I think this is really poor judgment for a number of reasons. Firstly, what sort of message does it send out to Griff that he is second choice to someone with so little experience at right back after being second choice to someone on poor form? Secondly, it heaps the insults onto Wozza. Thirdly, Ziege is on the form of his life and, even without Solano so prone to going missing, can we really expect someone with so little experience at RB as Hughes has to counter him? This could all end in tears.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

Answers

Mystifying - as ever, it would be nice to get an explanation.
Perhaps AG isn't 100% fit yet, although he was supposed to have returned to training during the week.
I've got no probs with Hughsie playing, but if fit either Griffin or Wozza really should be on the bench.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

Bet your life Griffin has picked up another knock or is not fully recovered from the last one.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

.com report Griffin in squad?

Where does the latest come from?

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

The official site - they make a point of saying Griff is fit but not selected which suggests it's not just an omission although they could be wrong, I suppose. I hope they are.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

Interesting to see that Distin will play from start.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

If Griffin is genuinely unfit, and Barton is on his way out, then it's pointless playing either of them. I wouldn't have minded seeing Griffin doing his usual man marking on Ziege, but Hughes is a pretty competent player and should do fine. It'll probably end up being Rob Lee getting back and defending against Ziege, although he should really be picking up Poyet.

I honestly can't see us keeping a clean sheet, so hopefully Bellamy has his shooting boots on and can beat the keeper first time.

.com reckon that LuaLua was twice the plaer Ameobi was against Leeds in the reserves and deserves a place on the bench ahead of Shola.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

It gets worse

From .com:

Sylvain Distin will be handed his full debut in tomorrow's pay-per- view Premiership clash with Spurs. Bobby has opted for a back three of Dabizas, O'Brien and Distin with Aaron Hughes given a man-marking job on Toon terrorist, Gus Poyet.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

Aye, just like Clarky put down on the team pick :)

It's interesting, but at least we've done our homework and have a plan to beat Poyet. However, we never look comfortable with anything except 4-4-2 and I've got a feeling tomorrow might not work out. It'll take a while to settle, we'll concede early on and the crowd will get annoyed, confidence drops and the second half is easy for Spurs. Sorry to be so negative but it's just what I fear is going to happen.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

By the way, isn't "Toon terrorist" a little bit PL?

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

Sorry that should be PC

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

Wrong again :) It isn't very PC

(I'm a bit Arsenal today - not on the ball)

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

Paul, I couldn't agree more. I can't remember us ever playing well with 3 at the back. Besides which, I know Hughesie has done some great manmarking jobs in the past, but this is Poyet...

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

Aye, after keeping two clean sheets in a row fannying around with the defence, and the personnel, makes a whole pile of sense.
If '.com' are right, and this all goes to sh*te tomorrow I'll be pretty brassed off.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

as if you need an excuse Clarky ?

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

Apparently the received wisdom regarding tomorrow's team selection, IF ".com" are correct, is that Spurs have a bit of height in the side and Poyet always causes us problems. So, it seems Distin is to play in a back three and Hughes will man-mark Poyet.

This raises some additional questions:

* who will play at WB?
* who drops out of m/f to make way for Hughes?

I guess either Robbie Elliott - who didn't play very well last week - or more likely Olivier Bernard could play LWB. The prospect of Solano marking Ziege doesn't fill me with confidence, but that is what we can look forward to.

Presumably either Lee or Speed will be left out to accomodate Hughes in m/f. Poyet has certainly caused us problems in the past - but usually from dead-ball situations. However, do we really need to man mark him in open play, to the detriment of the general team formation and pattern? Certainly not in my view.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

"I'll play anywhere, me. Centre half, left back, right back, holding midfielder, whatever the f**k that position Bobby had me in against Troyes at home was... I don't mind. It's all part of the education".

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

Christ, whats with all the doom and gloom. We could get into the top 3 tomorrow if we win (or equal on points). At least we now have options at the back. If Wozza never played for us again, I wouldnt lose any sleep, we always play better when he is not in the squad. Im going for a win tomorrow!! Howay the lads. Am

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

It's in our nature to pick out the bad points, that's our job as Newcastle fans unfortunately.

