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
JJ I agree with that last one. One thing we do need for certain is a forward striker who can hold onto the ball. If you play 451 or 433 it’s essential. Cisse is **** at it, Ba was **** at it, Carrol was **** at it. That’s where a lot of our play breaks down, time after time to the point most players won’t play the ball forward. There’s no one twos, no wall passes, no dribbles etc etc. We have too many players who have **** ball control. Willo, Simmo, Raylor, Cisse, Jonas, Gosling – they’re all poor footballers.
georgio(Quote)
Newkie @288
I handle myself most days 😆 My girlfriend is ok with it.
JJ(Quote)
Jees, my English is starting to sound like Djebs…
JJ(Quote)
Troy – ❓ ❓ ❓
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
@Troy why would we panic? We cant be relegated this season no matter what happens?
Santii(Quote)
Yes Troy,
I’d panick because it’d mean you’d have one less hook to fish with…
JJ(Quote)
Nobby,
The season we finished 5th we conceded 42 goals in the last 27 games.
So thats 1.56 goals/game. I woudn’t call that great defending.
JJ(Quote)
troy
fat ash only appoints people who are on the rock ‘n’ roll.
rafa comes into that equation very soon – so ya never knaa.
roy cropper(Quote)
JJ 😆
I can only hope you’re gentler on the poor guy than you are with Pards.. 😆
Newkie(Quote)
ROY dont you go building my hopes up 😉
icedog(Quote)
@JJ
How many clean sheets did we keep?
We could keep 30 clean sheets and let in 8 goals in each of the other games, it would bloody matter.
Defensively we were class. We haven’t recovered from losing some of our grit and still have poor mental strength, this resulted in us capitulating on a number of occasions last year.
Oh it was 9 clean sheets in our last 19 games (second half of the season that you initially stated) fyi.
11 in the “27” games that you have plucked to suit your argument.
15 for the season.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
wouldn’t*
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
So I hear Jabba is sticking by his man
http://www.samaritans.org
Big Dave(Quote)
dog – i’d be more than happy with martinez 😉
roy cropper(Quote)
Ice make sure Batts pays you extra this month as he put your wages on my prediction for the game
Big Dave(Quote)
😛 😛 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
ST LET ME ASK YOU A STRAIGHT QUESTION:
What is the main reason we nearly got relegated this season?
I want one MAIN reason please
Thank you 😀
DOITFORSIRBOBBY(Quote)
DAVE that sod charges me intrest for just looking at his money the tight git 😉
icedog(Quote)
Colo getting sent off against Liverpool
Premandup(Quote)
Ice he will be charging a higher rate after he lost all his own money on us getting relegated 😆 😆 .
DOITFORSIRBOBBY I know your not asking me a question but could I ask you one ❓ do you honestly believe that with a fit Benny all season do you think we could have won say another 2-3 games ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
Ok Stumpet,
So in the other 16 games we conceded 42 goals. Yeah, that’s a great defence mate 🙄
That just tells me, once we concede we lose our fight.
JJ(Quote)
I’m going 40% – Pardew (incl all his coaches)
30% – The board
30% – the players.
So I think Pardew is the main reason.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Wellington disappeared,
Should have quit while he was ahead.
He put up a decent arguement for a while. Until he tried to convince me we didn’t play hoof ball and a target man and striker with heading ability isn’t what Pardew needs for his tactics to be successful… 😆 😆 😆
Anyways, I’m off..
JJ(Quote)
Ps.
Solano I completely disagree…
I’d say
Pards and coaches (42%)
Ashley (38%)
Players (20%).
But let’s be mortal enemies for the sake of the extra 2% 😛
JJ(Quote)
big dave
what good is benny sitting on the bench season after season – he’s a sick note.
get shot & invest the money on players we can rely on.
roy cropper(Quote)
so Bdave and Troy
are you happy like Pards that we havent got European footy next season?
The deluded train keep bumping their gums about Kinnear being the only replacement..
How much do you think Laudrup earns per yr at Swansea. £500k last time i read although he was due a payrise..
How much do you think Keegan was earning last time he was here?
How much was Redknapp offered by Ashley?
mark(Quote)
fairplay ST
One question however – do you think the coach and players are intrinsically linked?
as in, the players mirror the coach?
BIG DAVE – ive seen you talking about ben arfa. with all due respect and please dont take this as harsh but i dont care whether Ben Arfa played 1 or 30 games, he played 16. i deal with facts. every team has injuries, its part of the game which is why we have squads 😎
DOITFORSIRBOBBY(Quote)
@JJ
That is exactly what I said! “We haven’t recovered from losing some of our grit and still have poor mental strength, this resulted in us capitulating on a number of occasions last year.”
Jesus.
As I’ve said before, clean sheets are what win games. If the season had come down to goal difference then fine, the tonkings we took would have mattered.
Are you seriously saying we weren’t good defensively last year?
I believe we set our PL club record for clean sheets in a season.
