In probably the worst display under Alan Pardew, Newcastle looked a woeful side tonight at Craven Cottage, and lost to a team beneath them by 1-0, and give 3 points to their relegation rivals.
And West Ham beat Blackpool away tonight, so if the lads can do better than this, then we are in a relegation fight for the remainder of the season, and we’ll have to realize that.
And to make it even worse to take, former Newcastle player Damien Duff, who left the club once we were relegated, he couldn’t get out quickly enough as we recall, scored the winner on 67 minutes.
The Ireland winger raced clear of the Magpies’ defense, and slotted the ball past goalkeeper Steve Harper to get the win, the 5th win in succession for Fulham at home, but didn’t he used to miss those chances all the time when he was on Tyneside?
Duff slotting home the winner to take all 3 points
And it turns out he must miss them for Fulham too, because it was his first league goal for Fulham in a year. Oh my.
Newcastle tried to get an equalizer, but the side now have limited attacking prowess up front, very limited based on what was on show tonight, and it looked like we had no penetration at all – we’ve been left woefully short up front.
But a loss is exactly the worst result tonight, against a side beneath us in the table, who have struggled all season, let’s be honest.
We suppose the trip to Portugal didn’t do much good at all, but there didn’t seem too many Newcastle players interested tonight, they didn’t really turn up for this game, and Carroll was watching Liverpool beat Stoke City 2-0 for their 4th win in a row.
And it is very possible that the Andy Carroll hangover will take some time to lift at Newcastle, and that’s what is so very worrying about tonight.
It will be major job now for Alan Pardew to rally the troops for Saturday’s game against the Gunners – hopefully with significant help from Kevin Nolan – although we didn’t expect much on Saturday, but we were hoping for all 3 points tonight and at least a draw.
But let’s be clear, Newcastle deserved what they got tonight, nothing, because they played so devoid of any spirit, and we’ll not even mention the skill piece, and to say it was a disappointing display would not be fair – the lads were just awful tonight.
And we were beaten by an ordinary side, who themselves are struggling beneath Newcastle in the league, and are now just a point behind us in the league.
Not to pile it on too much, but our current top striker Shola Ameobi went off injured after just 13 minutes, with a suspected fractured cheek bone, and young Nile Ranger came on.
But the big question is after the incompetent piece of work the Newcastle club did by shooting themselves in the foot last Monday – and selling England’s center-forward – and then failing to bring anybody in as a replacement in the 6 hours they had left in the window – the big question is the following:
Who now at the club can score the goals for Newcastle?
Maybe young Phil Airey should be given a chance – once he is fit again.
There are 14 games left this season – starting on Saturday against Arsenal (oh my) – and if we play anywhere near this level of pathetic and gutless play – we’ll be completely buried, by an in-form Arsenal side. Apologies for being so honest.
The incompetence in the management of the Newcastle United club last Monday, could still come back to bite us big time this season, and not for the first time.
And the words that ring in the ears after this performance is Joey Barton saying this morning that Newcastle are not safe from relegation.
He’s right there – if we play like this in many more games.
Alan Pardew talked about having to lift the players yesterday, after what happened on Monday – but he was not successful in doing that, at least that’s clear.
But we cannot play many more times like this – otherwise we could plummet like we did two years ago – it was that bad tonight.
The players have let the Newcastle club down tonight – make no mistake about that – and they must now lift themselves up – and get ready for a do or die performance on Saturday, and the home crowd will support the team, we know that.
But to try to finish on a somewhat positive note – it’s just one game after all, and we didn’t deserve to get anything out of the game – so we cannot complain about that.
And it was our first defeat this year and we still have 8 points form 5 games this year. Now we have to really hope the lads will come back somewhere near their best on Saturday, and get over what happened this week – please!.
And some good news is that Cheick Tiote will be back in the side, but we do have a lot of players out injured, which is why we hoped we’d strengthen the side in January.
Please vote for the Newcastle Man of the Match on our home page.
171 comments so far
Mancgeordie
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:19 PM
Comment #11st
Marty-Toon
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:20 PM
Comment #2Joey is right.We are not safe.
Collo was the only one who could pass the ball tonight.
Disappointing display,heartless
Thump
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:20 PM
Comment #3“shocking display” is an understatement.
Can we also have an autoban script in place for “1st” at 1st post?
JWatson
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:23 PM
Comment #4We only need 10 points for safety. We can make it through the season, remember we have players injured and suspended.
