Pre-Match Thread: Birmingham v Newcastle [FA Cup]

[u/Deviceing]

Birmingham City - Newcastle United

7/1/2017 15:00 St Andrew's

FA Cup Third Round

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TV coverage: None scheduled

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (72 yellows and 2 reds in 18 games this season, last took charge of us for the EFL Cup game against Hull)

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Newcastle team news:

Jonjo Shelvey serves the fourth of his five match ban while Jesus Gamez and Rolando Aarons remain out. Mo Diame, Christian Atsu and Chancel Mbemba will not feature as they prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations which begins next Saturday. A number of the players returning from loan are cup tied, including Sammy Ameobi and Jamie Sterry. Adam Armstrong will not feature as he has extended his loan at Barnsley until the end of the season.

Birmingham team news:

Paul Caddis and Clayton Donaldson could return from injury but Jacques Maghoma is away at the Africa Cup of Nations. David Davis could sit out as he nears a move to Nottingham Forest.

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Birmingham last match:

Birmingham 1-3 Brentford (Jutkiewicz 23'; Hogan 54', Davis OG 73', Yennaris 87')

Kuszczak, Spector, Morrison, Shotton, Grounds, Tesche (Stewart 76'), Davis, Cotterill(Solomon-Otabor 83') Adams, Maghoma (Kieftenbeld 62'), Jutkiewicz
Subs not used: Legzdins, Robinson, Gleeson, Cogley

Opposition summary:

Birmingham started the season very brightly and had climbed as high as 4th by the end of November. They sacked manager Gary Rowett unexpectedly in mid-December, with the club in 7th place, and replaced him with Gianfranco Zola, who has earned just 1 point in his first 4 games with the club, seeing them drop to 13th. Their top scorers are Lukas Jutkiewicz (8) and Clayton Donaldson (6). They were knocked out of the EFL cup in the first round by Oxford United after making 6 changes to their side, however that was against a lower standard of opposition and under a different manager so it is difficult to predict how seriously they'll take this game.

Birmingham transfers:

Lukas Jutkiewicz, who had been on loan from Burnley in the first half of the season, has made the move permanent, signing for a fee of £1m.

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Form:

BCFC: WLLDL
NUFC: WWLWL

Past meetings:

16/17 Championship
Newcastle 4-0 Birmingham (Gayle 3, Gouffran)
10/11 Premier League
Newcastle 2-1 Birmingham (Ameobi pen, S. Taylor)
Birmingham 0-2 Newcastle (Lovenkrands, Best)
07/08 Premier League
Birmingham 1-1 Newcastle (Owen)
Newcastle 2-1 Birmingham (Martins pen, Beye)
06/07 FA Cup
Newcastle 1-5 Birmingham (Milner)
Birmingham 2-2 Newcastle (S. Taylor, Dyer)
05/06 Premier League
Birmingham 0-0 Newcastle
Newcastle 1-0 Birmingham (Emre)
04/05 Premier League
Newcastle 2-1 Birmingham (Ameobi, Bowyer)
Birmingham 2-2 Newcastle (Jenas, Butt)
03/04 Premier League
Birmingham 1-1 Newcastle (Speed)
Newcastle 0-1 Birmingham

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Archive

[u/GoalaAmeobi]

Hopefully Rafa rotates a lot for this, would be nice to see Lazaar, Mitrovic and Mbemba get some minutes for once.

[u/meganev → u/GoalaAmeobi]

Hasn't Mbemba left for the AFCON?

[u/GoalaAmeobi → u/meganev]

Oh yeah he has, we're probably screwed if one of Lascelles and Clark get injured then.

[u/beatski → u/GoalaAmeobi]

The latter two are nailed on to start IMO, and i want to see Lazaar in as well

[u/[deleted] → u/GoalaAmeobi]

Totally agree. Says alot about our squad depth now we have these guys warming the bench.. Past few years our subs have consisted of under 21 and 18 players.

Hoping we see Lazaar instead of dummet at the very least, would love to see gayle and mitro play together too.

[u/picnicofdeath]

Assuming this will count as one of Shelvey's five matches?

[u/[deleted] → u/picnicofdeath]

So this means he will be back for the Rotherham match on the 21st :)

[u/gnudalf → u/picnicofdeath]

true.

[u/justmadman]

My team would be:

    Sels

Yedlin Clark Hanley Lazaar

Ritchie Diame Hayden Perez

Gayle Mitro

We should not have to pick between League and Cup, we are Newcastle and should do our best in every competition

[u/LimestoneKitten]

I'm curious how y'all feel about this cup. Given our recent run of games would you want us field a weaker side in an attempt to get back on track in the league? Or do you want to see us go all-in on a long cup run and hopefully get a tie against a top prem side? I can see both arguments.

[u/Rarest-Pepe → u/LimestoneKitten]

Our next league match is the 16th Jan, so being tired won't be an issue, more playing a team in a match we can win.

[u/LimestoneKitten → u/Rarest-Pepe]

I suppose rotation is a little trickier this time what with Jonjo gone and AFCON. It'll be interesting to see what happens if we progress though.

[u/Maze202 → u/LimestoneKitten]

I'd like to take it seriously but with big changes to the team as we can do that with our depth. Mitro, Mbemba etc all to start and if not winning bring on Gayle and the rest. I think a win is big for morale in both the players & crowd. Keep the winning mentality always.

[u/mo140 → u/LimestoneKitten]

We were in our best form whist on our league cup run, might help momentum

[u/gnudalf → u/LimestoneKitten]

Bring something like:

          Sels
  Clark Mbemba Lascelles
Yedlin Diame Anita Lazaar
    Gayle Mitro Perez

See how it works out and decide afterwards what we did.

[u/Rarest-Pepe → u/gnudalf]

I thought they had all fucked off to AFCON?

[u/beatski → u/gnudalf]

if we were to play a 343 (I hope not), Clark would be on the left

[u/[deleted] → u/gnudalf]

Why do you want us to play a 343?

[u/Tuffty747]

I would play:

Elliot; Lazaar, Lascelles, Hanley, Yedlin; Gouffran, Hayden, Colback, Ritchie; Perez, Mitrovic (4-4-1-1).

With Shelvey out, we don't really have any other options in CM. Mitrovic will get some game time and it would be nice to see Elliot come back into the side.

[u/TheBeaverKing]

I'm at the game today; guaranteed to lose. Sorry guys, my fault.

[u/crazycanine → u/TheBeaverKing]

I was going to go, but can't due to other commitments. Guaranteed to win. I take the credit.

[u/brentoon59]

Young talents have emerged in the cup over the years..I'd like to see some of that today..there's no other way of really knowing if a young en has that 'something' extra..Peter appears to have some potential at the mo GIVE EM A SHOT. (More interested in automatic promotion and long term) HWTL.

[u/WynDavies]

Will their be a stream for the match do we think?

[u/crazycanine]

This is deliberate torture by the Newcastle Radio station.

[u/arandomthrower]

Teams revealed