Match Preview - Cardiff City
5/Feb/10, SJP, KO 7:45, WTCTSDTD
Well, I reckon most pre match rituals and superstitions will get hoyed out the window for this one as some despicable bastard has moved this fixture to a Friday night. I reckon most people will try and treat is as some kind of one off holiday and try and drink as much as humanly possible before heading up to SJP before having another crack at getting pissed, just either in a happier or more foul mood than before when the game is finished. I have to wonder what the Polis were thinking of here. The final whistle will sound at around 9:45 ish and Newcastle will be awash with night life revellers, home match goers, who may or may not be intoxicated and 3,000 Cardiff fans who I reckon will definitely be. Should make for shoddily, recorded youtube footage. Of course the inconvenient kick off time will mean most Cardiff fans get to stay over in our fine city and take in it’s beauty on a spare Saturday. Or they could rise with the larks, hit the ale again and take a short metro journey to Hicksville and erm… catch butterflies. A more cynical person than myself might even think they could cause a bit of bother!!!!
Anyhow, Leon Best eh? 10 goals in a struggling team and scored a cracker against Portsmouth last month. Looked decent against us too if I am honest, (cue seasoned black and white head shakes and the words “If I had a quid for every player who played canny against us and then signed for us and turned out to be shit, I’d be…….) and we desperately hope he sees us over the line. But, price, undisclosed, obviously. Contract length, 3 ½ years! Interesting. Welcome to the mad house kidda.
I am sure Best’s arrival is geared to getting the best, (get it?) consistently out of Ameobi, Lovenkrands and Carroll as only 2 can play (or 1 depending on your views of Kevin Nolan’s most effective position) at once. On the same theme, how great will it be to see a natural winger, playing on his favoured flank, skinning full backs and firing over inviting crosses? It’s about time too. Allow me whilst I’m feeling a bit positive to say how canny Williamson has looked at centre back, long may it continue.
Michael Chopra. Unfortunately for himself, he came through at a time when Alan Shearer was our number 9. If he’d came through when Carroll did he’d have only Shola Ameobi to be compared with and look a lot better. His choice of destination was a mistake, that’s if he had always intended to still actively support Newcastle United. However, spitting in his face when he’s Cardiff player is (at best) tempting fate to ridiculous levels and (at worst) disgusting. Shame on whoever did that.
Cardiff, sit 4th in the table, with 45 points from 27 matches. They blow hot and cold, they come into this game with just 1 defeat in 9 league fixtures. On their travels they have been an inconsistent side, August saw them draw 1-1 with Blackpool, beat Plymouth Argyle 3-1 and lose at Doncaster Rovers (2-0). September mixed a 1-0 win at Reading with a 3-1 reverse at Sheffield Wednesday. October saw the goals fly in, a 4-0 win at Watford was followed up with 4-3 win at Sheffield United. November undid October’s good form with 2 defeats. 3-2 at Swansea City and 1-0 at Barnsley. December’s travels were very productive, a 2-0 win at W.B.A. and a 1-0 at Middlesbrough. January saw a 1-1 draw at Scunthorpe United at a thumping 6-0 win at Bristol City. Midfielder Peter Whittigham has blasted an astonishing 18 goals so far and Michael Chopra has 16. If they are in the mood, this will be tough.
TEAM NEWS
Injured
Steven Taylor - Knee
Joey Barton - Foot
Haris Vuckic - Knee
Jose Enrique – Hamstring
Doubts
None
Suspensions
None
Formation
I am usually an advocate of 4-4-2 for home matches, however, I would imagine Ameobi and Best will be Hughton’s first choice front two, but I am sick of watching Kevin Nolan wheeze around in the centre of the park doing sod all and since he is ‘undropable’, I hope he is played just behind the new lad, Best. Also the new arrivals may signal reserve team duty time for the likes of Pancrate (fingers crossed) and Ranger (bit of a shame but he’s a bit too raw at the minute to be relied on) as competition for bench places gets ready to hot up.
Possible: 4-4-2
Harper: Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, van Aanhort: Routledge, Smith (Capt), Guthrie, Gutierrez: Nolan, Best:
Bench: Krul, Ryan Taylor, Hall, Butt, Lovenkrands, Ameobi, Carroll.
Form
Depends on your view on draws I suppose. Draws away from home, against top sides who keep all 11 men on the field, are usually positive. The one’s we have been getting are a bit shit really.
Expectations
You can bet your last pound that after that supporter hockled at Chopra, that he’ll score, but we should still collect 3 points as the massive lead we built up pre Christmas has been whittled away and we need to get a run of wins against promotion contenders started to send a message to the chasers.
