Visiting the old Goodison Park is usually a good day out apart from when you get unlucky and have to stand directly behind a large metal post in the away section. Newcastle's last visit ended all square as Everton got lucky and ended the game 1-1. This time was different although the Newcastle that travelled to Liverpool was not the same team that went down and as we have seen already this season, they work hard for each other and seem to be enjoying it.
It was a patchy game that took time to get going but when it did it was a good old fashioned English game of football. Everton had some chances but we would not sit back and take it - away from home or not. We went at them time and time again, more assured on each attack until from a distance of around 25yards Ben Arfa made a side step from a standing position and unleashed a shot no goalkeeper would have got near. A goal that this kid was looking for to get his name up there. This was a magnificent goal and his performance was a good one, always going forward looking to commit defenders to the tackle or trying to get beyond them. Ben Arfa so far looks to be a good signing and echoes of Robert come to mind.
Everton did have chances to bring the game back level and they should have as with some shaky defending at times, Newcastle looked very venerable at the back and an in-form Everton would surely have opened us up and punished us.
However the game was not dead then and we were simply not giving up and holding out for the draw. That would be incredibly dangerous as our defence was not the sharpest. Our best weapon was to carry on attacking. Attack we did and how we loved it and what a refreshing change to see Newcastle going to places like Goodison Park and press them for 90 minutes for the victory. That display deserved the 3 points and give the team a massive boost of confidence which put the disappointment of Blackpool behind us. The media will now talk about how Everton lost this game rather than give us credit as was the case last week when Blackpool thumped us.
The team seems to have got back into the pace of the Premiership much quicker than most expected and looks as if we never left. This result does show we are capable. We know what the media would say but they always have had a thing against us.
If we can go to teams like Everton and get a result we can definitely go to teams like Wigan, Stoke and Bolton and get points so why should we not be excited about this season? Why should we bring ourselves back down to earth by listening to the media's "its going to be difficult" quotes? Why can't we finish in the top 10 if teams like Blackburn Rovers can do it? I don't see any reason at all even though we have been in the Championship for 1 year. It did us good. We got rid of the hangers-on and the high wages and kept a hold of some good hardworking lads who want to play for us. They are Premiership players after all and with young talent emerging everything is looking rather healthy on Tyneside. The bench at the weekend was full of top quality Premiership-experienced players who could play for half of the Prem and with players still to come back from injury too, this makes things seem much brighter. If we can't dream about the Toon then what do we dream about? We know we won't get into Europe and finishing in the top 7. We know we can at best finish behind these places but why can't we finish the top half? Because the media say so? Are we are afraid of being called delusional by a bunch of Mackems with a chip on there shoulder?
It was a patchy game that took time to get going but when it did it was a good old fashioned English game of football. Everton had some chances but we would not sit back and take it - away from home or not. We went at them time and time again, more assured on each attack until from a distance of around 25yards Ben Arfa made a side step from a standing position and unleashed a shot no goalkeeper would have got near. A goal that this kid was looking for to get his name up there. This was a magnificent goal and his performance was a good one, always going forward looking to commit defenders to the tackle or trying to get beyond them. Ben Arfa so far looks to be a good signing and echoes of Robert come to mind.
Everton did have chances to bring the game back level and they should have as with some shaky defending at times, Newcastle looked very venerable at the back and an in-form Everton would surely have opened us up and punished us.
However the game was not dead then and we were simply not giving up and holding out for the draw. That would be incredibly dangerous as our defence was not the sharpest. Our best weapon was to carry on attacking. Attack we did and how we loved it and what a refreshing change to see Newcastle going to places like Goodison Park and press them for 90 minutes for the victory. That display deserved the 3 points and give the team a massive boost of confidence which put the disappointment of Blackpool behind us. The media will now talk about how Everton lost this game rather than give us credit as was the case last week when Blackpool thumped us.
The team seems to have got back into the pace of the Premiership much quicker than most expected and looks as if we never left. This result does show we are capable. We know what the media would say but they always have had a thing against us.
If we can go to teams like Everton and get a result we can definitely go to teams like Wigan, Stoke and Bolton and get points so why should we not be excited about this season? Why should we bring ourselves back down to earth by listening to the media's "its going to be difficult" quotes? Why can't we finish in the top 10 if teams like Blackburn Rovers can do it? I don't see any reason at all even though we have been in the Championship for 1 year. It did us good. We got rid of the hangers-on and the high wages and kept a hold of some good hardworking lads who want to play for us. They are Premiership players after all and with young talent emerging everything is looking rather healthy on Tyneside. The bench at the weekend was full of top quality Premiership-experienced players who could play for half of the Prem and with players still to come back from injury too, this makes things seem much brighter. If we can't dream about the Toon then what do we dream about? We know we won't get into Europe and finishing in the top 7. We know we can at best finish behind these places but why can't we finish the top half? Because the media say so? Are we are afraid of being called delusional by a bunch of Mackems with a chip on there shoulder?
Bollocks. Get behind the Toon. Believe and dream. It's why we love the game.
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