Looking Forward

Newcastle United  (Away)

Premier League

Saturday 1st April 2006

With all the hype about Newcastle at the start of the season and signing Michael Owen and all that, it looked like teams would be falling at their feet throughout this season, but that is not the way it has happened for the Toon.  A series of calamitous managerial appointments and personal mistakes from players have left the North-East side bereft of trophies for years and sitting in a bottom half position in the Premiership, out of the running for a European place, after having enjoyed a few, finally pointless (without getting to a final) jaunts onto the continent.

Graeme Souness finally got the old heave-ho and without wanting to upset tings further this season, the club decided nto to go for a new manager, but wait until the end of the season.  In came Glenn Roeder, the club's Academy manager, with Alan Shearer to help him out.  Not that everything has gone smoothly since then, with a FA Cup defeat at Chelsea (with a helping hand from Drogba) meaning that St. Shearer will not get a medal with his beloved Geordie team.  Some players have proved that they are not up to the task and with a new manager coming in during the summer, there is sure to be another clear-out of players and lots more money spent on new recruits.

Before then, they have to play out this season, with the players they have available. 

In Shay Given, they probably have their best player and he has performed at a consistent level for the side this season, keeping them in many games.  Although short, he is agile and keeps well for his size.  His understudy Steve Harper has been patient and done well when he has come in, but will probably move on soon to find first team action on a more regular basis.  A capable stand-in, he has not quite reached the level of Given, but if he had the time he might improve to a good standard.

The defence has been a weak point with former Spur Stephen Carr just returning to fitness, but with Titus Bramble and Alain Boumsong in the middle of the back four, the solidity has been missing from the side.  Both central defenders are prone to mistakes, which have cost the Geordies a lot of points.  Missing through injury will be Celestine Babayaro and Steven Taylor and it is injuries and suspensions that have disrupted the defence this season.  Peter Ramage is a player they have high hopes for, but his first half performance against Spurs at the Lane saw him replaced, so hesitant was it.  More recently, Craig Moore has featured in the back four alongside Boumsong, but didn't look convincing, although Robbie Elliott will be back from suspension at full back and he is a sound enough player, but his pace is lacking and could be given the run-around by Lennon.

Scott Parker looks like he will be out for the rest of the season with Glandular Fever and with Lee Bowyer still there when he isn't suspended, the midfield is another area which has been unsettled by the inability to field a settled unit, especially with Kieron Dyer having endless illness and injury problems.  Former midfielder Lee Clark has returned, as has Norberto Solano, with the latter being more likely to feature and he has a good passing ability and also a threat from set-pieces.  Turkish international Emre has not been the player that Newcastle hoped he would be, although hit by injury, while Amdy Faye has had the same lack of impact on the side or the opposition.  Youngster Charles N'Zogbia has shown a fast turn of pace and good skill on the ball when called upon.  He might be a tricky customer to face and hopefully, Jol will stick with Kelly, as he would be the better option to keep him in check.

Michael Owen and Albert Luque will both be out injured for this match, leaving Shola Ameobi, Michael Chopra and Shearer.  The old warhorse will be looking for one final fling against Spurs and with the prospect of Ledley King and Michael Dawson up against him, he will want to show he cans till do it against the young rising stars.  Ameobi is a Kanu type striker, but hopefully our defence will be able to cope with his ungainly approach to the game.  Shearer will be all about power and intimidation, so it will be a test for the defenders, while Chopra is a keen forward who the club thought would have a big future, but they might move him on in the summer, as he does not look a clinical finisher in the Premiership.

With Tottenham winning games they might not have done in the past, this one is winnable, but with nothing much to play for except Geordie Pride, the Magpies might be up for it and provide a test for Spurs.  A win would boost the hopes of finishing in a European position, so Spurs will need to be compact and then hit the home side on the break with Lennon and Defoe providing the pace up front, with Keane showing his invention to the best effect.  It won't be an easy one, but I think there might be enough in the Tottenham side and with Parker missing from the United team, when he was the best player for them at the Lane, it might rip the heart out of their line-up.  Close but a win for Spurs I think ...

