Bolton v Newcastle – Match preview.

Posted on November 19th, 2010 | 38 Comments |

Will Newcastle rock The Reebok?
Will Newcastle rock The Reebok?
Newcastle head to Bolton tomorrow in what could be billed as a battle of the bargain basement if you look at the transfer activity of both sides over the summer.

Neither side spent more than £5 million over the course of the summer transfer window, yet both sides sit in the top-half of the table a third of the way through the campaign.

Bolton have been playing some great stuff in recent weeks, and it’s a far cry from what used to be served up at The Reebok under Sam Allardyce. Owen Coyle is doing a magnificent job in transforming the image of Bolton Wanderers in the eyes of the nation, and they have gone from being known as long-ball cloggers to being recognised as a decent footballing side, which is much better to watch, and I am sure that the Bolton fans will agree.

Andy Carroll looks set to start tomorrow after coming through the England game in midweek without aggravating his groin injury. And it could be Shola Ameobi who partners him in attack as the striker has recovered from his hamstring injury in time for the trip to Bolton.

Alan Smith is likely to deputise for the suspended Cheick Tiote, and I expect that Danny Guthrie will deputise for the suspended Joey Barton again. I’ll have a stab at guessing the team, which I think will look like:

Newcastle – Tim Krul, Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Danny Guthrie, Alan Smith, Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi, Andy Carroll.

Fabrice Muamba is a doubt for home side tomorrow after he withdrew from U21 international duty in midweek with a thigh injury, although it wouldn’t surprise me if he is fit enough to play tomorrow. Bolton will definately be without JLoyd Samuel, Joey O’Brien, Ricardo Gardner and Sean Davis though as they are all still out injured.

Bolton’s last match was an entertaining 3-2 win away at Wolves where they lined up with a team of;

Bolton – Jussi Jaaskelainen, Sam Ricketts, Gary Cahill, Zat Knight, Paul Robinson, Lee Chung-Yong, Fabrice Muamba, Stuart Holden, Matt Taylor, Kevin Davies, Johann Elmander.

Newcastle don’t fare to well at The Reebok in general and have lost six of their last seven matches at the home of The Trotters, and if Bolton can extend that winning run against Newcastle tomorrow they will notch their 1,000th top-flight win.

If Bolton are to acheive that feat they will have to beat the best away team in the league. That’s right! In a rather bizarre scenario, Newcastle have been largely excellent away from home this season and will be looking to secure their fourth away win in five games.

It will be a tough game again tomorrow, as they all are, but Newcastle have to believe they can go to an in-form Bolton Wanderers and take some points away from them. Unfortunately, I don’t share that belief and I believe that Newcastle will suffer defeat tomorrow.

My prediction: Bolton 2-0 Newcastle.

Howay the lads!

Date – Saturday, 20th November, 2010.

Kick-off – 3:00pm.

Venue – The Reebok Stadium, Bolton, Lancashire.

NUFCBlog Author: toonsy toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.

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38 Responses

  2. I agree that your squad is what we are likely to see, but Nolan/Smith in the midle o the pitch with guthrie out on the right makes me sigh. Not sure CH has much of a choice with Joey and Tiote out to be fair.

  6. Thing is, we all all know Guthrie is waste don the right, but what is the alternative? Routledge just hasn;t looked anything like he looked last season. Not even in glipses. At least Guthrie can put a cross in.

  7. I would play Routledge, his pace is such a good outlet, especially away from home. Plus if we go 4-4-1-1 it leaves us with a more balanced team, rather than having bloody Guthrie on the wing, urgg

  8. I see Jack Wilshere has been cautioned for common assault? Wonder if the media will take any notice? :roll:

  9. It has to be Routledge wide this time we missed a trick when Duff played left back the other day and we played Guthrie.

    Guthrie is a belting little player in the middle but he aint a winger…

    ——————–Krul——————–
    —Simpson–Williamson-Coloccini–Enrique—
    ————-Guthrie—Smith—————-
    –Routledge——–Nolan———Gutierrez–
    ——————Carroll——————-

    Subs: Soderberg, Saylor, Campbell, Vuckic, Loverman, Ranger, Ameobi

  10. Watching the last few games, it seems Simpson is doing double duty covering both defense and winger. I wonder if Bolton can exploit that? But NUFC has the size advantage in the middle if both Carroll & Shola play, so that should be what CH tries to exploit. I saw Bolton on their USA Summer tour and they looked like they have weaknesses down the wings. Let’s hope Jonas can make something from that. Let’s hope CH crosses Jonas over to the right if Coyle overloads the defense on the left. I’m thinking NUFC will have to be outscored in this match, that it will not be a 1-0 affair.

