An early kickoff Saturday because this match apparently will be shown PPV. However, FSW will carry the match Wednesday at 8 p.m. (or while the MLS semifinals are in action).
It is still being billed as a 3.00 pm kick off. It had better be, because my train doesn't get in to Newcastle until 1.00 pm! Assuming this is the correct kick off time, it will be the first home game this season to start at the "proper" time of 3.00 pm on Saturday.
Match is scheduled for 10AM ET PPV broadcast, that means 3pm in the Toon. Nothing like waking up here in the mountains with a couple of pints of broon at 7AM!
My error then... of course, in the States we get treated to Claudio Reyna and the untrained chimps ready to be sacrificed in front of the Highbury faithful.
The apes play on Sunday. On Saturday: early PPV game is Newcastle-West Brom. the free game is Southampton-Man City. The PPV broadcast well worth the $15, IMHO.
Final score St James' Park Attendance: 52,142 Newcastle 2, WBA 1 Toon Goals: Alan Shearer (45, 69) Starters: Given, Dabizas, Griffin, Hughes, O'Brien, Dyer, Robert, Solano, Speed, Bellamy, Shearer Substitutions Jenas for Solano (82) Lua-Lua for Bellamy (82) Bernard for Robert (89) Yellow Cards O'Brien (54)
It was a struggle on Saturday, but we got the rub of the green on at least one dodgy incident, unlike in recent games. O'Brien was certainly lucky to get away with pulling back Roberts early on, but as for the back pass, it is hard to see what the defender was trying to do if not pass the ball back. I think the blame has to rest with the goalie who should have kicked it away. I travelled back to London with a load of WBA supporters on Saturday night. What a bunch of whingers! According to them, the Premier League refs are in some sort of conspiracy to get them relegated. That horrible accent of theirs makes the whining even funnier of course.
Enjoyed watching this match on Saturday. Woke up the neighbors (again) when it looked like Big Al had reeled in the hat trick. Unfortunately, it was the right call by the linesman. Damnit. The team is still a far cry from the level they achieved last season, but it's good nonetheless to see them get 3 points out of a less-than-special outing. It's not that they were lucky to get the points; rather, it looks the club is back on track to making sure they win no matter how they play. That free awarded for passing to the keeper was spot-on. Teenage goalkeepers are smart enough to kick the bloody thing away when they're not sure, and the ball was clearly controlled off the defender's foot. If I were a Baggie fan, I'd be more concerned over how Shearer still managed to kick the ball right through a wall of players lined up inside the goal -- I counted on the replays, they had at least 9 of 'em across the goal line. Actually, that was quite entertaining to see them wall up like that. Only real concern for me with the Mags in this one was our defense, which continues to allow far too many quality chances to the opposition. At least seven or eight other clubs in the top flight would have punished us severely for giving away so many good looks on goal, it's time things get tightened up in the back. It may still be a ways off but I think the transfer window is our best bet for shoring up the defense, especially if Bramble isn't going to start showing immediate improvement and make it back into the lineup. I like their effort, attitude and dedication, but Dabizas and O'Brien just don't look to have the speed or consistent skills to make us competitive against the giants when it comes to league or cup competition.
So you never moan at poor refs? Plastic c**t. If you watch the backpass incident again you might just see the ball bobble and hit Balis on the shin. If he meant that then he'd have to be Maradona.
Dabizas has never had the speed to keep up...he has to make up for his speed with positioning. He is usually the one that gets burned by Owen, Bergkamp, etc... Bramble should spend some time in the reserve side learning the position.
I certainly moan about the odd bad decision, but never claim that all refs are out to get us. The litany of conspiracy included: Failure to send off Keane vs Man Ure Sending off goalie vs Liverpool Failure to award penalty vs Liverpool Award of penalty to Blackburn The "back pass" on Saturday. As regards Balis, even if the ball did bobble (and that certainly isn't clear from the TV recordings I have seen, leaving aside the fact that the ref didn't have the benefit of these) the important issue is what did Balis intend to do. From the way he approached the ball and the way he faced the 'keeper it looked to me as if he fully intended to pass the ball back. That is exactly what he achieved. [In fairness, two Baggies on Saturday did agree with me on this point.] I think a more experienced keeper would not have taken the chance of a back pass being called and would have kicked the ball away. And by the way, which part of my previous message marks me out as "plastic"? (I am happy to accept the "c**t".)
He didn't intend to do anything, thats what i'm saying, the ball just bounced right in front of him, and hit his shin, he was unlucky. Even Shearer thought it was harsh. I had some mates watching in the Newcastle end, all 4 of em said the ref was terrible and they told me when he gave the backpass AND when he didn't punish O'Brien, the Geordies around them couldn't believe it. If you watch the backpass incident from the camera behind the goal you can see the ball bobble. When the free-kick was taken, our keeper was being obstructed by Bellamy too, the ref was a friggin joke, surely you can see that. I'm certain we'd have got at least a point if it wasn't for the ref. BTW, Russell Hoult was rightly sent off at Anfield. What accent do you have?
He didn't intend to do anything, thats what i'm saying If you play defenders who stand around their own goalmouth without intending to do anything then you are going to be in big trouble as the season goes on. Even Shearer thought it was harsh. Shearer certainly said it is the sort of decision that goes the way of home sides and I agree with him when he didn't punish O'Brien, the Geordies around them couldn't believe it Which is just what I said in my original post If you watch the backpass incident from the camera behind the goal you can see the ball bobble. Balls frequently do bobble; it doesn't always rob the player of all control. Regardless of that, how is a camera angle from behind the goal supposed to affect the ref's view of an incident? Balis had his back to me - it looked like a back pass - all around me were surprised at what happened, but in particular we were surprised at Murphy picking the ball up. Murphy ought to have appreciated that from the ref's position the incident could have been interpreted as a back pass; he took a risk on getting the benefit of the decision and was mistaken. When the free-kick was taken, our keeper was being obstructed by Bellamy too, Given the fact that the free kick was taken about 8 yards from the goal, Bellamy could only have been obstructing Murphy if Murphy had been encroaching before the kick was taken (as he indeed was). Unlike Murphy, Bellamy was entirely entitled to stand where he wanted for the free kick - Murphy ought to have stayed on his line. the ref was a friggin joke, surely you can see that He wasn't perfect, that's for sure, but I am sure I will see much worse performances this season. What accent do you have? One that is somewhat tarnished by my 18 years in the Smoke.
You still can't see it can you? I get what your saying about defenders and how much trouble we'll be in etc but Balis never expected the ball to dowhat it did and not even to come to him. The ref had a very good view, he was on the edge of the box with a clear view of Balis. How was Murphy encroaching when Bellamy was standing in front of him? It was Gregan who came out first.
I would agree that the keeper was obstructed. I know that I'm anti-Skunk (and I'll freely admit that), but surely at an indirect freekick, once the ball has been touched off, encroachment doesn't count anymore? At least you aren't trying to delude yourselves that Poppins' second was a wonder goal (Which is the view shared by several mags who I know, along with many of the papers), so I must give credit for that.