Newcastle United Preview

The next stop on this season's rollercoaster ride of major to not-so-major disappointments is Charleton(on Fox Soccer Channel at noon ET on Saturday), and (Look away if you're not prepared for a mind-numbing pun...) Newcastle will be the ones trying to prove they're not ...charlatAns. (SCORE!) After a great midweek performance to pounce all over Pompey 3-0 (I predicted 2-1 and for it to be won in the back...I suppose I was about 60% correct on that one, assuming 50% correct just by getting the win right), the Maggies will hope to stay on the bounce against the lowest of the lows in the Prem. Now, here's the deal. It's Charleton. We're playing at St. James. If we can't pick up three points from this match, let's just go ahead and switch places with Cardiff RIGHT NOW and nurse some of our injuries, because we're going to end up in the Championship anyway.

That being said - it's quite possible that it could happen. We've got, once again, a long list of, at least partial, injuries: Dyer, Ameobi, Martins, Emre, Sibierski, Butt, Given...and that could potentially hurt us. (A moment for an aside to talk about the injury to Dyer's eye, just days after coming off a 6-month layoff: I think it's a blessing in disguise. We rushed him back just a bit for a hammy problem. Now, although he says he feels fine, Roeder definitely had some pressure to do something. So I say, if it's just his eye and not his hammy, let him rest his whole body for another two weeks, and come back extra strong. Maybe it's even a conspiracy just to give the lad a bit more time getting back to fitness...who knows) Anyway, with our list of injuries, and Charleton's list of returners (including the dangerous Darren Bent who we should have signed this off season) it could make for another mammouth disappointment.

Here's what we have to do to win. Field a team which is halfway decent and doesn't give up a silly goal. That's it. That's all. Therefore, as long as we keep Bramble on the bench, I think we'll win this one. Lineup: Harper/Babayaro, Taylor, Ramage, Carr/Duff, N'Zogbia, Parker, Solano/Rossi, Milner. Bring on Luque in the 60th. Zogs can play basically wherever, so let him slot in for the injured Emre, keep the hot Solano on the side, and put his counterpart, Milner, into striker position, who has shown he can definitely score. I think it's a solid lineup that can control the ball and the pace of the match.

My Official Prediction:
Newcastle United: 2-0 : Charleton