Archive for tag: Nile Ranger.

Swan song gone wrong! – Newcastle 3 Swansea 0

November 28th, 2009 | 51 Comments |

Two goals and two fingers!
Two goals and two fingers!
Seems like everybody was expecting a tight if tidy affair at St James’ today and with two of the meanest defences in the division, a high-soring game wasn’t on the cards. But with barely a third of the game gone, Newcastle were three goals to the good and showboating as some of the travelling contingent headed for early beers.

Expectations were high that Swansea would prove to be a well-organised and competent football team, particularly stingy at the back but a new-look forward line of Peter Lovenkrands and Marlon Harewood put paid to that theory within half an hour of the kick-off, and Swansea looked like just another fairly average Championship side. Eeh that Marlon Harewood, eh? I always knew he just needed time to settle in…

Harewood’s first came from a bouncing ball in the box and with the defence hesitant he headed the ball in the net to make it 1-0. After some good build up play on the left, Gutierrez finally managed to do what we have been crying out for him to do and delivered perfectly with his left, so that Lovenkrands had the simplest of headers to make it 2-0 with 21 minutes gone. And before we’d reached the thirty minute mark, more good work on the left and and an almost identical cross from Lovenkrands and a similar finish from Harewood and the game looked to be beyond the Welsh side at 3-0. (more…)


Plenty in reserve? Pancrate to play in free Newcastle v Hartlepool game.

November 17th, 2009 | 14 Comments |

Pancrate ready to seal a deal?
Pancrate ready to seal a deal?
It’s a cold, damp and blustery day over here in Newcastle, so what better way to spend your evening than to go and watch a reserve game eh? Well that’s what the Bowburn branch of nufcblog.org has decided to do tonight, and I’ve even roped in my old man to come and keep me company.

Of course, it’s free and we’re playing Hartlepool United so there’s a little bit of local rivalry going on, particularly as my mate supports them. So there are two good reasons to go. Plus they’ve moved the venue from Whitley Park (where yours truly used to grace the beautiful turf, back in the day) to St James’ and have opened up the East Stand to supporters. That makes it a bit easier with me being in town already.

It’s admittedly been a while since I took in a ressie game, and it gives me a chance to see some of the young ‘uns that I haven’t seen play a full game. Mind you, I’ve once again managed to miss out another potential 90 minutes of football for Nile Ranger because he’s away with England U19s. I’ll also miss out on seeing Shane Ferguson, Callum Morris and Brad Inman who are all away representing their respective countries. (more…)


Marlon driftwood?

November 13th, 2009 | 28 Comments |

Empty promise?
Empty promise?
Poor attitude, poor touch, just in it for the money. But enough about my career as a masseur, I’m talking of course about our half-hearted centre forward Marlon Harewood. Currently loaned to Newcastle by Premiership outfit Aston Villa, judging by performances so far, it would seem to most fans there were no flies on Martin O’Neill when he agreed the deal.

With the return to fitness of Shola Ameobi possibly coming sooner than we imagined, thoughts turn to Shola’s early season form and the expectancy or hope that he will fall back into that vein of form. If so, then he will almost certainly be a starter for Hughton and if you consider that we also have Andy Carroll improving with each game, Nile Ranger waiting patiently and capably in the wings for his chance and Peter Lovenkrands back on the books, you’d think Harewood would be fighting tooth and nail for a permanent move.

Of course that would imply he wants to be here but going on the effort he’s put in since his arrival, he’s looked like he didn’t really care much about it. And only in the Peterborough game has he looked anything like a striker of Championship quality never mind Premiership quality. But the more frustrating aspect being the lacklustre attitude in games. However, he has since stated his desire to turn this into a more permanent gig and to respond positively to the criticism. (more…)


Vying for No.9?

November 3rd, 2009 | 54 Comments |

So who fancies living up to this then?
So who fancies living up to this then?
Well here it is, the third and final chapter of my first term, first team player review. And not a moment too soon it would seem, to take the focus off Llambias’ less than convincing SSN interview.

The No.9 shirt is almost as synonymous with Newcastle United, as St James’ Park, the black and white stripes or that deed funny accent we’ve got. It’s been made partcularly special in this part of the world because it’s been worn by some of the best players this country has seen. The likes of Gallacher, Milburn, MacDonald, Cole, Shearer have graced that shirt and it will undoubtedly always be a big shirt to fill.

Ironic then, given that the No.9 shirt and the prestige it carries with it is currently up for grabs, that we have a group of strikers who fall somewhat short of the standards we’ve come to expect from our centre-floorboards, and that none of them look like earning that honour just yet…..

So how far short have they fallen so far? – (more…)


Escape to victory! – Newcastle 2 Doncaster 1

October 24th, 2009 | 12 Comments |

Nolan has stolen the three points!
Nolan has stolen the three points!
For such a relatively average game, this one managed to have a little bit of everything. And yet for the majority of it, Newcastle fans were once again left wondering whether this was going to be another long, hard season. With inept displays from Harewood, Carroll and in particular Gutierrez in the first half and everybody else just apparently and not for the first time, stuck in second gear, it looked like it might actually be a long, hard afternoon.

Once more Chris Hughton ignored what seemed to be the obvious opportunity to play Ranger but was forced into changes as Kadar came in for the injured Simpson. Nicky Butt also returned to first team action for the suspended Smith. Otherwise, we looked the same as we did against Scunthorpe, yes before someone says it, not great!!

I don’t get Gutierrez, I really don’t. For the umpteenth time I watched a game where he over-elaborated and held possession when the easiest thing and right thing to do, was to pass it. Instead he held onto the ball for far too long, got tangled up in a challenge and either lost the ball or threw himself on the floor in a heap. Anyway, Doncaster came here seemingly with every intention to try and play but with ex-Toon player, James Coppinger in the side, they never really looked like threatening. And then on 18 minutes they scored……..when a flick from James O’Connor to Sharp led to a low right-wing cross that seemed to take a deflection that picked out Dean Shiels who had the easiest of jobs to tuck it away. However, that goal was self-inflicted as Kadar had given the ball away cheaply and the defending was half-hearted. (more…)