Match highlights of the rather impressive 3-1 victory at The Hawthorns for you all to enjoy now, including a scintillating performance from one Hatem Ben Arfa.
Quite simply Newcastle blew West Brom away with a superb first half performance. We’ve been due one for a while and yesterday everything just seemed to click as we raced into a three goal lead thanks to two strikes from Papiss Cisse and one from Hatem Ben Arfa. Enjoy!
That win puts us eight point clear of Liverpool in 7th, ten points clear of Sunderland in 8th and means that we are now level on pints with 5th placed Chelsea, who only stay above us on goal difference. It also guarantees us our best points return on a Premier League season since 2006 and takes us over the 50 point barrier.
However the victory was tinged with some bad news for us as Fabricio Coloccini looks to have dome something to his hamstring which could rule him out for two or three games, which is of course a blow. Mike Williamson has been shaky recently but I’m going to go against popular opinion and say that, yesterday anyway, he had a fairly decent game bar a couple of incidents – most notably with the goal conceded, although I would argue that it is a goalkeepers job to command the penalty area and I’ve seen no evidence of Tim Krul doing just that yesterday. Where was the shout? Anyway, you have to think now that our season hinges on what we can do while Coloccini is out. It’s pointless moaning about it as it can’t be changed now, it should have been changed in January of course buy hey ho.
Let’s not let that overshadow what was a fantastic away performance though. At times we were brilliant, better than I can remember us being for a number of years in fact and it was a joy to watch. At 3-0 up I was still nervous, and those nerves grew at 3-1, but realistically we were never in danger of losing that lead and could have added two more through good chances for Papiss Cisse and Hatem Ben Arfa.
It’s the bindippers next at St James’ Park, and you really get the feeling that it is a “must win” game for them if they are to catch us up and finish in the top six. As Archie Mag said yesterday, 6th is ours to lose.
Howay the lads!
Best they have played since Man U game
Toonale(Quote)
Toon ale tbh I don’t think they played just aswell at Manure as they did in that 1st half yesterday.
We were pure class, everytime one of the front 3 got the ball I really believed that we could do something.
I was also quite pleased to hear Pards say that he told them at halftime that he wanted another goal.
While we’re attacking like that the other team have to try to stop us which means they don’t really have the time to build an attack.
Big Dave(Quote)
Thought Perch played really well yesterday, he’s looking very much improved these last few weeks, williamson still puts the ***** up me. Liverpool will take full advantage of him on sunday.
What can we say about the front 3?
Absolutely devestating they were. Ben Arfa played like Messi and all 3 seemed to know what the others were thinking during every attack. If they can keep that up at home, we should be asking questions of liverpool on sunday, with a flying start we might not need to worry too much about our makeshift defence.
skipwallsend(Quote)
Yes very nice performance, it was a big pleasure to watch, and our goals all come from nice movement.
Did someone know where I can see a replay of MOTD in bbc of yesterday? or at least see the long highlights of the game?
HBA39(Quote)
Apartf from the obvious goal we conceeded i think my only gripe was santon was staying a bit too far forward and i was screaming at the tv for himi to get deeper. That was just a small thing though.
Cabaye played well – He’s one of those ‘unsung hero’ kind of players and his work can easily go unnoticed. He mopped up everything in midfield.
My moment of the game though has to be benny’s goal from the counter. The fast one-two with Cabaye was unbelievable… i nearly came in my pants.! 😆
Nobby(Quote)
Cant really add anything that hasnt already been said about yesterday! Great win , but its going to be a tough 2-3 games without Colo. But with that attacking trio we have Id be confirdent of scoring against anyone , we just need to keep it tight at the back , and maybe with Tiote back he might offer more cover for us.
Johno Toon(Quote)
Young Shane Ferguson has to get a mention also. he looked very composed when he came on… definately one to keep hold of. 🙂
Nobby(Quote)
Well done pardew for finding a system that will get the best out of benny and the dembas, Stops us being overrun in midfield and managed to look relatively solid at the back even without Colo and Saylor.
