It was a game of penalty decisions when Carlos Tevez got a penalty after 18 minutes when he was supposed to have been brought down by Mike Williamson, yet in the second half, when Ameobi was brought down by Lescott – Newcastle didn’t get the penalty.
Manchester City must have been playing at home today.
Newcastle were beaten, as had been expected today at Eastlands, but they made City fight for the win, and they didn’t have much luck at all in this game, and they stuck doggedly to their task of trying to get something out of this game.
And they were unlucky in that in the first half lost both Ben Arfa and Fab Coloccini to injury.
The game started badly for Newcastle when Ben Arfa went down from a tackle after just two minutes on the right wing, and it looked like he had sustained a bad ankle injury, may be even a broken ankle.
Play was held up for over 5 minutes as Ben Arfa was attended to, and he was even given oxygen as the injury looked serious.
As he was stretchered off the Newcastle fans gave him a good ovation and he was awake enough to show his appreciation by waving his had at the Newcastle fans.
But the injury looked serious and we’ll just have to wait and see what it turns out to be.
City started the better of the two sides and went ahead after 18 minutes with a dubious penalty decision for a presumed foul by by Williamson on Carlos Tevez.
Williamson tackled Tevez just inside the box, but seemed to get the ball, but referee Atkinson gave the decision, and Tevez himself rammed the ball straight down the middle, and although Krul got his foot to the ball he couldn’t stop it.
It looked a little dubious at this point for Newcastle as City had started the brighter of the two sides and were already ahead, but Newcastle came back into the game with a beautiful goal from Argentine Jonas Gutierrez.
Jonas was playing on the left wing and he moved inside and got the ball into the box, but it was not cleared by the Blues, and Carlos picked up the loose ball in an instant, and rifled the ball into the back of the net with his right foot.
A wonderful goal from the in-form Jonas.
It looked like Fab Coloccini, who had been playing majestically at the back, got a groin strain and had to leave the field before half time – with Sol Camp[bell coming on to make his league debut for the Magpies.
And for the rest of the half Newcastle gave as good as they got, with both goalkeepers not having an awful lot to do.
Two players off injured in the first half is not what Chris Hughton would have expected in this game.
The second half was even with City always pushing for the winner, and it was former Newcastle fan Adam Johnson who scored the winner for City with a beautiful goal.
The England International got the ball down the right wing and moved inside and hit a wonderful left foot shot past Krul into the net – another classy goal from the Sunderland-born winger.
But Newcastle are never finished these days and they went out for an equalizer and it looked like they should have had a penalty when Shola Ameobi was brought down by Lescott in the penalty area. Slow motion TV replays showed Lescott to have brought down the Newcastle striker, but no penalty was awarded.
The penalty wasn’t given and again you have to say that referees seem to be favoring the big clubs with some of their decisions, especially when they are playing at home.
Then with only a few minutes left Mike Williamson had a decent chance from a corner, but headed the ball over the bar.
And Newcastle couldn’t get the equalizer, and even though this was a defeat, we didn’t expect anything and the lads gave it their all and there are a lot of positives that Chris Hughton will no doubt take out of this game.
It’s hard to criticize the Newcastle players too much on this gutsy performance – but they just didn’t have the luck.
But it’s the home games we have to start to win to get some points, and next up in a couple of weeks time is Wigan Athletic at St. James’ Park, and if we cannot win that one, then alarm bells will rightly be going off at the club.
It’s Newcastle’s home record that will decide whether we can survive in the Premier League this season, not games away against the top clubs.
Comments welcome.
41 comments so far
nufc.romania
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:07 PM
Comment #1can anyone know how bad is hatem injury ? and many weeks he will miss ?
xfer
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:09 PM
Comment #2Take another look at the reply Ed. The first point of contact is outside of the box, and Williamson got the ball first before taking down the man inevitably in the tackle. Not penalty in the first play, and if its a foul, its outside the box. Poor decision from the referee, who didnt have a good view of the tackle.
On the contrary, he had a CLEAR view on the challenge on Ameobi and didnt give it. Stone wall to me.
We were hit hard today by referee decisions. Man City didnt play well. Another disappointing result, but a decent team performance, yet again. This wont get us any where up the table unfortunately.
GeordieGerman
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:12 PM
Comment #3I’m absolutely disgusted with the standard of refereeing in the PL. As soon as I heard Atkinson was the Ref I knew that we would lose. One penalty given to Man Citeh that wasn’t and one not given for Newcastle that was. The man (Atkinson) is a disgrace and Man C. fans can be really proud.
darthkir
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:16 PM
Comment #4Again CH decided to play with only 10 men like he did since the last few games (except Chelsea)…
Howay The Lads
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:17 PM
Comment #5nufc.romania, I’d expect he’s out out for the season. It looked like an incomplete fracture (where the bone snaps, but is still connected, but only just) which can take up to a 8/9 months to recover from, but I reckon he’ll be back around late March/ early April depending on how well the treatment goes.
