Saturday evening saw Newcastle start the premiership campaign with a home win over fellow top 4 rivals Spurs. For me any win against a top club is huge and the level of performance almost becomes irrelevant - this was definalty the case on Saturday as we came out victors in a closely contested game.
Missing our captain Fabricio Collocini we struggled to get going early in the game and Spurs started bright with their high energy and dangerous counter attacking style led by Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon. We survived numerous first half scares when Bale and Defoe rattled the post and Bar while Newcastle struggled to create and goal scoring opportunities.
For me it was a tactical battle that was won by the new Spurs boss AVB with his fluid 4-3-3 formation out smarting the flat 4-4-2 line up Pardew selected. We were over run in midfield and our creative player were shackled meaning Cisse and Ba had very little service in the first half. Credit must be given to Pardew and his staff as we made the changes at half time which was us revert to the 4-3-3 foramtion which served us well toward the end of last season. Cisse played through the middle with Haten Ben Arfa and Demba Ba taking up the wide roles.
Ba scored a cracking goal to give us the lead with a beautifully curled shot which really came out of nothing. After this we looked very comfortable and seemed to have grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck - until we switched off at the back with Danny Simpson giving Aaron Lennon too much time and space and he was able to pick out Defoe at the abck post who bundled the ball into the net at the second time of asking. At 1-1 the mood and changed and both side felt they could have taken the 3 points. At that point up stepped the best player on the pitch Hatem Ben Arfa who singled handly won and scored a penalty which secured the 3 points for the home team.
Summing up this game I would say it was a close battle fought by 2 good teams who will both push hard for a top 5 finish - Luckily for us Newcastle fans it was won by a moment of skill and the coolest of finishes from Haten Ben Arfa.
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