Stevenage v Newcastle United match preview

Posted on January 8th, 2011 | 47 Comments |

Toon take on Stevenage in the cup
Toon take on Stevenage in the cup
It’s all the fun of the FA Cup today as Newcastle United visit Broadhall Way to take on League Two’s Stevenage.

Newcastle are 73 places above Stevenage who currently sit at 13th in League Two in what is their first season in the Football League.

This is the only Premier League v League Two tie of the round and I suspect neutrals will be hoping it results in a ‘Giant Killing’.

Truth is, it’s never as easy as the gulf in league positions would suggest to go to these places and dominate, so we should not be complacent.

We last played Stevenage in the FA Cup in 1998 when the then non-league team held us to a 1-1 draw to force a replay that we won 2-1 at home. Kenny Dalglish – our manager at the time – didn’t fancy that game at all and he complained about all manner of things from the size of the stadium to the quality of the balls. Kenny liked a good moan.

Team News

The Toon will be hoping that Leon Best has shaken off a heel injury he picked up during Wednesday’s West Hammering and there may also be concerns for Steven Taylor and Check Tiote, who both limped off clutching at their hamstrings on Wednesday.

Carroll’s thigh and Ameobi’s ankle definitely rule them out, as may Alan Smith’s knee and Sol Campbell’s leg, although Pardew is hoping the latter two will both make it through the fitness test.

Longer term injuries rule out Benny and Ryan Taylor but word has it that Dan Gosling is approaching match fitness.

So who will we put out on the pitch? There could be a start for Nile Ranger, particularly if Leon Best hasn’t recovered from his knock, but I have no idea whether Pardew will take a ‘Big Guns’ approach to this or maybe give one or two youngsters a run out.

As to Stevenage, there is no beginning to my knowledge about the League Two side but apparently defender Darius Charles will be unavailable due to serving the last of a three match ban. It also seems that Joe Byrom, Darren Murphy and Lee Boylan are likely to be available after shaking off injuries.

Chris Holroyd is Stevenage’s top scorer with 6 goals but his loan deal from Brighton ended at Christmas. Charlie Griffin and John Mousinho both have 3 goals each.

Outlook

Let’s face it, on paper we should win, particularly with confidence high after our last two games. Football is however played on grass rather than paper and I suspect it’ll be tricky to settle at Broadhall Way, so I’ll guestimate a modest 2-0 to us.

Kick off’s at 5:30PM and the match is live on ESPN.

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). Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.

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Comment on this post

47 Responses

  1. Tight game I imagine today.

    We’ll have a weaker side out I assume so it could be a 2-1 jobby.

  2. morning – about time you got a post up :)

    we should win this game with

    Krul perch willo collo kadar routledge guthrie vuckic fergie loven best ( or ranger if best carrying knock)

  3. i predict we will win this game by the odd 4 or 5 goals – gotta a feeling the toon’s name is on the cup this year.

  7. Off topic re transfers, saw a quote from Pardew that no incoming players would be guaranteed starting places, they would have to fit in with the group and fight for their shirt, music to my ears.
    Bentley is a good player but has he lost his way? I saw a photo of him wearing a charm bracelet, somehow cant see him fitting in with the current group.

  8. 4411, thats the sort of team I would expect and I would also go along with Roy’s prediction, BUT!!

    Some of the wages being mentioned for loan players is ludicrous £90k for Bridge by WH, can see MA sanctioning that, not. Wouldn’t want him to either unless it were some one like Kaka or Ribery. :)

  10. Hope he takes them down.

    They were vrap last year and their crap this year. That tells me that the players are shite, not the manager.

  11. its great that we are signing our key players to long term contracts but does anybody else think newcastle are going down a risky path with this if heaven forbid the worst would happen to the club

  12. nufc337, can’t see your point, it’s got to be a good thing knowing our best youngsters are being seen as long term propositions. I don’t know what sort of scenario you are envisaging but the option of selling developed youngsters has to be good financial aspect if a sh!t hitting the fan situation developed.

    By the way I don’t see Aaron Spears name being mentioned anywhere whats the latest on him, I would have thought he was at least getting regular ressie excursions?

  13. How funny Dalglish in charge,he hasn’t managed for years and he was crap then.He inherited a good team at Liverpool then left when it started to go tits up ,he was then the manager to be involved in the first team to buy a trophy (Blackburn)moved upstairs when that team started to fade,then at Newcastle, sold Ferdinand and bought a 90 year old Rush , sold Ginola and brought in a 80 year old, 30 stone Barnes .Good luck Liverpool, the championship is quite good fun for 1 season.

  14. Somehow i think the fat controller will have thought about that, and will have clauses included to cover that, should the worst happen. Probably reduction in wages or s0mething??

