Newcastle got their third win in a row this afternoon by beating Norwich City 2-1, after being 2-0 up at half time through goals from Remy (who else?) after just two minutes, his 8th league goal of the season, and then after 38 minutes Yoan Gouffran tapped one in after the goalkeeper had blocked a good Shola Ameobi header.
But a combination of Newcastle trying to protect their lead (why?) in the second half, allowed Norwich to come back into the game ,and after three successive corners Dutch International Leroy Fer pulled one bac for the Canaries, which made it an interesting last fifteen minutes, including added time.
But a win is a win and we now we have 20 points from 12 games and are 8th in the league at the moment.
This is how we saw the game – some of the important moments – as they happened:
Newcastle got off to the best of starts after just two minutes, and with their second corner, Cabaye put over a right wing cross, and it went through to the far post and Loic Remy was there to head the ball home for his 8th premier league goal of the season, and Newcastle were 1-0 ahead.
That was easy.
After 11 minutes Redmond had a great chance to equalize when he was straight through. but he hit the ball over the bar, and he really should have done better – but one pass had split the Newcastle defense wide open.
And on 31 minutes Sissoko was straight through the Norwich defense in the inside right position but he shot wide – and that was a bad miss from Moussa.
After 38 minutes and some periodic sloppiness in defense by Newcastle, we went 2-0 up and it was really an excellent downward header from Shola Ameobi that set up the goal.
Remy gave the ball to Sissoko on the right wing and Moussa put in a good cross that Ameobi headed down and England goalkeeper Ruddy could only block the ball, and Yoan Gouffran was in like a shot to put the ball over the line for his fourth goal of the campaign.
In added time Shola Amoebi almost got his first goal of the of the season , when he broke through the center and hit a good right foot shot – but John Ruddy made a good save to divert the ball for a corner.
Half time came and Newcastle were deservedly ahead 2-0, without playing too well, and there had been some lack of concentration at the back and Norwich had been given some chances.
The second half kicked off without any changes being made.
Ameobi had a good chance after 53 minutes but he fluffed his lines, and shot weakly at goalkeeper Ruddy.
But it seemed obvious that Newcastle were trying to control the game and contain Norwich City in the second half, as they sat back on their lead, but that’s always dangerous and Norwich were getting a lot more of the ball and coming into the game.
After 67 minutes Yohan Cabaye was replaced by Vurnon Anita, and Yohan put in a good shift today, and maybe he was a little tired in that second half after his fabulous efforts for France on Tuesday night.
And with Newcastle almost ceding the ball to Norwich, after three successive corner Leroy Fer finally pulled a goal back for Norwich as he headed home from a corner at the near post.
But Newcastle managed to hold on with some good defending from Mike Williamson, but if Newcastle had kept playing ion the second half maybe we could have own by a bigger margin and not put the game in jeopardy?
It was too much of a lethargic display form Newcastle in the second half today.
But hey – a win is a win – and we got the three points so we are not going to complain – well not too much. 😀
Teams:
Newcastle United (4-4-2): Tim Krul; Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon; Moussa Sissoko, Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye (Vurnon Anita 68), Yoan Gouffran (Hatem Ben Arfa 83); Shola Ameobi (Papiss Cisse 74), Loic Remy
Subs not used: Rob Elliot, Massadio Haidara, Sammy Ameobi, Gabriel Obertan
Norwich City (4-5-1): John Ruddy; Russell Martin (c), Michael Turner, Ryan Bennett, Martin Olsson; Nathan Redmond (Josh Murphy 89), Bradley Johnson (Wes Hoolahan 89), Leroy Fer, Jonny Howson, Anthony Pilkington (Johan Elmander 49); Gary Hooper
Subs not used: Carlo Nash, Steven Whittaker, Sebastien Bassong, Luciano Becchio
Referee: Mike Dean
20 comments so far
89Norcal
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:23 PM
Comment #1are you sure we won Ed, sounds like we lost after reading this blog
Himanshu Dhingra
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:25 PM
Comment #2This season
Hull, Cardiff, Spurs and Today very poor second halfs.
Chelsea second half.
Paradox.
TorqToon
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:26 PM
Comment #3Norcal – it does doesn’t it?!
This place is ridiculous at times, my friend.
toonking
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:26 PM
Comment #4repost
the decision to defend after going a goal or 2 ahead is not unique to Newcastle.
everton went all out defense again us this season.
Manchester united under sir alex ferguson couldn’t have won so many games from late goals by pure attack.
the thing with teams like city is they are packed full of quality forwards and very attacking midfielders.
Newcastle but we have only got 1 decent CF who scores reg at the minute remy. also cabaye is the only top class midfielder creativity.
before anyone accuses me of being ultra negative, i’m not.
shola ameobi is doing excellent at the minute but we all know he can’t continue for the whole of a match, goufran himself is doing very well but he is nothing like the silva’s and nasri’s.
