Much of the pre-match talk was about Swansea and their possession game, which was going to be the case in fairness as they are good at it. However the amount of possession you have is completely irrelevant if you don’t do anything with it, as Swansea have been finding out in recent weeks.
In my opinion we played it spot on tactically. If it was me I’d have done it differently and pressured from the front, but our approach of just letting Swansea have the ball and allowing them to try and break us down worked a treat. They were unable to do it and were restricted to shots mainly from outside the penalty area as a result.
Swansea started off well and soon got into their possession swing, with neat passes between the back four and the goalkeeper looking pretty but not really doing anything else. Indeed that was highlighted when the first real attack fell the way of the away side who rather clinically took their chance in the first five minutes. Yohan Cabaye flicked the ball through first time for Papiss Cisse who ran in on goal and slid the ball past Michael Vorm in the Swansea goal.
As mentioned earlier, chances were restricted for both sides. Newcastle rarely threatened in truth, but neither did Swansea despite having the vast amount of possession. They just couldn’t break us down and the closest they came to finding the back of the net was though a 30 yard strike from Gylfi Sigurdsson which Tim Krul palmed wide.
The second half started off in much the same way as the first, with Swansea having the bulk of possession once more, although yet again they were only able to threaten from long range. Even the introduction of Gateshead born Danny Graham and former Chelsea youngster Scott Sinclair couldn’t help the hosts get any nearer to our goal.
However one thing Newcastle are these days is clinical, and that proved to be the case when Papiss Cisse scored his second of the game on 69 minutes. Hatem Ben Arfa played the ball to Yohan Cabaye who slid the ball expertly through to Cisse on the angle eight yards out from goal. What happened next can only be described as exquisite as the Senegal international clipped the ball over Michael Vorm and into the opposite corner of the net.
After that Swansea looked deflated and we started to see more of the ball. Swansea still had more possession than us, but as I’ve said numerous times already it amounted to nothing noteworthy in attack and the game petered out leaving Newcastle with the three points, a clean sheet, and fifth place in the table, just two points off third placed Arsenal.
The possession that Swansea had was irrelevant. The media like to build it up as being patient, but I found it incredible boring to watch the ball being passed to the defence, to the keeper, back to the defence and back to the keeper. Quite frankly if my team were being so patient at home whilst trying to score a goal to level the game I’d be pretty mad. We can’t play them at their own game, not many teams can, so we hit them with our incisiveness, and it worked a treat.
Howay the lads!
Swansea: Michel Vorm, Angel Rangel, Steven Caulker, Ashley Williams, Neil Taylor, Leon Britton, Joe Allen, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Nathan Dyer, Wayne Routledge, Luke Moore.
Subs: Gerhard Tremmel, Alan Tate, Garry Monk, Josh McEachran, Mark Gower, Scott Sinclair, Danny Graham.
Newcastle: Tim Krul, Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, James Perch, Davide Santon, Yohan Cabaye, Cheik Tiote, Jonas Gutierrez, Hatem Ben Arfa, Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse.
Subs: Rob Elliot, James Tavernier, Shane Ferguson, Ryan Taylor, Mehdi Abeid, Dan Gosling, Shola Ameobi.
Attendance: 19,874
NUFC Blog Man of the Match: Papiss Cisse
🙂 Nice article, and I agree 100% Are we allowed to support Sunderland this weekend? 😈
Keys? Check. Wallet? Check. Tiote? Cheick.(Quote)
Read soccernet article saying this. Maybe that’s why he isn’t happy. 😐
Newcastle then lost Ba after the forward appeared to pick up an ankle injury, with Shane Ferguson his replacement.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=317965&cc=4716
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
A hard match to watch because Swansea had so much possession but Cisse was brilliant! The 2 passes from Cabaye were fantastic as well. Can we stay ahead of Chelsea for fifth now? What a season! Pardew kept his cool even thought possession was 70-30 for Swansea and the 2 subs did well. The team looks very cohesive now. Would love to see Ben Arfa and Ba score a few before the end of the season as well. Defensively we looked very well organized and Perch put on another very good display. Nothing to complain about here with 4 straight wins. Over the moon with the season we are having! 😮
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Just on Ba a moment, is it not possible that he knew he played **** so was pissed off with himself? Just a thought 😕
toonsy(Quote)
Toonsy thats what I thought ie that he was totally pissed off with the way he played. I know sometimes when im pissed off even linda lusardi wouldn’t make me smile 😀
Oh and good write up sums it up
Big Dave(Quote)
@Toonsy I completely think that’s why he was pissed off, but he should still be celebrating with Papiss when he scores, and the last couple of goals (not counting the final if he was injured), he hasn’t seemed to.
