Blackburn Rovers Vs. Newcastle United

[rog of the rovers]

Here we go again......

For the Eagle eyed amongst you, this will be my 4th preview and in my previous three I hold a perfect 100% winning record, so hopefully this will continue!!

THE BIG MATCH

Form

Rovers - WWWDLD

Newcastle - WWLLDL

Top Scorers

Rovers - McCarthy 8 (5 League, 1 League Cup, 2 Europe)

Newcastle - Martins 5 (4 League, 1 League Cup)

Fans Questions (Mike in Green / Ripley in Red)

1. Best Newcastle Player this season?

N'Zogbia has been fantastic for us this season, real improvement over last year when he looked on his way out. Special mentions for Rozenthal, Milner and Butt though who haven't let us down.

Without a doubt James Milner. Not only for the Toon, but for England U21. He should move directly to the England senior squad as soon as possible.

2. Worst Newcastle Player this season?

Barton has been pretty shocking but i'd have to say Owen. For all that talent and money we've thrown at him he just hasn't delivered (even when fit - which is rarely).

Geremi. He gets the nod over Owen because (1) he has been fit to play [physically] in every match, and (2) the Manager thinks he's Captain material. He's not.

3. Big Sam, the right man for the job?

i think so, his signings have been excellent, he just needs time to gel them all together.

I used to think he was quality. His choice of starters on the pitch has been a large question. His long ball tactics leave me and most I know cold.

4. Thoughts on Blackburn?

Mark Hughes has done a great job and i'd be shocked if he doesn't take over at Man Utd one day. His teams play like he used to, passion and commitment throughout the game.

Great keeper.

5. Thoughts on our friend Mr Souness?

if he never returns to football he wont be missed. How many teams has he crippled? Us, your lot, Rangers, Liverpoool, etc. etc.

Most people have seen what he's about now. So that should keep him out of work until our memory fades.

6. Where will Newcastle finish this year?

I'd like to think 6-10

Sadly, we won't finish better than 10.

7. Toon Army or The Magpies?

Magpies officially but our fans which carry the club on their backs or the ToonArmy so we'd go with that

The ToonArmy.

8. Alan Shearer or Kevin Keegan?

Good question, Keegan was fantastic for us both as player and manager. Shearer has only been a manager, so far... Simply we wouldn't be where we are today without Keegan. Hard to say the same about Shearer.

Shearer has to be the greatest player ever (or one of the top 3), and with his leadership NUFC did well for a long long time. These days we are missing someone like him very much,

9. Jon Dahl Thomasson or Albert Luque?

Next!

I think Luque publicly announced his loyalties were never with the Toon, and came only for the money. He has to live with that -- all the way to the bank.

10. Ant or Dec?

I'd rather have Luque on the TV!

Dec. No, Ant. No, red. No, blue. AHHHHHHH!

11. When will Newcastle next win a trophy?

Next 5 years

In 2012.

12. McClaren: Unlucky or Wally with a brolly?

See answer to #5

Never expected more than we got.

A FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS

Plenty dating back through the years...

Alan Shearer

David Batty

Shay Given

Kenny Dalglish (manager)

Andrew Cole

Keith Gillespie

Darren Peacock

Damien Duff

to name just a few

FOOTBALL MANAGER 2008 vs. REALITY???

RELATED VIDEOS

SHEARER!!!!!!

Duffer!!!! (Apols for music!)

TICKETS

Adults - £15

Seniors/16-21 Members - £10

Children - £7

Tickets available on day of game

[frosty]

Good preview, and good call on FM 08 turning into reality, even if that was only a friendly!

2-0 Rovers.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Should be a cracker, I do believe they are not so far from selling out the whole Darwen end.

A few thoughts on Newcastle fans.....too much hype and far too much expectation.

2-1 Rovers Cruz 2

Att: 29,500

[Friarsnig]

For the Eagle eyed amongst you, this will be my 4th preview and in my previous three I hold a perfect 100% winning record, so hopefully this will continue!!

You shouldn't have said that....

[philipl]

I'm going to compound the felony by suggesting Rovers could get a bag full in this game and make Duffer's return a misery. What has BFS gone and bought at the back there for NUFC? Back to the one man defence of Shay Given.

[Oakland]

Newcastle duo targeting Blackburn

[1864roverite]

Potentially this might just be BFS last game in charge if Rovers take the points. With Arsenal the game after the barcodes can ill afford to lose at Ewood PArk.

The two recent games at Ewood when they came into town has seen them gross 6 goals to our 1, and I just cannot see a repeat of them taking the points.