Excellent from the lads the way we ripped into them in the first half, The way we regained composure after colos injury and their goal and the way we saw the game out easily with some neat and tidy possession…
CC(Quote)
That 3rd goal is simply superb. Pretty sure the pass was meant for Ba to finish, but what a goal.
David(Quote)
Personal favourite was Benny’s goal, the counter attack was just scintillating…best I’ve seen from NUFC in a VERY long time.
EvilFranky(Quote)
Have to say thought HBAs comments after the game were poignant; he said he enjoys playing with those players (cabaye, ba, cisse) why…because they are technical keep the ball down and play instinctively.
What an era we could enter especially as this is the sort of football pardew keeps stressing he wants us to play 😉
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
What were the lyrics to the ‘We’ve got Perchinho’ song?
Nobby(Quote)
French media claim we want Geoffrey Kondogbia from Lens.
According to Wikipedia :
Geoffrey Kondogbia (born 15 February 1993 in Nemours) is a French football player who currently plays for French club Lens in Ligue 2.[1][2] He plays as a defensive midfielder and is a France youth international having earned caps at under-16, under-17, and under-18 level.[1] Kondogbia has been described by club youth coach Eric Assadourian as a “mature player” who has “great potential”. Of Central African descent, he can also play in defence as a central defender or left back.[3]
On 11 April 2010, Kondogbia signed his first professional contract agreeing to a four-year deal until 2014.[4] During the 2010–11 season, Kondogbia began training with the senior team and appeared on the bench in several league matches. On 21 November 2010, he made his professional debut in a league match against Lyon appearing as a substitute.[5] Kondogbia is the younger brother of Central African international Evans Kondogbia who currently plays in Belgium for Sprimont Comblain in the Belgian Third Division.[1][6]
Johno Toon(Quote)
CC – you beat me to it mate, I was also going to credit Pardew with not only finding a formation that plays Benny in his most dangerous position, but one that worked SO well.
Benny was outstanding yesterday like, and thoroughly deserved his goal. He was instrumental in almost everything good we did yesterday. I’ve been quite critical of him this season for being selfish and making wrong decisions when it came to passing or running with it. I always said that he was frustrating because if his decision making was better he’d be a cracking player for us – yesterday his decision making and passing was outstanding.
Cisse obviously benefit from it with his goals, Ba looked like he enjoyed it yesterday but most pleasing for me was to see Cabaye busting a gut to get forward and support from midfield.
You’d have thought that they had played that formation all season.
Good news that Cisse is only cramp, was worrying to see him stretched off – it was quite funny that Ba had to translate while Cisse received treatment. If Ba goes in the summer Cisse is screwed 😆
Terrible news about Colo. Perch did a really good job again yesterday and if he wants to establish himself – these next few games will certainly give him the opportunity.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Not sure if I’m late on this, apparently we’ve got this lad Brad Kilburn on trial from Barnsley.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYzBkIjzZc0
Looks fairly decent, I have such overwhelming faith in Carr these days that I get excited whenever we might sign someone!
Pretty classy player, got a canny pass on him, long term replacement for Colo…? Probably something we should be looking at in the summer, don’t want to get to a situation like Chelsea.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Alright. We’re in a space that’s an extra-dimensional space, separated from our normal plane of reality by a slight difference in vibratory states.
Our relative point of planar coincidence is still identical to our original location, but we currently are outside that reality for the moment.
From the perspective of hyper-dimensional mathematics, we’re technically in a closed time space continuum that’s synchronized with a link to our previous time-space coordinates.
In other words we are still in sixth place. 😕
Toonale(Quote)
ST – I think this kid is on a free transfer in the summer aswell, we’d probably have to pay some compo to get him but he’d cost very little to get in and develop.
I know what you mean tho, I get more of a buzz now being linked with someone I’ve never heard of, that Carr has ran his eye over – rather than the household name signing … unless we go get Messi or Ronaldo this summer like 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
A day after and still absolutely buzzing over our performance. The best part about it, in my opinion, is that we seem to have finally found a way to get our best attacking players involved together with the three man front and Cabaye/Jonas pulling the strings fporm behind.
