Newcastle and Middlesbrough battle for survival

On Monday evening St James' Park is the backdrop for Newcastle and Middlesbrough fight for Premier League survival. With both clubs locked in the final three points below Hull City a victory could provide them the needed spur in the "great escape".

To call the campaign "difficult" for both sides is a grand understatement to say the least, ranking with those reports in early 2008 that referred to the worlds financial fortune "slowing". Few would have expected Newcastle's fortune to have fallen so fast and the same should be said of 'Boro, led by the superb young manager Gareth Southgate. However as these things often go, fortunes have turned and both clubs are faced with very dark days without a victory.

For Newcastle, the hazy lazy days of August brought a quick start but as the clubs financial underpinnings began to shake the spiral down accelerated. The loss of James Milner to Aston Villa heralded the on-going problems and soon Kevin Keegan handed his resignation. Whilst demonstrations waged on by supporters in the fall of 2008, few recognized the collapsing asset value of owner Mike Ashley that was later acknowledged six months later. Though the owner bellowed of selling the club, truth be told the debauchery in the worlds financial markets derailed these efforts as the underlying value, like the play, spiraled down. With every home encounter looking as a setting for a mutiny Joe Kinnear was summoned to calm the storm. The fiery Irishman did a solid job instilling a siege mentality but without the financial resources the club was unable to make the necessary moves during the January transfer window effectively forcing them to simply reshuffle the deck for the last half of the campaign. Time, this dreaded foe that awaits us all, played a nasty turn on the former Wimbledon leader and as heart grew weak, it was time to adjourn his managerial role. Stumbling through the caretaker leadership of Chris Hughton, Newcastle made one last-ditch effort with number 9 riding-in from the horizon as the sun went down.

It has been a rough ride for Mr Shearer as he has learned that Newcastle's cupboard is bare and as much as it pains me to say it, the grit and determination that he played with is a rare breed in today's world. Now after five weeks in his presence, with three match-days remaining in the campaign, somehow the Magpies must dig within their hearts, play above themselves or should I say, play how number 9 did for over three-hundred times for Newcastle.

There are naturally ups and downs of this installment of the Tyne-Tees derby with players lost to injury and suspension but make no mistake, this is a battle that will be won on the measure of claret. A battle where injuries must be shook off and every blade of grass is fought for and no ball left unchallenged.

Man City return to winning form defeating Boro 1-0

With the disappointment of last weeks loss to Stoke City behind them, Manchester City responded with a tidy 1-0 victory over relegation threatened Middlesbrough. The victory was far from easy as both 'keepers denied a number of glistening opportunities and kept the match close to the bitter end.

The match marked the debut of Shay Given in sky-blue and the Republic of Ireland lived up to the billing with four show stopping saves. Not to be outdone, in his third match for the Citizens, Wales captain Craig Bellamy was the deciding factor with his slick left-footed strike the found the net six minutes after the re-start.

Gareth Southgate's side showed its typical strong effort and whilst their opportunities came at a premium, Afonso Alves was robbed with each of his four efforts by the new keeper. Starting mid-way the opening half and seven minutes before the break each seemed ear-marked for the goal but it was not to be.

City's efforts showed significant more resolve but were consistently denied by Boro 'keeper Brad Jones. Five minutes before the break, it looked like the deadlock would finally be broken Wayne Bridge crossed to Stephen Ireland but his header rang off the woodwork. Quickly Boro went on the attack and once again Shay Given denied the former Heerenveen-man Alves after he was provided a through ball by Didier Digard.

After a number of squandered opportunities before the break, City found the matches lone goal six minutes after the restart. Following a harmless looking pass from Nigel de Jong to Craig Bellamy a morsel beyond the top right-hand edge of the box, the Welsh striker, moved to his left out maneuvering Boro's Mad Dog defender, Emanuel Pogatetz and skirted a ball to the far corner with his left foot.

Hunting for the insurance goal, City came close but dare I say close as each thrust forward fell short. However Boro's search for the equalizer was not to be and the match wound down with City taking the 1-0 victory.

Man City v Middlesbrough match preview

Gareth Southgate's troubled Middlesbrough visit Eastlands Saturday afternoon in a desperate hunt for goals. Boro is in the midst of a twelve match win-less streak that has seen the superb young managers side fall into the relegation zone and threatened his own position with the club. Of course the sky isn't perfect for Mark Hughes as despite his ownerships heavy investment, the Citizens languish mid table after being felled by Stoke City and many are calling for the former Wales manager job.

For City supporters the on-again, off-again performance of these campaign has you waiting for a quality performance against 'Boro following the dreadful impression of a professional team last week. Yet the story this week and there always is a story with City, as been the arrest of Micah Richards on assault charges. With that issue put on the back burner for the time being, Shaun Wright-Phillips has been allowed greater time to appeal the FA's violent conduct charge and will feature in the match. Presumably he feels confident of winning the charge as he would have been best served to start his match ban immediately and be available for West Ham match on March 1. Assuming he does not win the case, he will have delayed his suspension and ruled himself out of the West Ham match, which is considerably more difficult than 'Boro.

