Injury woes? Don't be too downhearted folks

I just want to recap some of the games we won last season and, most importantly, what the teams were when we did it:

Newcastle 6 - 0 Aston Villa

----------------Harper---------------
Perch - Coloccini - Williamson - Enrique
Routledge - Barton - Smith - Jonas
----------------Nolan----------------
----------------Carroll--------------

Everton 0 - 1 Newcastle

----------------Harper---------------
Perch - Coloccini - Williamson - Enrique
Routledge - Barton - Tiote - Ben Arfa
----------------Nolan----------------
----------------Carroll--------------

West Ham 0 - 2 Newcastle

----------------Krul---------------
Simpson - Coloccini - Williamson - Enrique
----Barton - Nolan - Tiote - Jonas---
-----------Carroll-Ameobi-------------

Newcastle 5 - 1 Sunderland

----------------Krul---------------
Simpson - Coloccini - Williamson - Enrique
----Barton - Nolan - Tiote - Jonas---
-----------Carroll-Ameobi-------------

Arsenal 0 - 1 Newcastle

----------------Krul---------------
Simpson - Coloccini - Williamson - Enrique
----Barton - Nolan - Tiote - Jonas---
-----------Carroll-Ameobi-------------

Newcastle 3 - 1 Liverpool

----------------Krul---------------
Simpson - Saylor - Campbell - Enrique
----Barton - Nolan - Tiote - Jonas---
-----------Carroll-Ameobi-------------

Wigan 0 - 1 Newcastle

----------------Harper---------------
Simpson - Saylor - Coloccini - Enrique
----Barton - Nolan - Tiote - Jonas---
-------Lovenkrands - Ameobi----------

Birmingham 0 - 2 Newcastle

----------------Harper---------------
Simpson - Williamson - Coloccini - Enrique
----Barton - Nolan - Tiote - Jonas---
-------Lovenkrands - Best----------

Newcastle 4 - 0 Wolves

----------------Harper---------------
Simpson - Williamson - Coloccini - Ferguson
----Barton - Nolan - Guthrie - Jonas---
-------Lovenkrands - Ameobi----------


Now bear in mind the following:

- Both Krul and Saylor were nowhere near the form they are (or were) in this season. Harper was straight back in when he was fit and a lot of people preferred Williamson over Saylor at the time.

- We didn't have Cabaye and instead had Nolan. Whilst he was a good goalscorer, he was ultimately a poor CM and not a mark on Cabaye.

- Many of our wins came from Lovenkrands and Ameobi partnerships.

- Sol Campbell, Perch and Ferguson were involved in wins in various games.


With this, we finished 12th and could have finished 9th if we had held onto that 3 goal lead against West Brom. Now I know we have injury troubles, but if we could win games with XIs like THAT, which were basically void of any pace or creativity (or goalscorers) most of the time, then we should be able to handle the situation were in now.

 

To be honest, im not as worried as alot of people. If Colo does make the Norwich game, then i'll be confident. After all, Jonas is back too, which is a massive bonus. If we can get Willo back in time for Swansea too, then id be happy.

I can sense a 1-0 victory for the lads this weekend.

 

Colocinni appears in all but one of those fixtures. With him tomorrow we win. Without, we fight for a point.

 

Coloccini could stop a goal going in our net, he doesn't score goals though. As good as Coloccini is, we rely on more than just Coloccini to get results.

I fail to see how Coloccini would be the difference between a win and just scraping a point.

Our attack has won us points just as much as our defense.

Without Colo I can't see us keeping a clean sheet but I don't automatically think we'll lose. I still think we can win, it's very possible, but it will be a challenge, with or without Coloccini.

 

the main constant in those games was jose i really hope pardew goes with santon so jonas is used more effectively going forward still confident we'll win as long as we go for it

 

Good thread and a decent point. I've had time to think about it and I'm quite confident we can get something out of the game tomorrow.

Don't want to be a **** but I am on but we beat West Ham 2-1 and Wolves 4-1.

 

I agree with this, I think the fears from many people arise from the fact that if Colo is out, we are going to be playing no recognised CB's (unless Kadar starts, which I hope is the case) against Norwich and they play two big strikers in Morison and Holt who have proved a handful against everyone they've played this season. Even with Colo in the team I'd be a little bit apprehensive of us handling those two beasts, without him I have to say I'll be grateful for a point. Also, he's our captain, so having him playing will automatically boost the whole team just by seeing him on the teamsheet.

 

With him I think we'll get away with conceding one goal. So we could easily score 2 or 3 and win. Without I think we'll let in two or more. So a draw would be our best hope, which wouldn't be a bad result given our injury list. His experience will be vital to support Perch / Kadar at CB. Without him they'll be sitting ducks as there will be no experienced CB to guide them.

 

Shows how far we've come in such a small space of time.

 

Like in most of those games, we should also start Shola.

 

Pardew has been a big reason as to why our defense has improved you know, It's not just the quality of Colo and Saylor. Coloccini and Taylor have both improved under Pardew, Pardew has helped them both. Coloccini maybe experienced, but Pardew is even more so.

Pardew will give all of his advice to Kadar, Perch, Santon or whoever players CB on the day, and I'm sure Colo will be on the sidelines at the training ground, giving them tips, and both Colo and Pardew will have spent all week going through routines and preparing who ever will be playing CB for the game vs Norwich.

It wont be as bad as you think mate. I admit it's a bit of a worry, but howay, Norwich are hardly a great team. They should have been beaten 1-3 at home to Blackburn.... yeah, Blackburn, but got a lucky point through a fluky deflected goal and a pen that shouldn't have been given.

I respect Norwich, they're a good team, but they're no wonder boys. Arsenal should have scored 5-6 against them in the first half alone. I know we're not as good as Arsenal, but even so, it shows how easily Norwich can be cut open.

If the match was against Swansea, then I'd be worried, but Norwich, I'm a little bit nervous, but still optimistic of a result.

HTL!

 

Well on our side is that Perch is essentially a Championship quality defender, and Norwich are the closest thing to a Championship team in the PL so we've got as much chance there with our weakened defence as we'd have anywhere.

My bets will be 4+ goals and us to lead 2-1 at HT

Although hopefully that fat bastard Holt tires himself out early on.

 

I think its could be our first 5 of the season, granted with the defence as it is we might only win 5-4 but hell its still 3 points!

 

We should play a high line. Perch has good pace for a CB, and we have Simmo and Possibly Santon in the defense. Norwich have no pace up front really, so if we can't out jump them, we can out pace them.

If they get passed out back line at any time, we have chase them back quick enough.

 

Beat West Ham 5-0 with Lover and Best up front as well.

 

Here are Norwich's home results so far this season -

Norwich 1-1 Stoke
Norwich 0-1 WBA
Norwich 2-1 Sunderland
Norwich 3-1 Swansea
Norwich 3-3 Blackburn
Norwich 1-2 Arsenal
Norwich 2-1 QPR

Make of it what you will...

 

They're one of 4 sides in Europe yet to keep a clean sheet, and with our makeshift defence it should be a high scoring game.

 

They've not really played any top teams at home yet (excepting the Arse) and they have not kept a clean sheet yet......

Must be goals in this one, 3-1 to the Toon with Colo, 2-2 without him.

 

As I said before It's not all about the quality of their defenders, it's about the chemistry and organization. Even with Colo and Saylor, our defense on paper still looks weaker than 7-8 teams in this league, but we had the best defense in the league, stats wise, up until Colo and Saylor both went off injured.

Pardew may have a cunning plan

I agree it looks a bit worrying, but not end of the world style.

 

I could honestly see 2-3 Newcastle.