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Blackburn Rovers vs Newcastle United match banter

Posted on February 1st, 2012 | 196 Comments |

Blackburn vs Newcastle United.
2-1 to us so far this season.
Venue: Ewood Park, Blackburn
Date: 1st February 2012
Kick Off: 8.00pm
Referee: Phil Dowd.

Good evening Geordies and welcome to our regular “match banter” feature.

This evening sees us facing Blackburn Rovers for the fourth time this season, with the record so far being two wins to one in our favour, their one victory being in the League Cup with our two coming in the League and the FA. Cup respectively.

Despite being a troubled club with highly embittered fans, the Lancashire team come into this game on the back of two very creditable results, a 3-1 home win over our recent destroyers, Fulham, and a 1-1 away draw against Everton. So, I wouldn’t put too much store by our respective league positions. Though Blackburn are still bogged down in the relegation zone, currently they are third from bottom and making a good fist of fighting their way out, rather than languishing right at the very bottom for fairly long periods as was the case earlier in the season. On the other side of course we had an excellent start to the season, though our more recent form has been a little “hit and miss” of late.

But anyway, I won’t get too “bogged down” on all that stuff. Instead, I will give my usual reminder that for more “in depth” ruminations on this evening’s game, as well as all the usual stuff such as team news, stats, what the managers have been saying etc, I would recommend checking out UTD111’s match preview, which is excellent as always.

It only remains for me to say that I will be filling out the teamsheets below when they are available. Oh! and:

Howay the Lads!

Blackburn Rovers vs Newcastle United team sheets

Blackburn Rovers (4-5-1): Paul Robinson (G, C), Jason Lowe, Scott Dann, Gael Givet, Martin Olsson; Junior Hoilett, Radosav Petrovic, Steven Nzonzi, David Dunn, Morten Gamst Pedersen; Anthony Modeste.

Subs: Mark Bunn (G), Adam Henley, Grant Hanley, Simon Vukcevic, Mauro Formica, Ruben Rochina, Jordan Slew.

Newcastle United (4-4-2): Tim Krul (G), Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (C), Davide Santon; Hatem Ben Arfa, Ryan Taylor, Danny Guthrie, Jonas Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi, Leon Best.

Subs: Rob Elliot (G), Shane Ferguson, James Perch, Mehdi Abeid, Dan Gosling, Gabriel Obertan, Peter Lovenkrands.

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Comment on this post

196 Responses

  6. Probably be a 4-3-3 with Leon Best causing havoc down the left and Shola the destroyer doing the same through the middle…

    Hope Santon doesn’t get ‘raped’ by Hoilett…

  7. Sure I have this down as a 2-1 defeat for us tonight can’t remember.
    3 points please Toon : )

  9. Shola…Shola again!!? What the hell is Pardews problem. Bah.

    Raylor in CMF is interesting though.

  10. Considering that we are missing at least 5 of our best players I suppose we can’t complain too much about the side – but I’ll have a go – if he can’t even name Vuckic as a sub then get him out on loan to gain some experience!

    HWTL

    0-2 & 3 points please

  25. Supermac says:
    February 1, 2012 at 8:03 pm

    “I see Harper’s still got his fanthom injury then?”

    Aye, I’m on Harperwatch Supermac. The bonus sheet dissidents.

  28. Oh, and our traveling contingent for the last two PL matches should make MA hang his head in shame over declining further allocation.

  29. Got to be more alive to obvious Blackburn-balls: Modeste up top on his own shouldn’t cause that much trouble.

  39. Disgraceful dive. When are we going to see retroactive punishment for these jerks? I hope someone kicks his leg off.

  43. Raylor needs to come off before he gets himself in trouble. I see a Perch appearance in the near future…

  46. Crossbar. FFS.

    We need to slow this game down and keep the ball. Our center midfield is letting us down.

  54. This is awful. How did that ball even get in. Our defense has been terrible. We’ll be lucky to get a draw.

  60. This has been an utter shambles, but don’t expect a reshuffle tactically at any time during the match. But must not complain because 1-0 up :-)

  62. Jesus Christ we have been shocking. Not liking this but 1-0 HT. By logic we should boss the second half as when we dominate the first we play sheet in the next one.

  63. How this isn’t 5-1 I don’t know. No way we take 3 points today, but a draw we could hope for. Their long balls are superior to our long balls.

  65. Their forwards also know how to knock it down, you know, in the direction of a teammate.

    I don’t think the tactics are wrong but we’re sorely missing Cabaye & Tiote. I’d put Perch on either directly for Raylor or at the back and move Colo to CDM. Something must be changed or we will lose this match.

  68. Sometimes the mind boggles Worky. Can someone decipher what formation we are playing? The stream is shite and all I can see is black and white shirts running round in circles.

  70. It looks like a straight-up 4-4-2 at times but then Best drifts out to the left and sometimes Gutierrez ends up in the middle. Guthrie isn’t getting up the field, so I guess it’s something like 4-1-3-2 with the 3 midfielders having relatively free roles.

