Joey Barton has today insisted his clash last night with Gabby Agbonlahor, in our terrific victory over Aston Villa at St James’ Park, has been made to be a mountain out of a mole hill.
Joey Barton – showing some great form since coming back
We agree with Joey, but he still has to cut this kind of stuff out, because what we have seen since the incident is a mountain of publicity about something, that if some other player had done, would have been dismissed without interest.
Barton told the Evening Chronicle today:
“I thought it was a foul against me, and I had a hold of the ball.” “We shook hands after the game and that’s the way it is. It was all about nothing.”
“Nothing has gone on, people are making a mountain out of a mole hill.” “With the referee, linesmen, the fourth official and all the television cameras, you know you cannot raise your hands these days – and at no stage have I done that.”
“I am going home to bed now and I am going to sleep with a clear conscience.” “It was a pleasure to play for Newcastle United tonight, and long may it continue.” “I felt a lot stronger, but really for me it was easy because I am playing in a good team.”
Barton did pick up a yellow card when he went in with his studs up a bit, and we thought i was a little dangerous, but nothing like the commentators were making it out to be.
Joey added:
“The ball is there to be won and I am going to contest it. This is a part of my game and that’s what I was brought here to do – hopefully I can just get on with it.”
What Joey can do from now on is understand that some referees, and even some players may be after him, and he must act like a saint, if he is to stay out of trouble, while not curtailing his natural aggressive play.
He looked as good as he’s ever looked in the black and white shirt last night, and it was his pass form just inside the Villa half that set up Oba’s first goal. And one thing that has positively surprised us, to give Joey some credit, is that he seems totally committed to the Newcastle club now, presumably after they stood by him, through all his difficulties in his short stay at the club (16 months).
We want him to be a success now more than ever, and if he can go through the next couple of seasons just playing good football, he can even become a role model.
Think about that. and that’s what we think he should be aiming for in the long term, and he’s made a decent start these last 3 games.
Comments welcome.
16 comments so far
jack
Nov 4, 2008 at 4:52 PM
Comment #1barton did nothing wrong, hes been amazing since coming back from injury and he ran the show last night!
p.s does anyone think kevin davies would be good for newcastle
Spyro
Nov 4, 2008 at 4:53 PM
Comment #2Spot on Joey
He has the fans on his side.
magmick
Nov 4, 2008 at 4:56 PM
Comment #3barton turning out to be a little gem for us. Hope he keeps it up he can only get better fingers crossed
Tore Torell
Nov 4, 2008 at 4:56 PM
Comment #4Great lad! Future captain, I love his attitude (when he’s not drunk…)
Karltoon
Nov 4, 2008 at 4:57 PM
Comment #5He’s absolutely right.. Watching from home, i didnt notice it until about 5 minutes later when the commentator said.. “There was an incident after that you know!” , to which the other bloke begrudgingly replied “we might have time to look back at it after this attack”
He should have known better, being in the spotlight.. But it was hardly worthy of the furore surrounding it..
Also, i feel the need to add that i physically cant stand Graham Poll.. If anyone watched ‘Football Matters’ after setanta they’ll see why.. As if he knows Barton personally he stated “The interviews are all just a PR stunt, when you see him going in studs up and refusing to shake the refs hand.. That’s the real Joey Barton” … Hate Hate Hate him
NUFutureCowboy
Nov 4, 2008 at 5:00 PM
Comment #6Barton was immense last nite. great passing, great tackling and on the whole a very tidy, proffessional performance. It wasn’t so much Joey’s aggression that got him this headline. Its this namby pamby, wrapped up in cotton wool society we live in. Football is a contact sport, FACT. Before long the whole of the football league will be twisting like Arsenal do. It’s ruining the game. Every one loves to see a good solid tackle. Some of Joey’s tackles last nite were wonderful but he still got penalised for them. Everyone should let the lad get on with his football. If Agbonglohor stuck his lip out at me like that i would have flapped it as well. There was nowt in it.
rupert albert
Nov 4, 2008 at 5:05 PM
Comment #7“A smal point of grammar.
“If you are quoting people, even in a series of paragraphs.
“Although you start each paragraph with quotation marks, you do not need to end quotes until the end of that persons quotations.”
Oh, and no action, official, against Barton in the Villa game.
NUFutureCowboy
Nov 4, 2008 at 5:05 PM
Comment #8agreed Karltoon. Poll is a pole. i f%cking hate him as well. he’s like a snapped pencil. got no point.
Spyro
Nov 4, 2008 at 5:09 PM
Comment #9FA have seen sense
Guinea Mag
Nov 4, 2008 at 5:58 PM
Comment #10Barton played well but should’nt lift his hands to any one or he’ll see red and be off in future
martyboy
Nov 4, 2008 at 6:26 PM
Comment #11Poll even said after the Man City game refering to the Beye sending off
“you can still foul a player, even if you win the ball”
Zero credibilty, a professional ref who books one player 3 times in a world cup game…..the guys a MORON!!!!…the booking was in my opinion a genuine attempt to win the ball and only just missed timed it…..what exactly does the phrase studs showing mean? how can you tackle leaving your studs in the turf? and does anyone else think milners tackle on taylor was MUCH worse?
beyethegreat
Nov 4, 2008 at 6:41 PM
Comment #12villa seem to think they have been wronged
beyethegreat
Nov 4, 2008 at 6:41 PM
Comment #13http://www.astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=511084
Alex
Nov 4, 2008 at 7:39 PM
Comment #14Obviously Villa cant take losing . And as Martyboy points out Milners tackle on Taylor was bad enough to warrant a card .
Buba_Zanetti
Nov 4, 2008 at 8:50 PM
Comment #15Barton played well second half as did most of the team- thought he played alot of sloppy balls first half- although he surely will only improve with games under his belt- fingers crossed he can keep his nose clean and rediscover the form that got him capped!
Ausgeordie
Nov 4, 2008 at 10:41 PM
Comment #16He could have been sent off. He has a bad rep and he raised his hands and made contact with another players face. He did not shove or flick or lash out but he tapped him on the top lip.
That does not mean he should have been sent off though and Villa complaining about that are like Man C and the MC ref saying the penalty was fair. Its not official from Villa, just some scummy fan site like half of ours that constantly print rubbish so who knows.
At the end of the day Barton needs to keep his hands to himself like 99% of people on this planet manage to do everyday.
To be honest his actions worry me as its an unnecessary risk to the team and he should be trying to be leader.