Stalemate not good enough for United! West Ham 0-0 Newcastle

Cisse's effort rolls to the line
Cisse’s effort rolls to the line
A much improved performance saw Newcastle United pick up a point at Upton Park after playing out a 0-0 draw at a ground which has been notoriously tricky for visiting teams this term.

Indeed United could have bagged more than just a point had Papiss Cisse’s first-half effort been adjudged to have crossed the line and been awarded as a goal. Rightly or wrongly it wasn’t given and a point had to do in the end.

If you look at our result in isolation a point away at West Ham wasn’t a poor result, but wins for sides above and below us, especially Wigan winning at West Brom, mean that nerves are starting to jangle a bit louder here in the North East.

With Moussa Sissoko missing United lined up in a 4-3-3 formation which did at least show some attacking intent, but it was West Ham who had the first attack although Mohamed Diame’s shot was blasted wildly over the crossbar. United responded and had their own half-chance soon after as Hatem Ben Arfa fired in a free-kick from the wide right which landed on top of the net rather than inside it.

The game ebbed and flowed with neither side really threatening in attack although there was a moment of controversy as Yohan Cabaye played in Papiss Cisse who rolled the ball past Jussi Jaaskelainen only to see Winston Reid hook the ball off the line. Cisse was adamant it was over and TV replays proved inconclusive, aside from a replay from one angle which showed that the ball looked to have crossed the line.

Hatem Ben Arfa then had another soon after as he burst into the West Ham box but his tame shot was easily dealt with by the West Ham goalkeeper. United had probably had the better of the first-half but it remained all-square at half-time.

Half-time: West Ham 0-0 Newcastle

The second-half started with Andy Carroll nodding a cross from Matt Jarvis wide of the goal before once again United responded as Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa rolled the ball to Yohan Cabaye who say his long-range drive fly just wide of Jaaskelainen’s post. Hatem Ben Arfa the curled a frekick into the arms of the West Ham ‘keeper.

The away side had Rob Elliot to thank for keeping the score at 0-0 as he kept out Kevin Nolan with a fine double-save before denying Matt Jarvis with another fine save to his right.

Just two minutes after that though United were handed another chance as Yoan Gouffran advanced forward and knocked the ball past Jussi Jaaskelainen who had come out of goal in an attempt to deal with the danger. With space running out Gouffran was forced to shoot from a narrow angle and his effort bobbled just wide of the post.

Both teams pressed at times but neither was able to break the deadlock in what was a match that lacked any real quality. A point gained but it doesn’t feel like it due to results elsewhere.

Full-time: West Ham 0-0 Newcastle

It’s now looking like we are going to be the third side relegated and we’ll be joining Reading and QPR in the Championship next season. These are dark times at Newcastle and I can’t see it sending any time soon. Suffice to say I’d buckle your seatbelts as it’s going to be a bumpy few years.

That might be an understatement…

West Ham: Jussi Jaaskelainen; Joey O’Brien, Winston Reid, James Collins, Guy Demel; Gary O’Neill, Mohamed Diame, Kevin Nolan, Matt Jarvis; Ricardo Vaz Te, Andy Carroll

Subs: Stephen Henderson, Emanuel Pogatetz, Matt Taylor, Mark Noble, Jack Collison, Joe Cole, Carlton Cole

Newcastle: Rob Elliot; Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa; Cheik Tiote, Yohan Cabaye, Jonas Gutierrez; Hatem Ben Arfa, Papiss Cisse, Yoan Gouffran

Subs: Steve Harper, Mike Williamson, James Perch, Dan Gosling, Vurnon Anita, Adam Campbell, Shola Ameobi

Attendance: 34,962

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.

444 thoughts on “Stalemate not good enough for United! West Ham 0-0 Newcastle

  1. If they come back into it with 10 men and Sess missing I will surely know there is no football god.

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  2. ffs O’shea 1.1 Stoke fucking twats ,oh now the Scum fans are behind them 🙄

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  3. Man, I’ll tell you what like. Stoke are a FUKING disgrace, they have rolled over.

    1-1

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  4. C’mon Stoke where’s you’re pride ,this is how it goes when it’s 10 men sometimes

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  5. If Pardew was Stoke manager he would bring Shola on now 😳 🙄 👿

    Hats off to Sunderland for turning it around. The goal was somewhat lucky, but there is no doubting there effort. Not much to choose between Stoke and the toon actually, 2 teams that only have two gears, slow and slower.

