Although we aren’t the better team on fist-half against the team that according to history was the team that would find it hard to win at our own land, but the Lads showed great determination to win the sixth wins against them in our Premier League matches.

They’ve two victory on the road while coming to St. James’ Parkand we know that they are desperate to make it a hattrick today, but their Houdini’s magic didn’t work out against JFK’s boys.

With Martins misses out because of the groin injury, Joe Kinnear recalled Shola Ameobi to partner Michael Owen. Damien Duff and Steven Taylor both are settle for a place on United bench.

Newcastle only need 11 minutes to the first lead from Given’s free-kick that releasing Charles N’Zogbia clear. The visitors trying to block him out through Essou-Ekotto but he can’t stop him as Zog brushed aside the Frenchman before scoring with his right-foot past Spurs Brazilian goalkeeper Gomes.

After couple of Spurs efforts to level the game back, United are start to enjoying the majority of the attacking possession. But, from a little mistake by Enrique who fails to cover Luka Modric behind the United backline, the visitors finallt get into the level term in 28 minutes.

There were shouts for offside from United defenders but the scoreline stays. Buoyed by their leveller Spurs trying to put the pressure on us, where Ameobi has to be replaced by Viduka after picked up an injury a minute later.

We did quite well and showing an improvement in the second period as Viduka beginning to exert his influence on the game with all other United’s players are trying to find him at every opportunity.

In the 71 minute, N’Zogbia worked space on the left, pass a low ball to the near post where Viduka to guide the delivery into the path of Owen who fires it left-footed over the crossbar from just eight yards out.

And when the game gets inside the last 10 minutes, the visitors beginning to try to steal the lead with their best chance come from Bentley’s lob into the penalty area for Campbell to heads it high and wide of Given’s target.

Seeing that Spurs finding the weakness of our side through Enrique, Joe Kinnear reacts and take him off to make way for Damien Duff in the last 3 minutes of normal time. It was one of the best decision from JFK today.

Beginning from his slips a forward pass into the feet of Mark Viduka who didn’t waste no time to backheels it back to the Irishman, Duffer finds his low finish past Gomes from eight yards gives United a very late lead and three points in the pocket.

TEAMS
NEWCASTLE UNITED FC:
Shay Given, Habib Beye, Jose Enrique, Sebastien Bassong, Fabricio Coloccini, Danny Guthrie, Nicky Butt, Jonas Gutierrez, Charles N’Zogbia, Shola Ameobi, Michael Owen (c)
Subs: Steve Harper, Damien Duff, Geremi, Steven Taylor, David Edgar, Mark Viduka, Andy Carroll

TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS FC:
Gomes, Didier Zokora, David Bentley, Tom Huddlestone, Aaron Lennon, Roman Pavlyuchenko, Luka Modric, Michael Dawson, Verdan Corluka, Ledley King (c), Benoit Assou-Ekotto
Subs: Gareth Bale, Chris Gunter, Fraizer Campbell, Adel Taarabt, Cesar Sanchez, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Jamie O’Hara

Referee: Andre Marriner
Attendance: 47, 982

In fact, the home side were taking the lead first in 16 minutes after Matty Robson took advantage of Toon’s slack defending before coolly lift the ball over Shay Given.

Newcastle were back with a shout, thanks to Damien “Almost Forgotten Man” Duff who put us level on 40 minutes. Nicky Butt played the ball to Milner before the “Almost Gone to Anfield” midfielder found Duff on the left. Duff steered the ball home from inside the box to make it 1-1.

United set Obafemi Martins and Alan “My God! He’s still here!” Smith to led the Toon attack, but both are failed to impressed King Kev today. Without Owen who is missing due to minor injury and Mark Viduka, we should give thanks to our second liners today.

Martins has a good chance to double our lead a minute later went he round Pools keeper, Lee-Barrett but the host still has the emergency player in Ben Clark who cleared the ball off the line to keep the score level.

Before the end of half-time, Charles “Take Me Out Of Here” N’Zogbia gave a strong test to Lee-Barrett who successfully make a good save this time. The ball goes to Martins, but he’s unable to convert the rebound.

In the second-half, Super Kev handed a debut for ex-Liverpool man Danny Guthrie to replaced Enrique and dropped N’Zogbia down to left-back. Newcastle then took the lead seven minutes after the break, and once again Duff racing on to a ball from Milner clever passing and slipping it past the advancing Lee-Barrett.

Danny Guthrie made it two in two minutes with a deflected effort before the Irish winger Duff completed his first hat-trick this season in the 87th minute.

After the game, Keegan praise Damien Duff performance today and said He has looked very sharp.

“It’s the first time in three or four years that he has had a pre-season.” Keegan said, “He has missed all pre-season training in the last three and any pro will tell you, that is of major importance to get that in because it gives you a base for the season.”

HARTLEPOOL UNITED:
Lee-Barrett; McCunnie (Foley, 60), Collins (Nelson, 69), Clark, Humprheys; Sweeney, Liddle (Power, 83), Jones (Boland, 60), Robson (Monkhouse, 76); Brown (Mackay, 85), Porter (Barker, 76). Subs not used: Budtz, Rowell.

