Manchester City 1-1 Newcastle United |
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Date:
Wednesday 2nd February 2005
Kick Off: 7.45pm BST
Venue: City of Manchester Stadium
Att: 45,752
Ref: Andy D'Urso
Comp: Premiership |
| Match Preview
In Association With Toon
Ale |
|
Awful
By Maddog
Writing down notes through the match is a bit weird. I wonder how
managers do it. I was trying to jot down a word here and there and
yet trying not miss the match action. After 10 minutes, I think I
gave up and made notes only at half-time and full-time.
The match started off brightly for Newcastle after a brilliant long
cross field ball by Titus Bramble sent Alan Shearer with a clear sight
of the goal and he made no mistake blasting the ball from a tight
angle with an unstoppable shot into the net.
Shearer has een recently been taking a lot of stick from some quarters
(including yours truly) for not scoring enough goals from open play,
but he reminded us once again what we will be missing when/if he hangs
up his boots in the summer.
His first touch was just perfect and the power he got behind the ball
to blast it can only be matched by a few. Most strikers would have
tried to set up Shola Ameobi who was in a good position, but not Shearer
who isn't afraid to have a shot at the goal. Whether it be Patrick
Kluivert, Ameobi or Portsmouth's Yakubu who inherits the number 9,
they will have a big task filling his boots.
Ameobi had a good attempt at goal when his curling shot sailed just
over the bar.
However for the remainder of the match, Ameobi was mostly anonymous
and didn't look like the 20-goal a season striker Graeme Souness had
claimed he could be in his pre-match notes.
He loses the ball too easily for a centre-forward and the combination
with Shearer isn't very tasty.
Despite scoring an early goal and dominating the midfield Newcastle
failed to exert their authority on the game, with chances at goal
being few and far between.
At the other end it was no different with the Toon defence looking
unusually good. And with Jean Alain Boumsong and Steven Taylor not
even in the back-four, it surely is good news to the Toon fans.
Jon Macken and Robbie Fowler had two good half chances to score, but
their headers were wide and over the the goal respectively.
Shay Given had a Roy Carroll moment when he kicked the air after attempting
a clearance, but the heart-stopping moment turned into a harmless
laugh for Toon fans as the ball rolled at a safe distance from the
goal and the onrushing City player. Given made no mistake the second
time around.
Shaun Wright-Phillips who had been kept well in check by the impressive
Celestine Babayaro and Lee Bowyer, finally made his mark on the game.
As Wright Phillips raced onto a through ball, Bramble slid in a tackle.
Despite numerous television replays it was hard to see whether there
was contact or not, and it can be deemed as controversial, although
Bramble did not protest.
Fowler stepped up and made no mistake sending Given the wrong way
and pretending to smoke a fag as a goal celebration.
As time went on it became increasingly clear what the result would
be - a draw.
Bowyer was guilty of some unsporting behavior as he kicked Toon target
Slyvain Distin's legs as they tussled for the ball at the City end.
Both players squared up to each other with Distin appearing to push
Bowyer in the throat and Bowyer grabbing and holding Distin's shirt
for a good 60 seconds.
Both players were booked.
Graeme Souness bought on Kluivert for Ameobi after the striker had
an ineffective hour and bizarrely replaced Kieron Dyer with Nicky
Butt, when the game was at 1-1. This left us with two defensive midfielders
in the centre, and with Given taking his time to take a free kick
when the match was in injury time, it clearly indicated that Graeme
Souness was happy with a draw.
In conclusion a fair result with the lack in class in both sides clearly
visible - mid-table mediocrity looks the most likely prediction for
this season. Some words on Celestine Babayaro. If you ask me, I think
Babayaro is much better than Bernard defensively. If he can keep his
time at Newcastle injury-free I think he can go on to become a very
good player for us.
More...
Toon Player Ratings Vs Man City
| Man
City |
Newcastle
United |
Match
Facts & Stats
Half-Time: 1-0
Full-Time: 1-1
Yellow Cards: 5
Red Cards: 0
Goalscorers: Fowler (49 pen)
Yellow Cards: Distin (56), Bosvelt (83)
Red Cards: 0
Substitutions: 1
B.Wright-Phillips (Macken 84)
Injuries: N/A
Goalscorers: Shearer
(9)
Yellow Cards: Jenas (38), Bowyer (55), O'Brien (71)
Red Cards: 0
Substitutions: 2
Butt (Dyer 63), Kluivert (Ameobi 65)
Injuries: None |
| James |
Given |
| Mills |
Carr |
| Distin |
O'Brien |
| Dunne |
Bramble |
| Thatcher |
Babayaro |
| S.Wright-Phillips |
Dyer |
| Barton |
Faye |
| Bosvelt |
Bowyer |
| Musampa |
Jenas |
| Fowler |
Shearer |
| Macken |
Ameobi |
| Substitutes
Bench |
| Weaver |
Harper |
| Onuoha |
Hughes |
| Jordan |
Butt |
|
McManaman |
Robert |
| B.Wright-Phillips |
Kluivert |
| Possession, Shots, Corners,
Fouls & Saves |
| Man
City |
The
Game |
Newcastle |
| 59% |
Possession |
41% |
| 1 |
Shots
(on target) |
1 |
| 4 |
Shots (off target) |
2 |
| 3 |
Corners |
1 |
| 11 |
Fouls |
18 |
| 1 |
Saves |
1 |
Alan Shearer's 3rd goal in 4 games since returning from injury and
his 250th Premiership goal of his career.
| How The Goals Were
Scored |
Newcastle Goal 9 Minutes: Alan Shearer
A delightful 50-yard clip over Man City's defence from Bramble saw
Alan Shearer race onto it, advance towards the box, and then unleashing
a hard drive past James for a cracking goal. Goal of the game.
Man City Goal 49 Minutes: Robbie Fowler (penalty)
Bramble lunged into Sean Wright-Phillips in the box leaving ref Andy
D'Urso no choice but to award the home side a penalty. Up stepped
Fowler to slot home.
| Match Reaction From
Graeme Souness |
Souness said:
"We came up against an excellent Arsenal side that was upset at being
beaten by Bolton last week.
"We couldn't have asked for a better start to the game. "It was a
fantastic ball to Alan from Titus, and what a way to notch number
250.
"The goalkeeper didn't even move until the ball was in the net.
It was a great finish.
"We were well on top after that. We defended well when we had to,
and limited them in the final third.
"But unfortunately we couldn't get that second goal which would have
given us that little bit of a cushion, and we've paid the price early
in the second half.
"On the balance of play, particularly in the first 45 minutes, I feel
disappointed that we're not returning home with three points."
| Match Reaction
From Kevin Keegan |
Keegan said:
"The penalty came at just the right time and Robbie stuck it away
so well.
"Suddenly we were then thinking that we could go on and win the game,
something that seemed unlikely in the first half.
"We had looked devoid of ideas then and didn't pose a threat. I think
Robbie had one header and Shaun had a mis-hit shot.
"I don't think that Shay Given had a shot to save and the only shot
that David James had to save was the one that went in the net from
Alan Shearer.
"I said to the players at half time that even though we were not good
neither were Newcastle and asked them to put it right in the second
half which they did.
"We showed character and determination to get back into the game.
Looking at the other results it is probably a point gained for both
of us.
"Our first priority is to get to that forty point mark and stay in
this Division.
"It was also the first of three very tough games for us and we did
not want to lose it.
"We would like to have won it but in the end I think a draw was a
fair result." |
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