Football managers celebrate goals in very different ways; there are the Rafa Benítez’s of this world that barely a muster a smile at even the greatest of goals; there are the José Mourinho’s who sprint down the touchline, sliding on knees purely to wind up the opposition. Then there is Alan Pardew, a manager so immersed in the game that for just a small moment forgets he is a football manager and becomes one of the Geordie faithful – a Newcastle United supporter that lives the black and white.

When Papiss Cissé struck in the 92nd minute of Newcastle’s game on Sunday – a game that had look destined to end goalless – Alan Pardew celebrated with the joy that only a Toon supporter can relate to, running up the touchline like a child, arms outstretched and screaming with equal amounts of euphoria and relief. It was brilliant to see and the fans were only too happy to embrace him. There were hugs and kisses everywhere, Cisse jumped the barrier for hugs, Sissoko, and Adam Campbell raced behind him.

This is what it means to be in the Premier League!

With Fulham’s away record this season (great performance against Spurs aside), sports betting website Unibet were firmly predicting a win for the home side in this game, as was pretty much every other bookie and, though the win came late, few could argue that the Magpies deserved the victory.

To their credit, Fulham defended excellently throughout the 90 minutes and even created a couple of great chances – both Manolev and Berbatov forcing top saves from Tim Krul. However, this was Newcastle’s chance to really put a bit of daylight between themselves and the teams below, one, of these, of course, being Sunderland!

At this stage of the season it’s all about getting points on the board and, while it wasn’t a vintage performance, everyone will take heart from the fact Newcastle controlled the game despite being a little disjointed at times.

This win puts the Magpies just four points away from the magic 40 and if this is how Pardew celebrates goals against Fulham, I cannot wait to see his reaction when the ball flies in against the Mackems

Before Christmas, Newcastle were a team struggling for ideas and looked destined for a long hard slog against relegation; however, the January transfer window was approaching, giving Alan Pardew the opportunity to add numbers to his injury depleted squad.  

By the end of the month, Pardew had brought in no fewer than five players from the French top flight – all of whom have featured in the first team. Let’s take a look at how each player has fared so far.

Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa

Signed for a reported £6.7 million from Montpellier (the most expensive of the new recruits), Yanga-Mbiwa made his league starting debut against Swansea in March, giving a solid performance – albeit in a 1-0 defeat. Having played six games in total, the centre-half is looking an astute signing and at 23-years-old, could be the long-term replacement for Coloccini, who is likely to leave before August.

Massadio Haidara

Newcastle fans got a glimpse of Haidara in the 2-1 defeat at Wigan, however, the 20-year-old left back’s substitute debut was cut terribly short by a horror tackle from Wigan’s Colin Macmanaman. Nevertheless, the recruit from Nancy looks an exciting prospect.

Mathieu Debuchy

Debuchy was arguably France’s best player at Euro 2012 and the 27-year-old right back from Lille has settled in excellently, proving himself a competent defender and potent attacking threat. Having started nine games since his £5.5 million move, Debuchy is now one of the first names on the team sheet.

Yoan Gouffran

At £1 million, Yoan Gouffran has already shown himself to be a good player and a bargain of a signing. Having made an impressive debut against Aston Villa with two assists, the midfielder blasted in his first goal for the club (with the help of a deflection) against Spurs. Injury has halted progress somewhat, but this guy still looks at top talent.

Moussa Sissoko

A star man already, Sissoko sent goals galore tips predictors wild with brace in the 3-2 victory against Chelsea and made himself an instant hero on Tyneside. With three goals in seven games and a number of key passes, the £2.5m attacking midfielder from Toulouse is the real deal.

You can’t really judge any of these signing fully until the end of the season but, having already helped the club to an upturn in fortunes, Pardew looks to have worked wonders again.  

The future looks bright – the future looks French!

So now that the dust has settled on our second season back in the Barclay’s Premier League, we can look back, take a deep breath and say “howay the lads!” what a season it was! Let’s be honest; even the most optimistic of fans weren’t hoping for much from Alan Pardew’s first full season in charge. Carroll had gone in the January of the season before and our skipper and talisman Kevin Nolan was allowed to leave for West Ham in the 2011/12 pre-season, and then a few games in to the season and after a diabolical bit of play-acting against Arsenal, Joey Barton was on his way to QPR (and back out again, by the looks of things). Demba Ba had come in on a free from West Ham as our new permanent replacement for Carroll. While it didn’t seem a bad signing, Ba had hardly set the Premier League alight as the Hammers were relegated the season before. Nolan’s replacement was the unheard of Yohan Cabaye, a French youth international from Lille. The only other notable signings were Davide Santon, £5m from Inter and the seemingly average Gabriel Obertan from Man Utd for £3.25m. Little did we know in August last year how good these signings were going to be – and the best signing was yet to come!

