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Match Report: NUFC 2-0 Portsmouth
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 Monday
6 February 2006
By Gaz
Pearson
3.00pm at St. James' Park: 51, 627 fans drenched in sunlight and anticipation.
Over the next 90 minutes the Toon faithful would witness the return
of Newcastle United Football Club. Thank you Glenn Roeder for the
best performance from a Newcastle side in 18 months. Oh and big Al
also managed to break a certain record!
Pompey could have rubbed salt into the wounds in what had been a choatic
few days at Newcastle. However, they didn't get the chance to. From
the moment Mark Halsey blew the whistle for kick-off to the whistle
for full-time Newcastle completely dominated proceedings.
Roeder, taking charge for the first time since becoming caretaker
manager, opted to play a 4-4-2 formation with Alan and Shola leading
the line, Charlie and Nobby on the wings, Emre and Parker in the centre
and the back four of Ramage, Boumsong, Bramble and Babayaro.
Tactically he was spot on, simply because he let them play football!
The team was fluent and incisive. Shola, although showed a poor touch
at times was a thorn in the Pompey defence. Nobby and Charlie were
looking threatening down the flanks and Emre was pulling the strings
in midfield.
However, one man stole the show. Scott Parker. His match engine and
tenacity in the centre of the field was immense. He stood out a mile
and how this lad can continued to be overlooked for England is beyond
me.
Pompey were lacking any real threat up front and Shay was basically
a spectator. A long overdue rest for our number 1 then.
He must have thought he was playing behind a different defence! Boumsong
and Bramble were solid and the clean sheet will only ignite the confidence
of the pair. Babayaro looked 10 times the player we have seen. He
got forward and defended well. Reminiscent of his Chelsea days. Peter
Ramage was no nonsense and Stephen Carr will struggle to get back
into the team.
From my point of view it's just amazing to actually be able to write
about our side like this! God knows when the last time I, or any other
match reporter could!
Newcastle's dominance was rewarded when N'Zogbia cooly slotted in
on 41 minutes after Dean Kielly, who it must be said played a blinder
in the Pompey goal, had pulled off a couple of great stops. The cheer
that went around St. James' Park at half time was a culmination of
relief after 10 months of shite football. It was a release of built
up frustration too.
We all knew these lads could play football. Now they were! For the
first 10 mins or so in the second half Pompey looked like coming back
into the game though. However, despite a wonderful cross from Matthew
Taylor that really should have been converted, Pompey failed to muster
up any real chance of note during the remainder of the match.
Shay did give us a nail biting moment when he raced out of his box
only to be rounded by the Pompey attacker but there was little cause
for concern as Bramble got back to clear with nonchalance.
Scott Parker stole the show with a superb display but there can be
little doubt that the day belonged to Alan Shearer. Shearer - Record
Breaker! 201! The rapture St. James' erupted into when Alan netted
following a deft Shola back hell, will live with me and probably all
who were there for the rest of their lives. Legend. Enough said. It
was the icing on the cake.
Newcastle United fans had at last something to cheer about. Each and
everyone of those lads played there hearts out. Moreover they looked
and played like they enjoyed it. It was a delight to see. The pre-match
huddle was a good sign that the players are united and the display
that followed dispelled any Toon fans' worries that relegation looms.
I can't help feeling that if a certain person hadn't been removed
from the scenario that the report I have just written would have been
totally different. In fact it is hard to actually write something
positive about Newcastle for it's been so long that we have had anything
positive happen at this club, on the field of play anyway.
But let's not kid ourselves. Villa away won't be easy. Nor Charlton,
Everton, Bolton and Spurs at home. But if we play like we did today
then we have a chance of climbing that table. We will be fine.
A great point to mention was that this was a great advert from our
lads to any potential manager who is thinking about taking over this
football club. They showed the true talent this team has got and we
are still missing the likes of Michael Owen, Steven Taylor and an
in-form Albert Luque!
The last word must go as a thanks to Glenn Roeder who could have easily
have hidden away from this job and sent out a negative side. He didn't
and on behalf of all the fans, thank you. Football has returned after
an absence of 18 months. Let's not lose it again!
Lineups & Match Facts |
United: Given, Ramage, Boumsong, Bramble, Babayaro, Solano
(Dyer 74), Parker (Clark 86), Emre (Bowyer 74), N'Zogbia, Shearer,
Ameobi. Subs not used: Harper, Elliott.
Goals: N'Zogbia 41, Shearer 64.
Portsmouth: Kiely, Griffin (Pamarot 46), Primus, O'Brien,
Taylor, Routledge (Todorov 46), Davis (Diao 76), Pedro Mendes, O'Neil,
D'Alessandro, Mwaruwari. Subs not used: Ashdown, Karadas.
