Season 2006-2007

NEWCASTLE UNITED

 v

WEST HAM UNITED

Given, Harper
Carr, Solano, Edgar, Ramage, Huntington
Milner, Butt, Parker, Pattison, Troisi, Gate
Martins, Dyer, Sibierski, Luque, Carroll, LuaLua

- Michael Owen (knee), as we know, is out till next year with the injury he picked up at the World Cup.
- Shola Ameobi (hip), is out for the season after his hip operations.
- Craig Moore (hamstring), still has no return date.
- Olivier Bernard (hip), is out for the season.
- Charles N'Zogbia (knee), hopes to be back in early February.
- Titus Bramble (calf), is back in training but still isn’t ready to return.
- Celestine Babayaro (hamstring), is still out.
- Damien Duff (knee), still isn't ready to return.
- Emre (groin), is still missing.
- Steven Taylor is suspended.

My thoughts:

In the fickle world of football these days, confidence in a team and the manager can be lost in a matter of defeats. Roeder and the players will be desperate to wipe clean the memories of the midweek disaster. The pressure will be on them to get an early goal and get back to playing some free flowing football. If the opposite happens, the crowd will no doubt get restless and the wounds of Wednesday will start to open up.

In many ways playing another home game so soon after losing 1-5, is good thing. Not much time will be spent wallowing in self pity and doubt, and as the old saying goes “if you fall off the horse, get back on it as quickly as possible”.

With Steven Taylor suspended and Peter Ramage a doubt, our makeshift defence looks like becoming even more makeshift. Nicky Butt will probably move back to play centre-half alongside either Huntington, Edgar or Ramage. Stephen Carr is back in the squad but probably won't be 100% ready to start this game and with Nobby suspended for our next game (which is 11 days away) Carr will no doubt be saved for then.

Scott Parker is back from injury and will fill the hole left by Nicky Butt in midfield. In an ideal world Sibierski would be dropped, with Dyer moving up front but it doesn't look like Roeder will have that luxury.

West Ham have an awful away record in the Premiership, having won 0, drew 2 and lost 9, so this should be a home banker. However, with all our injuries and makeshift defence anything could happen really and probably will. Well it wouldn't Newcastle United if it didn't...
 

HOWAY THE LADS!!!