Kadar - on standbySteven Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini face late tests to prove their fitness for Newcastle United’s game against Forest this weekend.
Both players have been hit by hamstring injuries – Colocinni’s a few weeks ago and Taylor’s just recently – and Hughton has this to say about their chances of playing on the weekend:
“Steven has a hamstring problem, but we’re refusing to rule him out. We’ll see if we can get him involved with the main group first, and get him up and running before we rule him out of Saturday.
“Coloccini is probably up to about 90 per cent in the work he has been doing and is another one we are not prepared to rule out. Hopefully we will get him on the training pitch on Friday.”
Tamas Kadar is on standby in case he’s needed, with Hughton commenting thusly on the lad:
“Tamas has done very well for us,” Hughton told the Gazette. “He hasn’t had the opportunities he’d have liked, but he’s developing with each training session with the first team, and he’s very much part of that group now. He gives us valuable cover at centre-half and left-back.” (more…)
Caught in the hailThe only reason I’m posting this article is because I read three articles in succession about somebody ‘hailing’ something at Newcastle United.
What is it with all this hail?
First up there’s the Chronicle’s Marlon Harewood hails buoyant Newcastle. This is basically about how Hitman Harewood’s preconceptions about the Toon were rapidly disproved when he join us on loan.
He can be forgiven for thinking we were a club in disarray given events of the last 12 months but now he says we’re not the ‘crisis club’ he first thought we were. Harewood said:
“I haven’t seen anything bad here, just a really good set of professionals.
“They went down and they were upset about it, but I haven’t seen any evidence of last season.
“They have a job to do now and that is to get back in the Premier League – that’s all I have seen.” (more…)
Sing in the cheap seats!You could be excused for forgetting there was a football match going ahead this afternoon. After the findings of the arbitration yesterday, all the talk has been of last summer and deliberation over whether everyone is happy with the outcome of ‘the affair’. Well I took full advantage of my dodgy knee and got to another game this season.
I’d decided for this game, partly due to circumstance and partly through choice, to get tickets in the Leazes Corner and as we stepped out of Central Station and the sun shone, the wind seemed to help to blow away the cobwebs of the protracted tribunal. My thoughts being that Keegan had been vindicated and with every day that passed and every victory notched we could step closer to a sale and moving on.
A quick one in O’Neills and some banter with Bristol City fans, most of whom declared they’d be happy with a draw, and we were off to Tilleys before picking up the tickets. After another couple in Tilleys, we navigated the pre-paid ticket queues without too much hassle and headed to the turnstile. Two or three hundered steps later we were out amongst the fans. (more…)
The mighty Bristol City: In Toon soon.With all the flying guff surrounding the recent award to Kevin Keegan, there is still the small matter of a football match with the Robins of Bristol City to contend with at 3pm.
Stiff test?
City, who are renowned as much for their contribution to Cockney rhyming slang as their achievements on the pitch, are currently 9th in the table. They are proving to be a fairly tasty little unit who are difficult to beat at home. Fortunately for the Magpies though, they seem to be considerably more wobbly away.
Promoted to the Championship in 2007, they have suffered only two losses this year, with four victories and four draws. Three of the draws and both of the losses occurred on their away missions though, which is comforting. However, despite their away form, they should still prove a fairly stiff test for the Magpies this afternoon as we welcome them to the considerable bosom of St James’s Park.
Bristol Gaffer up for it.
Bristol City supremo, Gary Johnson certainly sounds up for the the challenge, speaking in a recent interview, he said: (more…)
The new Big Al?If Hughton is thinking about Newcastle United’s striking options on Saturday and getting a headache, I’d implore him to take five minutes out to rest his weary head and then make an informed decision. To partner Nile Ranger and Marlon Harewood upfront.
That’s not a reflection of Andy Carroll’s recent form, which has been good and admittedly somewhat above my expectations. However, I just feel that Nile Ranger, despite his tender years, has what it takes to make it in the game and certainly has enough at this level. For me, he has had a major impact since feeling his way into the team and is growing in confidence with each outing.
Ranger has pretty much everything you’d want from a centre forward. He has bags of pace and is really quick off the mark. For a young lad he is incredibly strong and is effective at holding the ball up. He will improve over the years but even now he has demonstrated intelligence in making good runs and is willing to get on the end of things. (more…)
