Whatever the form of the 2 teams and whoever plays or is injured, I dont think you can predict the outcome. A poor record for 30 years at home should have no bearing on a game in 2012 with a new manager, players etc but the fact remains we have performed poorly over the years at home and far better away. Of course I believe we will win and I defy any fan, on either side to say otherwise but thats the heart speaking. The head says who knows but all I will say is it will be a nervous, painful and gutwrenching afternoon as always in a derby game. Funny thing is we are now playing our 5th season of derby games in 5 years in the top flight, which is almost unheard of in recent times for this fixture.
Well, first and foremost it's plainly obvious that we both have a lot more than we've shown so far this season, but we sit here unbeaten, having broken the winless run, which I honestly feel will lift a great weight from the players. We're both relatively solid at the back, and both have excellent goalkeepers, but we have both been shipping a lot of chances to the opposition, and are both rather fortunate not to have lost a couple of games we've picked up points in. Ba is a superb player, but JOS & Titus are in superb form at the minute, and that will be a massive factor on the day. How HBA is used will also have a bearing, if he's used down the left, that could work for us, as with Gardner at RB pushing on a lot, it may force HBA back a bit (the flip-side being if he leaves space in behind, HBA could, and probably will, terrorise us). Fletcher's movement means he will get at least one chance in this game, Colo & Taylor are an excellent pairing when fit, but neither is at there best against a striker that drops off, the key for us will be keeping the ball on the deck, with the Toon being a more physical unit, and what license AJ is given to cut inside. I never make a prediction other than 1-1 for this game, but this time I am not making any prediction, other than to say I think there will be a winner, and hopefully it's us. If we can come away from the Etihad with something, we will go into the game flying, even a narrow defeat down there wouldn't knock us too badly, and with another game under his belt, we might start to see some class from AJ. Sess & McLean were much improved on Saturday, if still way off their best, but with Catts banned the concern is that the Mags could take control of centre midfield and boss the game from there. I could have just said, I haven't a ****ing clue how it's gonna go, cos that is, in effect, what I'm saying. It'll be typically boistrous, there will be chance at both ends, and it could come down to Fletch & Ba vs Krul (if fit) & Mig.
The skunks luck/cheating will end, streaks like that always do. Also we have to start to perform better, and 2nd half against Wigan we have a few green shoots, so a decent performance against Chitty could set us up. I for one am not too bothered about Catts being missing he would probably have gotten yellowed/reded anyhow. If we get a decent ref who spots the dives of the skunks, Taylor, Tiartty etc then we stand a good chance. MoN is not to keen on the ASDA store manager so he will get the lads up for it. For the first time in a while I fancy our chances and I am really looking forward tdo the game.
My point is we have had regular top flight derby games in the past 6 season (bar the 1 where they were relegated) which is unusual for the NE. Over the past 40 years, one of us would be in one league and the other would pass each other in relegation's and promotions. We would go a few years before games in the top division but now and probably for the foreseeable future, we will have many, many more. Tells you about how well the NE is doing.
I'm not looking forward to it at all. We have to match the mags in their diving and cheating, they have really outfoxed os in this and been really cute in the last few derbies. I'm not sure if we will see any class from Johnson because I don't believe he is very good, to be honest.
