Newcastle had a bad day at the office today and the strength in depth at center-back was shown to be bare, when Steven Taylor left the filed injured and within 5 minutes Newcastle conceded two goals, both of which were through poor defensive work.
Demba Ba – scoring brilliant first Newcastle goal this afternoon
Surely Newcastle will try to bring in a new center-back in January, because if Steven Taylor hadn’t been injured this afternoon, it’s hard to see how Newcastle would have conceded a goal, but in the end Newcastle were a little lucky to come away with the points, although once Reading scored that first goal, a dull and boring game became almost the exact opposite with both sides going for the win.
Newcastle had Demba Ba to thank for another brace, although his second goal, which initially looked like a header, was put in with his right hand – but it wasn’t seen by the officials.
Ba didn’t think Newcastle deserved more than a point today either:
“We’re not happy with the point but we didn’t deserve any more today. We just have to go back home and work more if we want to achieve at least what we did last season.”
“We’re struggling with injuries and people not fit enough and we just have to find our way back. We try and work hard and it’s going to take a bit of time but hopefully we’ll reach it.”
“It’s an away game and it’s against a promoted team, so we wanted 3 points – but as long as we’re picking up points that’s important.” “Cheick is an aggressive man.”
“When you see him and when you walk next to him on the pitch, you just know it.” “So it was good to have him back”
Ba has scored six goals in six league games this season, and he is obviously a fantastic striker who can get goals from nothing, and his first goal, when he hit Cheick Tiote’s excellent through ball on the volley, was a demonstration of fabulous technique as he smashed the ball past the goalkeeper, just one minute after Reading had taken the lead.
While Newcastle are dishing out long term contracts – give this man an eight year deal too.
Comments welcome.
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53 responses so far ↓
1 Big Pappa Cissé // Sep 29, 2012 at 10:57 PM
Him and HBA single handidly winning games for us at the minute like
2 TimKrulFan // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:05 PM
poor today this season we have just been sh*t if ben arfa gets injured we are f**ked he and santon only creative players.
3 Jail for Ashley // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:07 PM
Tarie,
You’re a winker,I’ve had a look and there are reports that we offered 750 000 K and there are reports that we we going to offer up to three million ok I got it wroong about the 4M it was them that were holding out for that,it still doesn’t explain why we wouldn’t match the 3M we were going to pay if we really wanted him,you’ve hardly shown me up to being a “neggar’ when its clearly obvious what my thoughts are on Mashley
4 F. U. Ashley // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:07 PM
3 shots on target in the entire game against the bottom club says it all really, we really are too defensive at times which I just can’t understand as our strength lies in our attacking play – surely you have to play to your strengths?
5 davybtoon // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:08 PM
Hba was terrible today n to blame for most of readings attacks down the left as he wasn’t tracking back
6 mattyNUFC // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:19 PM
wasn’t able to catch the game today but sounds like i was better off not inconveniencing myself to watch this continued tripe
call me a ‘neggar’ if you want, but this is clearly a continuation of last season. we rode our luck so many times last year it still really is beyond me how well we finished.
this is the price we’re paying for not reinforcing and, i know i’ll get slaughtered for this, but maybe mid-table this year is the wake up call MA and DL need. Pardew is not a master tactician and it’s obvious that with the talent at his disposable (and there is real, above-par talent) he has yet to find a winning formula
7 jawballsaswallwell // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:20 PM
I think there is some truth to the statement that we achieved what we did a year too early, but then why come out now and say the target is top 8, surely it has to be top 6.
Maybe what was achieved was actually 2-3 years ahead of schedule and Ashley is prepared to allow us to slip back a little, not planning it but allowing for it.
8 Graeme // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:23 PM
TOO DEFENSIVE??
The defence leaks like a bloody collander. Reading didnt earn a draw today, our “defense” gifted them a point but cost us TWO!!
You cannot expect the front half of the team to produce the goods if the rear end of the team cant hold up their part of the equation.
Without Collo and with the notable exception of Santon, our defense didnt get off the coach. An utter shambles.
9 jawballsaswallwell // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:29 PM
Pardew may as well have left Anita on the coach.
I can’t fathom that, he’s played Bigi and Perch ahead of him and left him as an unused sub. Is he saving him. I thought the league was the priority.
10 mattyNUFC // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:29 PM
jawballsaswasjdfj
what a stupid comment
11 MUTINYbyLEMONS // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:29 PM
Ba should have told the ref he scored with his hand and maybe ask him to disallow it!!!
12 mattyNUFC // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:30 PM
i’ve never heard of any team say they were/are not ready for success.
