We weren’t quite ‘at it’ today and I have a feeling fatigue played a part, especially as the 2nd half wore on.

We were pretty solid defensively but the m/f were largely preoccupied containing Citeh’s attacking talent, and the supply to the front two wasn’t always that great. When we had opportunities we tended to to try to play the killer pass, rather than waiting for the opening.

Cisse was well contained by a strong Citeh defence, and most of the half chances fell to Demba Ba who brought a couple of decent saves from Hart. Ben Arfa brought one save from Hart, but blazed a couple of other chances high, wide and not so handsome.

Spells of Citeh possession tended to dampen down the SJP crowd and the atmosphere, but I was just thinking the crowd were just sensing we might take something from the game when Citeh got their opener – a well placed shot by Yaya Toure.

So near and yet so far. A disappointing end to a wonderfully entertaining season, and one to fully restore our pride in the team and the club.

Let’s hope we can go once more and take something from the final game at Goodison and then look forward to competing in the Europa Cup. Onwards & upwards. Well done NUFC!!!

The youngster has been influential in Newcastle’s fantastic campaign that has seen them sit 4th in the table with just a few games to go.

A highlight for him was the fine goal during a 2-0 victory over Bolton earlier this month and it was after this game that Pardew put forward the case for Ben Arfa to be handed an international call-up in time to be involved in the euro12 betting odds.

He said: “Sometimes you need that one player who has magic in his feet and that was a great goal. It was an individual goal that not many players could score. Not many players have been blessed with the talent that Hatem has.”

“The French manager should take note and we [England] should take note if we come across him in the Championships.”

Perhaps Ben Arfa needs another high-profile performance or two to get his seat on the plane for Poland and Ukraine this summer.

After a hugely disappointing World Cup for France, they need a much better showing in the European Championship and perhaps a young talent like Ben Arfa can help them approach the tournament positively.

In other Newcastle news, another star of their season – Cheick Tiote – has revealed that he has no intention to leave the club despite inevitable interest from several big clubs this summer.

The midfielder said: “I’m a Newcastle player – my future is at Newcastle.

I have to finish this season strongly and help the team get into Europe. We have a good opportunity to play in the Champions League.”

Newcastle are next in action when they take on Wigan at the DW Stadium this weekend.

We’re scoring goals for fun, and have conceded only one goal in our last 6 games, with 3 consecutive clean sheets. Colo and Santon were imperious, Williamson quietly efficient and even Simpson did canny.

Tiote ran the game for spells, Cabaye made the telling passes and scored two goals. As ever, Jonas put in the hard yards in a more central role, and tbh I thought he was bliddy great.

The front three linked well and were always dangerous, and every time Ben Arfa got the ball the crowd’s anticipation was palpable. He got caught in possession a few times, but he was generally a delight to watch. His run for the 1st goal was just exhiliarating.

It was a shame Demba Ba didn’t get the goal his team mates tried all day to provide for him, but his performance was still at a high level.

Cisse scored his customary goal, expertly finishing off a delightful pass from Cabaye and had another wrongly ruled out for offside. He also showed some lovely control and clever touches: this guy is a really top-class footballer as well as a predator.

Ever onwards & upwards.

And not just in the Europa league, but with a reasonable shout at getting a coveted champions league spot. With the wheels properly off the managerless Chelsea’s bandwagon and the perennial underachieving Arsenal facing a difficult run in it is not beyond the realms of possibility that the boys in black and white will leapfrog into fourth place and the knockout stages of the Champion’s league.

Cracking the top four
Not many have managed to crack the top four in recent years and even when Everton bucked all the odds and managed the impossible they went spiralling out of the premier European competition at the first hurdle. But still the prospect remains in place at the moment; Newcastle United could realistically get into the Champions League next year. If you had suggested that at the start of the season to anyone in the north east you would have been smiled at, patted on the head and given an appointment card for the local head doctor.

April is the key
Looking at the run in there are a series of key matches in upcoming weeks which will define the season. Sure no one can deny that the results that the team have managed to pull off up to now have got them into the position they are at the moment. Particularly memorable are the 3-0 win over Manchester Utd (what odds on that at the start of the season) or the early season away win over Sunderland which set the momentum for the team to project forward.

