How a fortnight can change a football club. Nowhere is this statement more true than with Newcastle United. After a quite frankly dreadful start to the season, Alan Pardew's side have improved dramatically. With hugely moral lifting wins against the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool, as well as keeping clean sheets against them, they look a totally different team. However, consistency is the key in football, and they came up against a West Brom side today that have recruited well in the summer, and have made a solid start to their campaign. With Berahino on form and Joleon Lescott providing some much needed experience in the back line, they are a team not to be under estimated. With these two sides playing good football and high on confidence, it was set up to be an exciting fixture.
Therefore, it was typical that the first half got off to a very slow start. Both teams were settling in and getting a feel for the game. Newcastle pressed high and had a couple of early chances, none of which tested Ben Foster. From a Newcastle point of view, it was good to see that their defence has been enhanced. Coloccini in particular was very switched on, and made some excellent tackles to prevent dangerous attacks from West Brom. In fact, both teams were organised at the back, which meant the play was bogged down in midfield, and very few chances were created. Just as it looked as though the sides would be level at the break, on the stroke of half time, a low ball was drilled in towards the Baggies box, and directed in by the Newcastle striker, Ayoze Perez. An acute finish that flashed across Ben Foster into the far corner. A great time to score for Newcastle who now had something to protect.
West Brom came back out showing a great willingness to get back into the game. They worked hard and upon losing possession, won it straight back and started playing again. They were firing shots at Tim Krul's goal left, right and centre but they were not of good quality. They failed to really test the Netherlands keeper all afternoon, apart from a few that were straight at him. They did not take their chances and were punished for it. West Brom never fully cleared their lines from a corner and the ball was whipped back in at the far post for an unmarked Coloccini, who nodded home in front of the Newcastle faithful. This did not deter Alan Irvine's men from pressing on, and they kept the pressure on Newcastle, but in truth, they never looked like scoring. Wisdom had their best chance and instead, took a touch that got away from him. The final whistle blew, which meant Newcastle recorded their fourth win in a row, incredible seeing they could not buy a win at the start of the season.
It was poor decision making from West Brom all afternoon, but at least now they have the international break to re-assess. They face Arsenal and Chelsea in consecutive games after it so they need to use their break well. As for Newcastle, the turn around is astonishing. They are playing miles better than a few weeks ago and maybe now the fans will start to warm to Alan Pardew. A huge improvement that means they now sit in seventh position. Just to show how well they have done, a win against their next opponents, West Ham, could take them into the top four. I do not think anyone could have predicted this comeback from the Magpies.
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