13 davybtoon // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:33 PM
We’ve been poor all season yet we’ve beat spurs n n are unbeaten in 4 now, plus unbeaten in Europe after 3 games that is not luck it’s hard work, n evidence that our squad is stronger than ppl say, but there is a few key things need changed Anita needs to b full time right back, jonas needs dropped n replaced by sammi or fergie or obertan one of these need to b giving a chance in his role, n ba n shola are the best front 2 ATM
14 F. U. Ashley // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:36 PM
Graeme, are you saying we weren’t too defensive and our attacking play of 3 shots on target was about right?
Totally agree that the defense gifted them 2 goals but with our attacking players i’d expect a bit more up front than what we’re getting at the moment.
Maybe playing too deep is a more agreeable way of putting it?
15 jawballsaswallwell // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:36 PM
Matty, I simply argue it’s a possibility that they have decided not to take advantage of the position they have surprisingly found themselves in, from a business perspective. And Llambias has said top 8 is the goal this season, when last season we were on the cusp of 4th,
Hardly a stupid comment, although perhaps of course not accurate.
16 jawballsaswallwell // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:45 PM
And obviously, if that is the case, I don’t think it’s a good thing not to seize your opportunities, being a fan and all.
17 F. U. Ashley // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:46 PM
Would we be happy if the team played like today for the rest of the season but finished in the top 6?
I’d obviously be happy with the league position but i’d be too bored and frustrated with every game.
Last season had it all really, scrappy games, brilliant games, we rode our luck on a fair few occasions but most of all I think we kept everyone entertained which is something that is so far missing but hopefully just round the corner so to speak.
18 davybtoon // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:48 PM
So boring talking about Ashly n dl m frankly pointless as window is shut we have the squad we have so deal with it
19 Graeme // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:49 PM
F.U. Ashley, @14
The tactics may well be too defensive, but the defence, at the moment are just not capable of doing the job.
We could and should have won this game comfortably to be honest, if we have any delusions of challanging top 6 this season.
The attack delivered 2 cracking goals (even if one was a beautiful handball lol) but the defence, the platform on which the team are built, were woeful, with the exception of Santon, who is looking better and better.
Jonas runs, and runs, and runs and produces absolutely zero end product – I would not be suprised to see him sold in the summer unless there is another role created for him. His days as a winger are, unfortunately over.
20 jawballsaswallwell // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:51 PM
Ok, boring I’ll take, stupid, get to f@#k.
21 cupiddstunt // Sep 29, 2012 at 11:55 PM
Jawballsaswallwell @ # 15
I think there is some merit in your observation about the too early thing and maybe unconsciously allowing things to level out.
After reading some of the things posted on here I would just ignore the stupid comment on your supposedly “stupid comment” and just carry on.
On the point of stupid comments I do remember several posters on here ridiculing the 5under1and singing of Fletcher, who is at this moment in time is doing a Cisse so just goes to show what the posters on here really know about football.
22 F. U. Ashley // Sep 30, 2012 at 12:02 AM
That’s exactly what I mean, the defense isn’t good enough so the rest of the team are trying to help them out, whether that’s planned or not I don’t know but that’s affecting our attacking play. Maybe the rest of the team don’t trust the back 4 to do a good job? I like Santon and think he’d be excellent in a better back 4 – possibly with Colo in there as well but other than those 2 I don’t have any confidence in the rest so how can the rest of the team be confident? Maybe Pardews tactics reflect this and he’s put the reigns on the attackers especially away from home but really come on, Reading? and they’re the better side? not one of their players would get in our starting eleven. We really should be putting teams like them away if we want a good season.
23 jeff // Sep 30, 2012 at 12:03 AM
LUL why did bigi start SMH
should have played anita and at least have had gosling on the bench!!! wtf pardew three wingers!!! obertan sammy & fergurson
24 Graeme // Sep 30, 2012 at 12:13 AM
F.U.A @ 22
If you go back in the blog you will find comments by Pardeau, from MA, along the lines of, “Havent you got our new CB sorted out yet” about 8 or 9 months ago I guess. They were also in the press.
So, if the man at the top, with NO football knowledge at all, can identify the problem so long ago – WHY, oh why, was nothing done about it.
The failure to strengthen defence, to actually give us a defence, could be the greatest hinderance to achieving any of our alleged targets this season – how expensive will that prove to be?
25 mattyNUFC // Sep 30, 2012 at 12:21 AM
davyb
pointless? why even comment on the team I support, financially and otherwise. what a prick
jawballs
stupid was a bit loaded i suppose. it’s just frustrating to realize we did not capitalize on some very real momentum and potential
26 jawballsaswallwell // Sep 30, 2012 at 12:31 AM
Good on you, Matty NUFC and I concede my suggestion is likely a stretch but I like you, am frustrated we didn’t more vigorously seize our opportunity, but I am also going to stop talking about it, cos it is getting old.
