Spurs away, hopefully no broadcast on Cartoon network
Friday, January 21, 2011 at 2:01PM Newcastle away. It’s the type of fixture that historically always had me half-thinking about what excuse I should have at the ready on return to work on a Monday morning. We hardly win up there. Timothée Atouba wonder-strike and that God awful Cup match where Pav scored the winner, just about the only highlights I can remember off the top of my head. My last visit to the mecca of football was the FA Cup game which we lost 1-0 after going behind minutes into the game, and then proceeding to attack attack attack only to have Given give away nothing.
In fact, the only way to get one over Newcastle was to go out on the town post-match. Get one over, get leg over, don’t hate me for the clumsy word play.
So, Newcastle away. Not quite as daunting a task as it once was mainly because the bogey team element has somewhat been extinguished thanks to their relegation and our growth in mental strength. They’ll work their socks off, so we’ll have to match the tenacity on show but with no Carroll you would hope our quality will be classy enough to soak up the blood and thunder and strike them down with a swagger of this and a swagger of that. That’s if we don’t repeat our performance level we witnessed at Goodison Park.
Looking at the table (here we go again for the 1000th time) this is a musty-winny type of game in that we need to play catch-up with the teams just ahead of us otherwise, these dropped points will start to hurt our push for another CL place. In fact, I’m tagging this game with a ‘show us your intent’ label with an additional ‘make a statement’ badge.
We need to be polished, professional and penetrative.
Easy now.
Team news at time of writing has BAE possibly out with injury so I guess this is an opportunity to welcome Stevie Pienaar into the fold. Bale will/should slot back into the left-back position with Pie at left-midfield. Unless Bassong make a make-shift appearance at LB. Which I doubt. No point considering we’ve splashed the cash for the new boy, may as well throw him into the action. I’m sure Gareth will be just dandy over-lapping.
Modric to conduct as per usual. van der Vaart will probably have far more freedom to get involved (United did an excellent job in suffocating his ability to impact the game in the space between midfield and the area just outside the box – by the time he was in the box there was about twenty United players standing in his way).
How we shape up, up front is where it will count. It’s Newcastle. It’s away but the game will be open (as I don’t expect them to sit back) so we need to be offensive, take the game to them, make them chase the game to stretch it further.
Honestly, this is proper Football 101 right here.
No reason to complicate matters. Possession football, smart counter-attacking and clinical ruthless utter utter b*stardness in front of the onion bag.
So Crouch and Pav up top then.
Calm down, just jesting. Defoe up top with vdV behind him. Middle bunch of Lennon, Modric, Jenas and Pienaar (I’m going on the assumption that Wilson is also apparently doubtful so JJ in for energy-bursting runs and box-to-box industrious blood and sweat and Niko completely out of form so doesn’t make sense to see him at LW).
What? Oh, the JJ description? Let’s just pretend, right? His comments this week about him being happy and loving the squad, he knows he’s a squad player so I’m cutting him another slice of slack. If Wilson is out, then Harry has to instruct him to donkey-work and bite opposition ankles a plenty.
What?
Oh just ignore this bit if you don’t like it.
Okay, so that leaves the back four that will consist of Hutton, Dawson, Gallas and Bale. Nutter in goal. Seen a suggestion for Kaboul at right-back, leaving Bale in his trusted LW position and then either JJ or Pie in the middle. Like I said. Let’s just keep it simple. Like this Friday afternoon lack of substance blog.
We should be just fine. We bloody well better be.
We just need to contain 'best midfielder in England' Barton and potenial bane in the arse, Nolan.
In addition, the Toon are not only missing Carroll but also Tiote, Gosling, Smith, both Taylors and sadly for us Sol Campbell is not available. Leg injury apparently. I think he tried to eat it.
COYS.
Listen to Newcastle v Spurs on Absolute Radio extra - on DAB Digital Radio, 1215AM and online in the UK from 1.30pm as programming kicks off with Russ Williams for pre-match build up, followed by full live commentary from Jim Proudfoot at 3pm, while Ian Wright takes care of post match analysis at 5pm featuring player and manager interviews, fan phone ins and a healthy supply of banter. Tune in for the full Danny Simpson interview.
For more go to www.absoluteradio.co.uk/football
Reader Comments (29)
OMGLMFAOROFLMHO...LOL LOL LOL .....BIG LOL.
That Judas bit tickled my funny bone slightly.
lets hope the games as easy as the birds up there. it should be.
3-1 Spurs. Stick your money on it. Lawro thinks we're gonna lose.
well lawro's a dick. not a bad punt on 3-1 though. i think 2-0 though, gallas and daws have been immense recently.
I'd like to see Corluka back in there. I think he reads and connects with Lennon better than Hutton.
Another 'Win it for Chrissy' game.
Would prefer to see Bassong at left back and the midfield left alone.
Palacios played well, mostly, against Man.Utd and if available should start.
If not then Jenas. That gives us two ex Geordies and will confuse the Newcastle fans and split the vote.
Piennar to come on for the last 20 minutes with Pav.
Defoe and VderV up front and Lennon and the Bale on the flanks.
