Blackburn Rovers vs Newcastle United League Cup match preview.
Posted on October 26th, 2011 | 30 Comments |
Date: Weds, October 26th, 2011
Kick-off: 8:00pm
Referee: Robert Madley.
This evenong’s game sees Newcastle United facing a struggling Blackburn Rovers side for a place in the last eight of the League Cup.
Alan Pardew has been saying he has no worries of relegation and that he will definitely be going for a win. Meanwhile, embattled Blackburn are currently lying right at the bottom of the Premier League, and survival in the highest division will undoubtedly be their highest priority, especially after what happened to last years winners, relegated Birmingham City. On the other hand, Blackburn will have home advantage at Ewood Park, and as we all know, anyhting can happen in a cup game!
Stats, previous matches etc…
Blackburn have actually gone one better than Newcastle in the League Cup, having won it in 2002 when they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in the final. Newcastle’s Previous Best was as losing finalists with the Gordon Lee “Dream Team” in 1976, when we were beaten by the same scoreline, 2-1, by Manchester City.
We have only met twice before in the League Cup, with the previous occaision being a 1-1 draw. However it was Blackburn who went through after winning 4-2 on penalties
Both Blackburn’s and Newcastle’s highest Premier League goalscorer is Alan Shearer. he scored an incredible 113 goals in only 138 games between 1992 and 1996. He scored 148 Premiership goals in 303 games for Newcastle between 1996 and 2006.
Of course, our last game against Rovers was a convincing 3-1 home victory around a month ago. Our all time record against the Lancastrians is as follows.
Played 138, Won 56, Drawn 30, Lost 52, For 207, Against 203.
Team News and squads
Though the Wigan game didn’t seem too bad at the time, in hindsight however it now seems like the lads had been fighting in the trenches of the Somme judging by the injury bodycount. As a result of that game, Shola’s definitely out for an estimated four to six weeks with a pulled hamstring. According to Alan Pardew The Fenham Eusebio pulled it only a few minutes after he went on against Wigan last Saturday, but manfully soldiered on.As well as Shola, Steven Taylor picked up a broken nose and his doubtful, if he does play he will almost certinly be in one of those mask things. Possibly the biggest bombshell of all is that Cheik Tiote’s knacked his right knee in that massacre game too. Meanwhole, long term crock, Mike Williamson, is still nursing his ankle and foot.
One consolation might be that Blackburn have a fairly lengthy injury list too, with Scott Dann, Michel Salgado, David Dunn, Ryan Nelsen and and Vince Grella also crocked. Also, Steven Nzonzi is suspended for a game for too many yellow cards and finally, Jordan Slew is cup tied
Squads
Newcastle United (from): Tim Krul (G), Rob Elliot (G), Danny Simpson, Ryan Taylor, Davide Santon, Shane Ferguson, Fabricio Coloccini, James Perch, Yohan Cabaye, Jonas Gutierrez, Sylvain Marveaux, Gabriel Obertan, Dan Gosling, Danny Guthrie, Hatem Ben Arfa, Mehdi Abeid, Haris Vučkić, Alan Smith, Demba Ba, Leon Best, Peter Lovenkrands, Sammy Ameobi.
Doubtful: Steven Taylor
Knacked: Mike Williamson, Cheik Tiote, Shola Ameobi
Blackburn Rovers (from): Paul Robinson (G), Mark Bunn (G), Martin Olsson, Chris Samba, Gaël Givet, Jason Lowe, Grant Hanley, Myles Anderson, Bruno Ribeiro, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Radosav Petrovic, Simon Vukcevic, Zac Aley, Robbie Cotton, Ruben Rochina, Junior Hoilett, Mauro Formica, Nick Blackman, Yakubu, David Goodwillie, Jason Roberts.
Knacked: Scott Dann, Michel Salgado, David Dunn, Ryan Nelsen and and Vince Grella.
Other: Steven Nzonzi (suspended), Jordan Slew (cup-tied).
