Andros Townsend and Karl Darlow inspired a hard fought, crucial victory for Newcastle as they clawed their way out of the bottom three for the first time since early February.
It was a truly determined display from Newcastle as Alan Pardew’s Palace tried to antagonise and frustrate Newcastle and their fans with cheap tactics in the first half. Pardew himself refuted claims that he set up his side to irritate the St James’s Park faithful but it was pretty obvious to all concerned that Pardew tried to turn the crowd against the home side and quash any momentum they could gain.
It did not work. The Newcastle fans did brilliantly to avoid berating their former boss and decided to instead, proudly and defiantly support their current manager and his team. It was the perfect way to deal with Pardew and his present bunch of mercenaries. Although Pardew did, in fairness, at the end of the game, congratulate Newcastle and the fans on a win, it was definitely through gritted teeth.
It was not Newcastle’s finest performance but it was one of sheer character and the three points gained could turn out to be absolutely vital. Townsend was terrific throughout. His work rate and determination was as exceptional as his free kick. Lauren Robert-like in execution, it was a magnificent strike but what was equally impressive, was when Townsend, with fifteen minutes to go, sprinted back and slid in to deny Palace a counter attack. It was the kind of endeavour that has been lacking in many Newcastle displays this season.
Karl Darlow was brilliant. He made several good stops in the first half and saved a Cabaye penalty to keep Newcastle in the lead. He seemed to grow many metaphorical inches throughout the game and was rightfully celebrated by his teammates when the final whistle blew.
With Arsenal reluctantly beating Norwich and Sunderland dropping points, it was a good afternoon for Newcastle. It could have been so much better if not for Defoe’s late, late equaliser at Stoke.
Norwich and Sunderland may have a game in hand but Newcastle have points on the board and momentum into the final games of the season. Today was a good day.
Newcastle Climb Out of Bottom Three
ok, like everyone else, I have been endlessly staring at the league table and thinking about all the possibilities and permutations etc.
Here’s the simple version of how I see it:
Its not unrealistic to think we’ll get 4 points from our final 2 games = 37 points in total.
Sunderland would then need 5 points from their 3 games against Chelsea, Everton and Watford = 37 points but they’d have better goal difference.
Thats gonna be f**king close, but I’m slightly inclined to think (though i’m biased of course) that Sunderland will lose at least one of those games and draw at least one of those games. And so get only 4 points or less.
Tiny ray of hope: I’ve been checking the bookies odds out fairly regularly and they can’t decide who is more likely to go down: some places slightly favour us to stay up, others slightly favour Sunderland, many have us both on the same odds.
Just over the last day just a few more places have switched their odds in favour of us staying up – are they recognising the intangible sense of optimism and improved atmosphere at the Toon?
Check out the range of odds here:
http://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/relegation
Toony Soprano(Quote)
Toony – Chelsea will beat Sunderland and Man Utd will beat Norwich on Saturday, we will beat Villa and then Sunderland and Norwich are up the Creek without a paddle. That game in hand they both have will then be even bigger with more pressure. But even if they both win they still know it will be in our hands.
Stuart79(Quote)
It’s good we are finally starting to get draws and win’s instead of losing all the time. Villa are planning a 74 minute walk in which might help our cause. Still Sunderland’s place to lose but the Spurs game is a must win game for me.
Terry(Quote)
Stuart79 – yup, agree entirely that if we win and they (both ) lose on Saturday, we would then be massive favourites to stay up.
But I have a nasty feeling that Scum will draw with Chelsea . . .
Toony Soprano(Quote)
Alladyce has been at Sunderland for about 27 games. They were in the relegation places when he took over and guess what…? They’re still in the relegation places!
Will take one hell of a change of form for them to get out now.
Stuart79(Quote)
Great to see Wonga losing more money and are getting loans themselves to keep going,now their logo has been removed from the children’s.kit,hopefully we will see the back of them soon jabba won’t want to be with when they go down he’s had to many losers all ready
Icedog(Quote)
Didn’t even look at my team or change about my captain. I have such confidence in my boys to go out and get the job done on the day it means I can go out on the lash on a friday and forget all my worries/fantasy football tinkering – until watching Newcastle anyway 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Ice – it’s about £80 loss I heard on the radio – that’s not peanuts either like.
There could be some changes in the summer (I hope).
Sharpy17(Quote)
Newkie – you got the league mate, but I’m after the cup!!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Dembele charged with violent conduct.