  71. Good point, Austin. And it needs doing retroactively. You can’t blame the ref for not seeing it when the player intentionally deceived him.

  73. Toon analysis : Looking to consolidate
    Real analysis: Lucky to be holding on

    FFS take one of Best/Shola off or lose the feckin game

  75. Jimbob says:
    February 1, 2012 at 8:54 pm

    “Sometimes the mind boggles Worky. Can someone decipher what formation we are playing?”

    Guti seems to have been playing a much freer and more central role in the last couple of games or so Jimbob.

  76. We are being overrun and it’s only a matter of time before they score.

    I would therefore replace Raylor with Perch before Raylor gets another yellow.

    I would also replace Ameobi with Obertan on the right wing (as an attacking outlet but also as protection for Simpson) and move Ben Arfa into midfield and support Best when he can.

  77. old boy says:
    February 1, 2012 at 9:00 pm

    “Let see if Pardew’s learned Fulham’s lesson”

    I’m going to guess nothing changes, and prey we start to get a grip 2nd half.

  79. Perch on for Ben Arfa?!!

    AP learned nothing from Fulham. He thinks he can close up shop for 45 minutes. And he leaves Best & Ameobi on. Unbelievable.

  81. Yep Worky, and he can do that very well. However, his best work is still on the left side in my opinion.

  82. newyorkfan says:
    February 1, 2012 at 8:52 pm

    “we dont need to blame ap”

    Aye, but it’s not always the players’ faults either newyorkfan.

  84. I actually agree with the substitute. Should be safer in the middle now. It’s all long balls anyway and benny gave it away plenty.

  85. old boy says:

    “Let see if Pardew’s learned Fulham’s lesson”

    Sorry OB he’s still learning the lesson of West Brom let alone Fulham. Pardwho aint Mourinho or anything like him but he’s a PLANT but not the Yucca type !!

  86. Feel sorry for HBA. Our most creative player sacrificed ahead of Ameobi.

    That’s like divorcing Cheryl Cole, to marry Susan Boyle.

  87. Why do people act like Ben Arfa is some sort of Messi. Games pass him by and he loses the ball a lot. Sure he will make a good pass or 2 ever 2-3 games but that’s not what we need here.

  90. The reason people want HBA on the field is that, as it is, both of our attackers have the exact same style. It’s like we have 10.5 men on the pitch. At least HBA offers something different.

  94. Exactly Tunyc, though I agree that he can go missing at times. He just isn’t the type of player Pardew wants, for the system he plays. Sticking him on the right and asking him to swing balls into the box, isn’t the player he is.

  99. There’s often not much difference between a Shola knockdown and a defensive clearance, is there?

  102. tunyc says:

    “Santon showing Hoilett way too much of the inside”

    Does it far too much but wonder whether he’s being told to lead them inside because no natural full back would do that !”

    Paulos says:

    “Why do people act like Ben Arfa is some sort of Messi. Games pass him by and he loses the ball a lot. Sure he will make a good pass or 2 ever 2-3 games but that’s not what we need here”

    Get Pardwho to understand his (HBA) best position and let him get on with it but FFS dont trust Pardwho to understand his best position :)

  104. Andy-I wonder if it’s not a misunderstanding of Hoilett’s skill set. Kid’s a lot more of a shooter than a crosser.

  109. I don’t know but we are playing Nothing! If that’s Pardew’s vision for winning game we don’t even have a chance to look like stable team away from SJP

  114. Perch for Raylor has improved us in the center of the park but I don’t think we look like scoring at all.

  122. sirjasontoon @ 115:
    “Waste of fookin electricity this.”

    About right. Dull stuff.

    At least one team’s going for it. Rochina on for Dunn.

  123. if i had 1 million, I would buy Shola and save the football from him:)
    just wonder what’s Pardew’s next move?

  125. FFS. We’ve been saved by some awful, awful finishing.

    I’m guessing Raylor will still go off at some point. I’m guessing in favor of Gosling.

  130. Old boy-I hear you. But hopefully with the Dembas we’ll be able to score more than one lucky goal.

  131. Ball-watch much, guys?

    The only defender we have who can put a tackle on Hoilett is Colo. True story.

  132. F*** me softly. We could of played all night and not scored, though we did with a slice of fortune.

    Blackburn should have had 7 now maybe?

  137. If Yakubu isn’t suspended we’d be buried by now.

    12 corners and we’ve been outshot 22-7. Again, we may get a result but it’s despite our tactics not because of them.

  146. old boy says:

    “I don’t know but we are playing Nothing! If that’s Pardew’s vision for winning game we don’t even have a chance to look like stable team away from SJP”

    If we finish this game in 5th then accept the game has gone backwards in this country because Blackburn (33 shots on goal) have been the better side over 90 minutes yet we win 2-0 ?

