Tottenham U18s take hard fought win away to Newcastle

TWO goals by Shayon Harrison decided a very close game in Tottenham's favour.

His first on 34 minutes had given them the lead but his second, six minutes from time, means the young Tottenham side remain top of the Premier League U18 table.

Jonathyn Quinn had levelled for Newcastle on the stroke of half time.

Last season had seen Spurs win 4-0 but only goalkeeper Luke McGee remained from that day.

Newcastle started the better although it took seven minutes for the first shot to be fired, Callum Roberts firing over from the edge of the box.

Roberts had another chance minutes later but hit his free kick straight at McGee.

Spurs slowly started to stir and two half chances from Conner Ogilvie and Kane Vincent-Young hinted at better things to come.

Most of the creative spark from Spurs was coming down the right wing in the shape of Nathan Oduwa.

But when the goal finally arrived it was from the left hand side.

Showing great strength and pace Anthony Georgiou finally managed to escape the shackles of his two markers and headed into the box.

He had time to look up and pulled the ball back perfectly for Harrison who smashed the ball into the roof of the net from 12 yards.

It signalled a spell of intense Tottenham pressure as Oduwa continue to lead Ben Drennan at right back a merry dance.

Daniel Akindayini had the best chance in this period but his shot was well saved by the feet of Jonathan Mitchell and the rebound bounced clear of the onrushing attackers.

However with time running out Spurs gifted Newcastle a way back in.

They were guilty of giving the ball away in dangerous positions for a lot of the game and this time it proved costly as Quinn was given a fairly simple chance to equalise.

The goal give Newcastle plenty of heart and they started the second half with plenty of possession and territory.

However as with the rest of the game Newcastle failed to really test McGee.

On 54 minutes Spurs were given a slice of luck.

A quick break saw Olivier Kemen hit the deck under the attentions of Channing Campbell-Young.

It was more of a coming together than a cynical foul and he received a yellow card for his troubles.

On another day however he could possibly have received a red.

Harrison showed a glimpse of things to come with a clever turn but instead of shooting himself he layed the ball to Georgiou who was denied by Mitchell.

It was the winger's last involvement and he was replaced by Emmanuel Sonupe, who was straight into the action.

Two quick breaks and good crosses caused plenty of distress in the Newcastle defence but the goal remained untouched.

However that was not the case on 84 minutes.

Harrison used his body cleverly to turn into clear and although his first shot was saved by Mitchell, he made no mistake from the rebound.

This was still time for chances. Oduwa hit the outside of the post and Rolando Aarons went around McGee but couldn't find a black and white shirt with his pullback.

One final heart in the mouth moment followed for the sizable number of Spurs fans in attendance.

Quinn went round McGee who pulled him to the ground. The referee blew his whistle but for an offside against the Newcastle number nine and the chance was gone.

Player Ratings:

Luke McGee - Solid with what Newcastle threw at him. A great communicator, he was caught out once or twice when Newcastle got behind the defence but overall he was comfortable.

Channing Campbell-Young - Only time he was put under any difficulties was through his own mistakes. Looked happy on the ball and was always wanting it.

Kyle Walker-Peters - Same as above. Was beaten a few times in the opening 10 minutes but from then on he was comfortable and kept Roberts very quiet.

Anton Walkes - Quiet game for the midfielder. Struggled to take control in the middle of the park but looked very comfortable when he had the ball. Confident passer.

Kane Vincent-Young - One great run forward was reminiscent of Jan Vertonghen. Solid in his defensive work and helped limit the amount of chances Newcastle got. Booked.

Connor Ogilvie - More than a touch of the Michael Dawson about him. Strong, brave, good in the air. Some very important blocks and his crossfield passes found his man in more cases than not.

Nathan Oduwa - Not your typical winger. Big, strong, not as quick as Aaron Lennon but just as tricky. Very good close control and caused Newcastle a lot of problems.

Will Miller - Worked hard without a lot of reward. When his through balls worked though they were very good. Great slide-rule pass for the second.

Daniel Akindayini - Lived off scraps before being replaced on 60 minutes. One good chance which was well saved.