27 Brutooon // Sep 30, 2012 at 12:43 AM
1) we are playing a long ball tactics – not working because out of 10 long balls, we manage to win like ONLY ONE!
2) HBA didnt play well because of tactics as per stated at 1)
3) Perch Centre Back is a disaster. he was the FINAL defenders for BOTH goals
4) Our first attack was the Demba Ba goal (good goal btw) but that was after 57 mins! first min to 56 mins we are doing NOTHING
5) Reading is prone to mistakes and goals, but we never attack them that much
6) Tiote play badly – simply because we play tactics as per 1)
7) Jonas should be dropped. he must be the MOST hardworking player in HISTORY but with ZERO END PRODUCT.
Shane Ferguson got two assist in two games but jonas took 3 seasons to create two assist.
28 F. U. Ashley // Sep 30, 2012 at 12:57 AM
Graeme, if it was up to you or I, or just about any Toon fan come to think of it, we’d have made sure we bought a couple of good defenders in the summer, that would have been our priority. What I just can’t understand is why nobody at the club can see what is blatantly obvious with regards to our “Defense” this has been going on for quite a while now but our fears have now been realised. This is just so frustrating as we should have been pushing on towards the Champions League positions this year but that’s not going to happen now obviously, especially when we finish a game with Williamson and Perch as our Centre Back pairing.
29 Sav // Sep 30, 2012 at 1:08 AM
Calm down, people. We missed Cabaye and Colo today, the 2 who really pull the strings and make things tick. Ben Arfa provides the sparkle and Tiote breaks things up but its the missing 2 who really call the shots and dictate things.
Cisse is having a miserable time and I wonder how long we can continue carrying him with 4-4-2 when he is so out of sorts.
30 newcben // Sep 30, 2012 at 1:38 AM
This was the summer Ashley needed to dip into his pockets as we were offering European football….next year I don’t think we will so the caliber of player that is going to be attracted to us is less!
Vertonghen/Douglas/Mbiwa/Sakho/Alderweireld
Debuchy/Cissosoko
Boularouz/Menez/Matuidi
Sturidge/De Jong/Remy
One from each of those four categories I believe would of made us a top 6 maybe even top 4 team. Those players I doubt will be interested to come to Newcastle next summer if we can’t offer European football…..January maybe?
31 AMEOBI // Sep 30, 2012 at 1:47 AM
Wow how is this blog got people on commenting, so many trolls and clueless arm chair supporters.. Claiming they know all. Happy with a point away from home.
Next Ed!
32 p // Sep 30, 2012 at 2:23 AM
Everyone is entitled to an opinion but i am with arsene wenger when he says he is puzzled by people’s obsession with new signings as the solution.
Right now it is form along with tactics that is making every game hard work.
I can’t help feeling the european games have interfered with the prep for the weekend games. injuries to key players has not helped either.
33 nufcusa // Sep 30, 2012 at 2:50 AM
We DO NOT have a god given right to beat anyone, especially away from home. Our start has been solid and have we even played a full team?
The sad thing is, we could take 4 points from the next 6 which is a tough ask, and the doom merchants will still criticize today’s draw and the draw with villa. I would take 1 point of man u and 1 from the mackems and be content going into the next run of games.
34 thai-mag // Sep 30, 2012 at 3:19 AM
its just a pity reading didn’t score in the first couple of minutes because we didn’t start to play till that happened, no commitment at all for the first hour
35 pbNcl // Sep 30, 2012 at 3:39 AM
davybtoon’s words are like a shining light in the dark of this place tonight
People don’t see the reality of it, its like they watch too much hollywood. Ask around the league, newcastle is a force like we haven’t been in years and the ungratefulness of some comments turns my stomach. Some people should be ashamed.
Listen, when we hit form and are like grease lightning, I ask you complainers to not join in with our celebrations
In the mean time, let’s keep grindin out ugly draws! Yeeeeehaaaaaaa Pardyyyyyyyyyyy
36 jawballsaswallwell // Sep 30, 2012 at 4:14 AM
@35 yeah, that’s just lovely, thing is we actually didn’t play very well, would seem a little remiss of bloggers not to speculate as to why, after all we are discussing the match and they certainly didn’t play “like a force to be reckoned with.”
37 Constanstine // Sep 30, 2012 at 4:24 AM
FFS switch jonas and santon to the right and HBA to left. Let them play their natural position. Our crosses are freaking poor. Probably worst in the PRM.
