Newcastle host Aston Villa in tonight's Premier League Kick Off, aiming to secure their 3rd win of the season, their second in a week. Villa are the second midlands side to travel to the North East after West Brom went home defeated in what was United's first win under Joe Kinnear.
Villa travel with 4 wins and 1 draw and 1 loss under their belt from their last 6 matches in all competitions, whilst Newcastle play host with 1 win, 2 draws and 3 losses in their last 6 games.
Michael Owen will start on the bench having missed three matches after picking up a groin strain, Kinnear deems him fully fit and he will be hoping to make an impact if he manages to get some pitch time. While he warm's the bench Shola Ameobi and Obafemi Martins are set to pair up, both promising some much needed goals.
Joey Barton remains in the side, whilst Nicky Butt returns after missing last week's game against West Brom through injury.
Both Mark Viduka and Alan Smith remain sidelined with long term injuries.
For Aston Villa, John Carew is still battling for a place in the starting eleven after a difference of opinion with manager Martin O'Neil left him benched in previous games. Steve Sidwell is likely to also start on the bench whilst former Newcastle winger James Milner gets the go ahead and will lineup against his former team-mates.
we look to defensive not commiting enough men forward and we are still not finding a final ball but oba and duff look sharpe a bit more attacking mentality and we can win this!
I rekon we will see owen with 20 to go at 1-1 hopefuly scores the winner with 5 left on the clock toon win 2-1 and we are out of the dreaded bottom three oh please let it be true!!!!!
Fantastic result, even ameobi got stuck in but duff was pants as usual. Everytime the ball got to him u just knew we were going to lose it. He played one reverse ball all night and that was it.
If I am wrong then youtube some examples of "awesome" duff.
I have just left my local where all night duff was rightly called for giving the ball away, not getting tackles in and genuinely breaking down our attacks.
Come on, get the rose tinted glasses off. As for the rest, You were Gods, gods!
yes, very happy with duff tonight. i am among the last to be convinced, but he is getting back towards his best. great to see him keen to run at the full back again, i hope we see a lot more of that
very balanced display tonight, the whole team look like they are getting better, surely some credit to jfk
Personally, I think this is almost a very very good side. My shortcomings would be Butt, Duff and Ameobi. Apart from those three I think we have a team easily capable of getting into Europe.
I think that Kinnear have been one of the reason for us to turn this ship around and get above relegation.
Sure, a lot of players have been out, but I think that he could be the one to take Newcastle into europe. Im sure that he could deal with Barton, to make him show why he was bought in the first place, cause he have lots of exp with that sort of players from his previous jobs.
Let Kinnear stay the rest of the season, and show if he is capable of making us go places..
Yeah it would common sense to give it to him till the end of the season other wise we would of had kk ch jk and who ever comes in, in under a year it would be asking for relegation. If or when a new guy comes in let it be over the summer to give the players some form of stability something we seriously lack
Duff probably our best player in last few games. Don't know how you can hate him it's not like he loves getting injured. He's always looking to take players on and win the match.
Jaryd Duff probably our best player in last few games. Don't know how you can hate him it's not like he loves getting injured. He's always looking to take players on and win the match.
The typical complaint on Duff is that looks to run at players first and pass second. Late in the match when the defense is tired he looks wonderful, but early on he gives away possession to easily.
That said, you don't have the former without the latter. It's because he's working the defense in the first half that he can hold onto the dribbles in the second half.
On another note: Stats showed 52% possession for NUFC. Is that the first match of the season where we had majority of possession?
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