And that proved to be that case as Alan Pardew’s men succumbed to a 3-1 defeat at the Etihad this afternoon.
The victory for Mancini’s men came courtesy of penalties from Mario Balotelli and Sergio Aguero sandwiched either side of a smart finish from Micah Richards before a late Dan Gosling consolation put some gloss on the scoreline for the visitors.
Personally I never expected us to get anything from the game today. Being blunt, far better teams will go to Manchester City and get beat far more convincingly this season so there is no shame in getting beat by a team that I envisage will be Champions come the end of the season. What impressed me the most however is that it could have been oh so different on another day.
With injuries mounting up for Alan Pardew there were some question marks over his team selection. Would we change formation? Would we play Ben Arfa? Who would fill in for Gabriel Obertan and Sylvain Marveaux? The answers were yes sort of, yes, and Sammy Ameobi who was afforded his full Premier League debut.
We lined up in kind of a 4-4-1-1 formation with Ben Arfa being the man ‘in the hole’ on the ground where his Newcastle career came to a shuddering halt just over a year ago. As it happens he showed signs of getting back to his best and worked diligently for the team.
Anyway, moving on to the match…
The hosts started off brightly and kept possession well although they were unable to do a lot with it. In my mind there was only a couple of scares, with one being from a header from Balotelli that was smartly saved by Tim Krul and another from a quick turn and shot which Sergio Aguero blazed over the bar.
Newcastle defended from the front and gradually felt their way into the game. They could have even took the lead against the general run of play courtesy of Demba Ba who saw his shot saved after fine work from Hatem Ben Arfa. Ba went close again a few minutes later glancing a free header wide from a Yohan Cabaye corner.
From then on it all went wrong for Newcastle, and Ryan Taylor in particular. First a penalty was awarded against him after Yaya Toure’s shot hit his flailing arm. Mario Balotelli stepped up and calmly slotted the ball past Krul. Then, just four minutes later, he lost his balance trying to take the ball from Micah Richards and tied himself in a knot (not literally) allowing Richards a free strike at goal which he stroked home.
The annoying thing for me was the timing of the goals. We’d just started getting a grip of the game and were dealt two blows in quick succession. At 0-0, or even 1-0, it was salvageable. At 2-0 it was a tall order.
One of the things that typifies this Newcastle team though is their ability to not give up no matter what odds are stacked against them. That proved to be the case in the second half as they came out and gave it a bit of a go looking neat with possession and looking to make something happen.
And something very early did happen when Hatem Ben Arfa jinked past three players before trying to find the left-hand of Joe Hart’s goal only to be denied by the post. It was one of a number of cracking little runs and flashes of skill that we saw throughout the match. He played well.
Danny Guthrie went close to cutting the deficit when he latched into a rare defensive mistake by City and surged into the box only to see his angled drive palmed away by Joe Hart. The resulting rebound fell inches behind a onrushing Steven Taylor to add to our catalogue of missed chances and misfortune.
Newcastle arguably had the better of the chances in the match but it was game over after 71 minutes when Hatem Ben Arfa fouled Micah Richards in the box. It was a clumsy challenge and Ben Arfa should have been there but he was covering for Ryan Taylor who was in turn covering for Steven Taylor who was off the pitch having treatment on a bloody nose. Sergio Aguero gave Krul no chance and gave the hosts a rather flattering 3-0 lead.
From then on the game just drifted towards full-time. City kept the ball well and looked to break on the counter-attack, something they would have done but for some kind offside decisions.
Ben Arfa, Sammy and Cabaye were replaced with Lovenkrands, Gosling and Perch, and it was the two subs who gave Newcastle the goal deserved on the stroke of 90 minutes. James Perch fed the ball through to Demba Ba who charged down on Joe Hart. The two players collided allowing Dan Gosling to tap in the loose ball from six yards out.