Opposition Danger Man
Perm from Chopra, Whittingham or McCormack
Love To Hate
Any of the England Vs. Wales shit which usually rears it’s head against Welsh sides. Whilst the people of Cardiff may feel immensely proud of their Sovereign State, what with Cardiff being the capital City and all that, but I have no desire to be associated with any of the fuckers which make up the rest of England. Newcastle United Vs. Cardiff City, thank you. Or Newcastle United Vs. Wales if they insist. Both are good with me.
Referee
Kevin Friend - Leicester
Chris Betts
Anyhow, Leon Best eh? 10 goals in a struggling team and scored a cracker against Portsmouth last month. Looked decent against us too if I am honest, (cue seasoned black and white head shakes and the words “If I had a quid for every player who played canny against us and then signed for us and turned out to be shit, I’d be…….) and we desperately hope he sees us over the line. But, price, undisclosed, obviously. Contract length, 3 ½ years! Interesting. Welcome to the mad house kidda.
I am sure Best’s arrival is geared to getting the best, (get it?) consistently out of Ameobi, Lovenkrands and Carroll as only 2 can play (or 1 depending on your views of Kevin Nolan’s most effective position) at once. On the same theme, how great will it be to see a natural winger, playing on his favoured flank, skinning full backs and firing over inviting crosses? It’s about time too. Allow me whilst I’m feeling a bit positive to say how canny Williamson has looked at centre back, long may it continue.
Michael Chopra. Unfortunately for himself, he came through at a time when Alan Shearer was our number 9. If he’d came through when Carroll did he’d have only Shola Ameobi to be compared with and look a lot better. His choice of destination was a mistake, that’s if he had always intended to still actively support Newcastle United. However, spitting in his face when he’s Cardiff player is (at best) tempting fate to ridiculous levels and (at worst) disgusting. Shame on whoever did that.
Cardiff, sit 4th in the table, with 45 points from 27 matches. They blow hot and cold, they come into this game with just 1 defeat in 9 league fixtures. On their travels they have been an inconsistent side, August saw them draw 1-1 with Blackpool, beat Plymouth Argyle 3-1 and lose at Doncaster Rovers (2-0). September mixed a 1-0 win at Reading with a 3-1 reverse at Sheffield Wednesday. October saw the goals fly in, a 4-0 win at Watford was followed up with 4-3 win at Sheffield United. November undid October’s good form with 2 defeats. 3-2 at Swansea City and 1-0 at Barnsley. December’s travels were very productive, a 2-0 win at W.B.A. and a 1-0 at Middlesbrough. January saw a 1-1 draw at Scunthorpe United at a thumping 6-0 win at Bristol City. Midfielder Peter Whittigham has blasted an astonishing 18 goals so far and Michael Chopra has 16. If they are in the mood, this will be tough.
TEAM NEWS
Injured
Steven Taylor - Knee
Joey Barton - Foot
Haris Vuckic - Knee
Jose Enrique – Hamstring
Doubts
None
Suspensions
None
Formation
I am usually an advocate of 4-4-2 for home matches, however, I would imagine Ameobi and Best will be Hughton’s first choice front two, but I am sick of watching Kevin Nolan wheeze around in the centre of the park doing sod all and since he is ‘undropable’, I hope he is played just behind the new lad, Best. Also the new arrivals may signal reserve team duty time for the likes of Pancrate (fingers crossed) and Ranger (bit of a shame but he’s a bit too raw at the minute to be relied on) as competition for bench places gets ready to hot up.
Possible: 4-4-2
Harper: Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, van Aanhort: Routledge, Smith (Capt), Guthrie, Gutierrez: Nolan, Best:
Bench: Krul, Ryan Taylor, Hall, Butt, Lovenkrands, Ameobi, Carroll.
Form
Depends on your view on draws I suppose. Draws away from home, against top sides who keep all 11 men on the field, are usually positive. The one’s we have been getting are a bit shit really.
Expectations
You can bet your last pound that after that supporter hockled at Chopra, that he’ll score, but we should still collect 3 points as the massive lead we built up pre Christmas has been whittled away and we need to get a run of wins against promotion contenders started to send a message to the chasers.
Opposition Danger Man
Perm from Chopra, Whittingham or McCormack
Love To Hate
Any of the England Vs. Wales shit which usually rears it’s head against Welsh sides. Whilst the people of Cardiff may feel immensely proud of their Sovereign State, what with Cardiff being the capital City and all that, but I have no desire to be associated with any of the fuckers which make up the rest of England. Newcastle United Vs. Cardiff City, thank you. Or Newcastle United Vs. Wales if they insist. Both are good with me.
Referee
Kevin Friend - Leicester
Chris Betts