Magpies edge Canaries! Newcastle 2-1 Norwich

Gouffran grabs the winner
Gouffran grabs the winner
Newcastle recorded their third straight win yesterday afternoon by despatching Norwich 2-1 at St James’ Park.

Goals from Loic Remy and Yoan Gouffran ultimately proved to be enough to secure the three points despite Leroy Fer ensuring a nervy ending to the game with a consolation goal ten minutes from time.

Overall it was a reasonably comfortable victory. Chris Hughton’s side had their chances but United could and perhaps should have put the game beyond any doubt before half-time and had it not been for an iffy (actually, make that incorrect) offside flag then Papiss Cisse would probably have added a third goal to put some daylight between the scores and give the full-time scoreline perhaps a fairer reflection.

United don’t score early. In fact the quickest we’ve scored this season prior to yesterday was the ten minute mark. However just 113 seconds into the match Yohan Cabaye flighted a corner in which managed to evade everyone bar Remy at the far post who powerfully nodded home from point blank range and credit us with a first league goal from a corner in over two years.

Norwich recovered well from the early setback and went about trying to equalise but Nathan Redmond’s finishing was woeful as he fired his shot high and wide over the Leazes End goal. There was further confusion in the home penalty area soon after until Shola Ameobi, who played well yesterday, managed to put his boot through the ball and clear the danger. In fact it was Ameobi who carved out United’s best chance of doubling the advantage on the half hour mark as he fed the ball through to Moussa Sissoko he screwed his shot wide of John Ruddy’s goal.

But back came Norwich who nearly mustered another equaliser. Nathan Redmond’s deep cross found Anthony Pilkington at the far post and his looping header looked to be header for the opposite corner of Tim Krul’s net. Fortunately it fell wide of the goal but the confusion didn’t end as Mike Williamson impeded Krul’s attempts at collecting the ball before hoofing clear himself.

However not long after that United grabbed the second. Ameobi evaded Bradley Johnson with a fine piece of skill before threading the ball out to Loic Remy who had drifted wide right. Remy then fed Moussa Sissoko who advanced forward and crossed for Ameobi to head towards goal. Ruddy was equal to Shola’s effort but he could do nothing to prevent Yooan Gouffran from slamming in the rebound to make it 2-0.

Two could have been three shortly afterwards after Shola Ameobi again tested Ruddy with a powerful effort from the edge of the penalty but his effort was beaten away and the score remained 2-0 at the interval.

Half-time: Newcastle 2-0 Norwich

Norwich improved after the break without really threatening and I got the sense that United had taken their foot off the pedal to some extent also, but in reality they were comfortable and just looked to be seeing out the game which is always a dangerous thing to do at 2-0.

And so it proved as a period of Norwich pressure resulted in a sequence of corners fired by Redmond, who eventually managed to put one onto the Canaries head of Leroy Fer who powerfully headed past Tim Krul to make the score 2-1 with ten minutes to play.

However that goal should have been the signal for a period of Norwich attacking pressure, but it didn’t come and United could and should have added a third through Papiss Cisse who saw his effort chalked off by an incorrect offside flag. In the end it was fairly comfortable for United, even though I wasn’t exceptionally happy about us sitting back but at least it didn’t cost us, this time.

Full-time: Newcastle 2-1 Norwich

A third successive win for United maintain what is so far a 100% record in November. A home game against West Brom next weekend gives us the ideal opportunity to extend that run despite the baggies being somewhat of a bogey team of ours. Could a purple patch in November be just the tonic as we head towards what is traditionally a black December for United?

Howay the lads!

Newcastle: Tim Krul; Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Fabricio Coloccini, Mike Williamson, Davide Santon; Moussa Sissoko, Yohan Cabaye, Cheik Tiote, Yoan Gouffran, Shola Ameobi, Loic Remy

Subs: Rob Elliot, Massadio Haidara, Vurnon Anita, Gabriel Obertan, Sammy Ameobi, Hatem Ben Arfa, Papiss Cisse

Norwich: John Ruddy; Russell Martin, Michael Turner, Ryan Bennett, Martin Olsson; Bradley Johnson, Leroy Fer, Jonny Howson; Nathan Redmond, Anthony Pilkington, Gary Hooper

Subs: Carlo Nash, Steven Whittaker, Sebastien Bassong, Wes Hoolahan, Johan Elmander, Luciano Becchio, Josh Murphy

Attendance: 51,328

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

126 thoughts on “Magpies edge Canaries! Newcastle 2-1 Norwich

  1. <<<<<< if i was krul i would be swing the useless long haired yeti round by his curly locks, for cost me me clean sheet bonus 😡

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  2. I’m just glad that from a couple months ago when we had no decent players. We’ve actually got a pretty decent squad again.

    Took Pard’s a while and most managers wouldn’t have been given the time he was but he seems to have got them in the right direction again.

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  3. JJ-The ****?? No idea what’s going on there, how did you come across that?

