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Season 2010-11
Blackpool (a) Premier League


In association
 with NUFC.com
 


Date:
Saturday April 23rd 2011, 3pm

Venue: Bloomfield Road

Conditions:
hazy/sketchy

Admission: £35 (£26 in 2009/10)

Programme:
£3
 

  

Blackpool

Newcastle United

1 - 1

 

Teams

Goals

17 mins Joey Barton seized on a loose return pass from Charlie Adam destined for Crainey on the right side of the United midfield and touched ball forward and infield to Peter Lovenkrands. Given space to advance, he promptly drilled home a fine low left-footed effort from 25 yards at the North end of the ground aka The Mortensen Kop. 1-0

32 mins 
Adam saw his shot deflected for a corner which he took himself, flighting the ball towards the front corner of the six yard box, to where DJ Campbell had positioned himself - ahead of marker Joey Barton. The former Yeading striker flicked the ball goalwards with his left foot, making enough contact to spiral the ball over Krul at his near post. 


Jose Enrique headed off the line at the far post, but crucially was standing in the goal. Referee's assistant Peter Kirkup signalled the goal. That looked the correct decision from the away section but Alan Pardew tried to pursue an unconvincing line in post-match interviews about the officials not being in a position to definitely know that the ball was in...even though it was.
  

On Match of the Day that night, Alan Shearer spoke of "throwing the gizmos round upstairs" and then commented on what appeared to be a 21st century update of the diagram produced as "evidence" by newspapers that Newcastle's equaliser in the 1932 FA Cup Final was dodgy. 1-1

Half time: Blackpool 1 Newcastle 1

Full time: Blackpool 1 Newcastle 1

We Said

 
Alan Pardew said:

"I think it was a fair result. We got the goal, got ourselves in a great position, then unfortunately we were sloppy. We were a bit tired today, mentally and physically, after the Manchester United effort, and Blackpool were all over us. For 20 minutes of that first half we were hanging on, and really, just resilience and character kept us in it.

"I didn't think it was a goal - I think you've got to be beyond doubt if you're going to give that decision. The linesman was 30/40 metres away and it doesn't look in when I saw the replay.

"But in reflection, Blackpool deserved their point. They were very good today and gave us a real tough game. Second half we were a lot better and it was a lot more even. We just had enough in the locker to take the point in terms of energy because after playing in midweek, we were a bit flat compared to them.

"If it was a boxing match you'd have to give it to Blackpool but it was a football match and our resilience and quality got us a point."

Goalscorer Peter Lovenkrands gleefully mixed his metaphors:

"If you look at it, something has to go unbelievably wrong for us to throw it away with the goal difference we’ve got and only four games left. It would have to go really wrong for us, so we’re looking good, but we don’t want to count our chickens yet. We need to get over the final hurdle now.

"I think it’s only my second or third goal from outside the box. I didn’t expect it to go in. I hit it sweetly and when I saw it go into the corner, I was delighted.

"Tim
(Krul) had a fantastic game and made some good saves. For a young lad coming in after being out for so long, it was fantastic the way he came in and took over from Steve Harper.”

They Said


Ian Holloway commented:

"We didn’t win, which is a shame because we deserved to, but that isn’t the point. It was about our lads showing how much they care and how good they are – how good they’ve been for two years – and about getting away from the nervousness that for some inexplicable reason we showed against Wigan.

"During the week we spoke about certain things and on Saturday the lads were absolutely terrific. To go a goal behind after the way we started... they had one shot and it went in’ and I was stood in the dugout thinking, here we go again. But playing like they did, the lads kept the crowd with us, kept everybody believing and how we haven’t won that game I do not know."

On various penalty shouts:

"It feels like a rock hard sweet stuck in my throat - I might get in trouble for saying but I don't think we're big enough to get these things. Maybe I'm a just a bitter, warped, twisted Bristolian but I'd rather say it how it is but my boys are devastated in there.

