Newcastle look like they are a tough team to beat this season, and the side seems to have lost none of their mental strength from the last two seasons.
Shola Ameobi – in action at Sunderland
And Alan Pardew has the lads playing good attacking football as we saw on Saturday at Villa Park, and that was away from home too.
Shola Ameobi came on for Leon Best after 68 minutes, just 11 minutes after Best had scored Newcastle’s equalizing goal.
And I cannot be the only one that thought that substitution didn’t make too much sense, as Shola was not good last Monday night, and Leon is the in-form striker, and had just scored.
Shola Ameobi has given a few interviews today to the local Newcastle press corps, and was pleased with the result on Saturday, although he admits it could have been all 3 points:
“It’s never easy to win games in this league and we knew as a team and a squad that a good start is always important,” “All the players have really cottoned on to what we need to do to win games and get results.” “There are a few of us still here from last year and we know how to win games.”
“After finishing last season on a high we’ve just kept kicking on. It’s great for our confidence when we come to places like this and get a result.”
“I thought after about 20, 25 minutes we started playing and showed that character we have all season. To come back from a goal behind again, away from home, was great. For most of that game it looked as if we were the home side. We can take great confidence from that into the next game.”
“It’s not an easy place to come as we’ve found out in the past, but we came here with confidence and beside the first 20 minutes I thought we dominated. If it hadn’t been for Shay Given we could have had three points.”
“The most important part of a season is the end but if you get a good start it sets you up nicely.” “To be unbeaten in six games in is fantastic.” “The fans will back the team at home, hopefully we can grab another three points against Blackburn on Saturday.”
It could be that Alan Pardew will rest Leon Best tomorrow night and play either Shola or Demba Ba up front, with the great Ben Arfa playing in the withdrawn striker role.
With Ben Arfa in the side, and Yohan Cabaye being allowed to push further up the field, as he did in the second half on Saturday to great effect, that should make Newcastle a much more potent side, and we must go all out to win at Nottingham Forest.
This team is good enough to have a decent run in the Carling Cup this season, with just a little bit of luck in the draw.
Howay The Lads!!
Comments always welcome.
11 comments so far
DarloGeordie
Sep 19, 2011 at 9:46 AM
Comment #1I like Shola but not as a player, he is a great guy and a local lad but seriously is a terrible footballer.
Great news that Arfa is back training and ready to play, its been too long and i had a sneaky feeling that this season Best was going to be a great player for us, i’m also glad his name isn’t that big a name as to attract interest from clubs willing to pay money for him. We should keep Besty he could turn out to be a fantastic player for us…
toon6toon
Sep 19, 2011 at 9:52 AM
Comment #2Cabaye was absolutely outstanding as a more advanced position suits him alot better than what he did against qpr and tiote looks to going back to his old self which is great
but on the cup team we should start gosling as he needs game time as he is a great prospect and of course sammy
Indian Magpie
Sep 19, 2011 at 9:55 AM
Comment #3Please rectify the title,
& it depends on the draw
~~San-Toon~~
Sep 19, 2011 at 9:59 AM
Comment #4To be fair to Pardew. He had the right idea bringing on Ameobi…
he just chose the wrong one!
ogbell
Sep 19, 2011 at 10:04 AM
Comment #5Probable team for Tuesday
Elliott
Simpson. Taylor. Coloccini. Ferguson
Sammy. Guthrie. Gosling. Marveaux.
Ba. Lovenkrands.
Would love to see HBA start, but that won’t happen.
Ollieh51
Sep 19, 2011 at 10:12 AM
Comment #6The place is going to erupt when that shot from Cabaye hits the strings!
Great performance from him, he and Best are growing as prem players with every minute they spend on the pitch!
SincerelySamuel
Sep 19, 2011 at 10:47 AM
Comment #7Yohann Cabaye €4.8mil = BARGAIN
Leon Best £1.5mil=BARGAIN
Chiek Tiote €3.75mil=BARGAIN
Sir Alan
Sep 19, 2011 at 11:10 AM
Comment #8Cabaye and Tiote or Modric and Parker?
magpiebop
Sep 19, 2011 at 11:31 AM
Comment #9We should only start with Krul, STaylor and Coloccini from the team that played Villa and maybe Ba upfront. It’s a long season and we need to know the fringe players are good enough and fit enough when called upon. It really looks a quality squad especially if we can get CB and ST in Jan!
magpiebop
Sep 19, 2011 at 11:37 AM
Comment #10@8 Tiote and Cabaye for certain. Don’t rate Parker as I hated him always turning back on himself to pass back, although he looks more attack minded now. I’d compare Modric more with Ben Arfa!
Symo22
Sep 19, 2011 at 12:37 PM
Comment #11Elliot
Perch Saylor Colo Fergie
Raylor Gos Guthrie Marv
Benny
Ba
Subs; Krul, Kadar, Simo, Smith, Albied, Cabs, Loven