  17. well one scenario relegation, with the players on the 5 year contracts if they wanted to move club think of all the compensation and stuff think that if we signed our players on a three year contact would make sense cause a lot can happen over that 5 year period

  18. BB cheers for the news, he was being heralded as the new Rooney so its good to see he is making progress.

    Mick G
    Wouldnt that be a touch of Schadenfreud (spelling?) with a capital S. :)

  19. Stuart79 says:
    January 8, 2011 at 11:20 am
    Hope he takes them down…

    spoken like a true manc!

  20. nufc337, as BB said C14 MA probably has that covered and I think we would probably have to drop beyond the championship to be financially in that sort of sh!t. The crowds in League 1 would still probably be beter than Wigan, Blackpool or Fulham currently get and they seem to be able to maintain a fairly high wage structure.

  24. he’s referring to Karim Ziani. Pretty pacy winger/striker from Vfl Wolfsburg. There were rumors that we were gonna sign him…

  25. Karim Ziani fails the NUFC test on a number of criteria, the obvious one being his age.

    On a separate note, the BD’s have sacked Hodgson and brought in the fans favourite Dalglish instead. Anyone know where I can get a price on Liverpool being in no better place at the end of the season than they are now ?

  26. Pardew said the other day that we won’t only be signing young players, he wants experienced players too.

  28. Us- 0 Them -1. You see, them has something to prove by knocking us off. Us? What’s an FA cup anyway? I kid, I kid. Actually, it should be fun to watch, especially if we let more of the youngsters play, which we should. I get a little tired of watching automatic starts for those who shouldn’t be automatic.
    Howay the lads!

  30. Arsenal have had chances to score but Leeds are defending dourly and making the odd half chance, could be an upset in the making.

  31. Andy probably more Halal. :)

    Is he any better than Routledge.

    Wouldn’t mind us getting Pitroipa, he ticks all of the boxes.

  32. For those who don’t know,Slovenian midfielder, Haris Vuckic, has signed a new five-and-a-half year contract that will keep him at St.James’ Park until Summer 2016.

    Great news about that. But somehow gives me this thought.Ish Mike Ashely truly leaving,something fishy about the recent re-contract of players. 8O

  33. How old is Ziani?

    Also anyone know if Gosling will be involved today? Wouldn’t mind seeing what he’s like.

  34. Pitroipa is a real handful, speedy and tricky and fast as heck.., but cannae cross a ball nor finish to save his life..

  35. Munich Mag says:
    January 8, 2011 at 2:17 pm
    Pitroipa is a real handful, speedy and tricky and fast as heck.., but cannae cross a ball nor finish to save his life..

    Bit like Jonas then?

  36. How old is Ziani? 28 so 3 years over the alleged maximum at NUFC

    Pitroipa is a real handful, speedy and tricky and fast as heck.., but cannae cross a ball nor finish to save his life.. sounds like Routledge, well at least the “cannae cross a ball nor finish” bit :)

  38. Routledge really isn’t that bad, can’t see why he gets so much grief. I agree his crosses need to improve but I reckon we will get more from him as he gets more pitch time.
    From what I have seen of Pitroipa he tends to play across the front rather than as an out and out winger creates loads of chances for his team.

  39. Great news Vuckic has signed up for the long run. Now all we need is a manager with the balls to play him. Just feel him and carroll could be lethal

  40. Who is Pitriopia and who does he play for. I tell you Jimmy Carr must clock up some air miles if he spots all these players

  41. Hamburg, as an OAP I do have the odd time to waste watching the Bundesleig review show on ESPN. :)

    And I hope Jimmy Carr is clocking up some air miles.

    And Bud if that Avatar is Patsy I can see why you love her, she is a cracker. ;)

  42. Grumpy
    Thanks for the info. Unfortnuately that isn’t Patsy.
    Patsy is a bit of a dragon but don’t tell her i said so

  43. Nevermind Bud, looks aren’t everything. Shreks pal hooked up with a Dragon and was happy. Still can’t get my head around the mechanics of that, bit like pairing a Dacshund with a St Bernard. :)

  44. Got to go out tonight so will have to record the game. I just hope no one feels they have to tell me the score. I hate that almost as much as I hate dodgy MP’s.

  45. Stuart79@33 aye unfortunately he is mate, but a LOT faster and more direct. Not sure if he would make the grade in the PL…

  46. Grumpy Old-Toon says:

    “Routledge really isn’t that bad, can’t see why he gets so much grief. I agree his crosses need to improve”

    I agree that almost everything in the Routledge package looks OK but its his brain that lets him down I’m afraid GO-T. I’ve lost count of the times he has failed, when in good positions, to pick the right ball.

  47. Karim Ziani is colser to join the Magpies,,,he’s a terrific player, and if he signs, he’ll let his mark on the pitch of StJames…remeber my words guys!