Preview: Newcastle Utd vs West Ham Utd – 24/08/13

Match preview by Tirer le Ryan Oison Une, click here to go the our match discussion thread

15:00 Kick-Off

The venue, St James’ Park

Newcastle sit bottom of the league after an uninspiring defeat to last years runners up Manchester City, whilst West Ham are in 4th after they secured a solid home win against newly promoted Cardiff.

Newcastle vs West Ham fixture history

Previous 10 fixtures at St James’ Park

11 November 2012 Home Lost 0-1
05 January 2011 Home Won 5-0
10 January 2009 Home Drew 2-2
23 September 2007 Home Won 3-1
20 January 2007 Home Drew 2-2
20 August 2005 Home Drew 0-0
19 August 2002 Home Won 4-0
27 April 2002 Home Won 3-1
16 April 2001 Home Won 2-1
03 January 2000 Home Drew 2-2

W5 L1 D4

All Premier League fixtures

04 May 2013 Away Drew 0-0
11 November 2012 Home Lost 0-1
05 January 2011 Home Won 5-0
23 October 2010 Away Won 1-2
10 January 2009 Home Drew 2-2
20 September 2008 Away Lost 3-1
26 April 2008 Away Drew 2-2
23 September 2007 Home Won 3-1
20 January 2007 Home Drew 2-2
17 September 2006 Away Won 0-2
17 December 2005 Away Won 2-4
20 August 2005 Home Drew 0-0
11 January 2003 Away Drew 2-2
19 August 2002 Home Won 4-0
27 April 2002 Home Won 3-1
23 September 2001 Away Lost 3-0
16 April 2001 Home Won 2-1
28 October 2000 Away Lost 1-0
12 April 2000 Away Lost 2-1
03 January 2000 Home Drew 2-2
20 March 1999 Away Lost 2-0
31 October 1998 Home Lost 0-3
07 February 1998 Home Lost 0-1
20 September 1997 Away Won 0-1
06 May 1997 Away Drew 0-0
16 November 1996 Home Drew 1-1
18 March 1996 Home Won 3-0
21 February 1996 Away Lost 2-0
08 March 1995 Home Won 2-0
31 August 1994 Away Won 1-3
19 March 1994 Away Won 2-4
25 September 1993 Home Won 2-0

W14 L9 D9

Likely NUFC team:

This fixture sees not only the return of two former Newcastle players in Carroll and Nolan, but also a visit of our current manager’s previous team for his 100th league game in charge at Newcastle. However Carroll is apparently injured and will not feature, so I guess that prevents him scoring against us. Alan Pardew spent 3 years with the Hammers, guiding them to promotion to the Premier League, and to a Europa League spot. Following a brief period of success he then managed to cock it up incredibly and sent them on a run that was their worst for 70 years and was promptly shown the door after a 4-0 loss. At Newcastle he appears to be repeating himself, after an initial successful first full season in charge where we flirted with CL for much of the season, Newcastle were then nearly relegated the season after. Fortunately for Pardew, he was given the confidence of the board, yet he must have been fearing for his job after another 4-0 loss last Monday.

Newcastle looked void of attacking threat and although started in a promising 4-3-3 formation, quickly reverted to 4-4-2 with Gutierrez back on the wing and Cissé isolated. Alan Pardew appeared to have told his players to play a passing game high up the pitch. Unfortunately that involved leaving one man back against the pace of Aguero, Silva and Navas, and City soon scored on their 3rd break of the match after 6 minutes. The manager will be quick to point, however, to the series of events which he had no control over which ultimately resulted in our heavy defeat. He was not helped by Arsenal’s untimely bid for central midfielder Yohan Cabaye, who was promptly sent home hours before the game. Cabaye would have surely been in the starting XI, disrupting any game plan and it remains to be seen whether or not he will feature this weekend. Another player who will definitely not feature will be Steven Taylor, who in the 3rd minute of added time at half time decided to try and hit Aguero round the head, leaving his side with 45 minutes to play 2-0 down with 10 men. Many Newcastle fans will be glad to see the back of him after this incident, as they will Jonas Gutiérrez who limped off after pulling up with a hamstring injury. Another doubt is Tioté who has apparently tweaked his groin and so may not feature.

But it’s not all doom and gloom as Mifune will insist. Newcastle have only lost once to West Ham at home in the last 10 fixtures, and despite selling our previous game winners in this fixture to the opposing team, it should be a more evenly contested match than both teams experienced last weekend.

Line up rumours:
Shola Ameobi starting (according to @NUFCfans)
Andy Carroll is still struggling with an ankle injury.
Razvan Rat and Stewart Downing may make their full debuts for the Hammers