It was great to see Papiss Cisse finally get the winning goal, the only goal of the game yesterday, and certainly the reaction of John Carver and Steve Stone on the touchline was something to behold.
Papiss and John Carver after sensational winner
It was an important win for Newcastle, especially since the next two games, at home to Everton on Tuesday and at Southampton next Saturday will be tough games.
John Carver has said that Papiss continues to work hard in training, and it’s more luck that he needs, since his confidence remains high:
“There are only eight games left, but if he goes on a run from now until the end of the season he can have a good season. I’d like to think so.”
“He is a confidence player and like all strikers, if they get one goal, sometimes they get two, three or four. “We don’t know how long Loic Remy is going to be out and he is the guy in the firing line at the moment so hopefully he can go on a bit of a run.”
“At least on Saturday we created chances – 21 shots on goal. Last week the two chances fell to Papiss and I said after the game last week, how hard he does work on the training ground to put that right.”
“And he certainly did that, and he’s not going missing, he’s not hiding and sometimes you can when you’re lacking in confidence.”
“I don’t think he’s lacking in confidence, he is just lacking in a little bit of luck and he might have just had that little bit of luck at the end of the game, because he popped up in the right area and he had that composure to guide it in.”
That was a breakthrough goal for Cisse yesterday and a good one too, the most difficult chance he had yesterday, and he looked immediately at the linesman to make sure he was onside – which he was. 😀
Let’s hope Cisse’s very sharp on Tuesday night against Everton, and we’ll do quite well if we can get a point from that game, against a strong Toffees side.
But you just never know with Newcastle.
Comments welcome.
18 comments so far
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Mar 23, 2014 at 10:55 PM
Comment #1I think I’ve prefer Santon where he plays – I would just change the way our midfield is setup because for me they are both:
a) a liability if we want our fullbacks to go forward (and we do)
b) and they don’t add enough going forward or in and around the box
*Look at how few goals we score and how few chances we create.
Honestly I have no idea why we are playing 4-4-1-1 with LDJ in the whole, but then again I have to admit I don’t watch us anymore (a sight for sore eyes)
Ciaran
Mar 23, 2014 at 10:56 PM
Comment #2Wake up Carver, the lad has scored 10 goals in his last 55 league appearances – that has nothing to do with luck and more to do with the fact that he is just a poor player.
Also, repost to Jesper
Do you mind telling me what makes Santon a good left back? I mean specifically what does he have in his game currently that makes him a quality left back? Do not skimp on the details.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Mar 23, 2014 at 11:00 PM
Comment #3Ruddy…he gets forward!
…he is very good with the ball, both a dribbling and holding on to it (buys us time). He has a fantastic eye for a long ball.
His passing percentage is high.
We just like to play football that highlight his weak points – as it is the case with Benny!
*I am not counting on you to agree with me, but you asked me 😉
Ciaran
Mar 23, 2014 at 11:01 PM
Comment #4Jesper
If it was a tactical problem as opposed to simply a problem with Santon’s defending, how can you explain the fact that Debuchy does not look as woefully exposed at RB as Santon does at LB?
If it was solely about midfield cover, why is Debuchy not floundering as badly as Santon does? And why too does Dummett not look as exposed at LB as Santon often does?
I am sorry but your points don’t add up and it appears you are making excuses for Santon’s defensive deficiencies.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Mar 23, 2014 at 11:02 PM
Comment #5…and out midfield under Pardew gets away with undermining the whole time while at the same time making certain kind of players look bad!
…a keen eye sees this a mile away!
Ciaran
Mar 23, 2014 at 11:03 PM
Comment #6Jesper
Tell me what is positive about the DEFENSIVE side of his game. After all, he is a defender.
Ciaran
Mar 23, 2014 at 11:03 PM
Comment #7Jesper
Don’t go down the route of a ‘keen eye sees this a mile away’ as it makes you look like you’re trying to make others who disagree out to be less intelligent than you.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Mar 23, 2014 at 11:08 PM
Comment #8Ruddy…you don’t have to go back far to see Decuchy “had” the same problems!
…maybe we have a tendency to cover our right side more than the left? Righties tend to do that 😉
Debuchy gets in plenty of problems! Debuchy does not dribble as much and does not get forward as much. He does give away more freekicks and get booked alot.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Mar 23, 2014 at 11:10 PM
Comment #9Ruddy….it seems some of you have a blind eye when it comes to Santon.
