Yesterday was a remarkable day for the two North East Football clubs with their matches, Newcastle away to Spurs shown at 12 and then Sunderland at home to Champions of two years ago Manchester City at 2pm. I was not aware that SKY was showing these two games back to back as well as the Manchester United versus Arsenal game, Last years, champions but struggling against current in form Premiership leaders Arsenal, in what looked a must win game for David Moyes with Alex Ferguson watching on in the stands.
Not realising that all three games were being televised I assume the 11.30 Sky start meant the match commenced at 12.30 and switched on to find that Newcastle had a 1.0 lead with a goal by Remy after a significant pass from Gouffran as play maker with Ben Arfa left on the bench likely to give away the ball in the wrong place and time in away games against the better teams. The main feature of the rest of the game, and I understand also a feature of the first third of the game which I missed was the goal keeping saves of Tim Krull who is said to have made 14 good to great saves although the total included one where he did not manage to hit the ball away far enough and he had to save the shot back from the opposition. In another incident his great block from close range looked as if the momentum would take it into the net but another defender scramble it away. I have watched this kind of game at Newcastle many times where the home side dominate but cannot score and usually it is the away side that sneaks a goal and then hangs on.
Newcastle had been able to relay on just three goalkeepers of proven ability over the past two and have decades which must some kind of record commencing with Northern Ireland International Shay Given supported by his team mate Steve Harper who was with the club until recently for 20 years, taking over as number 1 when Shay went to man City and staying on as reserve to Krull when he demonstrated his class.
Usually it is the goal scorers who get all the attention but rightly the day belonged to Krull although his after the match comments and bottle of champagne getting had to be viewed on Sky Sports news such was the pace of the switching between games yesterday.
The losing of the Derby game against Sunderland appears to have kick started the Newcastle season as the win took them to ninth in the table just below the rest of the big boys with only Southampton among the eight above them and with eighth the most likely position for the club at the end of the season unless one or more of the others falter. I have booked a ticket to see Newcastle play Norwich, a game on paper which they should win, in two weeks time, getting the single aisle seat available in the stand opposite e main one although not at the centre where I once had my season.
Despite the win against Newcastle at home and the win in the League Cup against Southampton no one in the wildest dream expected Sunderland to do other than lose against Man City, a team that ahs scored 14 goals in their last two games. However the omens were good in two respects. City had lost to Sunderland on their last three visits to the ground 1.0 and City had also lost two of their three defeats in the season so far when they played on the Sunday after an important game in the European Championship Cup where they are desperate to reach the knock out stages for the first time in their history..
Defender Phil Bardsly looked to me as if he pushed away a City defender but which the referee ignored and then steadied and sent a shot curling past the goalkeeper from almost the goal line on the left side to score the only goal of the game as City, much like Spurs poured on the pressure, especially throughout the second half without success.
There were also replays of an over the top tackle which should have sent a Sunderland player to the dressing room which the referee failed to see but to add much salt into the player victim who was caught leaving his foot into a Sunderland play he was given the yellow card. It was not going to be City’s day who had a chance of going third as Chelsea with 22 points alongside Southampton as Chelsea had failed to win their game at home, only getting a draw with a fake penalty dive as the game came to an end. It was one of the worst refereeing decisions of modern times and one must assume that his sight went blank for some reason as it was evident to everyone else watching that the Chelsea player had dived after pushing himself into the defender who attempted to get out of the way having seen it coming. Jose has talked about getting rid of the dive and anything less than fining his player and making a public apology to West Brom will reveal him as a hypocrite and lacking genuine sportsmanship, he is yet to find his best side in a Chelsea showing frailty at the back, as is Man City. Southampton demonstrated that they have become a very good side by beating Hull at home 4.1. Hull have had a good start in their return to the premiership.
Returning to Sunderland their win against the odds takes them off the bottom whey languished for the early season with only 1 point, they now have 7 as my boyhood club, and also looking doomed as they will appoint yet another manager later this week managed a 0.0 draw against good start of he season we can manage without you Everton. Pace now only have four points, With three clubs on 10 points and one on 11 and two on 12, Sunderland now have a fighting chance as their next game is away to Stoke and with a chance of a draw. Later Manchester United won also by the single goal from former Arsenal hero van Persie in a game which commentators said was something of anti climax although I decided I could not cope with a third game in succession and went to exercise.
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