Match Preview: Newcastle vs S*nderland, Tyne-Wear Derby, Pt. 2

The Magpies are headed to the Stadium of Blight on Sunday for the derby rematch that the M*ckem Unwashed have surely been eagerly awaiting. After the utter domination they suffered at SJP they really should be looking forward to the chance for recompense, but our lads won't be looking to make it an easy day for the Unclean.

Match Preview: Newcastle Away at Spurs

Off this loss to Citeh (which we will review later in the week along with this game at Spurs), the Magpies are headed to White Hart Lane to take on the Lilywhites. I think we're in much the same situation we were coming into the Citeh game; Spurs are top side with a dangerous offense, and we'll have to play a good game to come out on top.

Match Preview: Off a Big Win, Magpies on the Road at St. Andrew's

Last week it was a big win against The Reds; this week it's an important away tie against The Blues. This Birmingham side has been, if I'm honest, lucky to find themselves out of the relegation zone, if only just. So NUFC should be looking to poach an away win here, but I doubt BCFC will go quietly, even if all they can seem to do is force 0-0 draws.

Match Preview: The Reds are Coming to Toon

Alan Pardew will have his work cut out in his first match as Newcastle Manager as a Liverpool side under new ownership comes to Toon. There is much talk of a sit out style protest at St. James' park this Saturday, and while we support any burrs in the side of Mike Ashley we can't help but wonder how the lads we actually care about will take it. I think they realize that the ire of the Toon Army is focused on one man and one man alone.

As for the rest, we've had our time to rant and rave, to say farewell to a man we all grew to respect, really, to mourn his loss. I think Saturday is the time to get back behind what we really care about. After all, let's remember, we don't care about Ashley, we don't care about me, all we care about is NUFC. Let's not forget that we still have a relegation zone to avoid and whether we like the decision to change managers or not, we still have a job to do as fans, and that's cheer on the lads.

Make the jump with us for the proper preview.

Preview: Magpies on the Road at The Hawthorns

The Magpies are the top of four teams sitting on 19 points. On the bottom of those four are the Throstles of Albion, which, if you're wondering, is a song bird, like the one on their emblem. Follow us past the jump for the full preview.

These fellow promotion season Baggies are a team not unlike our own lads. They've snagged wins away at Emirates and Everton, and at home have won against ManC(Carling Cup) and drew with ManU. On the other hand, they've also lost at home and away to Wigan, Fulham and Blackpool, while only forcing draws with West Ham and Bolton.

It seems as though they are struggling just as we are to find or re-find an identity in the Premiership. Here's hoping it takes them at least one more week than us, because this can be a dangerous game. On its face it would seem that we have all the tools it would take to beat this team, but that's just the kind of situation in which we've made a habit of finding a way to lose, isn't it?

Our side will have some sorting out to do with Colo and Willo still out and skipper Kevin Nolan out with an ankle bother, while Joey Barton will be back from his three game ban. The starting 11 should look something like this:

Krul
Simpson Saylor Sol Enrique
Barton Guthrie Tiote Jonas
Andy Shola

Reasons we win:

Fullbacks-
WBA have honed the skill of scoring away, having scored twelve on the road this year, so a key to this game will be whether or not Saylor and Sol can continue to shake off the rust and play like they did against Chelsea, which I think is altogether probable.

Score Early-
This Magpies side is markedly better when it scores the first goal, and I think that will continue to be a theme for the team as the season goes on. With Barton back in the lineup, I'd expect the crosses to Andy Carroll to start coming in early and continue often. If we can put one of the early chances in, which I think we can, this should be just the kind of match we can win.

Cheik Tiote-
Midfield control is such an important part of Premiership success. If Tiote is on his game, which he is much more often than he's not, then the midfield should be ours. If we can keep the Albion attack one dimensional then we give ourselves a better chance at the clean sheet and the win.

Reasons we lose:

Respect-
Shola said it best this week when he said we have to start respecting these "other" sides as much as we respect the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea. If we don't, we could have another game which we will look back on in disappointment.

Passing-
Not that it's been a major issue, but when we get behind in a game our passing goes to crap . If we do get behind in this game we have to keep our heads, especially in the passing game. When you're behind those giveaways can be so demoralizing to the side that's already feeling down.

Goalkeeping-
Albion has been a side that makes the absolute most of its chances. In their win against Arsenal they only had seven shots and only five of those on target; three of those were goals. Arsenal poured on 12 SOG with only two finding the net. If Tim Krul isn't on the top of his game for every shot, he's likely to find himself digging the ball out of the net.

Prediction: NUFC 2-1 WBA

Reasonable Reaction Wednesday: Chelsea FC 1-1 Newcastle United FC

Several weeks ago, when NUFC beat Chelsea in the Carling Cup, most of the post match banter was about how Chelsea started the scrubs. Our review said that simply was not the case, and empirically it was not. That's before we even get started mentioning that Newcastle itself did not run out its top eleven. This week it's the same song but a different verse.

Preview: Red Rover Red Rover Let Blackburn Come Over

It's called Red Rover on our side of the pond but I think its title has something to do with bulldogs in the UK. At anyrate it fits more comfortably as in my title if I use the US name.

The midweek games are here and what better time to start them than when your side has just come of three straight wins. The first of these will be against a middle of the table Blackburn side. That middle of the table placing may be deceptive though. Follow us past the jump to find out why.

