Saturday's Football Review: Newcastle ghastly, Arsenal splendid
Posted 21-09-2008 at 01:58 PM by UsR EXTR3ME
The year seemed to have started excellently for Newcastle, with a surprising 1-1 draw at Old Trafford against Man Utd, and a home win against Bolton - yet just a month into the new season, there is a possibility that the Toon could well be seeing themselves in a relegation battle.
With Kevin Keegan causing confusion and disbelief days after the August Transfer Window's conclusion by leaving the club where he is considered a 'messiah', and club owner Mike Ashley coming under severe criticism from the fans, the team are falling to pieces, with the events appearing to unsettle the Newcastle squad.
They were the ones teaching Man Utd how to defend in their first game of the campaign, however they are now simply dreadful at the back, as shown by their poor 2-1 loss at home to Hull City last week. And yesterday's 3-1 defeat at the hands of West Ham gives the message that Newcastle need to find a new manager - and owner - before it is too late. The club sits second bottom of the Premier League table, but if Tottenham win by three goals or more, they will be in 20th position.
At the other end of the table, meanwhile, Arsenal produced another fine display at the Reebok Stadium, coming from a goal down to defeat Bolton 3-1. And with Chelsea playing Man Utd later today in the first clash between these two fierce rivals, Arsene Wenger knew that this was his side's greatest chance of climbing to the top of the league.
Liverpool 0-0 Stoke City
The surprise result from Saturday's games was this 0-0 draw at Anfield between Liverpool and Stoke City. Reds' boss Rafael Benitez beliefs his side were denied an early winner unfairly by referee Andre Marriner, when Steven Gerrard's second-minute free-kick floated in from the left and, without making contact with any other players, found its way into the bottom-left corner. Dirk Kuyt was ruled offside by the man in charge, although he was standing in a position that surely made it impossible to declare an offside.
Either way, despite Kuyt being level when Gerrard's set piece was delivered, Liverpool can't blame a poor decision for the reason behind a home draw against Stoke, especially after having 30 attempts fail to find the back of the net, with only six hitting the target. Robbie Keane had many of those chances, and although we all know that first Liverpool goal will come for the Irishman, he really should have netted one or two yesterday.
West Ham 3-1 Newcastle
It isn't getting any better for Newcastle, who, after a terribly negative display against Hull seven days ago, were even worse yesterday. And when luck isn't on your side, deflections and lucky bounces won't be either - the case for West Ham's first goal, scored by newcomer David di Michele. The Italian cut inside, and attempted a low and hard shot at Shay Given's goal, but instead the ball clipped a defender, and looped over the Irishman and into the back of the net.
The goal set the tone really for a really dull day for everyone involved with Newcastle. The second goal was really ridiculous defensively. Di Michele hit a shot, and after a decent save from Given, the defence stood and watched as the man on loan from Torino collected the ball yards out, flicked the ball over Steven Taylor, and drilled in his second of the afternoon.
And whilst the first goal was lucky, the third was just unlucky on Newcastle's behalf. Their defending was poor again, but di Michele appeared to milalalala a shot, only for Matthew Etherington to be in the right place at the right time to add a third.
Michael Owen neatly slotted home a consolation, and applied a little pressure towards the end, but the only way this club will improve is by sorting out the issues backstage.
Sunderland 2-0 Middlesbrough
On a day when Sunderland weren't really getting anywhere, former Newcastle forward Michael Chopra emerged from the substitutes bench to grab a brace and win the game for the Black Cats.
No-one likes losing, but Middlesbrough midfielder Stewart Downing will have been the least happiest player in the Boro' dressing room yesterday after blazing a penalty over the bar. Nyron Nosworthy was adjudged to have brought Frenchman Jereme Aliadiere down in the box, a decision that may have been rather harshly given by Howard Webb, but nonetheless Downing didn't take the chance to put the team in blue ahead.
And with the El Hadji Diouf-Djibril Cisse partnership ceasing to result in much attacking flair or any goals, Roy Keane threw Chopra on - and he made an instant impact, running on to a Kieran Richardson through-ball to open the scoring, before tapping home a second into an empty net with Steed Malbranque choosing not to go for goal.
Blackburn 1-0 Fulham
Manager Paul Ince returned to winning ways with a win over Roy Hodgson's Fulham, with substitute Matt Derbyshire scoring the game's only goal with less than ten minutes remaining.
The game produced little chances - six on goal to be exact - Derbyshire's goal, rounding off a neat move, being the highlight of a rather eventless encounter.
"The clean sheet pleased me. It was important for the team. When you have got the likes of Roque Santa Cruz and Matty Derbyshire you are always likely to score goals. Having a full week's preparation was massive. We have had four or five good days working really hard in training."
Blackburn boss Paul Ince
Bolton 1-3 Arsenal
Bolton - a team often causing problems for Arsenal - fell victim to some simply awesome football from an Arsenal side that are looking in prestige condition. Kevin Davies' header with less than a quarter of an hour played put the home side in front - but from then on it was as if a switch had been flicked. Arsenal turned up the heat to produce some scintillating football and condemn Bolton to defeat.
There was more than a suspicion of offside against Emmanuel Eboue, who netted Arsenal's first with a well-placed shot low into the bottom-right corner - and Nicklas Bendtner put the Gunners in front just ninety seconds later, with a fantastic move oozing with speed and flair. England's hat-trick hero Theo Walcott collected the ball in his own half, and sped past plenty of Bolton's defenders, before knocking the ball to Emmanuel Adebayor, who in turn drilled the ball across the goalmouth for Bendtner to slide home a second.
