Blackpool v Newcastle United match preview.
Posted on April 23rd, 2011 | 58 Comments |
Of course, the Seasiders beat the Magpies 0-2 in the last encounter at St James’s Park, with Charlie Adam, DJ Campbell and Matt Gilks shining for the vistors in that game. As suggested above however, they have been something of a different proposition recently. In this respect they haven’t been alone, with teams like Hull City and a few other sides who have been promoted to top division, ie ‘surprise packages’ in the first part of the season, and freefallers in the second. They have been defeated in five of their last six games, with their only point coming against Blackburn with two penalties for their most renowned player of the moment, Charlie Adam.
On the Magpies’ side, they will almost certainly be buoyed by what was undoubtedly a very creditable performance in their last game, a 0-0 draw against league leaders, Manchester United, with the lads putting alot of pressure on Alex Ferguson’s superstars in the first half hour of the game, and holding out well against a much improved Manchester side in the second. Before we get too cocky though, Newcastle have only managed one vistory in their last six games, against a decidedly under par Wolves, with two draws and three defeats.
Stat corner
A good omen for the Magpies is that the last three league meetings between Blackpool and Newcastle United have all resulted in away wins. Another good one is that Blackpool’s last three league games at home have all ended as 1-3 defeats, so that’s a cue for a prediction!
A less good one for us however is that Newcastle United have failed to score in our last two matches.
What the managers say…
Alan Pardew has been singing the praises of his opposite number, Ian Holloway, saying:
“He has done an outstanding job.
“People think Ian Holloway is just a two-season wonder or something like that, but I’ve come up against him for a long time and he is a capable manager.”
After much further praise for Holloway, he then started to get on to the game this afternoon, saying:
“They are having a little bit of down time, but that doesn’t mean to say that they season is down time. There is still time for them to put it right. I feel they can do it, but hopefully after they’ve played us.”
Looking at Premiership survival in what has been possibly the tightest contest since it’s inception, he also said:
“Blackpool gives us our first opportunity to get to 43 points, and we want to take it.
“This team is good enough to be in this division and good enough for a top ten finish. We have five games to prove that.”
Meanwhile, Holloway himself said of Newcastle:
“They have done well, without a shadow of a doubt, but not as well as last year.
“They beat us by 32 points and I think they are only seven above us at the moment. So, how far have we come? If we can beat them here we will only be four points behind them.
“I galvanised this group last year to believe enough to get out of a situation.
“It looked like it was going wobbly but we crashed on through and did one of the most amazing things, to get promoted.”
Team News
Newcastle United
Goalkeeper, Steve Harper is the latest Newcastle player who could be facing surgery, after the news that in form striker, Leon Best would need on operation on his ankle and would be out for the rest of the season. Harper’s knee injury kept him out of the Manchester United game, and he will certainly be out of this one as well, leaving Tim Krul with another chance between the sticks. Better news is that captain and leading goalscorer, Kevin Nolan would be returning from his two game suspension, but unfortunately, more bad news is that Danny Guthrie would be out of the game with a shin problem, and could possibly miss the rest of the season. On these two issues, Manager, Alan Pardew revealed:
“Danny Guthrie, unfortunately, isn’t going to make the game.”
However on Nolan’s return from the wilderness of suspension he noted:
“It’s a big boost for the team that Kevin is coming back.”
Then, noting Guthrie’s heroism for the cause in playing through the pain barrier to hold the fort until Nolan was back, Pardew said:
“But with Guthrie we knew on Tuesday that if he played, he was going to feel worse later.
“Perhaps he knew that Kev was going to play on Saturday, and you have to admire that he put himself up to play.
“He is now wearing a protective boot as it caused him so many problems.
“He might not play again this season due to the efforts he put in on Tuesday.
“So you have to admire that from the boy.”
Rounding up the Newcastle team news, the usual long term iinjury victims, Alan Smith, Hatem Ben Arfa and Dan Gosling will remian unavailable for selection.
Blackpool
Good news for the Seasiders (and not so good for us) is that the above mentioned Charlie Adam will be available to be at the core of Blackpool’s midfield. After it was thought that he may have broken his foot in their defeat to Wigan, and may have been out for the rest of the season, a scan reveled that it was only a bruise and that he would be OK after all.
Wales international midfielder, David Vaughan, will also be returning to the side after a hip injury. Finally, Australian international left back, David Carney, will definitely be out with a shoulder injury which requires surgery, and will remain so for the rest of the season.
Howay the Lads!
The match: Bloomfield Road, Blackpool, Saturday 23rd April.
Kick off: 3.00 PM.
Referee: Martin Atkinson.
Final teamsheets
Newcastle Utd: Tim Krul, Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Joey Barton, Cheik Tiote, Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi, Peter Lovenkrands.
Subs: Ole Soderberg, James Perch, Steven Taylor, Ryan Taylor, Stephen Ireland, Nile Ranger, Shefi Kuqi.
Blackpool: Matt Gilks, Neal Eardley, Alex Baptiste, Ian Evatt, Stephen Crainey, David Vaughan, Keith Southern, Charlie Adam, Gary Taylor-Fletcher, DJ Campbell, Matt Phillips.
Subs: Richard Kingson, Craig Cathcart, Andy Reid, Jason Puncheon, Luke Varney, Brett Ormerod, James Beattie.
NUFCBlog Author: workyticket
workyticket has written 1086 articles on this blog.
a win and most certain of signing up jose and joey on new contracts :D