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Blog on the Tyne is dedicated to bring Toon fans everywhere the most up to date NUFC views, opinions and comment.

The author Lee Ryder, proudly born and bred on Tyneside, has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.

From the high octane atmosphere of St James' Park to the Premiership grounds up and down the country and into Europe - this Blog has been there.

But the coverage doesn't stop at first team level.

Blog on the Tyne is also proud to be there to witness the future of the club with regular coverage of Newcastle United's reserve side, as well as all things black and white.

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A Sunday roast with a difference?

Posted by Lee on April 15, 2008 12:10 PM | 

Should Newcastle United lose to Sunderland on Sunday it would spark a public holiday on Wearside as well condemning Toon fans to months of misery that no amount of alcohol will make go away.

However, to do that, Roy Keane's team must come to St James's Park with fire in their bellies, overcome a team playing with confidence, silence a home crowd who will be hellbent on creating a cauldron of noise and somehow stop Oba Martins, Michael Owen and Mark Viduka from continuing their recent run of eight goals in the last four games between the goalscoring trio.

Oh, and Joey Barton's due a goal as well after a string of classy displays alongside the reborn figure of Geremi and the man possessed that is Nicky Butt.

And I forget to mention the watertight defence that Blog on the Tyne understands have been arguing over who gets to mark Kenwyne Jones.

OK, maybe I'm sounding too optimistic but can you see it going any other way than a home win?

Tempting fate maybe but the wave of optimism has left me to come to only two conclusions.

One is a resounding win similar to the 4-1 win in Alan Shearer's last game when the team were also on a fine late season run.

The other is the "freak" option that sees United batter Sunderland for 90 minutes without getting their rewards and then Michael Chopra scoring the winner at St James's Park.

But I certainly cannot see Sunderland coming to St James's Park and dominating the game and wiping the floor with United.

At Portsmouth United ran a good team very close in their own backyard while the teams that are still haunted by relegation in Reading and Fulham have been swept aside at St James's Park.

Then you have the Tottenham away win which resulted in them carving up the Londoners on the break four times on a day when it could easily have been more.

Nobody really needs to tell the lads ahead of Sunday that defeat is not an option and a draw would probably be like winning a trophy for Sunderland.

Bring it on.

WHAT DO YOU PREDICT FOR THE BIG ONE ON SUNDAY?

Comments (14)

Chris Gooch wrote...

"a draw would probably be like winning a trophy for Sunderland."

Something which Newcastle fans are very much accustomed to.

"And I forget to mention the watertight defence that Blog on the Tyne understands have been arguing over who gets to mark Kenwyne Jones."

The same defence who have conceded more goals than Sunderland's and who conceded 11 in 2 games against Man Utd???

Ryder's reply: Incorrect Chris, the defence against Man U was Carr, Taylor, Cacapa, Enrique in the 6-0 (with no manager) and in the 5-1 it was Beye, Taylor, Faye, N'Zogbia. Now that the current defence of Beye, Taylor, Faye and Enrique have had time to play together and KK has settled back in on Tyneside, the defence is playing with plenty of confidence.

Posted by: Chris Gooch  | April 15, 2008 1:39 PM

Ronnie Lambert wrote...

There they go Lee, twitching down under, getting the facts distorted, arguing pedantics instead of acknowledging that Newcastle ' are ' the in-form team with a charismatic manager who has decimated sales of Sugar Puffs on Weirdside again. Mike Ashley will go bankrupt now they've discovered Sports Direct in their mini-metro centre. Shock, Horror !! we won't be able to buy 5 international superstars in summer if they boycott that shop, just as Sugar Puffs are enjoying their best sales figures in years, yum, yum, mine were lovely this morning. Thankyou very much for the 4 points Sund'land, thankyou very much, thankyou very, very, very much..tum-tee-tum-tee-tum. We-ell, it's that time of year innit, that's why we love the mackems in 'our' league, I mean ( in tones of Alf Garnett ) if you can't larf at the mackems who can you larf at ? It's only natural innit ?

Posted by: Ronnie Lambert  | April 15, 2008 3:51 PM

Duncan Baines wrote...

I think we will score at least three goals and then even Joey Barton will hear 'the famous St. James' Park crowd'!

Posted by: Duncan Baines  | April 15, 2008 3:58 PM

yiannis mazis wrote...

Sunderland will play hard and try to stop MARK OBA and OWEN from scorring but i dont think they can do that,they are to slow at the back and MARTINS i think can do his first hat-trick .Only if GOD goes to sleep for 2 hours(its a joke we say in GREECE)they can come out of this .3-0 final scor.

Posted by: yiannis mazis  | April 15, 2008 4:06 PM

Egya wrote...

This derby is a big deal because we get bragging rights, but its insiginificant when it comes to next season. The most important thing I wish for is that by this time next season, we are amongst the european place. W need to sign some established starts in the 23-28 age bracket - a top defender, a good defensive midfielder, a flair attacking midfielder and a striker to put the heat on martisn and owen. Viduka has done a good job but he's getting on a bit. So is Butt. Some great signings will put us in the right direction if we have a squad who can keep a clean sheet and score goals.

Posted by:  Egya  | April 15, 2008 4:33 PM

Linz wrote...

