In the start of the first 30 minutes of play, the away team was dominating in terms of ball possession. In fact we did created a half-chance in the 11th minute when the Royals defenders Kaspars Gorkss clearance felt on to Ba who was then raced it down the right flank.

Too bad, His cross miscued over the top, leaving Papiss Cisse with nothing to do at the far post. The Royals also have a half-chance situation, thanks to Steven Taylor who forced to head behind a dangerous delivery from McAnuff.

After that, we are simply just doing some defensive duties with the home side taking the advantage as their confidence growing in. On the half-hour mark, Steve Harper diverted Pogrebnyak’s heading over the top for a corner.

In the second period we are mostly the same side as we were in the first 45 minutes, with only Cisse’s work a yard of space inside the frist 10 minutes from the re-start but his shot was blocked by the Reading defence.

And then, the home side took the deserve lead in the 58th minute when Kebe received the ball in central position where we supposed to have Cabaye to deal with it before he shoot the ball into the far corner.

The goal was forced us to make immediate response. It took only a minute when Tiote floated the ball over a packed of the home defence into Ba’s territory who accept it and firing a superb volley past a hopeless McCarthy.

I was hoping that after the quick payback, we will then back to dominate the game and to added more goals. But it was (again) the Royals who were hunger for goals.

And (again) McAnuff movement down to our left byline was be able to delivering a dangerous cross right into the Magpies defense. This time Noel Hunt sneaking in behind though and glanced a bouncing header into the far corner past Harper’s despairing dive.

Alan Pardew – who just signed a new magnificent 8 years contract deal – quickly make a change to introduced Shola and Shane Ferguson for Cisse and Gael Bigirimana.

We finally got the equaliser with seven minutes left on the clock. Just like what he did in our last Capital One League Cup match at Old Trafford couple days ago, Shane Ferguson pacey run of space on the left give him some space to quickly delivered a superb cross onto the head of Ba to bagged his second of the afternoon.

Reading (4-4-2)
Alex McCarthy; Shaun Cummings, Adrian Mariappa, Kaspars Gorkss, Nicky Shorey; Jimmy Kebe (Garath McCleary 70), Mikele Leigertwood, Jem Karacan, Jobi McAnuff (c); Noel Hunt (Adam Le Fondre 86), Pavel Pogrebnyak (Jason Roberts 78)

Subs not used: Stuart Taylor, Alex Pearce, Danny Guthrie, Hal Robson-Kanu

Newcastle United (4-4-2)
Steve Harper; James Perch, Mike Williamson, Steven Taylor (James Tavernier 56), Davide Santon; Hatem Ben Arfa, Gael Bigirimana (Shane Ferguson 69), Cheick Tiote, Jonas Gutierrez (c); Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse (Shola Ameobi 69)

Subs not used: Rob Elliot, Vurnon Anita, Gabriel Obertan, Sammy Ameobi

Referee: Andre Marriner

Bookings:
Reading – none
Newcastle – Perch (44), Williamson (53), Gutierrez (73)

The post Reading (2) v Newcastle United (2) – Premierships match report appeared first on Magpieszone.

One player that is the most possible to leave is the England left-back Nicky Shorey. Coppell needs to adapt their finances to the Coca-Cola Championship, and will have to cut almost £500,000 from their weekly pay-outs and Nicky Shorey, who has served the club for seven years, is the main target from the likes of West Ham United, Aston Villa and Newcastle United.

“Nicky Shorey and a few others will be looked at as potential people to leave,” Nigel Howe, club’s chief executive said. “Nicky has made it clear for a long time that he hasn’t been too happy at the club. Well, let’s hope that somebody comes in with a good offer.”

Shorey has been linked with us when the previous manager is preparing his January transfers, but the Royals side is rejecting any offers from other Premier League club for their star player. Nicky was also said have signed new contract with them at that time, but now the table is turn and they have to release him to survive in the Championships league.

I wouldn’t mind if Keegan make a move for 27 years-old Shorey, who is still in the range of our “young players” policy, while one of today’s news already said that West Ham are ready to make £5m bid to take him move to Upton Park.

Meanwhile, Sam Vokes who is one of other player that has been linked for a move to St. James’s Park couple months ago, has completed his move from Bournemouth to Wolves in an undisclosed fees.

The post Steve Coppell Cries For Help from Madejski Stadium appeared first on Magpieszone.

