The one highlight last night was the return to the first team of the great Hatem Ben Arfa, who had been out of the last few games with a hamstring injury, but he scored a great goals and is our Man of the Match with 41% of the vote, with Vurnon Anita is second place on 27%.
Ben Arfa – after scoring terrific goal last night
And Alan Pardew withdrew the possible match-winner early last night, because of the Frenchman’s lack of match fitness, and he was replaced by Shola Ameobi, who is hardly the threat of a Hatem Ben Arfa.
Ben Arfa had already hit a superb goal after 54 minutes, when he literally scored a goal out of nothing.
This is what the Newcastle manager told the local press today:
“He was short of match fitness, and I thought he struggled in the early part of the game to pick up the pace.” “However, he had some great moments.” “He was tiring and I had to remove him.” “It was a terrific goal and that is what he can create.”
He may not have been match fit but Ben Arfa was the best player on the Newcastle side last night – and to try to cheer up our readers this morning, take a look at his magnificent goal last night – maybe a few times. 😀
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z60sOa0kGVQ
And if you haven’t already voted for your Man of the Match – here’s your chance.
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489 comments so far
catchy in norway
Dec 11, 2012 at 10:56 AM
Comment #1Transfer Sage
shola, is a parasite, a leech, that should have been moved on a long time ago
if he loved the club that much,, he would try running, moving would be a good start
just because someone does his best , does not mean his best is good enough,
that is pardew,
shola
obertan
perch
willamson
simpson,,
the manager is out of his depth
i never watched the man manc game, just seen what G Nevil was saying yesterday,, SAF targeted there right back, something like55% of all there attacks came down man u’s right side, normally its even across L C R,
our manager thinks lump it long, or give it to HBA,,
tactics ,, we all new on thursday when we seen marv playing in europe, he was not starting against fulham
if we can read pardew like a book, all the othe amangers can
ppl talk about stoke wiggan games and its improved,, how where, we played poor, won one and lost one, but wigan down to 10 men still thoght they could get something out of the game and attacked us
possesion was 50-50 over 90 mins we had an extra man for 80 of those
Indian Magpie
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:01 AM
Comment #2Catchy
You remember Pardew Saying “shola is his favourite player”
I am still wondering why.
catchy in norway
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:02 AM
Comment #3bills-son
but we have played with 9 men all season
i have been saying it since match 1
ba second half of last season was also a passenger
then put other out of position, we are all over the place,
they highlighted our defending last night,, one set piece where all our defenders where behind the attacker,, now if it was one u think bad positioning,, but all 3 where behind the attacker, thats being coached into them,,
colo is a first class international, he would know this, so for him to do it and let others do it,, its because thats wht there being told
get him out soon before its to late
catchy in norway
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:04 AM
Comment #4Indian Magpie
its not just shola,,
he has a thing for underdogs,,
perch
ober
to name but a few
his job is to pick the best team to win a game, not his fave players and fit them in
YorkshiresFinestGeordie
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Comment #5I had a wierd dream last night that demba ba was sold to Dortmund for 9.5M. I don’t know why.
catchy in norway
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Comment #6Transfer Sage
roberts and shola are 2 different players
roberts chases everything down, shola wasnt everything done for him
and yes i would,, but im sure once you all had seen my quality, and if it didnt match the direction the club was going , i wouldnt get another one,,
we have let better players go for free,, guthrie being one of them
Transfer Sage
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:08 AM
Comment #7catchy
Don’t blame shola for not being good enough. It’s not his fault successive manager give him contracts and game time.
I’m sure you would sign a contract at newcastle because you loved the team even if you knew you weren’t good enough. Especially when you know you probably wont get as good a deal anywhere else.
catchy in norway
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:09 AM
Comment #8im thinking routledge for 2 mil or abertan for 3
pardew is not good for us
Transfer Sage
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:10 AM
Comment #9cacthy
Also I think roberts is a very lazy player too…he chases more down than shola but they basically do the same…which is nothing 90% of the time they get the ball.
AMEOBI
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Comment #10Catchy I read the blog for news and updates and like to read a few honest questions and answers.
But you just come on here and type a load of complete bolloxs!
SHADDDUUP!!
Indian Magpie
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:12 AM
Comment #11This is not shola related but we slandered (by we i mean you) a player like Luque who was a spanish International, but will not dare criticize shola.
Jail for Ashley
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:13 AM
Comment #12I watched some Turkish channel last night with Andy Townsend and Gareth Southgate giving analysis and they both seemed baffled with Pards wasting Cisse out on the right.
Transfer Sage
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:13 AM
Comment #13Also why is campbell never tried?
He played as a sub against hartlepool in 5/10 minutes did a lot of godo things.
From what I have seen in reserves and his record he is better than ranger and probably easily able to give shola a run for his spot.
And don’t just take my word…pardew said himself that campbell is as good as shola when they all train.
