Oh Coloccini....This match saw the welcome return of Captain Coloccini, and also the absence of Yohan Cabaye – a victim of trial by television and the London FA earlier in the day. Chris Samba was missing from the Blackburn Rovers line-up following the club’s failure to release him during the January transfer window – clearly fit but not happy and therefore not risked by Steve Kean. The Referee was Phil “Yellow Card” Dowd.
First Half
The game kicked off with empty seats all over the ground – it was like a blue “Stadium of Light”. The crowd was given as 20,817. The first bit of excitement came after five minutes when Ameobi was put through by Best but strangely, didn’t have the pace to take advantage of the opportunity. A couple of minutes after that, Ryan Taylor put a great ball through for Ameobi who failed to trap it as it bounced past him unchallenged but luckily for him he was adjudged to be offside.
Things got much better a few minutes later however when United took the lead. Following good passing around the box a shot from Ryan Taylor, which was actually going wide, deflected off Scott Dann and into the net with the keeper going the other way. Blackburn Rovers 0 Newcastle United 1(more…)
Doh!Venue: Amex Stadium, Brighton Date: 28th January 2012 Kick Off: 5.15pm Referee: Lee Probert
Quite simply, this was a game United should not have lost. Even with the cautious tactics employed by Pardew we were clearly a class above, dominated 75% of the game and had a penalty appeal for a blatant handball turned down. With a bit more adventure and somebody up front who actually had a clue, we could and should have won this comfortably. Instead, we were dumped out of the cup by a fluke deflected goal and a Brighton team who didn’t get into the game until the last 15 minutes. I’m beginning to think Sir Kevin Keegan was right about the club being cursed.
I watched the game on ESPN. The high point was watching “Gully’s Girls” the Brighton Cheerleaders jumping about, the low point was having to listen to Chris Waddle – the only geordie I know who pronounces “pace” as “pies” – still, he did used to work in a sausage factory so it may be some kind of obsession – but I digress.
Calamity At The Cottage!Venue: Craven Cottage, London. Date: Sat 21st Jan, 2011. Kick-Off: 3:00 pm. Referee: Lee Mason (Lancs).
If ever you want to see a textbook example of “a game of two halves”, get the DVD of this game. though personally, it’s a video horror show I’ll be steering clear of.
United went into this game sitting in sixth place on merit, and with a chance of leapfrogging Arsenal and moving into fifth. It was a nice sunny day down in London, the pitch looked in good condition and there was black and white in evidence everywhere – even down to Newcastle’s all black strip contrasting with Fulham in all white. What could possibly go wrong?
First Half
The opening pattern of the game was one we’ve become accustomed to this season, a scrappy first 15 mins with Newcastle gradually settling into our possession and passing game. A foul by Ben Arfa on Hangeland after 7 minutes was also a good sign that our latest right winger was going to put his foot in. Best optimistically put a ball through for Ameobi on 8 minutes expecting him to run after it – you’d think he’d know by now. The first bit of real excitement came with a Senderos mistake after 11 minutes when he almost put the ball into his own net. United were starting to exert some good pressure now and were definitely looking the more likely team to score. Ben Arfa hit a good left-foot shot from outside the area which the keeper just got to, diving to his left. (more…)
"I don't see nothing wrong with a little bump and grind"I think it’s fair to say that yesterday’s win against QPR at Saint James’ Park wasn’t the prettiest game to watch, though it was still a very welcome and grinding win.
While the Toon faithful may not like seeing such meagre fare, I feel it’s a very satisfying way to collect three very important points sometimes. Of course, we can point to the players that have gone to seek their fortune in Africa Cup of Nations, not being here.
There’s also the little matter of QPR kicking one our best players (Cabaye) off the pitch with only 20 minutes on the clock.
It was good for us that their midfield schemer one Joey Barton was prevented from rocking up to SJP with his new club and manager because of suspension for a red card. They also lacked the skill of Taarabt and the power of Troare, also in Africa. It maybe would have been a very different game with them playing. Not to mention Demba Ba and Cheik Tiote.
Oh! I mentioned them!
I think I’m right in saying that Mark Highes has never lost as a manager at Saint James’ with all of his former charges? So it was always going to be a bit of a war of atrition, and so it proved! (more…)
Butch Wilkins: My Word!Venue: St James’ Park, Toon. Date: Sun 15th Jan 2011. Kick-Off: 1:30 pm. Referee: Chris Foy.
United came to this game on the back of 2 excellent straight wins against Man Utd 3-0 (got that one in early today!) and Blackburn 2-1 in the FA Cup. In contrast, Queens Park Rangers had taken only one point from their last 6 games.
Everything pointed to a fairly routine, comfortable home win. However this was the first league game without Demba Ba and Cheick Tiote, and the other potentially influencing factor was the appointment of Mark Hughes, who took charge of QPR for his first game following the sacking of Neil Warnock.
The match referee, Chris Foy, was the man who had sent off Man City’s Captain Kompany the previous week for that 2-footed challenge about which there has been much subsequent debate.
United Manager Alan Pardew was asked by Sky TV before the game about Ba and how he would deal with losing such a prolific goalscorer. He replied that it was about the team, not individuals and that Best and Ameobi would be a handful.
The day got off to an annoying start for those watching on Sky as they insisted on calling St James’ Park the “Sports Direct Arena” for some inexplicable reason. You’d think they would have asked somebody what the proper name was if they didn’t know? (more…)