Rovers to win 2-1

[Cheshireblue]

We will bury Newcastle all ends up. Their back four are woeful and Benni and Roque will cause them all sorts of problems.

4-0. Lots of unhappy Geordies and Mike Ashley crying all the way home in his Helicopter.

[bobsterbrfc]

Right, just back from Villa, please God Rovers will the real side turn up for the visit of Newcastle, if we have any top 5/6 ambitions this game has just taken on real significance from points and moral points of view. It can't be much worse than tonight's fare

[bubblerrovers]

I can see us losing this one no problem i just hope the boys show some pride on Sat and stuff the Geordies

[den]

Newcastle sold almost 6000 tickets. They can also pay on the day, so should be a good gate.

[Ben-2000]

25,000 at least hopefully.

I've predicted a Rovers win for the last 2 games and we've ended up with a point altogether with 6 goals conceded so im keeping quiet this time!

[Eddie]

Have a feeling we'll lose this one.

[Presty On Tour]

after the 4-0 defeat in our last outing, it's in the hands of the gods what happens tomorrow. For a prediction in all respect, god knows?

[Rob of the Rovers]

Excellent, my football match has been called off so I can go to this game!

It's good that we have an early opportunity to get the Villa game out of our system. If we can start quickly, I don't think the Newcastle defence that I watched (and laughed at) last Saturday will be able to cope with us....

[bob fleming]

We'll win. As a few others have pointed out - Back to Basics please. MGP and Santa to score in a 2 - 1 win. Mirandinha for them.

[USABlue]

Nice to see the optimism I am afraid I don't share it, I feel another loss coming on as the wheels continue to become loose at least down at Rovers. Lot's of possesion, lot's of nice one touch passing nothing much decisive at the business end of the pitch.

[USABlue]

Excellent, my football match has been called off so I can go to this game!

It's good that we have an early opportunity to get the Villa game out of our system. If we can start quickly, I don't think the Newcastle defence that I watched (and laughed at) last Saturday will be able to cope with us....

The defence that conceded three against the same team that bagged four against us.

[b12_simon]

The defence that conceded three against the same team that bagged four against us.

They had 12 men though.

Defeat is not an option here. Can't have Geordie lodger's head getting big after all the stick he took for losing to Liverpool.

[joey_big_nose]

Were going to be tired for this I think after Wednesday. I can see Roberts getting a run out, and Savage and Reid featurning more prominantly. Could be the last we see Mokoena for a while as everybody comes to fitness.

Dangerous game. Newcastle are all over the place but there is no doubt that they have a lot of high quality attacking players, a few of whom would get in our squad.

A win would be fantastic, a loss would seriously knock conference of both the players and the fans.

[OscarRaven]

Has to play 4-4-2 with everyone in thier 'normal' postions. I would even suggest Pederson should start - he tends to score against Newcastle.

We have to tighten up (but hopefully not with 4-5-1) so 1-0 Rovers, Bentley mid way through second half.

[savage8]

We should play what seemed to be Hughesys 1st choice XI, minus Nelsen.

Friedel

Emerton Oiijer Samba Warnock

Bentley Savage Dunn MGP

Benni RSC

Lets get back to winning ways, most important game of the season considering the DLDL run, 3 points will boost confidence and shut up a few of the miseries on here. Weve had a fantastic start with a few blips, a win here against a dangerous, unpredictable team like Newcastle will set us up nicely for the West Ham game and the run in to Xmas.

Prediction 2-1. No idea who will score, hopefully itll be one of the strikers-they need to start scoring again. If the luck goes our way we should win this comfortably, nevermind what happened on Wed or what happened against the Barcodes last season. COME ON ROVERS

[Dunnfc]

A 4-4-1-1 for me.

Friedel

Emerton Samba Ooijer Warnock

Bentley Savage Dunn Gamst

McCarthy

Santa Cruz

subs - brown, khizanishvili, tugay, mokoena, roberts

we will win 2-0 here! Gamst will start his season with a goal and we will all go home happy buggers talking about that spectacular mgp strike.

Keep the faith!

[tchocky]

We should play what seemed to be Hughesys 1st choice XI, minus Nelsen.

Friedel

Emerton Oiijer Samba Warnock

Bentley Savage Dunn MGP

Benni RSC

Agree 100% with that lineup. Ooijer and Samba are the other way round though. The bench I'd like to see:

Brown,

Khish,

Reid,

Roberts,

Derbyshire or Tugay - undecided but leaning towards Derbs

Better put on a good show as I'm having non-Rovers friends over to see the game. Bets and beer.

[Dunnfc]

Moko will be needed for the last 20 mins to protect the lead if we are winning.