A penalty from Hatem Ben Arfa and a fortuitous strike from Yoan Gouffran cancelled out Loic Remy’s opener for QPR giving the Magpies just their second away win of the season.
It wasn’t a great performance as both sides struggled, but with the bulk of the pressure on United I’m extremely happy to say that we came out on top in the end which was ultimately all that mattered. People can be critical about the way we played or the football on show, but getting the three points and sorting out which league we’d be playing in next season mattered more than any of that yesterday, and on that score it was job done.
The reason we’re safe is because Aston Villa and Wigan play each other on the final day of the season next week, and both sides can’t overtake us. Mind you I have a feeling that it could all be over by then anyway as Wigan must first travel to Arsenal and win on Tuesday to ensure they enter that final game against Villa with at least a fighting chance. Still, at least we’re out of it…
Newcastle started off poorly and struggled to get into the game. Indeed it was an error on the part of Mathieu Debuchy who gifted QPR the chance to take the lead by conceding a penalty although replays have subsequently shown that Debuchy’s infringement was outside the penalty area and shouldn’t have resulted in the spot-kick that Newcastle target Loic Remy duly fired past Rob Elliot.
However just seven minutes later United were level after Jose Bosingwa decided he wanted to swap shirts early with Hatem Ben Arfa leavin referee Lee Probert little choice but to award a penalty to the away which Hatem Ben Arfa smashed home via the underside of the crossbar.
United could have grabbed the lead soon after had Papiss Cisse’s powerful header not been ruled out for a marginal offside call, but good news was on the horizon as Jose Bosingwa dropped another clanger by leaving his back pass to Rob Green short which allowed Jonas Gutierrez to close down the former England ‘keepers clearance with the rebound falling to the feet of Yoan Gouffran who volleyed home into an empty net from 25 yards out.
Gutierrez could have sealed the points in the second half but Shaun Derry had other ideas and cleared his header off the line leading to a nervy ending which saw Newcastle reduced to ten men ten minutes before full-time after Rob Elliot picked up his second booking after being adjudged to have handled outside the box.
As I said, it wasn’t pretty but I always knew it was never going to be a game for the archives. However we did get what we wanted from it which was three points and Premier League safety assured, and for that alone I’m over the moon!
One more game to go and the inquests and planning for next season can begin in earnest. I don’t know what the club have planned regarding the future of Alan Pardew, for transfers in or out or anything like that, but at least we know we can plan to be in the big league again.
Howay the lads!
QPR: Rob Green, Jose Bosingwa, Nedum Onuoha, Clint Hill, Armand Traore, Andros Townsend, Jermaine Jenas, Stephane Mbia, Junior Hoilett, Loic Remy, Bobby Zamora
Subs: Brian Murphy, Fabio, Shaun Derry, Park Ji-Sung, Adel Taarabt, Jamie Mackie, Esteban Granero
Newcastle: Rob Elliot; Mathieu Debuchy, Fabricio Coloccini, Mike Williamson, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa; Cheik Tiote, Yohan Cabaye, Jonas Gutierrez; Hatem Ben Arfa, Yoan Gouffran, Papiss Cisse
Subs: Steve Harper, Danny Simpson, James Perch, Vurnon Anita, Sylvain Marveaux, Gabriel Obertan, Adam Campbell
Attendance: 17,278
@Aussie
I think if we want to show ambition and a statement of intent to the players we must take this opportunity to try and get Benitez.
I don’t see it happening though and indications are we are sticking with Pardew. 🙄
I’ve just got to get back on the reality train and forget about my dream machine. 😕
Troy Stavers(Quote)
I love Craig Aussie 😳 😎
JJ(Quote)
I agree, even if Pardew has done enough over the past two years to (barely)warrant not getting sacked, we should do it anyway to get the right man. If Benitez is available we should try to get him. Pardew has lost the group and that is the death knell for any manager imo.
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
JJ I have to agree we all seem to be able to get on with different opinions beliefs etc but I really can’t stand the snipers that try to run others down.
I just don’t see the point thankfully there isn’t many snipers left on here
Big Dave(Quote)
Troy
“During an eight-year reign he took Ipswich to three play-offs semi finals before finally winning promotion to the Premier League on the fourth attempt via the play-offs at Wembley beating Barnsley 4–2. The following season he guided the club to fifth place and qualification for the UEFA Cup. This earned him the 2000–01 Manager of the Year award. Relegation the following season saw Burley’s side struggling at the foot of Football League First Division and his contract was terminated by mutual agreement in 2002.”
We weren’t far away from this story either.
I have a feeling Pardew’s story will be somewhere inbetween.
JJ(Quote)
Ossie…wotz spel chek?
