[Archived] Newcastle Preview

[colin]

I’ve always had a slight uneasy feeling about the Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder. That disturbing feeling that I had seem him before somewhere. Then I suddenly realised that he was just like Roland Rat, the puppet rat that saved Channel Four from extinction. Then I realised that I wasn’t quite there until I remembered Mrs Colin’s little stuffed toy “Kevin The Gerbil”

What's this? Dynamic images not allowed? For Glenn Roeder go to Google - "images" the first piccy you get will do it.

So, for the match preview I’ve got in touch with Dave who works for the Home Office at Manchester Airport. He’s a Barcode.

What we have in common is that we both turn up for a game of five a side at the JJB Centre next to the Trafford Shopping Hell Centre most weeks and are ritually humiliated by players who are many years younger, a number of kilograms lighter, and far more gifted.

But what the heck, we are both so crap that we get put on opposite sides so we even each other out. There is a 20 year old who is so good that both of us would like to cripple the little bugger; trouble is neither of us can get near him.

OK Dave, here we go,

You work at the airport; does this involve rubber gloves, KY Jelly and intimate searches or something more pleasurable like harassing Makkems going on holiday by dismantling every item that they possess in the never ending quest against drugs and terror?

I wish it was so interesting and enjoyable, but I’m afraid its not! I work in a “support function” or as backroom staff as we are referred to within the newly created Shadow Agency called the Border and Immigration Agency [bIA]. As my role is so uninteresting compared with the wonderful picture you have painted I won’t bore you all to death. But I work in the HR and staffing field; say no more or you’re fired!

Damien Duff: Chelsea paid us a ton of dosh for Damien. How is he performing for you this season?

Ever in the games he’s managed to play you mean! To be brutally honest he has not attained anywhere near the standard of play you would expect from a player of his calibre! Although he was unfit when we signed him and he has been dogged by injuries. He has been very disappointing and from all the stories I have read out of Newcastle he is also extremely disappointed himself. Saying that just as he was finding his form in the last month or so he, you guessed it, is injured again and won’t play this term, so you won’t see him to make your own judgments.

Looking at the table at the time of writing your lot are on 41 points & we are on 40 points with a game in hand. Neither side is pulling up any trees. We know our failings, what do you think NUFCS’s are?

As all the critiques will tell you and all the hacks in the press the usual defensive weaknesses and lapses (Titus) for one is one of our main reasons for yet another poor season. However, saying that the future looks bright in our young defensive stars. And we have has a crippling amount of injuries throughout the season, big names and good to great players some all season long such as Shola Ameobi, Michael Owen, Kieron Dyer (although he has played the last dozen games) Luque – oh no sorry he’s not injured just c**p. And others that have had stop/start injuries – Shay Given, Emre, Scott Parker, Nicky Butt, Craig Moore, Carr etc, I won’t whinge on anymore or you’ll all think that I’m just looking for excuses! And I probably am!

This is a fairly standard question: which player(s) from Rovers have most caught your eye this season and why. I know that we are only destined to be last match on MOTD but any input would be appreciated

The most impressive Rovers players I have noticed this term are firstly the ever present man mountain in goal and as he would say being a yank “awesome” Brad Friedal. No comments necessary, but he’s almost as good as Shay! Benni McCarthy for his first full season in English football has settled in well and scored a bag full of goals. David Bentley has also caught the eye as has the young Congolese defender Samba in recent week’s who has looked very solid and assured.

The corollary being, which of your players are worth watching out for? And don’t mention Titus Bramble.(see link below)

Only as you mentioned him and because he played on Sunday against Manure I will. He was outstanding on Sunday, but I’m afraid he’s as you all know a major league headless chicken in nearly every other game. So watch this space as he will be on a “Bosman” free in the summer! But seriously watch out for Steven Taylor a product of the Toon youth team and a possible future Club and England captain. He is maturing and getting better every week and is a dominating centre half. Also watch out for James Milner almost an ever present this season. Another very young player who is getting better and better with experience, great ball control, quick and a good percentage successful crossing ratio and Obafemi Martins who like Benni McCarthy has made a great impact in his first full season in the Premiership. Others to note are Nicky Butt who this year has been outstanding, Emre – flashes of brilliance and Antoine Sibierski who has had excellent all season.

Titus

& some other members of your defence have been slated this season. Fair comment?

I’m not sure, that as usual, all the comments are fair or put into perspective. As mentioned above we have had the biggest and longest injury list I can ever remember this includes the majority of the defence. So almost every week we have not played the same back 4 so understanding each other has shown through and many silly and stupid mistakes have occurred. However, several players have had a poor season and rightly slated such as Babayaro and Carr. Others such as Peter Ramage (centre half) I feel have been just unlucky, as he is another young defender who played mainly out of position at full back and made a couple of errors in televised games that he was slated for. However the majority of the games he played he played really well.

Graeme Souness – there was a palpable sense of relief when Fat Freddy took him off our hands, probably very shortly before he would have got the chop here anyway. I know that hindsight is a wonderful thing, but did you initially see him as a good replacement?

To be honest, yes I did. His track record when you look at it is excellent and his reputation as a hard man and disciplinarian is well known. With all the problems we had, Souness seemed to me to be the right man for the job. Initially everything went well and he even persuaded the “Legend” (for both our clubs) Alan Shearer to play on for an extra season. But as ever with our managers or the Toon the wheels soon fell off! As you say hindsight is a wonderful thing but is not something you would connect with Newcastle!

Thanks to Dave for that.

Head to head since the turn of the century these are the results from a Rovers’ point of view.

