Match Report – Swansea v Newcastle United
Swansea City 1
Newcastle United 0
A cruel game, when you get beat!
Alan Pardew has alluded to the fact in recent days that in the last month Newcastle have started to get the rub of the green, today our luck dropped the other way.
With 30 minutes to go the home side were there to be beaten and ther passing had gone to pot. Newcastle did everything but score and as we know, it is goals that win matches.
It was ironic that captain for the day (and permanent captain elect) Yohan Cabaye appeared to get the final touch for the winner.
After a bright start by United it was Swansea who took control in the first half and their quick passing style promised to overwhelm Newcastle but after a couple of close run things, the last twenty minutes or so of the first half passed without incident.
The second period saw United in the ascendancy and Cabaye & Sissoko became the dominant force. Newcastle must have had half a dozen very good chances in that second period as Cisse, Cabaye and Sissoko all went close.
After a stroll for their League Cup final win, it showed the gods were really smiling on the home side as despite United asserting almost total dominance in the final half hour, a Routledge(!) cross saw confusion reign and Luke Moore eventually prodded it towards goal as Cabaye slid in but couldn’t deflect it wide.
A good contest all round but it had the wrong winner. That, as we all know too often, is football.
I know we are still only six points above the relegation zone but I couldn’t help but still feel positive after the performance in Wales. Swansea did to us in the first half what they have done to so many teams this season but after creating a few chances in quick succession it wasn’t until the pantomime winner that they really threatened again, apart from one great Elliot save in that second forty five.
In contrast Newcastle looked so strong in the second half and as space opened up, Cabaye combining with Sissoko’s clever runs was opening them up at will. The one thing missing in that second half was the finishing that has been so good recently, plus maybe a little luck going astray.
That second period was a million miles different to the dross we were served up for most of this season, we may have lost the battle today but we are gradually winning the war.
Swansea city: Vorm, Rangel, Monk, Williams, Davies, Britton (Moore 77), De Guzman, Routledge, Dyer (Sung-Yueng 60), Hernandez, Michu
Newcastle United: Elliot, Debuchy, Taylor, Mapou, Santon, Cabaye, Tiote (Shola 90), Gutierrez (Marveaux 90), Sissoko, Gouffran, Cisse
Unused Subs: Alnwick, Perch, Haidara, Obertan, Anita
Ref: Craig Pawson
Crowd: 20,405 (1,000 Newcastle)
If you would like to feature on The Mag, submit your article to contribute@themag.co.uk