The tone of the game was set in the first minute at St. James’ Park today as madman Lee Cattermole, who is one one of the most dangerous players playing the game, lunged in with a ridiculous tackle on Cheick Tiote.
Shola Ameobi – after scoring equalizer in stoppage time
Lee got a yellow card for that and behaved himself after that – well most of the time – but he got a straight red card after the final whistle blew, after a verbal exchange with the referee and his assistants.
Cattermole hasn’t got a leg to stand on with any appeal, but Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill said after the match he was upset that in the second half, most of the referee decisions went Newcastle’s way.
Lee will get a three match ban if that’s the best defense they can come up.
Sunderland were the better side in the first half, but Newcastle were much better in those final 45 minutes and really should have won the game but for a Demba Ba penalty miss.
But we saw something of the best of Newcastle after the break, with Ben Arfa outstanding, after it seemed the Sunderland players seemed to go out to try to upset the Newcastle players in that first half, with disruptive play and strong tackles.
Alan Pardew was delighted with the second half performance, and especially with Ben Arfa, as had this to say to nufcTV after the game:
“I’m absolutely delighted with my team. We showed real courage and determination to turn that around,” “The opposition came here to unsettle us and the first tackle set the tone – Cattermole smashed Cheick to try and disrupt him – and we got sucked into that in the first half.
“We didn’t play any football. It was just a physical war and they were better than us at that.” “But in the second half we came, played our game and forgot about all that, and we absolutely bossed them and something was going to give.”
“Once their guy was sent off it was just about were we going to get two goals, were we going to get time?” “We missed a penalty but still we didn’t lie down. That could have been a body blow.”
“And up steps our man again – Shola Ameobi – and what a fantastic person he is. He scores again and just reminds us all how important he is to the team.”
“This guy Ben Arfa is exceptional. I don’t want our fans to start thinking I don’t think this is a good player.” “He is special and we have got to get him on the pitch.”
“I’ve got to find a way of getting him on the pitch to play like that, because that was his best 45 minutes.” “We’ve got 11 games to go and he can cause some real damage. He was the big difference between the sides in terms of the technical quality.”
“You need a technical player who can unlock the door – he did it about four times and we were unlucky not to get a goal in those moments. It was a big game for him.”
Ryan Taylor went to left back in place of Davide Santon and Ben Arfa came onto the right wing in the second half, and that could be the starting line-up a week tomorrow, when we are at Arsenal.
Ben Arfa is currently easily leading our poll as our Man of the Match with 62% of the vote, and the poll is still open if you haven’t yet voted.
Shola Ameobi, our goalscorer, is in second place with 13% of the vote – pity he didn’t take the penalty.
Comments welcome.
176 comments so far
rich_toonfan
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:07 PM
Comment #1first
Dannyo
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:09 PM
Comment #2Thanks for saying that about HBA Pardew, i was really thinking u did have something against him.
Hopefully u can field him against Arsenal, he’s a real key for us.
Klatoon
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:10 PM
Comment #3Got to say it was a real “war”,a proper derby.we dont see em anymore these days 🙂 Rattermole’s early lunge was reckless but it set the tone,wouldnt mind Tiote flooring Rosicky early on (minus a booking) just to let him know “im here and i aint having anyone prancing about in midfield”
Spuggy
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:13 PM
Comment #4IF we can tap into the true potential of HBA and it’s still a big IF for me, he has to perform consistently, once we have sorted the defence out with a new CB and hopefully a quality FB we will be a very very exciting team!
Can’t wait to see Arfa establish himself on the RW and Marveaux on the LW. We need more flare going forward that’s for sure, it’s a waste of Cisse and Ba if we don’t get balls in to them.
UpTheRoad
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:15 PM
Comment #5Ben Arfa was magical and in the game where he needed to be. he offered himself more. I’d like to see him make runs in behind if he is to play on the wing, like Lennon does. Then he’d add more goals to his name!
Dannyo
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:16 PM
Comment #6And Pards is right, Scum where the better warriors today, they really upset our play in that first half.
But we introduced som proper football in the 2nd half and we should’ve won it tbh.
Spuggy
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:20 PM
Comment #7We also have to remember that Cabaye is still adjusting to the EPL (very different from France). Cisse is still settling and learning the language (remember Ba’s first few weeks and he came WITH EPL experience). Santon too is learning the ropes (enrique).
So the key is patience, especially from us the fans. We have the promise of a fantastic team in 1-2 seasons, but we have to give people a chance like we did with Collo and Enrique.
ToonDownSouth
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:20 PM
Comment #8“I don’t want our fans to start thinking I don’t think this is a good player.”
Hahaha. You’re way past that Pards!
