Chris Hughton was full of praise for his players following the game this afternoon against Everton at St. James’ Park.
Sebastien Bassong – another massive performance today
Newcastle played Everton for over 50 minutes with just 10 men, and while being off form as a team, their determination and grit earned the team a valuable point this afternoon in a 0-0 draw.
Kevin Nolan was sent off on 44 minutes for a two footed challenge on Victor Anichebe, and it was over the top and the referee got it right when he showed Kevin a straight red card, to the dismay of the Newcastle crowd.
And first-team coach Hughton said after the game:
“”Going down to ten men so early, resilience had to be shown.
“We knew it would be tough from the start against a very, very good Everton side. For us to go down to ten men at the time that we did, and to come through with Everton having limited opportunities at our goal, is testimony to the lads.”
“In the second half we knew it was going to be difficult to score a goal. The best opportunity – and the best move of the game – was Peter Lovenkrands.””
Our bench was already in the air, and it would have been nice to have gone into that second half one up.”
“It’s a game we might have lost – what helps is the quality of player that we have, and the bench that we have.”
“It was important to be able to make the substitutions that we did, and we made them at the right time That’s not something that we’ve always been able to do. We’re happy with the point.”
On 31 minutes Peter Lovenkrands missed an absolute sitter when it looked easier to score than miss, but he missed wide to Howard’s right hand post.
And Steve Harper saved Newcastle on 19 minutes, when he made a brilliant reaction save from a corner, when the ball seemingly was behind him, but he somehow scooped the ball away and Bassong, who was terrific yet again this afternoon, booted the ball clear.
Then on 92 minutes a Jack Rodwell shot from outside the box, was deflected by Harper low to his right, and the ball just went wide of the post, although the referee gave a goal kick.
The back four were all excellent in the second half, and the lads tried their very best, even though they did not play well as a team.
The pick of the bunch though was Sebastien Bassong, the 22 year-old 6’2″ Frenchman, who has to get International recognition shortly, since he’s at least twice the player that former Newcastle center-back Boumsong ever was.
Sebastien is certainly the find of the season for the Magpies, and he showed it yet again this afternoon.
Comments welcome.
65 comments so far
murvar
Feb 22, 2009 at 10:52 PM
Comment #1Yes Sebastien didn’t put a foot wrong and did very well. It was encouraging to see Enrique have such a good game – easily his best – and Buttt and the Taylors did OK too. But the game was marred for me by not only the daft and dangerous Nolan challenge – that was bad enough – bhut also by the moronic behaviour of some of our supporters who cheered Nolan off the ptch and then jeered and booed his victim Anichebe every time he touched the ball thereafter. I despair.
chewbaka30
Feb 22, 2009 at 11:02 PM
Comment #2there are no words to describe how poor ameobi is, he offers absolutly nothing…bassong has turned out to be a real bargain
chewbaka30
Feb 22, 2009 at 11:03 PM
Comment #3not moronic murvar…they didnt see the replays like we did…thats why they were booing
square
Feb 22, 2009 at 11:09 PM
Comment #4I beg to differ- he wasn’t massive last night.
It was just an ok performance against an everton team that decided not to turn up for a point.
He uses his hands too often, he tugs and pulls in the box and only if the referee was as eagle eyed as I have been, a penalty would have been conceded again by the same player. If he doesn’t stop doing this he’s just going to be a calamity against better players.
His passing left a lot to be desired, misplaced passes straight into the opponent even when we had 11 men on the pitch.
He isn’t massive. He was ok. Quit over rating the players.
sirjasontoon
Feb 22, 2009 at 11:25 PM
Comment #5Square I disagree Bassong is bigger than King King.
sirjasontoon
Feb 22, 2009 at 11:25 PM
Comment #6Kong Kong
DanToon
Feb 22, 2009 at 11:36 PM
Comment #7Bassong is our best defender by far. Enrique was also very good as were the two Taylor’s! Ameobi was awful again, i do feel sorry for him coz he does try but he just hasn’t got the ability. Bless him!
Dulcinera
Feb 23, 2009 at 12:23 AM
Comment #8Seriously though, it’s about time Ameobi Pissed off. He is a burden now. I can’t believe that he makes the bench sometimes never mind the starting 11. He makes me so angry to the point where im thinking of Travelling to Newcastle and personally breaking his legs, just so he can’t play. He hasn’t got one good ability, not one. I remember we were crying out for players who could deliver set pieces and are good at crossing the ball, now we’ve got R Taylor and Mc Loven who can whip them in and today they were and he couldn’t attack one of them, he is absolutely ridiculous.
