Newcastle United vs Liverpool: The two key Toon performances

Posted on October 21st, 2013 | 29 Comments |

Yohan Cabaye vs Liverpool.
Yohan Cabaye: A man of the match performance.
My latest blog on metro.co.uk was published yesterday.

Usually I would just write a few words about it and post a link. However, I am getting so sick of them being hacked to pieces by trainee Metro sub-eds that I have now decided to publish the original version on here, complete with the original title.

If you like, you can see the butchered version on the metro here.

Key performance #1: Yohan Cabaye.

The fleet-footed Frenchman was the fulcrum of Newcastle United’s midfield on Saturday, and was at the heart of most things for Newcastle United in attack.

Besides scoring a brilliant goal in the 23rd minute, he also provided the great set piece which led to Paul Dummett’s goal in the 56th. Of course, the Magpies’ set pieces have been the focus of much criticism in recent times and rightly so when you look at the amount of goals scored by this method over the last season or two. Although it could be said that Aly Sissokho made things slightly easier than he could have for the second goal, Cabaye’s free kick was excellent, and the way Dummett exploited this with a true poacher’s instinct was superb, remarkably so for such a young, inexperienced player who is supposed to be a defender rather than a striker. But I digress…

Getting back to Cabaye, those two goals were the fruits of him pulling the strings for most of the game, until he was pulled off by Pardew in the 78th minute. He was so good in all areas it’s hard to know why.

Cabaye has received so much fulsome praise in the past though, I will reserve the rest of this piece for my other choice as a key performer on Saturday, Mike Williamson, as he certainly hasn’t!

Key performance #2: Mike Williamson.

Mike Williamson vs Liverpool.
Mike Willianson: At the heart of the Toon defence.
If Cabaye was almost certainly the man of the match dominating the midfield, he was enabled by a very solid defence behind him, with Mike Williamson leading the line very well indeed in the absence of Fabricio Coloccini. What is more, before the match it doubtful he would make it through he game. Speaking after the game, Alan Pardew had this to say about the big lad:

“Willo was struggling for this game and Paul Dummett trained yesterday in the first team, I think it helped as it focused him. That if Willo got injured in the first fifteen minutes, he was going to play.”

With the absence of Coloccini against a team who beat us 0-6 last time at St James Park many feared the worst, that the defence could completely fall apart in much the same fashion. Yet despite the sending off of Yanga Mbiwa after only 40 minutes, Williamson kept the whole defence together beautifully, especially so working alongside a rookie for most of the game.

Though of course, it would be churlish to leave it simply at that with Paul Dummett, as the youngster put in a great performance overall, and as Alan Shearer rightly mentioned, his positioning, not to mention his cool finish was great for his debut goal in the first team (and he should know). It is a moot point whether Dummett should shoulder some of the blame for Sturridge’s goal, waving his arm around for offside rather than trying harder to chase down the marauding England striker. No-one is perfect though and the whole of the defence did a great job overall in salvaging a point against one of the leading sides in the Premier League, despite being down to ten men for most of the game.

Much of the credit for that should go to Williamson though, especially so as he has been the victim of some highly unfair criticism from some in the past. Since his return to Premier League action as a half time substitute against Everton, when, not for the first time, Newcastle’s defence had sunk into chaos after conceeding three goals in the first half, his effect in solidifying the back line was immediate and we have looked like a different proposition at the back ever since.

Yohan Cabaye and Mike Williamson excel for Newcastle United against Liverpool.

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NUFCBlog Author: workyticket workyticket has written 1092 articles on this blog.

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Comment on this post

29 Responses

  1. Very well written Worky, I rarely post, but good article, well written. I agree with those….. Willo and Cabaye shone in that game, a bit of english grit at the back kept everyones heads up.

  2. Another Great read worky and very true willo was brilliant. Lets hope we destroy the mackems weekend ive bet £100 at 13/8

  4. Willo has taken a lot of flack from some blogers of late but since his inclusion to the team we have looked a lot more solid at the back. I still think we need another central defender and would prefer our full backs to stop going up-field at the same time which leaves us open to quick counter attacks and short at the back

  5. Dummett made 8 passes, 3 to Krul, 1 to a teammate & 4 to Liverpool.
    B Rogers was criticized for attacking NUFC down the middle, but where would you attack, at the U-21 Italy captain & French NAtl. team regular or Willo & M’B /Dunmmett?

    JK cries NUFC is a small club. Way to make your job easier in selling players to come here JK! This musrt just kill AP.

  6. So Williamson isn’t fully fit either?! We do seem to have a tendency to get not a an abnormal amount of injuries but a whole bunch at one position.

    Gotta hope Iron Mike is fit for next week, what with Colo jaunting back home again, to return…when?

  7. Joke Kinnear, like the rest of the heirarchy couldn’t sell ice to an arab or snow to an eskimo. If where a small club to him what does he think of clubs not in the Premier league

  8. bob the vid says:
    October 22, 2013 at 8:53 pm

    “Joke Kinnear, like the rest of the heirarchy couldn’t sell ice to an arab or snow to an eskimo.”