Come on you mackems!!!
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
I think we need to cut the lad some slack and make his last several games ones he will look back on fondly
Big Dave(Quote)
ST – But look at the picture in the article. He doesn’t look so pissed off there does he? I’m 100% certain he was annoyed with himself, which I like as it shows he is bothered about things and isn’t just going through the motions! 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
ST he was the 2nd player over to Cisse when he scored the 1st
Big Dave(Quote)
Ba will be fine. He is a fantastic player and quite humble. He was probably annoyed with a couple of poor passes he made. Let’s hope he and Ben Arfa score in the next couple of games. 😉
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Awesome result against the run of play all game.
Have to say, feel a bit for ba. I reckon pardew should switch him and cisse. Cisse got the pace and skill to cut in from the left and would surely still score us goals and we all know how good ba is up the middle. It wouldnt affect how hba plays either so our three pronged attack would still be potent as hell, with, i reckon anyway, even more goals than we seeing now.
skipwallsend(Quote)
My thoughts on Ba, Hes a team player who has scored 16 goals this season so far. Pardew knows teams will double up on him, to stop him being so lethal, so he has been asked to drop deeper to draw the centerbacks away, therefore creating space for Benny and Cisse.
Once teams start doubling up on Cisse, I think Ba will start scoring again and we will see him smiling again.
In the meantime, he is still working his blorrocks off every game and covers loads of ground (apart from today where he did seem out of sorts)
He will be back and it is his goals which have got us to where we are this season and Cisse’s goals which are keeping us here.
HWTL
Shnurgmeister(Quote)
Anyway, back on the match. Textbook tactics. We said to Swansea “break us down” and they couldn’t, so let them have the ball where they like to tippy tap it. There is a reason why they are one of the lowest scorers in the league.
Never got all the fannyitting about possession, or lack of, either. All part of the plan. I thought it seemed obvious anyway 😕
toonsy(Quote)
Yeah true, if he’s injured that explains why he wasn’t jumping about wooping anyway. You’re right we should be delighted that he isn’t happy to be scoring, would be worse if he wasn’t at all bothered.
If Arsenal lose and we beat Bolton we will be 4th for a few hours at least
Injury list is starting to look a bit worrying though, what second half after Ba got subbed we were without like 4 first teamers?
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Aye, but Pardew has said that Tiote and Cabaye will be fine for Monday. We could also have Colo back.
Thought Shane Ferguson and Dan Gosling did well when they came on today. Part of the reason for our success in my opinion, the squad players filling in when called upon.
toonsy(Quote)
After the match Pardew was asked about injuries and he said that Tiote and Cabaye got hamstring “strains, not pulls” and “hopefully they will be alright for Bolton”. He didn’t mention any Ba injury.
Jon R(Quote)
Anyway, great win, fifth in the league albeit perhaps only temporarily, but so what! The bloody babybeing born tonight would really top the day off 🙂
Edit – And also the Polish neighbours switching off their loud shitty Euro pop music would be a bonus 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
Maybe its a good thing that we’re getting used to not having Ba’s goals, but his work rate will be hard to replace
Big Dave(Quote)
Toonsy @ 15 have we heard anymore about Colo ? and on fergie he is a hard gritty wee ***** and lots of speed
Big Dave(Quote)
aye write up sums it up for me,not bad when you consider he has his mind on two things at once,quite hard for toonsy 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
DAVE there saying colo could be fit for game,do we change it??? 😉
icedog(Quote)
Dave – Im sure Pards said the other day that he’ll be ready, but might not risk him against Bolton.
toonsy(Quote)
That’s the question Ice. Do you rush Colo back when Perch and Williamson have, shockingly, played really well in his absence?