Shayon Harrison - Showed some very clever turns and use of his body. Wasn't always in the game but took his chances when they came along as all good forward men should do.

Anthony Georgiou - Great run and clever pullback for the goal. Didn't always have the beating of his man but was always willing to try.

Joe Pritchard - Struggled to get into the game after replacing Akindayini on 60 minutes.

Emmanuel Sonupe - Wonderful cameo after coming on after 65 minutes. Quick, agile, he put in some great crosses which were begging to be converted. Impressive.

Lloyd Ross - Only got 10 minutes and didn't really have a chance to shine.

Liam Priestly - Unused substitute.

Premier League Preview : 2013-2014

After what seems a very long time the new Premier League season is upon us. Fans up and down the country and gearing up for what maybe 'their year'. But what has the league got in store for us this year? Who will be the success story? Who is facing the trapdoor of relegation? And who will take the top honour?

I've had a look at what I think might happen. As any who read my Tour de France blog will know, sometimes I'm bang on the money. On other occasions, well let's not mention them too much eh!

Club by club guide:

Arsenal

It has been a frustrating summer for Arsenal fans. The likes of Gonzalo Higuain and Luis Suarez have all been the subject of bids but have chosen to head to Napoli and stay at Liverpool respectively. On the plus side Oliver Giroud has shown flashes of form in preseason and Jack Wilshire will start this year but the locals will still be hoping Arsene Wenger can pull off at least one big name before the window closes. If not it may be another long, hard, and trophyless season for the Gunners.

Prediction: 5th
Keyman: Oliver Giroud

Aston Villa

Paul Lambert has again relied on young, fairly unknown players to bolster his squad. Villa will be hoping that the experience gained last year, couple with this influx of enthusiasm, will be enough to get them comfortably into mid table. And keeping Christian Benteke may prove to be one of the signings of the summer.

Prediction: 15th
Keyman: Christian Benteke

Cardiff

The name of the game is survival for last years Championship winners. In Steven Caulker they have signed a very good centre half who they can build their defence around. In Craig Bellamy they have somebody with Premier League experience and who can create chances. And the crowd in Wales will be raucous and intimidating. Whether that is enough for them to stay up remains to be seen.

Prediction: 18th
Keyman: Craig Bellamy

Chelsea

There are a lot of big personalities at Chelsea but none are bigger than the new Manager. Jose is back and ready to launch Chelsea towards another title but they can't just rely on the 'Mourinho effect'. A lot will depend on how Fernando Torres plays this year and whether Eden Hazard and Oscar can improve on last year. Hopes are high but it may not be enough to propel the Blues back to the top.

Prediction: 2nd
Keyman: Fernando Torres

Crystal Palace

Play off winners can be swept along by the excitement generated by their special day. Ian Holloway will certainly be hoping so and he does have the experience of coming up via that route with Blackpool. Dwight Gayle became the club record signing but it will be a big step up for the former Peterborough man. Marouane Chamakh brings top flight experience but despite this it should be a fairly quick return to the Championship.

Prediction: 20th
Keyman: Dwight Gayle

Everton

After many speculated what he would be like at a bigger club than Wigan, Roberto Martinez has finally been given the chance. Everton have for the most part been solidly top half of the table under David Moyes and will hope the Spanish influence of Martinez can push them on. Arouna Kone and Antolin Alcaraz are good if unspectacular signings from Wigan but the capture of Gerard Deulofeu has raised a few eyebrows. Expect a season of bedding in but another top half finish.

Prediction: 7th
Keyman: Arouna Kone

Fulham

Fulham are one of those teams that never seem to be doing much but often make the top 10. They have lost Mark Schwarzer but in Maarten Stekelenburg they have a more than able replacement. Adel Taarabt has arrived on loan from QPR and on his day he can be a match winner. Darren Bent is close as is Scott Parker. However that has been about it for the Martin Jol's summer dealings. Survival should achieved without too much problems. But I fear another season of mediocrity beckons.

