburn and will most probably end up in The Fernhurst pub – a focal point for away fans in Blackburn.
Nile Ranger and Leon Best will be fit to feature against Blackburn after shaking off injuries that kept them out of midweek international action. Shefki Kuqi, as already mentioned, will go straight into the squad.
Shola Ameobi is off to get his protective mask for his cheek injury whilst Dan Gosling, Hatem Ben Arfa, Ryan Taylor, Steven Taylor, Stephen Ireland and Alan Smith all remain sidelined.
I expect us to name a team that is not to different to the one that started the Arsenal game last weekend. That will leave us lining up with a team consisting of:
Newcastle: Steve Harper, Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Joey Barton, Cheik Tiote, Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez, Leon Best, Peter Lovenkrands.
Blackburn will be without Gael Givet and Phil Jones whilst there are doubts over the fitness of Mauro Formica and Ruben Rochina. Roque Santa Cruz is fit after shaking off a groin injury that has kept him out of the last two games.
Last time out Blackburn lost 4-3 away to Wigan in a match that was almost as exciting as our own against Arsenal. In that match they lined up with a team of:
Blackburn: Paul Robinson, Michel Salgado, Chris Samba, Ryan Nelsen, Martin Olsson, Brett Emerton, Jermaine Jones, Morten Gamst Pedersen, David Hoilett, Benjani Mwaruwari, Jason Roberts.
The man in the middle will be Stuart Attwell, and hopefully he can avoid some of the controversy and contentious decisions that tend to follow him around. I’m not holding my breath on that one though as I simply don’t rate him as a referee after he allowed an almost continual assault on Joey Barton earlier on in the season against Wolves.
Kevin Nolan still awaits his 50th Premier League goal whilst Steve Harper, after nearly 18 years as a Newcastle player, looks set to make his 100th Premier League appearance for the club.
Blackburn go looking for a seventh consecutive win over Newcastle, and they have managed to win all of their games against promoted clubs so far this season, which doesn’t bode well. Jason Roberts, scorer of the winning goal at St James’ Park earlier in the season, will make his 400th league appearance if selected.
The game is a regulation 3pm kick-off over here in the UK, so wherever you are in the world don’t forget to keep an eye on the time. Hopefully we can all see Newcastle end this jinx against Blackburn, and hopefully the lads and lasses who are travelling have something to shout about come the full-time whistle.
Howay the lads!
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.
By the way, Anybody seen this guy Gervinho play? He’s at Lille in France and I saw an article linking us with him at some point.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
FSOTH
When Carroll and Shola were first choice, Best and Lovenkrands were the two strikers for the reserve team. The team that the first team played against in training if that makes any sense. So they are used to playing together.
DJG(Quote)
DJG was Best not out injuried for a longtime ?
Big Dave(Quote)
Also Guthrie looked poor this season because CH played him on the wing, where he is pants again and again without taking the hint. This is the same guy that some think is a managerial genious. 😐
DJG(Quote)
no dave not kidding m8
batty(Quote)
He was for a while Big Dave yes but I can just remember a reporter asking how he would play with Lovenkrands and he said we play together in training all the time.
DJG(Quote)
DAVE dont think the honey monster will get a game m8,maybe last 10min depending on how games going like
icedog(Quote)
Ice thats when he could score the winner me old bean 😉
Ice has Batty been on .org ? or is he banned 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
Is there a better striker pairing for us at the moment then, DJG?
Anybody seen Gervinho?
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
dave have you asked for me
batty(Quote)
I will now mate 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
cheers m8
batty(Quote)
If your asking me who I would start it would be Best with Nolan in the ‘hole’. Then
Jonas—Guthrie—–Barton
———–Tiote—————-
I would like to see Kuqi come on against his old club at some point, never know he might haunt them. Maybe Ranger aswell for Guthrie and push tugboat back.
DJG(Quote)
DAVE dont know about my m8 batty been on t/night but it was hugh that wrote the thread i think?
icedog(Quote)
Batts i asked so we will know in a mo mate 😆
Ice maybe he has been a naughty boy
Big Dave(Quote)
BATTY daves just asked on his site, worky is about so we will see
icedog(Quote)
dave i cant get on the blog at all
batty(Quote)
Batty no your not banned 👿
Big Dave(Quote)
wonder if its me laptop then ❓ cant even get on too read
batty(Quote)
Try resetting your modem or do a connection test. Are all the other sites working as normal? Seems strange.