We do have a lot of strong points though, pace with Bellamy and Robert being a major one - Spurs aren't a particularly quick side and I can see us scoring at least a couple tomorrow. The idea is right with playing Distin because of his height, but in an untried formation it is risky. We've all seen good ideas turn into disasters, especially with the 3 at the back. Hopefully Bobby will prove us all wrong, but I would stick with 4-4-2 at home regardless of the opposition. At the end of the day we are going to have to try to score as many as we can and go all out attack, if we do which IMHO we are perfectly capable of well and truly beating Spurs. It all depends on how well Speed plays. If he joins the attack like he should we can really trouble them.

Still fancy Solano for the opener.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

AwayMag, it's essentially because we have seen it all before: a couple of good results, then a loss where we should win (West Ham and Liverpool this season). The thing is set up beautifully: we always beat Spurs at home, we all of a sudden have strikers and can attack, we have been defending a bit better, we seem to be getting a bit of team spirit together and the opposition aren't THAT good. Should be a nailed on certain home win. But being Newcastle.... In fact, the only thing that could make me feel worse would be if we were playing Derby or someone like that where the reversal would be even more classic Newcastle. But, you never know: HOWAAAAAAY THE LADS.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

Summed it up perfectly dougal.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

I find it strange that according to most it is reckoned Bobby is playing with a back three, pray tell me why a manager with his vast experience would announce this to all and sundry?, auld Geordie saying folks "Ye cannot kid a kidda", O`Neil has played three all season but got suckered on Wed against Porto, two wide men Deco and the very talented Caupaucho with big Brazilian Pena thro the middle, he had to drop Lennon into sweeper, as the game went on his decisions in my view were more suited to a public park , I like )`Neil but its stupid to put these guys on a pedestal, its up to the players.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

I don't know if it's going to be a back three. NUFC.com apparently have some inside information, and they usually are right so I'll take their word on it.

I hope it isn't but I can see the logic in it. It's just I can see more logic in not doing it.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

How many other teams would make unforced changes after winning 4-0? (not squad rotation this one)

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

Paul, its the opposition that determine tactics , for myself I am pleased that Doherty and Iversen are not playing, the former has developed a habit of scoring goals from a defensive position and the latter makes good runs into the box at pace,our lot will find it easier to mark Les/Teddy

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

When you start playing at home to counter the threat from the away side, you get what you ask for: nowt. Spurs should come and try to stop us. Who will be marking Robert? Are any of their defenders pacy enough for Bellamy?

-- Anonymous, October 21, 2001

Having pondered on it a little, there may be logic in playing Distin to counter the height advantage Spurs would otherwise have at corners and Fk's - not exactly our strong suit at the best of times. In addition, I don't believe Spurs normally play anyone wide right, relying on that dirty little git Tarrico to get forward from RB/RWB.

I'm just hoping BR resists the temptation to play 3-5-2, by simply starting with Distin at LB in a normal 4-4-2. If we really expect Robert and Solano to function as wing-backs, marking Zeige and Tarrico, this will nullify our attacking options, and do nothing for us defensively - other than causing mass confusion.

-- Anonymous, October 21, 2001

Spurs will be worried, of course they will.

Their concern will be the pace of Robert and Bellamy. Robert means they will have to play with a deep right back as they just cannot hope to get away with an attacking wb.

I'd guess that Elliot will play and we'll have O'Brien on the right, Distin and Dabs in the middle and it will be four players who can play centre half in some sort of 4 formation. Hughes can still go in midfield and taker the place of Speed/Lee if there is a need to man mark Poyet.

Ziege may well be in good attacking form, we need Bellamy to have a right bias to his play and this will force Ziege to play deeper, and just make him too nervous to get forward.

-- Anonymous, October 21, 2001

..... I like that much better Macbeth. A back four of O'Brien, Dabz, Distin and Eliott might be our best combination actually.

I hope he resists the thought of playing Hughes in m/f - I thought that idea, which imo failed in the Intertoto, had been consigned to the dustbin, but perhaps not........

-- Anonymous, October 21, 2001

My half-full glass on the match thread just spilled after reading this one. :-( Haven't had a chance to read much of the bbs in the last couple of days so missed all the pre-match build up and news. No wonder I was being so optimistic. Between that and awaymag's table talk (a sure curse on us when discussed prematch!) I'm now convinced we're doomed today. :-((

-- Anonymous, October 21, 2001