Season 2006-2007

NEWCASTLE UNITED

 v

LILLESTROM

Michael Owen(knee) as we know is out till next year with the injury he picked up at the World Cup.
Kieron Dyer(?) is unfit but some positive noises have been made about an August return.
Shola Ameobi(hip) is doubtful after receiving treatment on his troublesome hip, which meant he started pre-season training late.
Jean-Alain Boumsong and Craig Moore are both on extended holidays after World Cup duties.

My thoughts:

Well then lads and lasses, it’s back again, a new season and a new era is upon us. So what does it hold for the Black & White Army?

Christ, if we knew that it wouldn’t feel right would it!!

Our first game of the season sees us play in the Intertoto Cup again. A competition which in the past has required only progressing through a few rounds to win a trophy* (which we naturally never managed to do!), has been made even easier for us this year, by the fact that there is now only one round required to win.

An entry straight into the 3^rd Round for the English representative means, if we can overcome our Norwegian opposition then a place in the UEFA Cup 2^nd Qualifier Round awaits us in August.

Lets us dwell on the state of squad before this game. In recognised forwards we have Albert Luque and a half fit Shola Ameobi. Luque who last season couldn’t hit a barn door from 5 yards and Shola(granted he finished the season under Roeder with 8 goals) with a goal scoring ratio that certainly doesn’t strike you as world beater but compared to the rest of the squad, he is our goal machine. That doesn’t fill you full of confidence really does it?

So where are the goals going to come from, the midfield? Well at least we have our current first choice midfield fit(Solano, Parker, Emre, N’Zogbia) which is a blessing. One thing is for certain our midfield at home will create chances and if we create enough, you’d expect us to score at least once.  There is talk of James Milner moving upfront, who is a very capable player but with 5 goals in 40 games last season and only 13 in 141 in his career, a natural goal scorer he is not. Solano and N’Zogbia chipped in with plenty of vital goals last season, so let’s hope between them all there will be enough fire power to get us across the line.

Basically the worst kept secret in football is a proven goalscorer(s) is top of Fat Fred & Glenn’s summer shopping list.

Goalkeeper, thank the lord Shay Given signed a new contract till 2011.

Oh I almost forgot about our defence, how silly of me. Now to be honest we’ll all agree that for once our defence is the least of our worries. Steven Taylor is back, Titus Bramble looked good under Roeder and our experienced full backs are fit.

So the rollercoaster gets ready to take us all on another exciting and unpredictable journey.  Let’s hope before it gathers too much speed we have some new recruits on board and when it does gather speed Glenn doesn’t fall off.

HOWAY THE LADS!!!

* In previous seasons the last game in the Intertoto Cup was called a final, even though there was numerous, and the winners of each tie won a trophy. (See pictured) However, as this year’s final game is called the 3^rd Round, I suspect there will no trophy on offer for the winners.