Poyet’s incredible Sunderland revival continues with 3-0 win at Newcastle

SAFC Fans

Sunderland beat Newcastle 3-0 for the second time in nine months in a pulsating Tyne-Wear derby at St James’ Park.

The victory means Gus Poyet has won 11 from 23 games with a club who were bottom of the league and without a win in seven matches when he took charge.

A first half penalty from Fabio Borini and a close-range effort from Adam Johnson gave Sunderland a half-time lead, while Jack Colback scored late in the second half.

A frantic first half was dominated in the early stages by the away side, who were better in possession and played with an urgency that Newcastle failed to deal with.

Newcastle did have opportunities wasted in good areas – both through Davide Santon – and they gifted Sunderland an opening on 18 minutes. A clumsy tackle from Vernon Anita on Phil Bardsley gave Borini the chance to put Sunderland in the lead, and the Italian duly smashed home.

The well-taken penalty into Tim Krul’s top right was Borini’s second goal in a Tyne-Wear derby since joining Sunderland on loan in September.

With St James’ Park agitated, Sunderland continued to push and probe and, within five minutes of Borini’s opener, had doubled their lead. Krul parried Colback’s shot across goal into the path of Johnson, who finished from four yards for his sixth goal in his last five games.

Jozy Altidore played a key role in the build-up to Sunderland’s second, perfectly executing a flick into the path of the on-running Colback, and the American was outstanding for Sunderland in the first half – holding up play, frustrating and bustling his way through a Newcastle defence that could not handle him.

Conversely, Sunderland dealt with the minimal threat of Shola Ameobi with ease. The home side were largely limited to shots from range, and even then they were not given the time or space for pot-shots. Hatem Ben Arfa tried and failed, repeatedly, to wriggle his way through a stubborn Sunderland defence, while Sammy Ameobi was the least effective player on the pitch.

The big openings that Newcastle had in the first half came after some rare patient build-up across the penalty area. Shola Ameobi’s attempted turn and shot was eventually mopped up by Bardsley while, with half-time looming, Ben Arfa had the chance to place the ball across but chose to smash it out for a throw-in instead.

Sunderland were better in every position in the opening 45 so it was hardly surprising when Alan Pardew made a change at half-time. Loan signing Luuk De Jong even had the first chance after the break, shooting tamely straight at Vito Mannone.

Sunderland continued to have the upper hand on their biggest rivals but actually seemed able to take the foot off the gas a little.

Phil Bardsley, particularly, starred for Sunderland, containing Ben Arfa again and again. Johnson was also a stand-out player, and at one point the Wearside-born winger jinked his way around three Newcastle defenders and fired a fierce shot against the post. Johnson is, surely, now firmly in the thoughts of England manager Roy Hodgson.

Chieck Tiote did go close for Newcastle but his shot was acrobatically saved by Mannone. And it was Sunderland academy product Colback who completed the scoring and topped off a fine afternoon for the midfielder, brilliantly placing the ball into the top corner from 10 yards.

Sunderland closed the game out with ease, with Newcastle offering little, but the Wearside team were outstanding from the first whistle. The changes that Poyet has brought in have been resoundingly successful, making further mockery of Paolo Di Canio’s disparaging remarks about the club and certain players earlier this week.

Difficult characters have, seemingly, been turned around, while players like Johnson and Ki-Sun Yeung are thriving. In Colback, Ki and new signing Liam Bridcutt – who was brilliant on his debut in such a testing fixture – Sunderland have a midfield packed with creativity, poise and hard work.

They play with a similar urgency and directness as they always have but there’s now an added precision and zip in their play. To simply get the results that Poyet has gained as Sunderland boss would be remarkable but do it in such style shows a much more shrewd approach to management than the previous manager.

While Newcastle look like enduring a tough last four months to the season with a beleaguered and tepid squad, Sunderland are now mid-table and, currently, look like a side capable of rising higher still.

Sports Journalism degree: a reflection, two years in

To study journalism was always going to be a bit of a grind. The profession is so often ad hoc and whimsical that to learn the basic skills over a three-year period based primarily in a classroom seems almost inappropriate.

Team GB, Football & the Olympics

London 2012 is over and, with it, comes the debate over Great Britain’s participation in future Football events.

For all the pre-tournament scepticism, lack of preparation time and the inevitable defeat on penalties in the quarter-finals, the Team GB Men’s football side acquitted themselves very well at the Olympics. 

Cahill & Rodwell gone: the time is now for Everton’s Ross Barkley

With the departures of Tim Cahill and Jack Rodwell, midfielder Ross Barkley – one of the many exciting young English talents in the Premier League this season – now has the chance to forge himself a regular starting spot at Everton.

