Leon Best again scored for Newcastle today as he scored the second half equalizer, and now he has scored all three of Newcastle’s goals over the last three games.
Leon Best – after scoring the equalizer today
And dare we say it, it looks like Leon is picking up from where he left off when he was injured earlier this year, and in his last 17 appearances for Newcastle’s he’s hit 9 goals.
The result kept Newcastle in fourth place in the Premier League, although there are four Premier League games still to be played tomorrow.
This is what Leon said after the game today:
“The sky is the limit at the minute,” “No one thought we would be in this position and we’ve showed what a good team we are and what good players we’ve got and we can just keep continuing what we’ve been doing and we’ll see what happens.”
“I think Alan Pardew’s a good man-to-man manager because I’m sometimes not the best to have around when I’m not playing and he does put an arm around me and gets me going again. That’s my own experience so he’s definitely doing it with the other players as well.”
“He’s telling us to believe how good we are and I think we showed that today. I definitely think we showed that today but again we’ve come back from conceding and we’ve showed we’ve got good fighting spirit.”
“Against QPR on Monday, Cabaye was playing a bit deeper and the gaffer has obviously pushed him up today and he’s enjoyed it. Shay Given did well on a few of his efforts, he’s hit the bar and he had a chance late on that I think if he did score would have rounded off his performance.”
Newcastle did very well today, and they went one down after 13 minutes thorugh Gabriel Agbonlahor, but it was against the run of play.
But Newcastle kept coming at Aston Villa and deserved their equalizer after 57 minutes through Leon Best, and that was just shortly after the impressive Yohan Cabaye had hit the crossbar, with Shay Given beaten.
And there were a lot of good performances that Alan Pardew can take out of this game, and Newcastle also played as a well organized side, with some attractive football.
Maybe Newcastle are not out of place so high up in the league, and certainly they could even have won the game today at the death, with a little bit more luck.
But 9 points from the first 5 games is not too bad at all.
Comments welcome.
33 comments so far
SwedishMagpie
Sep 17, 2011 at 6:40 PM
Comment #1why the fu*k did pardew take out best ??
Andy
Sep 17, 2011 at 6:41 PM
Comment #2He took a little knock the journos are saying.
SwedishMagpie
Sep 17, 2011 at 6:47 PM
Comment #3we outplayed Aston villa for most of the match. we deserved all 3 points but im still happy about the draw.
top 8 here we come !!!
Tom_Toon
Sep 17, 2011 at 6:49 PM
Comment #4Tiote was the factor that inspired the performance turn around today, he did what he should do, destroy and portect and let Cabaye do what he does best, lets hope they both enjoyed their roles and continue in that fashion and we’re gonna have a good season.
Gotta say about Marveaux, looks like an extremely tidy player who will add to the team and wont make many mistakes.
As for Obertan, I’m not sure if he should be starting when Marveaux gets up to speed, but I think the criticism is unfair, not that he hasn’t been putting in any decent crosses, but people calling him crap when that is simply not the case, he jsut needs to develop but I’d rather that be 30 mins of games sometimes. He is only 22.
NUFCmagpie
Sep 17, 2011 at 6:49 PM
Comment #5putting on Shola was a mistake. it should’ve been Marveaux to come on instead. cabaye definitely man of the match for me.
GeordieToon89
Sep 17, 2011 at 6:51 PM
Comment #6good game today, good solid display, Cabaye and Tiote wer immense..
team for Tuesday
—————-Elliot
Simpson—Perch–Kadar—Ferguson
————-Tiote—Gosling
Obertan—-Marveaux——Sammy
—————-Ba
Give Elliot a game to see how he does also we need to give Colo and Taylor a rest we need them fully fit for blackburn and would be good to get Kadar involved again, a dont really like Ferguson at LB so could maybe play Raylor still and Put Sammy on the right and Fergie on the left, start with Ba again cos he needs games along with Tiote
GeordieToon89
Sep 17, 2011 at 6:52 PM
Comment #7give Marveaux 60/70 mins and replace him with the one and only Ben Arfa.!!