In a thunderous atmosphere at fully packed St. James’s Park, Newcastle making three wins out of three against Reading and to add more of joy, YMO scores again for his fourth in 4 games. Martins also scores, his second in two games. Viduka? Oh yes, he’s also in the scoresheet too

In the game where Keegan’s first signing Lamine Diatta was included for the first time among the United substitutes since his arrival on Tyneside last month, Toon young Canadian, David Edgar is making his first start for Toon this season to replace Taylor who was absence because of food poisoning.

Newcastle quickly start to dominating the game as soon as referee Lee Probert blew the kick-off, with an early free-kick from Geremi in just two minutes of play resulting the first corner for Newcastle. Geremi’s delivery gets the attention of Edgar who headed the ball home just being cleared by Reading defender.

The ball fell to Barton who produces Toon second corner as his rebound took off the shins of Shorey.

More than 50,000 Toon Army are no need to wait any longer than 18 minutes before they see the first goal for Newcastle. Nicky Butt delivery to Oba Martins on the left with a crossfield ball. Martins takes full advantage as Reading’s Liam Rosenior taste the St. James’ slippery wet grass.

Oba continues his run into the penalty area and aware of the challenge from Andre Bikey and gets away from him before finishing his solo past Hahnemann with delightful right-footed strike from 12 yards. That’s his ninth of the season. A deafening celebration is starting there ladies and gentlemen!

After that goal? Well, you can imagine that without I have to mention it here, we are enjoying the game very well with Reading busy defending. No chance at all for them to create any real chances that can harm us. In fact, we should have the second goal in 37 minute.

New born again Joey Barton and Nicky Butt once again switches play between them, these two are really combining very well in Toon midfield recently, and when Barton found himself in space on the left side of the field, he crosses a first-time shooting for the near post where Viduka dummies it for Owen who’s arriving from midfield, Owen connects it, but his eight-yard effort inches wide of Hahnemann’s goal.

Nevermind that, because Toon skipper is really in the mood and still hungry for more goals to show the England gaffer that he is still England’s best striker. Owen nets his fourth in four games for Toon as he scores in 43 minute from the angle of the six-yard area.

It was coming from a delightful chipped pass ball from Habib Beye. Let me tell you some stats, Michael Owen is the second Newcastle United player who has scored in four consecutive premier league matches since Alan Shearer doing it in the 2003/04 season. Congratulations Mickey!

Newcastle held to their two goals lead until the first-half ends. And the same full attacking display is displayed once again in the return of second-half. We deservedly get the third goal in an hour mark. This time, another Toon striker producing a fine finish from a great attacking scenario from the midfield.

After failed to score in an effective performance against Spurs last Sunday, Mark Viduka is not in the mood to end today’s game empty handed. He gets in on the scoresheet with his close range finish after making a clever one-two with Habib Beye inside the area.

Kevin Keegan makes all substitutions in the second-half as he taken off Mark Viduka and bring in Damien Duff in 74 minute, the Aussie receives a fabulous standing ovation from the Toon Army as he goes off the field.

Five minutes later, it’s Nicky Butt turn to receive standing ovation as he comes off for Alan Smith, and in the 82 minute Keegan’s Lamine Diatta handed his debut to replaces his Senegal team-mate Abdoulaye Faye.

TEAMS

Newcastle United FC:
Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Jose Enrique, Abdoulaye Faye, David Edgar, Nicky Butt, Geremi, Joey Barton, Michael Owen (c), Mark Viduka, Oba Martins
Subs: Fraser Forster, Lamine Diatta, Alan Smith, Damien Duff, Andy Carroll

Reading FC:
Marcus Hahnemann, Nicky Shorey, Kalifa Cisse, Kevin Doyle, Stephen Hunt, John Oster, Dave Kitson, James Harper, Ivar Ingimarsson, Liam Rosenior, Ulises De La Cruz
Subs: Bobby Convey, Emerse Fae, Shane Long, Michael Duberry, Adam Federici

Referee: Lee Probert
Attendance: 52, 179

The post Newcastle (3) vs Reading (0), Walking In Keegan Wonderland appeared first on Magpieszone.

Shay Given
No communication with his back four, and I honestly think Cacapa lost any faith in Given half way through the second half.

Habib Beye
The only player I don’t have anything bad to say about. He’s tidy and nows his position, and can put in a decent cross. Pity there was no one in the team to get on the end.

Jose Enrique
Dwelt on the ball to long, needs to pick up the pace of the premiership. I think he has the tools to do the same job as Beye. He can put a decent cross in to, not that there was anyone to get on the end of one.

Faye & Cacapa
Well they looked like Bramble and Boumsong at times. No that’s unfair. They just had a very off night. Cacapa looks class, no nonsense defender let down by those around him at times.