For City the match will make the debut of Shay Given who came over Newcastle and will be another piece to solving the defensive puzzle that has troubled Mark Hughes' side. City can expect a highly defensive strategy by visiting Middlesbrough as they look to pounce on the counter-attack and replicate their early season 2-0 victory over the Citizens.

Boxing Day at Riverside

After all the leftovers and just one more helping of Christmas pudding, Everton supporters will be able to cozy up and watch Middlesbrough at Riverside this Boxing Day. While the Toffees sit comfortably at seventh in the table, the climb to fifth which is presently occupied by Arsenal is a steep one. With five points to make up for a Europa League slot, Everton needs to keep its brilliant run on the road against Gareth Southgate’s side. ‘Boro is looking fully-fit with only Gary O’Neil questionable and have the striking duo of Tuncay Şanlı and Egyptian international Mido ready to go. David Moyes will need to be at his tactical best as Louis Saha and Victor Anichebe are still out along with Leon Osman and Joseph Yobo both being questionable.

"we're all in this together"

After being substituted in the Newcastle’s recent match against Middlesbrough, Obafemi Martins was visibly upset and proceeded directly down the tunnel as opposed to joining his teammates. There was some question on how Joe Kinnear would handle the situation but that was answered with an emphatic statement of support by the boss:

“I read over the weekend that we were ready to take disciplinary action against Oba, but this will definitely not be the case.

“I’d never fine a player who shows any disappointment at being called off, because I want every player to feel this way, and I can understand how Oba felt at being substituted.

“Oba’s a very talented player for us, and a very individual striker.

“He’s so focused on scoring goals that he sometimes misses the chance to set up a pass, but this is probably something all great strikers are guilty off.

“At the moment we have four top strikers in Oba, Michael Owen, Mark Viduka and Shola Ameobi, and when we start with two of them, this does not mean that we’ll not involve the other two at some time in the game, and this is what happened at Middlesbrough.

“They will share the workload, and all I want them to do is to score us goals.

“I don’t need to remind any of them that we’re all in this together.

“We’re all responsible for trying to get the best for Newcastle United, but having said this, I’ve never been afraid to make any difficult decisions if it’s for the good of the team.

“That’s what I did at Middlesbrough when I sent Mark Viduka on for Oba, and it nearly paid off.

“Viduka wasn’t too far away from grabbing the winner for us late on in the game.”

stubborn Magpies hold Middlesbrough to scoreless draw

The Tyne-Tees derby ended in a scoreless draw at a fog-embraced Riverside Stadium. Whilst Gareth Southgate's 'Boro side controlled much of the play after the break, the Magpie's displayed a stubborn defensive side that would not allow the final touch. As per usual (or is it a "given") Republic of Ireland international Shay Given came to the rescue denying Justin Hoyte from point-blank range with sixteen minutes remaining and re-affirming this lofty status as one of best 'keepers in the game today. The match also saw the welcomed return of Mark Viduka and while it might cause a morsel of lineup problems and in my most tactful "festive" manner he is in-need of a bit more fitness work, it will definitely be a major addition to the club.

Obafemi Martins can come close to giving Newcastle the lead ten minutes before the break but his shot clanged off the bar to safety. Presumably Gareth Southgate rattled the war drums at the break as 'Boro came out on the attack and dictated much of the play. As expected, Turkish international Tuncay Şanlı was a typical whirlwind creating chances but his efforts went unanswered. Twenty minutes after re-start Mark Viduka was introduced as you might expect "warmly" received by the 'Boro fans where he spent three seasons before coming scooting up the A19. The Melbourne native immediately got himself into the mix and with roughly twenty minutes remaining he looked to be on the end of the scoring drive but his volley was blocked by Austrian international Emanuel Pogatetz. "Mad Dog" Pogatetz, in his normal warm, delightful manner, was all over the pitch today and thwarted a number of glorious Magpie opportunities. Heroics were in-store for Shay Given as he robbed Justin Hoyte with sixteen minutes remaining in what seemed destined to be the go-ahead goal. The final piece of drama was saved for the introduction of Mido into 'Boro's lineup and while the Egyptian international wasn't able to create the winning goal, he appeared to be confident and well on the way to full recovery.

If there was a drawback to the match it is the Obafemi Martins reaction of being substituted by Mark Vidulka as he immediately made his way to the dressing room, ignoring his teammates. Somewhat confidently, I expect Joe Kinnear to deal with the situation with all the charm and suave demeanor we've come to expect.

Newcastle returns action next Saturday as Stoke City visits St James' Park.

