Newcastle 2-1 Fulham - My thoughts and Leon Best goal video

He was lucky not to get carded.

 

5 in the first, 7 in the second.

 

Does make a nice change though, usually he gets carded for **** all.

 

**** youtube!!!

 

Was absolutely positive he got booked end of first half/ beginning of second.

The US footage I was watching made a big thing about previous tackles that he could have been booked for.

But I was on the turbo trainer while watching the match and have since checked sky and BBC and you're right - so my apologies Tash.

 

Fulham are not very good, and we just about took the three points - oh how we need a decent striker.

 

We didn't just about take 3 point. They rarely threatened our goal. We got our well deserved 3 points. I would be surprised if we had less than 60% of possession.

 

Fulham are one of the teams who, come the end of the season, we will be fighting with. Meanwhile we would have kept a clean sheet but for Smith -.-

Looking forward to bringing in a striker, and to see Maiga/Cisse and Best linking up... just so long as it keeps Lovenkrands out of the team.

 

We had 49% dear.

 

This has got to be a joke... All they did was camp in their own half and try and beat us on the break. They made 3 attacks the whole game and just smashed us with set plays.

 

they had 70+% posession after the first 20ish minutes

 

Agree with much that's been written. We were flat and poor for much of the game, save for a few performances, but totally dominated from the 40th to 75th minute.

Krul: 8 - poor positioning for goal but otherwise outstanding

Simpson: 5.5 - improved markedly as game wore on, but a definite weak link

R Taylor: 5 - the odd free-kick/shot aside he is a very poor Premiership player

Collicini: 7.5 - solid and classy as ever

S Taylor: 8 - faultless

Tiote: 6 - not quite into the groove, but improved greatly in 2nd half

Cabaye: 7 - some loose passes, but full of vim and looks the part

Obertan: 6.5 - patchy, but always a threat. Reckon he'll prove a good buy. Strange face

Best: 7.5 - worked as hard as ever. Second goal showed class not always evident

Lovenkrands: 4 - really struggling to make an impression. Slowing down and lightweight;
definitely need a smaller, tricky, goalscorer as replacement.

Guttierez: 8 - worked tirelessly and unselfishly. Too much energy spent on covering for
Raylor. Desperately need a new left back.

Substitutes: Ba can't seem to jump, but was otherwise promising. Vukic sadly had little
time to impress, while Smith had more than enough time to depress. Smith
may be likeable, but please NEVER play him again, Mildew.

So, all things considered, a surprisingly good start to the season. But let's not fool ourselves: we desperately need a quality left back, as well as decent competition for Simpson, a replacement for Lovenkrands (in the mould of Sturridge), and Smith off our books (even if we have to pay him off). We should be OK this season if we can keep Saylor and the imperious Collicini injury-free; this has the makings of an outstanding partnership.