I have to agree with Lee I cannot see it going any other way than a home win, the defence looks so much stronger now they have had time to settle and I really think enrique is going to be a big player for us next season and I just hope joey barton gets the winning goal...one he truly deserves, oh and in relation to chris gooch '' the same defence that conceeded 11 in 2 games against man utd''... 2 goals conceeded in 5 games doesnt look to shaky to me!!

Posted by: Linz  | April 15, 2008 5:18 PM

STEVE wrote...

The mackems arent as bad as theyre made out to be,they have one or two players that are a real handful,the trinidadian from the valleys that is kenwyne jones,in particular.John terry said hes the best centre forward in the air in the whole league....so if i was faye and taylor i'd be arguing who WASNT gonna be marking him,its gotta be faye for me.And wouldnt it just be like choppaz to nick a goal.......BUT,after dreading this game for the last 8 or so weeks,KK turns it around and now the game is one to look forward to.Youre right Lee,i can only see the 2 possible outcomes you said....but its gotta be the 2/3-1 for me......i know these games are usually tight,drab affairs,but i also cannot see nosworthy and the others stopping oba,mo and viduka......i look forward to the atmos,match and result.....howay the mags....was gonna say 3 nowt but i'll give them a goal from choppaz......3-1 to the most improved team in the prem....

Posted by: STEVE  | April 15, 2008 7:02 PM

Charles wrote...

Full confidence that Newcastle can get a win here. Not only have we the home advantage, we've got far more confidence than them plus a million times.

Jones may be a threat but so is Defoe, Robbie Keane, Berbatov and Bent and in the end how many goals they all got from us? One. Scored by a free header given to Bent.

If we continue with the same passion and bloodlust nature then we really got a chance to laugh them off with a thump. I really see at least a two goal margin, advantage to us.

But not to get too overconfident...remember Derby county, said we got at least 6 nil turned out a nightmare with them scoring against us and us having the most ineffective attacking force since using Harper as striker.

Predicting a two nil win for Newcastle. Having 55% possession, shot 8 times on target and a controversial incident happening that includes someone being sent off. Howay to the lads!

Posted by: Charles  | April 16, 2008 1:17 AM

Micheal Johnston wrote...

Lee,

By getting your excuse in early,

"The other is the "freak" option that sees United batter Sunderland for 90 minutes without getting their rewards and then Michael Chopra scoring the winner at St James's Park."

You Sound more like a realist full of false hope and bluster than an optimist.

Without doubt KK has done a great job of showing the world that you can make a silk purse out of a pig’s ear but you fail to credit Keano at your peril.

You Mags had better get used to looking up the table to see us.
A place by the way we would most certainly be occupying had it not been for some farcical refereeing decisions.

Still our supporters are man enough to accept the odd reversal without resorting to the paranoid nonsense that you have been espousing for most of the season.
Of which Blaming FSA for your plight was just one example.

I digress;
the matter at hand is the up coming victory by SUNDERLAND, you see I am a true optimist and can’t see any other out come.

B Happy

Micheal

Posted by: Micheal Johnston  | April 16, 2008 5:25 AM

Stew wrote...

"a draw would probably be like winning a trophy"

Your comment "battered them for 90 minutes and get a late goal" sounds a bit like dejavu to me if i remember rightly Sunderland battered Newcastle at The SOL and Newcastle escaped with a draw and Newcastle fans thought they had won a trophy!

Posted by: Stew  | April 16, 2008 10:17 AM

indian toon wrote...

it will be a very close game with nufc winning 2-1.
have a feeling chopra might score. what do you think Lee?

Ryder's reply: He'll be fired up for this one and looking at the record we've got with Geordie old boys scoring against us it is probably written in the stars, yet I still forecast an emphatic home victory.

Posted by: indian toon  | April 16, 2008 1:46 PM

mag in boro wrote...

Lee why even lower yourself to a response
those who shouldnt be named in fear of vomitting are clutching at straws,they gonna try and talk a good game(those who can string a sentence together)in the run up then cry til their next giro turns up

And yes we conceded 6 and 5 against the champions elect but have we conceded 7 in a game....

unbeaten in 5 soon to be 6 unbeaten in last 8 derby games soon to be 9

Our front 3 at least a goal apiece and a warm welcome home for judas chopra

BRITISH BY BIRTH
GEORDIE BY THE GRACE OF GOD


Posted by: mag in boro  | April 16, 2008 6:57 PM

John Best wrote...

Throw the form book away, this is a derby match and I expect a 1 - 1 draw. Sunderland are still in a bit of trouble and Roy Keene will have them up for it.

Posted by: John Best  | April 16, 2008 8:27 PM

Ronnie Lambert wrote...

Now howay lads be fair, Chops was wor hero last season when he equalised at SOL, and he never wanted to leave SJP. Same as Clarkie who had little choice when he signed for them. It's quite a brave thing to do while you still live up here, but ' Judas ' is a bit harsh for the lad. Clarkie never got ' Judas ' to my recollection, because he'd done brilliantly in our promotion to the premiership, Chops didn't achieve as much as he'd have liked but he's still a Geordie in body and soul. He'd be back in a jiffy if the chance arose, and if he was good enough.

Posted by: Ronnie Lambert  | April 17, 2008 4:30 PM

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