Reasonable Reaction Monday: Magpies Seize the Day (and Three Points) from the Gunners

Let me first say that I have never felt more anxious about a half of football than Sunday's second half at Emirates. But, I'm on record saying how well this team plays when it is the first to score a goal, and I had faith in not only that, but Hughton's ability to manage that slim lead to the end. After four minutes of stoppage time, it turned out that my faith was not misplaced.

Preview: The Entertainers Head to Emirates

On Sunday NUFC will look to end a ten game drought against Arsenal, but the last time we came off such a decisive win the next few games looked rather poor. Here's hoping that the lads have learned that lesson.

Injuries remain largely the same as Gosling, Harper, Best, and Ben Arfa will be unavailable. Sol Campbell has seemed doubtful but insists that he wants to play in this game. Steven Taylor should also be ready after playing an hour in the Reserves match agains Wigan.

I expect to see much the same side that faced S*nderland on Sunday, playing much the same style that saw that unlucky loss at ManC. Ameobi has certainly bought his place at the front and I cannot see Perch winning his place back with what Danny Simpson has shown in these last two ties. I expect the side to look something like this:
--------------Krul-------------
Simpson---Colo---Willo---Jose
--------------Tiote------------
Barton-------Nolan------Jonas
-------Ameobi----Carroll------

Bench: Sodererg, Sol, Smith, Routledge, Raylor, Ranger, Lovenkrands

NUFC are 11/1 dogs for this tie and I expect the game to go a bit like that. Don't get me wrong I don't think points here are completely out of the question, but I think it's fair to say they are unlikely. A hard fought loss won't be anything to sneeze at. NUFC 1-3 AFC.

Howay the Lads.

Reasonable Reaction Wednesday: Toon Too Much for the Hammers, by Just a Little

Due to time constraints today, this will be the cliff-notes version of a match review.

I wondered last week which Magpie team might show up in Boleyn, and the answer was, I think, a move in the right direction. The team that lost to Wolves and Blackpool was the team that showed up first, which was admittedly disconcerting. But; after allowing that first goal, the side that beat Everton started struggling for dominance. At the end of the day I think that better side was on the field more often than not.

Good work roomy! Src: Telegraph via Action Images

CHN Links: Tuesday Afternoon, I'm Just Beginning to See

Despite the title, or in spite of the title, good morning, Toon Army.

As you may have seen in our breaking news update, Andy Carroll has been charged with assaulting an ex-girlfriend, and glassing some poor Joe. Glassing is a word I didn't know as a verb until yesterday. Oh well, learn something new every day....

I'm pretty depresed that I had to hunt down a picture of a broken bottle being wielded today...

Match Preview: Toon Headed to Manchester 2600 Strong

The away allocation in Manchester City Stadium is sold out to see The Citizens take on the Magpies. We hear that Hoots will leave the side unchanged, again. Given the roller coaster ride that the season has been so far for both of these clubs we expect; well, we don't know what to expect. One thing that has been constant for our side at least is a fighting spirit and we expect that, at least, to continue. That give Newcastle a puncher's chance, doesn't it?

Headed east, well to the Eastlands at least.

Match Review: Chelsea FC 3-4 Newcastle United FC

Your NUFC went into Stamford Bridge and after six minutes what everyone had predicted would come to pass seemed to start coming true. This years run at the Carling would be over for the Magpies, and hey, no big deal the Premiership points are what we're after in the first place. Chris Hughton had made 10 changes to the Newcastle side that won against Everton, it looked like concession, but he insisted this team was looking for a win. After only six minutes it was looking even more like concession. The Chelsea side wasn't a first team by any means, but Anelka, Ramires, Ferreira, Alex and Terry were there, wait didn't we just say it wasn't the starters? Well, we were half correct. At any rate, after six minutes it seemed like the Chelsea half squad would do exactly what everyone thought they would. But, then, somewhere in the teen minutes something changed. Passes started crisping up, build ups started actually building up, the defense solidified, and at Twenty and Seven minutes, Shane Ferguson put in a cross that looked intended for Peter Lovenkrands. It cleared just inches above his head and was headed out of play, but for the streaking and sliding Nile Ranger, who struck true on the back post side. The last time that happened at Stamford Bridge in competition was March 27, 2010.

Nile Ranger- “The best possible way to reply was to score, so I was pleased to stick it in the net.”

Match Preview: On the Road at Goodison Park

The Toon will travel to take on The Toffees tomorrow. With the 2500 allocated seats all sold will our lads be able to steal away their first away win? Will Hoots do what he has alluded to and put the same starting eleven on the pitch again? Discuss it with us after the jump.

When The Grand Old Lady plays host, will Newcastle be able to earn points?

Match Review: Newcastle United FC 0-2 Blackpool FC

We think it's safe to say that the lads disappointed us all on Saturday. Even the most conservative guesses had the lads winning 2-1. But, it was not to be, and Blackpool made sure of that with organized defense and excellent goal tending.

Though Harper was good and The Toon had their chances, the unbeaten streak came to an end, and we take one more cheep shot.

Match Preview: Seasiders Come to St. James

Our compatriots in promotion will be in Toon Saturday with their Dreamsicle digs and their near identical start to the season. Full preview after the jump.

The Dreamsicles are on their way, but we aren't worried