Eeh By Gum It’s FA Cup Time! Newcastle vs Blackburn preview
Posted on January 6th, 2012 | 35 Comments |
But would either of them have been selected anyway even if they had been available?
The third round of the FA Cup used to be something which was seen as a major event in the English football calendar. Not only did it throw up the exciting possibility of a big club being drawn against a minnow, but for the bigger clubs it represented the first step in what could just possibly be a money-spinning path to the FA Cup Final – a fantastic day out in the full glare of the media, with all of the pomp, ceremony, posh new suits and possible glory that it throws up.
Sadly, times are changing and the romance of the FA Cup is changing with it – perhaps even sliding the same way that the League Cup has gone. Money is king in the modern game and some clubs are taking a different approach to the competition. As a result, we have seen teams shying away from fielding their best line-ups for fear of the extra injury risk to key players. For Premier League clubs, the difference in TV pay-outs attached to end of season league positions means that the risks are assessed more keenly.
Teams fighting relegation are in a particularly challenging situation, and often take the view that league matches have to be the priority. Which brings us nicely to Blackburn Rovers.
The Blackburn Perspective
We’ve all seen the mess that Blackburn have been in for quite a while now. Leaving aside the recent upwards blip against Manchester United, they’re in serious trouble and there exists what seems to be open warfare between, on the one hand, the Blackburn fans and on the other, the club’s owners (Venkys) and the Manager (Steve Kean). Kean, to his credit, has conducted himself professionally and with dignity in the face of some disgraceful personal abuse, for which the perpetrators should hang their heads in shame.
This match presents a difficult choice for Blackburn Rovers. If you were Steve Kean faced with a cup tie against Newcastle United, what would you do? Welcome the Cup tie with open arms and hope for a run to lift both the fans and the team? Or stick firmly with the view that the Premier League has to be the priority and the FA Cup is about as welcome as a hole in the head? Birmingham City won the Carling Cup last season but were relegated. Did the cup run lift them in their fight against relegation? Apparently not.
The United Perspective
Newcastle United on the other hand have a different decision to make. We’re not going to win the Premier League and it’s become extremely unlikely that we’re going to be relegated – with only 7 more points needed to reach the 40 point mark usually regarded as good enough. The League Cup came and went, by coincidence also against Blackburn – losing in strange circumstances last October. There’s an outside chance we may qualify for Europe if we do well enough in the 18 games we have left to play, but why not have a really good go in the FA Cup – where we might only have to win 5 or 6 games? Our squad is, as we know, thin in parts – an injury to Fabricio Coloccini for example would be a devastating blow, but on the other hand, this squad has proven this season that it’s the “best of the rest” outside the top 5 or 6 and may just be on the threshold of being a very good side – and some sensible dealing in the January transfer window could equip us with the extra players we need to achieve that. It would only take a small change in stance from our illustrious owner to perhaps make something special happen here.
Many of us are resigned to the notion that Mike Ashley sees the club as two things. A money making cash cow – milk the fanbase, buy players cheap, sell them for a profit, trouser the proceeds; and also as a vehicle with which to advertise his Sports Direct business. But in football, nothing sells better than success and maybe Ashley should think carefully about what winning the FA Cup, for example, would mean for him in business and publicity terms.
Yes I did say winning the FA Cup – and why not? Certainly United are off to a good start, this is the first time we’ve been drawn at home in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup for 5 years – the omens are good, including that win against the reigning Premier League champions what’s-their-names the other night!
Fans Perspective
Irrespective of the view that some clubs now seem to take of the FA Cup, there is no doubt that we, the fans, still get excited about it. Those of us who were lucky enough to be part of the great cup runs and visits to the Wembley/Millenium stadiums in the fairly recent past know that it’s such a special event which provides excitement and memories to last a lifetime. I would love it, just love it if we beat Blackburn and then went all the way!
In bullish mood, can I just say that The Fourth Round draw is on ITV1 at around 5.30pm on Sunday January 8th and should an unlikely replay with Blackburn be required, it would probably take place on Wednesday January 18th.
Statistically Speaking
As some of you already know, I don’t take too much notice of past statistics. Certainly, the further back they go, the less relevant they are in my book. Different players on different occasions. Anyway, here’s what I’ve managed to pull together!
Blackburn Rovers have won the FA Cup six times, although the first 5 of these were in the late 1800s and the sixth time was 1928.
In the FA Cup we’ve had a few tussles over the years. The last time we met in the competition was in January 2000 when we won at Ewood Park in the 5th Round. That was the year we lost to Chelsea in the semi-finals and somebody sat on me flag and broke it.
A more worrying statistic is that Rovers have a canny record at St James’ Park (did you see what I did there?) having won six times in their last ten Premier League visits here.
United Team News
The game will come too soon for midfielder Danny Guthrie, who is expected to return to training after a groin injury on Monday, while Peter Lovenkrands (calf), Steven Taylor (Achilles) and Sylvain Marveaux (groin) remain on the sidelines. At the time of writing this, there are also question marks over Cabaye and Ryan Taylor who picked up knocks in our glorious victory over Manchester United.
United (Likely squad): Tim Krul (G), Elliot (G), Steve Harper (G), Danny Simpson, Ryan Taylor, Davide Santon, Shane Ferguson, James Perch, Fabricio Coloccini, Mike Williamson, Tamas Kadar, Yohan Cabaye, Gabriel Obertan, Hatem Ben Arfa, Jonas Gutierrez, Sammy Ameobi, Dan Gosling, Mehdi Abeid, Haris Vuckic, Leon Best, Shola Ameobi.
Alan Pardew will need to decide whether this is an opportunity to give Hatem Ben Arfa a chance from the start up front or possibly in midfield. He’ll probably go with the familiar 4-4-2 formation with Shola Ameobi as the new Demba Ba.
Blackburn Rovers Team News
Blackburn have been plagued with injuries this season.
Gael Givet could be set to make his first start since being substituted at Sunderland last month with heart problems. He has since recovered from a minor procedure to correct the problem and played the final 20 minutes of Monday’s home defeat to Stoke City.
Martin Olsson is set to return to Rovers’ starting line-up for the first time in two months. Steve Kean: “Martin has trained all week and this is a great opportunity for him to get back in senior action”
Manager Steve Kean will also assess hamstring victims Martin Olsson and Junior Hoilett, who scored in the league visit to St. James’ Park earlier this season, which United won 3-1. Blackburn are also likely to be without Paul Robinson, Ryan Nelsen, Vincenzo Grella and Scott Dann.
Blackburn Rovers (Likely Squad): Mark Bunn (G), Christopher Samba, Jason Lowe, Grant Hanley, Gaël Givet, Steven N’Zonzi, Rubén Rochina, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Morten Gamst Pedersen, David Dunn, Junior Hoilett, Martin Olsson, Yakubu, David Goodwillie, Mauro Formica, Jason Roberts, Simon Vukcevic, Jordan Slew, Nick Blackman, Adam Henley, Josh Morris, Jake Kean.
Prediction
I expect United to win this one at the first attempt. Going for 3-1.
Another great match preview UTD111, it really seems to be your forte – though the other ones are great too!
This one was quite thought provoking too.