Match Prediction: Newcastle United at St James' Park
Thursday, 16 August 07, 09:25 AM
I watched the Newcastle game against Bolton very late on Sunday night and one thing is for sure; they're a better team than they were now they've got Sam Allardyce as manager.
When the fixture list came out you knew they were going to beat Bolton but you wouldn't have put money on them doing it so convincingly. Big Sam could be the manager to bring silverware to Newcastle and because of this I won't be betting on this match in my banker bet.
They were three up within 30 minutes last weekend and you can't blame them for not scoring more. The game was put to bed when they went in at half time and while I don't think they'll score three in thirty minutes against us I think they'll score and we will offer the first true test of the season for Big Sam and his new team.
They didn't play how I expected they would. The football was good and not just long ball which I had hoped for from Newcastle but it shows that Big Sam has something else to offer and that's just how he had to play at Bolton.
It also looks like Michel Owen will play on Saturday and we all know he likes to score against us. He'll also be doing his best to make an impression and I expect them to play to his strengths.
I know I'm heaping praise on Newcastle but they've needed a good manager and I think this is the fist good one they've had since Kevin Keegan and expectation levels in Newcastle are going to be higher than normal.
Anyway, to the match. Villa will probably be starting with Scott Carson and I have a feeling he will be tested. There is no right back at the club yet and I suspect Martin O'Neill will go with Olof Mellberg and bring Cahill into the middle otherwise he'll stick with Gardner, but I have a feeling Gardner will start in the middle.
It's only a suspicion but I don't think Martin O'Neill has his preferred starting team yet despite having a full pre-season. I may be wrong and Gardner may very well start at right back if Jose Bosingwa isn't signed in time.
I don't doubt Petrov and Reo-Coker will start in midfield as O'Neill seems to have decided on those two and I expect Petrov to get better with each game this season despite his doubters after the Liverpool game.
Up front I hope O'Neill starts with Luke Moore but I expect it will be Gabby and Carew. I really don't see much difference to the starting team from Liverpool although I think positions and formation might be different.
Anyway, it will be a tough match for Villa and I wouldn't be surprised if we came back having lost but that's not what I'm going to predict, mostly because I can't. If Shaun Maloney and Luke Moore were to start I'd go for a win but they won't so I'm going to predict a draw.
It will be a draw and I'll take comfort from that because Manchester United have drawn their first two games and the last time they did that was in the same season they won the treble.
I'm just saying that if we do get a point, it wouldn't be that bad despite me wanting an emphatic victory, which we are due some day soon, probably some time in November.
Before I go and if you didn't know, this match is live on Setanta. It's dirt cheap and they've got loads of games.
Comments (33)
2-2, I'd be happy-ish with that.
Villa 3-1 Newcastle. More, Gardener, Barry for us - Owen for them.
I think that we could turn the Toon over if MON starts with a bit of pace up front. We need players that are able to get in behind their defenders. I know Big Sam has installed confidence into the team but i still think that we could easily rock their defence like we did against Inter. I have to go for a Villa win 2-1 because i think that Toon will score but we will win! Come On Villa
NUFC 2 villa 0
We're far stronger this term and with a full compliment running midfield and some fantastic strikers at last! Nowt against the villains but a win at NE1 for me.
2-1 to Newcastle minimum, Owen and Martins to score. Newcastle are are determined to make their home ground like a fortress and with Sam that can be an easy possibility like he did for Bolton
astonmilan - what planet are you on mate??.........3-1 to the vile. as good as your manager is, i can not see him engineering a win out of us at st james this season. i am going for a 2-1 to the mags. it will be an end to end fast paced game. we have so many outstanding goal scorers though, i have no idea who will get the goals. owen, martins, viduka, smith, ameobi, milner, zogs... bloody hell, take your pick! it would be great to see geremi score on his home debut too.
Probably 2 or 3-1 Toon. Either way lets play 4-4-2 with Moore and Carew. Cant be ar$ed to watch another 4-5-1 boring performance. Villa owe us an attacking performance after Sat. I dont mind losing if we give it a go.
It's one of those cliches games- if we do em it will kick start our season with players like NRC & Petrov gaining more confidence. In fact Petrov owes us an attacking peformance big time.
nufc 3 villa 0
i think we'll put on an excellent performance at home infront of the geordie faithfull..martins to score 2 agen and owen to bag a goal..i think villa will be a tough match it always is when we play then there a brill side but jst think with the strikers we have we'll tare them apart :)
We have done well against them and they were lucky to get anything, let alone 3 points, when we went up there last season.
I reckon we could get a score draw but if I had pick a team to win it would probably be the Mags.
What do any Newcastle fans think? Reckon you'll paste us or do you think we'll be a test?
