Newcastle United v West Bromwich Albion mega preview and match banter!

Posted on November 30th, 2013 | 95 Comments |

Newcaastle United v West Bromwich Albion.
Can we throttle the Throstles for four in a row?
Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle.
Date: Sat 30th Nov, 2013.
Kick off: 5.30pm.
Referee: Phil Dowd.
UK TV: Sky Sports 1.

Could we be celebrating four wins in a row this evening?

If the Magpies do manage to wrestle a juicy three point worm from the Throstles at tea time, it would be the first first time they have managed such a feat since March and April of 2012. Back then, they beat Norwich, this evening’s opponents, Liverpool, Swansea, Bolton and finally Stoke in a 6 match winning run, before finally succumbing to a 4-0 hammering at Wigan.

Although that was in the Spring before last, the side had an unseasonal 4-3-2-1 ‘Christmas Tree’ formation with a potent ‘delta force’ of Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse and Hatem Ben Arfa up front. During the West Brom game in that run I jokingly referred to Alan Pardew as ‘Alan Pardiola.’ The Guardian’s North East football correspondent, Louise Taylor, actually took me seriously and the phrase stuck amongst spme fans for a while.

It definitely faded the season after though. After that Wigan walloping, Newcastle seemingly returned to form in fine style against no lesser opponents than Chelsea, defeating the Pensioners 0-2 in a game that will be most remembered for that goal by Papiss Cisse.

It all went downhill for Pardiola from there though. Defeats to Manchester City and Everton followed in the last two games of that season, losing Newcastle a lucrative potential place in the Champions League. Of course, a full season of long ball awfulness followed that with the Magpies narrowly avoiding relegation with a 16th placed finish.

Getting back to today’s game though, apologies for not preparing my usual match preview. To make up for that I will include many elements of what would have gone into that here, starting with

Previous results.

As you can see from the previous results below, and any perusal of the Premier League table, West Bromwich Albion along with Everton are currently the draw specialists of the Premiership, with 6 out of their 12 games so far resulting in a stalemate.

Looking just at previous games between today’s protagonists, the last one of those was a draw as well, 1-1 at their place last season, with Newcastle racking up victories in the two games preceding that. Until those two games though, the Throstles were something of a bogey team for the Magpies, winning 3 and drawing three in the preceding six with no victories for Newcastle since the time of Joe Kinnear’s heart episode back in February 2009.

Last six Premier League games, most recent first.

Team Results Points
Newcastle United W|W|W|L|D|W 13/18
West Bromwich D|D|W|L|D|D 7/18

Team news.

Newcastle United: I won’t dwell on this one for two long as I will be posting the final team sheets for this game fairly shortly (around an hour before kick off). Bearing in mind Newcastle United’s history in the injury department, it is perhaps worth celebrating that long term absentee Ryan Taylor is currently the only injury in the Newcastle United first team squad.

Two further pieces of team news from the Newcastle are that Mathieu Debuchy will return from his one match suspension for picking up five yellow cards. The second is that Alan Pardew has confirmed that defensive colossus Mike ‘clean sheets’ Williamson, who some might argue has been the defensive foundation of our current renaissance since his return will definately be selected.

West Bromwich Albion: Scott Sinclair, Billy Jones and Liam Ridgewell will be doubtful for this one.

What the managers have been saying.

Alan Pardew’s pre match press conference.

Steve Clarke looks forward to Albion’s trip to Newcastle.

And finally…

So. with all that pre-match guff out the way, it only leaves it for me to issue my usual reminders. Firstly, as mentioned above, I will be posting the team sheets for the game around an hour before kick-off. This game will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports 1, but I will also be posting links to watch the game online, as well as highlights and even a video of the whole match when it’s over for those of you who would otherwise miss out.

Howay the Lads!

Team sheets.

Newcastle United (4-4-2): Tim Krul (G); Mathieu Debuchy, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon; Moussa Sissoko, Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye, Yoan Gouffran; Shola Ameobi, Loic Remy.

Subs: Rob Elliot (G), Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Vurnon Anita, Sammy Ameobi, Gabriel Obertan, Hatem Ben Arfa, Papiss Cisse.

West Bromwich Albion (4-2-3-1): Boaz Myhill (G); Billy Jones, Gareth McAuley, Jonas Olsson, Liam Ridgewell; James Morrison, Youssuf Mulumbu; Morgan Amalfitano, Stephane Sessegnon, Chris Brunt (c); Shane Long

Subs: Luke Daniels (G), Goran Popov, Diego Lugano, Claudio Yacob, Zoltan Gera, Victor Anichebe, Saido Berahino.

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Comment on this post

95 Responses

  2. I rang my local bookies and asked for odds on Toon scoring more than two in a full blown 90 minute performance.

    He said he didnt know cos he dicnt have a calculator that went beyond a billion to one :lol:

  3. Cisse to get a change of luck and bang in a hat trick is my prediction for today.

    The first team line up is pretty well certain and presumably the subs bench is the same as in recent weeks.

    Where does that leave Tavernier, Marveaux, Bigirama and Sammy? I know Jonas is on some sort of leave of absence.

  4. Newcastle United (4-4-2): Tim Krul (G); Mathieu Debuchy, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon; Moussa Sissoko, Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye, Yoan Gouffran; Shola Ameobi, Loic Remy.