PREDICTION : -   Newcastle United  0   Tottenham Hotspur  1

For more information on the opponents and their history, including full result history of matches between the two teams, click here.

Coverage

TV :
For coverage in all parts of the world, check here and here.
Match of the Day  22.20-23.40 (highlights)

Radio :  
BBC Radio London - BBC LONDON Digital Radio (London area only) and Sky Channel 0152 (live coverage)

If available on BBC radio, it can be heard in these countries on these stations ...
Australia (Melbourne) SEN  -  116 AM  Live Transmissions: TWI, Saturday. 12.45 & 1500 matches
Australia (Syndey)  Radio 2  -  1611AM  Live Transmission: TWI, Saturday, 12.45 Match
Singapore Media Corp Radio  -  93.8 FM  Live Transmission: TWI, Saturday, 15.00 Match
South Africa  SABC (Radio 2000)  Live Transmission: TWI, Saturday, 15.00 Match
Uganda  Radio 1 (English) 90.0 FM, Radio 2 (Lugandan) 87.9 FM  Live Transmission: TWI, Saturday, 15.00 Match
North America (USA, Canada, Mexico, Carribean)  Sirius Satellite Radio  Live transmission: Saturday - 12.45, 15.00 (TWI) & 17.15 (BBC) Sunday - 14.00 & 16.05 (BBC) Mon, Tue, Wed - Various times (BBC)

Internet :
www.spurs.co.uk   Live webcast  - subscribers only
Planet football - http://play.www.planetfootball.servecast.net/downloads/sky/spurs-pl04-kean0.ram (free - only available when match is on) ... link has not been working of late, so there is no guarantee that you will be able to connect.

Given

Carr
Ramage
Moore
Elliott

Solano (Faye 78)
Bowyer
Emre (Clark 64)
N'Zogbia (Chopra 89)

Shearer (c)
Ameobi

Unused subs: 
Harper
Boumsong
 

Robinson

Kelly
Dawson
Gardner
Lee

Jenas
Carrick
Davids (Murphy 87)
Lennon (Defoe 68)

Keane (c)
Mido

Unused subs: 
Cerny
Stalteri
Huddlestone

Bowyer 2
Ameobi 25
Shearer (p) 30

Tottenham Hotspur

Keane 19

 

   
Moore (foul) 8
Emre (handball) 35
    

       
Dawson (foul) 34
Mido (dissent) 62
Keane (dissent) 69

     
Dawson (foul - second yellow) 61 

A first half that saw Spurs totally outclassed left them a mountain to climb that was a peak too far and left their hopes of a European place hanging by a thread.

From the very second minute when Lee Bowyer ran away from Edgar Davids to pop up in the six yard box to knock in N'Zogbia's cross, Spurs were chasing the game.  If Davids had chased Bowyer throughout his time on the pitch, perhaps it might not have come to that.  His age might be catching up with him, but his knowledge of the game should help him and his team-mates in picking up opponents in matches like this.  By the time he pulled Bowyer back in the penalty area after half an hour, the game was lost.  Shearer was always going to score from the resulting penalty.

Newcastle have done nothing this season, having lost the previous four matches, so Spurs should have gone there in good heart.  Instead of giving Newcastle problems, we gave them to ourselves.  Without Ledley King, it looked like the heart had been ripped out of the side.  It didn't help either in this game nor for the next four, when Dawson got sent off for fouling Shearer and picking up his second yellow card in the second half.

There seemed a lack of energy and a lack of perception leaving Newcastle to take the initiative and take the points.  Spurs were poor across most of the team, with only Robbie Keane and Michael Carrick showing anything like their true form.  It didn't help that we conceded a goal right at the start of this match rather than at the end like we recently have.  Gardner and Kelly got outstripped by N'Zogbia, who left Bowyer the simple task of putting the bal into an empty net when it went beyond Robinson.  It was just the start we didn't want.

I am afraid it was the start of a poor performance by Gardner and might have signalled the end of his time at the club.  With rumours of central defenders being linked with the club and Davenport not given a run at all, he might find his way out of the Lane with players waiting to take over.