Dannyo
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:21 PM
Comment #9@Spuggy
Agree on that, allot of foreigners play decently, but really unlock their potential in their 2nd or even 3rd season.
I expect the same from a few of ours.
MagpiesFlyHigh
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:21 PM
Comment #10Am really pleased Pardew has made those comments about HBA. He’s obviously been more puzzling about how to integrate Benny into the team and get him to play at his best than any of the personality dispute crap the AP neggers been blowing off about.
TBH we dropped two crucial points today but it will have been worth it if we can get Benny at his best
Baro
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:23 PM
Comment #11Have to say Hats off to Super SHOLA!! Pardew sent him on to score, and he did just that. I would really want some more local players on our team, they truely know the meaning of a derby win, not that the others didn’t try, but its always good to have a couple of locals on the pitch with those games…..
On the other hand, Hatem Ben Arfa was just INSANE! He took two man on at a time, no criticism but if that was Jonas, he would of passed it back to Santon, or a inaccurate cross. I really like this player in Ben Arfa. Just a shame Pardew does not fit him in……
JP...from The Rock
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:24 PM
Comment #12Ben Arfa was superb and Pardew again spot on in his assessment of the match.
rich_toonfan
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:24 PM
Comment #13I think today we should have gone with Shola over Cisse…Shola thrives in these games and it’s a bonus i you have a local lad in the team who feels the same passion as the fans. But can’t can’t blame Pardew for going with Cisse as he has scored 2 in his first 3 games.
Dannyo
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:25 PM
Comment #14@WWJBD
Who’s the lad who’s now done with this blog?
gorgonzola
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:26 PM
Comment #15““I don’t want our fans to start thinking I don’t think this is a good player.”
Hahaha. You’re way past that Pards!”
well said man….
He is like backtracking all of a sudden he said that back vs blackburn but then he binned him ever since rather strange….
But I think this has shown when everybody was sucked in HBA pulled it out of the bag and delivered hardcore. he must play against Arsenal full-stop.
Toon Tang
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:26 PM
Comment #16as i know your all on the edge of your seats waiting for me to add my 2 cents in to the fray , i will now enlighten you all with my hand reared knowledge-nuggats.
09nufc09
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:27 PM
Comment #17ben arfa is easily our most technically gifted player and has changed more games this season than any other player in our squad, last week he was the only player in the second half that looked like he wanted to win the game. this week he was our motm and made their left back go off “injured” after destroying him everytime he got the ball. he is currently our 3rd top goal scorer and our 5th highest assist maker having played a fraction of the minutes the players around him have. he is our only real game changer, match winner. today jonas ran at there right back alot and i dont remember him getting past him once, ben arfa is on for 45 mins and beats their left back atleast 5 times. when will people understand you need to take risks to win games, ben arfa takes the responsibilty and runs at players whereas jonas passes the ball backwards or sideways to the overlapping santon, too predicatable and rarely ever creates a chance. ben arfa has to start if we want to play like we did in the second half and not like we did in the first.
gorgonzola
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:27 PM
Comment #18Pardew was spot on regarding the first half
it wasn’t football….
100% accurate its probably the worst I have seen us its happening to often for our liking
Baro
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:27 PM
Comment #19For Arsenal we really need to be our best….
They can easily be broken down, but so can our defense.
Krul
Santon-WIllo-Colo-Fergie
Raylor-Tiote-Jonas
Hba-Cisse-Ba
thepict
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:27 PM
Comment #20HBA has to start against Arsenal. Also, cometh the hour cometh the Makem Slayer!!!!!!!!!!
rich_toonfan
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:27 PM
Comment #21Well at least Pards explained that he thinks HBA has a big future at the club….he obviously likes him just struggling to get him in….think he will not back HBA and sacrifice some defensive players like Raylor ot use him more.
toonarmydownsouth
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:28 PM
Comment #22Really do think pards wants benny in the pitch and i really do believe he wants us to play a quick passing game but as has been mentioned you cant rebuild a team over night, and one if our top priorities, apart from a new cb must be in the summer a new full back, simmo has improved greatly since joining but to play a 433, like most top teams, your full backs not only need to defend well but they need to link up and attack well, we’ve seen how good santon is at attacking and i think he will move to rb when we get our main lb target, but simmo is just to gutless going forward hus crossing today, and most the season, was awful he’s at best a squad player and until pardew signs a full back with attacking and defending qualities i think were stuck with the 442.
I also think a bigger prob than how to get the best out of HBA us how to get the best out of cisse and ba because so far tgere not really working together ba is like a dif player since the ACN and cisse has scored a couple of great goals but has been largely annonymus.