"I'm very proud of my team and my club, so let's see if we can do the unthinkable and stay up.
"

Stats


Toon @ Tangerines - post WWII:

2010/11
drew 1-1 Lovenkrands
2009/10 lost 1-2 Carroll
1987/88 lost 0-1 (LC)
1970/71
won 1-0 Foggon
1966/67
lost 0-6
1965/66
drew 1-1 Suddick
1964/65
lost 0-3 (LC)
1960/61
lost 1-2 Woods
1959/60
lost 0-2 
1958/59
lost 0-3
1957/58
lost 2-3 Mitchell, Franks
1956/57
won 3-2 Casey, Milburn, White
1955/56
lost 1-5 Keeble
1954/55
lost 0-2
1953/54
won 3-1 Broadis, Hannah, Mitchell
1952/53
won 2-0 Brander, G.Robledo
1951/52
lost 3-6 Milburn, G.Robledo 2
1950/51
drew 2-2 Milburn, G.Robledo
1949/50
drew 0-0
1948/49
won 3-1 Hair, Stobbart, OG

Full record v Blackpool:

  P W D L F A
SJP 26 14 3 9 48 34
BR 26 7 5 14 34 61
League 52 21 8 23 82 95
SJP(FA) 3 3 0 0 8 1
BR 2 1 1 0 3 1
SJP(LC) 2 1 0 1 4 4
BR 2 0 0 2 0 4
Cup 9 5 1 3 15 10
Tot 61 26 9 26 97 105

Peter Lovenkrands netted his 25th goal in our colours - not bad for a free transfer....

Goalscoring - Premier League seasons: 

With four games still to play, United have already achieved their highest goals for tally in the last six top-flight seasons.

1993/94 82 (from 42 games)
1994/95 67 (from 42 games)
1995/96 66 (from 38 games)
1996/97 73 (from 38 games)
1997/98 35 (from 38 games)
1998/99 48 (from 38 games)
1999/00 63 (from 38 games)
2000/01 44 (from 38 games)
2001/02 74 (from 38 games)
2002/03 63 (from 38 games)
2003/04 52 (from 38 games)
2004/05 47 (from 38 games)
2005/06 47 (from 38 games)
2006/07 38 (from 38 games)
2007/08 45 (from 38 games)
2008/09 40 (from 38 games)
2010/11 49 (from 34 games)

Away record seasonal details:

United at least temporarily managed to to rid themselves of the tag of lowest away scorers in the Premier League this season, with 13. Wolves sit on 12 - but have an away game in hand. 

And Peter Lovenkrands ensured that the club's lowest away PL goal tally (13 in 1997/98) has at least been equaled this time round:

1993/94
: 31 points from 21 matches (9 wins, 4 draws, 8 defeats, 31 goals scored)
1994/95: 24 points from 21 matches (6 wins, 6 draws, 9 defeats, 21
goals scored)
1995/96: 26 points from 19 matches (7 wins, 5 draws, 7 defeats, 28
goals scored)
1996/97: 26 points from 19 matches (6 wins, 8 draws, 5 defeats, 19
goals scored)
1997/98: 15 points from 19 matches (3 wins, 6 draws, 10 defeats, 13
goals scored)
1998/99: 19 points from 19 matches (4 wins, 7 draws, 8 defeats, 22
goals scored)
1999/00: 17 points from 19 matches (4 wins, 5 draws, 10 defeats, 21
goals scored)
2000/01: 17 points from 19 matches (4 wins, 5 draws, 10 defeats, 18
goals scored)
2001/02: 32 points from 19 matches (9 wins, 5 draws, 5 defeats, 34
goals scored)
2002/03: 22 points from 19 matches (6 wins, 4 draws, 9 defeats, 27
goals scored)
2003/04: 18 points from 19 matches (2 wins, 12 draws, 5 defeats, 19
goals scored)
2004/05
: 16 points from 19 matches (3 wins, 7 draws, 9 defeats, 22 goals scored)
2005/06: 20 points from 19 matches (6 wins, 2 draws, 11 defeats, 19 goals scored)
2006/07: 15 points from 19 matches (4 wins, 3 draws, 12 defeats, 15 goals scored)
2007/08: 14 points from 19 matches (3 wins, 5 draws, 11 defeats 20 goals scored)
2008/09: 12 points from 19 matches (2 wins, 6 draws, 11 defeats, 16 goals scored)
2010/11: 19 points from 17 matches (5 wins, 4 draws, 8 defeats, 13 goals scored)

Seasonal comparison with relegation season:

2008/09: NUFC after 3
4 games:
 3
1 points, 18th position (scored 37, conceded 53)
2010/11: NUFC after 34 games:
 41 points, 9th position (scored 49, conceded 48)

Waffle


 

 

Newcastle duly advanced to 41 Premier League points at Bloomfield Road, but it was a far from convincing display against the relegation candidates, who made our lives more uncomfortable than the champions-elect had done so at Gallowgate in midweek.