  150. Love how silent the crowd went when Ober started the run from the half-way line! Happy for him. IIRC it was him who’s new years resolution was to score for us. Happy for him!

  154. Thank Fook…..Blackburn gave a good account of themselves fair play to them.
    Cool finish Obertan.

  155. Bit like when Chelsea came here and won 3-0. We battered them but somehow lost. Just one of those things.

    Demba’s back on Sunday!

  158. The most positive thing- 3 points and 5th position.
    p.s my man of the match- T Krul
    Massive game vs Villa for top 4 battle!
    HWTL

  160. Have to say NUFC have probably gotten more luck this season than any other I’ve watched.

    Good for Obertan-Blackburn could have used some cool finishing like that!

  161. Phew!
    That was like having hot pins in the eye.
    The ref was a F***ing disgrace, again!
    He gave them every chance & still we manage to win, F*** knows how, persistence i guess.

    3 points in the bag though, so i couldn’t care less if tried.

    :lol:

  162. great win though we have a bit of luck with phil dowd as he has been our favourite ref for our matches of late :) the demba’s back for villa should be good watching

  164. UTD111 says:

    February 1, 2012 at 10:10 pm

    “Worky – match report filed (that’s why I’ve been so quiet LOL!)”

    Cheers! I’ve got it UTD111.

  165. Delighted for the win but are we really the 5th best team in this league ? If we are then BPL is fecked :)

    Keane, Donovan, Henry and now Cisse do the job against Prem teams having supposedly buggered off to the easy leagues.

  167. Andy,

    with the players we have out, for one reason or another, to win away to a team really trying…It ain’t too shabby like.
    :)

  168. nufc337 says:
    February 1, 2012 at 10:15 pm

    “also credit to simpson with another goal line clearance 9 points saved this season”

    And Perch nufc337.

  169. and perch to bet some were up in arms with ben arfa going off i know i was! but did his part for the team. might also be worth keeping loverkrands only chance to shine in this game and took it with his assist for obertan but with cisse and ba back his has very limited opportunities now.

  170. A clean sheet, pen save, defensive fortitude, playing the ref too, away!

    I’ll take it!

    ;)

  171. I like Lovenkrands. Would rather have seen him signed up to a 3 year contract unlike a certain S. Ameobi. But ah well.

  172. You’ve got to applaud the foresight and faith that folk have shown in Obertan – they always new he’d come good and show his true potential! Well done
    Ober, you deserved it

  175. I think he’s always done well for us Worky. Never forget the match he played after his Dad passed away, when he scored V West Brom in the Championship. Scored something like 29 goals for us in his Toon Career in four years (Ameobi has 49 goals in 12 years).

    Rather have him at the club as an impact sub, but think his contracts up this summer, so think that’s it from him.

  176. Been a funny prem season so far.
    I reckon if Big Mick had have blasted 35m yesterday we could qualify and probably win the Champions League and the Prem next season no sweat.

    : )

  177. Why the fk do we offer pricks like Shola contract after contract?

    I know alot of people suck his younger brothers ball bag on twitter but he looks a pile of shite as well in my opinion.

  181. Ffffreeezin down here Worky – wish
    I was and ever had been in the
    Solomons! Apologies,
    I seem to have created a myth! Great result though, however poor the performance – onwards and upwards eh?

  183. The last time we were 5th we got no respect, they said we had an easy ride & not played any big teams – well not now!
    That was no easy ride – that was a damn good squad result and we have earned 5th spot by guts skill & (yes) a bit of luck!
    Our rivals for a europe place are Liverpool & Arsenal – that shows how far we have come – well done lads!

    Liverpool have some tough games coming up, Arsenal’s games are not so bad but they must visit 5under1and in a couple of weeks – so do we cheer the makems on? Well I will, I want to stay 5th !

    HWTL

  186. To comment on a few comments…

    Yes, Perch did well. He or Gosling should start the next match @ CM.

    I still think it was the wrong choice to take off HBA. It should have been Shola or Best.

    Super-don’t look now but the mackems are on the rise-3 places and 9 points back…

    I’d rather have Loven under contract than Shola as well. Better strike rate, more pace’ more durable and a model pro. Plus he’s left-footed and can play in midfield.

  187. Clint mate, what do you want most? 5th in the best league on the world – or just local bragging rights?

  188. Match highlights are up now.

    Better highlights, post match interviews and UTD111’s match report will follow in the fullness of time.

    Would have had them up a little sooner however I faced a minor challenge as there was no “embed” link so I had to trace the URL and make the correct sized IFRAME for it from scratch.

  193. i’m just yanking your chain brother – I know Clint, its all part of life’s rich travesty – but 5th is worth it!

  195. Supermac says:
    February 2, 2012 at 12:43 am

    “i’m just yanking”

    My eyesight’s definitely gannin’ west now. I was sure you’d written something else there until I read the rest of the sentence.