Manchester City win 2012 Community Shield

Manchester City came from behind and withheld late pressure from Chelsea as they claimed their first silverware of the 2012/13 season thanks to goals from Carlos Tevez, Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri.

Chelsea had taken the lead through Fernando Torres just before half-time but a blistering second half blew them away, a late Ryan Bertrand goal merely a consolation in an enthralling start to the new football season. 

Is this the season English youngsters break into the Premier League?

The inquest into English youth football has been going on for some time now and, this season, it looks as if players previously on the fringes could be about to get their chance in a league that is more of a global league more than the English Premier League.

Social Media and football

The Premier League has issued club guidelines on social media in the run-up to the 2012/13 season.

Errors and exciting talent make for excellent start to Euro 2012

Day one of Euro 2012 was packed full with entertainment, with Poland throwing away first half dominance to draw with Greece, and Russia powering past Czech Republic in what was a cracking start to Group A, a group which so many predicted to be boring and lifeless.

Russia’s Alan ‘Player To Watch’ Dzagoev was the headline grabber, scoring with two cracking finishes against Czech Republic. He did miss a sitter at one point and was outshone by the superb Andrei Arshavin and the dominant Zenit-based midfield, but it was a fantastic start to a tournament where Dzagoev is expected to shine.

Russia took advantage of some slack Czech defending throughout the game, exploiting the gaps with great fluidity and speed of movement. Czech left-back Michal Kadlec was hideous out of position a lot of the time but most pointedly for Russia’s second goal, Roman Shirokov somehow able to stroll into the six yard box unmarked and deftly chip over Petr Cech.

The Chelsea goalkeeper should have come out quicker and stronger but he was left hideously exposed by a wayward defence. When Dzagoev smashed in his second, Cech should have stood up to the shot and Russia’s fourth should have been met with similar composure, Roman Pavlyuchenko powering past defenders with great ease and firing past Cech. It was a poor day for a world-class goalkeeper, but there is the slight saving grace that it wasn’t the worst goalkeeping performance of the day.

Wojciech Szczesny is an ‘outspoken’ character, in that when he speaks he says something of interest and he’s actually a character in a game packed with PR-tuned robots. But being so verbose gives the critics an immediate stand-point and, when mistakes are made, sympathy is hard to come by.

So when the Arsenal goalkeeper horribly misread a cross to allow Dimitris Salpigidis to equalise, and later conceded the penalty that Przemyslaw Tyton brilliant saved, howls of derision could be heard from the realms of Twitter where Szczesny has so often annoyed and overjoyed so many at the same time.

The penalty was particularly poor decision-making from Szczesny; to come out that quick and misread the speed of the move like that is bad enough but to then leave a leg trailing, giving a player the open pass to go down inside the area, is sheer lunacy.

But it came in on a day filled with mistakes and errors from all sides. Carlos Velasco Carballo, the referee for the Poland-Greece opener, started off well, dealing with robust tackles in a firm and authoritative way, but then descended into card-happy territory. The sending off of Sokratis Papastathopoulos was incredibly harsh seen as his first booking wasn’t even a foul and his second was a dubious yellow. Howard Webb, in the second game, was much better and wasn’t actually forced to get his cards out of his pocket at any point.

Aside from that, Sotiris Ninis – another player tipped to have an impressive performance – had a stinker, summed up by his attempted backheel to a teammate who was 5 yards away and not looking to move in that direction. Georgios Samaras was dreadful and served little purpose out on the wing for Greece other than to helpfully give the ball back to Poland, while Aleksandr Kerzhakov seemed to want to hit shots wide rather than go for the easier option and just score.

But from the ridiculous errors we went to the sublime football. Vaclav Pilar’s rounding of the goalkeeper and superb finish from Plasil’s majestic pass was a highlight of day one, while the tirelessly excellent Arshavin sent a warning out to the rest of Europe: he’s back.

We almost had an early contender for goal of the tournament too, but Theodore Gebre Selassie’s Van Basten effort hit the side netting.

It was the perfect tonic: the bad and the brilliant of football all wrapped up in one day. The defending wasn’t good enough to make the game too tight but, at the same time, it wasn’t a laughable shambles. Both games were open and all four sides had their periods of domination – as a neutral, it really doesn’t get much better than that.

Apart from, of course, some controversial red cards, some goalkeeping errors and an erratic refereeing performance that all, frankly, added to the entertainment. No pressure, Group B.

Picture credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/big-team/

Chelsea win the Champions League

 

Finally, they’ve done it. A season that looked to be disastrous under Andres Villas-Boas ends with Chelsea winning the double under Roberto Di Matteo.

