Blackburn v Newcastle, 12 Feb, 3pm KO(GMT)

[StuW]

Blackburn v Newcastle
3pm KO, Ewood Park, Sat 12 Feb 2011

Newcastle return to action after their thrilling comeback against Arsenal at mid-table rivals Blackburn Rovers.

Alan Pardew's side shocked the title-chasing Gunners last Saturday after battling back from a 4-0 deficit to ****** a famous draw, and will now look to go one better at Ewood Park.
The Magpies sit 10th in the league, level on points but with a game in hand over their rivals this weekend, a position they will hope to use to consolidate a comfortable top-half finish at the end of the season.

Both sides find themselves in inconsistent form, with Pardew's men without a win in their last four, while counterpart Steve Kean can only point to two wins in their last six for Rovers.
It was Blackburn who edged the reverse fixture in November, a late Jason Roberts strike enough to earn a 2-1 win for then manager Sam Allardyce.

TEAM NEWS​

Kean will no doubt be overjoyed at the return of striker Roque Santa Cruz after two games out with a groin injury and the Paraguay international will look to slot straight back into the Rovers starting line-up.
Despite scoring during a behind closed doors friendly during the week, new signing Ruben Rochina is not expected to feature.

Fellow new boy Mauro Formica is not expected to be ready, but more worryingly for Kean, Gael Givet has had a slower than expected recovery from injury and is still sidelined.
Kean will look to run the rule over his players involved in internationals during the week, but expects no nasty surprises.

Pardew will look to utilise new signing Shefki Kuqi straight away, with the 34-year-old expected to be on the bench against his former club.
The Magpies are still without forward Shola Ameobi, who will fly to America to be fitted with a facial mask following his fractured cheekbone.
A lot has changed for both clubs since their first meeting, with a number of high-profile moves taking place behind the scenes and in the transfer market.

Probable Starting XI's

Blackburn: Robinson, Salgado, Samba, Nelsen, Olsson, Dunn, J Jones, Pedersen, Hoilett, Benjani, Santa Cruz

Newcastle: Harper, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Enrique, Barton, Tiote, Nolan, Gutierrez, Best, Lovenkrands.

Last Time Out -

Wigan 4-3 Blackburn

Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal


I reckon 1-1 draw.

 

[Mike.]

That's how you do a match thread. Also love how everyone uses MS Trebuchet now, copycats

2-1 blackburn

 

[Jak]

as Mike said, this is the ideal match day thread. Will be a close game but I'm going for 2-1 Blackburn

 

[Calum]

Last Time Out -

Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal
.

That still hurts :'(

 

[Matty]

Im going to go for entertaining, but a 2-2 draw

 

[Alex]

love how everyone uses MS Trebuchet now, copycats

That is because it is the don of all fonts.

 

[toxicflame]

C'mon Blackburn got a good feeling about tomorrow. 2-0 Blackburn Santa Cruz and Dunn to score.

 

[Joss]

That's how you do a match thread. Also love how everyone uses MS Trebuchet now, copycats

2-1 blackburn

Definitely one of the first to use this.. In my story...

Anyways... Great OP, Stu.

Going for a 2-1 Blackburn win, as good as Newcastle were in the Second Half at SJP, they are still very shaky at the back and their away form has been pretty inconsistent.

Hope I'm proved wrong, tbh.

 

[StuW]

Definitely one of the first to use this.. In my story...

Anyways... Great OP, Stu.

Going for a 2-1 Blackburn win, as good as Newcastle were in the Second Half at SJP, they are still very shaky at the back and their away form has been pretty inconsistent.

Hope I'm proved wrong, tbh.

Inconsistent away form....

Arsenal 0-1 Newcastle.

 

[ajt09]

After the amount of goals scored by these teams, and conceded last weekend, going for a 4-3 Blackburn. After watching Newcastles back four last time, defending was shocking

 

[Dunc]

2-1 to the Toooon

 

[ajt09]

just wondering if those few newcastle fans who walked out last time will stay to the end this time lol

 

[Joss]

Inconsistent away form....

Arsenal 0-1 Newcastle.

I'm not saying Arsenal are perfect or you never peform. The fact is, Newcastle are very incossistent away from home:

Fulham 1-0 Newcastle
Sunderland 1-1 Newcastle
Stevenage 3-1 Newcastle
Wigan 0-1 Newcastle
Spuds 2-0 Newcastle

 

[Blynd1]

Newcastle. 3-1

 

[Calum]

did we forget about this thread lol?

good point for both sides though

 

[Cal.]

did we forget about this thread lol?

good point for both sides though

Before the match maybe, but based on the match itself we should have won it easily. Dominated them (58% possession, 6/12 shots on target to 0/4), just Samba and Robinson played beastily

 

[Cloud~]

Inconsistent away form....

Arsenal 0-1 Newcastle.

Because 1 good result epitomises consistency...

 

[hellroker]

Spuds 2-0 Newcastle

Thats mature isnt it?

 

[FrankieDolan]

was not the best of matches, decent point for each side though ^^)

 

[StuW]

We should have won. We had the better chances TBH. Still if I was to bring Kuqi on, I would have done so earlier, as he is a big target in the box for Barton and co to aim for.