…I don’t know why I am on the spot here for thinking the way I do? What does that tell about you then if we are using that term?
Ciaran
Mar 23, 2014 at 11:11 PM
Comment #10Jesper
Debuchy doesn’t get forward as much? Well I am sorry but that is ludicrous. Debuchy is a much more potent threat than Santon ever has been. He’s one of our main outlets. Go check how many goals/assists both Santon and Debuchy has and I am willing to state that ratio to games played Debuchy has been much much more effective.
However, this is missing the point. Not only is Debuchy better going forward than Santon, he is also a better defender.
You have yet to state what is good about Santon’s defensive game, and your unwillingness to answer the question would seem to show that there is little good about this crucial aspect of his game.
Ciaran
Mar 23, 2014 at 11:12 PM
Comment #11Jesper
It tells me that you seem to think you have superior knowledge when it comes to judging players, and honestly mate, makes you seem a bit arrogant.
beermonkey
Mar 23, 2014 at 11:15 PM
Comment #12Ciaran
beginning of the season santon was in good form
since he has been here his defensive side could always have been inproved ,
it really wouldn’t hurt him to shadow debuchy for a while, I do think he could improve that side of his game and be an all round better player
for me its a personal pref having natural footed players in defence
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Mar 23, 2014 at 11:16 PM
Comment #13Ruddy…as a team we are far better when we don’t allow pressure on our defense – we need to keep the ball out of our defense.
…we need to be in possession and we need to go forward. Santon makes that happen. That is what makes him so important for us. Pardew just seem to prefer the pressure on our defense, which exposes Santon and has done for Debuchy as well at times.
Modern football is not about defense, midfield or attack. They interact and it’s very important the fullbacks add to the midfield – to out number the opposition and so more players can get in to the box!
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Mar 23, 2014 at 11:18 PM
Comment #14Ruddy…but look at your line of questioning! You don’t even ask yourself these questions you just put me on the spot. Not to have a friendly discussion, but to find flaw in my argumentation.
And that says what about you?
Ciaran
Mar 23, 2014 at 11:19 PM
Comment #15Beermonkey
In my view, Santon has never been a good defender. He can’t close down the crosser, doesn’t get back into position quickly enough, and he’s not even that good going forward. Being wrong-footed when he goes down the outside means he cannot whip in a cross and opposing full-backs know he is always going to cut inside.
I know I am very critical of these supposed flair players – HBA and Santon – simply because they are all mouth and no trouser. All pomp and no substance. I am all for having gifted players, but only if they actually offer something of value to the side.
My problem with Santon and HBA is that they are actually damaging to the team as opposed to helping the team. Compare the way Zabaleta plays with the way Santon does. Compare David Silva to HBA and that is the level of production we’re talking about.
By all means, give me the flash, give me the excitement. But if in doing all that they offer next to nothing and actually harm the team then I’m afraid they need to sit on the bench or better still, leave the club.
Ciaran
Mar 23, 2014 at 11:23 PM
Comment #16Jesper
I asked you what makes Santon a good defender. I know as an iron-clad fact that he cannot defend. You know that too yet you are willing to overlook this fact because Santon is going forward.
You have yet to answer what makes Santon a good defender, purely because you know he isn’t a good defender.
jesperfuglsang - captain of the lemon crew
Mar 23, 2014 at 11:27 PM
Comment #17Ruddy…I am not really worried about whether Santon is as good a defender as Decuchy. That is not as important to me as how good he is going forward.
…because we need that more. Is offensive abilities is much more important to me.
No need for the Spanish inquisition. I have told you why I like Santon and why I think he is a very good player for us.
Lynxie
Mar 24, 2014 at 8:04 AM
Comment #18Jesper,
I have enjoyed your posts and general positive outlook for a while now, but I feel I have to strongly disagree with you regarding Santon. This guy will never be a world class left back as long as he has a hole in his arse.
the number of times I have found myself screaming at him to close down the winger, and stop the cross coming in, is countless. he seems to lack real conviction and attitude, highlighted when Tim Krul ripped him a new arse for lazilly allowing Adam Johnson to score for the unwashed at the Leazes end. Lacklustre and careless, no urgency, and with a cowardly streak (Italian after all), Dummett and in particular Haidara have a much brighter future than this fella. Expect him to be moved on, as ‘getting forward’ doesn’t cut the mustard, if ‘getting back’ is a problem.We pay other people to ‘get forward’ with more effort threat and ability (and end result).