Match Day Preview: Newcastle v Bolton
Posted by Ratbert in Bolton, Newcastle | 3 March 2006
Saturday, 3pm, St. James’s Park
Off to the North East we head to, if the rumour mill has it right for a change, one of Big Sam’s two potential next employers. How much of that tabloid tittle-tattle you choose to believe is bye the bye; for now, he’s doing very well at BWFC, we’ve got him, Newcastle United hasn’t. So nah-nah-na-nah-nah.
Against the ‘toon early in the season, we notched up a 2-0 win with El Hadji Diouf (possibly set for a return tomorrow following an oddly rapid recovery from a double hernia) and Stelios, arguably with Nolan the form player of the moment, getting the goals. At the time, Newcastle were frankly rubbish and that was down in no small part to having the man who has conned a living in management more than most, Graeme ‘Grim’ Souness at the helm. Freddie Shepherd has since aimed the bolt into Dourness’s temple and cast his corpse into Whitley Bay, and Glenn Roeder has taken charge of the team until Big Sam or whoever moves in. He’s not done too badly so far, with four wins and a draw from the last five games; more ominously for us, Newcastle are unbeaten at the towering edifice that is St James’s Park in ten games. Anyway, there is perhaps some comfort from the fact that Roeder’s teams start well, then become very, very sh**e, as any West Ham fan will tell you.
His boss, I mean assistant, Alan Shearer, returns to lead the line for the opposition though Dyer, Moore and Bramble are long term absentees, unless any Toon Army footsoldiers reading this know differently before 3pm tomorrow. As for Bolton’s line-up, well Jansen is now out along with Fadiga and Campo. Nicky Hunt is suspended (stop those crocodile tears at the back) and Gary Speed, a minor legend at St James’s, starts and is in fighting mood - Sky Sports has his battle cry.
Ref: Alan Wiley
Predictor sez: 1-1
Comments
I was surprised with how easy it all was on Saturday. You comprehensively outplayed us early in the season, and had supposedly been on a good run and in good form. But then so had we, I guess.
For what it's worth, Big Sam's done a brilliant job at Bolton, but the only person talking up his chances of the England job seems to be himself. For whatever reason he wouldn't be a popular choice for Toon manager, either, according to the fans' views. Personally I'd prefer someone with a bit more experience on the European stage, but I can't argue that Big Sam instilling the sort of passion, organisation and togetherness into the Newcastle side that he has at the Reebok would be a bad thing.