With Cabaye proving to be the best all-round midfielder that we have had for some time and Demba scoring goals for fun, we managed to start the season with an 11 game unbeaten run. Okay, so apart from the Arsenal game, our fixtures were kind but we still managed wins away at Stoke, Wolves and the Mackems (1-0) and a key 2-2 draw against Spurs at St. James’ (it was still called that then). From the November 5th our form dipped, we only managed 5 wins in 14 games, but no matter, we were still well in the hunt for a Europa League spot, even daring to dream of the Champion’s League!

Then on the 17-01-2012 in came the new number 9, Papiss Cissé, £8m from SC Freiburg. It turned out that old poker faced Pardew had found the best striker we’ve had since Shearer. 13 goals in 13 games for Papiss (including THAT goal at Chelsea) helped us to 7 wins in our final 10 games and a miracle 5th place finish! An unbelievable achievement for everyone involved.

Anyone else thinking more of the same next season? Maybe Champion’s League qualification? I wouldn’t write us off!

Whether the Senegal international will prove to be a success on Tyneside will only become apparent over time but there are others we know who have been hit or miss. Here I want to look at three of the best and three of the worst transfers involving the Magpies in the 10-season history of the January transfer window.

Three of the Best…

Kevin Nolan

Bolton Wanderers to Newcastle United for £4 million in 2009

Kevin Nolan

After a decade at Bolton, Nolan arrived at St. James’ Park but could not prevent the club from slipping into the Championship. However, he was instrumental in Newcastle’s instant return to the top flight. Nolan scored the first hat-trick of his career in a 4-0 victory at Ipswich Town and captained the side for the first time in a 5-1 drubbing of Cardiff City.

During that Championship season, he made 44 appearances out of a possible 46 and scored 17 goals in the process. Punters who took advantage of free bets at online bookmakers to back him in the “first goalscorer” market would have been smiling – he broke the deadlock on no fewer than six occasions. It was no surprise he was named Championship Player of the Year for the 2009-10 season.

The goals continued to flow in the Premier League. Nolan scored twice against Aston Villa in Newcastle’s first home game of the 2010-11 season and a hat-trick against Sunderland in a 5-1 victory. He further endeared himself to the Magpies faithful with another goal against Sunderland, this time in a 1-1 draw. He scored his fiftieth Premier League goal in a 1-1 draw against former employers Bolton before leaving for West Ham United in June 2011.

Danny Simpson

Manchester United to Newcastle United for £750,000 in 2010

Danny Simpson

Full back Simpson joined Newcastle on loan from Manchester United at the start of the 2009-10 season before making the switch permanent during the 2010 transfer window. Injuries aside, he has been an almost ever-present in both the Championship and following the club’s return to the Premier League.

Simpson has proven to be one of the rising stars in England’s top flight and is benefiting from playing first team football for a team on a permanent contract, having spent time on loan at the likes of Royal Antwerp, Sunderland, Ipswich Town and Blackburn during his short career so far.

Despite not being the tallest player, he has even filled in at centre back this season following injuries to Steven Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini. Simpson will have won over even the most sceptical Magpies fan when he produced a saving clearance off the line against his former employers when Newcastle beat Manchester United 3-0 in January.

Andy Carroll

Newcastle United to Liverpool for £35 million in 2011

Andy Carroll

I am sure the inclusion of the Carroll transfer will raise a few eyebrows but it really was an almost unbelievable transfer. To think, the season Newcastle were relegated Carroll was valued at a measly £1 million but that soon changed when the striker netted 17 league goals in the club’s Championship winning campaign.

If there were any doubts Carroll could cut it in the Premier League, he answered the question with 11 goals in 19 appearances which took him up to the end of last January. Despite signing a new five-year deal in October 2010, Liverpool were determined to secure his signature. A £30 million bid was rejected before an improved £35 million offer was accepted.

For a largely unproven player at the top level of football and one who had already accumulated a substantial amount of negative press, it was an offer too good to refuse. Demba Ba arrived in the summer of 2011 on a free transfer to fill the void left by Carroll and the rest, as they say, is history.

Three of the Worst…

Jonathan Woodgate

Leeds United to Newcastle United for £9 million in 2003

Jonathan Woodgate

After racking up over 100 Premier League appearances for Leeds but already showing signs of being injury prone, Woodgate joined Newcastle for £9 million plus add-ons in the 2003 transfer window and soon became a fans favourite.

