Wigan: Tricky customers at their place.Hello, good afternoon and welcome to our regular “match banter” feature for this afternoon’s game against Wigan Athletic at the glorious D.W. Stadium.
Although Wigan are still just above the relegation places, they have proved to be tricky customers in recent times, chalking up victories against Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool in recent games. So despite our recent great run, we might still have a real game on our hands at a place which, until our last game there (a 0-1 victory), had been a bit of a bogey stadium for us.
For all the in depth stuff in the run up to the game, you can check out our usual match preview for the game, with all the team news, previous stats, what the managers have been saying etc. We shall also be posting match highlights, a full match report as well as video link for the whole game when it becomes available. Finally, I will also be posting the full teamsheets for the game when they become available. (more…)
Will Stoke throw in the towel again?Venue: St James’ Park, NE1. Date: Sat, 21st April, 2012. Kick-Off: 3pm. Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands). UK TV: None.
Good afternoon Geordies, and welcome to our regular match banter feature for this afternoon’s game.
Unfortunately, this time the Magpies have to face the biggest, ugliest, dirtiest and generally most dislikeable team in the Premiership. I am of course referring to Stoke City with their towels, five minute long throw ins, ever changing pitch sizes and robust percentage football.
Last time, the Magpies rightly made them look ridiculous by taking their own towels to the Britannia Stadium for long throw ins on a pitch which had been deliberately reduced in size to give them an advantage over their technically superior opponents. When Ryan Taylor played them at their own game with some long throws of his own, they didn’t like it at all and one of them responded in typical Stoke fashion, by trying to kick him in the testicles. More on that from much esteemed site user, Stephen C, in this video interview for Sky. That game of course was a 1-3 victory for the Magpies. Here’s hoping for more of the same at St James’ Park this afternoon! (more…)
Fifth win in a row?Date: Monday, 9th April 2012 Kick-off: 3.00pm Referee: Mike Jones UK TV: None
Good afternoon Geordies, and welcome to our match banter feature for todays game at St James’ Park against Bolton Wanderers.
As some of you will have noticed, no doubt, if we win this fixture it will be our fifth victory in a row in what is turning into an excellent finale to the season for the Magpies, with the club being in danger of qualifying for the Champions League if they aren’t careful!
The Trotters come into this game on the back of a 0-3 home defeat at the hands of Martin Jol’s Fulham, however their recent form hasn’t been bad at all. They won three of their previous four games before that lifting them from the relegation places in what has been a very poor season for the Lancashire club, not least with one of their players, Patrice Muamba almost dying on the field of play in what should have been one of the brighter moments of their season, an FA Cup quarter final appearence against Tottenham. But anyway, for all that kind of stuff, and much, much more, you can check out Jimbob’s superb match preview which should fill you in with everything you need to know in the run up to the game. We shall also be posting match highlights, a full match report and a links to a video of the whole game when it’s all over (hopefully). (more…)
Swans v Magpies.Venue: Liberty Stadium, Swansea. Date: Fri 6th Apr 2012. Kick-Off: 16:30. Referee: Howard Webb.
Good afternoon Geordies, and welcome to our regular match banter feature for todays Swans / Magpies clash at the Liberty Stadium, Swansea.
This is the sixth game in a row taking place at a odd time for the sake of Rupert Murdoch’s TV cameras (and one for ESPN), with our last game to be held at the usual time 3pm on Saturday being the draw against Wolves way back on 25th February.
With Swansea’s well known passing skills and our Silver Supremo’s recent conversion to “el joga bonito,” this could be an entertaining game, possibly with a few goals. Although built on a remarkably low budget for a Premiership squad, Swansea manager, Brendan Rodgers, has shaped the Swans into an impressive side, a side which includes former NUFC outcast, Wayne Routledge, who has impressed in recent performances. Another dangerman will be on loan (from Bundesliga side, Hoffenheim) midfielder, Gylfi Sigurðsson, who has scored no less than 6 Premiership goals in eleven games for Swansea so far (12 games in all competitions). (more…)
Calm down, calm down....Venue: St James’ Park. Date: Sunday, 1st April, 2012. Kick-Off: 1.30pm (Sky TV). Referee: Martin Atkinson (W.Yorks).
Good afternoon Geordies, and welcome to our match banter post for the Liverpool game at St James’ Park.
For all the in depth stuff in the run up to the game, check out our extensive match preview of the game, with all the team news, stats, what the protagonists have been saying and much more. We will also be posting match highlights, a match report and possibly a video of the whole game for those who missed it.
Here’s hoping this game goes like our last encounter with the red menace at St James’, a convincing 3-1 victory in what was Alan Pardew’s first game in charge of the club, and here’s hoping it doesn’t go like his last one, the one at their place, where the tables were turned exactly, and thay won an equally convincing 3-1 victory against us. Of course, we do have much to be optimistic about after putting some recent erratic form behind us with consecutive victories in our last two games against Norwich and West Bromwich Albion. Here’s hoping it continues until the end of the season, for as football commentor, Brian Moore, once said, “It’s all up for grabs now!” Well, a place in Europe is anyway in our case. (more…)