H

06-07 lost 1-3

05-06 lost 0-3

04-05 draw 2-2

03-04 draw 1-1

02-03 won 5-2

01-02 draw 2-2

A

05-06 won 0-1

04-05 lost 3-0

03-04 won 0-1

02-03 lost 5-1

01-02 lost 2-1

So, that’s

Newcastle played 11 won 5 drawn 3 lost 3 points 18

Blackburn played 11 won 3 drawn 3 lost 5 points 12

[Bobby G]

We owe the barcodes one I reckon. They are our nearest challengers for an Intertoto Cup place as well. I dont think a point will be the worst result considering the permications that are on the table right now in order for us to make the IC.

[bazza]

What permications might those be?

Is it something to do with hair?

[Bobby G]

Change that to possibilities or outcomes! Dont know where that came from!

[Jan]

I loved the Titus Bramble compilation!

[bubblerrovers]

I'm willing to put my house on an owen return! a goal or two, didn't he score his first goal for them against us too

[krislu]

I'll think we'll win 1-0 with Samba using his fist punching the ball in the back of the net.

[Roost]

How many tickets do we get for this game?

I am sat wi the geordies for this one, but I will have my Rovers badge on display (cheers Waggy)

My head is in a spin with all the Intertoto stuff.... I just want to see Rovers win their last three games and get into Europe again - ' the proper way'

We owe this lot a good going over.

One Love - BRFC

[philipl]

Newcastle winning at Reading tomorrow and us winning at Newcastle would be ideal but the reverse will probably happen throwing our Intertoto hopes pretty well out of the window.

[frosty]

1-0 for Rovers with somebody handling the ball into the net or in the build up

[RoversFanUSA]

Well i think we owe them...an ass whooping!! ohhh burn! Anyways i think we'll win and as for all us yanks we dont all say "awesome" and as for the likeness of Glen Roeder, fan-freakin-tastic!!! I laughed so hard it gave me an asthma attack. Loved the preview Rovers 2-0 Bently MGP

[tchocky]

Newcastle winning at Reading tomorrow and us winning at Newcastle would be ideal but the reverse will probably happen throwing our Intertoto hopes pretty well out of the window.

No doubt Phil (1 of 2 correct so far). And mark my words, M.Owen will score his first club goal since 2005.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Agreed. Owen played last night, didn't notch but almost did and had one ruled out for offside. The script is set...............

[Cocker]

Dont forget that Amiobi is back too. I reckon with Sibierski and Emre going off last night they might play three in attack. They are all quick but if our boys can stop them turning and running at goal I reckon we can win this.

I will go for 0-2

Bentley and Ped to score.

[Rovermatt]

The Geordies blow. We should do them 2-1. And I'll love it.

[G Somerset Rover]

Extremely confident of a result too for some strange reason.

Newcastle 0 Rovers 2

The fans will soon start to turn heavily on old Glenn.

[joey_big_nose]

I find Newcastle an odd team. Player for player they have, imo, attacking options about as good as Liverpool's. Duff, Dyer, Parker, Emre, Milner, N'Zogbia, Butt, Solano, Ameobi, Owen, Martins. Even with a dodgy defence they should be far higher up the table.

However they make our injury tribulations this season seem tame in comparison. It looks like we will be playing a very makeshift side. Assuming Parker and Butt don't make it back it looks like we could be facing:

-----Martins---Owen---Ameobi

-N'Zogbia------Dyer-------Milner

-Carr---Bramble----Taylor---Solano

----------------Harper

Still a LOT of attacking talent but very little shape. We should defend deep to nullify the pace of Martins and Owen and hit them on the break using the masses of space we will get in midfield. THis is just the soprt of game where TUgay can murder the opposition and dictate the play. There are going to be a lot of gaps.

If we can slow the game down a bit and pass it around I would fancy us. I would guess we would play the same side as last week but with Tugay coming in for Dunn, whether he is injured or not. In fact such is the terrible state of the Newcastle midfield we could actually play Dunn and Tugay.

[1864roverite]

According to the local press NUFC have massive injury problems which ar enot beign reported due tot he fact that M Owen is back on the scene.

It will be interesting to see what midfield centre pairing NUFC put out as Rovers will have to dominate that part of the pitch to win the game.

For me, as I wake up around kick off time, Rovers to shade it 1-0 as usual at St James Park and a dodgy goal to boot (or hand)

[Cocker]

According to the local press NUFC have massive injury problems which ar enot beign reported due tot he fact that M Owen is back on the scene.

Well, they lost Sibierski and Emre last night however, they had Owen and Amiobi to come in. Butt will be back I reckon. And we already knew Duff was out anyway.

Rovers have had their own injury problems so I have no sympathy

[Roar of the Rover]

Owen will score againts us i reckon , he always does, he scored his first for Newcastle againts us and he scored alot for Liverpool too. The stage is set for him.

Newcastle United 1

Owen

Blackburn Rovers 2

Pedersen, McCarthy

[sparky12]

1-0 hopefully

owens bak so its gunna be tough

[Mr. E]

Newcastle must be the most laughable team in the premiership, we just HAVE to beat them. Please.

3-0 Rovers.

[Eddie]

Owen will score against us, that is for sure, but I still thikn that we can win.

Rovers 3-1 Newcastle

This is one of our most important games of the season and we simply can't afford for the players not to turn up like they have in the past this season in any of the our final few games.

[pksrover]

Looney toons 0 - 3 Rovers

Benni Mac 14

Pedersen 42

Derbyshire 84

[SuperStella]

Looking forward to this trip.... going to Whitley Bay Friday, then round Newcastle Saturday after the game, back Sunday

Bring it on!!

Do you know where I can get some decent ear plugs? Industrial strength if possible..... them Geordies are LOUD!