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  6. Stoke losing every 50/50 ball. Man that was pish from O’Shea 😆 😆 😆

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  7. Stoke are gone completely off the boil ,incredible . They need to make the extra man count and stretch the play.

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  8. There are amazing similarities between Stoke and the toon. Stoke also break quickly with the ball to just over the half way line, then stop, take the momentum out of the move and pass the ball backwards and start playing keep ball. What and absolutely gash tactic. along the lines of “get the ball as far away as possible from our goal as quick as possible”…

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  9. Cloggers that Stoke are, the extra man is not making much difference at all. They are wretched… And well above us in the table…

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  10. Stoke’s corners are pretty immense actually… there open play is gash though..

    Only Pardew doesn’t know that dead balls are a brilliant chance to score 👿

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  11. Stoke playing with three men up front actually, the only problem is that all three of them are garbage 😳 😳

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  12. Man Crouch is absolutely useless. He can’t be cheap either, he must be costing them a fortune, and he’s hopeless..

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  13. Yep, but their goal differential is only -10 or something…

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  14. Scum 15th now thanks to goal difference ,man those 9 goals we shipped at home could kill us. Hope to christ Wigan lose tommorow.

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  15. Kim – will you stop wishing other teams to lose please.
    It never works and always goes against us.
    I’m rooting for a wigan victory, cus I have nay luck either.
    Think I’ll put a tenner on it.

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  16. We have won 1 more game than Stoke ,saints and the Scum ,the same number as Villa and Fulham and 2 more than Norwich we just ain’t got enough draws. 🙄

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  17. B+B-I put money on the mackems hoping that would see them get smashed, didn’t think about the draw. The key match for us is Norwich v the baggies I reckon..

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  18. As far back as November 26, 2012, I wrote:
    “I feel like Corporal Jones: Don’t panic! Don’t panic!
    I have watched the team play ***** all season, and watched Pards looking lost as to what to do about it”. I went on to say that I think Ashley and Llambias will realise by the end of the season that Pardew can’t take the club any further.

    Nothing’s changed except for one thing. I’m no longer quoting Corporal Jones. Instead, the words that now come to mind are those of Private Frasier: “WE’RE DOOMED!”. 😯

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  19. Ashley is as much a gambler as much as he’s a businessman / club owner. Not strengthening our squad sufficiently in the summer is why we are here now.

    The Europa League has been as much of a curse as it’s been a novelty.

    Villa, Norwich, Southamton, Stoke, Mackem and Wigan all have plenty of English/Brits with guts. Sunderland had that tonight. We are relying on a huge foreign contingent to roll their sleeves up and do that. They joined to showcase their flair in the Prem and look to Europe, notfight to be in the Prem. Add to that Pardew’s lack of confidence on going outright to win and we are in deep trouble.

    At times like this a team needs to more or less concede it could be relegated and play with a ‘what the hell’ attitude to win points at any cost. All I see in our game is filled with a huge amount of fear/caution.

    We have a lot of technical ability which is overshadowing our ability to fight as a unit for the sake of our club in this situation. We’re choking big time!

    Can go either way.

    #timetofastenourseatbelts

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  20. We have to stop expecting other teams to do us a favour.
    The way I see it, the balls still in our court.
    The formula is simple: 4 points from 2 games. No if’s buts or why for’s.
    Time for the whole squad to stand up and be counted.
    We can do this.
    We MUST do this.
    HTL

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  21. Beardsleys Boots says:
    April 29, 2013 at 05:05
    “Blackley & Brownlie … You should have gone with your convictions in November and called for his head then, like I and a few others did.
    It was obvious even way back then where this season was headed.
    You clearly lacked the moral fibre to back your instinct then, and chose to sit on the fence. Now you are making a big song and dance.
    ffs grow up and give it a rest.”

    So checking to see what Beardsleys Boots actually said at the time, I find this:
    November 26, 2012 at 22:31
    “Mark – its not that people are calling for his head.
    But this is a results business. We all can see he has been shafted by the board, again, but surely you aren’t advocating that we stick with him even to the point of relegation There has to be a point where enough is enough.”

