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Match Reports

Newcastle United – One good Two bad

9 years ago
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Arsenal v Newcastle 

Arsenal 4 Newcastle 1   Saturday 13 December 5.30pm

Newcastle United and Alan Pardew surely reflected on three valuable lessons after the final whistle at the Emirates.

Starting with the positive of the three, Ayoze Perez was excellent.

I must admit that I thought the ‘Spanish Waiter’ was a desperate signing to make up the numbers…

Happy to be proved 100% wrong, with yet another great display from Perez.

The young forward scored another quality goal but it wasn’t just that, his movement and touch were quite superb.

On the subject of great movement and touch, I come on to the subject of Yoan Gouffran.

I know United have injuries but how on earth did he get yet another place in the starting!!

He offers absolutely nothing and it isn’t just the fact that his last goal was on Boxing Day almost 12 months ago, Gouffran contributes nothing to the play and his one big ability is to somehow disappear when his teammates are looking for help and/or somebody to take responsibility.

The other player who has sure now ran out of chances is Mike Williamson, why on earth Alan Pardew chose him to play instead of keeping Dummett in the middle and Haidara on the left, is beyond me.

The only possible reason could have been to match up with Olivier Giroud to counter his aerial threat. That notion was quickly dispelled after 15 minutes when Williamson stood and watched the French striker head the opener.

While the less said the better about Williamson’s defending for Giroud’s second. On top of Williamson’s usual abysmal passing, which reached a new low last night, I’ve got big worries that Pardew might do something really stubborn like keeping him in there for Spurs and the mackems, instead of bringing Taylor or Dummett into the middle of the defence.

Team: Alnwick, Janmaat, Coloccini, Williamson, Dummett, Colback, Tiote, Perez (Armstrong 82), Ameobi (Cabella 56), Gouffran, Cisse (Riviere 56)

Unused Subs: Woodman, Anita, Haidara, Vuckic

Ref: Lee Mason

Crowd: 59,949

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