I’m so sad about that. It feels like someone’s died 🙁
korn8
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:18 PM
Comment #6This really turned out to be a massive disappointment – and who would have believed that before the match?! I`m incredible proud of the lads today, a solid and good team performance, but then again; what a disapointing performance by the ref!
I suppose he joined City for a lower fee then what they payed for Milner, Tevez etc etc…
Well done lads, you fought like lions today.
We HAVE to beat Wigan now.
HWTL!
Billy Magpie
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:19 PM
Comment #7Disgraceful refereeing, regardless of the pundits say De Jong was reckless.
Should the ugly Tevez not have been booked for running off the pitch after the wrongly given penalty?
Thoughts with HBA and shame on Atkinson
Sav
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:20 PM
Comment #8Will we get a few bob off from Marseille then?
balubas1
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:21 PM
Comment #9We played a good game considering it was City away. Campell looked good, so did Colo. Alot of positives.
BUT:
The truth is that this game was a disaster. Not by Newcastle but AGAINST us. As you all know the ref was poor. The “foul” on Tevez was a 50/50 situation. Willo actually got some of the ball, but some may argue he plowed through Tevez to get there.
I feel so sad for Ben Arfa.. I did not like the way his leg was bending downwards after he went to the ground.. it looked like something had snapped, either a bone or a ligament. We did not even get a FK for that, and it should have been a yellow for sure, possibly more.
The Ameobi penalty case is clear… the ref screwed us AGAIN.
TIOTE was our man of the match.. He was simply amazing. Closely followed by a lively Jonas.
I have a mixed feeling after this game.. We surely can not blame our own players, as they all played at least a decent game. But I feel alot of anger towards De Jong and the Ref. City played quite dirty.. also Toure stepping on Perch was an incident with intention, but missed by the ref..
Like I said.. mixed feelings.. Credit to our men out there.. but still it is a MISERABLE day..
Sav
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:21 PM
Comment #10Tiote is a star in the making.
korn8
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:22 PM
Comment #11Keeping my fingers crossed about HBA, though.
Sav
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:26 PM
Comment #12The fact that a player gets the ball with one foot, doesn’t give carte blanche to clean the player in possession’s standing leg out with the other shin.
balubas1
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:26 PM
Comment #13darthkir:
I reckon u mean ameobi..
Well.. he was the 1 nufc player that did not have a good game.. But he was alone against Kompany and Toure.. I won’t give him crap for this perticular game.
He worked all the way through the game though.. I’ll give him that.
Hawaiian Geordie
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:29 PM
Comment #14for me, he means nolan
archaeomag
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:29 PM
Comment #15ManC. expected to win, and Atkinson was there to ensure they did – What a homer!
The lads outplayed them in first half, quite happy with the performance, and the tactics might have worked but for Atkinson.
The media thinks it’s a break, so we won’t see Ben Arfa for months, not sure about Colo.
Tiote very impressive, a tough nut who does his job.
There have to be 3 teams worse than us, and that is all that matters at the end of season.
balubas1
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:29 PM
Comment #16Sav:
true… but as we all know.. the ref didn’t want to disappoint the home crowd.
I know its crap, but City is possibly the only team with enough money to buy a ref in thr EPL. (this is just me being really pis*t off)
archaeomag
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:29 PM
Comment #17PS. Nice [new] header Ed.
balubas1
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:32 PM
Comment #18Hawaiian Geordie:
ok. how so?
arcarius
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:32 PM
Comment #19Get well soon Arfa son!
Was getting excited each time u played
Feckin dejong is a disgrace, should be banned
If anyone was it crap, it was a toss betw Routledge and Nolan
darthkir
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:33 PM
Comment #20Hawaiian Geordie is right! I almost did not see Nolan in the game… was he playing? I didnt think so because I saw ameobi was so lonely at the front…
arcarius
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:33 PM
Comment #21If anyone was crap, it was a toss betw Routledge and Nolan
Get well soon Arfa son!
Fcukin thug dejong
korn8
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:33 PM
Comment #22Money can`t buy you love, but it sure as h*l* can buy you referees…
munch27
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:35 PM
Comment #23Only bright side for me today is that Tiote is AWESOME.
alex84
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:36 PM
Comment #24i hope de jong burns in hell!, credit to our boys, the ref handed them 3 points! i pray HBA recovers quickly coz we would have won today if he was playing. jonas looked sharp
Hawaiian Geordie
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:38 PM
Comment #25balubas, i agree wtih darthkir, nolan left strola stranded, just like he left carroll alone last week. hoots realized and yanked him off. don’t think we’ll see him start today
Hawaiian Geordie
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:41 PM
Comment #26and by today i mean in two weeks against wigan
see, i’m so distraught by what just happened, i can’t even type. someday karma will come and slap de jong in the face, or through the ankle bone, who knows
geordielad880
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:49 PM
Comment #27there was nothing wrong with de jong’s tackle, you muppet, it was just one of them things, out for the season for sure
darthkir
Oct 3, 2010 at 4:55 PM
Comment #28and again we played without a right wing… should have brought in mcloven to replace hatem… what is with hughton against mcloven… not a single start this season in PL?
