Bocanegra is getting the start for Fulham today. Here are Newcastles starters Given Hughes Woodgate OBrien Bernard Solano Jenas Speed Robert Dyer Shearer
SPEED!!! Header from a corner in the 41st. 2-0 to the Toon at the half. We've had most of the possession and looked dangerous on a number of occasions. Robert has been whipping in some wicked crosses. Fulham have had a few chances however and they've been unlucky to have hit at least one of them.
WHAT A GOAL FROM ROBERT!!!! Took a cross from Solano and flicked it beyond Van Der Sar and into the net...an indescribable goal. 3-0 and it looks like we've got this game wrapped up already in the 55th minute.
This is what I don't understand about Robson. He keeps claiming that Viana is the future replacement for Speed, and yet he waits until there are 7 minutes left in the game to get Hugo on and puts him over at left wing, replaceing Robert. Why not put Hugo in at 75' for Speed?
All that was missing was a goal from Big Al. (OK, the clean sheet would have been nice) Robert's goal? Amazing. I must have watched it about a dozen times on my ReplayTV. That move was a wire stunt right out of a Hong Kong flick. And I can't stop laughing at how amazing it is that even when horizontal in mid-air, Robert still favors his left. About a month back -- after Robert's crackers against Tottenham -- I had said that I wish Robert would bring that level of intensity to every game. He's definitely done that for the past month, and thankfully the rest of the team is responding in kind. Shearer may not be scoring of late but his teammates are really picking up the pace and share of the scoring load. And if I'm Titus Bramble, I'm shopping for a butt warmer. The combination of Woodgate and O'Brien these past few games has been stellar. Who put the ball in the back of the net? O'Brien, O'Brien!
3-1 is the final result. Although we never really hit top gear in the second half, we never really looked like giving up a 2nd goal and we were close to a 4th a couple of times. A solid performances for the boys in black and white tonight. We are now in fifth place and looking to that 4th spot held by Charlton.
Or a jail cell. But regardless, I still would have liked Newcastle to have landed Boca instead of Fulham. I still can't believe Fat Freddy is going to skip this transfer period, too. He may have not said so, but indications look like that he will.
I can not only believe that Shepherd is passing on transfers but support him in this. The league is well out of Newcastle's hands, and it just doesn't make sense to spend money they don't have to boost the team for a run at the FA or UEFA cups. And with the talent currently on board, I think Newcastle should be able to capably claim the 4th spot in the league. And while many have chosen to write off a top 3 finish, I'm not one of them. It may be ridiculously unlikely, but 13-point gaps have been closed in fewer than 16 games before. At the very least, adding one or two more players wouldn't do anything more to help guarantee us any sort of finish, whether it's top 4 or top 6. The time is well past this season to find a stellar third striker or rock-solid defender. If the team's difficulties this year are a result of their not having the right players, then the clear question to ask is why were the wrong players brought here in the first place. That said, I don't think we have the wrong players, we just haven't found a way to maintain consistency among our performances and our passion. From the past few weeks, it's starting to look like the new year has brought the squad a renewed confidence and a fresh fire in their bellies. (except for Viana, anyway)
Thoughts Greenie spot on...The left footed bicycle-kick killed me. I admired it for 6 replays - every replay after that I laughed. He just won't use the right will he? The Viana situation irks me as well. He is a central midfielder through and through. I blame John Carver as much as anybody... I've seen some newspaper scores of the game giving Solano a '5' or '6'...I don't get it. I thought he was fantastic. 2 assists no less. I really hope he is not snatched up during this transfer window. Anfield is next. Liverpool still have to play another game this week. Hopefully Owen will get hurt - he is a Magpie killer. Fantastic win today. Cheers!