Ameobi missed left with a shot and Robbo could not hold an effort from N'Zogbia from close in, but there was nobody to finish it off ... this time.  It was all Newcastle with Dawson blocking a Bowyer shot, then another from Shearer.  And then Spurs were level.  With our first attack, Lennon's pace took him away from Carr and his head high cross was headed in by Keane, who started the move, to give Spurs a goal.  At this stage, things didn't look too bad despite the home side dominating.

Five minutes after the goal, Dawson was at it again, blocking Solano's drive, but a minute later, the Peruvian struck another goal-bound effort that Robinson could only push out and Ameobi was on hand this time to knock in the rebound, reacting quicker than Gardner.  I don't like pointing the finger, but with Davids lack of tracking back and Gardner not on the ball, it cost us two goals and was soon to put us 1-3 behind.  Our Old Dutch latched onto Bowyer's run too late and had to push him as he entered the area, leaving the ref in no doubt and the scoring of the penalty in no doubt either, as Shearer blasted the ball past ENO.  Not even half an hour gone and already we had let in three !!

It could have been more had Ameobi neither missed a header nor fallen away as he was about to shoot and sliced his shot.  With over then minutes of the half left, Michael Dawson got booked for a foul, which was something that would come back to bite him later.  Spurs did almost pull a goal back in injury time in the first half, when a free-kick was passed to Jeans, whose shot was deflected by Moore and then Robbie Keane tried to leather the ball from 12 yards out and it bounced back off the bar, when it might have been better to place his shot.

Things switched around a bit in the second half, with Keano dropping off onto the right wing and Davids playing tighter in the middle, which made the midfield more solid.  It failed to help Spurs, as Davids was keen to go forward and had a couple of shots blocked, but it left gaps in behind him.  On 53 minutes, Spurs' break from a Newcastle corner prompted by Michael Carrick's pass set Jenas through and he managed to round Given, but going left, he tried to power the ball in and hit the side-netting with the goal gaping, much to the amusement of the home crowd, who taunted JJ every time he got the ball.

Spurs could have scored again in the 58th minute, as Keane turned on a sixpence to fire a shot against the outside of the post.  That was the last chance we had before the game was virtually wrapped up for Newcastle, as Shearer went to break away 25 yards from goal and Dawson pulled him back to receive his second yellow of the afternoon and a red to go with it.  Drawing Jenas back to right back reduced Spurs' attacking options, with Lennon being withdrawn later to see Defoe come on up front, but Kelly dropped inside to partner Gardner and held firmer than the side looked in the first half.  There was more attacking too, partly as Newcastle took their foot off the pedal and passed the ball about rather than go for the big win.  This let Spurs hit on the break and attack their flanks more, even though no further goals came our way.

Ramage pulled a save out of Robinson with his header and Robbie Elliott fancied a goal, as he kept pushing into the area, but his shooting was not up to the task.  Davids' shooting was almost as bad, but his mis-hit shot at least brought Given into action, making him palm the ball out for a corner.  With just over ten minutes left, Keane struck another fierce low shot just wide and then Robinson saved Bowyer's drive, before Defoe made the Newcastle keeper work to keep out his shot.

The game petered out as the Geordies moaned and moved out of the stadium before the end.  Spurs strove to go forward, but did not look like scoring again and Mido had been poor all game, neither causing a threat nor holding the ball up for others.  Not that the supply was great, but he kept straying offside.

A defeat that we might have expected a few seasons back now could have a drastic effect on our season.  It might have been one of the games Martin Jol thought we could win, but once more our away record might see us fall short of what is required.  We still have games that are winnable, but they are running out and how the team bounces back will be a major factor in where they finish up at the end of the season.

MEHSTG TOP MAN : -  MICHAEL CARRICK

Seeing Jermaine Jenas round Newcastle keeper Shay Given and hit the side netting just about summed up what was a heavy defeat at St James' Park this Saturday.