Plus im getting my writing mojo back at the moment 😉
toonsy(Quote)
I wouldn’t rush him back if he isn’t 100% but if he is 100% he has to be in 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Plus im getting my writing mojo back at the moment, better than paceing the floor mate 😀 maybe at a push put colo on bench might keep others on there toes
icedog(Quote)
Pards always said if you get the shirt and play well, that you keep it.
But will he deny Colo a return ?
As club captain, wont his name be first on the team sheet? If that’s the case, then who gets dropped?
Some tough decisions to be made.
Would be easier to just rest Colo longer and see how we cope with Bolton imo
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Ice – I just cant see Colo being happy starting o the bench tho 😕
like I say he is club Captain
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Toonsy @ 23 I know what your saying but I think sooner or later we are going to be really tested at the back, and tbh I don’t really think our defence have been really tested from we lost Colo.
Although I do feel a bit bad for Perch if Colo does comeback in but if there wasn’t much difference between the pr it would be a hard call to make, but this is Colo we’re talking about.
Big Dave(Quote)
BB normally colo would not be happy,but in this case if hes not 100% for 90min it wouldnt bother him imo,mind games can go a long way at times mate
icedog(Quote)
I don’t think he should rush Colo back as we will really need him when we play Chelsea ,Everton and Citeh. If we rush him back and he breaks down again then we will be buggered for those games.I reckon the lads can cope without him for Bolton and even stoke if need be.
kimtoon(Quote)
I’d take Tiote invading me if that’s what it took to keep Ba, Cisse and Ben Arfa together for several years. They have legitimate quality and movement that few teams can handle. They all swap constantly, Ben Arfa was centre forward at times while the Demba’s were out wide, it’s always fluid.
I really fear that our form all year and especially at the start and end of the season is going to intice “big” teams to throw silly money to take our core team. That’s the big fear. I am tired of worrying about transfer windows.
funkyjesus(Quote)
As long is the money is ridiculous.
Keys? Check. Wallet? Check. Tiote? Cheick.(Quote)
Cesc Fàbregas Soler @cesc4official Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
I love the way Swansea play, but what a goal by Cisse!
batty(Quote)
hows wor BATTY 😀
icedog(Quote)
Though I thought he did well (for the most part) didn’t agree with pardew’s decision to bring gosling on, would have liked to see abeid get a chance. However the decision with ferguson was brilliant, he did remarkably well.
andymag(Quote)
fine thanx dog hows you mate ❓ 😉
batty(Quote)
look who the cat dragged in @ 33
Big Dave(Quote)
Did anyone see we are ‘after’ Van Wolfwinkle? 🙄 Seriously doubt it as big teams are after him so will cost a lot to get him, and I doubt he’ll be happy to be behind cisse. Rhodes, Rodriguez or Guidetti will be much better options
andymag(Quote)
shut it boy @37
batty(Quote)
ime good batty cheers 😉
icedog(Quote)
Andy – I wouldn’t worry to much about who the press link us with mate. They generally know nowt anyway 😉
toonsy(Quote)
I’ll fuking shut it for ye boy 😀 so how have you been havn’t seen you in donks ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
Just my own thoughts maybe but if Ba continues to play poorly for the rest of the season and that means we get to hold on to him this summer then that’s fine with me. 😉
With wor Cisse, Benny and Ba up front the opposition doesn’t know who the hell to mark because any of them on their day can smash many a goal past them, regardless of who we’re playing.
Ba is a class act and tries his heart out for us regardless. Maybe he is a little bit jaded as Cisse is bagging all the limelight at the minute but he has been played in a position to complement his compatriot he just seems like a guy who loves playing football regularly for NUFC and loves our city.
