Demba boys do the damage! Newcastle 2-1 Aston Villa

toonsy

Demba's at the double!
Newcastle’s Senegalese strike pairing Demba Ba and Papiss Demba Cisse managed to put a disappointing African Cup of Nations campaign behind them by notching a goal each in a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at St James’ Park this afternoon.

Demba Ba had given the home side the lead midway through the first half before Robbie Keane equalised for Aston Villa. The new boy in town managed to grab the headlines though with a stunning turn and half-volley which was about as “top corner” as you could get leaving ex-Newcastle stalwart Shay Given with absolutely no chance of getting anywhere near the ball.

Aston Villa had the better of the opening exchanges and created the first chance of the match for Darren Bent, who was thwarted from a tight angle by Tim Krul who then followed up the save by denying Stiliyan Petrov from the rebound.

Papiss Cisse had to make do with a role on the bench, but he was soon to be given his chance courtesy of an injury to Leon Best who was withdrawn in the 14th minute with what we know is a medial ligament injury. Cisse entered the St James’ Park pitch to a rapturous applause as the home fans welcomed the next number nine to Newcastle United.

Aside from a flicked header a couple of minutes after his arrival, Cisse’s introduction failed to temper the visitors who continued to create chances and have the better of the play. Darren Bent was once again denied by Tim Krul while Robbie Keane looked threatening throughout.

However the opening goal arrived somewhat against the run of play, and it was a familiar name who inflicted the damage once more. Danny Guthrie crossed into the box only to see it cleared by Richard Dunne to Ryan Taylor at the back post who smashed the ball back across goal for Demba Ba to instinctively trap and turn before firing past Shay Given. That was Demba Ba’s 16th goal of the season but it was Ryan Taylor who paid the price and was stretchered off the field with his leg in a brace sucking on gas and air in a scene reminiscent of Hatem Ben Arfa 18 months ago.

Fortunately it would appear that there has been no damage done aside from some severe bruising following the clash with Stephen Warnock, which is great news in truth. Taylor may not be my favourite player, but I wouldn’t want him injured at all. Gabriel Obertan replaced the Scouse lad.

Newcastle looked to be eeking towards half-time holding the advantage but Aston Villa hit back deep into the six minutes of added on time. Charles N’Zogbia crossed into the box for Robbie Keane who made the most of empty space in the middle of the penalty area and fired past Tim Krul. Personally I blame Fabricio Coloccini for the goal as he left the space for Robbie Keane to ghost into although I know others blame Danny Simpson for the goal, even though he had N’Zogbia going towards the byline.

Half time: Newcastle 1-1 Aston Villa

Newcastle started the second half brightly and could have regained the lead after Shay Given uncharacteristically fumbled a Danny Guthrie cross although both Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse were unable to capitalise.

Gabriel Obertan once again showed signs of improvement and went close, well sort of, after working his way into the box although he sliced his effort wide. Perhaps the most guilt-edged chance fell the way of our new number nine though who headed over after a cute Danny Guthrie cross.

However the debutant wasn’t to be denied and made his mark on proceedings in the 71st minute after controlling a Jonas Gutierrez cross with his chest and smashing an unstoppable volley past the hapless Shay Given to open his Newcastle account in style.

James Perch sent a long range effort just wide whilst Cisse had another volleyed attempt blocked by the Aston Villa defence. Villa weren’t out of it though and went close to scoring an equaliser through both Gary Gardner and Clark although nothing was to come of it in the end leaving Newcastle sitting pretty in 5th place.

Full time: Newcastle 2-1 Aston Villa

I have a few final thoughts after this game. The first one being the budding partnership between Ba and Cisse. Granted they have played together before, but there were signs today that they know how each other plays and they went close to cleverly linking up several times. With time that link will get better.

In terms of performance, it wasn’t great once again but then it’s worth bearing in mind that neither of our first choice central midfield pairing played. Yohan Cabaye was suspended and with Cheik Tiote still at ACoN with Ivory Coast we were missing two big players in the middle of the park.

The thing is, we keep on getting the job done and when you look at our league position you have to wonder if our performances are better than what some fans give them credit for? Yes we could play more fluid football, but I’d rather be dogged and determined and win than play tippy-tappy stuff and get beat. Of course there is a middle ground, but remember we have key players missing.

