Having gone to bed at midnight and woken alert and raring to write at 5am I did so for five hours and then returned to bed for another two setting the alarm just before midday, coming down stairs to cook my first plate of battered and bread crumbed sprats since last summer hoping it would be part of a celebratory visit of Newcastle to Old Trafford after their disastrous visit to Swansea on Wednesday when the stayed back and allowed the home side to take control of the game.
Manchester United manager having lost against West Bromwich Albion at home midweek and below Newcastle were under greater pressure especially as Wayne Rooney is suspended and Van Persie playing but in first game from injury far from match fitness. David Moyes with all the riches of players still available has rung the changes match after match to find a team able and willing play his style of football match after match, and this time there were seven changes from the mid week defeat.
Alan Pardew awarded manager of the Month along with Goal keeper Krull as Player of the month decided to stick his team apart from change with one forward Remy and a strong midfield with Tiotte very impressive but all three taking early command. The approach was hold the ball and to contain home side who lacked confidence and everyone in the stadium apart from Newcastle fans who could be heard above the silent tension. There was only an occasion confident urging from the home side fans and it was Newcastle who looked more likely to get the ball into the net. Newcastle had a bit of luck as a defender failed to clear the ball heading it on to a Newcastle player on the wing to regained control and passed to Debuchy who hit a strong ball into one corner and despite a little deflection which only took pace off the ball the keeper was beaten into his right hand corner.
Man U did get the ball into the net but the female linesman was spot on to rule offside and there was an arm away on the goal line which some referees might have given a penalty if they had seen. Pardew instead of being defensive as Man U attempted to come into the game and had several good raids on the goalmouth, brought on Ben Arfa to threaten but also to keep the ball. The most pleasing aspect which he identified t the end of the match is that the plan worked better than anticipated and he now has two potential match wining plans home or away which poses even great problems for the other teams in term of the which side do they bring on to start a game if the squad opposite can play one of two different but equally effective ways.
While as the first game of the weekend the table at the top could change, if Sunderland who play Spurs at home can won or draw Newcastle will stay in 6th place on 25 points as below them are Southampton losing to Man City 1 but claimed a point and Stoke also came back to beat Chelsea so while Arsenal are striding ahead on their own the gap between Newcastle and other side at the top closes and the gap below them widens. Alas Sunderland lost a good contested game through silly avoidable mistakes
Newcastle play Southampton next Saturday and I have purchased a premium ticket by an aisle close to the centre circle in the main stand at £39 to be there whatever the weather. They are then away to Palace and home to Stoke when i am away and home to Arsenal just before the New Year which should be a cracking game and where I have also purchased the same seat for slightly more money even though the game is on Sky TV. By then I shall know if the good feeling about this season is justified similar to that which quickly developed about Durham where they went on to win th County Champions for the third time in six years against the odds and where all the commentators had declared they were a relegation bet
England had another humiliating bad day not making 200 runs and Australia batted on creating a huge lead with two days to go and the game likely to end tomorrow. Cook England captains has lost his head and clearly has gone to pieces out for 1 starting what looked to be another humiliating collapse. However Root and Pietersen held firm for a time and at close England were 267 for six with one day and 280 runs to avoid defeat. Only persistent rain will save them, and the Ashes, as England has not won at the next Test ground for decades
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