roshan MAGPIE
Sep 17, 2011 at 6:53 PM
Comment #8this is my team for cup match
GK elliot DEF raylor Pearch kadar dummety MID mavreux Gosling guthre fergie FWD ba sammy
SUBS harper saylor obertan Tiote moyo abedi best ben arfa lovenkrAnds
danuneek
Sep 17, 2011 at 6:54 PM
Comment #9Cabaye showed his class today. I think that performance may have proved some of the doubters wrong. Everything came through him today, what a pass he has… I’m glad Best scored again, quieten the Gillette soccer Saturday lot! Cabaye can only get better, particularly now Barton has gone we can start to build around him.
Dannyo
Sep 17, 2011 at 6:55 PM
Comment #10I thought Obertan gave Warnock some trouble, but then he just slips up and disappears from the game again.
He just shows a lack of willingness allot of the time.
I dunno about Obertan atm, he should be tricky enough to take people on, and i think he can, he showed that when taking on and passing Ireland and some other bloke (can’t remember) towards the end.
Want to see more of that type of play from him.
Milking Mikes' bulging pockets
Sep 17, 2011 at 6:55 PM
Comment #11Right, I’m back.
I would love if someone could work out Best’s mins/goals ratio, from those 17 appearences. I think I’m correct when saying, he hasn’t completed 90 mins in any of those, some he’s only had 15-20mins.
I reckon it would total about 9 in 13 complete games. Would be interesting to find out.
toonarmy1986
Sep 17, 2011 at 6:57 PM
Comment #12Tiote back on form makes a huge difference. He breaks the play up then instantly puts us on the front foot. Obertan to me needs one good game to give him the confidence and self believe as I think he is lacking it a little to much. Cabaye very much looking the part though 🙂
Milking Mikes' bulging pockets
Sep 17, 2011 at 6:58 PM
Comment #13Cabaye’s passing/vision is sublime. His shot is wicked. His tackling is strong. His workrate/stamina is excellent. Complete midfielder.
Tailor made for the Premiership.
GeordieToon89
Sep 17, 2011 at 7:01 PM
Comment #14Best 9 goals in 2011
Carroll 2 goals in 2011
Daft_lad
Sep 17, 2011 at 7:01 PM
Comment #15Was a case of the Good, the bad and the ugly today….
The good – Tiote and Cabaye….they were outstanding with Tiote back to his old self and Cabaye pulling the strings
The bad – our crossing from both sides and the lack of invention with the final ball
The ugly – how can a referee standing directly in front of a challenge; allow play to continue then blow his whistle after play has moved 50/60 yards downfield on the say so of a linesman on the far side of the pitch?
GeordieToon89
Sep 17, 2011 at 7:03 PM
Comment #16Daft_lad – was a class finish from Sammy at the end of it anall, really dont understand how the ref let the linesman who was about 30 yards away to over rule him
GeordieDan
Sep 17, 2011 at 7:09 PM
Comment #17Player ratings imo:
Krul> 7
Simmo> 7
Colo> 7.5
Saylor> 8
Raylor> 7
Tiote> 7.5
Obertan> 5
Cabaye> 9
Jonas > 7
Ba> 7
Best> 7.5
Subs:
Shola Ameobi> 6
Marveaux> 7.5
Sammy Ameobi> n/a
Very good effort today from our lads and Cabaye was outstanding. Luckily had a great stream for the whole match for a change as well! 😀
Daft_lad
Sep 17, 2011 at 7:10 PM
Comment #18@GeordieToon89
Quality by Sammi
Tom_Toon
Sep 17, 2011 at 7:11 PM
Comment #19I dunno how you can give Jonas a 7 and Obertan a 5, they were both in and out, neither particularly good today.
GS
Sep 17, 2011 at 7:12 PM
Comment #20Agree with everything said on here.
Ryan Taylor looked much more composed. It would be good for Sammy and Marveaux to get more time but the players they replaced didn’t do too badly either.
Their goal was lucky.