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:26 PM
Comment #5How many of Norwich’s players were playing internationals last week?
Quite a few of ours were and that could have contributed to tiredness. I do not believe that Pardew told the players to sit back and his subs do not indicate that either.
If this blog can’t be upbeat when we win, I may just not bother any more…
LocalZero
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:27 PM
Comment #6Good line up from Pards and good substitutions too. Seemed to tire a bit in 2nd half (especially Sissoko, Cabaye and Ameobi – all played internationals though) but some of the first half stuff was brilliant!
JackButler
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:27 PM
Comment #7ToonDarnSarf
Did you watch the game???
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:28 PM
Comment #8Torq
Where have you been? Missed decent posters on here as opposed to the negative drivel! Do you use other blogs?
89Norcal
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:28 PM
Comment #9@Torq
Well unfortunately this place will always have people complaining. But many times they are off-base anyways.
We hardly sat back and defended all 2nd half. Remy could have set up a third had he played it to Cisse, but he was quite selfish this game.
MacToon
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:28 PM
Comment #10Good 3 points but can’t help but think we won despite Pardew! Shame because he set us up well at the start of the match but even before the first half was over he was waving for the team to defend deeper!!!
manxpie
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:28 PM
Comment #1145manxpie // Nov 23, 2013 at 5:25 PM
stuart has ya wife ever told ya to shut up might be the best advice ya ever get!
for people to say that its pardews fault for the TEAM to sit back is laughable because in the second half we really could have scored another 3-4 goals
so norwich who had to show more desire and did is pardews fault!!?
take a break neggers because we’ve just won 3 in a row and 2 of em were against chelsea n spurs!
and tds why do you always play devils advocate? even when there’s just an honest opinion!
you dig a hole for yaself everytime
you’d be better off on a politics blog
ToonDarnSarf
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:29 PM
Comment #12JB
No. Because I don’t use streaming sites. Don’t trust them.
But how does that change anything I’ve said?
NUFCarter
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:30 PM
Comment #13When was the last time Shola got MOTM?
manxpie
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:32 PM
Comment #14tds how can you have an opinion against other posters opinions who have actually seen the game!!?
that changes a hell of alot fella
saxonfenken
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:33 PM
Comment #15I don’t suppose Houghton gave his players a rocket at half time to wake them up,
Perhaps AP went into there dressing room and did it for him.
For god’s sake grow up, there are no easy teams to play in the Premier, and like us they have good half’s and bad half’s.
We won, Three points, and 8th, lets rejoice
MacToon
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:33 PM
Comment #16No wonder you don’t know whether we have electronic advertising boards or not. By the way, Newcastle is in the North East of England 😉
Spoof
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:35 PM
Comment #17TDS
a win is a win so we are happy, but pointing out wrongs doesn’t mean that we are downbeat, I happen to like Pardew and believe that he is a good manager but at the same time he does on a regular basis send his team out to defend a lead where going for a 2nd or 3rd goal to kill off teams would be for the best, look at our goal difference, and think back to our goal difference when we came 5th, it is very poor and thats because we never kill teams off and try to defend our lead, this is wrong, but like I say, pointing out errors is not being downbeat, its trying to make what is good even better.
toonking
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:35 PM
Comment #18Newcastle might have sat back in the second half but we were 2-0 ahead at half time and so the opposing team become a lot of physical at the back diving in for the balls because their most of their players are further up the field.
so the Norwich players will just fowl players that are on the attack.
JP...from The Rock
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:38 PM
Comment #19Great win today and a good first half performance. In the second half I think we defended the lead because it’s our French players style to do that. We did well though and the defence looked solid again.
Shame Cisse was harshly ruled offside as that goal would have lifted his confidence. He does play it too close to the line sometimes and should look more across the line to not get caught so many times offside, but today he was unlucky.
It’s great to look at the table now and we’re so close to top 4 it’s amazing. I just wish we sign Remy up permanently asap.
HWTL!
Ps. That’s one banana skin match avoided and dealt with comfortably, bring on WBA!
LocalZero
Nov 23, 2013 at 5:41 PM
Comment #20Mactoon, you don’t know Pardew was waving them back and you don’t know what he said at half time (unless you’ve been bugging the dressing room and the dugout?). Any excuse to have a pop at the guy. I can think of at least two possible reasons for the slightly downbeat second half:
1. Pardew chose to play percentages and told the lads not to take too many risks and hit Norwich on the break given we had a 2 goal cushion (in which case, it worked… just)
2. All those who were on international duty got knackered (which seemed pretty obvious to me)
So unless you’re a spy, how would you know which of those or the million other reasons it is? Either way you choose not to support the manager because you’ve got it in for him…