Newcastle United Vs Crystal Palace |
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Date:
Saturday 30th April 2005
Kick Off: 3.00pm BST
Venue: St. James' Park
Ref: Alan Wiley (Burntwood)
Comp: Premiership |
| Match Preview
In Association With Toon
Ale |
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By
Ally
Our penultimate home game of the season sees Crystal Palace come to
St. James' Park desperate for a win. It's really tight down in the
relegation places and Palace know that a win would put them in a great
position to stay up. Newcastle on the other hand put an end to that
awful 5 game losing streak Wednesday gone with an uninspiring 0-0
draw against Boro. We've got nothing to play for but pride and to
extra financial incentives by finishing as high as possible where
as they've got it all to play for - their top-light existence.
Our injury problems continue with Kieron Dyer, despite his tights,
aggravating his hamstring once more in the Boro match, ruling him
out for the remainder of the season. It's a big blow as he was excellent
once more against the Teesiders, this time playing on the left and
he gave Davies a torrid time. THAT fight aside, he's really picked
up his game since Christmas and it says a lot when a player who most
would have been glad to see the back of in January is now a key player
in the team.
Graeme Souness has confirmed that both Amdy Faye and Steven Taylor
face late fitness tests, but he's confident they'll return. The Chronicle
reckons (must be true!) that Faye will return in midfield with Peter
Ramage going to the bench and Stephen Carr returning to right back.
It will be a shame for Ramage if that does happen as he's looked good
in the last two games, but he'll get more chances next season one
suspects. Andy O'Brien made his usual couple of mistakes against Boro
but I can't really see Taylor replacing him. The England Under 21
man is the better player, but we're not stuck for players in defence
as we are in central midfield so expect him to be on the bench if
he passes the late test.
The midfield will continue to include our three youngsters Charles
N'Zogbia, James Milner and Darren Ambrose. With all respect to Palace,
a game at home in front of opposition like this should be a good chance
for these players to display their talents. N'Zogbia should have wrapped
it up at the end on Wednesday, but he's looked very promising so far
so he shouldn't be too downbeat. As Souness has said the only positives
to have come from the last few weeks is the attitude and displays
from the kids. Palace are likely to be competitive and fight for every
ball so it won't be easy for our midfielders to create chances, but
if the fans are behind them we should create ample chances to win
the game.
On Wednesday, Souness made a very strange decision in bringing on
Shola Ameobi for Dyer and then playing him on the left wing! This
showed just how little faith he has in Laurent Robert and from where
I sit, it seems that Robert and Patrick Kluivert are simply making
up the numbers on the bench. It's a shame as I still like Robert as
a player, but we've seen the inevitable conflict between tough manager
and flair player, just as was seen with Kenny Dalglish and David Ginola.
I just hope that if Souness is still here in the summer that he replaces
the Frenchman with genuine quality, not just a hard working player.
Shola is likely to start again up front. He's had so many chances
this season and his scoring record is frankly pathetic, but as with
Robert, I honestly can't see Kluivert starting ahead of him. The Shearer
and Ameobi partnership has never worked in the past few years and
we end up being predictable and slow. Against top quality opposition
it isn't good enough, but hopefully it'll be enough against Palace.
Given |
Carr |
Boumsong |
O'Brien |
Elliott |
Milner |
Faye |
Ambrose |
N'Zogbia |
| |
Shearer |
Ameobi |
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Tony Popovic vs Alan Shearer - Palace defended very
well against Liverpool last weekend and will be looking for a repeat
performance. Popovic is a big, strong defender who will cause problems
at set pieces especially. Shearer will be desperate to add to his
disappointing league tally of only 7 goals and against a slow defender
in Popovic he's got a good chance.
Wayne Routledge vs Robbie Elliott - Elliott isn't
a bad player and gives his all every time he plays and for that he
holds great respect among the fans. He isn't the quickest anymore
though, and I can see him struggling here. Routledge is tricky and
pacy and will be looking to attack the full back at any opportunity.
Andy Johnson vs Jean-Alain Boumsong - Johnson is
one of those players that you either rate highly or you don't. I'm
not a big admirer of him I have to say. When I've seen him play he
seems to hold the ball up well but he's not clinical. He's scored
a lot of goals though and even if a lot are penalties they all count.
Often criticised for going down too easily in the box so don't be
surprised to see another pen! Boumsong is equally fast though and
hopefully will keep him quiet.
| NUFC Squad News &
Pre-Match Reaction |
Graeme Sounes on the match:
 "The
injury situation is not ideal. Amdy Faye and Steven Taylor will have
fitness tests, but Kieron won't play again this season.
"Titus Bramble may play again this season, I doubt if we'll see Nicky
Butt again this season, Aaron Hughes won't be available and Jermaine
Jenas will probably be missing for another two weeks.
"The bonus to come out of the injury situation is that we have got
some good performances from some good young players.
"The young lads have to stand up and be counted. After them, there
isn't anyone else before I'm dipping into the Academy for players.
"With four games left of the season, I know what I've got, and
I'm picking a team that is best suited to winning us games.
"We have made our mind up on near enough everything for next year.
We have targets that we are going for, and we will make changes here.
"But that's all on paper. That's the easy part. The hard part is making
these things happen.
"I don't think they'll (Palace) come after us from the first whistle
but at some time during the game they will have to chase it.
"We will try and play our normal game and get at them, but it will
be a diffuclt game because they will have 11 players out there who
want to stay in the premiership.
"They've had a taste of it this year, and they'll be fighting for
their lives to ensure they stay up.
"What we did on Wednesday against Middlesbrough was stop a succession
of games where we got nothing. I don't think there are any of our
supporters at Norwich and Old Trafford who think we deserved to come
home empty-handed.
"Against Middlesbrough on Wednesday, I think we were very good in
the second half and we should have won. I've watched a video of the
game, and we should have won that game."
United squad: Ambrose, Ameobi, Boumsong, Brittain,
Carr, Elliott, Faye, Given, Harper, Kluivert, Milner, McClen, N'Zogbia,
O'Brien, Ramage, Robert, Shearer, Taylor.
| Crystal Palace Squad
News & Pre-Match Reaction |
Ian Dowie on the match:
"It was a pleasing all-round display against Liverpool last week and
we need more of the same up at St James' Park. Thanks to winning the
play-offs last season we've experienced big match atmospheres and
we're going to need that for the next three games.
"it's now all about the one who keeps a calm head and relaxes
and as silly as it sounds we need to relax and play.
"Graeme Souness has had terrible injury problems at Newcastle
and had one or two other things to deal with. I think he's done a
good job with all the shenanigans that have been going on. What I
like about Graeme is that he's open and honest.
"The way he handled that scuffle on the pitch between Kieron
Dyer and Lee Bowyer was terrific. He was a fantastic player and I
respect him as a manager. Newcastle have a great squad when at full
strength and we will have to be at 100% when we go there.
"It will be passionate at St. James's where we'll have to deal
with 50,000 Geordie fans. Defending will be vital at Newcastle because
relegation could be decided by goal difference.
"Ourselves and Southampton are in a healthier position than West
Brom and Norwich and our total would have been a lot better but for
conceding four to Everton and Chelsea.
"I don't think we've defended that badly this year, apart from
once or twice when we got punished. We have to get back to being a
good defensive unit because goals conceded may be crucial."
Palace Squad: TBC
Palace are fighting for their lives and will be confident having beaten
Liverpool last week, but I reckon we'll end the bad run of results
tomorrow with a win. It won't be a great game but I think we'll sneak
it 1-0 and put any slight relegation doubts behind
us. Howay the lads! |
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