Newcastle United(2) 4 Ferdinand (6), Asprilla (26) Albert (51), Beardsley (54) Halmstads BK (0) 0 Att: 28,124 Newcastle: Srnicek, Watson (Barton 66), Peacock, Howey (Albert 45) Clark, Lee (Gillespie 70), Beardsley, Shearer Ferdinand, Asprilla, Ginola Subs not used: Hislop, ElliottHalmstad: Nordberg, Wyberg, R. Andersson (Ljungberg 61), Karlsson M. Svensson, Smith, Arvidsson, T. Andersson, Mattson Voughts, Anderssen Subs not used: H. Svensson, Stierna, Lennartsson, Selakovic
When I heard the team news I wondered what the hell was going on. I had visions of another Everton like performance where the players had no idea of the system that they should be playing in. Elliott out and Tino in, three (Watson, Peacock and Howey) at the back with Ginola and Tino as wing backs. Between them, Tino and Davy tackled four times last season, so this was an ultra attacking line up. We played Peter, Clark and Lee in the centre of midfield with Les and Alan up front. I have to say that KK got the tactics absolutely spot on. Halmstad were never going to do much attacking so we might as well find a system which can harness all our attacking players relatively comfortably.
The first goal came from an excellent whipped cross by Ginola on the right. Ferdinand bravely went to meet the ball and just beat the goalie to it. Crosses from the right were causing mayhem and when Shearer stretched to meet a Watson cross with a superb diagonal header it looked like 2-0. However the ball rebounded off the inside of the post and along the line before the goalie grabbed it.
Number two was a Tino classic. Ginola hung a deep cross up and Tino stole in at the back to meet it with a brilliant volley. The Colombian struck the ball with his right foot over the goalie with power and precision, it was made all the more difficult by the fact that he he was hanging three feet off the ground when he struck the ball.
Albert came on for Howey in the second half. The big man always seems to score when he comes back into the team. He met another Ginola cross with a powerful header which hit the post, when it rebounded it deflected off him and went in.
If Albert’s goal was lucky Peter’s certainly was not. It was one of his masterpieces. He picked the ball up from a corner on the right hand side, just inside the box. He then sent a perfect chip into the left hand corner of the net. When Peter is on top form the ball is in the net before any of the players or the crowd have realised what he is going to do. The man is a genius.
Gillespie and Barton came on for Lee and Watson. More goals could have followed. An increasingly frustrated Shearer had two ruled out for offside. One was debatable, the other was well off. I think that he has now had six goals disallowed this season. Half of those have been fair enough but he has been very unlucky with the rest.
Pav: In general he had very little to do but, this being Newcastle’s defence, he did have to make two good saves which were done with the minimum of fuss.
Howey\Watson\Peacock: They all played very well but had very little to do.
Albert: Came on for Howey and seemed very comfortable.
Lee\Clark\Beardsley: These three provided the industry which the win was based on. They kept the ball very well between them and created openings for Ginola and Tino to cross the ball.
Tino\Ginola: If the centre of midfield provided the graft these two created the openings for the goals. Ginola played beautifully. Tino reminds me of a rubber man, he is so unnatural but can be stunningly effective.
Ferdinand\Shearer: They are learning to play with one another, albeit slowly. Les continued his recent goal surge. Shearer could and perhaps should be scoring one or two more goals but, as the man himself so rightly points out, he is playing well and the team is winning. Goals will come for Shearer, it’s as inevitable as Christmas.
Gillespie: Whilst Ginola proved that he could play on the right wing Gillespie struggled on the left. He could beat the full back but found it hard to cross the ball with his left foot.
Barton: Ably demonstrated why he is not in the team on a regular basis. How we were conned into paying £4 million for this twerp is a mystery to me and presumably John Hall.
Ref: Knud Erik Fisker: He was very fussy, stopping the game at any sign of contact between the players, I’d have liked to see him ref the Northern League. Having said that, at least he did not go round booking everyone.
Halmstads BK: This was not the team that beat Parma 3-0. They were all very blond but were about Division One or Two standard.