Finally, Gabriel Obertan. He impressed me once again today. He didn’t find the back of the net on this occasion but he did look more threatening and looked to take on the defender rather than passing backwards to the nearest available black and white shirt. His defensive work should also be noted. He tracked back and helped out Danny Simpson numerous and generally put himself about whilst also providing an outlet with his pace.

Oh and another thing, thanks to Big Dave for stepping in and bailing me out of the poo-poo by publishing the team news. You see, he can spell…

Howay the lads!

Newcastle: Tim Krul; Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon; Ryan Taylor, James Perch, Danny Guthrie, Jonas Gutierrez; Leon Best, Demba Ba

Subs: Rob Elliot, Shane Ferguson, Dan Gosling, Gabriel Obertan, Hatem Ben Arfa, Shola Ameobi, Papiss Cisse

Aston Villa: Shay Given; Richard Dunne, Carlos Cuellar, Stephen Warnock, Alan Hutton; Stiliyan Petrov, Ciaran Clark, Charles N’Zogbia, Stephen Ireland; Robbie Keane, Darren Bent,

Subs: Brad Guzan, Emile Heskey, Eric Lichaj, Nathan Baker, Barry Bannan, Andreas Weimann, Gary Gardner

Attendance: 48,569

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.

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145 thoughts on “Demba boys do the damage! Newcastle 2-1 Aston Villa”

  1. Its such a shame that we don’t have Tiote and Cabaye for Spurs next week as I think it would of made for a brilliant game, like the home game.

    I can see us still giving a good account of ourselves though but a bit of quality from Bale/Modric will just tell in the end.

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  3. FJ
    Macherano is a far better tackler than Tiote, and has more pace.

    Tiotes nay have other strengths but they definitely arnt suited to a centre back role. He MUST be in the centre because he offers a lot more than a.typical anchor man.

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  5. I actually can’t wait until I come up for the Wolves game, so excited to see Cisse and Ba in the flesh. I want it to hurry up now!

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  6. It was just a suggestion, ’tis all, lol.

    Any free centre backs we could sign to the end of the season then? Surely there is a former high quality defender we could bring in?

    Sol Campbell :mrgreen:

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  8. Hope Warnock receives retrospective ban for wild studs up challenge on taylor – can’t believe ref let it go, looks worse every time I see it

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  12. Craig @ 10 and Toonsy @ 16 – that would have been a very good article/debate.

    I agree with Craig, earlier in the season I honestly thought it was lucky wins, just scrapping through to victory. As the season has gone on it’s amazed me how this has continued to happen?!
    I think it was watching the QPR game that i realised that we work hard and win ugly. That theory was quashed in the 2nd half at Fulham and then the Brighton game … However the Blackburn and today has restored by believe in this theory.
    Working hard and winning ugly though is the hard bit, that’s the secret to a successful team.
    But with Ba and Cisse up front and if the likes of Obertan, HBA and Marv can all hit full potential, those ugly wins will more regularly become comprehensive wins… but if they don’t, I’ll take ugly wins every week!!

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  16. Two years ago I’d of said Kadar was a big talent, but now I’m not too sure. Dummett was taken out of the reserves to be involved in our pre-season tour of America with the first team, before suffering a hip injury which he has only recently recovered from. Surely, though, this means he is highly thought of at the club.

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  17. POOLIETOON @90 – No. At the moment Dummett is a far better player. Remi has arguably the most potential of any youngster at the club, however at the minute I’d say he’s too young for any first team action.

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  19. Strange game. We could never get a grip for any length of time.
    Charlie ran us ragged. Can’t believe McLeish took him off.
    Guti has been off his game all season. Can’t beat a man as he used to. At fault for their goal by once again running into trouble and losing it cheaply.
    Ober looked powerful, more comfortable and confident.
    Guthrie has been a revelation.
    What was Colo doing for their goal?
    Santon had another good one.
    Disappointed about Best and Raylor, who is playing his best football at the moment.
    Krul did the business again. Had Harps been between the posts today (and this season for that matter), it would be a whole different story.
    When does Tiote get back? Not soon enough.

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  21. I wanna take you to a Demba,
    I wanna take you to a Demba,
    I wanna take you to a Demba, Demba, Demba!