Full-time: Manchester City 3-1 Newcastle
I’m proud of the boys today. They gave it a go and that is all we can ask for really and despite the possession being tipped heavily in favour of the hosts the stats show that they only managed an extra two shots on goal for it. I can’t help thinking that on another day it could have been different had we not made some horrendous individual errors or if we’d have buried some of the clear chances we had. Alas it wasn’t to be.
Manchester United next. Go to Old Trafford armed with the same and we might just get something!
Howay the lads!
Manchester City: Joe Hart, Micah Richards, Joleon Lescott, Vincent Kompany, Gael Clichy, Nigel De Jong, James Milner, Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri, Sergio Aguero, Mario Balotelli
Subs: Costel Pantilimon, Kolo Toure, Aleksander Kolarov, Garteh Barry, Adam Johnson, David Silva, Edin Dzeko
Newcastle: Tim Krul, Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini, Ryan Taylor’ Jonas Gutierrez, Danny Guthrie, Yohan Cabaye, Sammy Ameobi, Hatem Ben Arfa, Demba Ba.
Subs: Rob Elliot, James Perch, Davide Santon, Alan Smith, Dan Gosling, Peter Lovenkrands, Shola Ameobi
Attendance: A club record at the Etihad – 47,408
Referee: Chris Foy
Blackley&Brownlie, there is no rule and I can see your point what you’re making.
What I’m saying though is, if a referee sees a player in the box with his arms outstretched and the ball hits the outstretched arm , regardless of ball to arm then a penalty will be awarded if there is enough daylight between the two players involved when the shot was taken, meaning Raylor took a gamble and lost by doing this.
I can see your point about the rules being sketchy and in a way you make a valid point but if that same thing happened with us, we would have screamed the place down with loud speakers to get the refs attention wouldn’t we.
To be honest, the point you make is one of a good few sketchy areas where a ref can influence a game but in this game it was influenced by the ref due to our mistakes and not the ref’s, if you get my meaning.
wolfie(Quote)
Toonsy at 72, if you take that attitude consistently, you’d have no fun debate.
If the first one wasn’t a penalty, it could have been a different story. So its not altogether academic. Besides, I reckon Troy is once again talking S****. If most people on here agree with him, so be it. Good forum to ask. I will see Big Al in the next couple of weeks and will ask him if he doesn’t opine tonight, but I respect everyone’s views on here.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Perch for President I say . 😆
wolfie(Quote)
Nobby, how can you say the first was a penalty, but he couldn’t do much about it. Is that not oxymoronic,(if there is such a word)?
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Wolfie – Pardew got it wrong today mate. What do you think? 😉
N’B – I don;t think he did. Wolfie will know what I’m on about 😉
toonsy(Quote)
Agree with you toonsy, their second penalty was soft as ***** and had that been in our box, it would have been waved away instantly.
Just goes to show you that when you’re at the top with top players, you get the lions share of the ref’s favours.
Never mind though we fight on. 😀
wolfie(Quote)
I think Pardew called it basically right today to be fair. It was mistakes that cost us the game, not the actual game plan of personnel.
Just my honest opinion mind.
wolfie(Quote)
Wolfie at 76. Thank you for giving me time and some thought. Yes, we would claim it (we always would), but that doesn’t make it necessarily right, yes?
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
dont know what the issue is here like,they were both pens and thats a fact at the end of the day,fkin shame coz we could of got a draw.
hitman(Quote)
For the first time today just seen the first penalty. Stonewaller
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
BLACKLEY&BROWNLIE is clueless isnt he? it was a penalty m8, accept it. if tayler leave his arm stuck out and it strikes his arm then its a penalty!
NCJ_Superstar(Quote)
The second goal just seen i would say Raylor was more unlucky than anything else. Cut the lad some slack. Best fans in the world wouldn’t crucify a player for an error like that
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Got to say Sammyobi did excellent for his full debut and king Arfa getting sharper too it’s happy days
Noo-Carstle(Quote)
Personally I am enthused about the rest if the season as long as we strengthen in Jan as injuries will scupper us.
Hart made more saves than Krul and if Ba had scored it would have been different, but don’t forget that HBA hit the post and Guthrie brought a great save from Hart.