People will say he’s scored vital goals like the ones against Sunderland in days gone by, but wasting 100 oooo ooo ooo oooo ooo chances and scoring 50 goals, is not a good ratio. Piss off you useless piece of crap.
Tom_Toon
Feb 23, 2009 at 12:28 AM
Comment #9This isn’t related to this article, but this article is most recent so most likely to be read for the next good few hours.
I despair at so many fans, especially on here.
Would you have taken a point at the beginning of the game? YES
Would you have taken a point at half time knowing you were playing with 10 men? YES
I mean get a f****** clue, we had 10 men, no Beye, no Martins from the start, no Gutierrez from the start, no Barton, no Guthrie and what do the majority of people do? Complain.
I am disgusted by a lot of people on here, and as for booing Ameobi. Who do you think you are! You should not be allowed into SJP.
As for Hughon and Calderwood, they did well today, better than Kinnear in fact as hey had the balls to make a substitution before the 85th min and they made the right substitutions, well played by them.
A lot of people, especially on here need to get a clue and think realistically.
I m happy with a point, that is a point better off than the majority of us thought before the game and basically the entirety of other team’s fans.
Rant over.
chuck
Feb 23, 2009 at 12:29 AM
Comment #10Yeah noticed Jose had a decent game, improving with time.
I am one of Butts biggest critics , but he ran those old legs, up and down the pitch to-day, give him credit.
Still nowhere near being a competitive PL team but an “A” for effort.
RyanToon
Feb 23, 2009 at 12:30 AM
Comment #11agreed tomtoon
RyanToon
Feb 23, 2009 at 12:31 AM
Comment #12it was good to see duff come off as he was poor today when usually he doesnt for some reason
Tom_Toon
Feb 23, 2009 at 12:33 AM
Comment #13Because Kinnear has an Irish bias and has no balls when it comes to substitutions.
I feel angry reading through the comments on the other threads relating to today’s match, in fact, some were disgraceful and I felt physically sick.
Brutooon
Feb 23, 2009 at 12:33 AM
Comment #14Hope Bassong is one of the key players that will keep Newcastle United UP. More clean sheet for us hopefully
RyanToon
Feb 23, 2009 at 12:36 AM
Comment #15my team for bolton (which im still waiting for my tickets, grr)
harper
s.taylor
coloccini
bassong
enrique
r.taylor
butt
smith
jonas
lovenkrands
martins
Tom_Toon
Feb 23, 2009 at 12:37 AM
Comment #16Ryan Taylor weren’t great for me today, worked hard and had a good delivery, but thats about it. I’d only really play him for his delivery.
pubcat
Feb 23, 2009 at 12:37 AM
Comment #17It’s the first time I’ve seen Lovenkrands play for us. He seemed pretty invisible, and physically not strong enough but I suppose it was one game.
Yes, Bass was fantastic again. If any team tries to buy him next season (wherever we finish) we’ve gpt to be talking 15M or preferably keep him for many years.
Enrique was good today too.
I think we have to throw in both Martins and Viduka for the next game. I like Guthrie in the side – when fit – too, for his quality passing.
RyanToon
Feb 23, 2009 at 12:38 AM
Comment #18tomtoon, i know i mean we had ten men and didnt even look bad, everton were better but not a street ahead of us! and like you say we didnt have OUR strong team out either, point gained
RyanToon
Feb 23, 2009 at 12:40 AM
Comment #19thats why id played ryan for, his delivery he seemed very slow in thinking today imo,
also enrique has impressed me alot recently and im gonna change my mind over him for now 😉
Dulcinera
Feb 23, 2009 at 12:49 AM
Comment #20an irish Bias? You serious?
Now that givens’ gone, Duff is our only Paddy, i seriously doubt he’s being Bias Tom. I don’t even like Duff, runs around in circles and constantly looks for free kicks, I think he realises that Jonas needs a break sometimes and rotates the squad, either that or like us, he realises we have absolute crap on the bench and that Duff is at least better than what we have.
I agree with the accepting a point though, the amount of people optimistic about beating everton was overwhelming. I think the win at WBA sent a few people cuckoo.
As for booing Ameobi, i hope it continues, and very god damn loudly. Managers frequently say after games if there team was booed at the end for not performing, that the fans have the right to express their opinion, they pay their money etc. If they have the right to do that, we have the right to Boo some sorry ass excuse of a footballer who’s wages we pay for, and for what?
Tom_Toon
Feb 23, 2009 at 12:53 AM
Comment #21Kinnear played Duff pretty much every minute although he was useless pretty much every minute and pretty much everyone wanted him ropped for a youth team/reserve player.