At times, it wasn’t pretty. Organised and resolute defending where the team knew their strengths and weaknesses, or negative football – call it what you like, it’s effective. Chelsea have won the Champions League, beating the mighty Barcelona on the way as well as Napoli, Benfica and Bayern Munich.

They’ve had their graft and determination greeted by luck, but you make your own luck. Bayern had 43 shots on goal to Chelsea’s 9, but 22 of Bayern’s were blocked; even the most stout believer in defensive positioning coming before overplayed heroics would have to admit that that is fantastic defending. Gary Cahill and David Luiz were incredible, while Ashley Cole put in a Man of the Match performance, putting to bed (ahem) the claims that he’s finished as a top-flight full-back.

There were horrible Munich misses, with Mario Gomez perhaps the worst perpetrator. But Chelsea had an effect on some of those misses – pressure on players contributes to them snatching at shots, bodies flying in puts an attacker off. Stats won’t show that. They did have their luck, though – they’re lucky that Arjen Robben’s penalty in extra-time was dreadful. It really did just feel like it was their night.

Of course, the only stat that really matters is this: Bayern Munich 1 – 1 Chelsea after 90 minutes.

 

Munich (picture from Markus Unger on Flickr)

The way the game was played was no real surprise; Bayern set out to retain the ball, keep possession and keep creating chances. Chelsea set out to frustrate and then counter, just as they did against Barca. They were organised and they did have periods of slight domination.

And yet, after winning the FA Cup and the Champions League, Di Matteo’s full-time job at the club – we’re told – is still not set in stone for next season.

Roman Abramovich has always wanted the Champions League, and now he’s got it. He apparently also wants the style to go with the winning; he wants to be entertained. Fine. Give Di Matteo the chance to bring in his own players, as this is still Villas-Boas’ side. Allow him to build his squad, implement the style that Roman wants and keep that winning feeling.

Cahill, Luiz, Bertrand and Mikel have all now played in a Champions League final and won. Ramires and Daniel Sturridge have played large roles in a victorious campaign. Petr Cech, Juan Mata, John Terry and Frank Lampard are all winners of the highest regard. Marko Marin is coming in in the summer, as will others no doubt. These are the foundations. They can win ugly, now give Di Matteo a season or two to make it pretty.

There were plenty of signs of good, attractive, intelligent play from Chelsea on Saturday night. There were periods where they seemed to attack at will – maybe Bayern allowed them to come out a little so that they could then counter, but it didn’t work all that well as Robben, Franck Ribery and Gomez all had poor games (partly due to Chelsea’s defending).

One move in particular showed that Chelsea can strut with the best of them: a low cross was met with a cheeky backheel from Drogba on the edge of the box; Lampard squared it intelligently for Salomon Kalou, who tested Manuel Neuer at his near post.

The late equaliser, though, after Thomas Muller had stolen in at the back post to give Munich the lead, had no perceived grace about it. A thunderous header from a thunderous man who cut a forlorn figure for most of the game but didn’t once show any sign of frustration. He chased, he harried, he lost out most of the time – but Didier Drogba knew his role. He would get his chance eventually, and good God did he take it.

And with what was possibly his last kick for Chelsea, he crowned them champions of Europe.

 

Drogba celebrates (picture from rayand on Flickr)

---

The post-match celebrations seem to irk a few which, with Twitter in its default setting of OUTRAGE, was no real surprise. EVERYTHING John Terry does is AWFUL, of course. ALL. THE. TIME. Terry decided to celebrate in his full Chelsea kit which he must have been wearing under his suit, which he was wearing in the stands due to his suspension.

 

John Terry (picture from Ronnie Macdonald on Flickr)

Terry wasn’t the only player to do this – the other players who were banned also did it, but they came in for significantly less criticism (i.e. none) than the former England captain did. Given that Terry isn’t a likeable human being in any way, it’s hardly surprising, yet the internet’s insistence that he shouldn’t lift the trophy was ever so slightly baffling.

The Champions League isn’t just won in the final, and Terry has played a magnificent part in the European campaign, not to mention some outstanding performances in other competitions this season. John Terry, to be blunt – and putting Liverpool to one side for the moment – has been fantastic this season.

So when his club, a club he has been with for over seventeen years and a club he has made more than 300 league appearances for, wins the Champions League, he’s allowed to be a little bit happy about it. His actions in the semi-final that brought him the red card were unjustifiable but that doesn’t mean he should be stopped from performing his duty as captain in lifting the trophy.

And the Roy Keane comparison is pretty nonsensical, as people are allowed to do things differently and that doesn’t make them wrong. Just as Terry’s actions could be interpreted as arrogant and twattish, Keane could be seen as a miserable, self-centred sod who didn’t want to celebrate with his team on one their defining nights. Cheer up, Roy – it’s not all about you.