Shamrock(Quote)
I knew the FA would bottle it with Walker and Lamela, just like Clattenberg did with Dier on the night. They love Spurs and West Ham as much as Fleet Street does.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Fabregas accused of winding up Spurs players in Spanish. Lamela (Argentinian) nanchalantly steps on Fabregas’s hand. Coincidence? Yes, according to the FA.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – the FA has defo bottled it with Walker. The lad could have and should have been sent off for 2 challenges he made on Pedro.
Clattenberg didn’t book him for the kick when Pedro was on the ground.
But the snot throw at Costa was disgusting IMO and should have resulted in a similar ban to Cisse.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sham – I find that interesting coz from the replays the linesman was looking right at that clash.
So that would suggest he either hasn’t seen it, which is why it hasn’t gone in the refs report – which begs the question, how did he miss it?.
Or he has seen it, but chose to leave it out of the report – which begs the questions if he saw it why did he act upon it? or if he saw it and chose to leave it out – where’s the integrity there?.
A bad night for the officials id say.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Pochettino should have a touchline ban as well. He clearly broke the FA rules and they have ignored it. I am sure they will fine both teams but that is insufficient. Later, 69 year old man (Hiddink) was pushed over in the melee. 9 yellow cards and no red card. You have to think that Clattenburg had suspensions in the back of his mind.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Why wasn’t Wurm reported to the FA? He wasn’t even playing.
I don’t really go in for conspiracy theories but I KNOW that Spurs and West Ham are favoured by the press and the FA and now even Parliament (Bobby Moore posthumous knighthood and new stadium for next to nothing).
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I see Redknapp is now a consultant for an Aussie team. We know Crouchy and Kranjcar’s next destination then. Maybe he can show the Aussies how to lean out of the window of a Range Rover and talk shyte. Although, they already have a head start on the talking shyte bit. Says he isn’t even going to Oz as it is too far, but it is a nice place though.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Well they do have T.Brooking on their side in the FA
Icedog(Quote)
I know I am dwelling on Spurs and West Ham but the favouritism shown towards these 2 teams affects NUFC. West Ham have been given a 700 million pound stadium and that will vault them to the PL elite especially given their London location. That makes it harder for us to get into Europe (assuming we aren’t relegated). And Spurs should have a lot more than just Dembele missing for their final game against us. Did the FA even watch a replay of that game?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Ian Cathro Rafa no 2 looks like getting the managers job at Dundee Utd,hope he waits until seasons end
Icedog(Quote)
Ice: SIR TREV.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
American investors paid 100 million pounds for 36% of Palace. What does that make West Ham worth with a gift of a 700 mil stadium from the taxpayer? It really isn’t fair and for the most part has been swept under the rug.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The way the review works is that the FA can look at the tape and refer anything that is not in the Ref’s report to a 3 man ex-Ref panel. There is no way that the Walker snot lob was in the Ref’s report so why wasn’t that referred to the panel? I mean, if the Ref saw it then why wasn’t he sent off? As Sharpy said, that is a 6 match ban, same as Cisse and that was trial by television so why not Walker? Why wasn’t it referred to the panel?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
ERIC somebody’s Palm has been crossed with silver me thinks mate
Icedog(Quote)
There is a conspiracy going on. I read most of the reports on the Spurs – Chelsea game and the only one that mentioned the snot lob was The Mail when they were detailing every incident. It wasn’t even in their main report. The powers that be do not want Spurs players suspended and especially English Spurs players who will go to the Euros.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Here, I will do some quick maths. If I take out a loan of 50 million at 5% interest, that is 2.5 million a year. West Ham are paying 2.5 million a year in rent for a 700 million stadium. That is a gift of 650 million. Why aren’t Arsenal complaining? Why aren’t the other Chairmen complaining? Boris Johnson even had to insert a clause into the lease agreement that if the Bongo Bros sold in 5 years that they would give part of their profit to the Council.
There is a conspiracy. I am not making it up.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
If the Refs and the FA favour certain rivals, that affects us. If the government gifts a stadium to a rival that affects us.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Just reading an article from Rob Green the gkeeper at QPR. Saying he’s not played since December due to a clause in his contract that would trigger a years extension if he plays 30 games for them this season.
So QPR have dropped him. Now that sounds very similar to what we did with Jonas and got sued, so I wonder if the same will happen there?!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: I kind of think the Jonas decision was a bit iffy. They really needed to prove that NUFC not playing him was a medical decision and not his playing form or having better alternatives decision. They panel seemed to be swayed by Carver’s stupidity and Charnley’s evasiveness.
