I also like winning and having both is ideal, but at Newcastle we’ve had hardly any excitement or a decent run of wins for some time.
I think this is why I always look to go back to the excitement. Do we play exciting football? No, and we haven’t for a good few years now. Do we have a player who can excite and produce the extraordinary? The answer to that is most definitely yes. Yes we do. And at his brilliant best you’ll be hard pushed to find a more exciting player that has strutted his stuff at St James’ Park in the black and white for a good for years at least.
The problem is that the relationship between that player – Hatem Ben Arfa – and manager seems to have gone beyond the point of repair, which is a crying shame.
With clubs such as AC Milan and former club Lyon linked with the player it now seems just a matter of time before the talented playmaker departs, and although it pains me to say it, I think that moment can’t come soon enough.
A lot of fingers will be pointed towards Alan Pardew if or most likely when Ben Arfa departs, and I agree to a point. I do feel that Hatem was scapegoated by the manager especially towards the back end of last season.
As a manager it’s Pardew’s job to get the best out of a player. The strength of Ben Arfa is not in his tracking back or his work rate, his strength is making things happen in attack with his unpredictability. Pardew should have accommodated that, in my humble opinion at least.
However not all of this is Alan Pardew’s fault and the player himself must take his fair share of the blame. Are we just seeing history repeat itself?
In terms of performances we all know that Benny can win games on his own, but in all the time he’s been here you can count those types or performances on one hand and more often than not he drifts out of the game.
Apparently he’s come back to training not in an ideal state although the player contests this, he’s rumoured to have had arguments with team mates and he’ll throw digs at his state of affairs in interviews in his homeland. Not good is it really?
Thing is, I’d agree with him if this was the first time he’s found himself isolated at a club, but it happened at Lyon, Marseille, with his national team, us. You have to wonder don’t you? Maybe he is L’enfant terrible after all?
Maybe it’s time he was moved on, for the good of all concerned?
Looks like business as usual at the back. Shaaaaky! 🙂
Dubai-Toon(Quote)
What a goal. Aarons is fucking class!
Newkie(Quote)
Goalllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
kIMTOON(Quote)
Seriously though I like the kid, he has no fear when taking people on. If Obertan had the same kind of confidence he could be a real player. Hope the lad can get some game time this season.
Good header from Rivvy
Newkie(Quote)
BLAM! Maybe not!
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Newkie, That’ll be all the Bristol water he was drinking 😀
kIMTOON(Quote)
Woo hoooo.. Goal. I take back what I said. Aarons looking very good. He can cross. Great header from Riviere
Dubai-Toon(Quote)
Kim – can you bottle some up then and send enough for the rest of the squad and the coaching staff 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Well done neets
kIMTOON(Quote)
Newks, I wish it were that easy mate.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Aye if only kim. Maybe we can mix it with Ba’s syrup formula and win the league…
Newkie(Quote)
newks, you been eating them mushrooms again haven’t you. 😉
kIMTOON(Quote)
Canny first half. Definitely got better after the goal.
Dubai-Toon(Quote)
Pretty good first half.
We are happy to allow them possession in non dangerous area’s. Some very nice team pressing going on.
Aarons and Obertan both doing good. What a cross by Aarons but Riviere made an excellent run and still had a hard header to score.
How good is Meyer for them though. He will be world class in a few years.
Santii(Quote)
Not the attacking style we have been promised but at least there is a game plan. Good performances from Colocinni Anita Aaron and Riviera. Not so good from Dummett Gouffran and Colback
Toby Le Rhone(Quote)
Did anyone see why Aarons got a yellow card?
Dubai-Toon(Quote)
DT
Yeah it was for nothing. Got shoulder barged and then turned and pointed and pushed the guy on the shoulder.
Santii(Quote)
Yeah, Dubai, he put a little nothing push on a Shalke player after a bit of aggressive play between them.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Why not leave krul on? Can’t be fookin tired..
Newkie(Quote)
Colo off for Mbiwa
kIMTOON(Quote)
We must be playing well as I haven’t seen anyone on here mention relegation in the last 5 minutes 😉
MDS(Quote)
A chance to check out Yanga-bo-banga partnered with Big Mike…
Santi, what number is Meyer?
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Dubai
Raised his hand gently into the chest of his marker after a coming together.
