Blackburn Rovers v Newcastle United match preview
Posted on February 11th, 2011 | 159 Comments |
Both teams are on 31 points but Newcastle are one place higher thanks to goal difference (and we have a match in hand).
Blackburn have lost their last three games in all competitions and that, coupled with the confidence our 4-4 comeback against Arsenal should instill, should mean that we’re in with a chance of at least one point and possibly even all three from the fixture, despite our fairly dismal record against Blackburn over the years.
The good news for us is that niggling injuries to both Nile Ranger and Leon Best are expected to be healed and Cheik Tiote came through his midweek international unscathed. Unfortunately neither Steven Taylor nor Stephen Ireland will be fit in time and longer term injuries keep Ryan Taylor, Dan Gosling, Alan Smith and Hatem Ben Arfa in the treatment room.
New, short-term signing Shefki Kuqi may put in an appearance and will probably at least be on the bench.
Blackburn have injuries to defenders Phil Jones and Gael Givet but Roque Santa Cruz is reportedly likely to pass a late fitness test. Blackburn’s new signings Mauro Formica and Ruben Rochina are thought to be a few weeks away from first-team football although it’s just possible either or both could be on the bench.
Ahead of the game, Alan Pardew has stressed how important he thinks the next few games are:
“The next four or five games are very important.
“It’s a period of the season where we are all pretty tight together and over the next two or three games you are either going to get away from it and maybe fight for Europe, or you’re going to find yourself in a real dogfight.
“It’s probably very dangerous to put a points figure on survival because it looks like being something of a freak season.
“I know Sir Alex has come out and said what he thinks will win it, but even that is open to question and he’s the main man.
“I wouldn’t like to put a figure on that, but it is important that we stay where we are and not get involved in that.”
Talking specifically about the Blackburn game, Pardew said:
“Blackburn are a side who do a lot of things in the game really well. They are well-drilled, have great players – which is the most important thing at this level – and there will be a tactical battle on the day.
“They play a different system to us, so it’s about us imposing ourselves on them. And although we are away from home that is very important – you take the philosophy that you are going to win, and that’s how we will approach the game.
“I don’t want another 4-4, thank you very much, but a good, positive performance is what I’m after.”
And, referring to the effect the 4-4 against Arsenal has had on the squad, Pardew added:
“Our squad’s been quite buoyant as you would imagine. The mood in and around the training ground has been great – almost better than a win.
“In a way it said everything about the character in our group, and in your lifetime you could play another 200 or 300 games and not be involved in one like that.
“However, it’s not something that’s the highlight of our season. It’s been and gone and it’s the next game for us now, which is a tough one as Blackburn are a good side.”
Newcastle (from): Harper, Krul, Simpson, Perch, Ferguson, Enrique, Coloccini, Williamson, Campbell, Tiote, Barton, Nolan, Gutierrez, Guthrie, Vuckic, Richardson, Lovenkrands, Best, Ranger, Kuqi.
Blackburn (from): Robinson, Bunn, Salgado, Hanley, Nelsen, Samba, Olsson, Hoilett, Pedersen, Lowe, Andrews, Grella, N’Zonzi, J Jones, Dunn, Emerton, Diouf, Roberts, Kalinic, Santa Cruz, Benjani (maybe Formica, Rochina).
The match kicks of at 15:00 on Saturday. I’ve no idea who the scheduled ref is but presumably there’ll be one.
HWTL
NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen
I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10).
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“They play a different system to us, so it’s about us imposing ourselves on them. And although we are away from home that is very important – you take the philosophy that you are going to win, and that’s how we will approach the game.
“I don’t want another 4-4, thank you very much, but a good, positive performance is what I’m after.”
Pardew’s word are good and positive – can we expect the lads to play an attacking game…?