NEWCASTLE UNITED:
Given (Forster, 65); Edgar (Tozer, 63), Taylor, Cacapa (Morris, 72), Enrique (Guthrie, 46); Duff, Milner, Butt, N’Zogbia; Martins (Ameobi, 46), Smith. Subs not used: Lough, Danquah, Doninger, Godsmark.

Goals: Robson 11, Duff 40, 52, 88, Guthrie 53
Attendance: 4,249
Referee: G Laws

In an interview, Damien Duff said last week in an unprovoked assertion that practice sessions under the new manager had become more harder and intense.

“I know Big Sam used to say that we were the fittest around, but I think we were far from it,” United winger said. “I don’t think we were the fittest when the new gaffer came in.”

The previous manager, who was parted by United chairman last January, responded to Duff words as criticism of his working practices. “There was nothing wrong with the match fitness when I was there, so I think that’s a little bit of an excuse,” he said. “Sometimes fitness is a mental thing and I think mental fatigue can hit the players more than anything else.”

I can see he is telling the truth, and agree that his former employers are in the match fitness according to his style of play which is not needed more energy to achieved. I don’t think any Newcastle players need to make more running in each of United game under the old boss who loves to play long-ball, and that’s why there’s no need harder practice in training like what Keegan now dispatch to the lads.

Since Keegan took charge, no argue that Newcastle first half performance was brilliant. The lads do more running through the field, playing nice one-two passes and chasing the ball more often. But then, in the second half, their performance was dropped as their match fitness was not fit enough into Keegan’s attacking style of play.

I admit that I only see one live Newcastle game, against Aston Villa last month. I can see we’re doing great and leading into half time with Michael Owen’s goal. Then in the second half, we can not repeat our first half performance and were thrashed out by four goals.

Back to Damien’s interview, quoted from Times Online, Keegan just saying that his predecessor was perhaps “coming from a different angle”. Keegan was also pointed out that “my way is for players to train quite hard” and made the observation that a lack of confidence was palpable on Tyneside.

“If Duff thinks the training is harder, then wait until pre-season,” Keegan said. At this point I believe in his way to develop the new fitness standard for each of Newcastle United players. They are being too lazy under the old boss and now its time to wake them up and training even more harder to save our Premierships status.

We play Duff at outside left and we play Zog at left back. The reason is obvious, our current and previous managers feel that they MUST find a place in the team for both players.

Result of not playing both would result in either Duff and most definitely Zog demanding a transfer if they were to become a permanent fixture on the subs bench.

Most professional players (and I have heard Shearer say this) is that you MUST play your best players on the pitch, even if that sometimes means that occasionally it has to be out of position.

The argument with my mate stemmed over the fact that Zog is being played at left back – however he is a big fan of Duff playing on the left.

My argument with him is that if he wants a ‘natural’ left back to play in that position – i.e. the one we have just paid £6m for, then what does he expect to do with Zog, because he doesn’t want to drop Duff for Zog but he feels that Zog is too good a player not to be found a place in the team?

I jokingley suggested to him that we perhaps play them both as left wingers and do away with a right winger altogether? Or perhaps play either one of them on the left and the other as a right winger, designed to cut inside, a bit like we played Milner on his ‘wrong’ side on the left?

Trouble is, my mate doesn’t want to drop Milner either and feels he should be found a place in the starting eleven as well.

With hindsight, we should never have bought Duff when we already had Zog, but I didn’t hear too many complaints from this BBS at the time when we did sign him. However, now that we have both and as I say, both experienced professionals now and neither would settle for the bench, one of them has to go in the summer.

Probaly Zog cos he is making the most waves to get away. To sum up, next game against Blackburn, if we were to play a natural left back and drop Zog to the bench, would you be happy? Or if we played a natural left back and played Zog outside left, would there still be people complaining that he didn’t play Duff?

The mini crisis we are in this season, should see BOTH players accepting what is best for the team. Whatever that is? You tell me? Comments are welcome!

Duff has praised gaffer Sam Allardyce on the official site for his positive attitude during difficult period for the Magpies. Big Sam and his players have found themselves back in increasing pressure following United’s disappointing return over the festive programmes.

From a possible of nine points, Newcastle only can collect 1 point from a draw against Derby at home, while on the boxing day fixture, the Magpies failed again to breakdown bad records. For most of the last 10 years, Newcastle was never had any win games on Boxing day while playing away.

Duff said how Big Sam is reacting positively after the Man City game. He said “Let’s stick together”, which is what we have to do. The Irish winger admits United situation over the past few weeks haven’t gone smoothly, he’s concerned about it, everyone is, and the gaffer included.

“We are working hard to put it right. He’s a good man. We are all desperate for him to do well and the team.” Duff added, “We are all going to stick together.”

Duff is also believe that Newcastle have the ability to win something in the coming seasons if it was not this year. He knows United are having a long way to go to the same level as Arsenal or Manchester United, but he want Newcastle to get back challenging for the Champions League.

“We’ve got players who belong in the top six – we have one of England’s greatest ever strikers – and I know the manager is looking to strengthen.” Damien said, “Top players belong at Newcastle. I asked for a five-year contract when I signed. I’ve only had three clubs in my career and I want to keep it that way.”