Prediction: 14th
Keyman: Dimitar Berbatov

Hull

Of all the three promoted teams Hull seem to have invested wisely. Danny Graham, despite his poor spell at Sunderland, can score goals at this level and in Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore they have two solid English Premier League players. It will be close but Steve Bruce may be doing his own version of Phil Brown's Karaoke by the year end.

Prediction: 17th
Keyman: Tom Huddlestone

Liverpool

The future of Luis Suarez has prompted many column inches in the national press but it looks like the volatile Uruguayan will be staying at Anfield for the time being. He will be suspended for the opening few games of the season but if he can avoid trouble he can single handled push Liverpool towards the top half of the table. Simon Mignolet is a decent goalkeeper and while Jamie Carragher will be a miss, Steven Gerrard remains. However they are still too far behind the rest to make that elusive top 4 spot again.

Prediction: 6th
Keyman: Luis Suarez

Man City

After a poor season last year and relinquishing their title rather meekly, and to their arch rivals of all people, city have used their financial clout over the summer to land Fernandinho, Steven Jovetic, Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negrado, for a combined price of £105m. A lot will depend on how they bed in but with the likes of David Silva and Sergio Aguero already used to the Premier League it should be enough to bring the title back to Eastlands.

Prediction: 1st
Keyman: Sergio Aguero

Man Utd

One of the big questions of the season is how will Manchester United fare without Sir Alex Ferguson at the helm. It is a massive role that David Moyes has taken on and despite his credentials it may be a step too far. The Rooney saga hasn't been what he needed and the lack of signings is a worry. People point towards the players winning mentality but it will need the senior pros like Ryan Giggs to make it work for United this year. I don't think it will and it may even see Moyes out of a job come May.

Prediction: 4th
Keyman: Robin Van Persie

Newcastle

Yet another summer dominated by off field issues. Joe Kinnear arrived as Director of Football to the disbelief of most fans and the appointment hasn't yielded a plethora of incomings. Loic Remy will finally don the black and white stripes after agreeing a loan move but the lack of a striker is worrying. However with the new signings that arrived in January now bedded in it should be enough for the Magpies to avoid a repeat of last years struggles.

Prediction: 9th
Keyman: Papiss Demba Cisse

Norwich

Chris Hughton is starting to mould this Norwich team in the manner he wishes. Out has gone Grant Holt and in comes record signing Ricky van Wolfswinkel and long term target Gary Hooper. This will improve Norwich's goal ratio but it may not be enough to help the Canaries improve on last year's 11th place. Same again I think.

Prediction: 11th
Keyman: Gary Hooper

Southampton

A lot was made about Mauricio Pochettino's arrival at St Mary's but performances were on the whole impressive. With a season behind them the likes of Rickie Lambert, Gaston Ramirez and Adam Lallana should improve and with the signings of Victor Wanyama and Dejan Lovren the Saints have a very good chance of making the top 10. It would certainly be a surprise to see them involved in the relegation battle.

Prediction: 10th
Keyman: Gaston Ramirez

Stoke

After a poor campaign last time out Stoke have moved to appoint Mark Hughes as the new manager ahead of Tony Pulis. Hughes' last appointment was his ill-fated tenure at QPR and he will be hoping for better luck in The Potteries. However the goalscoring problems that plagued Pulis remain and for Stoke to avoid the drop this year they need to address this quickly.

Prediction: 19th
Keyman: Peter Crouch

Sunderland

It's all change at Sunderland as Paulo Di Canio shapes the team in his vision. No less than 12 new players have arrived at the Stadium of Light with Italian Emanuele Giaccherini, arriving from Juventus the most high profile. With any changes of this magnitude it will take time for his team to gel but the return from injury of Wes Brown may be vital. Expect them to fare better than last year.

Prediction: 13th
Keyman: Emanuele Giaccherini

Swansea

Very impressive upto and including their League Cup Final win yet went off the boil after that. With Europe to contend with this season they may find their sqaud size stretched to capacity. However new signings Wilfried Bony and Jonathan de Guzman are an improvement on what was available last year so expect another top 10 finish this time around.