Agree Troy, Benitez or A.N.Other proven coach but think it’ll be Pards, if he has lost the players as Aussie says then Ashley would be daft to keep him, it would be cheaper paying for a top class manager than rebuilding the team again with players who’ll play for Pards…However if Pards is still here then for him and the under performing players it should be starting the season with a clean slate from the fans…at least for 45 minutes of the first pre season friendly 😉
richietoon(Quote)
Aussie when did you start championing Rafa ? I take it it was after Troy 🙂
Big Dave(Quote)
JJ I think this season might be Pards most important season of his career and he would have learnt more this season than all the seasons put together.
So I just hope that this will make him a better manager, or Jabba gets a top manager in but I don’t believe he will do that
Big Dave(Quote)
Sorry I didn’t realise I wasn’t allowed to have an opinion about other people’s posts. Must be the new respect regime. 😆
As far as the manager situation, Troy, I’d be very happy to take somebody better than Pardew. By better I mean somebody much better, ie, with a proven European track record.
If all we do is swap one mediocre manager for another, then I fear we’d just get back on the manager-go-round, and I don’t see that as being a great place to be.
brisvegas(Quote)
Dave,
The only sniper I have time for is Richie and his cheap shots and hit and runs 😉
Well, may not “run”, I’d imagine with Richie its more of a “hit and wobble off”… but you get my point.
Aussie,
On current realistic Premiership managers, despite my berating, I’d only swap Pards for Benitez, Laudrup and Martinez. In that order…
There are a couple good managers in France I wouldn’t mind. Rudi Garcia tops that list. But if NONE of them are willing or available, I guess I’d give Pards anothe chance. He is no worse or better than the rest. Although this season he has been “the worst”, I don’t think he is as bad as this season has made him look.
I think like you say, he lost the dressing room and his own confidence. Fortunately we survived and he can try regain belief in the break. TRY being the operative word. Personally, I don’t think he can.
JJ(Quote)
Bris I agree we only want a step up not a side step otherwise we’ll be in the same position going through the same **** every couple of season
Big Dave(Quote)
Wonder if mancini can speak french?
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Big Dave,
I agree, this season would have made Pards stronger – hopefully a better manager.
BUT, do you think he is going to change his long ball defensive approach?
My biggest fear is that he persists with three defensive minded deep lying midfielders who struggle to create and score and he leaves the front one/two completely isolated again.
If he plays wide men, he seems to make defending the fullbacks a priority. That added with Cabaye, Jonas, and TIote/Perch in midfield makes us toothless.
We have to be happy to have just one deep lying midfielder and another (Sissoko) who can get up and down. If we play wide men like Ben Arfa or Gouffran we must allow them to attack.
He usually allows one to attack and makes the other defensive (Jonas) which makes us so one dimensional.
This is my fear… That the tactics, training and coaching doesn’t change. Because that’s just the Pardew way. I don’t see us progressing unless he changes his mentality to be more offensive no matter how much he may have learned.
JJ(Quote)
Welcome Bris. 😆
I don’t think anyone wants a sideways move with the manager. It would be a waste of time. But there do seem to be decent options available if Ashley is willing to pay them.
JJ(Quote)
Pardew will have learnt so much from avoiding relegation and from all the mistakes he made last year that the REALITY TRAIN is looking forward to a good season ahead. 😛
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
JJ I just hope he can start the season on the front foot as the footie we have seen this season has been ****.
I do think it got worse as we went on but I put that down to the fact that he was **** scared to lose so he tried to stop that and even though it wasn’t working his fear wouldn’t allow him to try anything else.
We also need more coach’s to help out
Big Dave(Quote)
Bris – Who said this?
“There would be nothing better than Pards going through a rough patch and to come through the other side a better manager. That’s what can happen if you stay loyal to managers. They gain confidence. Can you imagine being in any job and because you go through a bad spell you are sacked. You’re confidence must be shattered. Come on Pards! Lets show these anti Pardew hissy fitters.”
“How does any manager improve? Teams need continuity. They need to bond and have difficulties and to experience bad times so they can work together to get through things. Look at the relegation team that stayed together and got promoted. It was united because they went through hard times together.”
AND THEN IN THE SPACE OF A FEW DAYS SAYS:
“Lets hope I’m wrong and Pards is dropped like used chip papers and a top manager is appointed. That’s all I want.”
WOOOOOO HOOOOOO! 😛
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Liam,
Joe Kinnear’s French was fluent at press conferences but I still don’t think he’s the right man for the job.
JJ(Quote)
One minute it’s “Stick with Pards as Everton did with Moyes”. Next minute it’s “I want Rafa”. 😛 When was RAFA first mooted? 😛
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
On a happier note, a fair number of mackems are disillusioned with PDC already 😆
richietoon(Quote)
Dave @466
I’d say that’s spot on. But if he doesn’t have the guts to try something different when things are going so badly, then is he the right man for the job? Or is the job too big for him and the pressure that come with it…
Regardless, it looks like he’s staying, so lets pray he has learned and its made him braver and more postive for the future.