MDS(Quote)
Off topic but…
‘Great result yet again from Newcastle today. Team of the year? There are a few candidates but they are my pick so far’ – Michael Owen
Fresh from twitter 😆
EvilFranky(Quote)
4-3-3 is the best formation we have not only does it bring the best out of benny but it also allows cabaye cover to roam and get forward more, terrific first half yesterday and ive got a feeling colo will be fit for the bin dippers.
Alex(Quote)
Glad to see Benny getting some credit now after a fair few calling for him to be sold in the summer or benched.
It was obvious that he was still a class player, that just needed game time after missing almost a year.
Big Dave(Quote)
It’s been obvious for a while that we are not a very good 4-4-2 team, yesterday playing 4-3-3 proved that without doubt.
We have no wingers that can play in a 4-4-2 system, look how much better Jonas was yesterday playing neat passes and through balls rather than trying to cross which he isn’t the greatest at.
EvilFranky(Quote)
I like the 4-3-3. I just wonder where Tiote fits into that- playing the middle slightly behind Jonas and Cabaye I guess????
MDS(Quote)
MDS – Yeah exactly that mate, basically replacing Guthrie…
This works well IMHO, as Guthrie for me is Cabaye’s back up not Tiote’s.
EvilFranky(Quote)
We now look a potent force up front and need to attack as much as possible , for as long as possible against the dippers so that there is less pressure on our back line which is much weaker without Colo.
Talking of the Dippers ,has anyone seen what Mark Lawrenson said in the Mirror. Apparently he thinks Liverpool should offer us Carroll +some cash in exchange for Demba Ba in order to solve their goal scoreing crisis as 7th place isn’t good enough for a club like liverpool ❗
Idon’t know what’s worse the fact that he/they think they have a divine right to a top 6 slot every year or that they can cherry pick our best players when ever the fancy takes em. 👿
The Carroll +cash debate was voted on ,on Our Kop blog and result so far 51% say yes to 49% no .
kimtoon(Quote)
It worked well all round yesterday, perch, cabaye, Jonas and the front 3 were awesome. Really liking Perch. Perch is an usually tough nut as he is a bit on the smaller side but i like him, i feel he’s learnt off Tiote and Guthrie’s definitely learnt how to play c-midfield better this season.
Pardew has played Ben Arfa an absolute belter!
At the start he was good but he was deadly yesterday… kudos.
toonarmy87(Quote)
Dave – I was one calling for him to be benched, never sold coz I’ve always known he’s been a talent. Benched only because Pardew wasn’t playing the formation that suited Benny and for me he wasnt suited to RW. He didn’t put the ball in often enough and made poor decisions. Yesterday though, the formation suited him down to the ground and most of the time he picked the right pass. Never questioned Bennys ability and also said I hoped he came good because he is class, yesterday he definitely did!!
Chuffed to bits for him and he, Ba and Cisse look lethal. Bet Pardew weed alittle bit at the 3rd goal … I know I did 😳
Kim – Lawro is a total moron, and probably voices the opinion of most bindippers to be fair. I really hope KKKenny keeps his job so he can inflict the same kind of danger on their club as he did ours!!! … god I hate Liverpool!!!
Does anyone else think we should really try harder to keep hold of Simmo and Guthrie?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy yeah the problem was fitting him in , but when you have a player with that class we HAVE to fit him in, and tbh we shouldn’t be worried about his defensive abilities simple because he is not that type of player.
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave – I think his performance yesterday certainly supports that arguement, and I completely agree. Forget about him tracking back (although he, Cisse and Ba did yesterday), that was never an issue for me personally though I know it is for some. I think his best defensive quality is his pace on the counter attack, but if he gets it right in terms of when to play the one-two or take someone on, or play someone else in, I could honestly see him going on to be one of the best players we’ve seen for a long long time.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I love the 3rd goal, Cisse basically strolls from the half way line to shooting for the goal. 😆
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)