Three minutes into Saturday's match, Cheick Tioté made a trademark authoritative tackle on Kyle Walker and collapsed in a heap. Though Vurnon Anita looked ready to make an extremely premature debut, Tioté shook off the injury and lasted the full 90 minutes. And once again, Newcastle's midfield enforcer left his mark in a game against another top club.
Tottenham fans derided my post from February, in which I claimed that Tioté's absence was a major factor in the 5-0 rout at White Hart Lane. In that match, Danny Guthrie and James Perch were unable to prevent the Spurs midfield from running riot in north London. But with Yohan Cabaye looking well off the pace, Tioté stepped into an expanded midfield role on Saturday, and neutralized Sandro, Jake Livermore, and Gylfi Sigurdsson in the center of the park.
The last three meetings between Newcastle and Tottenham paint an interesting picture. Last October, in the 2-2 draw at St. James' Park, Tioté controlled the midfield. He touched the ball more than any other player on the field, and completed more passes than any other player as well. In February, he was at the Africa Cup of Nations, and Newcastle served up its worst performance of the season. On Saturday, despite some shaky moments, his 96 touches again led all players by a sizable margin, as did his 67 for 81 passing (83%).
In fact, because of Cabaye's struggles, Tioté operated as the most advanced of Newcastle's three midfielders in the second half. His 21 pass attempts in the final third of the field were more than double any other player in black and white. One of the keys to possession football is bridging the gap between the midfield and strikers, and Tioté stepped up into that position, though his passing and shooting were wayward at times.
Defensively, Tioté offered his typical sturdy performance. Spurs tended to bypass the midfield in attack, opting for long diagonal passes to Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale, probably to avoid running headlong into a strong tackle. Having a deterrent in the center of the park can only help to stifle opposing attacks and spark Newcastle's own.
For Newcastle to turn possession into more scoring chances, Cabaye will need to be more effective in the coming weeks. But on Saturday, Tioté's willingness to set the tempo was enough to take the sting out of Spurs in the second half. It was one more encouraging sign that this year's team will try to exert control of matches through the midfield, playing like a club that expects to be a fixture at the top of the table.
bulls@#t yous were lucky to beat an incomplete squad,Tiote was the difference pfft, when we played at the lane we had an inform Adebayor and Modric, that was the difference
Posted by: tottspur | 08/20/2012 at 08:14 AM
Scuse me Yiddo, remind me of saturdays score please. ???
HAWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAy the Lads..
Posted by: Porciestreet | 08/20/2012 at 08:22 AM
One senses a season of some mediocrity for the Spuds this year. Expect the Spuds to get Mashed a little more frequently. Bye for now tateyheeds.
Posted by: Porciestreet | 08/20/2012 at 08:30 AM
Oh, the comedy!
One season in the top league and you Geordie's are giving it all that AGAIN.
It's the first game of the season, against a new manager, with new players still being bedded in and you think it's a big deal that you won your first home game.
News for you - you're expected to win your home games. However, every single match report written says that Spurs dominated you, which they did.
Remind you of the score? Why does he need to do that? tottspur already said that you beat us. Or is it that your brain has become so addled on Newcie Brown that you need reminding of stuff that happened 48 previously?
Like how we dominated you and that you won because you got a penalty (which isn't an achievement) and that Ba scored a goal out of nowhere.
Spuds are going to get mashed. Oh be-still my torn gaping anus, that's a funny one! Must be that legendary north-eastern sense of moronicness... er... I mean humour.
The difference between us and you? We're going places. You're still living on the glories of fifty years ago. What was the last trophy you won again? The Intertoto Cup. Oooooh, well done you.
Posted by: Dave | 08/20/2012 at 09:14 AM
Oh, yeah, I also forgot that the bar saved you TWICE before you even got a shot on target.
Posted by: Dave | 08/20/2012 at 09:20 AM
So we get a penalty which isn't an achievement, a goal from nowhere and you guys prod home goal from Santons dodgy header, let's just say it was 0-0 eh? Idiot. I'm not sure how you ended up with a "torn gaping anus" but you really need to pack in whatever you're doing or use adequate lubrication.
