Taking goals to Newcastle?

Lots of old boys returning to Newcastle on Sunday. Sam Allardyce was sacked after half a season at the club when Mike Ashley arrived while Kevin Nolan and Andy Carroll were instrumental in the club winning the Championship and then stabalising in the Premier League. While Newcastle have old Irons Alan Pardew and Demba Ba.

Much has been written about Carroll's supposed goal drought in the press this week, but it has to be remembered that he had a disrupted pre-season, was then loaned out and missed five weeks with injury. Since returning as a sub against QPR he's only played in four full games, which hardly constitutes a John Radford-like run of non-scoring. There were promising signs against Man City in the left foot shot he pulled just wide and the overhead kick that was blocked. It might help if he had Maiga alongside him though, as he's playing as a lone striker if Nolan has to defend.

Meanwhile Pards has rather mischievously said that he'd like to buy Carroll back next summer. Would be lovely to see Andy score against the Geordies and Nolan too, though knowing West Ham we'll then lose 3-2. Though if Kevin does score will he decline to do his clucking celebration out of respect for his former club? A nation awaits with unruffled feathers.