WBA 1 Newcastle 1

The Hawthorns

Saturday 8th August Kick-off 5:30pm

Coca-Cola Championship

Krul Luck for Harper

First Championship Game of the season.

The passing away of Sir Bobby Robson was not unexpected and the response from Newcastle fans and further a field was likewise. He will be sadly missed. He was a truly great football man but more importantly a lovely bloke generous with his time and kindness. The Albion pre-match coverage and their supporter’s vocal generosity towards Bob was first class on Saturday.

Pre match Joey Barton warmed up by himself and it was obvious the rest of the players had sent him to Coventry, althougth the Newcastle mascot a girl had great fun kicking the ball with Joey in the knock up.

For once I did not stand with the Toon Army as circumstances meant I had to sit with the Albion and a baggies friend. Watching our support was spell binding and I nearly joined in which the folks around me would not have appreciated. When the ball entered our net in injury time I rose from my seat after those around me were on their feet and celebrating. I instinctively looked to the linesman and referee and was able to punch the air without an Albion fan realising why. A bright yellow flag had been raised and the referee had blown and was pointing back into the penalty area and not towards the halfway line, no goal. Those in the away end also had done the same thing and were jumping up and down as if we had scored a goal. In those seconds the whole ground was happy.

Timmy (Timmy) Krul was Newcastle man of the match after a string of fines saves and catches in the second half. Timmy was on after Steve Harper took a knock to the head after trying in vain to stop West Brom scoe in the 39th minute.

Driving home from West Bromwich I felt guilty and sorry for Steve Harper. He has waited for so long for the number one shirt and now I want Timmy Krul to start in goal. It just shows you how the cruel the game can be at times. Potentially, nineteen years of service to Newcastle and I dump Steve Harper after only half a game with the jersey.

While Mike Ashley spent the week on a luxury trip in Hawaii, credit should go to Chris Hughton who put out on the field a team hin which the majority played well. Our two Argentine lads might find it hard as the season progress, because the physical side of the game will cause them both trouble to do deal with, best get in the gym and sttart a weights program now.

The goal we scored for first class, the flowing football leading up to a fine finish by Damien Duff should make it Championship goal of the weekend. Andy Carroll and Shola Ameobi started up front which worked up to a point. I would rather see Nile Ranger given a few matches with both of them to see what works in competitive matches.

At the back we were very slack at marking at set pieces. WBA were given to many chances dring the game to win it, thanks to timmy Kruel we got a draw. Overall it was a good day out and a good result to start with.

Alan Sheraer was at the macth and watched it from while doing his match analysis for the BBC.

 

Caretaker Manager Comments: Chris Hughton

"We got what we deserved today. We went 1-0 down but I think we showed a lot of character to come back. I thought we deserved the goal, I thought some of our football at times was good and it was certainly an entertaining game to be sure."

talking to nufcTV he said:

"It was certainly an entertaining, end-to-end game. I was delighted with the players' response after going in 1-0 down at half-time. They came out for the second-half and got the equaliser they deserved and after that we had West Brom on the back foot. We had a couple of good chances to take the lead and on another day I think we would have left here with three points. But let's not forget that Tim Krul has made some outstanding saves at the other end."

talking to The Chronicle he said in answer to why Joey Barton was left out:

“What we had was a squad of players that travelled to West Brom for what was going to be a very tough game.

The decision that I made on the team was based on tactical reasons. I made a decision to go with the two big lads up front. I thought for periods of the game it worked very well, and we were able to bring Joey on to just solidify things in that last period. He was part of what was a good team performance. What we are going to hear are lots of rumours and stories, but all I can say was he was part of the squad that deserved to get what we got.”

on the rest of players he said to The Chronicle

“One thing the players did know was that the eyes were on them. Not just their quality, but how they applied themselves, their attitude and their desire to win the game. I think that’s what they were able to do. I would have liked more clear-cut chances, but what we were able to do was work the ball into the final third.”

 

West Bromwich Albion Manager Di Matteo Comments

"I'm disappointed about the result because we had plenty of chances. Their goalkeeper made some fine saves, but the performance was quite good. We are creating chances, we are quite solid at the back as well. We were a bit late when we conceded the goal, but I thought that going forward we created enough chances to win the game. Credit to Newcastle, you look at their team sheet and there are a lot of international players there. It wasn't an easy game but I thought we did well."