Posted by: Chris | 08/20/2012 at 09:36 AM
It's called putting the ball in the back of the net. Last season Chelsea won a Champions League getting dominated but putting the ball in the back of the net when it mattered. Thus stopping you qualifying for the Champions League hahahahaha!!!!!! Sign Demba Ba and Cisse and you probably would have won the game hence why we are beat you!!! Champions League for Tottenham this season don't make me laugh hahah!!!
Posted by: Amir | 08/20/2012 at 09:56 AM
Dominate us all you like!!! What was the score ahahhahahaha!!!!
Posted by: Amir | 08/20/2012 at 09:58 AM
An expert on anus and lubrication are you, Chris?
Let's see where you stand after 37 more games, eh? Can't wait to see Man U, Man City and the others rip a new one.
Geordie morons.
Posted by: Dave | 08/20/2012 at 11:11 AM
If Spurs dominated us how was the possession 60-40 in Newcastles favour. Morons
Posted by: simon | 08/20/2012 at 11:14 AM
Oh, is it called putting the ball in the back of the net, Amir?
Like the three goals Chelsea put past you at home without reply last season? I wonder how many they'll put past you this season.
Or maybe the four Wigan put past you. Or the four Norwich put past you. Or Fulham's five. Or West Brom's three? Also wasn't there a game against Spurs last season. Now, how many goals did we put past that night? Wasn't it five? And weren't four of them in the space of about 30 minutes?
And didn't you philandering gimp of a manager come up with some pathetic excuse? A bit like the pathetic excuse he came up for being so dense that he gets himself sent off. In the first game of the season!
How well is he going to be able to direct your games from the stands where, by the way, headsets aren't allowed.
You' guys are going to get such a kicking this season. And I'm going to laugh at every goal you concede. You belong in the Championship and with a bit of luck that's where you'll end up next season.
Jog on Geordies.
Posted by: Dave | 08/20/2012 at 11:18 AM
Wow Dave, why don't you pay attention to your own club eh? Spurs going places you say? Is that why you have failed to bring in a striker that you kept talking about? At least you got rid of 'ol leather face 'Arry. I am willing to bet if the reverse had happened and Spurs won 2-1, you would be lauding your goals instead of saying they "came out of nowhere". Here's a football news flash for you: it doesn't matter where the goals came from, only that they get in the net.
Rather than accepting the loss with dignity you choose to be a sore loser. Go troll some other board and cry into your beer.
Posted by: Ryan | 08/20/2012 at 11:40 AM
Hahaha Daves so obsessed with the Toon he's been on Wiki to check all our results from last season hahahah!!!! Well I'll go and check out Spur.... No got better things to do!!! hahaha!!!
Posted by: Amir | 08/20/2012 at 12:13 PM
Know all about checking stuff on Wiki, do you Amir? I suppose in your local wasteland, that's what counts as education. I sympathise, though. It's not easy getting a proper schooling when your parents are in the class above you. It must make cheating at exams (how are your GCSEs coming slong by the way?) and drinking at playtime so much harder, I would imagine.
Oh, are you going to mention the score again? "Oh, pwease don't, I may cwy and throw a paddy".
What a bunch of losers. Defining your club in reference to your opponents, instead of your own achievements. Let's see you answer that without referring to Saturday.
Before I go, how many times have you been relegated in the last twenty years? Twice? Three times?
Come back and seem at the end of the season when you get relegated. Again.
Posted by: Dave | 08/20/2012 at 12:28 PM
Reel them in a watch them bite hahahha!!!!! Anyway school was 11 years back. Sat here with my A-Levels, degree and oh 120,000 pound job waiting to go on my holidays.
Oh and you give Southerners a bad name by the way...the term embarrassment comes to mind.
Posted by: Amir | 08/20/2012 at 12:36 PM
It's not hard to figure out. Newcastle has gotten better and Spurs have gotten worse since the last meeting; at least on the pitch. Perhaps it is lost of some folks, but WHEN you play someone is as important sometimes as HOW you play.
Note to Spurs: Go out and spend $25M on new stiker...I hear Liverpool might have one lying around.
Posted by: MnToonArmy9 | 08/20/2012 at 12:41 PM
Oooh, congratulations, Amir on your £120,000 job. Tell me, with this 120k job, do they teach you how to say 'would you like fries with that', or do you have to know it before hand?