    Bob, one thing you can’t say about Mike Ashley is that he can’t sell stuff! :-) He’s sold huge piles of tatty rags for billions, that’s why he owns Newcastle United amongst other things.

  9. Alex Ferguson on Sunderland:

    “I had good relationships with most other clubs but none more so than with Sunderland. At least until the last five years of my career.

    “We’d give them good deals on our fringe players or ageing players, and in return they’d take some of our youngsters on loan give them Premier League experience.

    “Unfortunately they got greedy in asking for Scholesy when he still had a couple of years left in him. I was never going to agree to that, but they didn’t take the hint and came back in every transfer window, mainly because their fans “wanted” him.

    “They’re an odd lot let me tell you; ideas above their station yet supporting a team who are nothing more than a hindrance even when at their best under Peter Reid.

    “In the end I pacified them by offloading Brown and O’Shea – both good servants but past their sell by date in my mind. Both injury prone and liable to make mistakes. Still, they were good enough to do a job in a poor team.” :lol:

    I wonder what he has to say about our lot?

  10. Seems Fergie is upsetting quite a lot of people with his book – quite funny especially with Manure looking like they might miss out on champions league given he’s left Moyes with a bag o shite squad bar Rooney and RVP

  14. Whatever one thinks about Ferguson on a personal level, it can’t be denied he was possibly the most winning manager in he history of British football.

    Yeah he was an egotistical SOB, dislikeable, user of those who brought the club success on the field and quick to dump them when no longer of use.

    It’s also been claimed that he was neither a tactician, or particularly good coach, leaving that to others.

    It was though, that ruthless streak that was essential to his success over the years, that and access to the funds that allowed him at one period to buy almost whoever he wanted.

    From my perspective he also jumped at the right time, left with an ageing side, without the funds to rebuild, as the Glazers are still using the side as a cash cow, using the market to issue non voting shares that are more or less useless, in order to generate income.

    I can see the whole club collapsing under it’s debt’s.

    As stated above, only Rooney and RVP are worth anything,
    and perhaps one or two of the kids.

    It will all be blamed on Moyes, who was left holding the bag, but the writing is on the wall, an era is over.
    Like Liverpool, nothing last’s forever.

  15. Looking at the league tables, we have reached the dizzying heights of moving into the top half, only just!

    And with both Sunderland and Palace already looking like candidates for the drop, with a couple of other sides also in trouble, then everything is fine as far as the Ashley plan (mid table mediocrity)is concerned eh?

    Not so fast, let’s take a look at things as they stand, yes we may be in tenth place, but looking at our goals against total, only the two bottom sides have a worse average, than our 1.75 goals per game.

    Plus it’s still early in the season.

    That and the fact we failed to add anyone to the back four, which was and remains the one area where we are short of quality in depth CD’s, specifically.

    With a guy coming up on his sell by date, who appears to be a step slower and more susceptible to injury (Colo).

    Taylor who has also had a number of injuries and with Yanga M’Biwa, currently not playing well, what’s left ?

    It was rumored wor Joe put the keybosh on Douglas’ arrival, whether true or not, like the summer before last, obviously Ashley has decided (in his wisdom) to wait and see how things look by the winter window.

    It’s becoming a known strategy, if we are in danger of relegation, buy (players are cheaper due to some running out their contracts) if not, let it go until summer.

    But at all cost’s remain in the PL in order to show a decent profit, plus Ashley doesn’t necessarily have to use that to reduce his loan to the club, it goes into one pocket or another.

    That plus free advertising and who knows what kind of deals with WONGA and Puma.

    Nice piece of change every year, plus free advertising for his main business.

    Surely we should be looking at a good young central defender, no not Tomkins, you don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure that one out, that’s whether we are in danger of relegation or not.
    But then what do I know?

  16. The one ex Man U. player not heard about was the castoff we received “Nicky Butt”.

    Who received a lotta grief from fans on this blog.

    Personally I thought he was a great buy (would have been better had his legs not started to go)

    A heady player who did the things Tiote does only in a much more subtle way.

    Constantly broke up attacks, many times with professional fouls, but collected far fewer cards.

    Only fouled in non dangerous areas, unless necessary.

    I think certain fans missed a lot of what he did, only seeing the obvious and wondered why his name was always penciled in as a starter.

    Yeah he was a quiet guy who did his job at Man. U. for years, plus he had a couple of good seasons here, but seldom got the recognition deserved.

  17. chuck says:
    October 23, 2013 at 5:23 pm

    “It was rumored wor Joe put the keybosh on Douglas’ arrival, whether true or not, like the summer before last, obviously Ashley has decided (in his wisdom) to wait and see how things look by the winter window.”

    Chuck, if Newcastle United were in talks about Douglas then got cold feet and pulled out, they weren’t the only ones, though Spartak Moscow took him eventually.

