The joy of sixth! Newcastle 1-0 QPR

Best celebrates the winner
Newcastle took sixth spot in the Premier League this afternoon courtesy of a rather shaky 1-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers at St James’ Park.

A piece of clever footwork proved the difference as Leon Best scored what was to be the winner in the first half, but beyond that there wasn’t much to choose between the two sides and Mark Hughes could feel aggrieved for not taking anything from the match in his first game in charge of the Loftus Road outfit.

Hatem Ben Arfa was once again left out of the starting line up despite his FA Cup heroics of last week although in fairness it didn’t come as a surprise after Alan Pardew said a few days ago about how the talented Frenchman had to do more work for the team. Indeed he shown glimpses of brilliance today, but then he also showed signs of being greedy ad trying to do too much which resulted in possession being turned over numerous times. Still there were definite signs of improvement once again and Ben Arfa worked harder for the team today than I’ve noticed in the past.

The away side started off the brighter of the two and carved out a number of chances in the opening exchanges. Newcastle just weren’t at the races and QPR were unlucky to capitalise on the hosts slow start to the game as Heidar Helguson and Akos Buszaky tested Tim Krul before Shaun Wright-Phillips clipped the bar after a mistake from Ryan Taylor.

The game changed when Yohan Cabaye was stretchered off on the 20 minute mark following a robust challenge from Shaun Derry. Apparently Cabaye has minor ligament damage which shouldn’t keep him out for long, if at all, but he still managed to react angrily to the challenge before collapsing to a heap on the floor. Hatem Ben Arfa replaced him.

It was the introduction of Ben Arfa that lead to us getting a foothold in the game though, even though he didn’t directly have an awful lot to do with it. Ryan Taylor went close with Newcastle’s first effort at goal but more was to come just a few minutes later when Jonas Gutierrez fed the ball into Shola Ameobi who then played Ryan Taylor in. The move nearly broke down but the Scouse lad managed to prod the ball to Leon Best who turned inside one defender and fired the ball into the far corner of the net. It was an exquisite goal.

Half-time: Newcastle 1-0 QPR

The second half started in much the same way as the first as the visitors went in search of an equaliser. Shaun Wright-Phillips tested Tim Krul again but his effort was easily saved by the Dutchman. Jay Bothroyd also went close but Krul was more than a match for his powerful shot.

The game sort of died in the second half and was filled with nearly moments rather than near misses. Davide Santon did well on the left and found his way into the box only to see his shot blocked by Luke Young but aside from that goalmouth action was at a premium for both sides. Newcastle looked solid and assured defensively and poked and prodded away in attack with Ben Arfa and Best looking the most likely to create something although neither side was able to add to the 1-0 scoreline.

Full-time: Newcastle 1-0 QPR

Not one for the purists, but it was never going to be easy. The QPR players showed Mark Hughes what they were all about and were playing for their first team futures and that showed at the start. Still, it’s three points and sixth in the table which will do me just fine!

Howay the lads.

Newcastle: Tim Krul, Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini, Davide Santon, Ryan Taylor, Danny Guthrie, Yohan Cabaye, Jonas Gutierrez, Leon Best, Shola Ameobi

Subs: Rob Elliot, Shane Ferguson, James Perch, Dan Gosling, Mehdi Abeid, Gabriel Obertan, Hatem Ben Arfa

QPR: Paddy Kenny; Luke Young, Danny Gabbidon, Anton Ferdinand, Clint Hill; Shaun Wright-Phillips, Shaun Derry, Akos Buzsaky, Jamie Mackie; Heidar Helguson, Jay Bothroyd

Subs: Radek Cerny, Bradley Orr, Fitz Hall, Hogan Ephraim, Tommy Smith, DJ Campbell, Federico Macheda

Attendance: 49,865

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

193 thoughts on “The joy of sixth! Newcastle 1-0 QPR

  1. Does anyone on hear play MW3 on multiplayer ❓

    If yes, let me know and I will invite you as a friend 😉

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  2. Hitman,
    What does “Flashed” mean ❓

    Is it like years ago when I had my original Playstation chipped ❓

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  3. TGS is it right enough 😀 his is wee dede 9
    now he is only 9 but he is pretty good on it 4th prestige now.
    So I will leave it till you incase you don’t want to add a youngun

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  4. When Tioté & Ba come back I would love to see that starting 11:
    Krul
    Simpson Willo Colo Santoon
    Tioté
    Guthrie Cabaye
    Ben Arfa Jonas
    Demba Ba

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  5. dembabafoot Demba Ba
    So glad senegal won, nufc won, the perfect day! apart from getting injured .
    1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply

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  6. @Toonsy
    your part about Ben Arfa is really dishonnest, look again to the game and just notice how many times he looses the ball for the risk he takes. Look to his close control when he is under pressure, ball protection please when you decide to made a report on a game, made it just looking to his game and not on his reputation or some Pardew remarks about him. When he does some nice skill and run, just tell me to who he can give the ball ahead of him it was only Ameobi, the guy is standing like a post, no possibility to give him the ball. When he receives the ball with 2 guys in his back he tries always to control the ball and how many times he open the games on Santon so nicely. He always trie to go forwardwith the ball because if he doesn’t try the others have fear to do it and the ball finish until Krul who threws the ball, you want this kind of game really? I like to be entertain when I look to a game and this guy does that the fans like him because he takes the risk and has the ability to do it so just let him on the pitch because in his last 3 games he played he has done more than a lot of others.
    To put less pressure on his shoulder Pardew must tell him ok you will play the next 6 or 7 games, and you can show what you are able to do it if you play bad after you will fight like others for a place. The guy needs special management ( Marcelo Lippi explained it very well he uses that for Zidane who played very bad in his first 15 games when he arrived in Juventus and tell him whatever his performance he will be always on the pitch and after we all know the result).
    But just be honnest when you made a report, even if you don’t like the guy because all the fans want him and you don’t agree and that make you angry

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  7. ‘A team that’s stayed with a particularly rigid approach all year suddenly had Jonas Gutierrez running the entire width of the pitch, Leon Best on the left wing, and Ryan Taylor in the center of midfield, and completely controlled the play.’

    Didn’t Jonas run the show, it seemed to make sense playing him in the centre to me, he could beat players and PASS, he didn’t have to CROSS. The players just seemed to gel into positions, it wasn’t rigid. It was very clever the positions the took up. Pardew the massiah. 🙂

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  8. Watched the game here in Shanghai and was happy enough after the 1st 20 mins or so. Great result which is what really counts! We took the pressure which we knew would come and then came back into it.

    Great goal for Besty but my real concern is … what if Best gets injured in the next few weeks?? 😯 We have a real problem up front.

    Anyway getting ready to move to Germany… Shanghai toon will be no more… 6 yrs in china and time top move on to next assignment. Cologne in 3 weeks!!

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  9. I thought Jonas and Shola were brilliant! Not to steal any limelight from Best’s mint goal… from what I could see on the telly, Jonas was all over QPR’s wide men and Shola, although he doesn’t get much (‘any’?) goals, he’s got terrific holding power, and he did a great job of collecting all the long balls in the centre. You can see why he’s starting.

    However, I didn’t really see much gelling in the centre of the park. I think we totally need a midfield general, after of course a CB. I think it’s not too bad if didn’t get a CF.

    Only a couple more weeks to go! Toonsy’s right. If we can hold on to a few more wins without Ba & Tiote, when they do return, I’m looking forward to a coming back with a bang!

    HWTL! 😀 😀 😀

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  10. HBA39
    January 15, 2012 at 23:52

    “your part about Ben Arfa is really dishonnest”

    No it’s not. I believe every word of it 😕

    It wasn;t just me that picked up on it. Just because he’s not automatically a God in my eyes it doesn’t mean I don’t like him or think he’s not special.

    It really pisses me off when blinkered arseholes pull that card as it shows how clueless they really are. It fails to recognise the 52 (yes, FIFTY TWO) separate articles I’ve written where I say he is a cracking player and is a special talent.

    BUT the fact remains that sometimes he needs to do the simple things as opposed to the difficult one. One example…. He tried to beat three men in the middle of the park, got crowded out, lost possession and QPR went straight up the other end forcing a save from Tim Krul (Bothroyd I think?) when Benny could have easily just laid the ball off and retained possession for the team.

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  11. Toonsy- I wouldn’t be happy with benny if he were to keep it simple and not taking any risk. Damien Duff anyone? He could only run in circles or pass it back the other player and ‘keep possession’. In reference to the part where benny misplaced pass ended up in a QPR shot, he actually almost pulled off the dribble but was unlucky as his through ball intended to be through the legs of Derry was misplaced slightly.

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  12. “It really pisses me off when blinkered arseholes pull that card as it shows how clueless they really are”…..now that’s being honest 😉 😆

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  13. Toon@Jer – Its not about shackling Benny completely. Far from it. Instead its about knowing when to try something special and when to just keep it simple for the benefit of the team.

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  14. Some of the comments make you wonder if people are NUFC supporters or just Ben Arfa fans.

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  15. @ Toonsy

    Yes i agree him but in my opinion too many people just focus in his ball lost, you don’t see all the simple ball he played because when he does it seems easy but another one is able to do that in the team. Just look how many times he change the side of the game making a close control and a nice long pass, insead of just threwing and losing the ball but no one mention that. THe guy has really a lot of pressure in his shoulder because if he is not exceptional he doesn’t play the next games, so he needs to do exceptonnial things without never losing the ball..a little bit difficult.
    And in the action you mention when Boyfroyd had his shot he looses after 2 clever skills but he was no one ahead of him, and secondly he looses the ball 70 meters far from our goal, there was 7 newcastle players behind him i hope all the ball loose in this place doesn’t mean automatically a goal against us because that’s mean we have a bad defending, in this action it was just a coincidence.

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