RyanToon
Feb 23, 2009 at 12:56 AM
Comment #22im off to bed now,
jose and seba made me proud today!
toon!toon!
Dulcinera
Feb 23, 2009 at 1:06 AM
Comment #23Granted, Duff has played a lot this season but i think that has coincided with an increase in form. By no means the Duff of old but an improvement and i think and know after reading comments on here people can see that. He at least tries. Put it this way. who would you rather see on for him, geremi? we don’t have the luxury of dropping people like duff for better players, because we can’t, so we don’t.
As for people wanting the youth to come through i think that’s just a measure of how desperate some people are with the quality we have. People like Ranger might bang them in for the ressies, but i remember a certain Mr Chopra was quite prolific for the 2nd string. The only person i’d think about giving the step up to is Lua lua. I’d love someone like Ranger to come in though and be a revelati0n but you have to be cautious.
Tom_Toon
Feb 23, 2009 at 1:46 AM
Comment #24Lualua is who we are talking about playing instead of Duff.
Dulcinera
Feb 23, 2009 at 2:07 AM
Comment #25oh well then, my bad admittedly, sorry i thought we were talking first- teamers.
I agree lol
chuck
Feb 23, 2009 at 2:07 AM
Comment #26C`mon TOM-TOON, Duff has been one of our most productive players all season thats why he gets a game, yeah you make it plain you dont like him or Joe for that matter, could it be the bias you mention is in fact an anti Irish bias on your part ?
And DULCINERA do you really think the term Paddy is acceptable to Irish poeple any more than Limey or Frog is to the English or French,
Yeah i know politically correct, but believe it people dont enjoy being patronised or insulted.
xfer
Feb 23, 2009 at 2:26 AM
Comment #27Jose Enrique is my man of the match. He has been very poor in the past, but im pleasantly surprised he had a terrific game. I hope he builds from here.
KKN39
Feb 23, 2009 at 3:16 AM
Comment #28decent goalie in Harper, lightning response n good stopper if not the best in aerial abilities. Bassong great defender as he has been in NUFC shirt. Enrique had a good game and keeps improving. S.Taylor did well in RB. Colo steady but slow – we shld be reasonably happy, at least when comparing to other parts of the team, with the back if they can keep perform like this.
for nxt game, Jonas, LuaLua should start on the wings with Duff or R.Taylor playing alongside old Butt in CM if Guthrie not available yet. Martins to lead upfront for sure. if Duke is fit we may hv a decent side for some pts …
JonnyNufc
Feb 23, 2009 at 3:33 AM
Comment #29Disagree with you tom toon
We had a clear chance to score, with 11 men we were getting the ball about nicely. Everton had key injurys and looked to be creating no real threat to our goal bar their set pieces.
Today was a real chance to get 3 points, that has been wasted as usual. If people feel the need to be annoyed by that, they’re not wrong to be.
Forget the “before the game” this and thats, based on what ACTUALLY HAPPENED, in the match. We missed an opportunity today that we may be regretting in 5 weeks time.
telsave
Feb 23, 2009 at 6:57 AM
Comment #30Can I change the subject slightly as it is the only way I can get this off my chest. I am sick and tired of the media saying that Newcastle’s main downfall is the result of having too many managers, can any one name one of the managers who had a lack of success at Newcastle go on to be a raging success at another club? Leaving the great Sir Bobby off the list,Kenny Dalgleish, John Carver, Graeme Souness, Glenn Roeder, Nigel Pearson (two spells), Sam Allardyce and Kevin Keegan (although maybe extenuating circumstances this time).
When we find a capable manager then perhaps he will stay for a longer period build a good squad and we will get back to being a threat to other teams in the PL I am afraid that we have not had a good back room staff for a very long time and when they quote managers who have stayed at a club for a long time they have been very good coaches with track records.
toonarmyuk
Feb 23, 2009 at 7:23 AM
Comment #31I know Ed mentioned it in the article, but I have to touch on Harper’s performance yesterday – he pulled off brilliant saves when he had to. He came out of his box when he needed to, was prepared to jump for the ball, punch it, and in general had a fine afternoon.
At first view, his point blank save (where he seemed to reach behind him) reminded me of one of the best saves I have ever seen (not quite as good as it mind!) – it was David Seaman in one of his last games (perhaps even his last one) for Arsenal….dont remember who they were playing, but a surefire goal was headed into the net and he somehow managed to reach back a good foot or two behind himself after being wrong-footed and claw the ball of the line in mid-air….quality! As I say, Harper’s wasnt as good as that, but it was a classic reactionary save, and helped me to get over the loss of Given by one more little bit.