Tactics, formation and selection
If this were a Premiership game, and without our current injury list, Alan Pardew’s approach would probably be easy to predict. It would be a 4-4-2 formation with more or less the same team being picked for the previous games of the season so far. However the injuries to some key players, combined with the fact that this is a midweek League Cup tie makes things somewhat more unpredictable. With Ameobi out for some time, Pardew may very well rest one of the two big lads upfront.
He has said already that he sees Hatem Ben Arfa more as a “Number 10”, than a winger, and it is within the realms of possibilty that he may get the start he craves playing in something more like a 4-4-1-1 than a 4-4-2. Then again, he may just start in the same fashion, once again bringing him on as a sub to shuffle the pack somewhat.
The injuries mentioned above, especially to Mr.T in the defensive midfield role, and Steven Taylor if he doesn’t start, could have a great effect on our previously sturdy defence, which os a worry. Hopefully though, it will be balanced out by Blackburn’s own injury problems, and a need to keep their eyes on Premiership survival.
Looking at the midfield, Dan Gosling is no stranger to the defensive mid role, but due to his immense injury problems, he will be woefully short of match practice.Of course, the usual suspect when it comes a reserve for the snarling midfield terrier role is Alan Smith, but I can often hear the groans from Tyneside down here in London whenever his name is mentioned in terms of being selected. It also should not be forgotten that like Rob Lee many years back, much feted fancy Frenchman, Yohan Cabaye, is something of a “complete” cental mid. He played mostly in the centre of a 4-3-3 in France and whilst he can handle a creative playmaking role exceptionally well, he is also a very hard worker who can tackle and get stuck into a more defensive role with great aplomb too. “Box-to-box” type, Danny Guthrie, also display defensive tendencies and has been picked in place of a suspended Tiote in the past.
On the wings, while in the Premiership, Jonas Gutierrez and Gabriel Obertan have held firm to their places, Sylvain Marveaux has proved himself to be not too shabby either, and it certainly wouldn’t be considered to be a “weakened” team should he get a starting place on either side
In the back four, with Williamson still out, we’re left with James Perch. Whist Ryan Taylor and Danny Simpson have held their places on the flanks of the back four in Pardew’s “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” Premiership philosophy, it is also within the realms of possibilty that we may see a first start for versatile Davide Santon on either side of the back four.
In the goalkeeping position, of course, there is no more Steve Harper for backup in that position, and should Pardew opt for a change, it will be Rob Elliot who will be between the sticks. Though he disappointed somewhat when he started in our previous League Cup game against Niottingham Forest, he will probably be itching for a chance to put that right.
Apart from those mentioned above, youngsters such as Shane Ferguson, Mehdi Abeid and the immensely talented Haris Vučkić will mo doubt be hoping for a run out in the game too, along with oldie, Peter Lovenkrands too.
On the Blackburn side, I am by no means an expert, this is a Newcastle United ‘blog after all, but much like Pardew, Kean seems to have kept faith with a conservative 4-4-2 formation, though with considerably less success.
Their last game against us saw Yakubu and Formica as the front two, Petrovic and the now suspended Nzonzi making up the central midfield with Hoilett and Rochina on the left and right wings respectively. Samba and the now injured Dann made up the central defensive pairing, with givet and Lowe as left and right backs. So there will certainly be two changes at least, and as I mentioned, the quest for Premiership survival above all else may dictate several more.
Well tht about wraps things up for the moment, but as well as this, I have also done our regular “what the managers are saying” piece as supplement to this match preview. Also, our regular “match banter” feature will go online about an hour or so before kick off, so stay tooned!
NUFCBlog Author: workyticket
workyticket has written 1096 articles on this blog.
CB concerns me most – is Perch really the only option? Tavenier on loan still?
………….Krul……………
Santon…Colo….Perch….Raylor
Vucikc….Smith…Cabaye….Marv
…….HBA………………….
…………..BA…………….
Subs: Elliot, Simmo, Jonas, Gosling, Gutherie, Best, Obertan.