    And yeah, it appears players like Cabaye and Tiote have pulled their finger out and are in good form again, and players like Wilo who have been slated for their entire Newcastle career are now finally getting some credit. Not sure why people are surprised because he has always been as good as Tayls, in his own way (not completely mental) 😉

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  4. Possession is meaningless, Spurs had more than Man City at the weekend but it was in their own two thirds and it’s highly unlikely you’ll never score from there

    Man City 47% Spurs 53%

    Was still 6-0

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  5. i see ex toon player Brad Inman has been kicked out of crewe the manager he doesnt want them around the squad,didnt know we had two Rangers at the club 😡

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  6. From the way West Brom have started tonight we could be on the same points as them by Saturday evening 😯

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  7. Well lads who will play at CB on saturday ? the more i think about it the more i think this could be Pardew’s biggest test as manager yet . Colo is back and he is Captain but on Saturday Debuchy is available again and i expect him to play , meaning their is a massive choice to be made . Who will be dropped Mapou , Williamson or Colo ? i hope its Colo , Mapou and Williamson have not put a foot wrong in 3 games now but can Pard’s drop his captain ? The reason i am asking this is the great managers are ruthless and pick their best 11 no matter what . For me Williamson and Mapou are now his best 2 CB’s at the moment ,its a massive test of Pardew’s managership qualities and i for 1 hope he picks the lads in form and drops his captain . If he does then for me its another step in the right direction in proving himself to being a good manager .

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  8. AXEL if its right about colo imo his heart isnt in the toon and should be on the bench and play the lads that want to be at the club

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  9. Axel – from watching West Brom tonight they are sending a lot of high balls forward and IMO Williamson wins most headers so would be most suited against their style of play.

    From last game I feel Mapou looks like the person Pardews is willing to sacrifice for Collo. So for me Pardew will resume with Collo and Williamson CB’s and Santon, Debuchy full backs.

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  10. nice to see villa getting done,would love to see them go down but there is a lot poorer teams imo mores the pity 🙁

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  11. Axel for me Colo should be the one on the bench until he gets his chance, as Mbiwa and Willo havent lost the shirt so they shouldnt have it took from them, as it would send a bad message out to the rest of the team.

    Ice thats the problem with some younguns that have everything done for them.

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  12. Newkie – just came on to post a similar comment mate ;-). Can’t see WBA leaving so easily based on the way he’s played tonight 🙄

    Axel – I agree with you mate. It would be Colo who got the hook for me as well. Certainly Mapou stays in for me coz he’s the future of our defence. Willo is playing really well at the moment and Colo has stated he wants out. Based on that, if Colo was a true pro then he’d understand why he was dropped.

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  13. On a different note. Just watched the Froch v Groves fight on Utube. Feel sorry for Groves like, that should never have been stopped. Also, what a bell end Karl Froch was!.

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  14. I think Tim Krull was at fault for the Norwich goal – for not having somebody on the post. Presuming it’s the goalkeeper who decides these things – which in my (admittedly limited) experience it always is. If not, though, then I blame the person who made the decision not to have somebody on the post.

    I can give the benefit of the doubt to the linesman for Cisse’s offside. It was pretty close.

    Good win. Good weekend all round.

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  15. Bris – it’s generally decided on the training ground. Manager and coaches usually make that decision along with who defends what area and whether its man to man marking or zonal.
    For me that was Colos fault. It was his man that got the better of him. It was very disappointing not to keep the clean sheet though.

    As for Cisses goal. It was very tight and my understanding is that the CF gets the benefit of the doubt?!. That said, I actually think that the defenders and keeper had realised he had been flagged up and had stopped playing.

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  16. Yeah it’s usually a coaching decision altho I think Krul could overrule them if he wished. It’s tough one, I like having them there for corners, not free kicks, but Santon to me is gash on the line and obviously we want Mbiwa in the box, as with Wilo and Colo. Simpson used to be a safe bet on the line and because he was small it didn’t make a difference with him not having to mark someone, now we’re stuck putting midfielders or wingers there and that means we can’t counter attack as so well.

    Perhaps Cisse is now like Tiote, with officials going against them on reputation? But you are right Sharpy, the keeper had stopped playing so it was by no means a cert goal, but he should have had the opportunity to test him at least.

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  17. Sharpy-doesn’t even make sense to do that…it’s not a player we can even sell for money! They’re just interested in anything that will bring punters to the site it seems.

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  18. Newkie – They have a media platform to write any bollocks they like and they use it to try and **** the Geordie fans off. That’s the only explaination I can come up with for that story, it just doesn’t make sense?!.

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  19. What game did you guys watch? 😯 that goal was Remy’s fault. To me his role was to protect the near post for the corner. He stood off the post to cover a low cross and when it was swung toward the penalty spot he should have moved back into the goal to cover the line. He basically just stood there rooted to the spot and ball watched. Defo Remys fault, but I’m not surprised that many of you didnt pick this up 😛 😆

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  20. I would drop Colo also. Ypu don’t mess with a defence thay has kept clean sheets against spurs and chelsea. Arsenal and spurs have kept their captains on the bench in tje past, no reason Pardew shouldn’t.
    I think he will drop him to be fair, Pardew has got a good record of not dropping players for someone’s reputation. Raylor over Santon for ages etc

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  21. I think it’s always a bad mistake not to have somebody on the post at corners. When I played, it was the goalkeeper who organised the defence – in line with other coaching decisions of course, and our ‘marshalls’ carrying out the coaching decisions made before the game. However, the goalkeeper always had a big say about the 6 yard box.