GeordieDan
Sep 17, 2011 at 7:14 PM
Comment #21Daft_lad>
If Sammy had of scored that without the whistle going it would be up for goal of the season!
What an effort that was! Couldn’t believe it. Why Strolla came on and not Sammy was a joke.
And for Best instead of Ba…Very strange.
GeordieDan
Sep 17, 2011 at 7:17 PM
Comment #22Tom Toon>
I had actually meant to give him a ,6 dammit. My mistake.
Thought Obertan was totally ineffective today and of the 2 Jonas was only slightly better today.
Our worst players today unfortunately. Marveaux must start ahead of Obertan in the next match surely. Plus possibly Gosling to see what he’s made of.
JP...from The Rock
Sep 17, 2011 at 7:26 PM
Comment #23From what I’ve heard Best had a knock and Pardew took him off as a precaution. But to send Strolla Ameobi in any game is always a mistake. A long term injury to strolla would be a blessing as he clearly is not a footballer worthy of a subs bench in our team let alone play!
Sammy Ameobi on the other hand never fails to impress me, Strolla take note you twat!!
Pardew what a brilliant manager he is proving to be, even Best said so today.
Great performance and a very decent result. We deserved the win though.
HTL
NUFC 1892
Sep 17, 2011 at 7:31 PM
Comment #24Team 4 Blackburn:
_____________KRUL
DANNY SAYLOR COLO RAYLOR
SPIDERMAN TIOTE CABAYE MARVEAUX
_____________HBA
____________BEAST
Matt Stoddz NUFC
Sep 17, 2011 at 7:35 PM
Comment #25I was there and can honestly say we should of beat them today went mad when best scored lol, team for Tuesday
——————————-Elliot————————————–
Raylor————–Kadar——–Perch—————–Ferguson
Obertan——–Tiote————Gosling————–Marveaux
—————————–Vuckic————————————–
———————————Ba—————————————
toonbrother
Sep 17, 2011 at 7:49 PM
Comment #26Well Said Leon Best aka Drake
veto
Sep 17, 2011 at 7:56 PM
Comment #27great to see best on the scoresheet again , if he can pull out 20+ goals this season for us that would be amazing , and the number 9 shirt is filled for next season imo .
cabaye ive always known his quality glad he got put further up the field, he’s our fabregas and will only get better 🙂
BUDGIE
Sep 17, 2011 at 8:38 PM
Comment #28Really enjoyed the game today, some immense performances. We deserved so much more.One or two players off being a cracking outfit.
kajman
Sep 17, 2011 at 9:35 PM
Comment #29guys.just got in from the match, about obertan, i watched him to day,,now he may not be the worlds best player, but today what alot of people have failed to recognise is he runs up and down the wing all the time,he always available for the defence to find ,,today the villa fulback had to work is socks off,,today was by far his best desplay,,i for one agree he need to imporve his crossing , but we are a better team with his running and speed in our team.
DaveyBoy
Sep 18, 2011 at 12:43 AM
Comment #30I think I have a little man crush on cabaye…
WLtoon
Sep 18, 2011 at 9:58 AM
Comment #31Without getting carried away,the lads have surprised me at the way they have started.
When was the last time we could say that we had a good defence,yet that is what we seem to have now.
My worry is injury to either of our centre halves,who have been outstanding so far.
Dare i sayit,we have a decent run of winnable games in october to keep the momentum going before we face the big boys in November.
If we are still up there by then,our confidence should be sky high and help us maybe pull off a shock result against one of them.
This league is ,apart from 5 or 6 teams,very average,and there is no reason at all why we can finish in the top 7 or 8.
Ive got a hunch though,that we will sell another big player in January,and that will sour everything that Pardew is trying to do.
HTL
NEWEXPATMAGPIE
Sep 18, 2011 at 10:14 AM
Comment #32Swedish Mag @ 1 !
Best was taken off coz he took a knock!
Benji
Sep 18, 2011 at 12:28 PM
Comment #33Best looks like Tim Duncan, and is just as BOSS as him.