Geremi
Please give him an extended rest Big Sam.

Nicky Butt
Had a very ordinary game. Gave the ball away a couple of times, but still more effective than Geremi.

Joey Barton
Along with Emre, you wouldn’t have known they were on the park for the first 25 minutes. Over all didn’t see to much of the ball, and consequantly didn’t contribute to much.

Emre
Saw more of the ball as the game went on. But really didn’t have to many options to pass it on to. Most often he passed it wide to an advancing fullback who didn’t have any options ahead of him, or he passed it into, at best a 50 50 situation.

Owen
He’s not the player he used to be. He’s lost a yard and a half of pace. He still is a very good footballer. He has the skills to still be a poacher.

Martins
Had f-all chances, to borrow some one elses comment, he probably has a sore neck from watching the ball sail over him.

Subs:

N’Zogbia
Had a couple of nice runs into dead end situations. He’s truly wasted at NUFC at the moment. Should of been on the pitch from the beginning.

James Milner
Lacks the pure class of Zog, but knows his postition and provides much more there than what Geremi does.

Alan Smith
Should of started in place of Owen.

Big Sam
…He knew it at the end of the match though.

Thanks to tre who start the thread, sorry mate didn’t get the chance to email you!

Howay the Lads!!!

The post Who did What Against Reading appeared first on Magpieszone.

Newcastle United starts the match today with almost similar team line-up as last Monday night. The only player who sits on the bench was Charles N’Zogbia, he is giving way to Joey Barton for his first time as a starter this season.

The first early minutes, the visitor have to sit back and defend against the attacking host. But in the 4th minute, Habib Beye spots a run of Michael Owen in the inside right channel before delivering the ball forward for the striker.

The pass is too much for Owen to chase and it skids through to Hahnemann who immediately launches a ball upfield for Reading striker Leroy Lita.

Lita done well to spring the offside trap, and darts in from the left side of Newcastle defence and delay his shot. Cacapa quickly took the opportunity to block the ball with his sliding.

With the game reaching into the half hour, the game suddenly breaks into an open contest. Newcastle starts to attacking the home side. Emre feeds the ball into the overlapping Enrique, and he immediately curls over into the area to find Geremi who is unlucky not to get his header on target at the far post.

Just in about to reach the end of the first-half, a mis-understanding between Monday’s hero Cacapa and the returning goalkeeper Shay Given almost costs a humiliation for Newcastle side. The Brazilian’s back pass roll towards an unguarded net – Given quickly races back to his post and manages to hook the ball away just in time.

Well, at the start of the second-half, it looks like somebody will get a “bonus“ from Sam Allardyce as the home side took the lead in just 8 minutes into the second period. Dave Kitson who scores the only goal for the Royal’s win over the Magpies last season has done it again today.

Sam Allardyce quickly responded after the goal to bring in N’Zogbia and Alan Amith in to replaced Oba Martins and Nicky Butt.

One thing that was really unfair and disroyal was the booed from some of the ‘Toon Army’ when Martins being substituted. Howay lads…why booing our own player? Martins has scores, and it’s not his fault if he’s being substituted.

imho, it’s Michael Owen that is really should be off instead of Martins. Nicky Butt is also still worth to play longer, Geremi is the one that should run to the dressing room.

Well, no matter what, the show must go on, and the rests of the Lads will not want to have another bonus from Big Sam. Newcastle is chasing the game for an equalizer, and it comes to the little help from Michael Duberry who gives us another “bonus” for the lads.

Ah, well…it’s apparently the game of one side. The Magpies looks like dead birds today as they cannot fly, no matter how hard they try, it’s that Reading again to scores. 3 goals of this game all come from their players, sigh….

Why we always have to defend when playing away? C’mon Sam, show a little bit of bravery, teach them how to attacking as good as they were at home. We are all waiting in pain!

Team Line-Up:

Newcastle United FC: Shay Given, Habib Beye, Jose Enrique, Abdoulaye Faye, Claudio Cacapa, Emre, Geremi, Nicky Butt (Charles N’Zogbia), Joey Barton, Oba Martins (Alan Smith), Michael Owen
Subs: Steve Harper, David Rozehnal, James Milner

Reading FC: Marcus Hahnemann, Graeme Murty, Nicky Shorey, Brynjar Gunnarsson, Leroy Lita, Kevin Doyle, Stephen Hunt, Dave Kitson, James Harper, Michael Duberry
Subs: Ivar Ingimarsson, Bobby Convey, Liam Rosenior, Shane Long, Adam Federici

Referee: Phil Dowd
Attendance: 24, 119

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