    Who knows what happens at Newcastle, though.

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  22. Oz @106 Whoever made the decision not to cover the post got it wrong. Ultimately, Ashley owns the club so the buck stops with him. The fat ****** doesn’t have a clue how to run a football team. 😀

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  23. When I played it was always the coaches decision to put men on the posts (training – pregame plan).. The big lads would defend in the air and two of the smaller lads would cover the posts. Generally the centre half would be barking the orders to organise the defensive cover..

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  24. True enough Vegas, don’t forget Joe tho, he is as much to blame in the goal. However Ashley did employ Joe so ultimately that goal was Ashleys’ fault! 😆

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  25. I’d be interested to hear Troys’ take on the corner that lead to their goal… Just to get a perspective from someone that has never played the game before! 😛

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  26. Try and guess who said this… 😉
    “However, we also conceded and it was a little bit my fault as I didn’t stay on the post, we have to be careful about these sorts of situations, all the rest though was very good.

    I rest my case… 😛

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  27. Good onya, Oz.

    The main thing in my book is that the goal was scored because there was nobody on the post. That, and because it was a terrific run and header.

    I only got to see a replay of the game so I missed out on the real-time excitement and anxiety, but the game never got off the ground as far as I am concerned. There were patches, but nothing to write home about. Shola was good – which is something to write home about.

    Pegged back in the 2nd half and endured some needless concern – not that I was concerned as I knew the result. 😆

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  28. Vegas, I reckon the defending for that corner we be critiqued when they do a video review of the game mate. Still it was a bloody good header..

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  29. @Aussie

    You are obsessed with me. 😛 Creepily so. 😯

    For me, having never played the game, I think it was the goalscorers fault. He placed perfectly where nobody was, on the near post.

    If he hadn’t have placed it there then nobody would be able to blame anyone.

    Is that the right answer Aussie. 😯

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  30. I wasn’t seeking an answer from you Troy, merely your non football playing opinion 😉 😛

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  31. Remy’s already said he should have stayed on the post – anyway we win so all good
    WBA linked decent first half against a poor villa but then fell apart 2nd half.
    I guess this game is gonna depend on who can play well for both halves

    Sharpy – yeah, I saw the froch / groves fight, ref stopped the fight a couple of punches early although I think groves was pretty much out of it and would have been stopped anyway
    In typical Brit fashion the valient underdog gets more praise than the winner

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  32. Aussie – Remys just saying that to take some of the heat off Colo 😛

    SteveP – you’re probably right mate, Groves should have either defended better or even went down to buy a few seconds. Thought Groves did great though and Froch proved he can take some big shots. He got battered in round 6 but took every single punch. Groves would have won on points but the last 3 rounds would have been interesting as they both tired.

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  33. Even if Remy had been on the line I’m not sure how well he would have done. Probably would have prevented it but it was still a great header. Aussie, surely you can’t say your lovechild Colo man did well for the goal!?

    :mrgreen:

    The Groves fight was defo stopped early. I try not to dislike Froch because everyone I know in Wales hates the guy because they love Calzaghe so much, but he makes it hard for himself. The fight is set up perfectly for a rematch-just hope it happens!

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  34. So we have no automatic signing clause in Remy’s loan deal! We are good I’ll give them that! So come the end of the season when the likes of Spurs, Liverpool or Arsenal come sniffing round with the £8m we’ll look complete ******!

    Dies anyone actually know why we didn’t just sign him permantly or at least get a first option clause?

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  35. Stuart-my guess is his injury record and the case over his head were the reasons we went for the loan, and the same reason Spuds and Arsenal didn’t go for him in the summer. By the summer Remy will be a gonner. Or is that gooner… 😐

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  36. Newkie – That wouldn’t stop us having first option on him, surely? Buying him wouldn’t be a legal obligation, we’d just have first option.

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  37. These loan moves are notoriously complicated. QPR if promoted will have a huge say so god knows what the agreement is. Rape case adjourned? Is that it?

    Anyone else think that Colo looked rusty and well off the pace? And as usual bloody useless in the air. He’s a cracking footballer there’s no doubt but we can’t afford him to get even slower. He’s really susceptible to the ball over the top or in the air and always has been and Willo for all his height is pretty weak in the air too. We need Krul to come out more and definitely two players on the post.

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  38. Even if we have first option it means nowt, that’s just an agreement between the 2 clubs and not the player so the player has the last say anyway. That’s how I understand it and I reckon it makes sense, as it enables the player to keep his options open whereas agreeing to owt before hand has no advantages to the player at all.

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