Lew Davies
Feb 23, 2009 at 7:43 AM
Comment #32I am sick and fed up of everyone singing the praises of Enrique. Yes he had some good parts, but he easily gets passed by his marker(he never seems to know who he is meant to be marking !) He gets caught ball watching too often. Both Jagielka and Rodwell got away from him yesterday in the box,and save for their poor finishing and a lot of luck both could have scored.
Believe me this lad is a weak link in our defence. Although I accept he is still young and learning, the best thing for him and NUFC would be to have competition for his place. Come on how long have we been saying we need a quality LB for? I can see a lot of potential in the lad, but he is nowhere near as great as some on here are making out.
Manure will exploit his weakness and will be far more clinical than everton were. I’m quite worried we are going to get yet another pasting from them in a couple of weeks time.
magpie6699
Feb 23, 2009 at 8:08 AM
Comment #33I thought the 2nd half performance from the defence was massive – remembering we were down one player, and a strong mid-fielder at that, they were bound to have so much extra work to do. Everton did try to make the extra man count by putting the ball across to either wing – but we kept our shape really well and I don’t recall any huge gaps appearing.
I disagree with the complainers about Enrique – I think he played well, made some good clearances, was very dogged (and quick) in covering and I don’t recall much getting past him in the 2nd half when Spidey was around to back him up. My major gripe about him up till the last 3-4 games was his unerring ability to find an opposition player when passing up the line.
What I don’t understand was why we were so disjointed in the first 20 minutes of the game and then looked so solid in the last 48. The two full-backs even managed to get forward.
I’m unsure about Ryan Taylor – he worked hard and it was great to see some free-kicks that beat the first man and led to some possibility of danger (are you watching, Geremi?) – and I don’t think it was the right game for Lovenkrands after the sending off – although if you watched he did back up Steven Taylor on the right side well, often staying back to cover when Taylor went on the run. I think he will be a useful squad player – and at least he has a bit of pace.
Still very nervous about relegation – what can we realistically hope for from the next 6 games?
Pons Aelius
Feb 23, 2009 at 8:20 AM
Comment #34I thought it was a good performance from the lads given Nolan’s sending off. For me (and it’s rare that I say this) Nicky Butt was the lynchpin of our side. He dominated the midfield despite us being a man down. The whole defence did a decent job and for me it was Enrique who caught the eye. Why people even consider letting Jose go baffles me!
As for Shola, the booing was disgusting, but he is not the type of player that should be starting ahead of Oba Martins or Mark Viduka. I would have even preferred Alan Smith to start.
Shola is not good enough – he’s a good lad who works hard and gives his all. But IMO he’s simply not good enough for this league.
zoggy
Feb 23, 2009 at 8:23 AM
Comment #35A great point against a team where i expected nothing.
Robbanufc
Feb 23, 2009 at 8:27 AM
Comment #36I for one thought Coloccini had a good game aswell. He had some superb headers, and he finally looked like a safe defender, which is what we wanted when we bought him in the summer.
Colo + Bassong = a very good pairing.
I think Bassong will become the new Rio Ferdinand of the premiership! Except he doesnt wear a thong!
Pons Aelius
Feb 23, 2009 at 8:29 AM
Comment #37On Ryan Taylor – Fantastic delivery, but not much else. Given our situation at the moment however, he’s worth playing for the goals his free kicks, corners and throw ins will get us.
I’d be inclined to start Jonas wide left and keep the Taylor-Taylor overlap thing going on the right.
richyg01
Feb 23, 2009 at 8:33 AM
Comment #38Good Game and a good result.
I feared the worst when Nolan got sent off but the lads stood strong and I would never have expected a clean sheet against Everton of late, especially with 10 men!
I cannot understand WHY Shola got a game, whats that all about, and Jonas on the bench?
We looked much more solid than we have done in recent matches and that is testiment to the work going on behind the scenes.
I agree with RyanToon for Bolton Line-up.
lesh
Feb 23, 2009 at 8:39 AM
Comment #39Don’t want to be a Jonah but could Nolan’s red and three-match ban be the point at which our Premiership status was defined? Hope not!!
Now then Pub cat re Bassong…. and “If any team tries to buy him next season (wherever we finish) we’ve gpt to be talking 15M or preferably keep him for many years” “We’re not a selling club” said Llambias so please Pub cat, don’t give this money-grabbing board of ours any daft ideas
Pons Aelius
Feb 23, 2009 at 8:42 AM
Comment #40lesh – God forbid we sell Bassong!
If the board really are serious about building this club up he’s exactly the type of player we need to hold on to.