Footballers are in a unique situation in that they still get paid if they cannot do their job for whatever reason. I think that should have been taken into account with Jonas, but wasn’t. I know this will be a controversial opinion. They still treated Jonas badly but I don’t see how it was purely a medical decision which is what I think it needed to be for him to get compensation.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Let’s assume we beat Villa 36 pts
Norwich lose at home to man u
But beat watford 34 pts
Sund draw with both chelsea and everton 34pts
That means given the goal diff that if either of them win their final game a draw is not enough to keep us up. Pressure on us as well
premandup(Quote)
Prem – We will win our last game.
Stuart79(Quote)
Hopefully Sunderland will lose to Chelsea and Watford and we beat Villa as well giving us a 4 point gap on the last day of the season.
Terry(Quote)
Premandup – exactly.
Here’s another way of thinking about it (agonising about it!):
Which is more likely – that we win both our remaining games, or that Sunderland get a win and two draws?
Much as I hate to admit, the soul-destroying scenario in which they get 5 more points (draw, draw, win) and we get 4 more points (win, draw) and thus we go down on goal difference is probably one of the most likely ways it could play out . . .
But I have faith that Scum will lose one of their games. (And Norwich too of course.)
Toony Soprano(Quote)
If someone put a gun to my head and said predict. I would say we will stay up by one point.
Sunderland- Defeat, Draw, Win. 36
Newcastle- Win, draw. 35
Not necessarily in that order.
Norwich 34 points.
It’s going to be nervy though. I agree that Sunderland could stay up on goal difference with another draw or a defeat for us. That would be sickening. I just hope Chelsea or Everton will beat Sunderland and I honestly think at least one of them will after that Stoke performance. Sunderland have form at finding 2-3 wins at the end of a season though and have done it lots of times. Surely one season they will not be able to do that, hopefully this one.
DJG(Quote)
37 points to us is what it should say.
DJG(Quote)
Lol I wished I shared the confidence of some of you for survival.
So many permutations but we just have to deal with it as the results come in.
Pure agony this ?
Gashley(Quote)
Nothing to agonise over, Gashley. I told you, we will stay up on 39 points.
Stuart79(Quote)
Hope so mate. So much to lose, especially after seeing what we can do under Rafa.
Gashley(Quote)
So Trump is now the Republican nominee 🙂 I might have to leave.
He wants to build a 50 foot wall at the US and Mexico border. Like the great wall of China except he is not keeping out the Mongol hoards he would be keeping out the people who mow his golf courses.
When asked why the Mexicans couldn’t just get a ladder to get over the wall he said “I suppose they could, but how would they get down the other side?” He then answered his own question and said “I guess they could use a rope”.
Net immigration to the USA from Mexico is zero.
You think British politicians are bad 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Hadrians Wall revisted, will there be a Wallsend over there like Washington and New York over here in the North East
Simon(Quote)
Simon: I think you have to catch up on your US geography 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I see some papers are saying Zidane has saved Real Madrid’s season.
They were second in La Liga when Rafa left.
They had won 4 and drawn 1 CL games when Rafa left.
They have had the easiest knockout CL games possible – Roma, Wolfburg, Man City.
Talk about fitting facts to a narrative!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Trumps nomination is a sad indictment on today’s politics. People are looking for something different as many people don’t think the tried and trusted politics of softly, softly isn’t working. They get promised that terrorism will be defeated, yet see more attacks, they get promised immigration will be cut, yet see more people entering their country and they get promised a better life only for it to get worse. Is it any wonder people think “sod this for a game of soldiers, I might as well try someone different!”
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart, mate. We should stay off politics and stick to NUFC and football. I shouldn’t have brought up Trump but it was big news over here and couldn’t help myself.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I can’t get off the fence man. I am 50% on the Stuart-O-Meter and just cannot bring myself to get over (Alan Pardew’s) the line. I think we will beat Villa but until we do I cannot get to that 51%.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I also think I am right about the press and media love affair with Spurs and West Ham. There is an inherent bias towards Liverpool and Man U because of their success but there is a Southern newspaper and BBC love for Spurs and West Ham. The ex-Liverpool players never hide their bias (they pretend to, but it is there anyway). I think the Man U ex-players have a love/hate attitude personified by Scholes who acts like a grumpy old man towards his ex-team. I think it might be the weather as they produced Morrissey as well.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stu – Trump is a mad man hell being on a war. People who want a better life won’t get one coz all Americas money will go on Trumps game of soldiers.
America is one of the worlds super powers, but will become ineffective with Trump leading the way.
