Anyone else nervous....? + Final line ups?

Leaving in a couple of hours, gan to the three bulls heads or maybe Shearer's to watch the Arse vs Bruce's Bitches game, and then on to our game.

It's going to be our toughest game so far.

What is going to piss me off the most is, if we lose, the pundits will get a boner and think "yes i predicted Newcastle were lucky so far, and that they would lose to Tottenham, therefore i am an excellent pundit and i was right".

None the less it will be a tough game for us, and everyone will be watching on TV from around England.

Everyone wants to know if Newcastle's start to the season was because we're actually really good, or we were just lucky. Even though we still can claim a fantastic start whether we lose or not, some people want to know if our team is as good as it's early success sounds.

A lot of other fans of other clubs that I've talked to have said if we beat Tottenham on Sunday they reckon we could push for the top 6, but i said we're not getting carried away yet, we're taking it game by game. Some people think we'll beat Tottenham, others think it will be a draw as they can't see us beating Spurs, but they think since we're undefeated that Spurs wont be able to beat us at St James'.

I dunno, i just hope that if we do sadly lose, that we go down fighting, instead of going down with a whimper. If we lose 1-2 after a tight game, i know the lads could take that. If we chuck away our good start by getting raped 0-3 after a sloppy defensive display, and lacking any sort of goal threat, then that will annoy me.

Hopefully if we don't get the right result today, we can make up for it by annihilating Wigan next week.

The team I'd start today -

---------Ba-------------Best-----------

Jonas----Tiote--------Cabaye------Obertan

Raylor**--Colo--------Taylor-------Simpson

-----------------Krul-----------------------

** My instinct would tell me to play Santon as the speed of their wingers is immense, however, only Pardew and the rest of the coaching team can tell if he's ready to play, and Spurs is one of the toughest games he could possibly start with, so i don't know if it's worth the risk. He has good pace yes, but it's not all just about pace, it's about experience in the league and the pressure.

I know I've banged on about Marveaux starting, but I've decided now that even though i think that it's unfair Marveaux doesn't get to start after all his hard work, that every player should have to go through the same process and gradually earn his place. I'd start Obertan, but bring Marveaux on for 25-30 mins, and if Marveaux impresses again, he should start vs Wigan IMO.

I'd like to see Ben Arfa on for Best also.

I think the Wigan game would be a good game to start Santon, and if he plays well, play him in the cup game on the 26th.

Thoughts?

 

Agreed with all of that

 

I'll be watching too...

Anyway, Good article, but I disagree about the team:

---------------Krul--------------
Simmo---Saylor---Collo---Santon*1
Jonas---Cabaye--Tiote--Marveaux*2
---------Best-----Ba----------

Then bring on HBA for Best/Ba, whoever is struggling with about 30mins left if we're winning/drawing, and Ober on for Jonas/Marv with 15mins left. IF fit, Sammy should get a run out as well.

*1 - Just a better defender, so has to play when the other team has 2 top class wingers. I don't get your logic for playing Raylor, seeing as Santon has probably played more games at LB than him. Santon has aslo proved he can handle it by playing successfully against Ronaldo etc.

*2 - If HBA is ready to start, then Jonas LM and HBA RM, and swap Marv for HBA in sub plans.

 

You disagree with me? 50 lashes!

I wouldn't start HBA on the wings though, i think he's more threatening attacking from the center.

I'd bring on Marv and HBA as subs

 

Not at all cos I know we will win.

 

Good article

I'm not that nervous. This game can really go either way. None of us would be that surprised if it was a win, loss or a draw. Really tough to call. Spurs probably slight favorites but a draw may be the best bet.

Anyway, the reason I'm not to nervous is that I'm looking at our next two fixtures; Spurs (h) and Wigan (h). Worst case scenario here in reality is that we get 3 points from these two matches (watching Wigan yesterday we should put at least 3 goals past them). If we get 3 points from these two games then we'll be on 18 points from 9 matches regardless of what we do v Spurs. Averaging 2 points a game over the first nine games will be a brilliant start. If we can get something from Spurs then all the better.

People may say 3 points v Wigan aren't a given. But it should be a home banker. I can't see the Wigan defense coping with Ba, Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Marveaux, Jonas and co.

So, this time next week we will still be in a strong position.

 

I know what you mean about HBA not on the wings, but in our current formation thats the only place he will fit, and we need him in the team. It gives us flexibility to change ie. into a 4-3-3 if they score.

 

Anybody else think Best may be on the bench today in favor of Ben Arfa? Best wasn't anywhere near his best at Wolves.

 

Best didn't score but he set up two fantastic chances. He put in a good cross to Jonas which somehow didn't go in, and he played a pass to Ba that Ba probably should have scored. He worked hard also.

Not his best game, but he played quite well IMO.

 

Pardew said in a news conference that we're wary of their wing play - that means our own RM/LM are gunna have to get back and cover A LOT!

I agree with starting Obertan as his pace on the break has been key in the past few games, if only to keep the opposition wary! Similarly, this will allow Cabaye to sit deep in an attempt to nulify Modric (he can spray long cross field balls into the corners for Guti and Obertan to run onto!)

2 men up front could work - against Spurs, I think you'll need to score to get anything from the game and having them causing problems up front will stop Spurs from having the game their own way!

 

I am nervous, i don't know why, i think its because everyone not just pundits are saying we been lucky, easy games, and if we lose they will say told you so, as soon as you got a good team newcastle showed they ****e. alot of told you so if we lose

 

final line up

krul

santon taylor colo simpson

jonas tiote cabaye marv

ba shearer

 

I had a dream that we beat them 10 - 1. Don't think that one will be coming true, but fingers crossed!

 

Who scored the first goal? I'll have a correct score / first goal scorer bet and make a fortune.

 

I don't know. In the dream I wasn't able to watch the match, I just read the result on the BBC site.
Can't remember specific players, but Spurs scored first, and I think Ba and Best both got hat tricks.

 

What was the half time score? I've taken to betting that we'll be winning 2-1 at HT, worked v Blackburn. £3 at 28/1 today.

 

It was 4 - 1 at HT.

Let's hope it turns out that way.

 

Blast, that'll be my winnings gone

 

Alright - Let's hope it's 2 - 1 at HT and we pump them for 8 in the second half.
That way everyone's happy.

 

This works for me