Tyne-Tees derby match preview

The fifteenth week of the season has Newcastle off to tangle with Middlesbrough at Riverside in the 120th Tyne-Tees derby. With the Magpies third from the bottom of the table, every match is of critical importance and why this might seem peculiar to say given the clubs position in the table, there is reason for considerable optimism. Last weeks scoreless draw at Stamford Bridge reaffirmed a gritty, never-surrender attitude that defines the club and proof of the clubs positive response to Joe Kinnear. Todays decision to reward him with a full extension of his contract will provide the stability the club need and continue to bond the team.

Standing in the way of success this afternoon is the Gareth Southgate led-Middlesbrough. There is no conceivable reason why Mr. Southgate isn't lauded on a daily basis for his explempary work but incredibly after a stellar playing career, he picked-up in the managerial world with similar abilities and consistently have 'Boro ready to play with the best of the Premier League. While his club is coming off two sub-par performances, first a draw to Everton and last weekends dreadful loss to Bolton they will receive a major boost today as just-in-time for the match their great striker Mido returns from injury. Newcastle must pay particular care with the Egyptian striker as he is one of the most potent attacking options in the Premier League and coupled with Turkish international, Tuncay Şanlı, a fully-fit 'Boro is certainly capable of winning a sport in the new UEFA Europa League

On the injury front Newcastle's Damien Duff and Shola Ameobi are out but both Mark Viduka and Steven Taylor are available. While he shouldn't be expected to see a great amount of playing time, if at all, the impact of Mark Viduka will be enormous and a major emotional lift for the Magpies. As you would expect of this great derby, it will be a spirited affair without a blade of grass given-up easily.

I will report on it as it concludes.

Damien Duff and Shola Ameobi doubtful for 'Boro

Heading into the weekend's match-up against Middlesbrough it appears that the Magpies will be without Damien Duff and Shola Ameobi who were both injured during practice yesterday.

Joe Kinnear said of the injuries:

"We'll have to wait and see, but both players are doubtful at the moment

"We don't know if they'll be fit enough but we'll know more on Saturday morning."

and now Steven Taylor?

It seems things are slowly falling in line for the Magpies as along with the return of Mark Viduka, Steven Taylor looks healthy and ready to go for this Saturdays match-up against Middlesbrough at Riverside. The U21 England captain has been out since injuring his groin in the Aston Villa match but may have a bit of a fight for his spot. Joe Kinnear talked of this back-line saying:

"We were up against some of the best players in Europe at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, yet we were well organised. In fact, it was the best I have seen Habib Beye perform since I came here. But really both he and Fabricio Coloccini have done well all season, and Sébastien Bassong showed what a good player he is when he is in his normal central defensive position. And I must say I thought José Enrique handled Joe Cole as well as I have seen anybody do."

Middlesbrough at Goodison Park

While it certainly didn't start out easily, David Moyes has Everton tucked nicely in the upper half of the table, verging on the all-important top five. Venturing into todays match the Toffees are seventh in the table and have a perfect chance to make up valuable points on Arsenal which continued to slide off yesterday.

David Moyes is pleased with play of late:
"We are in a good league position and the players have performed really well in as far as we have got results and we have come back from behind in several games so that is good."

Everton is reporting a fully-fit squad with both Yakubu and Steven Pienaar healthy and pressing for duty while 'Boro will still be without Mido. Gareth Southgate's club is unbeaten in the previous four matches including handsome victories over 'Villa and Man City.

Enjoy the match, it's about to start and after a miserable 48 hours I finally have an stable internet connection. My apologies for being late with this preview but it has been a trying few days.

Gareth Southgate wants to play Man City every week

Following the celebratory Stoke City victory Gareth Southgate's Middlesbrough brought Man City back to reality with a 2-0 loss. The story of the match could easily be said to be the 'Boro back-line of Chris Riggott, Andrew Taylor, David Wheater and skipper Emanuel Pogatetz holding the City attack and skewing sight-lines. Whilst City were able to generate a number of attempts, they weren't high percentage attempts and largely due in part to the classic work on Boro's back-line and stellar goalkeeping by Ross Turnbull. Scoreless to the break, Afonso Alves scored from the spot at the fifty-third minute after Daniel Sturridge was adjudged to fouling David Wheater in the area. Man City seemed to lack urgency and attempts to level were few and far between. Deep into added-time Gary O'Neil doubled the final score with Middlesbrough defeating Man City 2-0.

Mark Hughes has his forces back on the pitch this Sunday against Bolton.

City travels to Middlesbrough

After this weekends tremendous victory Mark Hughes Man City makes the short-trip to Middlesbrough.

The only omission from City's squad is Jô with Wales international Ched Evans and Richard Dunne expected to be healthy from injuries sustained against Stoke City.

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate will likely be without Egyptian international Mido with Robert Huth and Justin Hoyte definitely out.

How much of Middlesbrough 8-1 thrashing of Man City remains to be seen but it certainly is fresh in minds of true City supporters.

I will report on the match as it concludes.