Not even going to discuss this with you any further mate.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Aussie@286 In a nutshell ,yes. 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
actually was it 16?? 😕
regardless Big D – i dont consider that.
if shola was better we may have finished 10th
if colo didnt **** about and want to leave we could have been top ten
if, if, if 🙄
DOITFORSIRBOBBY(Quote)
difsb @317 , Negative defensive football =Pards&coaching staff.
KIMTOON(Quote)
I hope we sign Mcmananamananaman, he’ll add a bit of grit to the team. Like Martinez said, he’s not bothered about flash shoes or cars he just wants to play footy.
We havent had that grit or drive since Bellamy left.
mark(Quote)
@DIFSB
Yeah I think that is mostly true. I just don’t think it excuses just how god awful some have them have been. Say not creating enough chances for Cisse – Pardew’s fault, Cisse being isolated – Pardew’s fault, Cisse needing 8 chances for every 1 goal – Cisse’s fault. Tiote forgetting how to pass 5 yards – Tiote’s fault.
The fact is the players can’t blame the club for being in disarray like in 08/09, because it hasn’t been.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
While Ashley is picking over the bones of the carcuss of our season he’s missing the chance of a free juicy steak cooking on gas (Rafa) doh!. 🙄 😳
KIMTOON(Quote)
this is what im saying KIM- if pards and his coaches are the main reason we had a torrid what do we do?
last year they had a great season and we awarded them 8 year deals ALL with payrises. LMA Manager of the season also was bestowed upon Mr Pardew. Well done fairplay and i was happy, however that was last season, with all due respect 😯
DOITFORSIRBOBBY(Quote)
Mcmanaman is just another Barton imo ,but like Barton he has talent . He was doing plenty of snarling at the ref on saturday ,got an attitude that lad.
KIMTOON(Quote)
just to cheer us up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uucjvstiavw
Papiss Demba Cissé – The Goals 11/12
AffyRossy·
icedog(Quote)
Prem@319-Agree with that one. I felt we were unlucky there, was all downhill after that one. It’s such a strange one as well, Colo is so calm 99% of the time, but he still has that one bit of unpredictability where he might throw an elbow out or go for a stamp. Still, nobody more deserving of it than Suarez I suppose.
Newkie(Quote)
so Keegan was paid 3mil per season but we could only afford Kinnear 😆
mark(Quote)
ST i get all that, but we cant sack players for not knowing how to score or pass.
if cisse needs 8 chances to score one and tiote forgets how to pass 5 yards you blame the coaches and manager (as you have done) for not correctky training or motivating them.
OR for not dropping them if they are not performing 👿
DOITFORSIRBOBBY(Quote)
@KIMTOON hes a scouser, they all have attitude 😛 he looks like barton and was born in the same area…Huyton
mark(Quote)
Roy I don’t think we can say for sure that he’s a sick note yet , as his problems have all started from De Thug broke his leg in two places.
So I will wait until next year to see but I hope he proves that he’s not a sick note, as for me he is the spark in our team and can win a game in the blink of an eye.
DOITFORSIRBOBBY I take that as a no then 😯
Big Dave(Quote)
This season has left us with a lot to discuss this summer. I think if Ashley is going to sack Pardew it will happen straight away. there will be no point letting him dangle in the wind for a month or two. And I also believe Ashley also knows that if he does sack Pardew he must replace him with a top class manager this time. No more Kinnears etc. The club is in huge need of a leader now. Pardew just hasn’t done that. His comments to the press have been ludicrous and I think they have even bothered Ashley so he will be gone. That gives Ashley a huge chance this summer to make things right. And listen up Alan, we actually do want to compete in Europe every year. That will mean a real manager with ambition is needed.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
DOITFORSIRBOBBY if pards and his coaches are the main reason we had a torrid what do we do?
Well if we sack him and if Jabba got a top manager in etc etc its all ifs 😀 ,
Big Dave(Quote)
Mark
Think you mean we havnt had such a bellend at the club since Bellamy 😉 , I don’t include Barton cus I find him amusing now 😀 . Don’t think Haidara would be too happy to see the man that almost ended his season (and potentially much of next season) now playing just in front of him at LM/LW.
Andymag(Quote)
fair do’s big dave
but if he does get his fitness back & mr negativity is still in charge next season – then it could be he only get’s a seat on the bench anyways.
it would be a different story tho if we had martinez or even rafa running the show – fingers crossed.
roy cropper(Quote)
I just want a manager who will attempt to win every game, play people in their rightful positions and stop playing out of form players.
For all the above reason’s that is why I believe that Pardew needs to go NOW!
The advantage of him going now is that the new manager would have time to prepare the squad and intergrate any new purchases.
I feel that if Pardew stays then nowt will change.
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
It’s hard to believe the two teams directly above us on goal difference each have 9 wins this season. Nine wins from 37 games! The entire bottom half of the division has been **** poor this season. I would argue we have the best squad of all of the bottom 10 teams yet we have been just as poor. The summer offers a huge opportunity to get back to where we really belong, well up into the top half. Let’s not waste it yet again Ashley as you did with last summer. The owner now has 6 years of football ownership experience. No more excuses should be tolerated from the man.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
JJ @ 39
“I know he is unproven in the Premier League still, but I have been massively impressed with M Laudrup. His attitude is just brilliant.