The defender showed his class on the European stage in the 2004 UEFA Cup semi final first leg where the Magpies held Marseille to a goalless draw, keeping Didier Drogba in check. But, he sustained another injury and was ruled out for the rest of the season and Newcastle were beaten by their French opponents 2-0 in the second leg and knocked out of the competition.

Woodgate could have been an all-time great if it wasn’t for his continual problems with injury and with that in mind, should Newcastle have ever signed him in the first place? With fears of being lumbered with a non-playing footballer on a long, lucrative contract, Real Madrid saw fit to take him off the club’s hands for £13.4 million in August 2004. A lucky escape.

Jean-Alain Boumsong

Rangers to Newcastle United for £8 million in 2005

Jean-Alain Boumsong

The transfer of Boumsong was one which raised a few eyebrows. The defender joined Rangers from Auxerre on a free transfer a matter of months before Newcastle bid £8 million for him – there was no interest in him when he was out of contract.

The move became even more farcical when Boumsong won a Scottish Premier League winners medal having played the requisite number of matches for Rangers, despite being a Newcastle player for some five months by the time the Gers had won the title. The transfer was later one of those investigated by the Stevens report in 2006.

Initially, Boumsong was a hit at St. James’ Park and formed a good partnership with Titus Bramble. However, his second season was littered with errors and he was often blamed for the conceding of several goals. In August 2006, he joined Juventus, relegated to Serie B, for £3.3 million.

Amdy Faye

Portsmouth to Newcastle United for £2 million in 2005

Amdy Faye

Faye was another Graeme Souness transfer investigated by the Stevens report and another player who failed to impress. Faye made 31 Premier League appearances in total and despite being more recognised as a defensive midfielder or a centre back, he was deployed on the right wing due to injuries to other players.

After 18 uninspiring months in a Magpies jersey, he joined Charlton Athletic in August 2006 for the same fee that was shelled out for him. The Addicks went on to be relegated that season. Faye continued to forge a career in the UK with spells at Rangers, Stoke City and most recently, Leeds United.

Papiss Cisse

Who would have thought Newcastle would be the first to break the bank in the January transfer window! Bienvenue Papiss Cisse and now this team can work and move forward into the latter half of the season.

QPR were taken care of by Leon Best in a dull and forgettable match that showcased Best’s ability and lack of fitness as well as Ben Arfa’s headless running and constant losing of possession.

This team faces a tough task against Fulham and know a win cements a place in the top tier again next season. Martin Jol won’t roll over easily and Craven Cottage is a tough ground to go to and take a victory away. The squad needs to be more focused and get going from the whistle instead of waiting 25 minutes to get into gear.

If QPR could score or even shoot effectively they could have been two nil up after twenty minutes.

The excitement of Cisse’s arrival must not overshadow the game and the pressure on Best and Ameobi to deliver still remains until Senegal bow out of the African Nations Cup.

The new number nine will quickly see how having a strong goal scoring record in Germany means very little in the Premier League. Dzeko’s record in the Bundesliga was astonishing but he failed to set the league alight with only 13 goals in the past 12months.

Finally the prospect of making in into the fifth round of the FA cup looks promising as an unimpressive Brighton floundered their way past Conference National Wrexham FC last night. The game will surely offer Ameobi his 50th club goal in 13 years and show Cisse that fearing losing his starting place is surely only a myth!

QPR at home and Fulham away before meeting Blackburn away from home are the next three fixtures for the Toon. A victory in any two of the three will guarantee the team a place at football’s top table come next season. This allows for three main opportunities to present themselves. Firstly the assured Premier League TV rights and income to allow the team to buy and strengthen in the Summer from a position of comfort and calm. Secondly the confirmation of Premier League status allows the team to focus more on the FA Cup  and potentially an opportunity for European football along the avenue of Birmingham last season. Finally victories over the teams that lie in wait will bring confidence to the team and management with Tiote and Ba away and will allow for them to return and focus on a top seven finish and the FA Cup rather than relegation concerns which will help keep our top players at the club.

All in all success is coming but a strong showing against QPR in our next ficture, coupled with three points is a must if this team are to show they are not just a two trick pony.

Below: Another look at Hatem’s goal against Blackburn Rovers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRbcAbGsnmk

Last night, Newcastle United FC gave what can only be described as a “Total Football” performance against a Manchester United team lacking in any real substance or passion. Michael Carrick and Ryan Giggs were torn to shreds by the grit and tenacity of Tiote and Cabaye while Jonas and Taylor suppressed Patrice Evra and Antonio Valencia in their own half. Dimitar Berbatov was totally shut out while Wayne Rooney and Phil Jones showed nothing but frustration as Alan Pardew got his team selection spot on and his tactics A1.

