Newcastle v Blackburn Preview: Andy Carroll's Threat Worries Sam Allardyce

Posted Wednesday, November 10, 2010 by sportinglife.aol.co.uk

PREMIER LEAGUE: ST JAMES' PARK, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2010. KICK-OFF: 1945 GMT

When Sam Allardyce admitted defeat in the battle with his raging ego, and stated he would be more than at home in charge of Real Madrid, nowhere were pints more choked into and eyebrows raised higher than on Tyneside.

Managing Newcastle remains one of English football's larger tasks, but it is still a notch or two below dealing with life at the Bernabeu.

So, after failing so miserably in the north east in the biggest job he's ever likely to have, how the man at the helm at Blackburn, or Big Sham as he's known by the Toon Army, could keep a straight face when mentioning himself in the same breath as Jose Mourinho is beyond most St James' Park regulars. He later claimed he was joking, but we all know better.

Okay, so he wasn't given much of a chance after Mike Ashley bought the club, the new owner soon showing his populist streak, doing away with Allardyce with rather indecent haste to install a certain Kevin Keegan.

But let's be fair, while Joey Barton has finally started to flourish three years on, Sam didn't do himself many favours by signing the wastes of space that were Geremi, Claudio Cacapa, David Rozehnal and Mark Viduka before departing for his spiritual home of Lancashire after a turgid eight months in charge.

And so the 56-year-old embarks on his latest revenge mission to show Ashley the error of his ways, although whatever the outcome, he will always have a tangible reminder of his ill-fated reign.

His Spanish villa 'Casa St James'' was bought with the proceeds of his handsome pay-off. Whether the venue it is named in ironic honour of turns out to be a home from home remains to be seen. Given each side's respective recent form, a point would be a decent result for the visitors.

Key Match-Up: Andy Carroll v Ryan Nelsen: If you are of a nervous disposition, then please look away now. It's the irresistible force against the immovable object. If you enjoy your football in the raw, just, as you suspect, these two prefer their meat, then keep an eye on this intriguing sub-plot. It comes with a PG rating - potentially gruesome.

Form Guide: Newcastle are on the back of three consecutive top flight victories for the first time in two-and-a-half years. Blackburn's victory over Wigan ended a four-game winless streak which had taken hold in the wake of their only away win of the season, which came at Blackpool at the end of September.

Odds: Newcastle 11/5, Blackburn 5/1, Draw 4/1

NEWCASTLE UNITED:
They have already come a cropper counting their chickens this season, but doesn't opportunity knock for Chris Hughton and his bunch of Premier League upstarts?

Sitting comfortably in the top six, with winnable home games against against Blackburn and Fulham - joint tally of away wins this season, one - on the horizon, maybe they can go on to emulate that third place finish clinched by Keegan's side on their return to the top flight back in the mists of time after all? Hang on a minute. Of course they can't.

Those expecting six points over the next few days clearly aren't keen students of all things Newcastle United. They never do things the easy way, so while adding Arsenal to Everton in their list of impressive away scalps, it almost shouldn't have come as a surprise that in between they should harvest just a single point at home to the combined might of Blackpool, Stoke and Wigan.

Conversely, they've scored 11 times in their two home wins, against Aston Villa and Sunderland. It's already been a season where unpredictability is the only thing you can predict with any degree of confidence, and Newcastle, on their return to the Premier League, appear to be happy to simply go with the flow.

Keen not to go overboard after a start to the season that has exceeded the wildest dreams of most Newcastle supporters, Hughton said: "It's a good start, but that's all it is. We're under no illusios as to how tough a division this is and we can't get carried away or take our eye off the ball."

Strategy: Little reason to change things when they're working so well. Any late injuries aside, Hughton is of a mind to once again name an unchanged line-up, and who can blame him? Steven Taylor, Sol Campbell and Danny Guthrie wait in the wings for the inevitable injuries an suspensions, but at present the line-up picks itself.

Injury Update: It is as you were on the injury front, with Dan Gosling (knee), Steve Harper (shoulder), Leon Best (ankle), and Hatem Ben Arfa (broken leg) all sidelined.

BLACKBURN ROVERS:
Allardyce is refusing to get caught up in the hype surrounding his first return to Newcastle since his acrimonious exit.

The Rovers, chief left St James' Park in January 2008 after his sterile brand of football failed to win over the fans, but Allardyce, who could earn a hot reception following his six-month spell, played down the significance of the clash.

He said: "It's a long time ago now. It's now getting on for three years since the move to Newcastle and a lot of water has gone under the bridge.

"The experience was not as good as I wanted it to be for various reasons that are well-documented. "I do regret that I did not have long enough at the club. But that's in the past now."

Allardyce admits his side will have to cope with the aerial power of Andy Carroll. Carroll was farmed out on loan during Big Sam's reign on Tyneside - but Allardyce says the giant striker who has been tipped for an England call-up is an all different animal now.

He added: "They love a No.9. It is a big ask for any player to come along and live up to the expectations of the previous number nines.

"But Andy certainly has the character and the ability because nothing seems to faze him. There are still a few rough edges, but he is showing he is a big threat in the Premier League even at his age.

"Six goals already this season proves that. Look at the goal he scored against Arsenal in the last game. There are few players who could have scored that."

Strategy:
Allardyce know the Newcastle fans can become frustrated if things are not going their way, so hi ploy will be to stifle the hosts by packing the midfield. It's a tactic that has stifled many sides already this season and you can expect him to do the same here.El Hadji Diouf, who appears to have shaken off a groin injury, will once again be key to Allardyce's chances.

Injury Update: Blackburn have been hit with a string of injuries. Steven N'Zonzi, Martin Olsson, Vince Grella, Benjani and Keith Andrews are all out. But Diouf is set to be fit along with David Dunn in what's a major boost to Rovers.