I reckon that’s why Cameron is considering his position & is so keen on us staying in Europe.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Eric, Trump is a scary prospect mate, if ever there was someone who wouldn’t think twice about pushing the button, it’s him. Can you imagine a stand off between him and Putin, doesn’t bare thinking about the trouble he’ll cause. I only hope if he gets power he’ll surround himself with very clever political minds to help guide him the right way, almost like the Reagan era.
kimtoon(Quote)
Trump is a xenophobic megalomaniac and so is Putin, talk about an explosive cocktail 🙁
kimtoon(Quote)
back to the footie, I still can’t get past 40% on the stu meter, beat Villa, which I still don’t think is a given, and I could go to 50% but only if Scum and Norwich bomb.
kimtoon(Quote)
You lot better vote for the UK to stay in the EEC otherwise my plan to move to Spain when I retire will be scuppered. I can’t vote because even though I have a British passport they will not let me because I have lived away for more than 10 years.
Now, Cameron has negotiated an amazing deal for Britain to stay in the EEC. They basically gave him all he asked for. However, me Mam will vote to get out 🙂 She never really sees the big picture – that I want to move to Spain 🙂 I suppose Mexico or Cuba will have to do.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Kimtoon: 50% would be sitting on the fence with me, Shamrock is even up to 60%. BTW, I hope your lad is doing better and your wall is built. Keeping out Rovers fans?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I am still amazed at Kim that she is still only 50% but still thinks Sunderland and Norwich will find form from no where. Where is the logic in that, Kim?
If the bookies are right this weekend we will be 4 points clear with 2 to play. That would take one almighty turnaround for us to go down then.
Stuart79(Quote)
Blimey, Eric. The EU is probably the single biggest undemocratic union on earth. As Greece what happens when you disagree with them.
Stuart79(Quote)
The Donald decided the other week to reply to people insinuating that his amazingly small hands meant that he had a small *****. He said – I will build a massive wall, huge, gigantic.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Kim – Trump doesn’t need to fall out with anyone. He has probably had a luxury bunker built for ages & wants to get his monies worth.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Stuart: look at the deal Cameron has negotiated. It is a good deal for the UK. Anyway, when it is 50/50 people vote for inertia so I think the UK will be in the EEC.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – I’ve just came back from Cuba & am in the process of booking Mexico next year.
Having spent my youth holidaying in Spain, I reckon us coming out of EU would do you a favour if you ended up in Cuba or Mexico mate.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Stuart: ask Greece why half their population could retire at 45. The game was rigged and now the EU want some of their money back.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sharpy: I am thinking about going to Cuba next year. There were no flights from here unless you went through Canada. I want to go before it turns in to another Miami. Miami is OK but just so expensive and poseurish.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Greece is corrupt but so are many European countries, Eric. The Greeks should have just left the Eurozone and told the EU where to go! Europe is run for one countries benefit and that’s Germany. How can it be right that Merkel can tell 1m Syrians they can come to Europe without even asking any other countries in the EU if it would be ok?
I will be voting to leave as they’re the biggest corrupt, undemocratic, spineless hypocritcal union in history. When was the last they had their accounts audited?
Stuart79(Quote)
Sharpy: I have been to Spain quite a bit and know it well. Granada, Seville, Madrid, San Sebastian, Barcelona are some of my favourite places in the world.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stuart: but you will fck up my plans man. Think of me FFS.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – what was the amazing deal Cameron got from his negotians with the EU.?
He got exactly what you know about how the EU works – absolutely nothing.
At least you have a sensible mother who is probably voting to come out of the EU to save our NHS. A wise woman indeed.
sidekick(Quote)
Do you want me to tell you sidekick? I will if you want.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – we were in Cayo Coco mate, it was stunning. I’ve been to Spain a lot and not discrediting the place, I just have the Carribean bug I think.
You’re right though mate, the place was full to the brim with Canadians.
Sharpy17(Quote)
No Eric – I don’t need you to tell me , I know what he got – and it is still nothing.
sidekick(Quote)
Cameron is sticking up for Britain. He might be a right Tory tw@t but that is what you need in negotiations with Brussels:
ww.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35622105
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Not true sidekick. Not true.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
ww.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35622105
Eric Sykes(Quote)
That BBC link is not working.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Cameron asked for nothing and got nothing. It isn’t even legally binding!
Stuart79(Quote)
Not true Stuart. Not true.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
While we’re talking about football …
Semi-finals
Macas Pony and Trap v Shteves Shcitty
Nik Nak Utd v Alestars
Lol
Brisvegas(Quote)
Not a good idea:
http://www.economist.com/node/21697097
Eric Sykes(Quote)