At least a point was vital from the game if we were to continue our charge towards the Champions League and the signs were not good after as little as 60 seconds when Davids failed to track Bowyer's charge into the area leaving the midfielder with a tap in for 1-0.  Newcastle dominated the first 45 minutes with wave after wave of quick flowing football that at times had us just chasing shadows.  Newcastle were firmly in control when, with our first attack Keane superbly headed home an equaliser.  Keane set Lennon away down the left and the impressive winger fainted a cross before stretching his legs to get to the by-line and lay the ball back perfectly for Keane's angled header.

Newcastle had every right to feel aggrieved to have been pegged back but in less than six minutes they were back in front.  A firm shot from Solano brought a smart save from Robinson down to his right, but could not hold the ball and Gardener reacted far too late allowing Ameobi to stride in and restore the home sides lead. Spurs failed to find any real rhythm in the first half and things got worse for us and Davids when the Dutchman crazily shoved the impressive Bowyer inside the area giving Mike Dean no choice but to award a spot kick.  Shearer stepped up and inevitably made it 3-1 with a powerful strike sending  Robinson the wrong way.

With minutes to go before the interval a commanding run from the ever present Carrick gave us a free kick right on the edge of the Newcastle area. Jenas took the kick, hitting the wall and presenting Keane with a great chance to half the deficit but his thunderous shot cannoned off the bar and you sensed it was just not going to be our day for a comeback.

The second half started in a much better fashion for Spurs and the huge away support began to find their voice.  First Jenas made a fantastic run from box to box and was rewarded when a poor back header from Craig Moore gifted the former Newcastle midfielder with a great chance. He coolly took it past Given and with an open goal was almost certain to score, but it was not to be as he lost his footing and could only bury the ball into the side netting, much to the delight of the St James' faithful.  Then Keane made space and hit a low
shot past Given but only found the outside of the far post. If there was any chance of Spurs making a fantastic comeback it was all but dashed when on the hour Dawson held back Shearer and collected his second booking of the day resulting in his second sending off in Spurs colours. 

For the remaining half hour Spurs battled hard when it could have been easier to buckle and succumb to a bigger defeat but just were not able to get the break and had to settle for a disappointing 3-1 defeat. If we are to finish in the top four we must stop only playing for 45 minutes.

We have ridden our luck in recent weeks and today showed some of the frailties of this young Tottenham  side.  There is no question that this has been a great Premiership season and we are visibly improving, but there are six games still to play and you sense many more twists in this race for fourth spot.  Back to the Lane next week and a great chance for us to get back to winning ways in front of the Sky cameras.

Joe Sayers

This result was all so avoidable, it's simply ridiculous.  No Scott Parker, no Michael Owen, it should've been a breeze.  Instead, it turned into a ferocious north-eastern gale and we simply couldn't cope.  Why ?  The shocking omission of King being one reason, the other being the selection of accident-prone Gardner over the classy Huddlestone.  Even Davenport would've been a more inspired choice.  Unless my eyes deceived me, Gardner threw his hands up in the air, slowed his run and allowed N'Zogbia to skip past him to cross the ball for Bowyer to score.  Standing 6'5" tall, would it not have been easier to just stick out one of those long legs and win the ball ?  God knows King would've tried to tackle, even if it was a foul.  Better than to just stand and watch them score their easiest goal of the season.  Bloody useless, he is.  Also, where was he for the second goal ?  Robbo did his bit by keeping it out but how slow was Gardner to react to it, allowing Ameobi to steal a crap second for the barcodes.  Jol can't tell me that King, Huddlestone and Davenport were all injured. Gardner must never play for us ever again. Send him to Charlton. 

I'd also warned against playing Davids from the start because he's looked knackered ever since rushing back from the injury picked up against Aston Villa in January.  He looks unfit and disinterested and, once again, the game passed him by. 

Jenas was poor and may turn out to be the Steve Hodge of Martin Jol's Tottenham.  Highly-vaunted, highly-rated, capped by England, but not much cop when it comes to playing for us.  £7m ?  With finishing like that, he doesn't even look £700,000.

Once again, Keano, Robbo and Lennon played well, but the rest, especially Carrick, must do some soul searching.  There's precious little I can add to this, I just hope that the boys can recover for the Man. City game.

Sean Jackson

Arsenal