I guarantee it though that the second the opposition start doubting Ba’s ability to concentrate on Cisse then the lad will start banging in hattricks again! 😆
What a lovely problem to have eh! hehe. 🙂
GeordieDan(Quote)
Dave toonsy banned me agen he only let me back on tonight 😈
batty(Quote)
I got to see next to nowt of the game as it’s my birthday tomorrow and the wife dragged my **** halfway round the North East to visit her elderly relatives!!
Each gave me a card with a fiver in but in return got a bunch of flowers and an egg for Easter, so with the petrol I’ve used today as well I’m actually out of pocket 👿 🙁
I don’t really mind the finacial loss like, it was the missing the game that pissed me off!!
I see Chuck hasn’t posted yet 😛
I thought Pardew got the tactics spot on today like. Unbelievable that Swansea had 75% possession and 20 shots to our 25% and 6 shots yet we come away with the win.
I got the formation right but the players wrong, and suggested that the 3 midfielders who play 2 sit while 1 pushes forward in attack. That was pretty much the case with Tiote and Jonas sitting and letting Cabaye push forward for the 2 goals.
Cabayes pass for the 1st was quality and Cisses finish for the 2nd was unreal!!
Really well played today and a fantastic result.
What was the matter with Ba today like anyone??
Kim – our Geordie boot boy brought the result 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)
ANDYMAG didnt like remark he made “it depends how much clubs pay me”was his quote or maybe the rags added that bit on 😉
icedog(Quote)
whats a fckin donk 😆
batty(Quote)
DAVE@42 richie telt me hes always on workys with diff nick 😆 😆 😆 😉
icedog(Quote)
Great win today.
Swansea is really the borest team I’have seen this year. I just was affraid of Sigurson who was dangerous in his control and shoot.
Papiss is a killer before the goal.
I think it was our tactic to let the ball to the opposition they are really not dangerous. Our back four had a good game, especially I was happy for Santon. Hope tiote is no out for too long.
The difference is that if Swansea had benny and Cisse in their team they will be very dangerous but not with their player upfront.
Just hope now that Man city beats Arsenal.
And seems that Benny has improved his defensive skills, especially very strong when he is shoulder against shoulder with opponents.
HBA39(Quote)
Agreed Dan. Its not exactly the worst problem we’ve ever had in fairness 😆
toonsy(Quote)
14 points clear of the scousers. What were we worried about 😆
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Gosling doesn’t seem to be up to speed from what I’ve seen, loses possession far too often, would like to see Abeid or Vukcič, if he’s back, getting involved instead. On the other hand Gosling most likely lacks match practice, should play more reserve games.
GMac(Quote)
I’d tale Gylfi Sigurdson in a heartbeat. I wanted us to sign him when he was at Reading and was shocked no one in England took note and he then left to go to Germany.
Now he’s at Swansea on loan and tearing it up and his transfer value in England has doubled. We’ve missed out on one there.
funkyjesus(Quote)
And 15 clear of the scum. Not that it really matters of course. I forgot the top dogs trophy only exists when they finish above us 😉
toonsy(Quote)
I don’t know why but I don’t feel particularly extatic after the win today, I thought I would, considering how excited I was before the game.
andymag(Quote)
FJ @ 53 – Same. Didn’t he outscore Nolan in our Championship season?
toonsy(Quote)
Toonsy can’t believe you would ban that poor ***** Batts 👿 sure whats he done on you.
Batts donks is donkeys ages = a longtime 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
I hadn’t heard of sigurdsson until a month ago, he seems like quite a player, reminds me of lampard(when he was younger).
andymag(Quote)
Plus his manager at Hoffenheim has said that he has a contract there and has shown he deserves another chance in Germany and will be back there next season. Markus Babbel I think it is.
toonsy(Quote)
@FJ
Siggy/Cabaye/Tiote midfield 3 😯 Why don’t they have a “drools” emoticon!