    Let’s start a war, start a nuclear war,
    At the Demba, Demba, Demba.
    Wow! (Shout out loud)
    At the Dembaaaaaah! 😯

    Now tell me do ya, a do ya have any money?
    I wanna spend all your money,
    Watching Demba, Demba, Demba! 😯 😎

    [Pause]
    😯

    (pause, repeat to fade……

    ➡

    😎

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  27. Maybe it’s because I haven’t been able to catch a match in a while, but I thought Jonas looked pretty good today. Yeah, he wasn’t amazing, but still better than some others would have done

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  28. AndrewT

    😛 😮 😀 😀 😎 CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! 😀 😎 😛

    …what’s that uncle T?….aye a thought Drewsy disorved it anarl like.
    😮

    ANDREW T ❗ 😮

    (40% Toons, same place 😉 )

    ….cccccccccccccccccccccome on Ddoooooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnn 😛

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  29. AndrewT@102 says:

    “Maybe it’s because I haven’t been able to catch a match in a while, but I thought Jonas looked pretty good”

    RODZILLA SAYS”

    “Maybe it’s because I’m a landaner, thet oy lav LAAAAAAAIIIIIRDIN-TAIRN!

    Oi! 😯

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  31. Next person to post a realistic comment, gets 500 quid. Strites.

    Rodz you’re like, really awesome mate… ❓

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  33. 😯 😮
    My, my, my, I’m so happy, I’m gonna join the band,
    We are gonna dance and sing in celebration, We are in the promised land. :mrgreen:

    There is a train that leaves the station heading for your destination,
    But the price you pay to nowhere has increased a dollar more.
    Yes, it has!
    And if you walk you’re gonna get there though it takes a little longer,
    And when you see it in the distance you will wring your hands and moan.

    (said Dougal)

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  43. …I WIN.

    ..fucksake, am I the only one who turned up for the ‘Coolest NUFC Blogger to Ever Blog, 2012’ competition.

    howman, am fkin doonin shots of horlicks wi Les Dennis.
    am mixing mine wi Skippy the bush kangaroo’s spit ind some sand a nicked from the back seat of Floella Benjamin’s Ford Cortina.

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  50. …err, yeah, hello, can I have 47 packets of Tomato Sauce crisps please, 391 packets of pickled onion, 186 loaves of Slimcia bread.

    …and some cheese, please. And a basket of chips, with two iced teas.

    And a basket of chips with chimmichango.

    And a taco, with chicken and guacamole, and more cheese and two lemonades please.

    I would like a bicycle of chips, and a beef chimney, with extra marmoset

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  52. Some players just have that Aura don’t they? When Cisse was about to come on I felt a warm glow inside, there’s just something about this boy. We are going to fooking love him I can just tell

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  57. I got that feeling that the 4th spot battle will be between us and Chelsea. 😕

    Bearing the fact that,we have much lower GD.

    Arsenal might just lose out of UCL spot. 😯

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  58. Our remaining matche. And based on the usual big teams and fail to win,let me predict whats our final points would be.

    Remaining Away games
    Spurs(A) 0Point
    Arsenal(A) 0Point
    WBA(A) 1point
    Swansea(A) 3Points
    Chelsea(A)0Point
    Wigan(A) 3Points
    Everton(A) 1point

    Total Away games Points gained =8points

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  59. Our remaining matches. And based on the usual big teams and fail to win,let me predict whats our final points would be.

    Remaining Home games
    Wolves(H) 3Points
    Mackems(H) 3Points
    Norwich(H) 3Points
    Liverpool(H) 0Point
    Bolton(H) 3Points
    Stoke(H) 3Points
    Man City(H) 0point

    Total Home games Points gained=15points

    Total Away+Home games+Current Point= 8+15+42

    =65POINTS

    😯 😯

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  60. All in All,we might pick up some surprise points from those top teams and surprisingly lose to teams below us. 😎

    But 50-60Points range would be a hell lot of achievement in the 2nd season back to PL. 😯

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  62. Well I thought that was a pretty good performance all in all.
    A bit dogged and at times scrappy, especially in the first half. But the boys fought hard and there were spells in the second half where we showed good, energetic movement and passing. In the end we deserved a win and fought hard to achieve it.