  11. Man City are dumb. They paid £12,000,000 last year for Gareth Barry, the guy looks finished already at 29. I doubt he’ll be in the England squad for the Euro’s. Villa must be rubbing their hands together. £12M for him and a ‘deal reported to be worth around £26 million’ for the hot and cold Milner.

    Andy Carroll is completely irreplaceable, potential prem top scorer and england striker for next 10 years at least plus he’s gatesheed born and bred. He is priceless and no amount of money from Man C or Chelsea would justifify selling him.

  13. Ice

    Surely anoher reason why Routledge must play, It would stop them pushing up knowing we have pacey wingers who can hit them on the break.

  15. Must be guthrie for me. If for no other reason that he,s probably the best we have for dead balls and his ability to cross the ball on the run.

  16. Really tough game. They combine the physical determination of stoke, wolves, blackburn with real clever forward play.

    Lee is the one to watch out for, nearly always involved in their goals with a defence splitting through-ball or bit of improvised trickery. He’s kind of like their solano.

    CC – if fit, surely we have to go with shola/carroll.. it’s our best attacking combo.

    Toonsy – I disagree, he hasn’t quite found his feet but Routledge was excellent against villa, if only to stretch the pitch out, tactically important player.

  17. Heaven forbid Hughton leaves us any time soon, but of all the current prem’ managers, I’d like to see Coyle have a go at the toon job down the line. Hughton still the man though o’course.

  18. I would prefer Routledge on the right with Guhrie in the middle myself. With injuries it becomes a mangerial question- do you stick to your normal formation/tactics regardless if the available players fit it? Or do you adjust formation/tactics to fit the players that are available?

    Not sure I like Andy alone up top though…

  19. Boater

    That team was assuming Shola wouldnt be 100% fit for 90 minutes if he is then defo 4-4-2 with Guthrie and Nolan in the middle and Routledge wide right…

  21. icedog says:
    November 19, 2010 at 3:46 pm
    will have to try and stop bolton full backs a bit they like to push up a lot

    Good, the best games we have played this season have been where teams have pushed on and given us space to play football. When teams have stuck 10 behind the ball we have really struggled.

  22. DJG teams playing at home rarely stick 10 behind ball like m8,our failings have been getting the right kind of service into the box at the right times,big hoofs is nee good

  23. Good summary, Toonsy – alas, I share your prediction (boo!)
    But I’m also just as crap as you at predictions! (yay!)

    Selection will be all down to performances in training. If Routledge has upped his game I can see him starting; otherwise, alas, it is the spectre of Smith and Nolan in the middle and Guthrie out wide… bringing back some unpleasant memories…

    Still, we said the same about Barton out wide, and the lad done good, so in CH we trust, eh.

    Carroll’s due another wee spurt of goals, and if CH goes get him on with Shola I think he could start tomorrow. Trouble is, I also can’t see us keeping Bolton out – credit to them for the way they’re playing this season.

  24. Agree with Ice, the more they push up, the bigger the holes at the back. More space, more chances,more goals,more points. Howaaaaaaay the lads!!!

  25. I think this is a game we could win given our current away form, but I think it will be bloody hard as their a good side and are in form.

  27. I think this could be a really good game actually, two form teams (away for us). I wish I was going now actually or had some way of watching it. 70% of prem games are not as good as made out but I think tomorow could be some really good counter attack football and a few goals scored.

  28. DJG aye mate you could be right i never really rated him that much for what they paid for him,but is in a rich vain of form at the mo

  29. here just thought, not a bad little side we’re gonna have a year or two. Especially away from home, imagine this:

    —————Krull—————-

    Simmo—–Willo—-Collo—-Enriqu(o)

    ————–Tiote —————-

    ————-Barton—————–

    ?????———————–Ben Arfa

    ————–Vukic—————–

    ————-Carroll—————-

  31. al be there tomorrow and am saying 1-2 us :D

    I really hope Wolves go down this season because i would want us to make a double bid for Jarvs and Doyle and have a team of;

    Krul
    Simpson Williamson Coloccini Enrique
    Ben Arfa Barton Tiote Jarvis
    Carroll Doyle.

    Whether we do or not is another matter though ;-)

  35. How about

    Krul

    Simpson – Willo – Collo – Bull
    Barton – Tiote – Jonas
    Vukic – Ben Arfa
    Carroll

  36. Kevin Davies is gonna be well up for this game if only to show Capello he shouldn’t have been dropped for Carroll – still think we can take a point but we’ll def have to be at top of our game

  38. I think being realistic is taken one step too far when we predict 2-0 losses against teams such as Bolton (with all due respect).