Congratulations Chelsea – Champions League winners 2012.

 

Main picture from rayand on Flickr.

Wigan Athletic to beat the drop again?

Picture from BBC

The fans sang “we shall not be moved” at full volume, adamant that they’d not be forced from their position. It was the continually-ridiculed Wigan fans making the noise, though, not the much-fabled Newcastle away support as the DW Stadium (including it’s JJB days) witnessed what must be one of its finest hours.


Going in to the match, the Latics had won five out of their last eight games, a run of form that has seen them rise from the relegation zone. Before March, Roberto Martinez’ side had won just four games, but recent weeks saw wins against Liverpool, Stoke, Manchester United and Arsenal.

Just when Wigan appear to be finally down and out after years of final-day drama, they do it again. Survival now looks likely rather than virtually unfeasible, as it did at the end of January, with only three wins under their belt.

With an outstanding and in-form Newcastle side visiting Greater Manchester, though, it was widely thought that Wigan’s superb run of form was about to be halted. The Toon had won their last six games, conceding just one in that time and with one of the Premier League’s most lethal strikers, Papiss Cisse, scoring in each of those six games.

Newcastle are chasing the Champions League, wary of Chelsea winning this term’s competition preventing them reaching next year’s equivalent. Wigan are fighting against the drop to the Championship. Both sides had something to play for then, which makes it all the more remarkable that the latter beat the former.

And they really did beat them, in a ruthless fashion. Wigan dominated the first half, their play consisting of short, intricate passes in the middle and long, ranging diagonal balls to the flanks, be it to Maynor Figueroa on the left or the right-sided Emmerson Boyce.

The first goal came from great wing-play, on both sides. Figueroa burst forward, with the excellent Shaun Maloney eventually playing the ball out to Boyce. His cross landed perfectly on the head of Victor Moses, who really is starting to show the potential that he has long been touted for.

Moses’ second goal was more controlled than his first, more beautifully crafted. Another clever pass from Maloney – this time a backheel – found Moses who touched it to the ever-improving Jean Beausejour. The winger whipped in a devilish ball which was cut out by Fabio Collocini, only for Moses to steal in and place a shot past goalkeeper Tim Krul.

At this point fans, players and coaches must have been equally as delirious. Where do they go from here? At 2-0 up with 15 minutes gone, do they park the bus? No. They keep playing their game, just as they always do. In the build-up to Moses’ second, the Wigan defense exchanged passes, aware of the Newcastle pressing but never looking to go long. Keep the ball, keep the play, work the ball forward.

Newcastle, on the other hand, were desperate to get back into the game, and it showed. Too eager to get forward at times when the personnel forward did not equate, they gave the ball back to Wigan repeatedly. The Latics may not have great possession in games – 49% average, per game, after this meeting – but when they do have the ball, they use it well – an average pass completion rate of 80% places Wigan higher than Napoli, Borrussia Dortmund and Athletic Bilbao in that particular league.

When Wigan do lose the ball, they are dogged in getting it back. They harass, they are aggressive and are quite happy to foul to break up the play – they make sure no one plays their game against them.

Newcastle attempted to mirror their system for a short period in the first half to try and stop Wigan from playing, but it didn’t work. The 5-4-1 that becomes a 3-4-3 in attack means there are always options, especially on the wings. A great togetherness and work-rate makes for superb energy and fast but measured attacks.

It was down the left-hand side, again, where Wigan attacked for their third; Franco Di Santo playing a magnificent first-time ball to the surging Maloney, who buried it in the bottom corner with ease. It was Di Santo who started and finished the move for the fourth, too – a one-two on the halfway line was clever, the placed shot into the corner from 30 yards was incredible.

Newcastle, of course, had their chances and were by no means dreadful at the DW which, as harsh as it sounds, they’d be expected to be if utterly outplayed by Wigan. Hatem Ben Arfa curled a free-kick over and pulled a shot wide late on, Cisse hit the bar and Ba dragged a shot wide. Battled and weary, Wigan controlled the second half but allowed Newcastle to press and threaten more, but it’s times like that that clubs really value their goalkeeper – a strong performance from Ali Al Habsi, thwarting Cisse in a Gandalf-esque performance. Newcastle rattled the bar and post but, as Liverpool fans know, that’s poor finishing rather than bad luck.

To pick a man of the match here would be difficult, which speaks volumes for the widespread brilliance of this Wigan performance. They finished the game attacking, still playing their game – Collocini preventing Conor Sammon from adding a fifth.

Wigan will keep doing it their way. A trip to Blackburn and a home game against Wolves await, two games that look set to be exhilarating and, on current form, the Latics look the favourites. Wigan are going to do it again. They’re going to survive.