The summer will be good season for us (if Ashley keeps his word.. cough) we’d should look into and aerial threat and a pacey striker.
I think everyone is looking to much into us struggling. Remember, there’s Wigan, Wolves, West Ham, Villa, Everton and a few others that are worse off than us.
Whitecap
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:24 PM
Comment #5We lost a lot of belief at the club with the sale of our star player That belief will only come back if and when we start to score goals.
With Ameobi out, I’m not sure when that is ever going to happen. Ranger, Best and Lovenkrands must improve quickly for the sake of the club.
kilcline
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:25 PM
Comment #6We need to get ireland back to his City form and fast. Tiote back now, will hopefully give us drive in midfield. We lack pace big time.
Pardew is a kant.
baro
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:25 PM
Comment #7I have to say that today not one player should up making a difference. Everybody was asleep lazy and just not converting. We should of really easily won this game. Fulham are a good team with a couple of good players but we should of won this game. Unfortunately when we really really really badly need Shola Ameobi he gets injured. Its a fractured cheek bone which commentator said out for approximately 6 weeks….. Anyways good to see more youngsters knocking on the first team door. Its really good to see one of our players of the season Cheik Tiote back in for next game vs Arsenal. He is a very important player for us.
Flop
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:26 PM
Comment #8Marty-Toon spot on.
It’s worrying when the best passer of the ball is one of your least attacking players.
I thought Jonas did ok, gave the ball away when he cut inside. But he did produce a couple of good balls. No way was he any way nearly as bad as Williamson, Nolan, Guthrie and Best.
In fairness to Ranger I’m not his biggest fan fan but he did ok.
Mancgeordie
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:27 PM
Comment #9it was a poor display we lacked any creavity and we didn’t get it down and play lets give ranger some starts just hope we change formation and we need ireland and ben arfa but to be fair fulham are in great form especially at home
alex84
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:28 PM
Comment #10can we not get an emergancy loan in?
mickguk
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:28 PM
Comment #11RELEGATION
DENIro
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:30 PM
Comment #12No tactics, no skill, just long ball…Harper is our best player… Maybe to try him up front…
sweendog
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:31 PM
Comment #13relegation wise up … stop panicking .. sat. will show if we’ve any steel to stay up ..
on chances needed are Willo out for taylor .. the bull the wise up and sort it out .. and somebody other than guti able to take on players.
colwell
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:32 PM
Comment #14Colo main striker last game, best passer today and possibly our most skillful player atm. Really says it all.
Allthough there are teams below us they`ve improved look at west ham not far behind us and they were awful this season.
sweendog
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:32 PM
Comment #15should have said
relegation wise up … stop panicking .. sat. will show if we’ve any steel to stay up ..
only changes needed are Willo out for taylor .. the bull the wise up and sort it out .. and somebody other than guti able to take on players.
SL_toon
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:32 PM
Comment #16JWatson
some nice, clear logic there. things arent as bad as we make them out to be. We’re still safe atm, but can go down. However, some of the other teams are in worse positions and should be more likely to plumett to CCC than we are.
baro
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:34 PM
Comment #17Our best squad from when everybody fit?
…………………………..Harper…………………………
Simpson……Tayls………………Colo…….Enrique
……………………Barton…….Tiote…………………..
……………………………Nolan………………………….
……………………Ireland……Ben Arfa………………
……………………………Ameobi……………………….
…………………..
ochytoon
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:34 PM
Comment #18Anyone object to me taking over as manager. Did pretty well on Footie Manager with Inter (4 league titles) and got NUFC to Champions league in 3 seasons without spending over 15 mil a season. Do I have the experience MA wants?
mickguk
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:35 PM
Comment #19I enjoyed the Championship anyway, its was good to win on a saturday and a cert for my betting slip.
Ireland will make no difference to this team and has only been bought as a squad player. Only NUFC would sign an injured player on Loan.
Npower here we come !!!!
