Newcastle now are placed 6th in the Premier League table after an eventful and exiting batch of games today, which saw the Manchester United hammer hapless Arsenal 8-2, and Manchester City hammer Tottenham 5-1, so as the commentators said it’s Manchester 13 – London 3.
Alan Pardew congrartulates Leon Best this afternoon
But I’m not interested in either London or Manchester clubs, and cannot quite believe Newcastle have made such a good start to the season.
Once again today, the lads held on through times of adversity, especially in the first half (again), and came through in style to win against a more than decent Fulham side.
Fulham played some nice football and must have wondered how they could have been 2-0 down after 66 minutes, after Leon Best had scored his second goal, a brilliant effort, and the answer was that Newcastle took their chances in this game and Fulham didn’t.
This lad looks the part and now in his last 15 appearances he has 8 goals, and at least right now he is the number one striker at Newcastle, as he was ealerer this year.
Alan Shearer scored just slightly more than one goal every two goals in his career of over 700 games, but I’m not comparing Leon with the great Alan Shearer – but Leon can do a decent job for Newcastle – if he’s given a chance.
We shouldn’t get carried away too much either, because looking back on all four game so far this season, we’ve been really poor in the first half in each game, and could have lost each game before half time.
But we didn’t and three successive wins and a draw is not too bad a start at all.
And Alan Pardew was rightly a very happy man after the game:
“You have to pay credit to Fulham, in that first 15 minutes, they took the sting right out of us and we struggled in that period,”
“They kept the ball really well, they overloaded the midfield, but it was good that we managed to deal with that. We changed something a little, which worked for us, and I felt we started to dominate towards the end of the first half.”“And then in the second half, I felt we were in control of the game up until the last ten minutes.” “We have won three games this week and in professional football, whatever level you are at, that’s good going,”
“We have used numerous players and they have all done a great job and as a football manager, that’s what you are after, everybody to contribute, and we have had that.
“We have got seven points out of a really tough programme and we are pleased with that.”
We’ve been concentrating on two things in the last few weeks, good players we don’t have and who we are trying to sign, and good players we don’t have because they have left the club.
But the lads who have played for Newcastle over the last four games have performed very well indeed, and the amazing thing to us is that the team spirit seems excellent, and the new lads coming in have to take a lot of credit for mixing in well.
But that becomes a lot easier when you want to be on Tyneside of course. Being 6th in the league should also assist the club in getting three new players in before the end of the transfer window.
And the two heroes today for Newcastle were Leon Best and Tim Krul – Leon for two excellently taken goals and Tim Krul for three wonderful reaction saves that kept Newcastle in the game in the second half.
We think Leon is still improving and today’s performance was just a follow-on for the way he played earlier this year.
Leon Best after scoring his first goal this afternoon
Alan Pardew was delighted with Best today:
“He’s a player who is trying to establish himself as a Premier League player,” “I never really worry about his confidence. He kind of has that in abundance, which is not a bad thing for a footballer.”
“I have known him for a long, long time and come up against him a couple of times and for me, he has never really had a run where he has said, ‘I’m the man’.
“He will get an opportunity now and he needs to prove it. He was unlucky last year, to be fair, because an injury came at a really bad time for him when he was doing fantastically.”“He still needs to improve in some areas, but he was great today, especially in the second half.”
Leon can improve and he will improve, and he just needs to be given a good run in the side, and as he showed earlier this year, he’ll put the ball in the back of the net.
His two goals today were two typical opportunist goals, and the second, if it had been Ronaldo or Messi, people would have been raving about how he back-heeled the ball clear of the defenders, before smashing the ball past Schwarzer.
No – I’m not comparing our Leon with those two world-class players.
We now have two weeks to bask in the glory of 6th place, and three days to worry about whether we’ll get any players in before the end of the transfer window.
Howay The Lads!!