    Subs: Rob Elliot (G), Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Vurnon Anita, Sammy Ameobi, Gabriel Obertan, Hatem Ben Arfa, Papiss Cisse.

    West Bromwich Albion (4-2-3-1): Boaz Myhill (G); Billy Jones, Gareth McAuley, Jonas Olsson, Liam Ridgewell; James Morrison, Youssuf Mulumbu; Morgan Amalfitano, Stephane Sessegnon, Chris Brunt (c); Shane Long

    Subs: Luke Daniels (G), Goran Popov, Diego Lugano, Claudio Yacob, Zoltan Gera, Victor Anichebe, Saido Berahino.

  11. So Colo straight back even after Yanga has been awesome. Feeling a draw but want a win since we can go top 4.:)

  13. This is a poor choice of starters, Shola especially, plus i dont understand why we are playing a second tier CB instead of a French international.
    Does this manager not learn anything.
    We will lose this game!

  16. AndyMac says:
    November 30, 2013 at 5:45 pm

    “Nope. Under strict instructions from the Missus not to watch so I’ve got the rugby on :( ”

    Good, we win when you don’t watch, Andy. :-)

    Why will the missus let you watch the Rugby but not the football. Rugby is an evil game.

  19. She’s at the match as a guest in the “corporates”. Told her I wouldnt be seen dead in the place so while she’s out I’ve got the only thing worth watching plus some stuff on the laptop of course :)

  27. He wasnt at his best last week against Norwich but maybe Pardwho just thinks he’s rusty as opposed to uncommitted ;)

  37. THERE’S ONLY ONE BEN AFRIE – THERE’S ONLY ONE BEN AFRIE-ONE BEN AFRIE-THERE’S ONLY ONE BEN AFRIE…………..!!!

  40. Poor game!
    Niether side showing any decent football, lucky to be in the lead.
    Lets hope this game doesn’t go to-wards the usual defend the lead non tactic, we know so well, with nine men defending , leaving one on his own up front, when he could actually be sitting on the bench, for all the use an unsupported forward is in that situation.
    Look WBA have now to begin taking chances, pressing.
    So by all means defend , but make them pay, by using the fast break when the opportunity allows, dont just hoof the ball in the general direction of their goal.
    But to expect change from the most predictable manager in football, is an ask too far.

  47. The original name was the throstles, a local name for thrush, because of the stadium name The Hawthorns, where they are often found.
    Also featured in the club crest.
    Here we go, like i expected.

  56. SJT: looked it up on wiki and it didn’t say.

    I don’t know how it is not a freekick when he had a handful of shirt? The commentators tried to say it wasn’t.

  58. Some strike by Sissoko, and another great air punch by Pardew, who went from depression to exhilaration in the space of a couple of minutes.

  78. chuck says:
    November 30, 2013 at 5:46 pm

    “This is a poor choice of starters, Shola especially, plus i dont understand why we are playing a second tier CB instead of a French international.
    Does this manager not learn anything.
    We will lose this game!”

    Newcastle won and the two candidates for man of the match? Shola and Williamson. Well picked once again, Chuck! :lol:

  79. I thought Dowd had a bad match. Who would have thought that the extra weight would affect his eye sight.

  81. Worky: you know we will start an unchanged team for the next match, but that will not stop Chuck from dropping Willimason in his fantasy 11.

  86. Twas Feb 24th this year WT ! Sometimes you tend to believe your own hype ? :)

    Still not watched a game since we started this run. Happy not to tbh as I’m not sure we’re winning with flair, imagination or great tactical nous but 3 points are 3 points so onward and upward ! :)

  87. Not a great game, fairly scrappy, though at least the side showed some ability in passing the ball around, wasting time and inviting the press, which would give them an invitation to lay on the long counter ball.
    Again the midfield worked hard, cant say enough about Gouffran, Sissoko, Remy and Cabaye.
    Still think we should play HBA in place of Shola, who can be brought on for the last twenty minutes, as his ass was dragging late in the game.
    Again we gave up chances that fortunately were not converted and like the last three games could have gone either way.
    I guess we move into fifth place, god forbid we should end up in the UEFA cup again, or whatever they are calling it these days, hell we had a chance to win it last time.
    But i doubt if it’s on anyones schedule, being too many games, for too little reward, (dosh).

  88. AndyMac says:
    November 30, 2013 at 7:38 pm

    “Twas Feb 24th this year WT ! Sometimes you tend to believe your own hype ? :) ”

    That’s over 10 months ago you pedantic twat! :-)

  89. Worky

    Erm ! where was Williamson when W/Brom scored ?
    It’s those one or two mistakes that result in goals and cosistency is a requirement in this league.

  90. I didn’t understand why he left Shola on as he was totally knackered after 70 minutes. Then again, we are talking Pardew, and even though we won again you cant rely on him to make logical decisions.

  91. @GS i would take a knackered shola over cisse at minute. The bloke has 0 confidence and playing like a donkey. plus shola man of the match for 2nd game in a row although i would say willo was close 2nd today.

  93. I looked at the highlights, and, sorry Chuck, how can you blame their goal on Williamson? That’s a stretch. I do agree that Shola shouldn’t be starting even though he has done OK. It is a waste keeping Cisse and Ben Arfa on the bench.

    When I look at the team for a match I try to figure out what team Pardew WILL select rather than the team I want.

  94. Dokky: Cisse does do a lot of closing down when he comes on as sub and as Worky pointed out he did score last game.