McClaren losing grip as Pardew prospers
Palace shine, but it looks so bleak for Newcastle
STEVE McCLAREN had not even made it to his dugout as Yannick Bolasie turned in Crystal Palace’s fourth goal of the afternoon just after half-time — and he could not bare to glance round to witness the aftermath.
That summed up Newcastle’s afternoon: late for everything and at the crucial moments utterly uninterested. The manager was harangued by the travelling Toon Army at the final whistle, the pressure on him rising as his side sunk into the relegation zone.
Asked if he felt the supporters were still behind him and the players, McClaren replied: ‘After today, probably not. They vented their frustration, disappointment and anger — and rightly so.
‘I’m hurting as much for the fans as ourselves, they’ve come a long way. We knew this was a tough job but it gets tougher by the week.’
The contrast was stark as almost the entire main stand at Selhurst Park had risen to serenade his opposite number with a verse of ‘Super Alan Pardew,’ in praise of a man who spent five years at St James’ Park before leaving early this year.
While the Palace players went on their Christmas party last night there were no celebrations for the Newcastle team, who have been called in for an emergency meeting at the training ground this morning.
‘It’s tough and it might get tougher but we’re up for the fight,’ said McClaren. ‘We know we’re in a relegation battle but we’ve got 24 games left. I’ve had experience of this and it’s about coming through adversity and getting stronger, showing character and mettle.’
McClaren must go back to the drawing board as ‘getting feisty’ with his players clearly has not worked, resulting in Newcastle’s first defeat at Selhurst Park since 1998. He spoke before the game of responding to a chastening 3-0 home defeat by Leicester a week ago with swearing-filled training sessions.
‘We’ve had a great time — feisty, competitive, energetic,’ he said. But few of those qualities were on display yesterday. It was the second time in a week that Pardew’s men had hosted a side from the North East but this team was barely recognisable from the rabble which lost 1-0 to Sunderland on Monday night.
‘The reaction to that game was brilliant,’ said Pardew. ‘We talked about it as pivotal game whoever the opposition were because it was a case of “are we going to become a mid-table side or put ourselves back into contention to finish in the top eight among sides like Everton and Tottenham?”’
Newcastle drew first blood as Daryl Janmaat made a darting run into the Palace half and played a finely weighted ball to Papiss Cisse. The Senegalese did well to stay on the shoulder of Damien Delaney and finish calmly on 10 minutes. He was made to regret his enthusiastic celebration before the Palace faithful in the Holmesdale End as they goaded him with ‘Cisse, Cisse, what’s the score?’ throughout the game.
The home side hit back with two goals in three minutes. Connor Wickham, derided after a lacklustre performance against Sunderland, did a sterling job to hold up the ball and supply James McArthur, whose shot from range took a deflection off the unfortunate Paul Dummett before sailing past Rob Elliot.
Newcastle were then exposed by the pace of Palace’s wide men Wilfried Zaha and Bolasie who collaborated for their second on 17 minutes. The defending was almost comical as the ball bobbled past four Newcastle shirts in the box, including captain Fabricio Coloccini who hit the deck before Bolasie smashed it low and powerfully into the bottom corner. Wickham provided the assist for the third, hurdling the legs of a sliding Chancel Mbemba before sending a looping ball back towards Zaha, who was gifted acres of space to volley into the net.
The second half was just two minutes old when Bolasie, a constant threat, turned in Palace’s fourth.
‘His crossing and finishing was fantastic,’ said Pardew. ‘He was unlucky not to score a third. When he puts it all together he can look a very, very good player and he has to do that all the time.’
Pardew denied the victory held any extra joy coming over his old employers. ‘Not at all,’ he said. ‘I love the staff, players and some of the fans I know. I hope their fortunes turn because it’s a tough situation they found themselves in.’
With news filtering through to the ground of Sunderland’s 2-0 win over Stoke, which meant Newcastle slipped into the bottom three, McArthur struck with a sweet left-foot finish — the first time Palace have scored five in the Premier League.