I’m not sure whether their defence will have a harder game at home all season.
Class told though in the end and I guess that’s what £400m buys you.
Stuart79(Quote)
i see that BLACKLEY&BROWNLIE has recognised hes wrong and is to imbarressed to argue anymore ahaaha
NCJ_Superstar(Quote)
Agree with Stuart move on in January smudger and loverman and get in some more young talent. Don’t think we need as many in as first thought. Give the young guns a game here and there and they will quickly develop
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Sorry Soops, don’t get you. If you state the rule, and the fatcs of the situation contravene it, okay. However, the rule, as far as I am aware, is ball to hand, no foul WHEREVER YOUR HAND IS. Do you have to have your hands behind your back when defending? Is there a limit on how high you can raise your hand? If the players in the wall all held their hands above their heads, might that be a penalty even though they did not move thier hands after the ball was struck? Could the wall be twice the size by the defenders standing a foot apart and holding hands (provided they don’t move of course)? Where is the advantage by a defender holding his hands above his head as opposed to by his side? The hands and arms still fill the same amount of space, and the free kick taker, for example, has the same amount of target? Or is there a rule that says you must have your hands and arms behind your back when defending, otherwise your unfairly obscuring the target? I still come back to “ball to hand” or “hand to ball”. On that basis, no penalty.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
And Staylor nearly got on the end of the Guthers shot Stuart79 we didn’t look bad at all, especially when we did get a few passes together I was very impressed with Ben Arfa’s little link plays he tried, and no-one else would’ve been able to set Ba up with that chance
Noo-Carstle(Quote)
B&B.. love the word oxymoronic
I know it does sound a a bit backward… but at least i know what i mean 😉
What i mean is it was 50/50 ball to hand – hand to ball, unless he had cat like reactions he wouldn’t have been able to get his hand out the way…. but… his arm being in the wrong place had nothing to do with him playing at RB… he could have played any position and that would have happened (obviously not keep though 😆 )
I think i explained that well enough… i’m sorry if it sounds confusing but like i said before… i know what i’m trying to say maybe i’m just not articulate enough 😉
nobby(Quote)
i mean LB 😳
nobby(Quote)
I see where your coming from B&B but having his arms outstreched was dening a goal scoring opertunity which is why is was a penalty and maybe a red card
NCJ_Superstar(Quote)
Nobby, at least your putting forward an argument, which is more than can be said for Soops. He is writing me off because I’m too slow to reply. I agree Tayls couldn’t get his hand out of the way. That is why I say it wasn’t a penalty. Ball to hand = penalty, hand to ball = no penalty. Soops, if you come back, give me a logical reason. If you don’t, you’re no better than Troy.
By the way, I’ve been a big critic of Raylor, but the second goal could have befallen anyone. He didn’t do much, if anything, wrong.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
B&B @ 97. Other way round of course. Also “you’re” not “your”.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Troy sounds like he knows what hes on about! phone him up and get him on hear, i would like to see what he has to say
NCJ_Superstar(Quote)
I only managed to see the first half on the internet, and it was a tough lesson for the toon, against a City team really comfortable on the ball, who pressed cleverly throughout the team. However, I still think we accquited ourselves brilliantly, and could have easily had 2 goals with a little more luck in front of goal.
What we learned again today is that against the top teams you have to retain possesion, keep the ball, otherwise you’re going to be chasing and harrying most of the game just to get the ball back. I reckon had we had Tiote in the team today we would have retained the ball better, plus Tiote would have gotten more into their faces. But still, we tried hard and looked fairly solid.
2 unfortunate incidents concerning Raylor cost us the game. pITY FOR THE LAD; COS HE#S ONLY DOING HIS BEST; BUT THE LAD JUST ISN#T A LEFT BACK: However, I reckon that he will retain his place against Manure for certain. There is no way that Pardew will take a chance and bring in Fergie or Santone at Old Trafford, no way.
Great performance by young Sammy, showed a lot of good touches, and also a healthy lack of respect towards City’s star ensemble.