AndyE93
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:35 PM
Comment #20Leon Best was absolutely hopeless! If Ranger doesn’t start on sat then it’s a disgrace and Pardew is just making his vendetta to Ranger public. Thought the whole team was awful tonight. No football played at all, no proper chances created. Think we will stay up but it’s gonna be a long 4 months till the end of May!
sweendog
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:36 PM
Comment #21ochytoon .. nope as long as you start by ridding us of the long ball sh*t 🙂
Mancgeordie
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:37 PM
Comment #22we need to think about changing things because the long ball isn’t gona work with best and ranger not got the height to win it thought best, nolan and williamson was poor today, did think ranger did alright was unlucky not to score, he maybe the 1 to score the goals just needs to get one to get that monkey off his back
ochytoon
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:38 PM
Comment #23Only play it down the wings but couldn’t get Ben Arfa to sign on a permanent contract. 🙁
Got Jonas on right and Kakuta on left. the pace is unreal with Cardozo and Erdnic upfront
sweendog
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:38 PM
Comment #24baro .. probably right unless Ireland stays as sh*t as he was at villa .. hope not..
stuart no9
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:40 PM
Comment #25i would prefer to get relagated, fat f…king face to sell the club, and start again with owners who know what there doing, rather than stay in the prem watching that f…k ing sh..te every week, we are a joke in this league,
Mancgeordie
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:41 PM
Comment #26baro i agree and i think thats the way we will play i do think as players come back and once they get over the shock of the past few days then we will see the results pickup
lewman
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:41 PM
Comment #27i think ireland could make all the difference to this team imo. maybe not against stoke but aginst the likes of villa, blackburn(not under allercrap anymore) and blackpool he would be a huge influence on games
olivant
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:41 PM
Comment #28Of course we had to loose, and the f”cking Duffer had to get the goal. He got the relegation own goal last time round as well.
It looks like every third game at least has to be awful, that is why we will play good against arsenal come sunday.
nuckingfuts
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:42 PM
Comment #29My 20/1Betfair bet on Toon being relegated after AC left looking good. Best price now is 11/1.
OMG!
sweendog
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:42 PM
Comment #30stuart no9.. think Pardew is trying to change tactics but he has to work with what he’s got .. we could have done with that eejit N’Zog on the left and guti on the right .. we’d be pushing up the league .. I think Pardew knows what he’s doing .. maybe with Tiote back you’ll see a much improved side.
alex84
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:42 PM
Comment #31emergancy loan??? can we do it?
mickguk
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:43 PM
Comment #32s**t i thought it was saturday
lewman
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:43 PM
Comment #33andy apart from rangers nice turn and weak shot, he was much worse than best, what game where you watching. ranger headed the ball out for goalkicks more times than michael jackson said oww
sweendog
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:43 PM
Comment #34as for relegation .. don’t ever want that sh*t again..
tjshawsey
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:43 PM
Comment #35On a side note shouldn’t sidwell have been sent off? Current rule is you can’t use your elbow to jump, and whether intentional or not he’s fracture ameobi’s cheekbone!
Whitecap
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:44 PM
Comment #36Watch this only if you enjoy feeling ill.
irishmacTOON
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:44 PM
Comment #37nolan crap as always, best wouldn get on a under 14 team. everyone goes on about Ranger, Wat about him??? he’s crap, get over him, ok he still young but, not gud enough, it shows. simpson hasn a clue wat to do with the ball or without. think were in really big trouble……
free giveaways
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:44 PM
Comment #38I said this one deadline day; Ameobi, Best, Lovenkrands and Ranger is a strike force that will get you relegated but people kept saying “We’ve not had Carroll for over a month and done well”. We only beat Hammers and Wigan in that team and they’re both awful.
We should have been looking to get a striker in before we even received an offer for Carroll.
Daniel Sturridge scored tonight. I said we should have got him but some people on here said we don’t need him because we’ve got Ranger!
Robbie Keane scored tonight. I said we should get him but so many people on here said he’s past it and got no pace anymore. He never had pace! Watch now, he’ll score the goals to keep them up this season.
This is so amateurish of Ashley and Lambais not to have got a striker in this window. It’s just unbelievable.
toonie
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:44 PM
Comment #39Baro: Dont disagree with best team suggestion,
but its glaringly obvious we do not have a goal getter. Hopefully there is a free agent being looked at and quick !!!!
DublinToonArmy
Feb 2, 2011 at 10:44 PM
Comment #40I only have one word to describe that performance tonight….IMPOTENT. The club is a joke, we sell our prize asset Andy Carroll for 35M, ok thats fine good money. So we all make the horrible assumption that we will strenghten our squad before the 11pm deadline with another forward, WRONG, we put in a last minute bid for CHARLES INSOMNIA a winger NOT a striker!!! What the f*ck are these monkeys on??? Total and utter crap.