Booked: Griffin.
Att: 51,627.
Ref: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).
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Post-Match Reaction: Glenn Roeder |
"It was important we got the victory for the fans and the players,
everyone really needed it.
"The players gave a performance, the sort of performance that
sends the fans away knowing the players gave it everything.
"It had everything, every single box was ticked for us on the
day.
"The defence has had some criticism lately but they reduced
Portsmouth's efforts at goal to virtually nothing.
"Shay Given hardly had anything to do but he coped brilliantly
with the things he did do, as he always does.
"He got a clean sheet and the defence did well too.
"In midfield, some of the one-touch passing in the first half
was as good as you will see anywhere.
"We kept the ball in their half with some quality football
throughout.
"I thought we let them off the hook by only being one up.
"I would have settled for just a goal before half-time though
because it was the least we deserved."
"It was nice that Charles N'Zogbia scored the first goal.
"I am told Charles has not had the best of times lately, but
against Portsmouth he was fantastic, some of his step-overs were fantastic.
"Some of his crosses he put in were great, I was pleased that
we got into the final third and down the side of the penalty boxes
and got crosses in as opposed to deep crosses that are easy to defend.
"We got into the crossing positions that are hard to defend
and it was down to good fortune and good goalkeeping that kept Portsmouth
in it.
"The second half was not quite as exciting because Portsmouth
never gave in and the goal came just at the right time.
"When you look at the whole game it was pleasing. Alan getting
the second goal just killed them off in the end."
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Post-Match Reaction: Freddy Shepherd |
"It was Shearer's day, of course, but every single person involved
stood up and was counted. That's what really pleased me.
"It's taken half a century to beat the record of a special
man, Jackie Milburn, and I'm thrilled it's been done by another Geordie.
Alan's goal, which clinched the three points, topped off the day to
perfection.
"But what also gave me a huge lift was that everyone - and
I mean everyone - stood tall and helped secure a vital three points.
Right from the subs who came on, through to Glenn Roeder as caretaker
manager.
"Peter Ramage and Celestine Babayaro were up for it and battled
throughout, the two central defenders stood firm after all the stick
they've taken, Scott Parker ran himself into the ground as did Emre,
Shola Ameobi set the ball up beautifully for Shearer's goal. I could
go on and on.
"Shearer's goal was written in the stars. After what we all
have been through in the last week he was meant to smash the record
on Saturday.
"We were never going to get involved in looking for a new manager
until we got this game out of the way.
"It had to be first things first. We needed the points to lift
the mood of our supporters. We'll take our time, there is no need
to rush. We know we're in safe hands with Glenn in the meantime. Full
marks to the man, he did very well for us on Saturday.
"And I've never seen Terry McDermott up and out of the dug-out so
often during a match. We have to make the right appointment and we're
not going to rush into a rash decision."
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Post-Match Reaction: Alan Shearer |
"The reception the fans gave me after scoring will live with me forever.
"I knew they would do something special but it was just incredible.
Even I was getting emotional after scoring and then five minutes later
when they were still chanting.
"I've waited a long time for it, and the longer it goes on
the harder it becomes. There was pressure on everyone and I'm just
so pleased the goal helped us get three huge points - the record was
a big, big bonus on top of that.
"For the goal itself, I recall it was a long punt downfield
that I flicked on. Shola did well to then put the ball back into me
and that left me in a one-on-one with the keeper. He had made some
great saves already in the game but I took it early and caught him
by surprise.
"The ball ended up in the back of the Gallowgate End net and
I cannot tell you how great that feels. Maybe it was fate that I was
meant to score the record goal there.
"It ranks up there with everything I've ever done in football.
I am a very happy and proud man tonight.
"When the club bought me and paid £15m they did so for me to
score goals. Thankfully I've been able to do that, but you don't score
goals without great players around you.
"Above all, the goal helped us get three massive points on
the day. Anything less would have been a disaster.
"The reception will stay with me forever.
"When I signed for the clib in 1996 I was touched by the reception
I got outside the Leazes End after signing.
"When I scored the 200th goal the noise was incredible then.
I said at the time I wouldn't mind if I never scored another goal,
but I never meant that, I was wanting to get the next goal.
"Now I've done it and it's incredible. Fingers crossed there
will still be a few more to come between now and the end of the season."
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Mn City Post-Match Reaction: Harry Redknapp |
"Newcastle played really well today.
"They have not been playing that way for some time and haven't played
well all season.
"It was interesting they could put in a performance like that after
such a bad run. But they have a team full of good players and it was
difficult for us."
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