38 gonufc (up and Hatem) // Sep 30, 2012 at 5:09 AM
Got to say, Ferguson has put in more quality crosses in the last week than Jonas has in the last year.
That cross for Ba’s second was practically Beckham- esque. Never really rated him before but if he can continue to cross like in this and the Man U game then I’m excited about him!
And yes, not that I’m at all unhappy with Pardew but I seriously don’t want 8 years of THAT….
His ‘tactics’ so far this season seem to have been:
“put in hard working players, hoof ball, hope the forwards do something, repeat.”
39 ganiyu // Sep 30, 2012 at 5:26 AM
Can’t complain since we lost 2 defenders and still kept playing 2 strikers when out midfield was outnumbered. Hope pardew sort things out before the next game
40 catchy in norway // Sep 30, 2012 at 7:36 AM
I guess I’m an arm chair supporter what ever that is supposed to mean, but does it make any less of a supporter? I buy shirts for me and my son, I get to at least 1 match a season , BUT just because I don’t see the team live from pardews seat don’t mean I Carnt see what is wrong with the team by watching them on tv
1st problem , team selection and set up, I read on here Ashly’s remit was win every game, well it’s plain to see he sets his team up not to lose , we now play with 3 DMF’s WHY
Jonas is now a joke, he was my fave player, and that was for his hard work, a few seasons ago everything went down the left with him, now we carry him, Ferg should start or marv ,
Perch is not a right back or CD , he is lost in both those positions , he is great at tackling though, play him in front of the deference or no where
Pardew is so stubborn and he treats us fans like idiots, he leaves his subs until its very late , normally it’s obertan who comes on first and the boy is hopeless, look at fergs quality of crosses and tell me that obertan can learn how to cross like that, hmm he came from Man U he worked with good coaches there who love wingers to cross the ball, he will never have that ability
Cabaye only shines in his natural position , just behind the front 2 , sliding great balls into feet,
Pardew is still one lucky manager , proved again yesterday, Ba to the rescue, this season is de ja vue of last season, only other team have now strengthened there teams better
Pardew has the same script, if I’m honest , we weren’t at our best today, we are missing key players, there a good side, there fighting for there lives, all bullshit,
Play the right players in he right positions and watch the team shine like I know it will,
How many would BA & Cisse score in a team that creates chances for them? Instead ov feeding of scraps
I hate pardew
41 catchy in norway // Sep 30, 2012 at 7:38 AM
I guess I’m an arm chair supporter what ever that is supposed to mean, but does it make any less of a supporter? I buy shirts for me and my son, I get to at least 1 match a season , BUT just because I don’t see the team live from pardews seat don’t mean I Carnt see what is wrong with the team by watching them on tv
1st problem , team selection and set up, I read on here Ashly’s remit was win every game, well it’s plain to see he sets his team up not to lose , we now play with 3 DMF’s WHY
Jonas is now a joke, he was my fave player, and that was for his hard work, a few seasons ago everything went down the left with him, now we carry him, Ferg should start or marv ,
Perch is not a right back or CD , he is lost in both those positions , he is great at tackling though, play him in front of the deference or no where
Pardew is so stubborn and he treats us fans like idiots, he leaves his subs until its very late , normally it’s obertan who comes on first and the boy is hopeless, look at fergs quality of crosses and tell me that obertan can learn how to cross like that, hmm he came from Man U he worked with good coaches there who love wingers to cross the ball, he will never have that ability
Cabaye only shines in his natural position , just behind the front 2 , sliding great balls into feet,
Pardew is still one lucky manager , proved again yesterday, Ba to the rescue, this season is de ja vue of last season, only other team have now strengthened there teams better
Pardew has the same script, if I’m honest , we weren’t at our best today, we are missing key players, there a good side, there fighting for there lives, all bullshit,
Play the right players in he right positions and watch the team shine like I know it will,
How many would BA & Cisse score in a team that creates chances for them? Instead ov feeding of scraps
I hate pardew
42 catchy in norway // Sep 30, 2012 at 7:39 AM
Sorry for the dibble post
43 ilovetoon8788 // Sep 30, 2012 at 7:44 AM
i feel sorry for our strikers really. they are feeding off scraps all season long so far. and its not something new. this has always been our problem. we have so little creativity going forward. we struggle against almost every team we play against regardless of division. attacking side of our game we have barely made any progress. and luck is not on our side at the moment.
oh well..
44 karasu // Sep 30, 2012 at 7:44 AM
Know what? Drop Jonas back to left back just like where he was at Argentina. We’ll have better attacking thrust playing Santon as left winger while Jonas’s endless running might be useful for defending.
