Monthly column by Bazoox aka Sean G Cleland.
A brief catch up of recent games and events after some festive cheer from Christmas past.
After an upturn in form in which we had beaten Chelsea, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest on the bounce, this was followed up by a defeat at Gallowgate against West Ham United that seemingly no one saw coming.
United then contrived to concede a last gasp equaliser to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, in a game where in all honesty we did’nt deserve to win.
This was followed by a spirited performance against likely Champions elect Liverpool under the lights at St James’ Park, that culminated in a pulsating 3-3 draw.
Our latest outing overseen a disastrous trip to Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium which ended in a 4-2 defeat. United’s defending was quite frankly atrocious.
There has been no consistency and regular fluidity to Newcastle United’s football so far this season. Hope of gaining any kind of momentum has been quickly quelled and extinguished on too many occasions thus far.
We have an early chance to gain some revenge over Brentford when we entertain them in the quarter final of the Carabao Cup on December 18th. I’ll be attending this game and hopefully we can win and reach a two legged semi final for the second time in three seasons.
Before that we have the now not so little matter of a Premier League encounter with lowly Leicester City at home. The pressure could surely be well and truly cranked up on Eddie Howe if results fall short of certain expectations.
I’m going to take us back down footballing memory lane to the build up to Christmas 2001, when Sir Bobby Robson’s fine side were tearing it up in the Premier League.
On Tuesday 18th December 2001 United visited Highbury to take on Arsene Wenger’s impressive Arsenal side, that featured the likes of Henry, Vieira and Pires.
Arsenal took an early lead, but we’re penned back in the second half when Andy O’Brien deservedly equalised for the Toon.
The game was a real to and fro affair and both sides had a man sent off. Entering the final five minutes of normal time it was Newcastle who took the initiative and went ahead through an Alan Shearer penalty.
We were’nt finished there though, and in the dying embers of the match Laurent Robert broke through the Gunners ranks to stroke home a superb third goal.
Arsenal have never liked it up them so to speak, and when referee Graham Poll whistled for full time Thierry Henry whinged like a spoilt toddler who had just found out that his Christmas had been cancelled.
On Saturday 22nd December 2001 we headed to Elland Road to take on another high flying side in Leeds United.
I actually watched the game in Charlie Robson’s public house on Nile Street with my father and old friends that included the late Cliffy Moses.
It was a bitterly cold day and with half an hour of the game remaining Newcastle were trailing 3-1. Then the comeback of all Christmas comebacks began.
Robbie Elliot reduced the deficit before Alan Shearer then pulled us level from the penalty spot.
The snow then began falling at Elland Road as we entered injury time, and it was Kieron Dyer who broke from his own half before playing in Nobby Solano with a slide rule pass down the right flank.
Our little trumpet playing Peruvian maestro now had the Leeds defence dancing to his tune, and he casually dispatched his effort beyond Leeds keeper Nigel Martyn to send the Toon Army into ecstasy.
Charlie Robson’s was chocka and the place was bouncing in the knowledge that Newcastle United were going to be top of the Premier League on Christmas Day.
I would like to take the opportunity to wish all of our readership a very Merry Christmas 2024, and will be back in the New Year with more NUFC nostalgia and current analysis.