Prediction: 8th
Keyman: Wilfried Bony

Tottenham

Like Liverpool with Suarez and Man Utd and Rooney, Gareth Bale has never been far from the headlines this summer. Yet with days to go he remains a Spurs player and if they manage to retain his services for another year, he will line up against some impressive new signings. Paulinho, Nacer Chadli, Roberto Soldado and Etienne Capoue have all joined the North Londoners and the spending spree doesn't appear to be over. It is an array of talent which may finally see Tottenham break into the top four for good.

Prediction: 3rd
Keyman: Roberto Soldado

West Brom

West Brom had an excellent 2012 finally finishing 8th. However their form after Christmas wasn't the best and will be cause for concern. Romelu Lukaku has gone back to parent club Chelsea so the Baggies have to turned to experience in the form of Nicolas Anelka. They have also snapped up Matej Vydra on loan from Udinese after the Slovakian impressed on loan at Watford last year. It may not be enough to avoid a relegation scrap but they will ultimately retain their Premier League status.

Prediction: 16th
Keyman: Nicolas Anelka

West Ham

West Ham had a decent first season back in the top flight and have added more players with Premier League experience this summer. Andy Carroll has made his move from Liverpool permanent while former team-mate Stewart Downing has also moved from Merseyside. The defence stills looks a little thin however so while they will be pushing for another top 10 finish, they may fall just short.

Prediction: 12th
Keyman: Andy Carroll

NUFC Press Conference - Monday 28th January 2013

As part of my major career plans and in an effort to gain some more experience I had the plesaure of going to Newcatle's Press Conference today. Here's the piece I did following that:

 

 

Alan Pardew has no doubts about throwing the majority of his new signings straight into the mix for tomorrow nights game against Aston Villa.

 

Newcastle announced the signings of no less than 5 new players last week all from the French league and he is confident that they can hit the ground running.

 

"Haidara, the left back we brought in, is really one for the future, he definitely won't be involved though I will be taking him as part of the squad but the other 4 are in contention. It's really about getting the balance right in the team. Having so many French players in the team has helped and the signs are progressive."

 

Of all of those signings it is that of Moussa Sissoko that excites him the most and he will definitely make the starting XI at Villa Park.

 

"I think of all the signings Sissoko was the most important for myself because I think he's a player who is adapted to the Premier League. I think his strength and ability will automatically gain the assurance he needs to play at this level and we needed a player like that. I thought we were missing power and pace in our side and make no bones about it, he will definitely be playing against Villa."

 

"He's very keen to put the situation right on his own. That's the sort of player he is, the sort of player we want to bring into this football club and dressing room."

 

He was however quick to distance his new man from comparissons with former Premier League players such as Patrick Viera.

"I think it's unfair to put names next to players. He's Sissoko, Moussa to us, and we hope he has a successful time here."

Despite the big influx of new faces he doesn't see this causing a problem with the current members of the squad. In fact he has noticed a more determined air around the training ground

 

"Certainly I have and quite rightly too. You're going to react. In any walk of life if someone comes in to take your job, your place in your company or your position, you're going to react. So we've had a nice reaction, a positive one and that's how it should be

 

He now feels happy with his squad and sees no more incomings.

 

"We needed to strengthen there's no doubt about that. We accelerated some transfers that perhaps we may have left til the summer, Sissoko being the main one of that group in terms of accelerated. Derek Lambias has done a terrific job as Mike did in getting us over the line."

 

And he also feels the squad is in a much stronger position and far more able to deal with the battles ahead.

 

"It leaves us a lot stronger, gives us depth, gives us cover where we haven't had and the injury crisis we suffered earlier in the season, we're now coming out of that, the group is much, much stronger"

 

One of those players coming back into fitness is Steven Taylor and Pardew sees the Cramlington born defender as a big help to the squad's mindset for the remainder of the season.

 

Taylor was in the team who was relegated at Villa Park in 2010 and is confident that experience will spur both himself and the team on.

 

"He's a local boy, he understands the club, he was there two years ago when this club got relegated at Aston Villa so he'll know in that dressing room how important this is to us and he'll relay that to the other players."

 

"It's brilliant to have him back."