45 NEWEXPATMAGPIE // Sep 30, 2012 at 8:08 AM
Well ! Read most of the above, agreeing with some of what was written but also thinking that some of you hav,nt a clue what your on about!
Our injury count compared to last year at the start of the season has bolloxd us this year. We are are missing influencial players in important positions !
Tiote has been out for almost all of our games so far and has just come back.
Krul who played so well in the first half of the season last year has been out for the last month as has Collo.
Cabaye has problems with his Teeth, and is probably wishing he never ate that Doner at the Bigg Market last Saterday night!
We should of lost yesterday, and if it was,nt for a goal that should of been disallowed we would of ! So we should be happy that we came away with a point, even if it was undeserved!
With a full starting eleven with Krul,Collo,Cabaye and Ryan Taylor on the Park we would be wiping the floor with teams like Reading! And i,m not; before someone starts calling me names: ” being deluded! ”
If we had our first team eleven fit and playing and fireing on all cylinders then everything would be Hunky-Dorey! But the Doom and Gloom merchants would still be on here.
Unfortunately this is not the case, everything is not Hunky-Dorey, but on the positive side we are trying out players like Gael, Ferguson, and one or two others who will benefit from that experience.
Typically though, there are people on here who are so negative and pessimistic,even though we are still around the top ten position or there abouts! If we can do that with a below strength team then things can not be all that Bad !
However, we do need to start winning games, and that is Bloody Frustrating to say the least!
At the moment though we should be happy with our totally undeserved point at Reading!
46 bills-son // Sep 30, 2012 at 8:11 AM
I’ve been accused of looking at all things NUFC through rose tinted specs but a couple of things I’ve been saying since last season are coming home to roost. One, we lack a creative midfield player capable of dictating the pattern of our game. Even when playing Cabaye doesn’t do it enough. Two, our players don’t suit 442 or 433 and I said last season we were lucky to win some games when the oppo had plenty of possession. For both of these reasons there are too many games when we create hardly any chances. Where we were fortunate last season, and again this season, is that Cisse and Ba have converted a high % of those chances. If that stops we will struggle because apart from HBA nobody else looks like scoring.
We’ve still got 9pts and only lost one in six so its no crisis. But Pards needs to change the system – and fast.
47 GeordieGeorge // Sep 30, 2012 at 8:11 AM
When did we last score first in a game?
48 bills-son // Sep 30, 2012 at 8:35 AM
Geordiegeorge – 2 games ago, Norwich.
49 davybtoon // Sep 30, 2012 at 8:39 AM
All the negative fans on here moaning about Douglas n debuchy not being signed so they can have a pop at Ashly are really pissing me off, firstly if we signed them I fail to see how they would improve how poorly we’ve been playing, Anita at rb when played there has looked jus as a good as debuchy yet u fail to mention this, u all piss n moan about are squad isn’t good enough yet we’ve played 10 games in all comps n only lost 2 n half those games haven’t been are strongest 11 playing so I would u arm chair supporters know sweet fa, u only come on here to moan about Ashly n if we win a couple u will dissapear again
50 davybtoon // Sep 30, 2012 at 8:47 AM
Billson your spot on with your comment on are form is nothing to do with defenders willo, perch are yet again proving are valuable they are to our squad they always do a job, your right it lies in lack if creative midfielders n even when cabaye plays he ain’t creative enough, I do believe this problem is easily fixed though its jus gonna take pardew to drop a couple of his key men n a formation change to fix it, as I believe fergie, vukic, sammi n amalfitano can add that flair creativity were lacking, so drop cisse n jonas n 442 n play 451 with 2 of the above replacing jonas n cisse n bam watching the difference in our play
51 BiffBaffBoff // Sep 30, 2012 at 8:54 AM
Pardew has some big decisions to make.. Cisse and Ba obviously not working and Jonas is useless, if all he is good for is running around lets go sign an Ethiopian marathon runner to play for us.. Ferguson has to start as well, at least he gives us balance on that left side..
52 davybtoon // Sep 30, 2012 at 8:56 AM
If Newcastle want to show any ambition now forget all this talk of players we should sign, it’s players we need tied down to long term contracts that will do it for me ba n hba the main 2 that need new 5 year deals
What a surprise the journos linking ba away after 5 goals in 3 games their so predictable it’s unreal
53 davybtoon // Sep 30, 2012 at 8:59 AM
I don’t understand how there can b a single toon fan out there that wants Jonas in the team he’s useless n does nothing the one thing he was good at taking players on has gone
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