Remember this is our first home game - the crowd will be totally up for it and it will be the first time (apart from the pre-season friendlies) that the likes of new signings Smith, Viduka, Cacapa, Geremi, Rozenahl maybe Enrique are on show. If the lads give their all like at Bolton (and what a refreshing change to see that instead of the likes of Dyer walking around hands on hips looking huffy) we must win. Martins must start after last week surely, Owen on the bench hopefully. 3- 1 or 3-0 to the Toon. Only negative for us is containing Young if he's up against Carr and we've got no-one else to take that position by Saturday. Haway the lads.
You really dont know whats waiting for you up here do you ?
Newcastle 3 Villa 0.
4-0 to Newcastle
Howay the lads!!!
Have to be honest, i cant see our defence coping with their forward line, and i cant see our midfield (especially Petrov) competing with Smith / Butt / Geremi.
At the same time, the barcodes defence is still ropey - so the one guarantee is that there will be goals. Ashley Young is the key for the Villa. Id also love to see Maloney given a chance
alex - we have one weak spot in defence now, stephen carr, the rest is coming along nicely and is more balanced and solid. Villa will have to by-pass what is a very very strong NUFC midfield, with strength, height and pace in there now and not weak young prima donna's who have no heart.
gallow gate ender: youve definately strengthened, im just hoping we can take advantage of the fact that some of your new defenders may take a bit to settle.
If i had to put money on it now, id go for a 2-0 win for newcastle. Heres hoping that steven carr has a mare lol
3-1 to Newcastle!!
2-0 to the villa!cum on!moore with both!!! i dont get why no1 has backed the villa! newcastle played 1 game!! againts bolton!! hu r having a mare this season!!! cum on the lads!!!
We are pessimists at the moment, so why not try something different MON:
Carson, Bouma, Laursen, Mellberg, Gardner(!), Young, Barry, NRC, Maloney, Carew, Moore
Subs: Taylor(?), Cahill, Petrov, Berger, Gabby
Go on Mart, live dangerously - you might surpirse yourself?
OMG!! cnt beleive everi 1 thinks newcastle am gna paste us, yes the hammerd bolton, but bolton arnt much to look at, they only did well the 1st half i recon 1-2 villa moore (if he hopefully plays) and agbonlahor UTV!!! :)
right guys it really is time we demanded some answers from the club about the current defence situation.
These are the facts. We currently have 5 defenders, 1 of those laursen is regularly injured and 1 ohallaran has no prem experience.
Every other prem club has a minimum 7 defenders with Man Utd having a maximum of 10!!
There are 15 days to go till the end of the transfer window, the season is fully underway!! There can be no excuses for this! I want an answer from the club as to why we are in this situation.
4 v 2 to newcastle...lucky the blackburn game was pp cause i feel we would have got beat there too...
ive tried with different teams and formations,but it dont matter who plays and where,,we will still get beat.
Newcastle win
CARSON
Gardener Mellberg Cahill Bouma
Agbonlahor Reo-Coker Barry Young
Carew Moore
If we start with this XI with GA and AY running at the Geordies defence we will win this game before half time.
Newcastle United 0-2 Aston Villa ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
I say 1-2 to Villa :) I know we have a better team then showed up last weekend. Would like to see Moore and Gabby up front and Young and Maloney on the wings.
Speed and skilled passing.. we have shown it in the past and we need to show it now. I might even consider starting Berger :)
Not sure what the score will be on this but I'm really hoping we win. This game will give us more of an indication of our progress than the one against Liverpool and for all sorts of reasons.
I won't be too concerned if we lose because it's a marathon and not a sprint, and I can see us being above Newcastle in the table come the end of the season. I think there's still a dressing room problem there and it will, as always, eat away at them until the self destruct.
Would like to see Melberg as RB with Cahill in centre and Gardner moving into midfield with Moore upfront with Gabby or Carew (provided he's not sick). Young on the right and Barry on left. The rest I'd leave as is (apart from putting Carson in Goal).
Can't see us winning up there and will be pleased with a point. 1-1 with Petrov scoring for us and a lucky Owen penalty for them.
I think that we will loose to Newcastle and score a penalty with Barry scoring!
They have bought some good players and have a very good attack!
Carew needs to play against them, he played well against them last season away.
He scored the misallowed goal which shoulda been a goal.
But cos of that gayyyy sibierski it werent a goaal
Give harewood a chance aswell, good at easy chances!
I reakon we will beat them no problem they only beat bolton cause big sam knows them inside out
The last time Villa won their first away game of the season was in 1999 against..... Newcastle.
sorry lads but you are going to get smashed on sat the whole place is up for this game we have a toon ultras web site and they have been plannin this match for an age ,, must say though no trouble though !! they are just football nuts and have hundreds of flags banners and a band ?????? waitin for you ,,so bring your singin voice !! should be a crackin day out and also its a sell out
why do u all think villa will win newcastle?
I am a villa fan but we havn't got a proper right back
and we havn't got all our signings yet
If we are lucky villa will get a draw.
ken toon fan....... stop bein cocky!!!
3-0 to the toon, u guys will still do ok this season but newcastle will be to strong for u.
i hope bout 3 of our players get injured so then mon will realise we need 2 buy players i think newcastle wil win 2-0