    HHMMMMMM …

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  22. and what’s your point ❓
    I have made no bones about my position and haven’t altered my thoughts on Pardum.
    I called for his head before xmas and still do.
    Pointless predicting the outcome while advocating he deserves more time.
    Like I said, you should have backed your convictions and called for his head too.
    Also pulling out a quote which was in response to a point made by mark proves nowt.
    Following that, he was given the January reinforcements, and still made a dogs **** of things.
    The fact is he is a shyte manager/coach. Whether he was shafted by the owner/board or not.
    So again I ask you, what’s your point ❓

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  23. You know what the point is, Bootsy. It’s why you’re getting stressed.

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  24. I hope the quality we have is enough to see us through. We’d be the most talented side in history to get relegated possibly. We need to focus on doing anything to win on Saturday, let the opposition worry about us, stress them out. My fear though is that we are playing with a “how did this happen” attitude. Which is the attitude sides like Wigan don’t have. They are hell-bent on gaining 3 points each game which I think is the difference in form/results between us and the likes of them. I’m praying.

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  25. Quality, Hoddo? According to the latest “yeah but, no but” from VICKY POLLARD and the REALITY TRAIN, we have a “**** SQUAD”. Because, of course, West Brom, Swansea, West Ham, Stoke, Fulham, Aston Villa, Southampton, Norwich and Sunderland, the nine teams immediately above us all have good quality squads that are better than ours. 😳

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  26. If I was Ashley I would be on the phone to Arry and asking if he would take a bung! 😯

    He’s bound to. 😛

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  27. The only reason I get stressed is because of the very real possibility of being relegated again.
    I’m not at all sure we would come back up again so quickly. if at all under the guidance of the present muppet.
    It has been on the cards and clear to see since the season began virtually.
    IMO it’s now down to the players alone to drag us out of the myre.
    Pardum and his coaches have shown themselves to be utterly clueless and incompetent.

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  28. @Bootsy

    Do you apportion any blame to Ashley?

    For such a so called top businessman he is pretty clueless by appointing firstly, Llambias who admits he knows nothing about football and secondly, Pardew who is an average manager.

    If Cisse had been injured after January then we would have been down already.

    Absolute incompetence. Ashley has gone from one disaster to the next whilst at our club and just when you think he is getting things right, he ***** it up again.

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  29. I don’t blame the fat one for the performances of the team week in week out, that’s down to his head coach.
    But yes, ultimately in the end, its all his fault, for biting off more than he could chew.
    It doesn’t matter how successful a business man you are, if you know nowt about football, then hire people who do. Not a casino jockey and an indebted gambler.

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  30. All those finances that he sorted out will look pretty **** if we get relegated. Just add another £40m to his interest free loan. You would think the clown would have learnt a valuable lesson the last time he got us relegated and cost him in excess of £40m.

    Some will give him credit no doubt for making it interest free again. I would give him credit if he had invested that £40m in the squad! 😯

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  31. Ffs Jimmy Tarbuck has now been arrested in relation to an historic sex attack on a young boy !

    It sounds like half the BBC were gay perverts! 🙄

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  32. I think Sunderland have spirit but with injuries and suspentions to reasonable players they’ll drop points in some shape or form. Stoke would of taken a point before and they did. If I was a Norwich fan I’d be very worried. Hope is not lost. I think we have a mixture of a thin squad and some very good quality players within it. Player for player we are probably generally better (technically) than teams around us, although that doesn’t count for all that much in the next two games if we don’t show the urgency and drive to go all out for 3 points. It’s over to the players to do it as a team… if we draw or lose against QPR, given our situation, the we deserve to go down really.

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  33. Every single side has shown more fight than us.

    Sunderland, even ten men down went for the three points. Pards would have parked the bus and been delighted with a point.

    He treats draws like some major victory. His attitude disgusts me.

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  34. @Hofdo

    We may have some good technical players but the depth of quality in our squad is poor. Particularly the wings and strikers.

    Since Barfa (who had a wonderful spell in the latter stages of last season) has been injured, we haven’t replaced him. Cisse is isolated and there are no real options to change things. Clearly, Campbell isn’t ready and Shola is not an option.

    Our list of players as cover are as technical as Jack Charlton.

    We’ve been crippled with injuries all season and we’ve had to rely on the less technical players.

    I’m not defending Pardew, I’ve always maintained he’s an average manager, but for anyone to heap the blame solely at his door, is wrong IMO

    Ashley has once again shown he is incompetent as a football club owner. After our relegation last time, changes should have been put in place to ensure we never reached this position we now find ourselves in.

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