228 comments so far
blissna
Aug 28, 2011 at 9:49 PM
Comment #1Krul was a hero today
eaststandgeordie1982
Aug 28, 2011 at 9:57 PM
Comment #2last season we would of drew or got beat today shows that the spirit is still there could even be stronger CBs look solid havnt been able to say that for a long time great to see cabaye spreading the ball all over the pitch wish obertan would use his pace and skill more and have a go at defenders krul is a legend already! jonas is our kuyt he grafts all day long
Spuggy
Aug 28, 2011 at 9:58 PM
Comment #3A great win today and a great start to the campaign, now we need to press on…things could be looking very good in a few weeks…
…a new LB, CF and Situ signed on the dotted line by Wed, a fully match fit Tiote, Ba, Marveaux, Vuckic and HBA and we should be looking a lot better.
A replacement for Barton would be a great bonus to the minimum above. but can’t see that happening.
beefman13
Aug 28, 2011 at 9:59 PM
Comment #4ever since leon has been at the club he has been getting it in the neck and he keeps proving the doubters wrong, when he first arived he did not show much but a lot of the time you just have to find your feet, now 8 goals (10 really as he scored one that was not offside against arsenal and one were jagielka backed in to him and got a free kick when he scored) but really 8 in 15 and was taken off twice with half an hour to play against west ham and early again today when he would of in my opinion got a hat trick shows there is defo more goals in the lad the BEST goals for games ratio in the prem enough said!!!!!!!!!
Kris
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:01 PM
Comment #5What happened to Gosling. Not on the bench. Injuried?
GeordieGerman “allez les gars!”
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:02 PM
Comment #6beefman13, is that true? Best has the highest goals ratio in the PL?
beefman13
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:04 PM
Comment #7Tim Krul, a proper top goalkeeper. dutch international who are rated no1 in the world at the moment, he has been playing like no one is better as well, long may it continue, touch wood ,well done son.
Spuggy
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:06 PM
Comment #8If best continues his goal ratio my lineup would be when everyone is fit….
…………………..Krul………………….
Raylor……Saylor……Collo……Peiters?
…………..Cabaye……..Tiote……………..
Arfa……………………………….Jonas/Marv
……………Best……….New CF………………
beefman13
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:06 PM
Comment #9geordie german, leon has played 15 scored 8. top class in any language for the prem league.
eaststandgeordie1982
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:09 PM
Comment #10thats a goal every 1.87 games
Kris
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:11 PM
Comment #11Best has 8 in 13 EPL games!
Mystic Mikes' iron curtain
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:11 PM
Comment #12Leon Best is a natural CF, has a bit of everything and is very hungry, long may his scoring continue.
Now he needs a sharpshooting partner!
Kris
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:13 PM
Comment #13And he hadnt started all of them. I think he will get better and better. Just 24 though.
torontoonarmy
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:13 PM
Comment #14Cabaye was excellent today, this lad is gonna be a huge star in the Prem. Graham Carr is certainly unearthing some gems.Next Cissoko instead of Pieters????
ilovetoon8788
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:14 PM
Comment #15Leon Best really led the line extremely well. And he has so much strength and leap. If he can keep on scoring, he could our complete foward. Just as good as Benzema.
h0sta
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:17 PM
Comment #16Alan Shearer scored just slightly more than one goal every two goals in his career – what a striker! 🙂 good game – pleasure to see obertan with guti toying defenders
Mystic Mikes' iron curtain
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:18 PM
Comment #17I think an Irish strikeforce of Best/Long, could have been formidable for us – shame.
Spuggy
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:21 PM
Comment #18Mystic
No, Shane.
Tehe, I’ve had wine.
GeordieGerman “allez les gars!”
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:21 PM
Comment #19I know it has nothing to do with us. But Welbeck has scored (I think) every game he’s started. Bruce played him out of position all the time he was on loan. Keep it up agent Bruce.
eaststandgeordie1982
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:21 PM
Comment #20bring on MOTD
BonVoyageBenny
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:22 PM
Comment #21Thought Ba played well when he came on, especially considering he is fasting for Ramadan. When it’s finished, and he can get to his full potential, he’ll be class for us.
Mystic Mikes' iron curtain
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:23 PM
Comment #22I saw the error of my ways, after I posted it, Spuggy 😆
ian7523
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:24 PM
Comment #23Cabaye and Tiote are going to be immense in midfield for us.
