All,
for those of you unable to attend games at Gallowgate for whatever reason here is the eighth of my match accounts for this season, including personal thoughts as a Newcastle supporter as the day’s events unfolded both outside and inside St James Park.
I was in an upbeat mood prior to attending this fixture having spent an eventful afternoon with the grand sons that almost inevitably included football talk. Amazing what comes out of the mouths of children to drag you back down to earth with a bump. In this case had I seen Odemwingie’s goal against Blackburn…umm! Closely followed by did I think West Brom were a good team? With me muttering in reply something like it was a well-taken goal and yeah not bad, but The Toon should be good enough to beat them.
With that thought firmly fixed in my mind, I left the little darlings in the safe hands of their grand mother and set off to join Canny, Fairsy plus some of the other Renegades for pre match training. Discussion during training ranged from views about the poor singing during the Speed tribute to would The Lads halt the recent slump with a win against The Baggies. It also included the decision to make our way up to the ground early, as Canny didn’t like the idea of another mad dash up the hill to Gallowgate, which was the case last time he attended St James’ Park. Shortly afterwards as the time reached 7.15pm, we finished pre match training and made our way up to the ground.
It was probably just as well we had set off a bit sooner to get in as the crowd was quickly building around the various entrances into the ground. Yet without too much bother, we were soon inside the East Stand and heading for our seats. On checking the team news, the side was as that which started against Swansea with one exception. I was surprised to find out that Haris Vuckic would be playing ahead of Hatem Ben Arfa in midfield. This omission certainly raised further question marks about the talented Frenchman in my mind. Mainly whether he fits in at Newcastle or more importantly possibly does not. With that put to one side for further pondering later the game kicked off with The Mags attacking the Leazes End.
The Toon came out of the blocks straight from the off and a high tempo game looked to be the order of the evening. The Newcastle defence also took up a very high line towards half way that again surprised me. Having witnessed what happened when they tried this against Chelski I was concerned it would also play into the hands of West Brom. As the first fifteen minutes past my confidence took a further battering as the Lads chased shadows for most of it. The Baggies appearing very composed and passing the ball around with ease. Yet the opposite was happening with the home side as too often the Mags either gave the ball away or ran into blind alleys as the opposition midfield restricted space in which to play. Inevitably, this caused mistakes and from one such error by Tiote, the first goal arrived. The defensive midfielder finding himself caught out with a poor pass that Nicky Shorey intercepted before feeding Chris Brunt, whose excellent pass sent Odemwingie clear to finish inside the post. The West Brom striker leaving Colo well behind in the sprint towards Krul in the Gallowgate End goal to put his team ahead one nil after twenty minutes.
There was almost an immediate reply however, with only the linesman on my side of the ground adjudging Leon Best off side as Ba found the back of the net preventing the goal. It looked a tight call from where I was, but there didn’t appear much protest from Toon players. As the half progressed, I just couldn’t get my head around what I was watching. Newcastle huffed and puffed towards the West Brom defence and looked short of ideas. Often simply opting for route one up to Ba and Best without any joy what so ever. The midfield continued to stutter and both wide men struggled to get involved. Ironically, the equaliser on the thirty-five minute mark came from almost out of nothing. Obertan running across the pitch about thirty yards out from goal and heading nowhere then fouled by Thomas. I have to be honest here and say I had no idea whether it was a foul or who would take the free kick. The fact Ba sent in a spectacular effort that beat the keeper all ends up probably came as much of a relief to me as it did the rest of the crowd. As up until then The Toon had been poor, yet somehow they were back in the game. The game continued in the same vein with West Brom still looking the more relaxed side while Newcastle simply looked out of sorts. At just before the break I was thinking oh well lets get back to the dressing room and sort it out behind closed doors. As it happens there was going to more to discuss than I had anticipated. Albion going back in front, on 44 minutes when McAuley scored his first goal for the club after Scharner headed a free kick back into the danger area. Most of the credit belonging to Scharner for not giving up on a ball that was possibly going out for a goal kick, but which ended up giving his side a two one lead. Despite this major set back Newcastle again almost drew level immediately as Vuckic unleashed a pile driver that cannoned off the woodwork much to the relief of Foster.
One or two around me at half time were commenting that this match was a better game than against Swansea though I was struggling to think why. The Lads, had been out played for much of it with some of our key players well short of usual standards. I hoped that it would pick up during the second period.
As the team came out it was soon apparent that APee had made the first of the evenings changes with Raylor on for Santon. I was unsure if this had been for tactical reasons or forced by injury. With the second half now underway the game became even more open and frantic than the previous half. Newcastle persevered playing a high defensive line almost inviting West Brom to run at them. Shane Long constantly pulling defenders all over the place and never giving them any time to rest. The centre forwards best moment coming on fifty-three minutes as he took the ball past Newcastle stopper Krul. Only to then strike the ball against the bar when he really should have scored. Had that effort gone in I believed there would have been no coming back from defeat for The Toon. As it worked out Albion dropped deeper and deeper practically putting all eleven players behind the ball. This meant there was even less space to open up things in an attacking sense for The Mags. Jonas just couldn’t get in the game, Best disappeared completely and Obertan was driving the crowd mental. Just past the hour, APee made his next change taking of the ineffectual Best for Ben Arfa whom many in the crowd had been shouting for to arrive. Ben Arfa is a very talented player and does things that other Toon players cannot do including going past opponents as if they are not there. Now this is great if he is in or around the box, however forty yards away from goal he is not going to hurt anyone. Sadly, that is where he spent most of his time. More I believe because too many of the others were just not interested in helping him. As the game went into the last quarter, APee brought on Shola for Obertan. By now, both players and crowd were suffering huge frustration with the turgid, slow build up play of the home side. This compounded even more as Ba had another effort ruled out for off side. Just when it appeared no breakthrough would be achieved the equaliser again arrived almost out of nothing. An inter change between Ben Arfa and Ba on the edge of the box somehow going wrong yet allowing Ba to pounce inside the area and smash the ball past Foster. St James’ Park erupted again out of relief as much as anything else with eighty-one minutes having elapsed. Given our performance on the night, I would have settled for the draw and taken a point. That said this is The Toon I’m talking about and where we had struggled for most of the game suddenly the side looked capable of taking all three points. Yet the Football Gods can be a fickle lot as once more they turned their backs on The Toon Army. They weren’t the only ones as on eighty-five minutes Albion counter attacked. Shane Long finding space down the Baggies right before picking out Odemwingie with a searching centre who was then able to head back across goal and with James Perch stranded in no man's land, Scharner sealed West Broms win with a sweetly-struck half-volley.
Many in the crowd may have been thinking about last May and the three all draw. No third equaliser arrived however once Tiote was denied from close range following a block by Foster. That stop gave Roy Hodgson's side a fourth away win of the season, on an evening when finding space and using it effectively came far easier to the West Midlands team than it did The Toon.
Positives…...Ba still scoring despite bugger all service, another magnificent crowd of 51,060 and Vuckic played as well as anyone on the night.
Negatives……….the winless run continues, appalling defensive errors similar to the season we were relegated and yes the luck has ran out.
Next up is a Boxing Day away game with Bolton at the Reebok lets all pray we don’t have another post Christmas horror show.
CWL
I've seen Newcastle United win silverware!