Newcastle beat Southend United tonight with two second half goals and they came from two unlikely lads.
It was 0-0 at the half after a rather poor first half and then than man Vurnon Anita scored a great goal when he hit the ball across the goalkeeper into the back of the net after 48 minutes.
Rafa Benitez smiling even before the game
Does this photo go in the Southend United Boardroom?
And the after 78 minutes it was a great acrobatic goal from that forgotten man Yoan Gouffran, when the Frenchman finished of a great team move by Newcastle when he hit the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the net.
Vurnon Anita after scoring terrific goal
Vurnon Anita being congratulated after great goal
Vurnon Anita – still celebrating
Yoan Gouffran scoring Newcastle’s second goal
Yoan Gouffran – Yes!
Newcastle defending in first half from Barrett
Rafa introduced eight substitutes in the second half and one of them was new signing Grant Hanley, who replaced Chancel Mbemba at the back.
This is now Newcastle’s third win in four friendly games and out 3rd clean sheet and Newcastle have goalkeeper Karl Darlow to thank for the clean sheet when in the 89th minutes he made a fantastic save from David Mooney from close range.
Southend United: Oxley, White (Demetriou 75), Sokolik (Thompson 46), Barrett (Edjenguele 46), Coker (Kyprianou 78), Bridge (McLaughlin 68), Atkinson (Batlokwa 78), Leonard (Bedford 84), McGlashan (O’Neill 75), Williams (Mooney 62), Murray (Cox 62)
Subs not used: T Smith, Wabo
Newcastle: Darlow; Janmaat (Sterry, 63), Mbemba (Hanley, 63), Lascelles, Dummett; Hayden (Colback, 63), Shelvey (Saivet, 73); Anita (Thauvin, 78), Perez (Mitrovic, 73), Aarons (Gouffran, 63); Gayle (Armstrong, 63).
Sub not used: Sels.
Goals: Anita 47, Gouffran 78
But you cannot really tell much from pre-season friendlies – or so they say.
Next up are SBV Vitesse at St. James’ Park on Saturday at an unusual kickoff time – 3:00 pm.
Wonder if that game will be shown live somewhere?
🙂
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15 comments so far
GeordieTwo
Jul 26, 2016 at 9:58 PM
Comment #1Nice pre-season record so far. It’s only that though.
GeordieTwo
Jul 26, 2016 at 10:00 PM
Comment #2Is anybody else getting that “Maybe this Game will shock you but” advertisement? Is she showing off her armpit? Is that what the game is about then? Just another game about armpits?
Our Toon
Jul 26, 2016 at 10:07 PM
Comment #3Darlow made a good save I hear, good news but still a weak keeper, wba goal, Norwich goal where he dived and ball went over him and finally spurs game, how he got beat from there is beyond me.
cyprus
Jul 26, 2016 at 10:09 PM
Comment #4Didn’t the year we ended in fifth start with some very poor friendly results? Still, I think it’s good to instill a winning mentality.
Has anyone watched a game? Are we playing better? Can we defend? Are we getting chances? I fear I’ll have fewer chances to watch my team now I’m in the lower tier…
cyprus
Jul 26, 2016 at 10:15 PM
Comment #5So our hardest game was versus a fourth tier team. Typical NUFC.
Thump
Jul 26, 2016 at 10:18 PM
Comment #63-0 Fulham?
JamesToon
Jul 26, 2016 at 10:25 PM
Comment #7Cyrpus
Can honestly say we played some lovely football (as we have done in the other friendlies) we defend as a unit, as soon as the ball is lost everyone seems to know their roles, most of their chances came from lascelles/darlow trying to play their way out of trouble, or mishits from clearing the ball. we have very good build up play, so refreshing to see.
Average_Contents
Jul 26, 2016 at 10:31 PM
Comment #8Have any teams from the club lost a game yet?
I can’t recall but I don’t think so.
The winning mentality of rafa seems to be rubbing off. Or perhaps it’s just that nobody gave two flying…. before.
Fostino
Jul 26, 2016 at 10:36 PM
Comment #9Safe to say tiote gone as well as sissoko. Therefore a cm is needed still
Also safe to say goofy staying put.
Unless we can shift haidira, riverie then I don’t see us getting the st and lb that we need before Fulham.
Yo-yo
Jul 26, 2016 at 10:39 PM
Comment #10After facing the drop Rafa has got to get the guys believing in themselves, both individually and as a team.
A few try out games won ain’t going to do the lads any harm at all. He won’t let them get overconfident that’s for sure.
And good for Anita – he’s a bit of a pocket rocket really.
welshgeordie9
Jul 26, 2016 at 10:46 PM
Comment #11Before people start moaning and whining about this player and that player being crap let me remind you it’s a friendly, so every player is going to get replaced and not play the full 90 minutes, so in other words wait until the season starts when you are only use 3 subs.
BandB
Jul 26, 2016 at 10:50 PM
Comment #12cyprus
Didn’t that year we got relegated also start with some very poor pre-season friendly results?
As bobbybee would say, and frequently did, it’s only a friendly FFS!!!!!!!!!!
And you have to remember, Southend United are on a mid-season break to play in some Pan American Super Cup thingy, and have a huge fitness advantage.
jimmysmith
Jul 26, 2016 at 10:56 PM
Comment #13Benitez won’t be in complete control of transfers in and out, simply because transfers do and don’t get over the line for all sorts of reasons, but I’d be astonished if Newcastle are happy to lose Townsend, Widjnaldum, Tiote and finally Sissoko. That’s four really top notch players out of the group.
I agree with Ian Toon that Sissoko is the one most wanted by Benitez, and having now apparently lost Tiote along with the other two, Benitez will be pushing as hard as he can now to keep him.
Of course money talks, and if it’s a club like Madrid offering a massive fee and huge wages he’ll be off, and in good conscience we wouldn’t be able to stand in his way regardless, but I don’t think he is already gone and I don’t think we can’t afford to keep him, and I don’t think Benitez isn’t capable of talking him round.
nufc786
Jul 26, 2016 at 11:09 PM
Comment #14I know we are interested in Connor Coady as what looks to be a replacement for Tiote, but what about going back in for Mehdi Abeid or Olivier Kemen…
Abeid did not get much game time but he impressed when given the chance… I remember he bossed Toure in the Man City Cup Game and impressed at Liverpool.. Kemen was always highly rated in the U21s and people were comparing him to Cheick Tiote and then we let him go for some reason or another….. but im sure if Rafa coaches him he could be great
Im not sure if Bigi can still make it in to the first team, he is still young but has lost his way since that mystery illness
Graeme
Jul 26, 2016 at 11:13 PM
Comment #15Jimmy, given Sissoko’s performances last season, together with his perpetual “I’m too good for this league, come and get me” speaches, sell him, take the £35 million or whatever it is and buy FOUR players that can seriously improve the side for this season.
If they all perform, they will all have resale value in this division, if they cant cut it in the Prem. It’s a no brainer mate – who needs the disruption he will bring with him??