“A win at last and six goals – even better! Congratulations to
@GWijnaldum on getting four#NUFC“
–Alan Shearer via Twitter
Newcastle hit Norwich City for six in a demonstration of their true power at St. James’ Park.
Having been two up against Chelsea and in the lead against Southampton and Manchester City, somehow they had not won a Premier League football match this season.
After a tough start to the fixture list, Newcastle played six of last season’s Top Eight in as many games, all with a new Head Coach and players; The Magpies were due a win. And oh how they grasped one. Georginio Wijnaldum became only the second Toon player in Premier League history to score four in a game – after Alan Shearer – and strikers Aleksandar Mitrović and Ayoze Pérez completed the hammering of Norwich.
Here’s what a Premier League on high alert to an awakened sleeping giant can look forward to for the rest of the year. Newcastle have very winnable games for the rest of 2015:
- The Entertainers are Back!
Kevin Keegan’s Entertainers side in the ‘90s were famous for flamboyant attacking play and goal-scoring prowess while leaking goals at the back, and this was a return to those heady days when fans entered St James’ Park wondering how many Newcastle would win by – not if they would win.
Having spent £50M on quality, mainly attacking, players in the summer, Steve McClaren’s team were due to blow opposition away, and they did so in spectacular style. Norwich didn’t merely lie down and roll over; quite the reverse. They fought back twice from behind, but Newcastle were fortunate to go into half-time with a 3-2 lead.
Chairwoman, Delia Smith, certainly thought The Canaries were still in with a shout when I spoke to her at half-time. Smith told a Norwich fan, “We’ll hopefully get you a win and three points second-half.”
Yet after the break and a mini-spell of Norwich possession, Newcastle turned on the afterburners and soared away from the Premier League newcomers, as Gini Wijnaldum scored four times.
- Sunderland are Facing another Demolition Derby
Newcastle’s next game is against local rivals, Sunderland. Former Newcastle boss, Sam Allardyce, recently replaced Dick Advocaat at The Stadium of Light and his first home fixture is against Mike Ashley’s men. Ashley was the owner who sacked Allardyce just a few months after taking over at St James’ Park in 2007.
The last time Newcastle scored six (SIX!) was when they thumped Aston Villa 6-0 under Chris Houghton in 2010. Shortly after, in a Halloween horror show at St James’ Park, Newcastle annihilated them 5-1.
Newcastle let in six against Man City a fortnight ago, and scored six against Norwich at the weekend, while Sunderland are looking for their sixth consecutive win over The Magpies.
Sunderland are yet to record a Premier League win in 2015/16 and Newcastle have just thrashed a Norwich side that beat The Black Cats at The Stadium of Light earlier in the season.
McClaren masterminded a 5-0 win in Derby’s derby against Nottingham Forest for his former club, and there is a big Magpies victory on the cards next week.
- Wijnaldum is a Football “Ginius”
During the international break, Holland’s failure to qualify for the France 2016 Euros was confirmed.
This weekend at St. James’ Park, Gini Wijnaldum’s football genius was similarly confirmed on English soil – if indeed it needed to be. Nicknamed ‘Gini‘, the 24 year-old made his international mark at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil by scoring against the hosts. He then Captained PSV Eindhoven to the Eredivisie title and was named Holland’s Footballer of the Year, joining a roll call of past luminaries, such as Ruud Gullit and Dennis Bergkamp.
Having scored Newcastle’s opening goal of the season against Southampton, and after nodding in another against Champions, Chelsea, he’d made a bright start to English football life. However, Wijnaldum still had his critics, along with Newcastle’s foreign scouting policy.
During Newcastle’s 6-2 victory, he answered them in style, joining a list of 25 footballers – only three midfielders (name them for a bonus point) – in the 23-season history of The Premier League to score four goals in a single match.
What’s your next wish, Gini?
- Power, Size and Strength are Crucial in the Premier League
When the official team sheet was handed around St James’ Park, for only the second time this season did it contain a team a majority of supporters expected to win. Cheick Tioté’s name on it, rather than Vurnon Anita’s, was the reason, and it is the Ivorian warrior’s presence, strength and fear factor that makes the crucial difference to the Newcastle line-up.
Suddenly, Newcastle had a backbone and, along with the no-nonsense solidity of Paul Dummett at left-back, the Magpies had a side that was always going to win.
When Tioté went off at half-time for Anita, the team were 3-2 up and kicked on to 6-2, yet the victory flag had been staked and the winning mentality set.
Tioté has started two games in 2015/16; Newcastle have won them both, scoring ten goals in the process. So, his must be the first name on the team-sheet.
With the derby up next, Newcastle must field a physically powerful and dangerous team, win the physical battle, then let their skilful players like Ayoze Pérez and Gini Wijnaldum shine. A Magpies victory will follow.
Main Photo