The third was similar; Adebayor crossing low and hard, this time for Denilson to score and seal a truly impressive win.
With Kevin Keegan causing confusion and disbelief days after the August Transfer Window's conclusion by leaving the club where he is considered a 'messiah', and club owner Mike Ashley coming under severe criticism from the fans, the team are falling to pieces, with the events appearing to unsettle the Newcastle squad.
They were the ones teaching Man Utd how to defend in their first game of the campaign, however they are now simply dreadful at the back, as shown by their poor 2-1 loss at home to Hull City last week. And yesterday's 3-1 defeat at the hands of West Ham gives the message that Newcastle need to find a new manager - and owner - before it is too late. The club sits second bottom of the Premier League table, but if Tottenham win by three goals or more, they will be in 20th position.
At the other end of the table, meanwhile, Arsenal produced another fine display at the Reebok Stadium, coming from a goal down to defeat Bolton 3-1. And with Chelsea playing Man Utd later today in the first clash between these two fierce rivals, Arsene Wenger knew that this was his side's greatest chance of climbing to the top of the league.
Liverpool 0-0 Stoke City
The surprise result from Saturday's games was this 0-0 draw at Anfield between Liverpool and Stoke City. Reds' boss Rafael Benitez beliefs his side were denied an early winner unfairly by referee Andre Marriner, when Steven Gerrard's second-minute free-kick floated in from the left and, without making contact with any other players, found its way into the bottom-left corner. Dirk Kuyt was ruled offside by the man in charge, although he was standing in a position that surely made it impossible to declare an offside.
Either way, despite Kuyt being level when Gerrard's set piece was delivered, Liverpool can't blame a poor decision for the reason behind a home draw against Stoke, especially after having 30 attempts fail to find the back of the net, with only six hitting the target. Robbie Keane had many of those chances, and although we all know that first Liverpool goal will come for the Irishman, he really should have netted one or two yesterday.
West Ham 3-1 Newcastle
It isn't getting any better for Newcastle, who, after a terribly negative display against Hull seven days ago, were even worse yesterday. And when luck isn't on your side, deflections and lucky bounces won't be either - the case for West Ham's first goal, scored by newcomer David di Michele. The Italian cut inside, and attempted a low and hard shot at Shay Given's goal, but instead the ball clipped a defender, and looped over the Irishman and into the back of the net.
The goal set the tone really for a really dull day for everyone involved with Newcastle. The second goal was really ridiculous defensively. Di Michele hit a shot, and after a decent save from Given, the defence stood and watched as the man on loan from Torino collected the ball yards out, flicked the ball over Steven Taylor, and drilled in his second of the afternoon.
And whilst the first goal was lucky, the third was just unlucky on Newcastle's behalf. Their defending was poor again, but di Michele appeared to milalalala a shot, only for Matthew Etherington to be in the right place at the right time to add a third.
Michael Owen neatly slotted home a consolation, and applied a little pressure towards the end, but the only way this club will improve is by sorting out the issues backstage.
Sunderland 2-0 Middlesbrough
On a day when Sunderland weren't really getting anywhere, former Newcastle forward Michael Chopra emerged from the substitutes bench to grab a brace and win the game for the Black Cats.
No-one likes losing, but Middlesbrough midfielder Stewart Downing will have been the least happiest player in the Boro' dressing room yesterday after blazing a penalty over the bar. Nyron Nosworthy was adjudged to have brought Frenchman Jereme Aliadiere down in the box, a decision that may have been rather harshly given by Howard Webb, but nonetheless Downing didn't take the chance to put the team in blue ahead.
And with the El Hadji Diouf-Djibril Cisse partnership ceasing to result in much attacking flair or any goals, Roy Keane threw Chopra on - and he made an instant impact, running on to a Kieran Richardson through-ball to open the scoring, before tapping home a second into an empty net with Steed Malbranque choosing not to go for goal.
Blackburn 1-0 Fulham
Manager Paul Ince returned to winning ways with a win over Roy Hodgson's Fulham, with substitute Matt Derbyshire scoring the game's only goal with less than ten minutes remaining.
The game produced little chances - six on goal to be exact - Derbyshire's goal, rounding off a neat move, being the highlight of a rather eventless encounter.
"The clean sheet pleased me. It was important for the team. When you have got the likes of Roque Santa Cruz and Matty Derbyshire you are always likely to score goals. Having a full week's preparation was massive. We have had four or five good days working really hard in training."
Blackburn boss Paul Ince
Bolton 1-3 Arsenal
Bolton - a team often causing problems for Arsenal - fell victim to some simply awesome football from an Arsenal side that are looking in prestige condition. Kevin Davies' header with less than a quarter of an hour played put the home side in front - but from then on it was as if a switch had been flicked. Arsenal turned up the heat to produce some scintillating football and condemn Bolton to defeat.
There was more than a suspicion of offside against Emmanuel Eboue, who netted Arsenal's first with a well-placed shot low into the bottom-right corner - and Nicklas Bendtner put the Gunners in front just ninety seconds later, with a fantastic move oozing with speed and flair. England's hat-trick hero Theo Walcott collected the ball in his own half, and sped past plenty of Bolton's defenders, before knocking the ball to Emmanuel Adebayor, who in turn drilled the ball across the goalmouth for Bendtner to slide home a second.
The third was similar; Adebayor crossing low and hard, this time for Denilson to score and seal a truly impressive win.
Total Comments 0