DJG(Quote)
Toonsy i just give a #ff to the blog on twitter! Probably won’t do a lot seeing as though i only have 24 followers but all the same 😆
dan4toon(Quote)
batty did you try turning it on mate ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
Dan your a good lad 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Big D
DJG(Quote)
dave 🙂
batty(Quote)
I do my best Dave 🙂
dan4toon(Quote)
dave bet you havent even asked him have you ❓ 😆
batty(Quote)
Batty why dont you ask the Bairn to try getting you on, as I know your not the sharpest tack in the box 😆 well so I was told 😛
Big Dave(Quote)
Batts would I do that on you mate 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
knew BATTY wasnt banned worky once said him and me were hon members,can you remember that dave a while back?when you asked the qes
icedog(Quote)
dave never thought of using another comp ,ile try it now 😆
batty(Quote)
BATTY dave did ask and i saw worky reply,i kid you not m8
icedog(Quote)
dave iam on 🙂
batty(Quote)
Ice I always knew Batty was Worky’s wee golden boy.
As for you you’re just the 2 Blogs resident nice guy 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
DAVE 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
fb dave
batty(Quote)
😆 😆 😆 dave
batty(Quote)
batty nowt on fb 😕
Big Dave(Quote)
there is dave 😆
batty(Quote)
dog walking time later lads
icedog(Quote)
tomoz dog 😉
batty(Quote)
Ice makesure the dogs take it easy with ye 😆
see ye tomoro and maybe then you can answer my question
Big Dave(Quote)
dave have you got my messages ❓
batty(Quote)
DAVE question ❓ ❓
icedog(Quote)
Batty no mate 😕
Ice what yer predictions were but if you dont want to talk to me I understand 😥
Big Dave(Quote)
dave ile send it you agen
batty(Quote)
DAVE did say before m8 ide be happy with 5points from next 3 games a draw t/morrow,got to gan dog dragging me round this room and it bloody hurts lol
icedog(Quote)
Mr Batty you are a c@nt
Big Dave(Quote)
Ice 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
Batty have you seen much of Jay ❓ I havn’t seen him on for a while 🙄
Big Dave(Quote)
dave answerd u on fb m8
batty(Quote)
1st class m8 🙂 😆 😆
batty(Quote)
I havn’t seen much of the pocket billiard champ either
Big Dave(Quote)
❓
batty(Quote)
Dave….ya need to look lower if ya wanna see jay 😆
richietoon(Quote)
Richie maybe thats why I havn’t seen him then 😆
Batyy whats the ❓ for> do you not know who the pocket billiard champ is
Big Dave(Quote)
Batty 😈 and there was me thinking you were a mate 😯
Big Dave(Quote)
Reet Lads thats me outa here
Catch you’s tomorrow
Big Dave(Quote)
I’m away too, bloody virus sorted on comp 👿
enjoy the match.HWTL
richietoon(Quote)
Whey, couple of things to do then off owa the North West, enjoy the match lads…Commmmee Onnnnnn. HWTL
richietoon(Quote)
Morning everyone
Johno Toon(Quote)
What’s happening then? 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
Fans should own the Club
Yup, seen Gervinho a lot. He’s a fantastic player.
But he isn’t a striker, he’s more of a forward in the mould of someone like Solamon Kalou.
Gervinho does score quite a few goals though, and his work rate is brilliant. He is pacey, and reminds me quite a bit of an African style Craig Bellamy (without the attitude).
He’s be a great buy, still need to invest in an out and out striker.
I imagine if we got him, we’d play with this formation:
——————————————Harper———————————————–
Simpson—————Taylor——————–Coloccini——————Enrique
——————————————-Tiote————————————————-
———————–Barton—————————Nolan——————————–
Gervinho—————————————————————————Ben Arfa
———————————————Best————————————————-
JJ(Quote)
Gervinho can play as a striker, but only in a front two, not alone…
He can also play on the left, so if we kept Jonas, we’d have him as cover for both sides. Gosling/ Guthrie could cover in midfield. Williamson in defense.
But its still clear we’d be weak up front and lack cover in the full back positions.
JJ(Quote)
Can’t wait for today’s game, like i said yesterday am going for 1-2 us with Drake grabbing a brace 😉
dan4toon(Quote)
Drake ?
Munich Mag(Quote)
Carrol and suraz have had a fight….
http://www.dangerhere.com/carroll-and-suarez-in-first-liverpool-training-ground-bust-up/
Johno Toon(Quote)
The first and the last ones are the best….of course… !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFrMSzoLXIU&feature=fvw
Munich Mag(Quote)
Munich Mag – Drake is a singer/rapper who looks just like Best 😀
dan4toon(Quote)
Dan 😆 Never noticed before. He’s like a twin 😆
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
This is the man, he wears not slogons.
jay jay(Quote)
Reports we’ll be in with a 5 mil bud for Joe Cole in the summer 😯 5 mil for a bloke pushing 30 that hasn’t done anything in 3 years and is on something like 90k a week 😯 I call bullspit 🙄
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
Come on Man U 😉
Can’t believe I said that 😯
toonsy(Quote)
Also Kevin Doyle for 12 mil 😯 😆
This summer is going to be both fun and infuriating
JerseyGeordie(Quote)
gotcha dan4toon !!
Munich Mag(Quote)