A speculative look over the next ten fixtures shows up a number of matches where you find yourself already adding on the points. You would expect at least 4 more from the March fixtures (Norwich at home and West Brom away). Six points would take the team to 50 for the season.

Fourth place in the league
For the fourth place in the league the target is usually mid to high sixties. Certainly within Newcastle’s sights, particularly with the run of fixtures which is to follow in April. Four key matches really stick out in the April schedule. At home to Bolton and Stoke, then away to Swansea and Wigan are the four games that could make or break the season.

None of those matches are easy. Particularly with teams scrapping for their Premier League lives. Who will forget the heroic Houdini act performed by Wigan last season? Given the calibre of performances Newcastle have put in this season these are games they should win, must expect to win, let us hope that their nerve stays true and they don’t falter with the prize almost in their grasp.

Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory
Ok the club has the uncanny ability of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, of blowing it big style, and just when the success seemed almost assured. So what should be different this time? Are we about to experience another nearly ran season? A recent run of defeats, particularly the crushing dying seconds defeat by Arsenal are ominous. What is going to be different this time around and what is there about the team, the squad and the manager to give the Geordie faithful something to pin their hopes on.

Depth in squad
Well depth in squad is not something that they have in abundance. There is some cover in a few key areas but truth be told that the loss of any of the key personnel at this stage of the campaign could prove cataclysmic. In particular they cannot afford to lose their goal machine Ba.

The loss of striker of his ability at this stage of the game, even if only for a few matches could prove the undoing of the team. It is impossible to see Leon Best stepping in and having the impact that Ba has had in front of goal, were he called to at this stage. His match fitness alone could take two or three games to gear up and even then he is just not the same standard of player.

Are the team good enough?
The team as they are are good enough, they just need to stay fit and focussed. In order to do that you must look to the manager. Pardew is undoubtedly a cool head, good under fire, given the baptism he had at the club he has managed to turn the fans around, but he is untested in this situation.

He has seen a few relegation battles, and been on the wrong side of winning but if he can manage to keep his players fit, settled and driven he has the opportunity to write himself into the clubs history and at least earn himself a contract for the next two years.

Jane Francis is a freelance writer from England who loves football and poker. She moved back recently from New York City due to the shortage of online poker rooms for American players.

However, I thought we generally controlled the game in midfield, increasingly so as the game progressed, and over the course of the game we created more clearcut chances.

We were never under any concerted pressure defensively, but Williamson and Perch were really good. They contained Carroll fairly effectively, and Perch got in a good number of excellent tackles.

Our midfield prevented Liverpool from getting on top in the game, but misplaced too many short passes for my comfort.

Hatem Ben Arfa clearly had the beating of Enrique, made the first goal and was contributory to the second. However, we just didn’t get him on the ball often enough.

Liverpool seemed rather disjointed to me, and lacking in their customary energy and motivation. Stephen Gerrard had very little influence on the game, and at times even seemed rather disinterested.

Something doesn’t seem right in the Liverpool camp to me, and while it might have been justified from a footballing point of view, I thought hauling Andy Carroll off at St. James Park was a particular poor piece of man management by Dalglish for the long term.

Persevering with Shelvey until the 75th minute with players like Dirk Kuyt kicking their heels on the bench seemed an exercise in footballing futility and bliddy awful management to me. Moving Gerrard to right-back position when Reina was sent off, was another act of sublime stupidity.

The crowd were merciless with Enrique, Suarez and of course Andy Carroll. I have to say I felt really sorry for Carroll: sadly, his career is undoubtedly going backwards at Anfield and personally it gives me no pleasure to witness it.

Liverpool’s propensity for banging long straight balls down the middle simply will not get the best out of him, but they seem pathologically incapable of getting the ball wide and giving him the service he onced thrived on. This is Dalglish’s fault.

Finally, it’s interesting to note that he has become “Dalglish” now instead of “King Kenny”!! Long may the Scotch tosser reign.