LOL! You remind of me Flash Ash from Goodness Gracious Me, you loser. Go look it up and then talk about embarrassment. Remember, it's the empty vessels that make the most noise, moron.
Good luck with your GCSEs. Remember, 2 + 2 doesn't equal 120,000.
Fool.
And as for you, ToonArmy (loving the originality, by the way), remind me - where did Newcastle finish last season and where did Spurs finish? Was it Spurs above Newcastle?
Oh, and the season before, you know the one in which you were in the Championship, where did Spurs finish? Did Newcastle finish above Spurs or below?
Oh, and the season before that, you know the one in which you got relegated for the third time in twenty years, where did Spurs finish? Was it above you or below you? I'm not sure, you know. Tell me ToonArmy, was it above or below you? Hello? ToonyArmy? Was it above you? Did Spurs finish above the relegated losers?
Hello?
Posted by: Dave | 08/20/2012 at 01:53 PM
That's your best post/bite of the day haha!!!!
Hello? Hahahaha!!!!!
Hello? Hello? Hello?
Posted by: Amir | 08/20/2012 at 02:16 PM
Dave, you just called us out for defining a club's success based on opponents and not your club's actual achievements. Need I remind you that you just did same?? You just referenced the Spurs finishing above the Toon the past few seasons. Yet you just told us in the post above we shouldn't be comparing our success vs. other clubs. Your argument is invalid for the same reason you said our argument was. So you are a hypocrite? Is that the way of it then?
If you spent half as much time supporting your club as you do worrying about Newcastle, they would have a genuine fan on their hands.
Posted by: Ryan | 08/20/2012 at 02:19 PM
No, Ryan, that was what's known as a response to another Newcastle failing to define your club's successes. Perhaps you should read ToonArmy's post again...
I love the fact, Amir, that you're harping on about ME biting and yet you're the one who answered me. You loser.
How's the job? Served many burgers today?
Posted by: Dave | 08/20/2012 at 02:39 PM
I'm just interested to see how long you losers will keep going for...
Bring it, morons.
Posted by: Dave | 08/20/2012 at 02:41 PM
News to Dave: My analysis is spot on. Newcastle is a better side since the last 5-0 thrashing (adding Cisse, changing tactics) and Spurs are not as good (no Adabayor or Modric) so it shouldn't come as a surprise that a side that thrashed Man U 3-0 a few months ago, at home, might score a goal more than your Spurs. Doesn't mean Spurs are a bad side; they just weren't better on Saturday. Quit crying in your broon and pick your self up.
More news to Dave: when you live in America, "MNTOONARMY" is original, bitch.
Posted by: MnToonArmy9 | 08/20/2012 at 04:57 PM
Waaahaaay. We have a weiner! Couldn't resist, could you?
Just had to have a little nibble. I guess when you're thick enough to follow a nothing club like Newcastle, you'll rise to anything.
Posted by: Dave | 08/20/2012 at 05:01 PM
Ok, so the mild vulgarity is beneath my usual class and pace but you seemed like you were needing some affirmation.
All the IWIWAG readers and posters know the score here, and I'm not talking about 2-1.
I hope you don't draw this assignment again. We'd be bored.
Posted by: MNTOONARMY9 | 08/20/2012 at 06:26 PM
@Dave
Cool story bro
Posted by: puffinmuncher | 08/20/2012 at 06:31 PM
Good point MNTOONARMY9 as a Geordie posting on a Geordie Fan website I'm going to apologize and draw a line under it I shouldn't have lowered myself to other peoples levels.
Posted by: Amir | 08/20/2012 at 07:11 PM
how bout we stop talking about previous seasons cause they don't matter anymore.... and stop talking about each other's buttholes cause it's just immature and annoying to read that for a whole page.
getting back to the ARTICLE.....tiote wasn't in the best form this week, probably from his injury he picked up early. his passing was a little off and not as crisp, but he seemed to handle the defensive part of it well. probably 1 or 2 matches will get him into top form. chelsea will be a good test of how well we are playing and areas of need for improvement.
Posted by: Jaeger | 08/20/2012 at 11:06 PM
...wow...
Posted by: Steve Fowler (Yank in Geordieland) | 08/22/2012 at 11:52 AM