Season 2007-2008

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

1 v 4

NEWCASTLE UNITED

Post Match Comments:

Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan said:
"I'm obviously delighted. The performance was terrific. We went a goal down even though we were the better team. The team believed chances would come.

We have players who know where the back of the net is. I said to the team at half-time the best team is drawing and it's not Tottenham. There wasn't a weak link in the team today. Everyone played a part.

We outplayed them and they're a very, very good side. The goalkeeper's made at least two world class saves. Apart from their goal I can't remember Harper having a save to make. The header was superb.

Faye was outstanding today. We had 11 leaders out there today. Nicky doesn't get many goals. It was a vital goal for us. He was tremendous. I thought Joey Barton was also superb today.

We're definitely not safe yet but we can look up not down. We could catch Spurs up and we could catch up West Ham. People would have said that was ridiculous a few weeks ago.

We have three home games and three away left and playing like this, I think the players will look forward to playing anybody.

I'm saying to the staff that if we can add little bits to this it could be quite exciting. There is quite a lot here. Sometimes it gets lost when you are on a bad run.

When they play like that you think we don't need an awful lot to set us alight, just two or three. And the players would welcome that. They will have to be very good players to better us.

I might put a couple more forwards in next time! This is the right way to play with the players and fixtures we've got.

You look at our defensive record and to try to defend puts pressure on your defenders. They know that maybe they can concede a goal and have enough to win. You dream about playing like that away from home.

You dream about being 4-1 up with 10 to go. Reality in the Premier League is difficult. It could have been seven or eight - Robinson has made terrific saves, we've hit the bar and Michael Owen's missed a chance he would normally score."

Spurs coach Gus Poyet said:
"It was a really bad day. This is the one you're not expecting to have. I've been trying to analyse things, but sometimes it's difficult because of emotions.

We didn't start very well in terms of playing, but we got the goal. We relaxed after the goal. We didn't go for it. It was a problem. The second half was quite bad. But overall we had a terrible day today. It's difficult to single out one thing because there were too many things.

You have to be careful what you say. I'm trying to be calm and not make a mistake, when I'm calm in a few days I can chat about this game.

It's not only what's happened with the goals, but what happened before that. There were too many mistakes. It's disappointing as well to see the supporters leaving early. It's quite a sad day here. We have to look for a reaction.

The season has not finished. We're playing for many, many things. It's going to be a long week for everyone at the club."

When it rains, it certainly pours and in the capital at the weekend it was Tottenham Hotspur who got soaked, as Newcastle ran out 1-4 winners in a dominating performance at White Hart Lane.

Kevin Keegan’s men now have two wins in two games, making it three games unbeaten, which would appear to ease Newcastle’s relegation fears somewhat.

Despite this being an away game against a team in form, Keegan showed faith in the same starting line-up which won him his first game last week against Fulham, by playing 3 strikers in an attacking 4-3-3 formation. Mark Viduka and Obafemi Martins again played upfront with Michael Owen playing in his new role just behind them.

It appears Keegan has finally got throw to his players and has started to restore some confidence in the team, as his Newcastle side took the game to Spurs from the start.

In the opening 10 minutes a mistake by former Magpie Jonathan Woodgate presented the ball to a marauding Habib Beye, who took the ball on and smashed the underside of the crossbar with Paul Robinson well beaten.

The home side hadn’t started too well but Steve Harper was still forced into a great reaction stop from Woodgate a few minutes later.

On 26 minutes Malbranque was given too much time and freedom to cross the ball into the box and Darren Bent’s glancing header beat Harper to put Spurs 1-0 ahead.

Unlike as a few weeks ago, when it would have been visible to see any confidence immediately drain out of the Newcastle players, no heads went down and Newcastle stuck to the attacking game plan.

That endeavour by the Newcastle players was rewarded on the stroke of half time, when a Nicky Butt strike from the edge of the box deservedly levelled the match.

The Butt goal appeared to turn the tide of the game, as Newcastle game out in the second half and dominated proceedings.

Straight after the restart, Joey Barton showed great technique to smash a half volley inches wide from the edge of the box.

On 52 minutes Newcastle took the lead when Geremi curled in a free kick from the edge of the box. The Spurs wall appeared not to function correctly leaving Paul Robinson rooted to the spot.

Newcastle was now streaming forward at every opportunity and Robinson was called into making a fine save from Viduka.

Soon after however, they did make it 1-3, as a rampant Newcastle tore Spurs apart with a move that saw Viduka step over the ball and Owen curl in a fine effort from 12 yards.

Owen could have and probably should have made it 1-4 not long after but he skied his effort over the bar, after being put through when Michael Dawson misjudged the bounce of the ball.

In the final 10 minutes Newcastle did make it 1-4 with a break away goal from Obafemi Martins. Barton received the ball on the edge of his box and then played a great forward ball to Martins, who took the ball on at pace and expertly turned past Teemu Tainio before slotting coolly past Robinson.

In the second 45 minutes the Newcastle fans were treated to some of the best football they have seen all season. There may not have been much to compare this against but you try telling that to anyone in the away end at the final whistle.

A few weeks ago nobody would have predicated that Keegan would have been able to get a team together to beat Spurs away, never mind being able to register his biggest away league win in his entire Newcastle management career.

They say a week is a long time in politics and it certainly can be said about Newcastle United. None of the fans are naïve enough to think all the hard work has now finished, it has merely just started but light at the end of the tunnel can now be seen, as we again start to look up the table and not down.
 

AUSSIE MAGS By Row 'S' Army