HBA showed touches of skill and class on the ball which were amazing, the bloke is on his way back, and will be brilliant in a few weeks when he regains his full strength and gets back into the full swing.
Demba also more than held his own against a tough back four, the guy looks good to me.
All in all, I’m quite optimistic for the rest of the season. Once we get Obertan and Tiote back into the midfield, then just watch us motor. Fancy a draw at Old Trafford, and a win against Chelsea on the hill. That’ll do nicely !!!
Howay the lads !!
Munich Mag(Quote)
Was Balotelli’s “goal celebration” and posing after his penalty directed at wor Timmy ? Seemed like it to me… 👿
Munich Mag(Quote)
Soops, I’ll phone him now, but reckon he’ll be deed to the world.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Phoned him. He’s been on the wine and practising the wrestling with young Troy. He reckons he’ll manage to get on the blog, but let’s see if he’s got the stamina.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Munich. Don’t know who it was directed at, but I didn’t like it. I think he was rattled and wanted to make some sort of point.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
good good! also good to see him training wrestling with young troy the jedi! hope he doesnt hurt the poor kid. how old is the kidda? 😉
NCJ_Superstar(Quote)
lets see what shearer has to say about the matter on motd
NCJ_Superstar(Quote)
Soops, I think he’s about 9. I’ve been laughing at him today. His mother fixed up for him to go to his mate’s house, but young Troy didn’t want to go and refused. His mother said he’s got to keep arrangements if he makes them. Young Troy stood firm and said he was going nowhere and his mother would have to get back on the phone and cancel because he had arranged nowt.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Soops, Shearer will say no more than, if you put your arms out, you’re asking for trouble. If he doesn’t say, “strictly it wasn’t a penalty”, I’m going to jump on him and pummel him when I see him next.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
58,
sorry for the delay but yes I am
mm(Quote)
bb If the ball strikes your hand/arm and it`s on target,it`s a pen…
If you deliberately handle whether on target or not it`s a pen..
These are in the ref`s rule book….
Ashingtoon62(Quote)
it was a definate penalty, mr liniker doesnt even give it a mention phhaaa
NCJ_Superstar(Quote)
Absolutely furious with B&B About his
Comments about what I said!
My point is and has never changed;
The law does not stipulate where your hands can be held unless you move your hands to deliberately handle the ball. That is the only stipulation .
HOWEVER, interpretation of that rule, just like criminal law changes according to the judge or referee as in football.
It has been as clear as Toonsys bus’ windscreen that if you hold your hands out in the penalty box and the ball hits it then you will concede a penalty 99 times out of a hundred.
There is no written rule but referee interpretation shows the referees over the last 20 yrs always decide this is the case.
Evidence of this is clear by the fact that no defender deliberately holds out their hands in case they are accused of deliberately handling the ball.
Yes, B&B may be right about there being no rule, but refereeing over the last 20 yrs shows that b&B is naive and has no argument. 🙄
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Ashingtoon, does that mean there is no ball to arm/arm to ball rule?
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Soops, the more I look at the second penalty, the more I think it wasn’t one. Richards gets in front and then makes the most of it.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
And B&B had a snot hanging from his nose as he was trying to convince the people in the bar.
What a gook 😯
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy, what ****. You’re saying exactly what I said you said. How can you say I am wrong. Your’re saying there is no written rule. I’m simply saying, how can you fall foul of “no written rule”?
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Troy, explain how anyone can manage to “interepret” “no written rule”?
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
114, aye ana dad, a was sitting watching it with yi 😉
NCJ_Superstar(Quote)
Soops, that second pen was not one. Deed easy to make the most of it once you’re past the defender. Go down at the slightest nudge.
Just seen the ref got it badly wrong in the Blackburn game too.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
B&B/Dad Bradley did the same as Rayler in my match the day and you said it was a freekick! u know? the game i scored 4 in and we won 5-2
NCJ_Superstar(Quote)
@B&B
Read through my posts and explain where I said there is an unwritten rule like you state.
