It might have looked like you guys were battering us, but I honestly think that was the plan all along from Pardew and the team. He knew how well you guys could keep possession, so trying to close you all down and chase the ball just would have tired us out with very little to show for it. Instead, we sat back, let you guys do your passing thing and then cut you off before you got too close, all the while, we were waiting for a rare gap to open up, and with the strike force of HBA, Cisse and Ba, all we needed was just a few chances, and that's what we got. Not very attractive, but damn effective. Either way though, that was a bloody difficult game. All the best for the rest of the season.
"Not very attractive, but damn effective." sums the Toon up this season. Top notch tactical nowse from Pardew to be fair. We'll be fine of course but if ever there was a lesson in 'possession is just a platform, it isn't everything' then today was it.
Are you serious? Apart from a brief period of hoofball because of the win against Man U, we've been playing flowing, counter attack football. Hardly unattractive! That said, I admire the way in which you play your football. With that cutting edge up front you would be up there fighting with us!
As Grandad was a Geordie the Toon have always been my 'second team' so I've watched you a lot. So yes, I'm serious. You play long ball quite a bit, relying on Ba or Ameobi if he comes off the bench to knock it down for Cisse. I've seen you win ugly quite a bit this season - but at least you win. No offence but if you think your display today was 'flowing' then you're bonkers! Can't say we deserved anything because we didn't test Krul enough for my liking and Cisse was the difference. Chuffed with our season though, and chuffed for the Toon getting top 6.
I think that's a little unfair to sum up our entire season, we've won ugly when we've had to like today and played the long ball a few matches, but we've also played some pretty neat stuff on quite a few occasions and scored some nice goals. Best of luck to you for the rest of the season.
Not quite. We've actually been praised by many pundits and supporters of other teams for our creative, attacking and exciting football this season, especially in 2012 with HBA, Ba and Cisse. Perhaps not so much earlier on in the season, but when you don't have the players to go 4-4-3 and pull it off, then it isn't worth risking it. It's just on this particular occasion we've had to revert from the 4-4-3 we've played against West Brom and Liverpool, instead sitting deep to deal with your hefty levels of possession. Watch our next game and you'll see us playing back to the way we did before it.
"Swansea dominated possession but Newcastle penetrated as the same pair combined to seal a smash-and-grab win." BBC match report. I think smash-and-grab sums it up. Vorm only touched the ball twice and that was to pick the ball out the net. (An exaggeration but you take the point). Two quality finishes from Cisse, so well done and good luck with your challenge for a Champion's League spot.
We've not been bad to watch this season at all. We've changed our game to who we play all season. Against WBA we put on one of the bet attacking performances of the entire season. Today we didn't. Pardew, like most fans, likes points. If we can get it playing nice football then we will. If we play like we did them its probably cos he respects you. Today I thought neither team created anything proper and it was down to pure class by Cisse to finish 2 difficult chances. We were just more clinical. Good luck for the rest of the season
Today we didn't have that chance, but the last 2 weeks are an example of the football we have been playing this season. I'm not being biased because we have played some horrible football (Man U, Stoke etc) but in 2012 mainly, we've been very exciting with HBA, Ba and Cissé going riot up front.
When we play quality sides (of which you are) we tend to hoof it a bit. Go for the old smash and grab which in the most part has been successful. You guys had most possession and should have scored one or two goals yourselves. Against poorer sides, we play more flowing football (Liverpool, West Brom etc)
I think wins like today is what has made us good this year. Swansea's inflexibility was their problem today. Plan A didn't work. Edit: Altering tactics if needs be.
Thats what I mean. It's all good and well playing the football you try to do and do successfully a fair bit but on days like this other types are needed. Only Barca are good enough for no plan B
Had a little grin to myself today when John Motson on Football Focus referred to Wigan as a "mini- Swansea"!!! I bet that pleased RM no end. As a matter of fact imo, Wigan, at their BEST, move the ball as well as we do but a whole lot quicker. If they had a defence and a goal scorer worthy of the name, they would easily be mid table.
