Premiership: NUFC 1-0 Liverpool
Newcastle United made it 5 wins in 5
earlier today, beating Liverpool 1-0 at St. James' Park in a
scrappy, boring but somewhat enjoyable game. Graeme Souness
stuck with a 4-4-2 formation once more with Laurent Robert starting
again and it was the Frenchman who won the game as he did on
New Years Day 2003, with a cracking curling free-kick on 70
minutes to give his manager one of those much talked about 1-0
scorelines and his first ever win over his old club in 13 attempts.
(A season for records, perhaps?)
Liverpool it has to be said, arrived on Tyneside with a host
of injuries and missing January signing Fernando Morientes who
pulled out of the game prior to kick-off with rumours circulating
that he refused to play, although an injury was given as the
official explanation. And it was Rafa Benitez's side that started
the better of the two without ever looking like creating anything
to worry us. Newcastle on the other hand came out of the traps
tentative and slow to react but after the break it was all United,
who at times camped in the visitors half.
(It makes a change from storming the first-half of a game, only
to blow up in the second - that's 3 games in the space of 17
days in which we have come on stronger in the latter stages
of a match. Heerenveen away, Bolton at Home and now Liverpool.
Another problem that seems to have been addressed since the
Dubai trip?)
Back to the game...
Robert's strike aside there wasn't much goal action from United
who failed to test Scott Carson - the debutant Reds 'keeper
- with any real efforts at goal despite all of our possession
(64% according to the stats) and dominance in the middle of
the park. With sloppy passing, wrong selection of pass, poor
finishing (Patrick Kluivert latter moments) and good defending
from the visitors thwarting us.
At our end Liverpool were abysmal just like they were last season
where they clearly came to get a point, as they did in this
game with their ultra defensive game plan. Regardless, a big
shout has to go out to the whole of the back-five with Titus
Bramble and Jean-Alain Boumsong imperious and Stephen Carr and
Aaron Hughes on the flanks equally outstanding. Shay Given never
had a save to make all afternoon as Liverpool weren't any threat
but a lot of that is down to the much improved United rearguard.
Well played once again.
In midfield we struggled to create and to get deep in and behind
Liverpool's defence at times but the combination of Amdy Faye
and Lee Bowyer in the centre protected our own very well. Robert
had a canny(ish) game and Kieron Dyer was full of running without
as penetrating as he has been of late. Up front both Alan Shearer,
making his 400th Premiership appearance (congratulations Al)
and Shola Ameobi battled hard but didn't have any real impact,
with the latter once again failing to grab these 1st team chances
with any real conviction. Time is running out Shola as is patience...
It wasn't vintage stuff from our lot that brought the win. No
it was a combination of steely determination to get all 3 points,
terrific team-spirit and work ethic as well as great backing
from the crowd that enabled us to see off an awful Liverpool
side who on this performance (despite their injuries), have
far more problems than we have to be concerned about. No fight,
desire or spirit from the Anfield team whatsoever with Steven
Gerrard and Milan Baros in particular with their minds seemingly
on something else, or somewhere else.
All in all a great win for the Toon. A massive 3 points and
a sweet, sweet victory with lots of positives to take from the
90 for Souness, the lads and of course, the fans.
And while this was by no means a great performance where the
football flowed nor the greatest of opposition, at this stage
of the season points are all that matters and at least we are
now seeing some kind of semblance of a team. A team with 5 wins
on the spin, champion.
But lets not get carried away just yet... for there remains
many things that need worked on and major surgery needs carried
out in the close season. Nonetheless a damn fine win and a damn
fine couple of weeks.
Well done Graeme and the lads.
A special mention also has to go out to the crowd who for a
spell in the second half created a tremendous din as good as
any this season and for a long time which was marvelous to be
a part of, absolutely marvelous. Now why can't we do that for
the entire 90 and in every match? Today we were the 12th man
and the support and backing visibly lifted the team. The lads
are doing their bit and we are doing ours - truly United? Aye,
and about time. Lets hope we can keep it going because it's
just starting to get a little exciting and make or break time
part II is just a stones throw away.
Teams
United: Given, Carr, Bramble, Boumsong, Hughes, Dyer
(Butt 88), Faye, Bowyer (Jenas 77), Robert, Shearer, Ameobi
(Kluivert 67). Subs not used: Harper, Taylor.
Booked: Faye, Robert.
Liverpool: Carson, Finnan, Pellegrino (Le Tallec 82),
Hyypia, Carragher, Luis Garcia, Biscan, Smicer (Nunez 75), Gerrard,
Riise, Baros (Warnock 88). Subs not used: Dudek, Welsh.
Booked: Gerrard, Smicer.
Att: 52,323
Ref: Howard (twat once again) Webb.
P.S The half-time boos were not for the lads or any individual,
but for the referee who once again had a crap game.
 |
Toon Striker At It Again
For Barnsley that is. While Shola Ameobi
continues to unimpress in the Black & White shirt, his fellow
team-mate and striker Michael Chopra is doing exactly the opposite.
The Gosforth born Toon man scored his 14th goal for the Tykes
today as Barnsley beat Peterborough United 3-1 at London Road.
A winning start for caretaker manager Andy Ritchie, after Paul
Hart's sacking on Friday.
Well done Chopra, keep it ganning and hopefully we'll see you
back at St. James' Park in the Summer. We just might need you. |
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
|
 |
Toon
Shirts |
|
Sponsors |
|