But before you do, wipe the bogie off your nose as everyone is picturing it as you blog. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
For those calling for Santon to start, didn’t Alan Pardew say when he signed him that he was one for the future and he would be slowly introduced into the team. Sure that doesn’t mean hoying him in at the deep end against Man U.
geordie deb(Quote)
Troy is right per usual. face it pal, B&B
NCJ_Superstar(Quote)
@ncj-superstar
Dont ever crawl up to me ! 😈
I enjoy being the most unpopular blogger! 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy @ 121: @ 112 You state, “There is no written rule but referee interpretation shows …”. I have a law degree, and I know a little bit about strict interpretation and purposive interpretation. However, I have never heard of an intepretation of no written rule. YOU NUMPTY!
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Soops, you should be in bed. Turn your lights out. I’m coming to check in two minutes.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
B&B @113 – My interpretation of what Ashington said at 110 is that there IS a ball to arm/arm to ball rule, but it only applies if the ball ISN’T heading towards the goal. If it IS on target, then it’s a penalty, whether the player moved his arm or not. And to take it one step further, if it was on target AND the player moved his arm it’s probably a sending off offence as well.
Chris G(Quote)
I tell you what if the 1st penalty was reversed and Citeh handled the ball the same as Raylor, and we didn’t get the pen I would be fuking furious.
I have seen some bad pens given but that was never one of them, though the 2nd one was dissapointing because for Richards to be such a big strong lad, he went down like a wee girl
Big Dave(Quote)
Big Dave. The first was not a pen. Chris G kindly explains Ashintoon’s comments. However, I’m not sure that’s right because I’ve seen hundreds of shots on target in the box that have hit a hand and are not given as penalties because they are ball to hand. Perhaps I’ve got that wrong? Can anyone else please comment? The second was not a pen either. You’re right, he went down like a girl. He was looking to go down.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
@b&b
Your snot on the end of your nose is clouding your judgement.
At what point does it sink in? Everyone other than Thad( thud) agrees with you.
What are you and Thud (smug avatar picture that makes me cringe) doing tonight? 🙂
You certainly share the same underpants!
😳
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Two pens that weren’t pens. Makes it 1 – 1 in fairness. The fact that the scoreline means we get no points is not all bad. Any pressure is now off, and we can go to Old Trafford with an easy confidence.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Troy, Thad’s well in bed. Besides, what’s he got to do with it. Notice that, once again and true to form, you couldn’t answer the question: How can you interpret an unwritten rule?
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
B&B we’ll have to agree to disagree, because I believe 100% that it was a pen and as I said if it was the other way round I would be fuming if we didn’t get a pen.But if you say it wasn’t thats your right 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Big Dave. I’ve no problem in your viewing it as a pen. I just want to know whether it is a rule, as has been suggested, that the ball to hand rule does not apply where a shot is on target. If Taylor had had his hands by his side and the ball struck his hand, would you consider that to be a pen? If so, what is a defender meant to do?
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Interpretation! Desperation! Exasperation ! 😯
I’ve bought some bullets from the spangle shop on the corner of snotty nose street.
Now that took some working out even if it didn’t!
Hurgeys adventures of Tin Tin!
Size of an elephant 😛
Hazza cazzam!
Adrian Durham . Talksport 1071. 😆
Nice chap . Unlucky soul. 🙄
Bird baths make for a happy jaccuzzi and the party army makes you wonder about fir trees ? ! 😕
Tittle tattle 🙄
Troy Stavers(Quote)
just watched football first on skysports1, have to say we were slightly unlucky with our chances and r.taylor had a shocker. found myself shouting at the top of my voice at the tv, he was rubbish ❗ havnt said it in a while but i think santon needs to come in next week, ryan just isn’t at the top level. I thought the rest of defence did brilliantly especially steven 😮
Andy mag (scot toon)(Quote)
B&B I think it’s basically the ref’s interpretation, If he had his hands down by his side I would say it would be a harsh one, but as his arm was well out from his body and clearly stopped it going toward the goal the ref has gave a pen, which I agree with.