He definately needs some coaches to help him out. Preferably someone who can speak bloody French! And somone who can teach movement and set pieces.
JJ(Quote)
Richie,
Scum fans are sooooo fickle… not like us 😆
JJ(Quote)
Ps. Nice of you to wobble on down to your keyboard…
Aussie has been saying some nasty things about you! 😉
JJ(Quote)
I echo the “only want a step up” manager as many have said. For me there aren’t many realistic options. I have yet to be convinced by Martinez and Laudrup-although admittedly they do play more attractive football. Wigan have the cup and will more than likely be relegated, if Martinez then jumps ship, will it be worth it? I still don’t think Benitez would come, if not for wages then just for the fact of the way we are run. We are not liverpool and we can not attract the same top draw players purely on our name. Nor will we match them with wages or transfer fees…
JJ-That’s my hope, as I said after the battering we took after liverpool I had hoped Pards defensive mentality would shatter, along with his confidence… 🙂 Surely Sissoko has to play alongside cabs, and surely this has to be Jonas’ last season..I just don’t know what to do about tioto
Newkie(Quote)
Richie@470-it is funny how quickly some have turned. Although my mate still blames all their players and says all of them are CC level. Funny, doesn’t seem that long ago when O’neil had them top of the form league and was going to fire them to Europe…. 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie@439 ,Blimey ,that’s harsh calling him a bellend ,what he did was bring a touch of fun to press conferences but makeno mistake he’s a very smart guy. Was it his accent that irritated you ?. The Bristolian accent has the tendency to make us all come across a tad stupid I know and some find it horrible to listen to but it’s just an accent at the end of the day .
In case it is the accent ,just for you Newkie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=Ag6cOBDMIk4
KIMTOON(Quote)
Newkie
I like Tiote, but if I had to pick between Cabaye and Tiote it’d be Cabaye. He offers more.
They did well together for a while, but that was when we had a fit Ben Arfa, and Jonas could still run.
Now Jonas, Cabaye, Tiote and Perch, although different players, all try to occupy the same area of the pitch.
So for me, I want Cabaye sitting deep, with Sissoko alongside him as the driving force from the back.
That way we can release pressure through two attacking wing backs, or Sissoko’s running ablity from deep as well as two wide front men in Gouffran and Ben Arfa who both have pace.
I think Sissoko’s running ability is wasted too high up the pitch because he gets beyond his support and is only left with an option to shoot or look for a miracle ball to an isolated and marked Cisse.
Tiote could be an option depending on the type of game. But for me, we are currently starting with far too many defensive or deep lying players. And its putting us under huge pressure.
Is it playing staff? Lack of options for Pardew? Or is it just his way of playing? If it is his way of playing, then I fear we just won’t get it right.
If it is lack of options, and we get the right players in. I’m more than willing to give Pardew another shot. But I’ve seen no evidence to date that he just isn’t a defensive minded manager.
JJ(Quote)
Mourinho could go to man city freeing up benitez
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Kim I thought he was as funny as fuk at 1st but it soon wore of as it got so boring then when he was being asked difficult serious questions he would try to crack a joke about something rather than answer, the Cider drinker accent doesnt bother me 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave @479 ,He’s north Bristol ,they are all a bit weird to be honest and have more of a worzel lilt. I’m south Bristol ,Ashton, and it’s softer sounding some call it poshtolian 😉 , but it’s still got the burr we are known for though.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim-It’s not his accent, West country is a bit thick but bearing in mind I live in newport it’s not exactly any different in “sophistication.” :lol
It was more just that he had an opinion on everything, the F.A was always against blackpool, every decision, Fifa were against England and Blackpool blah blah blah. Funny at first but my god did it get irritating.
JJ-Agree with that, always wanted sissoko in the middle, looked good for a few games ahead of them but he needs bodies around him to make sure he’s not running at three players who will always end up robbing him. If Tiote can get back to the form of 2010-11 it would be worth doing a “reverse triangle” i.e him just ahead of the defence, with cabs and sissoko sitting central and then our wingers again diagonally ahead of both, sissoko can storm ahead and cabs can go for late runs and long shots…but tiote, when he is off form he’s just a liability.I don’t think we should ever have tried to “tame” him. By all means cut out petulance, but he just seems wary of going into tackles now. We should have left him to it, taken the suspensions on the chin and used Anita as a rotation option to cover for him/get subbed on when he’s on a yellow.