    Geordies just wanted any excuse to have a go at Kinnear so the media happily obliged with their usual made to measure guff. From what I could see though in the Dutch media though, it looked a bit like the Gomis non deal that came after. ie looked good on the surface, then it starts to get a bit messy once you get down to the nitty gritty. He isn’t really all that anyway.

    Sometimes the most expensive ones are the biggest bargains and I would have battled Spurs for Vertonghen no matter what, even if I had to double the £9.5 million they paid for him. As I pointed out at the time, he’s the real thing, a complete defender who is now worth over £20 million anyway.

  19. Worky

    That’s what I meant above, we should be looking at someone who is both good enough now, but could be around for the for-seeable future.
    And yes Vertonghen would have been perfect, or his Belgian team mate.
    Someone who can be our next Collo or better, it fit’s with the Ashley scheme of things, if he becomes too big for the club, there’s a bonanza at the end, like in Carrolls case.
    But we do need help there (CD) now !

  20. Nutmag

    Like I stated above, Ashley has proven to be a reactionary, not in the political sense, but one who acts (spends money) only when forced to.

    Not unlike during the last winter window, where he brought in five players, because of panic over the possibility of relegation.

    His actions during the upcoming window, will be predicated by our league position.

    But to anyone who knows anything about football, it’s obvious that as the side, with the third largest deficit in goals against in the league, we need both defensive tactical help and at least one good CD.

    I noticed during the Liverpool game, that both Debuchy and Santon, curtailed there up-field runs, in order to play a bit of defense.

    I don’t know who’s idea it was, but it has been obvious for some time to me, it’s part of the problem.
    Being for the most part they are seldom covered, which is tactically naïve.

    It appears Pardew has no overall concept, it’s either all out attack or park the bus, face it the guy is challenged, but he comes cheap and as long as we are not threatened by relegation, we are stuck with him and his notebook.
    Is he writing his memoirs, probably his half time rant, who really cares, i’m always suspicious of managers who spend the game jotting down shit.

  22. I wonder where we will be in a few weeks time. With spurs, chelsea, man u and man c ( in the cup ) all on the horizon. I think we should enjoy the heady heights of tenth while it lasts. Especially with our usual injury crisis growing again and lack of back-up. Lets hope fat ash’s money pocket develops a hole so we can buy in january

  23. Bob
    Sez, “wonder where we will be in a few weeks time” ?
    Hopefully in danger of relegation, as that’s the only way we can expect Ashley to put his hand in his pocket.
    It really amazes me how someone can make a fortune in one business, (the rag trade), , but have no clue as to how to run a football club, even after six years.

  24. Bob the vid, Personally i think the Front Of House man, Might have done enough to get him through until Christmas, Providing he wins the Derby game.
    If he gets the result against Sunderland, The Lambs To The Slaughter Brigade element of our fans, Will let him live off the back of that until January.
    It will be high fives, Streaks and Conga’s all round, If there is a favourable result, Come Sunday afternoon.
    Then the large talk and back slapping, All will be well at “Sports Direct United”!

  25. I’m just wondering how long it will be before Ashley pulls a Vincent tan stroke?
    We have already seen that tradition means sod all to him, With the pathetic naming rights scandal!
    Therefore it’s not beyond the realms of reality, That he could either try to change the name of the club to “Sports Direct United”, Or have the team playing in Blue and red stripes, Like Crystal Palace colours.
    We have seen similar moves at The Hull City Tigers, Or what ever else they are now called.

    I wonder whether he might look at recent events, And think to himself, I could easily get away with this…
    He has more form than Lester Piggott, For these kind of capers, And i wouldn’t put it past him!

  26. Aye Joe, with the team trotting out to “Sports Direct.com, UK’s number one!”

    The fat bastard’s shares have finally gone down a bit after he sold another load. They’ve dipped below the £7 mark.

  27. Chuck (14)
    You are so right . These are the days I have been telling Manure fans for years would be just around the corner when the old “hairdryer” chucked it in. Wouldn’t it be just the dogs if they slipped into oblivion ? Don’t think it will happen too soon though as the wave of tradition is still high at the club. Once it’s been broken down, the rot will set in. Look how long it’s taken the “Skiprats” to get anywhere near the previous. Still, we all live in hope.
    Win Sunday. Howaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay the Lads.

  28. Percy Street

    It depends on the Glazers, at present it’s a side that is on the whole, long in the tooth.
    There’s Evra, Ferdinand, Giggs, Vidic, Carrick, RVP and Fletcher, all approaching their sell by date.
    With a few quality players in Rooney, De Gia, Wellbeck, Nani and Hernandez.
    The rest are unproven.
    Seems they got rid of the best of their youngsters and kept the crap.
    There’s still an enormous fan base that will buy the shirts and a big stadium, for bums in seats.
    In which case if managed right, could remain as a contending club.
    However their days of dominating the PL are IMO over.
    They may become the new Liverpool.