Why has he not been given a go? I know he had that unjury recently but he never played before then either.
Indian Magpie
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:14 AM
Comment #14Does any 1 think this run will have an impact on how we view Europa and FA cup
Rotonda heights
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:15 AM
Comment #15I find it incredible some people are so in denial. Supporting NUFC and being peed off about the manager’s tactics, dismal form and endless excuses aren’t mutually exclusive.
You can still support your team but recognise a very limited, stubborn and at times just plain loopy manager.
Fulham were bottom of the form guide and hadn’t scored 1 goal in 5 hours, but 33 year old Berbatov owned us.
Alarmingly there just seems to be a willingess by some to accept the status quo of mediocrity that now exists and just hope the situation will reverse itself of it’s own accord.
We have some great ball players. It’s so easy to correct what is wrong now.
1) Perch in for Willo. Hopefully M’Biwa / Douglas in Jan
2) Alternate Ba and Cisse as the central striker. This may be resolved sooner than we think if Ba goes and I believe Remy if he comes, can play left of a front 3 so maybe happy days again.
3) RB or LB desperately needed. I can not bear seeing Simmo crossing to no one and any attacks breaking down time and again. So either Santon RB and a new LB
or vice verca.
4) Guti needs a rest. Marveaux needs games and to create as well as putting it all on Benny.
If we are changing to 433 or 4231 that’s great, but play the right people that can do the job. Not an ace goal poacher as a right winger
Transfer Sage
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:15 AM
Comment #16Jail
whilst that baffles me too….I don’t think those two are the best to criticise other managers haha
Indian Magpie
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:15 AM
Comment #17Catchy @ 4
may be he sees a bit of himself in them
croftus5678
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:16 AM
Comment #18there was lots of good performances last night not only ben arfa and anyone who watched the game should have seen how well most of our players played even cisse/ba linked up well and they was lucky with 1st goal and we should have had another 2.
was only willo and collo who let us down (collo is norm solid so he can be excused for one bad game but willo is making far too many mistakes for my liking and could do with some sideline action imo)
toonarmydownsouth
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:17 AM
Comment #19Indian/catchy
Aye its sholas fault we lost last night all shola
What are you on catchy? And Jason roberts? Really?
Also catchy why the hell are you on about obertan and perch they’ve bearly featured this season why are blaming these players?
What about the p1ss poor performances tiotes been churning out? I’d happily see him dropped for perch or bigi
What about colo since the liverpool game? He’s been awful and cost us the second goal last night along with tiote (stupid free kick) and krul ( a keeper should be coming out and collecting a ball on the six yard line in the middle of the goal)
Why dont you pick up on these things catchy instead of just churninh out the same repetitive spiel everyday
Indian Magpie
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:17 AM
Comment #20Rotanda
Knowing our situation other clubs will demand more money.
You know our esteemed owners don’t take that lying down
Jail for Ashley
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:18 AM
Comment #21Rotondo
Berbatov owned us, who do you think you are Louie bloody Walsh.
Indian Magpie
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Comment #22TADS agree Tiote was very poor has been for a while.
He used to be my favorite player, in fact we used to make jokes on Tiote
Transfer Sage
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Comment #23Tads
No fault at krul for the free kick for me.
Too much pace and not enough height for the keeper.
It was another foukd by tiote who seems to love bringing people down in dangerous areas and colo was the wrong side if his man.
sirtoongospel
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:21 AM
Comment #24Shola, Perch, Obertan, are you seriously saying the season we are having is their fault?
And from your entire list, the only Pardew signing is Obertan, who I still think can have a career here.
The like of Jonas, Willo, Simmo, are all inherited players and need replacing if we are to kick on.
We have 3 strikers in the club! No back up, it is so threadbare the squad, it’s almost untrue.
Yoiu need 2 top players for every position. We have Krul, Elliot and Harper, which is good.
We have 2 full backs in the club!!! 3 centre halves. So we need 3 defenders minimum. We have 3 CM players in Tiote, Cabaye and Anita, so we need one more high quality player.
Wide men, we have HBA who is good enough, MArveaux and Obertan have a bit to prove. So really 2 top wide men required.
Strikers, we have 2 crackers, then Shola. I don’t want rid of Shola, I just want him as a last resort. We need 2 forwards. One should be seriously fast.
Looking at it this way, we need 8 players in who are genuine Prem players.
The rest in our squad should be exactly that, squad players. Perch, Jonas, Willo shouldn’t be anywhere near starting, but I would take Perch over one or two straight away as he is at least mobile.
Pardew said he was chasing the top 4, but we are only allowed 11 purples according to Derek!! Where are the 11 please Derek?
I go with Krul, Colo, Cabaye, Tiote, HBA, Ba, Cisse. Santon is a great player but is young and is not on massive money.
We have 7 players there who can hold there own at pretty much any game in our league. But a good team should have 15 at this level!!!!!!!!
