Newcastle vs Smoggies

[kennethlindheim]

Two teams in poor form meet at St James' Park, as Newcastle play host to Middlesbrough.

Two away defeats over the festive period have left Magpies chief Graeme Souness with plenty to ponder, while a four-game winless run has seen Middlesbrough slip towards the foot of the table.

Both managers will be looking for an upturn in form, but Newcastle's cause was not helped by injuries in their defeat at Spurs.

Inspirational keeper Shay Given seems certain to miss out with a thumb injury, while England marksman Michael Owen is set to sit out the next ten weeks with a broken bone in his foot.

Steve Harper will be a more than able understudy for Given, but replacements for Owen are thin on the ground.

Shola Ameobi has been attempting to forge a career as a left winger in recent games, but he could be returned to the centre alongside Alan Shearer and this could hand Spanish star Albert Luque the chance to prove his class.

Souness will look for Scott Parker and Amdy Faye to boss the middle of the park, with Emre still short of fitness, while Titus Bramble and Jean-Alain Boumsong looked more assured in the defeat at Spurs and will likely continue in the centre of defence.

Souness also saw young full back Peter Ramage pick up an Achilles injury at Spurs and he looks set to miss the Tyne-Tees derby.

Boro boss McClaren felt his players showed signs of emerging from their slumber in the 0-0 draw with Manchester City, but his plans could be disrupted as striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni faces a late fitness test on a hip complaint.

Should the free-scoring Nigerian miss out, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink will step into the breach to partner Mark Viduka.

Boro sorely miss George Boateng, while Fabio Rochemback is also absent, and how Doriva and Gaizka Mendieta fare against Parker and Faye could shape the outcome of the contest.

This surely has to be 3 points. If we get in the habit of dropping points at home we are in trouble.

[Pennywise]

We were lucky who got one point in this match. The supporters were malcontents when the referee ended the match, and I don't think Souness will sleep well in the coming days.

We have to add that Newcastle United played without Emre, Parker, Dyer, Owen, Taylor, Bowyer and Carr .

Credit to Lee Clark for saving at least one point. Not credit to Titus Bramble who helped Boro to score the second goal with a stupid pass.

[c.ronaldo#1]

I like the avatar. Souness is the worst manager ive ever seen. Blackburn can't believe there luck, what a team they look like right now.

[kennethlindheim]

A draw is the worst possible result for us. I think we needed to lose for him to go, which would have been acceptable, or we could have won which is 3 points - now we get only a point and the ***** stays. FFS

Player ratings:

Given - 6 - Not Much to do...
Ramage - 8 - Defended very well and linked up nicely with Solano...
Bramble - 6 - Did well until he stuffed up going forward...
Boumsong - 6 - IMO done well from set pieces and was the better man out of him and Viduka..
Elliot - 5 - He was on 4 until he dove on the ball which was NOT a penalty... Right call...
Solano - 9 - My Man Of the Match - Did well cutting in and putting Luque through, deserved the goal
Clark - 7 - Did well, deserved the goal...
Faye - 7 - Did well getting back and helping out the back 4...
Ameobi - 6 - Poor first touches but did well after that...
Shearer - 8 - Done well, won everything up in the air, put done most of his work back towards the goal
Luque - 7 - Ran, ran, ran. Should of got a goal, Offside way to many times. But looked hungry...

Subs

N'Zogbia - 7 - Very creative in the box...
Babayaro - 6 - Done his job...