    :mrgreen: Krul – 8 didn’t really put a foot wrong. Could do nothing about the goal.
    🙂 Simpson – 6.5 pretty good showing.
    🙂 Coloccini – 6.5 at times very good would have had 7 but out of position for their goal
    :mrgreen: Williamson – 7 solid
    :mrgreen: Santon – 7 likes to attack and is good on the ball
    🙂 Gutierrez 6.5 – hit and miss first half, much better second half and an assist
    :mrgreen: Guthrie – 7 looks assured and confident. Uses the ball well.
    :mrgreen: Perch – 7 a good back up for Tiote, gets stuck in and works hard.
    🙂 Obertan – 6.5 definitely improving. A good performance, but still sometimes hesitant decision making otherwise could have had a higher mark. Tracks back well.
    :mrgreen: Ba – 7 Mr Dependable. Get him a new contract NOW.
    :mrgreen: Cisse – 7.5 full of running and looks like he will be a real handful.
    If he can play that well for us without really having time to get to know his team mates it bodes well for the future.
    Oh and he scored a half decent shot too. 😯 😛 :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

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  63. I hope the person who gives Newcastle its ratings in FIFA has been paying attention.
    I’m expecting some BIG increases to our players in the January update, or else!!!!

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  64. Pootle
    I’d say thats ratings are spot on except for Guthrie who I’d have given an 8.0 and the man-of-the-match award. I thought he was excellent.
    I would love to know the statistics of the distances he covered during the game.
    He also had one assist, and could have had a second when Cisse headed over from a good chance.

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  65. “Michael12 says:
    February 5, 2012 at 19:12
    @JJ Post @369: Guthrie was good today looking for the ball is a player attribute and being able to do so is definitely important. My criticism of Pardew is one that is now long running.
    It is similar to the criticism I have of Guardiola @ Barcelona the players are so gifted or gifted enough that it covers the managers weaknesses. I see Pardews weaknesses though we are in fifth it makes me ask if we had a better manager what would our potential be?
    Pardew has two main problems. He is slow to react only ever making the necessary change after the the event despite several warnings. Today we played a high line in defence and how many times did Bent and company threaten us? Only after the scored did Pardew change things at the back.
    Papiss scored a very good Goal today but we could have easily walked away with only 1 point which I am sure you would agree with me would not have been a satisfactory result!
    My second gripe with Pardew is he has a one size fits all philosophy. I.e. one formula works anywhere which is the sign of a lazy manager. He does not identify weaknesses of our opponents or our strengths which we should exploit. E.g. If we played against a team with 5 foot defenders we would exploit that with our tall strikers and therefore concentrate on crossing and flank play. Pardew does not do this he just plays what won him the last game.
    No scientific approach. This is why we have been terribly inconsistent not only game to game but between halfs of a game. Beating united, Losing so badly to Fulham, losing to Brighton. We are not reacting to different challenges or exploiting new opportunities . Tactics are alive and always changing and adjusting.
    Pardew does not do this. Our inconsistencies this season are evidence to this fact. If you analyse the games critically not just watch them, look at stats. I emphasise critically because when we win it is easy for the pleasure you feel to pave over the cracks we saw.”

    I, wholeheartedly, disagree with this post.

    Pardew does change tactics game by game. Stoke away anyone? Man United at Home?

    The reason we lost at stoke can be summed up in Cabaye’s interview in the evening chronicle:

    “I apologise to them. I don’t know what to say, it’s difficult for us.

    “It was a very bad afternoon for us. It was like there were two games in 90 minutes.

    “In the first half we played very well and in the second, we played very badly and were very poor with and without the ball.

    “I don’t know why, but maybe we thought the game was won at half-time.

    “In the end we lost 5-2 and it was very, very bad.

    “We are still very disappointed with ourselves.”

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  67. Nobby
    Plus he criticising Guardiola’s tactics and managerial ability, despite the fact that he was named Fifa Manager of the year again… And then he credits the players for covering his flaws, forgetting that Barca have had those same players under different managers in the past without anywhere near the same level of success.
    He also has a record of beating Mourinho in about 5 out of 7 encounters. Not bad for a dud manager.

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  69. love to see dummet get a loan spell in confrence or league 2 to see if he can crack it,if so maybe build the lad up through the leagues?.i think we will see inman,newton and dummet go on loan as they just escaped being released.

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    go back the want?.I am attempting to find issues tto enhance mmy site!I
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