Newcastle vs Blackburn: Preview

Newcastle 5/6 Draw 11/5 Blackburn 11/4

Saturday 3pm

Newcastle are an absolute steal at 5/6.

In the long run, the victory of Arsenal at Ewood Park could do Rovers more harm than good – mainly because it seems to have encourage a false sense of security over where Steve Kean is taking this team. Let’s get this straight, last week was about Arsenal and not Blackburn.

Newcastle can be good, and can be awful, but there is a lot of quality in that team, especially in the midfield which is welcoming Hatem Ben Arfa back from injury. Up front, Leon Best is a better forward than he’s credited for and works extremely hard – and he also scores goals. It’s popular to bash the Cockney Mafia for what they’ve done, but they seem to have accidentally built a team very high on flair and creativity. They should have more than enough to take three points tomorrow – Ben Arfa or Marveaux against Michel Salgado anyone? Ugly.

If Blackburn do lose tomorrow, I think it’s time for Steve Kean to be relieved of his duties. It’s not about the players he’s had at his disposal, it’s about what he brings to the club as a manager – purely from a spectator’s perspective, he comes across as one of the most uninspiring characters in the league. Either he goes now or Venkys get rid of him later, either way they might as well get on with it – drawing with a sub-par Fulham and watching Arsenal self-destruct doesn’t really change anything.

Newcastle by at least two.