It wasn’t a great performance yesterday from Newcastle, but we’re certainly not complaining, as the lads got a great 3 points against QPR, in a game we were expected to win.
Alan Pardew shakes hands with Mark Hughes before the game yesterday
Good luck but not too much of it
That’s 4 points the lads have taken off newly promoted QPR this season, without conceding a goal, and that’s very good.
And we are now in the high position of being 6th in the league table, with the same points total as Arsenal and one point more than Liverpool, so we are not complaining about the performance yesterday or how we got all 3 points.
The last time Newcastle played in the league against Manchester United 12 days ago, the lads gave about their best performance for a long long time, and in front of a worldwide TV audience and a sell-out Geordie crowd of over 52,000.
And Newcastle got great headlines around the world for that superb 3-0 win, when we tore the Red Devils apart – well kind of. 😀
Alan Pardew is not trying to say it was a great game for the fans to watch yesterday, but we understand the lads cannot be brilliant in every single game, and no other team is either.
Newcastle fans were delighted when the final whistle went yesterday, and although Newcastle couldn’t get that second goal that would have killed the game off, it was Newcastle’s 4th clean sheet in the last six Premier League games and that’s not too bad at all.
Newcastle now have eight clean sheets in the league this season and we had nine in all of last season.
This is what Alan Pardew told the local Tyneside press today:
“Listen, we’re never going to have a champagne performance week-in, week-out. We had the champagne against Man United.”
“It was more like a flat beer, but we won, which was the important thing. As a spectacle, it was hard to watch.”
We will have to wait and see if Yohan Cabaye’s ankle will be OK for the game at Fulham on Saturday, but the initial prognosis seems to be be good, and hopefully the Frenchman has every hope of being ready for the next important game.
And the Frenchman who replaced Yohan yesterday – Ben Arfa – had another good game for Newcastle, and is starting to look like his old self, and he certainly entertains the crowd with his great skills.
Alan Pardew has been full of praise for Ben Arfa since yeasterday’s game:
“Hatem came on the pitch after the injury to Cabaye and gave us the flair and work rate we’ve been asking.
“In the last two games he’s put himself in a great position. He made a big difference, and I’m pleased with that.”
“To be honest, I was going to change it in any case with Cabaye on the pitch.” “I just felt we were losing that midfield area.” “When you’ve got a team like QPR, sometimes you just need that extra body in there to get the ball and play.”
“Jonas got free, and we just created enough to get the goal from Bestie, who I was so pleased for.” “In the second half we didn’t really open the game up. We kept it tight, and got the win.”
“We have to be happy.”
Newcastle looked a good side after the first 20 minutes, and they should have every chance of getting something out of the game at Craven Cottage this Saturday.
But Fulham were an embarrassment at Blackburn on Saturday, as they played against 10 men for all but 22 minutes of the game, after Yakubu Aiyegbeni – Yakubu – was sent off – but Blackburn to their immense credit still won 3-1 for only their 4th win of the season in the league.
The red card means that Yakubu will miss the game against Newcastle in three weeks time at Ewood Park on February 4th.
Manager Martin Jol will want a much better performance out of his team this coming Saturday, and we expect another tough game at Fulham, and the game is again being televised live around the world.
Another three points could see Newcastle in 5th place in the league come Saturday evening.
Comments welcome.
257 comments so far
Toonboy_83
Jan 16, 2012 at 7:50 PM
Comment #241Where are fulham 1/1 to beat us this weekend? Is that a joke haha?
Beattie25
Jan 16, 2012 at 7:57 PM
Comment #242Breaking News
I have several sources who have confirmed this
Apparently Tracy Barlow has accused somebody of pushing her downstairs
And Tyrone has gotten somebody pregnant
more news to follow as soon as I get it…
GeordieGerman
Jan 16, 2012 at 7:58 PM
Comment #243Anyway off to watch Wigan slaughter Man. Citeh. 😀
Beattie25
Jan 16, 2012 at 8:00 PM
Comment #244Stefan Savic playing for Man City.
3-0 Wigan then
Beattie25
Jan 16, 2012 at 8:12 PM
Comment #245I know it is a Newcastle blog and the Wigan vs. Man City match doesn’t really concern us but I really hope Wigan go down.
I like Martinez and I would even like to see some of thier players at the toon (specifically Diame who would be great competition for Chiek and is on a free in ths Summer) but thier attendance records are unforgivable. Monday night against local rivals Man City, a team with incredible players and thier is more empty seats in the ground then there would be if Chris Rea played live at the Stadium of Sh*te.
There should be a law that if your home attendance drops below 60% you are docked points cos this is laughable.
Darling27
Jan 16, 2012 at 8:13 PM
Comment #246Belgium have got some awesome players coming through.
Beattie25
Jan 16, 2012 at 8:13 PM
Comment #247* thier stadium
Rosted Pork
Jan 16, 2012 at 8:15 PM
Comment #248Finaly i got sacked as newcastle manager as v got relegated n fm11 🙁
geordielad880
Jan 16, 2012 at 8:15 PM
Comment #249whats everyones thoughts on n’zonzi who plays for blackburn, would be good cover for tiote
Beattie25
Jan 16, 2012 at 8:19 PM
Comment #250@ gerdielad
He is a really good player in my opinion but as I mentioned just before Diame at Wigan is on a free in the Summer and I thinkk is quality and would be briil as cover for Tiote.
geordielad880
Jan 16, 2012 at 8:22 PM
Comment #251with newcastles players we could quite easily go 4-3-3, when tiote and ba are back
————————krul
simpson——–williamson—collo——–santon
————guthrie—–tiote—-cabaye
——ben arfa———————-obertan
————————-ba
its a very decent side indeed, and with players like jonas, gosling, ameobi, vuckic, r.taylor etc, we can rotate players
Rosted Pork
Jan 16, 2012 at 8:22 PM
Comment #252Man city 1-0
geordielad880
Jan 16, 2012 at 8:24 PM
Comment #253beattie25, just logged on, didnt see your comment, yeah agree diame, would be very decent cover, we could go with a couple of players like that, a couple of steady proven players for small fees, we need more depth
geordielad880
Jan 16, 2012 at 8:25 PM
Comment #254I really like martin olsson who plays left back for blackburn, very steady, and wouldnt cost a fortune, has always played decent against us
Arfurglassful
Jan 16, 2012 at 9:30 PM
Comment #255boater slated planb by saying We were comfortable throughout. I’m getting sick of saying this but Shola – whilst not doing well in front of goal himself – enables us to ping balls into the front 2 and support from midfield. I don’t know why people can’t make this rudimentary tactical observation and just see the surface reading of a game.
I was about to go on at some length about the rubbish you wrote but, after 250 comments, I doubt if it’ll get noticed.
Suffice to say Shola may well hold the ball up but not for 90 minutes.as puffing and blowing at the hour mark implies he’s an “impact” player at best
Trent Toon
Jan 17, 2012 at 8:35 AM
Comment #256boater 2 (comment)
I completely agree! For years i have been anti shola, but i must say him playing up front really allowed us to keep the ball in the final third – which in turn got us the goal against QPR.
Trent Toon
Jan 17, 2012 at 9:43 AM
Comment #257I haven’t seen a poor ameobi performance this season well no that i can remember and that is saying something because I’m a ameobi hater! But all i can remember he saves our asses with i think one of the goals of the season against tottenham!
Also his performance at chelsea was incredible unlucky not to bag 2 goals. I thought he was cool and collected upfront against QPR and also with the assist at Manchester united (and that was in the first half) so why play him as impact!
I am finally feeling he is the man for the job! Better than be sty IMO