Pards does like to keep it tight, but he has to know the desire for attacking football up here…we can’t always blame injuries, even if Benny is our only real unique threat.
Newkie(Quote)
JJ… 😆 cheeky fecker, I’ve lost aload of weight man, now I’m somewhere between Pavarotti and Toonsy 😆 … and Aussie would never stab me in the back 😉
Newkie…Aye, they are just there to amuse us methinks, wind them up and watch them go if Wigan beat Arsenal 😆
richietoon(Quote)
Richie do you not mean between Toonsy and Pavaroti as I think Pav has lost a lot of weight
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave, Pav’s the slimmer of the 2 so I’m heavier than him but way way lighter than Toonsy 😉
richietoon(Quote)
Dave , Pav has defo lost weight mate,he’s dead 🙁
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim yeah thats why he lost it 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Bloody hell, have I stumbled onto an ep of the biggest loser.. 🙂 🙂 🙂 that seems a fitting title 🙂 🙂 🙂 BD, troy has followed my band wagon mate..
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Aussie@487 Well we have been talking about Pards, so yes.;)
KIMTOON(Quote)
Bleedin emoticons buggered off again!
KIMTOON(Quote)
Richie, in the words of the great KK. I would love it if wee(gan) beat them! 😉
Unfortunately can’t see it happenign…but for some reason when we were in the mire I was certain wigan would win it 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Kim 🙂 🙂
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Kim-mine playing up as well like 🙁
Newkie(Quote)
That’s because your a neggar Newkie 🙂 🙂
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
The lost soul B&B returns hoping to get someone to listen by misrepresenting posts again and losing the gist of the debate. 🙁
Is it any wonder he’s not listened to. Everyone gets on with each until the king sniper returns.
Go away please. Nobody is interested in sniping.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Bad news apparently for all the Rafa lovers – he’s maybe off to City.
I’ve read most of this stuff lately but surely surely there’s got to be a better manager out there than Pardew. Another season of his tactical magic makes my heart sink. Even last season we never looked a good team.
georgio(Quote)
Troy and B&B – this is not the place to continue your weirdo feud. Let it go for all our sakes.
georgio(Quote)
Speak for yourself Troy, I like sniping, it is a crude form of humour but it makes me smile 🙂 🙂 don’t get me started on sarcasm 🙂 🙂 woo hoo 🙂
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Aussie 😆
Just because I’ve not thrown the towel in on Pards like you pal!? Whatever happened to you Aussie, too much time with Dave and Troy I think! 😉
Newkie(Quote)
I agree with Aussie@493… I can’t even believe some thought we might get relegated 😉 😆
richietoon(Quote)
Newkie, I have my own thoughts, just because I run them past Troy and Dave before I post, it doesn’t mean they have changed me 🙂 🙂
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Aussie-I will admit it has been a traumatic year, I will forgive your momentary relapse of sanity 😉
Richie-Agree, I would like them all to come forward so I can ridicule and snipe them..the thought never crossed my mind in the slightest 😉
Kim, Munich, B+B et al, kindly step into the firing line…. 🙂
Newkie(Quote)
Rich – That Angry Ando guy who was posting recently reminded me of how much you look like him but with less teeth 😆
Suuudddeeenlllyyyyyyyy…… 😆
P.S for those who are younger or who don;t know what I’m on about….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgpJJ7yYKWU
😉 😆 😆
toonsy(Quote)
Newkie… I wouldn’t go that far like 😆 I just never believed we’d go down…even when QPR scored, that’s not to say the auld fingernails haven’t taken a chewing like but then they do every year as a Toon fan.
richietoon(Quote)
Richie-Aye I was only messing, I couldn’t see us going down at all but when Villa and Stoke picked up I did start to dread it. Bloody Benteke, would love him at the toon 🙁
Newkie(Quote)
Richie,
You can’t blame Toonsy for packing on a few pounds. Once the hairline recedes you have to because bald thin people just look sickly. 😆
I actually never had fears of relegation until Scum, Villa and Wigan won the same weekend. Then I really thought it was 50/50 with us needing a point at QPR to stay up.
Once Wigan lost to the Swans, I wasn’t too worried anymore.
JJ(Quote)
Toonsy, 🙂 🙂 🙂
Leave Angry Ando out it… I have never viewed Richie at a zoo or museum or where he can be found but surely Angry Ando is not as ugly as he is 🙂 🙂
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Toonsy 😆 😆 bit rich coming from a fat Eric Bristow though 😉 class tune though, one of Aussie’s favs 😯
richietoon(Quote)
Fat Eric Bristow 😆
toonsy(Quote)
Got the makings of a footie chant that one has 😆
toonsy(Quote)
Toonsy 😆 Ya special friend will be stood in the Gallowgate chanting it this weekend 😆
richietoon(Quote)