I spoke briefly on BBC Five Live after the game about what can be taken from this performance; which is how essential Tiote and Ba are to this team and how we shall cope without their presence.

Pardew has delivered, now give him money and a chance to develop this team further. We are not Champions League contenders but we are showing that we are the best of the rest and to push on from here is a must. With Tiote and Ba leaving on Saturday for the African Cup of Nations, replacements must be brought in whether by transfer, loan or even on a free (if there is any talent left on a free at this time of year).

The team played as a team should, working for each other and feeding off each others’ drive and energy. On a night when the North East lit up, let us rejoice and build on what we saw tonight, moving onwards and upwards, so these kind of nights are not novelties that happen every few years.

Last Friday Steven Gerrard showed the footballing world what he has done and can still do when fit, unfortunately Newcastle United’s defence and midfield were the victims of his talent. With Liverpool behind us and new injuries to address, Alan Pardew must be wondering if January might be a good time to add some experience to a team that will face Manchester United with either Sammy Ameobi or Shane Ferguson in the starting eleven. With less than 20 premier league appearances between both of the young guns it looks as though organisation, passion, and energy will be the key components in upsetting the Red Devils rather than experience and ability.

With the Toon squad stretched to its limits, management may consider taking certain key players off in the second half ahead of the FA cup tie with Blackburn at the weekend. Sir Alex Ferguson will be out to carry on his winning record of never having lost the opening game of a new year and to show that his team are still true title contenders after Man City slipped up to an O’Neill-inspired Sunderland.

With Stoke, Everton and Aston Villa closing the gap on the top 7 and Newcastle four points adrift of Liverpool and Chelsea, a result at home against the current champions would be a welcome boost to our cause.  Most critics and couch pundits will agree that this a Man Utd team that is severely lacking in leadership and ability, and the Europa League contenders are capable of slipping up once again to the Toon Army, so in the words of rock icon Adam Ant: 

Stand and Deliver

Damba Ba will be a massive miss

The back four, enhanced by Mike Williamson’s return, shut out a Bolton Wanderers attack that looked blunt and limited. With two weeks until Demba Ba’s exit, Alan Pardew is looking at a strike force of Shola Ameobi, Leon Best and Peter Lovenkrands and wondering what can be done to compensate.

None of the remaining strikers are capable of delivering the consistency, quality and more importantly the goals that Demba Ba has brought since his arrival, therefore bringing in a striker of similar quality is required. The purchase of a striker in January has been denied by Alan Pardew recently (since the break down of the Modibo Maiga transfer) but if you were looking for a forward, you wouldn’t share that knowledge with the press and other clubs. Perhaps a loan move for a striker may be of use but it is hard to find a player of high enough quality available on loan and we wouldn’t want another Shefki Kuqi situation, with a player brought in who doesn’t have enough quality to make an impact. A defender or two would also bolster the squad and help push the team on to look beyond initial survival and aim for a potential top ten or even top eight finish.

Mike Ashley’s purse must open and Pardew has silenced even his most stubborn critics, including myself. The next six weeks are crucial to this team’s development and progression.

Is this team ready to challenge for Europe? The answer is a resounding yes and with a bolstered attack and strengthened defence the opportunity for this team to move forward is now rather than later. In life and in football we look back and rue chances, opportunities and moments that could have been more. Ashley needs to stand up and be counted in a world where Arab oil and agents have called the shots.

In the words of writer William Arthur Ward

Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records

What can be taken from the Norwich defeat? Not a huge amount except that in January new defensive recruits are required and that bookings are going to affect this team unless discipline is reigned in to stop the cards flying from referee’s pockets.

Swansea, West Brom and Bolton await. If Alan Pardew wants to maintain a stake in the top seven then all three teams must be put to the sword. 9 points would practically assure the Magpies of their Premier League status moving into the new year. Injuries are the main issue and those who are left to fill the void are not inspiring, James Perch, Tamas Kadar and Mike Williamson are Championship quality players.

Our midfield can still hold its on but new additions in defence and up front are required to guarantee the club don’t lose heart and start focusing on a mid table finish.

Alan Pardew has in the past few months been mentioned with the England Job and as a stellar coach and manager. The true tests of his managerial reign are yet to come and it must be remembered that he has to guarantee our Premier League survival first and that he has won nothing yet.

Lets hope this will be a winter where the temperatures can’t freeze the passion for success around St James’ Park, I mean #cough# The Sports Direct Arena #cough#.