Love his playing style, love his media handling. He makes class substitutions when needed.”
Yes he is relatively untested, but I agree with this.
When asked on Match of the Day last night if he thought the extra matches from Europe could have such a negative impact on a club’s season he said that he didn’t feel that it should have such a big impact as its all about preparation and the mentality of your approach.
Contrast that with the tripe that comes out of Pardews stupid face.
I simply cannot understand those who want to keep Pardew for the sake of stability. Again, what’s the point of ‘stability’ if its just stable dross?
Pootle(Quote)
Exciting news coming up on radio Newcastle re Pardew ❗
Is he going ❓
Finger’s crossed 😉
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
TGS I would tend to agree with most of that, I just can’t see it happening, and I know most fans of other teams think they deserve better, but I honestly believe we deserve so much better than what we have got
Big Dave(Quote)
Big D – i take that point 😛
DOITFORSIRBOBBY(Quote)
As I said earlier there are 3 managers i would prefer, Rafa, Martinez and Nikki Laudraup in that order as I believe all will be better for our club than AP
HOWEVER
If we cant get them I am willing to give pards another crack at the whip 😥
DOITFORSIRBOBBY(Quote)
TGS,aye heard that and posted it this afternoon,god hope its good news and hes gone
icedog(Quote)
Big Dave,
I would settle for 10th in the EPL as long as we played attractive entertaining football and tried to win every game.
Not asking for much 😥 😥
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
Ice,
In all honesty mate I do not think he will be going, can’t see him resigning either.
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
dam i built my hopes up 🙁
icedog(Quote)
Would they announce his ousting with one game left? I suppose so since it doesn’t truly matter at this point. It just seems odd that would be the case.
NorCal Toonfan(Quote)
It’s too soon yet. Let’s get the final game done and then see what Mr. Ashley has for us. He looked none too pleased sitting beside Llambias and listening to his drivel on the weekend.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
The news is that Pardew will be on Total Sport this friday between 7 – 8pm.
👿 👿 👿
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
TGS @ 355 would you really settle for 10th ❓ I wouldn’t really be happy with being a mid table team, I think we should be better than that and should be pushing for Euro footie and cups every season
Big Dave(Quote)
Big Dave,
And the alternative ❗
**** football under Pardew and fighting relegation 😉
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
Ice @ 357 and TGS @ 360 did you really expect to hear that he was getting the boot ❓ he is Jabba’s man so please don’t build your hope’s up as you’ll only get disappointed even more
Big Dave(Quote)
@TGS
Keep us posted please 😀
Santii(Quote)
You’ve got to set your sights high to be a winner. I can’t imagine Ferguson ever said “well personally I’d be happy to see us finish in mid table next season.” We shouldn’t accept that either. A new manager with a winning philosophy, and a new managing director with football knowledge. Then we can compete for top 6 every season. We shouldn’t accept anything less.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Big Dave,
I can dream 😉
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
hes not going anywhere 😥
DOITFORSIRBOBBY(Quote)
TGS @ 362 we should be better than that, would you not agree
Big Dave(Quote)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfRl63Z_-Oo
lol class reaction Leic v Watford
mark(Quote)
GEORDIETWO @ 365 😉 I agree,and IMO while we have Lambsarse fuking things up and telling people how nasty they can be we will never really move forward, we need a Footie man in charge. I said it the other night about wigan they have a chairman that never causes them any bad press, knows the game inside out, has love and Passion for the club and backs his man, compare that to our Nasty Casino Shark, streaking ****** that we have 😳
Big Dave(Quote)
Who will be our big name player/players to leave this summer? Surely we won’t keep everyone again?
I’m guessing Cabaye..
Oblong(Quote)
Aye Big Dave Llambias should have been gone long ago. I hate seeing him sitting next to Ashley filling his ear with nonsense. Surely Ashley can see it now as well? Even more money begins to pour into Ashley’s hands now with the new TV contract. No more excuses accepted from Ashley about money woes. He will get his money back if he does a proper job as owner. Anything less will leave him with huge problems trying to sell an unsuccessful club that he himself has created. There is no sneaky way out of this Ashley. Do your job as owner properly and you will be rewarded. That goes for everyone under you at the club as well of course.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
well it looks like ime going to be in a bad mood all through the close season 🙁
icedog(Quote)
Newcastle United face a hefty fee of £10 million if they want to replace Alan Pardew at the club, according to the Daily Mail.
Pardew was rewarded for a fine season last year by penning a bumper new deal last September that will run until 2020 that amazingly has no break clause or minimum severance agreement installed.
That means that should club owner Mike Ashley want to replace the 51-year-old manager he would have to buy out the entirety of his £1.5 million a year deal.
Surely the above is bollocks? No release clause and it claims Pardew earns 1.5M pounds a year but we’ve all seen his wage quoted as 500K per year. I just don’t believe Ashley would be this stupid after all the previous mistakes? Please tell me it ain’t so!
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Ice don’t do that to yourself mate we have little enough to be happy about being Toon fans, Try to just accept it and don’t let it get to you, anything else is a bonus
Big Dave(Quote)