A muddled opening on what seems to be the narrowest pitch in the division gave this Easter Saturday clash more of the air of a Shrove Tuesday kickabout, but those away fans who had managed to get themselves into the ground by the 17th minute soon had something to cheer. 

Despite taking the lead from that first attack of note, Alan Pardew's side failed to capitalise on that good start and allowed the Tangerines to threaten too often for comfort. That in turn boosted the morale of home supporters, who had started to turn on their heroes the previous weekend when fellow Lancastrian strugglers Wigan romped to a 3-1 away success here. 

 

Some jittery first half moments prompted penalty appeals of varying credence (Williamson's catching Campbell open to interpretation; Krul's dash to recover Enrique's loose pass and deny the same forward totally legal, Simpson's double handball lacking the necessary intent). 


When the equaliser duly arrived it was with an air of inevitability, although still something of a self- inflicted wound. Only Enrique will known why his starting position was behind the goal line and although not quite as bad as Kieron Dyer's infamous "leaning on a lamp post" episode against Barcelona, it was to be equally costly. In mitigation though, our left back did subsequently boot another effort off his own line before the interval that Krul may or may not have blocked.

Having managed 72 minutes on Tuesday, there were some concerns that Shola Ameobi's ongoing ailments may have precluded him playing twice in a week, but he duly appeared on the field in the starting XI. 

Unfortunately his pre-game warm up appeared to stretch until around 3.48pm, as he lolloped forward in fairly forgettable fashion and posed no threat whatsoever to the home defence. That did make his manager's recent positive comments look a little hollow - and even a change of footwear failed to improve what was a rotten display, or stop him ending up on his backside in good positions (Enrique also felt the need to replace his boots at half time, possibly due to their excess orangeness....)

Post-game reports spoke of home truths aired in the away dressing room at half time, but there would be previous little evidence of that permeating through to the visitors as Blackpool increased their pressure for what logic dictated would be a winning goal, despite their defence being the most porous in the division on their own ground. 

We simply didn't pose any sort of a goal threat, with only the very occasional burst into the box from Enrique to show for our efforts as we served up a second half attacking display that was uncomfortably reminiscent of the non-event at Villa Park last time out. 

 

In an attempt to alter things, Stephen Ireland was brought on just after the hour mark and once again showed some promise, scuffing a reasonable chance wide in a rare Magpies raid upfield (an obvious lack of match fitness means that he's some way off resembling the Wonga slogan of Blackpools' shirt sponsor - "little loans, lots of control"...)

A later replacement then saw James Perch arrive in place of Nolan with what looked like orders to shadow Charlie Adam, who by then was starting to run out of steam. With a point almost within our grasp that's an understandable ploy, but quite why it took us so long to implement was questionable - especially with Tiote looking on the verge of losing it in the aftermath of his booking.

 

For England's number one midfielder (self-described) though, it was an afternoon that he won't recall with any great relish. Notching up an assist for the goal proved to be his most valuable contribution -  while Gutierrez presumably spent most of the game loitering behind a pillar, meaning we failed to observe anything noteworthy that he did to boost the attack.

Thankfully the defence were up to the task of withstanding whatever Pool could muster - although the glowing praise that Danny Simpson continues to receive mystifies us, if only for his reluctance to get up close and personal with opponents. Aside from his first half rick, Enrique was again solid and prompted cynical comments as to whether any Anfield (or Allianz Arena) spies were present.    

 

Two points from this week's double bill is certainly twice what we expected, but the lines about tiredness and lethargy as a result of playing two games in five days are a little difficult to swallow. That time lag hardly measures up to some of the marathon games (and distances) that we were forced to undertake during our seasons of European participation - for example, winning at Feyenoord on a Wednesday night and beating Southampton the next Saturday

 

And while the rigours of keeping a clean sheet against the league's top scorers undoubtedly took their toll, Kevin Nolan at least was playing his first game in three weeks following a two game ban. That the rest of them couldn't be rotated is due to the shortcoming of a squad, where the "great character" that is Shefki Kuqi couldn't even be trusted with a cameo extending to ten minutes.

That the man of the match in a visit to the lowest home scorers was our 'keeper tells its own story, as an increase to our own points total came as a result of his agility and Blackpool's profligacy.

Thankfully it shouldn't matter in the short term at least, as we held on to ninth position and retain a healthy goal difference, we now look comfortable in mid-table. However, safety still isn't completely assured, with a seven point gap between us and the 18th placed side.

Like much of the rest of this season, this was a tale of what might have been. And ultimately wasn't.   
 
Biffa 


Page last updated 22 March, 2017