Santon has had a great weekend making the left back position his own without playing a game
Toby Le Rhone(Quote)
Anybody watching the German feed from Shalke? They’re doing this thing where they have a fan come up in the commentary box and talk about the game. Kinda cute. Probably only for the pre-season, right? Can’t imagine it’ a regular feature.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Cheers guys. My stream not great but couldn’t see him do anything…
Dubai-Toon(Quote)
NAILED ON FOR RELEGATION!
That’s one for you, MDS.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Pretty much the whole team takes a punt at goal other than Anita, he really doesn’t like shooting!
Newkie(Quote)
I’m watching it but don’t speak German. (Despite living in Cologne for a year before I came to Dubai) 🙂
Dubai-Toon(Quote)
FSOTC 😆
Newkie(Quote)
AAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaarrons! Haha you jammy git!
Newkie(Quote)
Bah-ha-ha! great goal!
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
***
kIMTOON(Quote)
He is absolutely rapid though
Newkie(Quote)
Holy ****… What a goal from Aarons….
Dubai-Toon(Quote)
he’ll never do that again lol
kIMTOON(Quote)
That boy is mustard
kIMTOON(Quote)
Facunda on 😀
kIMTOON(Quote)
Like the look of Aarons I must say.
Stuart79(Quote)
Is that the new loan kid already?
Axorr(Quote)
yep
kIMTOON(Quote)
What a beauty
kIMTOON(Quote)
Nice…,
Axorr(Quote)
Goooaaallll … Capella
Dubai-Toon(Quote)
Oops Cabella even…
Dubai-Toon(Quote)
Tidy finish by Cab, we have so many quick players now which is nice to see.
Newkie(Quote)
shame, clean sheet would of been nice
kIMTOON(Quote)
Well done to Aarons. Finally a natural left winger that we have waited donkeys years for and even more amazing, he is from the academy. Very pleased. The new players looked okay as well.
DJG(Quote)
Surely this proves Williamson is our no. 1 centre back and it’s between the others to team with him? Saylor should never play again.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Relegation fodder yesterday, Champions League contenders today, maybe somewhere in between, Shalke had a lot of players missing today, including Howedes, don’t think Mallorca were missing many yesterday
alanthedog(Quote)
Agree Funky. No surprise to me that positionally everyone looked a lot better with Williamson playing. Taylor just confuses everyone with his drifting and causes chaos. If he was younger than Saylor then I think stevie would have already been shipped out.
Newkie(Quote)
Think even yesterday Mbiwa was given too much of the blame, wasn’t happy when he turned his back on the deflected goal but maybe he was torn between the block and chasing a pass to the runner, he may have looked at fault for the headed goal but it was Taylor that left the door open
alanthedog(Quote)
Much better today but still **** scared of how we’ll cope with City .
Aarons motm for me, nice bit of Kudos for the coaches at Bristol central youth fc where he was prior to Bristol City 😉 http://www.bristolcentralfc.co.uk/index.php?route=article/view&article_id=137
kIMTOON(Quote)
Thought Obertan & Aarons were the two best players today. Cabella was very good when he came on drifting around and always looking for the ball.
First half was well organised and solid counter.
Second half we showed a bit more swagger. Skill, flair & creativity.
Plenty of players getting game time today, which is nice for the match fitness.
Santii(Quote)
Santii I was well confused by the end ,I think we made 10 subs .
kIMTOON(Quote)
11 subs I think Kim 😆 I think they were told to play where they want 😆
Santii(Quote)
Saw the first half. Thought we were much more organised. Great Header. Then drove to in law’s intending to watch the second half on Quest+1 but the don’t have it. Still much improved apparently.
Premandup(Quote)
Would be nice if Aarons could make a real break-through – early days mind.
Pre-season, always impossible to judge either results, or performances, but positives clearly more pace and more forward options than last year, negatives if Willo is our first choice CB (and I like Willo) we’ll concede too many goals in too many matches.
Kim, not too fussed about Citeh – would be nice to perform ok, even get point(s), but the Citeh could do any team any time of the season, so fir us the points-getting season really starts vs Villa.
