Efficient, disciplined, lucky? Bottom line, job done.
Thing are far from dandy on Tyneside, but this away day to the KC Stadium was the perfect platform for John Carver to build genuine momentum for not just Newcastle United, but for his full time position at the club next season. John Carver’s been put in charge, so things are far more settled, thus the team can’t worry about the overwhelming mystery of who’ll be appointed.
In some ways, you could argue little had changed in the first 30 minutes of the game. Two mediocre teams, slugging out the lunch time kick off, Mike Ashley watching on from the stands. Put Pardew back in the dugout and everything would have been a head-butt away from being the exact same situation as last season.
And yet, without him there things were oh so different.
Alan Pardew’s touchline incident last season stole the headlines from across the weekend as well as a great away day performance, capitalizing on Hull’s incompetence with an edge of difference in quality thanks to Loic Remy. Fast forward 11 months later and replace that name with Remy Cabella, and you essentially have the same performance.
With both sides jabbing each other lightly, neither side took a real heavy swing until around the 17 minutes. Ahmed Elmohamady had been and continued to run Sammy Ameobi rugged throughout the first half. Ameobi gave a free kick on the right side of the penalty box, which was swung in and met by a Curtis Davies header, with Tim Krul saving from point blank range, eventually cleared off the line by Coloccini.
The well and truly needed wake up call.
After a lot of sloppy passes from Hull, one finally landed at Cabella’s feet from Robertson, right in the #10 position. As he drove forward, he lashed a curling shoot with the outside of his left foot, leaving Alan McGregor helpless.
In typical Newcastle-under-Pardew fashion, the team instantly rested on their laurels, opting to sit back to half time and take the 1-0 lead. Not necessarily a bad strategy, but when Hull are as vulnerable as they were today, attacking is never a bad idea, regardless of what minute is on the clock.
Cue another questionable free-kick for Hull in a similar position, this time with Ameobi terroriser Elmohamady on the end of it, 1-1. In a flash, the lead had gone. Typical Newcastle United, a glimmer of hope and change instantly shattered.
Whistle blown, Newcastle players in uproar, confusion across The KC Stadium. Phil Dowd’s linesman had rightfully spotted a deliberate handball from the Egyptian, who protested his innocence. Ahmed was immediately booked for dissent.
Now, I’ve heard a lot being spouted across social media today. He’s ‘a disgrace’, ‘he should be banned’, he’s a ‘cheat’. Personally, I echo the words of Steve Bruce, that Ahmed’s natural instinct kicked in and he just did what he had to do to get his team level again as soon as possible. Unfortunately for him, Dowd and his linesman had their Weetabix this morning. Officials have been getting a lot of criticism lately, but even if Newcastle were on the other end of that incident, I’d still credit them for a fantastic call.
Second half, and Newcastle pick up exactly where they left off. Hull seemed deflated by their disallowed goal, inviting on pressure from Newcastle. Sammy Ameobi would have the last laugh over Elmohamady, picking up another misplaced pass from Gaston Ramirez, driving forward, and hitting an ambitious strike from 30 yards, beating Alan McGregor.
Sammy Ameobi’s second half strike put Newcastle 2-0 up at the KC Stadium.
Once again, Newcastle sat back, inviting pressure from Hull in order to hit Hull on the counter. The Tigers had two golden goose egg opportunities put in front of them, 2 open goals almost and still couldn’t convert. Coloccini avoids a potential handball in the penalty box, followed by a sliced clearance almost into his own net. Vurnon Anita clearing off his own line, saving the captain’s blushes.
Not long later, some neat footwork by Ramirez allowed him to skip past Janmaat and drill a cross Krul’s 6 yard box. However, the lack of accuracy and amount of drive let the ball bounce off Jelavic’s knee and cleared away. People seem to point the finger at Jelavic for a missed opportunity, but with no time to adjust, Nikicia was left helpless.
Cabella would go off to a standing ovation, by far the man of the match. Constantly tracking back, driving forward, putting in tackles, working tirelessly for the team and being rewarded with a goal. It’s almost like everything Ben Arfa could and should have been in the latter stages of his time on Tyneside, whom now finds himself banned from any football until next season. Hopefully he’ll learn something from the next 7 months of no competitive action.
Cabella would be replaced by Yoan Gouffran. An unpopular figure of late and one of Alan Pardew’s former first team darlings, who would be picked regardless of how atrocious his form would be. Today though, he thrived and seemed to have a new life put into him by John’s belief and freedom to let him attack, play through the middle like he did at Bordeaux and have more allowance to shoot. Today, he drove at the heart of Michael Dawson and had a deflected shot loop over McGregor into the net, netting Newcastle’s third and sealing three points.
0-3. Hull’s Tigers were toothless, the Magpies were flying high, and the home cubs had left early to lick their wounds.
Perez, who had to sacrifice himself for the team today was replaced by the returning Papiss Cisse, who also worked for his team to simply run down the clock. Sammy Ameobi would also be replaced in the dying embers of the match for Mehdi Abeid, returning from injury after some time out with thigh troubles.
To all the doubters that have slated the full time appointment of John Carver, they may go on to be proven correct. Not today, as we should applaud the professionalism and approach by Carver for today at The KC Stadium.
He has the player’s backing and visa versa. Carver seems to have galvanised and given them the chance to express themselves, instead of constantly attempting to not lose these sort of fixtures, as opposed to winning them. It was the perfect way for John Carver to begin his charge at becoming permanent Head Coach come Summer 2015.
To see the likes of crocked Paul Dummett in the away end with the Geordie faithful today soaking in the atmosphere has a wonderful sentiment to it, the likes we’ve not seen for a while for just over 2 years, when Ryan Taylor was in the away end at Anfield in Autumn 2012. It creates a needed bond between the club and fan base, which has been lost in translation for quite some time.
Next week, Stoke at home. Based on today’s efficient performance combined with home advantage, I’d expect the club to at least not lose. However, this is Newcastle United – we all know how this story has gone in previous years.
Congratulations to the fans, the team and head coach for taking full advantage today in a fixture which could’ve easily spiraled out of control, and left us looking behind our shoulder.
