Game On! Aston Villa v Newcastle

toonsy

Game on at Villa Park
Game on at Villa Park
The focus can return to Premier League football this weekend as international games get shelved for another month or so at least.

That gives us a chance to build on back-to-back wins against Morecambe and Fulham by attempting to make it three wins out of three games by winning at Aston Villa this afternoon.

Positive? Yes although I don’t know why… The reality is that we’ll do well to get a point against Villa although as ever I’ll be over the moon if we manage to exceed my lowly expectations. Safety mode again, expect defeat and anything else becomes a bonus. How about that for sapping the positivity away? There is an actual positive though…

And that is the fact that we have almost a full squad to choose from. We could actually name our strongest team all at the same time for the first time in what feels like ages. Even Alan Pardew is claiming that he has a “selection headache” ahead of the game, which is more than likely caused by wondering how to shoehorn Jonas Gutierrez into the side at any cost! We’ll soon find out however as team news will be added in fully below as and when it becomes available.

If you’re looking for a bit more information and some background regarding the match then why not take a look at the match preview linked at the bottom of this article? It features news regarding injuries for both sides, some history and some stats and facts for you to peruse at your leisure.

That’s about it really. Now it’s up to our team to do the talking for us. Will they make us happy come the final whistle or will we be feeling deflated once again? We’ll soon find out.

Howay the lads!

Aston Villa: Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Okore, Luna, El Ahmadi, Westwood, Agbonlahor, Delph, Benteke, Weimann

Subs: Steer, Clark, Bacuna, Helenius, Sylla, Tonev, Kozak.

Newcastle: Krul; Debuchy, Coloccini (c), Yanga-Mbiwa, Santon; Anita, Sissoko, Cabaye; Remy, Cisse, Ben Arfa

Subs: Elliot, Dummett, S.Taylor, Tiote, Marveaux, Sammy Ameobi, Gouffran

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.

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318 thoughts on “Game On! Aston Villa v Newcastle”

  1. Pardew really has nothing to complain about this time. If he sticks with Tiote, Cabaye and especially Gutierrez and Ameobi I will be seriously pissed off! Gutierrez and Strolla Ameobi should be nowhere near the first team when all are fit, as that is the case now at last.

    If Pardew plays the attacking team 99% of us want then I can see us grab all 3 points.

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  4. I can’t really see us coming out and playing like we did in the final half hour against Fulham. I imagine Pardew will play it safe for the first half and rely on a break. Maybe have a go at them in the final 15 or 20.

    Villa will be a tough nut to crack, and difficult to break down, but I think we have enough to neutralise their forward play and pinch something.

    Here’s hoping anyway.

    Howay the lads.

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  6. Take a risk once in a while Sharpy, try living on the edge and give us a prediction now 😛

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  7. Decent lineup,

    Krul, Santon, Mbiwa, Debuchy, Colo, Cabaye, Anita, Sissoko, Remy, Ben Arfa, Cisse.

    I’d have Marvaeux there ahead of Cabaye for now. But still happy enough.

    I just hope he plays Sissoko in midfield and not out wide.

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  12. Aussie – if we play like we did the last 20mins of the Fulham game I’d be well happy, and think we could certainly get at least a point.
    Our fullbacks still worry me a bit defensively but if we go with a midfield of Sissoko/Cabaye/Anita and forward 3 of Benny/Cisse/Remy then our offensive threat should help our defence out.

    Watch the Man Utd v Palace game and Palace have set up 4-3-3 against MU so it’s not ridiculous to ask us to show a similar positive attitude IMO.

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  13. Sharpy, if we attack hard and don’t invite them onto us, we might be in with a shot.. not long to go to find out now…

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  14. Pleased enough with the team ,would of liked a Marv start but not bad at all ,down to tactics and players now. HWTL

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  16. Certainly a good positive team selection. It would appear a good formation too.

    I just hope Sissoko, Cabaye and Anita don’t all sit deep. And at least one of the three of them regularly pushes forward to support Ben Arfa, Remy and Cisse.

    I think Cisse will score today for sure.

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  18. Well I am completely gob smacked and thrill with that line up – and bench 😯

    On record – whatever the result I believe Pardew has given us the best possible chance to win this game.

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  19. Aussie – I agree, I’d expect alot of our play to go through that midfield 3 today and I just hope they play with a bit of urgency and move it forward Remy and Benny quickly. I don’t mean hoof ball, but feed the ball forward or down the channels for Santi and Debs to get onto.

    IMO from what Pards has at the mo, this is our strongest 11 and bench – and Villa will be a team we will compete with this season for that 10th (ish) spot – so today is a good test and indicator as to just how good we could be this season IMO

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  20. If the 11 that finished the Fulham game start this one and i can see us winning . A draw would not be too bad , i see Villa being the most improved team in the EPL this season .

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  27. Marveaux off the bench later to add some creativity and to show him he has to earn his spot? I think he’s very creative, but very inconsistent and if he can produce more consistently, I’d love to see him more. I still have high hopes for him.

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  29. Woah!

    That line up is the best i’ve seen since the days of SBR!!

    I would expect us to dominate and put some real pressure on Villa all throughout the match.

    I also expect a win by a 2 goal margin (or more).

    Villa are a counter attacking team and Pardews style is a pass and move style (seriously, it is). It should be a fantastic game.

    Hopefully the players are all motivated.

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  30. I feel a little sad about Marveaux. He really is a fantastic player.

    I think his inconsistency is down to:

    a) lack of confidence.
    b) lack of agression.

    Somebody needs to tell him how awesome he is and make him angry too.

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  31. Cabaye really needs to be ecin front of Anita & Sissoko.

    I’m hoping he does less defending (reckless tackles) and just creates, creates & creates.

    Anita to keep the pressure on, keep us tidy, efficient & safe from Villa’s counter attacks.

    Sissoko to burst from deep to turn us from defence to attack.

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  34. Remy & Ben Arfa to create most of our goal scoring chances.

    Cisse to keep missing easy chances and scoring goals that nobody else could.

    **** i’m excited! I haven’t been this excited since January!!

    Pardew proved me wrong about the lineup today. I just hope he doesn’t bring Tiote on to help us defend a lead 🙁

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  58. Bloody good start but got to take our chances today like. Villa are far better offensively than Fulham. We were able to waste chances against Fulham and get away with it, but I expect Villa to have their time in possession today as well

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  63. Come on, stay focused, keep it calm and keep your heads… then get another two or three!

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  68. Cracking game so far. Pards has defied a lot of critics, leaving out these so called favourites and going for attacking, ‘carpet football’.

    Really enjoying this. .. :mrgreen:

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