balubas1
Oct 3, 2010 at 5:07 PM
Comment #29Hawaiian :
Nolan was one of the main reasons we managed to keep the pressure on City in the 1st half.
geordielad880
Oct 3, 2010 at 5:08 PM
Comment #30tiote was brilliant again today, i think we could play guthrie on the right when he is fit, cant be worse than routledge, even ranger or ryan taylor would be better there
hadthetshirt
Oct 3, 2010 at 5:12 PM
Comment #31Well like it or not we are slipping into a relegation battle.I’m sorry to say Hughton has a lot to answer too.We have lost 2 home games because of his fear factor and system.Now he plays 23 instead of Carrol.23 spends more time on his arse or giving free kicks away and if he’s not doing that he’s offside.Tiote has been class every game he has played yet what did hughton do last week he took him off.Get a grip hughton,this is the real league not the fizzy pop one.
Moreno
Oct 3, 2010 at 5:35 PM
Comment #32Let’s stop critiscing players. We expected to lose today, we have done so unfairly through refereeing decisions.
The lads stuck in after being screwed over and full credit to them. Don’t hear anyone slating Perch today as he had a good game. Yet he was public enemy number one last week. Sometimes I am ashamed t be associated with this fan base.
How many of you are from Newcastle? If you were, you would realise why the city gets praised by pundits for ‘breathing football’ and we are the most passionate fans in the country. We get behind the lads rain or shine, win or loss, pull ur heads out of your arses and support.
Start acting like the best fans in the UK, well done to the lads today, they all did well in a difficult fixture and lost through no fault of their own.
munch27
Oct 3, 2010 at 6:01 PM
Comment #33Moreno i agree with you not one of the lads can be slated for today apart from man shitty’s 12th man , i thought i would have calmed down by now but guess what i havn’t.
What boils my pi$$ the most is the press think they won the hard way but how can you win something if it was wrapped in paper and a sky blue ribbon.
balubas1
Oct 3, 2010 at 6:03 PM
Comment #34Moreno:
Thank you for silencing the pms-crew
TidilieToon
Oct 3, 2010 at 8:53 PM
Comment #35Tiote is bloody quality! you can tell he loves the club, and gets on so well with the players, he had it in for De Jong through out the whole match after his stupid challenge. De Jong didnt even say sorry to ben arfa or comfort him, prick!
TidilieToon
Oct 3, 2010 at 8:56 PM
Comment #36@Moreno
I’m not from Newcastle, I’m from norwich. But love the Toon more than anything out there!
the team played brilliantly, nolan i wish was better, as he’s a top bloke. Perch made a few mistakes again, but played better. would still love to see raylor play, or he’s gone so i read!
IrishGeordie95
Oct 3, 2010 at 10:35 PM
Comment #37the lads played great today, f*cking love jonas and his touches:)
atkinson was a bloody disgrace how cud he miss the ameobi penalty claim, it was stine wall and it was right in front of him
Also de jong burn in hell, he didn’t even say sorry to arfa and spent his time bitchin to the ref, in my eyes it wud’ve been a staright red.
but lots of positives to take out of the game and must beat wigan next or we’re screwed
HWTL!!!!!
mattnufc
Oct 3, 2010 at 10:39 PM
Comment #38Should have got at least a draw, as I’m sure most would agree.
If we play like this against Wigan we should surely win?
Brutooon
Oct 4, 2010 at 1:05 AM
Comment #39-At the paper, we deserve to lose, but by halftime we can at least get 1 point
-Tiote, great player – control the midfield so well, make yaya toure look like shit
-Man City attack more on perch side
-Routledge can’t cross, still think he is a cc player
Positive:
-the year we relegated 2008/2009, we can’t even control the game. now we can easily get back even when the opponents score first
-there ara a positive thing within the current squad, we will still survive this season
– some other fans stated that our midfield are way better than those liverpool midfield. liverpool to be relegated?
BengGaBoy
Oct 4, 2010 at 4:42 AM
Comment #40My review of the game:
Wayne is terrible to watch and it’s simply waste of resources. If you observe, most of his passes are back pass and most of his run is towards the middle. And worst of all, all his cross are too high, slow and near to goalkeeper.
I would rather place Ryan Taylor who may able to offer something different from free kick and crosses.
Enrique also have kinda of indifferent game and poor concentration at times. That Adam Johnson goal could have been avoided if he close him down on time.
Nolan also kinda of loiter around the pitch with not much sparkle to talk about. Good decision to replace him with Andy Caroll since he’s not effective in the game.
Only positive players from that game is probably central defenders & Gutierrez.