GTE(Quote)
Pardew has said there could still be more new faces to come 😯 hope its in defence like,could it be Richards I wonder
icedog(Quote)
Ice, I think he means another forward mate, but I would love a big strong CB with PL experience in .
kIMTOON(Quote)
http://www.squawka.com/news/twitter-reacts-man-citys-micah-richards-hits-a-terrible-penalty/152190
kIMTOON(Quote)
KIM cannot see another striker mate unless its Whickham just to pee scum off jabba would like that IMO,I remember the dance him and owlheed danced round the boardroom when we beat scum they really did pee scum off,get a bit of money spent and get Shawcross
icedog(Quote)
KIM aye saw that on yahoo news,mind he looked fit enough
icedog(Quote)
Ice, Yeah he does, funny as tho, that pen.
Ice , Would you like Connor to join us ❓
kIMTOON(Quote)
Ice, wasn’t the price put on Shawcross head around £12m ❓
kIMTOON(Quote)
Ice – I’ve told you man, Whickham for £6m – I’ve sorted it 😆
Would be a cracking buy that and Ashley has the potential to at least double his money on him – thinking his way on transfers for a moment.
I was out today but recorded the game and just finished watching it. Was like watching a different team!.
Big things for me, obvious one first Aaron’s and Oba are natural ‘wingers’ – hit the by line and get the crosses in. Good goal from Rivière with good work from him and Gouffran up front.
Anita did better at RB than MYM has, but still looked a bit uncomfortable to me. Dummett was solid enough at LB and Willo and Colo make a much better pairing – but I’m still not solid on either Saylor or Willo.
Good win though and but better watch.
Sharpy17(Quote)
KIM not bothered about Conner if Ime honest,aye 12mil was talked about,I would pay it the way the prices are for PL players and CCC players he’s cheap
icedog(Quote)
SHARPY,we are going to be careful what we talk about on here mate they must be checking us out lol,it was only y/day we talked about him then up. pops the day/fail with the storey next day,I said 4/5 mil you said 6,let them do their own scouting
icedog(Quote)
Question for all the very optimistic fans; Anyone think NUFC should be looking at the example of Liverpool last season and thinking we should have a real go like they did? Do we have an attack to emulate them last season? Obviously no Suarez but if we signed a experienced goal scorer could we threaten teams like Liverpool did last season and take everyone by surprise?
Liverpool just surprised everyone and took advantage of that and they had a lot of luck with injuries and suspensions.
Cannot see it as in fairness they had a poor defence but was still a million times better than ours but I hope we can get a goal scorer and be entertaining to watch.
Anyway, back to reality – its good to see a young player hopefully coming through and I hope Aarons gets a chance and not just in the cups.
Stuart79(Quote)
Ice – I was laughing when I saw it and then immediate thought ‘****, I bet Ice thinks I’m some feckin Jorno for the Fail!!’ 😯
Good signing I reckon, and Richards on a loan with option to buy would be one hell of a transfer window IMO.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Great goal by rivière was the only highlight of the first half. Aaron’s goal was obviously a miss kick.
Second half was an improvement but when Obertan has a good game then you know the opposition are *****.
Cabella took his goal well and looks tidy. Aaron’s seems canny. Other than that. Very average again.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
SHARPY I do think your a undercover jorno getting feeling of fans lol,but don’t worry I always watch what I say to you 😆 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
Ice – ***** you’re on to me 😯 I’m the blogs fake sheik 😆
Stu – we have 7 new players to intergrate at the moment, so to ‘go for it’ will heavily depend on how they fit in. I generally look at it 3-4 games at a times and set a target for points from those. Longer term I’d try and better our points tally by the 1st Jan last season – if we can do that, then bettering our points tally for the 2nd half of the season shouldn’t be too difficult. Who knows where that will put us though mate.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Not sure about Whickham, depends on the deal really, whether we make Ferreyra’s deal permanent, whether we can get someone better, who we can move on etc.
If Sunderland offer him atleast equal terms to his current deal then they will get a tribunal fee at the end of his contract, unless he moves abroad so they are not in a completely weakened bargaining position
alanthedog(Quote)
I would rather offload Taylor and sign a £6m CB than get Wickham to be honest. I don’t see him as much of a step up (or even as good as) Rivier and Chucky. The defence is Williamson + Collo or Mbiwa. Anything else looks very poor.
DJG(Quote)
See we’re trying to sign a player from Forest – potential he’s called…
Stuart79(Quote)