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
icedog
sounds like a bit of a douche then. hopefully carr’s got some unknown gem ready for the bench 😆
andymag(Quote)
ST
one to break up play, one to create chances, and one to shoot from thirty-forty yards out 😆
andymag(Quote)
toonsy,
I believe he was highest scorer in the Championship or near it and he was a midfielder in a poor (at the time) Reading team.
I believe we’ve got a reputation too. I am browsing a Man Utd forum (the Sunderland link earlier gave me a push to check others opinions) and they are talking about Mame Biram Diouf who they sold to Hannover and is now scoring for fun. One of the Man Utd fans posted this:
“He’ll probably be picked up by Newcastle for £5m in a year and score 20 goals in a PL season.”
lol
funkyjesus(Quote)
Sharpy@45- Didn’t he just 😀 Got to get that shirt washed and ready for monday but he loves the stripes ,worried he’s missing them 😀
Happy birthday for tommorow too ,how old are you?.
Don’t you just love how the wrinklys always stick a fiver in the card, they never heard of inflation 😆 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
FJ
I’m absolutely loving that 😆
andymag(Quote)
Isn’t diouf the kid who poned our reserves? though most teams have done that since beardsley left the position 😆 🙁
andymag(Quote)
I don’t like that other teams have finally realised our scouting system. This now means that they are likely to try and buy out Graham Carr by offering Ashley like a million quid to buy his contract or something.
Not to mention that literally every guy we talk to, his agent is gonna tell other clubs and a bidding war will start because we have noted quality scouts now. It used to just be Damian Comolli who stalked us, now every sod is going to be at it.
funkyjesus(Quote)
FJ
No Carr’s a true Geordie he won’t leave. What I’m worried about is other teams sending spies to monitor carr’s movements 😆
andymag(Quote)
Yeah, Carr is about 67 years old too, can’t imagine him being motivated to fly around the world to scout players for Tottenham or something now.
My concern is our “secret weapon” is now public knowledge, with even Alan Smith on commentary mentioning him by name and I wonder if our quickfire secret purchases like Cisse for example are going to be harmed.
It isn’t out of this world to imagine Tottenham and the like asking clubs to let them know if we’re talking about players so they can swoop in and offer higher wages, etc.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Just wanna say Happy birthday to Fabrice Muamba 24 today .And to think he may never of seen it ,sure to be his happiest yet plus he goes home next week .Great news 😀
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim – I even got coin off one of them, the envelope weighed a ton!! I’m 33 tomorrow but I’m ok about it because up until this morning I thought I was 34 😕
Don’t talk to me about inflation, one of the uncles was telling me today how he and his mates gave boycott the pool table in the social club he goes to … why? … because it’s now 50p a game instead of 30p!! He honestly blamed George Osbornes budget, when I said don’t be daft he replied “well he put the price of pasties up didn’t he” … deadly serious!!!
Sharpy17(Quote)
looks like we have seen the back of that **** with his anti Pardew bile.
Oh how I love a gobshite know nowt ****** 😳 .
I would go back and dig up some of his quotes, if I could be arsed, but people like him will never be man enough to come on and admit he was wrong.
Was it chuck off the other blog ?
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Haha, we’re now linked (along with the bin dippers) to Affeley of barca, £6m for the dutch winger. My head would explode if we signed him, might even make up for Ba’s immenent departure in the summer. Imagine this squad next year.
———————–Krul———————
-Santon–S.Taylor-Coloccini–Pieters-
———————Tiote———————-
———Cabaye———-Gutierrez——–
-Ben Arfa——–Cisse———–Affeley-
Subs:
Elliot(maybe someone better)
Ferguson
Van dijk
R.Taylor/Abeid
Obertan
Vuckic
Rhodes/Rodriguez
andymag(Quote)
•Newcastle’s win is their first Premier League away victory on a Friday 😯
Another stat put to bed, 😆
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
BB
sorry who are you referring to? 😕
andymag(Quote)