Did I mention half man, half genius, Modric?
Do I need to?
Crouch will be up front, alone, like a white Anthony Gardner. Being a general hatstand of the finest order.
Modric and JJ centre of the park away from home = nil points.
I've seen JJ for us in previous fixtures up at St James Park... he bottles it big time!
Just hope Palacios is fit to play, haven't said that since the business end of last season... must be doing something right! Either that or the alternative is not worth even thinking about... happy to be proved wrong though! (aint happening)
Fuck , Toon away! what happened to the rest of Jan?
Have I missed anything? have we moved to Stratford yet? ;)
Anyway, Spooks, straight down the line as usual, like a flying welshman.
Toon are there for the taking, their biggest loss (Carol not available) is our biggest gain. Their plan to pack the midifeld relied on Carol as their out ball, not sure best or the other one are that type of hold it up player.
Pressure from the midfield and we'll soon see wos the better out of JJ and Barton (answer is actually Modric, but don't tewll either of the other two).
More importantly, when is the Hud back, whilst his absence hasn't led to a dramati loss of frm, can't help but think that some of these draws would have been converted to wins if Mod had continued his partnership with Hudd. (there that should keep belgian happy for a start).
PLN, have you never seen 'white men can't jump' turns out it's actually true.
(United did an excellent job in suffocating his ability to impact the game in the space between midfield and the area just outside the box – by the time he was in the box there was about twenty United players standing in his way).
Actually Peter Crouch played a large part in this. By standing off our defenders Utd allowed Daws to pump it up to the big man and when he had it controlled he was further away from goal than when he started and facing the wring way. This allowed United to crowd the space.
Textbook way to nullify us and if AC were watching would have been getting a bit of a moisture on. That and a bit of old fashioned thuggery on Bale and AC could well be in the driving seat by the time we get to the lane.
Now a forward with pace skill and an eye for goal running the channels and getting in behind them will cause them problems. Will harry dip into the transfer market again and make the signing that many of us want or is that it....have what we hold....start to use Keane...give Pav a righ bloody kick up the arse.
Open letter from Levy about Stratford at the Official Site. Doesn't say much but gives a sinking feeling about the viability of NDP...
Just please give us another clean sheet! Modric to score would be fine reward for his recent form. Please don't start Crouch or put Baler at LB. Oh and say no to Stratford :) (chrismaddy84)
Bale at LB and new boy Pienaar on the left would create an even more attacking team - away from home!! I think stick Bassong at LB and be a little more cautious tomorrow.
Gomes
Charlie Daws Gallas Bassong
Lennon Wilson(if fit) Modric Bale
VDV
Defoe (For the love of GOD)
However, looking at that, thats 2 new additions to our back 4 which might be a no no - fuck it i dont know.
COYS.
Bale at LB? Why ever the hell not. Seems like people are quick to forget that he actually managed to control a couple of game early on in the season from that position. It pegs back their right side as they have to drop off, other wise would be maulled by a Bale and Pin combo!
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Tricky I have seen it... and I will point out that it is totally true, but then, does Crouch actually jump when he heads the ball?
I think its more of an optical illusion.... his feet do leave the floor, but he seems to head the ball from lower than where he started....
In any case, I feel playing a hatstand up front instead of Crouch would give us the following...
Less offsides
More knockdowns
More headers won
Equal goals scored
Cheaper wages
Place to hang hats
Crouch would have given M.C.Escher a headache.
Crouch brace.
Could be a banana skin this one if were not on the ball, it's not an easy place to go and win going for a draw myself 2-2 and too be honest I would take that but I hope to god we win!! COYS
Machine, if it meant a win, I'd take it.
2MP is 'fit for purpose. I actually think we are a better squad with him in, but not a starter. He's a 'last quarter' one down 'attack, attack, attack' foil or a northern winter away game on a cloggy pitch. But a svelt pitch WHL starter, not for me.
Oh, it's a push for a CL league place now is it? Whatever happened to in it to win it and as much chance of winning the league as (our role models and benchmark) Arsenal ??? Glad to see realism seeping into Tottenham Shitspur (thanks Dubai) once again.... No more time for smartypants articles about Mr Wenger (gets up.. walks down the street... does not see an incident... oh, Spooky, you are awful...) now that the arseholes gone... Guess this is just another Gooner 'shitting himself' cos the tiny Totts are now overtaking us...... next season, maybe. You had your fun lads but this one is slipping away. Enjoy your one and only crack at the CL and concentrate on getting into the Europa as before..... God bless 'Arry... mugged twice in one week.... He 'did not see zee muggers....' obviously.....
LOL
lol
lolololol
Lol. I'll check up on you losers again in a months time.
PS. Bale......
Arsenal fan on a Spurs blog trying to bait Spurs fans.
Hard times.
Lol, Fatyidcunt. See you in a month's time then, unless of course you've gotten a life by then.
2-3.
Back to the swamp you go.
Lol. I'll check up on you losers again in a months time.
PS. Bale......
Jan 22, 2011 at 9:54 PM | Fatyidcunt
Still waiting cunto.