Come on Ashley, stop taking the piss out of us!
Jonny
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:22 AM
Comment #25Sell Demba Ba and buy debuchy and remy.
Rotonda heights
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Comment #26jail
That hurt so bad. Of all things to call me, seriously Louie Walsh, now that’s below the belt!
toonarmydownsouth
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Comment #27Sage
I think there have been a few games this season where krul has not come to collect when he should he doesnt seem to command the area like he did last season
Indian
Tiote used to have jokes made about him now he’s turning into a bit of a joke on the pitch
Home n Howay
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Comment #28Repost. Sorry, just wanted your view on my formation
-Have Fergy in for Jonas on the left wing. Dont understand Pardew’s love affair with Guti. Is it because he wins us a few freekicks? That apart I dont see his contribution in the side. Fergy on the left wing would put in more crosses in than Jonas anyday.
-Also like to see us getting more infield than just running down the wings everytime & putting in hopeful crosses. HOPEFUL. yeah thats precisely what they are. Benny, Marveaux & Anita linking up with Ba & Cisse ahead with those through balls & little one-twos would be much more effective than hopeful crosses.
– If you are going to play Ba & Cisse, Pardew just has to make sure they link together like they did against Wigan. Whenever you see them, thers always acres of space between them which makes it impossible for either of them to find each other. Cisse barely gets 5-6 touches of the ball whole game.
I’d drop both Jonas, Cisse for Fergie, Marveaux & go for a 4-2-3-1
———— Krul ————
Simpson – Colo – Willo – Santon
——— Tiote —— Anita ———
Ben Arfa —— Marveaux —— Fergy
————— Ba ———–
What do ya think chums?
Rotonda heights
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Comment #29Jonny
That’s the mooted plan. Whether it happens who knows
theystillletmevote
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Comment #30Personal opinion – and good on catchy for supporting from Norway – is that shola doesn’t deserve to be called a leech or a parasite.
He is an injury-prone squad player of limited ability but he isn’t the reason the toon lost last night.
We were already 2-1 down when he came on for Ben Arfa (thought myself that Marveaux would have made more sense but again just my opinion) He won a few headers…but also fell over the ball at one point…and gave away a needless free-kick or two…unusually not for off-side.
His languid style is deceptive – he’s even slower than he looks but I like the guy…remembering his debut when he got stuck into the toxic midget Dennis Wise and his efforts against the mackems and in our promotion season show that he can contribute against poorer teams.
It’s NOT down to one player and – like or loathe him – it isn’t all Shola’s fault either.
HWTL
Rotonda heights
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Comment #31Home and howay
Looks good to me , simpson and willo apart
sirtoongospel
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Comment #32TADS, bang on. Tiote been awful (Cabaye wasn’t great either bfore injury, although he is by a mile our best midfielder) and Colo was torn a new A-Hole by Suarez, and hasn’t looked the same since.
We need Yohan back and fit, and I would love to see him and Anita start a game together in Cm, now Anita has found his feet a little.
croftus5678
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Comment #33you bring up a good point with tiote.
while he is undoubtedly the best player we have in that possition and on his day pretty much runs the midfield alone…but i tend to think all round with his cards and silly freekicks ect ect perch may be a better option for us there and take some cash for him while we can and maybe go for someone like sissoko as a more all round midfielder
Transfer Sage
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Comment #34tads
Agree in general krul hasn’t been as good aerially as last year but I just think that was a ball the keeper couldn’t come for but should have been defended better.
somaliland-toon
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Comment #35I would blame everything on Pardew as he has no vision for the club or style of play he got lucky last year because of the confidence installed on the players by Chris Hughton.
sirtoongospel
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Comment #36I wouldn’t drop Cisse in a month of Sundays. I would build a team around him, HBA and Cabaye who are all wonderful players.
It is imperative we sign another cracking CM player. A real box to box player who will drive us forward.
toonarmydownsouth
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:31 AM
Comment #37Sir toon
We desperatly need cabs back and a quick CB to olay alongside colo
I also see alot saying we dont need wingers we have plenty but really dont think we do! Would love to see a midfield of anita cabs n benny with marv lw ba/cisse rotated and give gabby another crack at RW because tbh who else can play there?
somaliland-toon
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:31 AM
Comment #38i would blame everything on pardew as he has no vision for the club or style of play he got lucky last year because of the confidence installed on the players by Chris hughton
croftus5678
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:33 AM
Comment #39@28
agree to a certain degree but now fergie has put on weight he’s now a lot slower so still thinks he needs a year or 2 in lower leagues tbh.
think all our youngsters need to be loaned out in honesty as apart from bigi none are good enough yet….i desperatly want cambell to come good though.
Jail for Ashley
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Comment #40Croftus,
They’ve missed the boat with a big pay out for Tiote his lack of form, discipline and time on the treatment table will have stopped anyone coming in with a sizeable bid.