I was worried when we sold JB, but Cabaye seems to have just as much passion without the hazardous temper and off field issues.
Krul is a monster, I really hope no one comes in for him come January.
Spuggy
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:27 PM
Comment #24MOTD !!!!
The tune makes me all fuzzy inside.
Mystic Mikes' iron curtain
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:27 PM
Comment #25Has Erding moved yet? If not, untangling this ball of wool, we haven’t reached the end of that piece, I don’t think…..
eaststandgeordie1982
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:27 PM
Comment #26spuggy only when we win
eaststandgeordie1982
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:29 PM
Comment #27MMIC aye its gone quiet on him like
wynsleap
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:31 PM
Comment #28A tale of two halves again today.
First half was dire from United but a lot better in the second half when Tiote and Obertan in particular really upped their play.
STaylor and Colo magnificent. Best worked hard for his two goals and thoroughly deserved them.
But Krul was the boy – again. Absolutely magnificent.
He really looks invincible at the moment.
Great start to the season but tick…. tick…… tick …… tick….. tick …….tick…..tick….tick….tick….
Klatoon
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:32 PM
Comment #29Goals aside,the way he calmly controlled,turned in th box and set up Cabaye for the mis-hit shot was pure class,shame it didnt end up in the top corner as Cabaye really deservd a goal today. HWTL
eaststandgeordie1982
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:32 PM
Comment #30what a goal by young
Spuggy
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:34 PM
Comment #31Wow I can see the faces on BBC HD MOTD, beats watching 22 P2P blobs.
BigKirky
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:34 PM
Comment #32Watchin first sport replay of toon game. Cabaye’s just gonna get better and better.
Colombus
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:35 PM
Comment #33Krul is really starting to look like a gem. He has really impressed me lateley and as a shot-stopper I think his potential is scary! He needs to beef up a bit though ( read_ de gea) and I also think he needs to be more of a commander inside the area. Great to see him take the steps though!
I think it would be wise of the club to get in Pieters as he would blend in nicely and also help krul establish even more feelings for the club. Roux is the type of forward we need and I hope we really go after him instead of Maiga. Fast, tricky and a good finisher. Hell yeah! At last I want the club to bring in Santon as bartons replacement.
wishlist:
In : Pieters, Roux, Santon
Out: Smith,løvenkrands
Klatoon
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:39 PM
Comment #34Young’s goals show what Jonas could/should be doing for us. Aside from the goal against Wolves last season,he always seems to go for th near post with his shots like he did again today. I want to see him bend them far post like Young and Kaka did today after cutting in from th left wing.
Toon1978
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:42 PM
Comment #35What i would give to have players like Young and Rooney at NUFC. We have had players like that in the 90’s in Ginola and Shearer,Cole. Not now though lol.
Spuggy
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:42 PM
Comment #36Rooney in sublime form. Bodes well for england.
Mystic Mikes' iron curtain
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:51 PM
Comment #37“Identify the danger and limit it, at it’s source.” That’s what we’re doing so well, Mr Hansen 😛
ilovetoon8788
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:53 PM
Comment #38Jonas is not the type of winger in the mould of Young. Young seems to be a world class winger since joining Man Utd.
Jonas is more of a defensive winger to me. He prefers to run down the byline and whip in with his left if possible. If not he just passes it or works very hard and protects the left back. He is just different and very underrated. Hes 1 of the most important player to me.
But we can wish Obertan turns out to be like Young. He needs to be more confident and take on players and just hammer the ball into the 6 yard box.
WWJBD
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:54 PM
Comment #39Mary mother of christ how bad were Arsenal? Theo screaming at that kid Jenkins and getting told to f off after he busted a gut to cover his mistake? Haha jesus
And Man Utd played mostly young uns good lord
Mystic Mikes' iron curtain
Aug 28, 2011 at 10:55 PM
Comment #40Obertan improved immensely today, not that I thought he’d played poorly previously. The teams work ethic is rubbing off on him, and he showed glimpses more frequently, made better decisions too.