After 2,000 Mackems silence Arsenal, Salut! is en fête. What now, Newcastle?

Jake says "Where's me pipe and slippers?"
Jake says “Where’s me pipe and slippers?”

There’s a spring in our collective step after a stirring, gutsy display won us the point we needed and deserved. This was a night when we all wanted to be in north London to share the joy of the 2,000 souls who made it. At least I had the best, clearest internet stream I can remember in my Sky-free French bunker.

It was a magnificent team performance, Costel Pantilimon obliging those of us who had called for a man-of-the-match performance, John O’Shea playing a captain’s game with Seb Coates solid at his side, Billy Jones and Patrick van Aanholt contributing great shifts and Seb and Catts monumental in defensive midfield.

Don’t let anyone say goalless draws have to be dull, I told readers at ESPN last night. This one had so much passion, thrills and raw emotion that it was as riveting as a 5-4 win.

Dick Advocaat got his half-time substitutions spot-on. Steven Fletcher proved far more effective as a hold-up man than Danny Graham and Jack Rodwell was a better bet for the second half than Connor Wickham. But every one of the 14 men used by Dick did his bit, including Jermain Defoe – splendid as an additional defender – with Adam Johnson and the later sub Will Buckley completing a tremendous squad effort.

Jake says "Right - where's me pipe and slippers?"
Jake says “Right – where’s me pipe and slippers?”

If any Arsenal fan complains we parked the bus, a) laugh b) point out that defence is a recognised part of the game of the football and c) mention Fletcher’s three decent chances and Van Aanholt’s one. Then ask why, with so many Gooners in the Emirates, they could barely be heard except in the tepid pantomime booing of Johnson and Defoe.

And now to the relegation issue still to be resolved. I won’t run a poll, but invite Salut! Sunderland readers to say  which Mag they want to go down: Steve Bruce or John Carver.

I much prefer Hull City as a club but am stuck with my attachment to the idea that having three NE teams in the top flight is always a good idea.

This is how I put it at ESPN, but now it’s time for you to have your say.

If I may be permitted one gesture of tribal disloyalty, it would be to offer the hope that Middlesbrough win the Championship promotion playoff final while Newcastle United scrape clear at Hull’s expense. Football in the North East always feels complete when all three of the major teams are competing in the top division.

But I ended on a positive note.

There have been few occasions this season when Sunderland have truly seemed worthy of continued Premier League status. Things must change next season, whether or not Advocaat is allowed by the club’s owner Ellis Short to be the one to try to achieve it.

But on the beautifully groomed surface of the Emirates, on a Wednesday evening in May, they made their own luck and richly deserved the outpouring of emotion that greeted the final whistle.

Bravo the Lads, bravo Dick, bravo Robbo for winning Guess the Score with a season-saving scoreline prediction.

M Salut, drawn by Matt, colouring by Jake
M Salut, drawn by Matt, colouring by Jake

11 thoughts on “After 2,000 Mackems silence Arsenal, Salut! is <em>en fête</em>. What now, Newcastle?”

  1. Drummer, that is deliciously evil!!!!!

    Conversely, what about a last minute penalty for a handball – that wasn’t – against Alex Bruce!!!!!

    • Nearly as good , but the Colback og would be beyond parody . Probably both games will end in a draw , but it only takes one moment of panic or luck to change everything !

  2. I had a dream that Hull were winning 2-0 and The Mags were beating West Ham 2-1 until Andy Carroll equalised in the 94th minute to send them down. Pity he’s injured but I suppose Kevin Nolan could do it. But then again he might have been talking to Michael Chopra about how not to score against his old club.

    Not fussed either way who is relegated but we’ll probably get more points next season if Hull go down.

  3. I am really indifferent to who goes down.I am just mighty relieved we are no longer in the mix.End of the season the worst 3 go down.I won’t miss the derbies they are too stressful.Smoggies may as well be cockneys as far as I am concerened.,they mean nothing to me…..just a small club in Yorkshire.

    I will not gloat if NUFC go down unlike their “Let’s all laugh at Sunderland” campaign not so long ago.After 2 relegations they may be a bit more contrite the next time we go down,…though I doubt it.They have no reason to see themsleves as the superior club that is for sure.

    As to Bruce he is a rubbish manager and I expect that he will take Hull down.Which would vindicate our decision to get rid of him,not that we need vindication….he was truly awful.

  4. First post Drummer. I could have written every word of that. There was a thread on blackcats with people talking about their “Mag mates” etc.

    I’ve no time for them and make no secret of that fact. Nor do I have any ‘Mag mates.”

    It’s going to be good to watch what happens on Sunday. I think the Mags will probably lose and stay up, although Sam will be wanting his lads to turn them over badly. Hull will go down simply because they are very poor. Both of them will lose although it seems wrong to me that a team with 1 point out of the last 30 can survive. They deserve to go down.

  5. Just a thought Newcastle get relegated and Boro promoted. Colback who wants to play in the Premier League but would be lost and uncomprehended outside of a 60 mile radius of the Tyne Bridge, does he
    A) bit the bullet and go down with his beloved toon, in the belief they will bounce straight back.
    B) Move to Boro and issue a statement he has been a Boro fan all his life and say playing for Newcastle was a job but wearing the red of Boro a Divine gift.
    C) who gives a continental stuff
    You could be left looking very silly Jack your move could leave you with more than egg on your freckled face

  6. I don’t like nufc and I won’t pretend I do . I’ve enjoyed the last five derby games for obvious reasons ,but I can vividly remember mag gloating over previous defeats so its a love hate relationship with the fixture for me . The points have kept us up though .I was a Steve Bruce fan and he’s birthplace and childhood allegiances never concerned me , it was he’s disingenous constant bad mouthing of ourselves , the fans after he’s sacking that turned me against him .Im going to be honest and say I hope Newcastle get relegated ,but if they don’t the excuses that will pour from Bruce’s mouth when Hull do would be a worthy consolation prize . Hope the Boro go up !

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