I'm quite in shock that not only did we go to Italy and get something from the game, that something was all three points! While Palermo may not have played there strongest side (is their fixture schedule as crazy as ours, or did they just under estimate us), the same can certainly be said of a very weakened Newcastle team (we did after all have about half a team of internationals missing). We stole the game, but we stole it with determination and steel.
Special mention has rightly been given to the young Tim Krul (who has a wonderful Dutch-Geordie accent!). Whilst the show reaction saves really just say he's a good stopper it was his positional sense, ability to stand up when one on one, and the confidence to shout at the defenders in front of him which were most impressive. Given his excellent showing it seems a little churlish to consider the options but just because it goes right doesn't mean we shouldn't' think about how wrong being left with only a rookie young keeper for a tough European away game. If Harper's injury was (is?) so precarious then why was he playing Saturday? At that point we had a perfectly good and experienced goalkeeper available in Srnicek and Harper could have been rested in the hope he'd be ready for Thursday.
Another mention must also go to Luque, finally with a start and a goal. Any regular reader of this little piece of the internet would know I'm a defender of the Spaniard. There will probably be those who criticise his performance last night too, but in a decidedly deliberately defensive set-up (especially once he had scored) I thought he did as well as could be expected in a position alien to his natural game---his first touch when the ball was played up to him seemed better than Ameobi's is on a lot of occasions, and better than Martins' too. It would be nice to see him get an extended opportunity now, though he needs to do so not as a lonely striker up front alone. Given the current injury list that does seem more likely than it has looked before, at least before the transfer window reopens. A game this Saturday isn't out of the question, though it seems an almost certainty that Rossi will be back in as we continue to nurture Man U's talent.
The midfield held together well in protection of the back four. Butt seems to have found something of a resurgence of form, while Emre still looked one of the most talented players out there whilst half crocked, sitting back to control when he knew he couldn't be as dynamic as he sometimes is. If only Milner could whip in crosses like that every time rather than once in a blue moon...
After the heights and delights of Palermo though comes the indifferent form of the premiership. We have to turn the ability to hold out and scrap shown on Thursday into the same attitude in the bread and butter of Saturday. It's a game which comes insanely quickly and Glenn's hand is fairly much forced in terms of picking the players who are fit and available, but then the same were true last night and look what happened.
(@21:11)