Basicly i think the prob is we have to bigger difference in class between midfield and defence (willo,simmo) once tge defence is sorted i think we will be a real force in the league
BeeGuy
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:28 PM
Comment #23I’d really like to know why Ba took the penalty. IS he better than Shola in practice? Shola has been perfect for NUFC in games, so why not today?
Spuggy
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:29 PM
Comment #24Gorg.
Yawn, change your tune.
Pardew brought him on for 45 mins, he could have left him on the bench. He is a fan, he’s just taking his time to find how and where to play him. Arfa has had some terrible moments and some brilliant, it’s not like he’s messi.
Open your eyes.
Toon Tang
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:29 PM
Comment #25its a bastard knowing we’ve dropped 4 points at home in the last 2 games which would have seen us up with arsenal and put a really nice gap between klanfield mob and mackems.
gorgonzola
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:30 PM
Comment #26I must be honest I am absolutely buzzing to see HBA like this giving it all and mesmerizing their defense it rally helped us hey? I am still replaying his moves in my head so happy for the young lad….
gorgonzola
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:31 PM
Comment #27“Gorg.
Yawn, change your tune.
Pardew brought him on for 45 mins, he could have left him on the bench. He is a fan, he’s just taking his time to find how and where to play him. Arfa has had some terrible moments and some brilliant, it’s not like he’s messi.
Open your eyes.”
WHAT THE F**K are you on about idiot?
ToonDownSouth
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:31 PM
Comment #28I genuinely think the 1st half was our worst this season, and the second half was our best this season.
The positive is Pardew showed he is able to completely change a game when needed.
Unfortunately I don’t the team was in the right mindset in the first half, for whatever reason.
Baro
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:32 PM
Comment #29Probably too early to talk about this….
But, for next season, I hope we strengthen our defense.
2 center backs challenging first team (Douglas, M’bwia)
wing back (Armero from Colombia)
attacking minded winger, that takes man on (Kev Mirallas)
Backup Striker (Jordan Rhodes)
Toon Tang
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:32 PM
Comment #30willi with that little shimmy int box reet at the death. if only that had either run to lover or fallen to a proper striker.
gutted ahah
WWJBD
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:33 PM
Comment #31Dannyo
What do ya mean mate?
ToonDownSouth
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:33 PM
Comment #32Toon Tang
Klanfield. Hahahaha. That’s made my evening haha.
Spuggy
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:33 PM
Comment #33And for those saying Shola should have took the penalty, come on no one would have said that before the match, Ba has been awesome in front of goal – It wasn’t a terrible penalty wasn’t the best, GK was showing some gamesmanship and it probably worked.
toonarmydownsouth
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:33 PM
Comment #34Baro@11 HBA def changed the game but bit harsh on jonas he was also takin on loads of ppl in the second half and put sone dangerous crosses in, its just unfortunate on guti and hba that we were rubbish in front of goal today
gorgonzola
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:35 PM
Comment #35TDS
“Unfortunately I don’t the team was in the right mindset in the first half, for whatever reason.”
Perhaps they where taken in by the moment? But I agree it wasn’t called for we are the ones playing at home made no sense….
Glad we didn’t lose though, pitty we didnt nick it in the end…
Toon Tang
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:35 PM
Comment #36@TDS haha good good, type it on google and loads comes up.
some funny pics
DG MAGPIE
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:36 PM
Comment #3770 mins into a game winning/losing/drawing … bring on shola for the most fatigued/ poorer performer out of ba or cisse … and he is often brilliant and can destroy tired full backs with is strength and technical ability… without playing to long and being lazy. Super Sub !
Top man in my eyes
HWTL
toonarmydownsouth
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:36 PM
Comment #38Spuggy think the point is shola has always been our penalty taker and demba, at all his clubs, has never been a pen taker in fact the 1 against manure was his first ever league penalty
Spuggy
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:37 PM
Comment #39@gorg
I was refering to your boring repetative comments (15) “He is like backtracking all of a sudden he said that back vs blackburn but then he binned him ever since rather strange….”
Basically claiming that pards is backtracking. Oh sorry I’m an idiot pards wasn’t backtracking.
Yawn.
Pards is clearly a fan, but he’s found HBA a conundrum to solve, where when and how to play him – and with absolutely 100% valid foundation. I am so pleased he’s starting to show his real talents, but he has yet to convince me he can be consistently good.
So get of Pards back – he has led this team to where it is this season.
ToonDownSouth
Mar 4, 2012 at 8:37 PM
Comment #40Hopefully this will be a moment of change for the team. We played fantastic football second half – even before the sending off.
I’m happy to give Pardew time to change things, but today showed just how much more effective we are when we’re playing a quick, fluid game.