 

Injured

Nicky Butt (Hand), Chris Guthrie (Hamstring)

 

Head to Head

Toon @ The Albion - last 11:

• 2009/10 Drew 1-1 Duff
• 2008/09 Won 3-2 Duff, Lovenkrands, S.Taylor
• 2005/06 Won 3-0 Owen 2, Shearer
• 2004/05 Drew 0-0 
• 2002/03 Drew 2-2 Jenas, Viana
• 1990/01 Drew 1-1 Quinn
• 1989/90 Won 5-1 OG, Brazil, Brock, McGhee, O'Brien
• 1985/86 Drew 1-1 Wharton 
• 1984/85 Lost 1-2 Baird
• 1977/78 Lost 0-2
• 1976/77 Drew 1-1 Barrowclough  

 

Alan Shearer Said Before The Match on BBC1

"I'm still in limbo. I wanted it sorted either way because of my love for the football club. I'd dearly love the chance to finish what I started last season. As far as I'm aware the club's up for sale, they haven't got a buyer.

re Mike Ashley:

My last conversation with Mike Ashley was on the Tuesday after we'd been relegated. I told him the players I wanted to keep, the players I thought had to be moved on, and the players I wanted to bring in. He said he wasn't going to put any more money into the club, and that is it as far as I'm aware."

Re Potential Buyer Barry Moat:

"He's a friend of mine but I've been away on holiday and just got back in last night, "I could be the manager if someone comes in, buys the club and wants me as manager. If they want to get the club back up to the Premier League I'd dearly love the chance to finish what I started last season, which was very disappointing. But other than that, you have to believe me, I don't really know."

re The Squad:

"Newcastle's squad was thin last season, and when you consider the players who have gone out, that tells a story. They need players quickly and it could be a long, hard season if that doesn't happen."

re Sir Bobby Robson:

"Not many people knew the real Bobby Robson, but the people who played under him knew him as a man, It was a privilege and an honour. He had a great knack of getting the best out of all players irrespective of their age - a 19-year-old earning a fortune or a 36-year-old at the end of his career. I've not known anyone have a bad word for Bobby, and in football there's not many people you can say that about."

 

Alan Shearer After The Match Comments

talking on BBC1 he said:

“There’s a lack of creativity with Kevin Nolan, Alan Smith, Joey Barton and Nicky Butt being the central midfield. Ryan Taylor not a right-back. Coloccini’s left his man once again, His man’s two yards from goal.

 

Timmy Krul Reflects On Unbelievable Game

talking to nufcTV

"It was unbelievable, I saw Steve get the kick to his head and I knew straight away I could be coming on. Luckily I had a save to make in the first minute and that is always good - it got my confidence right up. There were about three of four after that and I was delighted to keep them all out and help to earn us a point. I think the best save was the volley from close range which I tipped over the bar - all I was doing was protecting my face though! But that is what I've been waiting a long time for. It's nearly three years since my debut in Palermo and I haven't played since. To get on and then have a game like I did is again - unbelievable.

To go over at the end and hear your name from 2,500 Geordies, there is no better feeling, I've been waiting for it and I just hope it continues now."

Chris Hughton said: Tim Krul was busier than we would have liked him to be. He was excellent. Two saves he made were absolutely top-class. Sometimes a young kid coming in like that can inspire those around him. We had the feelgood factor at the end of the game. You want as many people to feel that as possible and here is a young keeper who has been a large part of that.

 

Kevin Nolan Pleased With First Game

talking to The Journal

“The first game was always going to be tough, all eyes were on us, not just in Newcastle but across the country, hoping for another slip-up. But I thought the lads handled that really well. If we play like that for the rest of the season I don’t think we will be far off. Ever since I’ve come to this club, I’ve realised a lot of people are out to get us. If there is anything strange or bad that happens at this club it seems to go everywhere. That doesn’t happen at other clubs, but it certainly happens here. It’s been tough, some of the things said and written have been hard to take. You read things about the lads you know aren’t true, but we have stuck together and tried to focus on what we can do on the pitch. We’ve shown with this display that we have a real togetherness and a respect for Chris (Hughton) and Colin (Calderwood). We also have so much respect for each other as a group of lads now. I think if we can keep that and stick together what ever happens to the club we won’t be far off at the end of the season.

You’ve got to stay strong through adversity. Other people might have crumbled or tried to hide, but we haven’t done that. We’ve been stronger than that. We’re professional footballers and we accept we deserve a bit of flak when we don’t produce, but it’s about sticking together. The fans have stuck by us and they were absolutely brilliant against West Brom. The main thing is to get this club back into the Premier League where it belongs. How we do that doesn’t matter, we just need to do it. It was important to start well and this was always going to be a tough place to come. I don’t think many teams will come here and get a result. West Brom have been in and out of the Premier League for the last six years. They are no strangers as to what they need to do, but I think we produced a good performance. There are things we are going to have tighten up on and we will have to address that in the week. Overall it was a positive performance which we can only improve on.

“We’re fed up with hearing this, that and the other. You get sick of hearing this time it’s going to happen. We’ve just got to focus on ourselves and the team. When it happens it happens. It’s the same with the players, if they go they go, if they don’t they don’t. All we do know is that the ones who are here are going to give 110% for Newcastle United.”

 

Match Facts

• Posxsession West Brom 47% - Newcastle 53%
• Shots on target West Brom 12 - Newcastle 8
• Shots off target West Brom 10 - Newcastle 6
• Corners West Brom 7 - Newcastle 5
• Fouls West Brom 14 - Newcastle 11

 

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