However I think the ref thought it wasn’t a deliberate handball otherwise Raylor would have been sent off.
But thats only my opinion.
Reet thats me outta here take it easy lads
Big Dave(Quote)
Oh aye. You agree but your toes are telling you not to take any nonsense unless you’ve got legal representation.
Tough ! 😯
I’ve got a Morris minor sitting on my drive waiting to be revved like . 😛 🙄 😯
Steve Bruce’s windpipe. 😳
Only a thought . 😯
That bogie on B&B’s nose really got on my wick. 🙂
How do I tell him without him noticing I’m fizzin!?
Snots whole hazelnuts! 😯
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy “Avoid the Question” “Have a rant and hope no one will notice he can’t answer” Stavers.
Big Dave, if a player has his hands by his side, he has no more advantage in terms of stopping a goal than if his hands are raised. It all depends on whether the shot is high or low. So logically it should not matter. It is only fair that, if it is ball to hand, it should not be a foul.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Don’t shoot the messenger ! Shoot Thud! I mean J.R. Hartley 🙁
Hartley Hare was quite ragged like! Who looked after him? 🙂
Social services got involved but couldn’t understand why he had so many offspring. 🙂
Aye. It’s true. Mike and Degs told me the truth with sincerity that makes you love the innocence of Alan Shoulder. remember him?
Who said that? 🙄
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Ha. B&B
Hes hiding behind his silhouette . 🙄
Come out. 🙁
Why do you never see a defender holding his hands out before the striker kicks the ball? 😯
Pretty obvious. Referees have interpreted the rule over decades to clearly show your bogie is bigger than your brain .! 😯
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troyster, what you smoking boy?
The only relevant rule on this point concerns “deliberate” hand ball. For some reason referees look to see whether the hands are in an unnatural position.
To have your hands out to your sides is not an unnatural position. It is more of an unnatural position to deliberately keep your hands by your sides pointing to the ground. Besides, you gain no adavantage by having your arms raised if the shot is low. You can’t possibly know where the ball is going to go before it is hit. If the striker sees your arms out, it is his fault if he hits the ball high and into them. He should hit it low and under them.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Lesson over Troy. G’neet.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
ha :
My bloody thumb is too thick. I keep trying to use the emoticoms and keep choosing the wrong ones cos I’ve got big thumbs. 💡 👿 😆 😳 😈 ❓ 😐 😎
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Gutted that 2 of their goals came from stupid blatent pens we didnt need to give away and the other from **** poor defending by raylor but hey ho – we have a small squad and had 3 of our 1st teamers out, we gave the ball away a lot which is something we haven’t done up to now
I don’t get this shitty buying the league stuff, isn’t that what Chelsea, manure, Liverpool, Blackburn etc have done in the past?
We did well today, created chances – manure are nowhere as strong so reckon we can get something at old Trafford
stevep(Quote)
B&B – agree that on another day first pen could have been seen as ball to hand
stevep(Quote)
I think there’s no doubt about the first penalty… the second though is really frustrating. In the Norwich **** game earlier there was a “similar” situation where a Norwich player stepped off the ball and in front of the **** player. A free kick was given and the Norwich player was booked (possibly for arguing about it but…) Granted, this one was not as obvious but I still think it’s cheating. Watching the game in Canada, the “experts” here were spot on when they said that he just plants his legs and gets the foul but they seemed to think that’s fair play… I don’t… we probably didn’t deserve a point but glad we didn’t make it easy for them.
ksmit(Quote)
i liked ballotelli untill he done that pose to krul !! whos he think he is?? hes not right in the head that kid!!
Army69(Quote)
my team v man utd
krul
simpson collo saylor raylor
obertan tiote cabaye gutierez
benny
ba
hopefully obertan and tiote get back quickly as we miss the pace and grit
Army69(Quote)
we massivly need a striker , midfielder and defender !!! i can think of 3 we might be going for , ridgewell , osman and maiga
Army69(Quote)