Premier League team of the weekend

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Player of the weekend: Tim Krul, who made 14 saves at White Hart Lane, the most of any goalkeeper in a single match in Europe's top five leagues this season.

La Liga team of the weekend

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Serie A team of the weekend

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Bundesliga team of the weekend

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Ligue 1 team of the weekend

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Tactical talking point: Newcastle's change in style

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After back-to-back wins against Chelsea and Tottenham, you could forgive Newcastle fans of being optimistic going into the international break, with the club sitting ninth in the Premier League after an inconsistent start typical of their form over the past year.

Not only did Alan Pardew's side secure shock victories in their last two matches, but they kept clean sheets after having leaked goals too freely at times this season. While the latest shut-out can be largely attributed to an outstanding performance from Tim Krul, with the Dutchman making 14 saves to keep Spurs at bay – the most in a single game in Europe's top five leagues this season – there has been a notable shift in mantra this campaign that seems to be benefitting the team as a whole.

Their playing style last season left a little to be desired at times, leading to some discontent from fans. Newcastle played the most long balls in the Premier League in the 2012-13 campaign, and while a fair portion of the blame for a lack of real cutting edge was directed Papiss Cisse's way – only five teams scored fewer goals last season than Newcastle's 45 – the team weren't really helping the Senegalese striker.

Their penchant for the punt upfield rarely paid off and, while Papiss Cissé is a relatively decent physical target, his strength doesn't come in the air. Indeed, of the 78 players to compete in over 100 aerial duels last season, the he had the worst success rate (28%). That may have been down to a lag from the style of play when the likes of Andy Carroll and, to a lesser extent, Demba Ba were in the side, but it was something that needed to change.

This season Newcastle have attempted the fewest long balls in England's top-flight (470). The swing in philosophy could hardly have been more dramatic. One need only look at the same fixture against Tottenham last season to notice as much. Gareth Bale won that match for Spurs, but Newcastle didn't help themselves by playing it long. They were quick to clear their lines, which can be forgiven, but at times they were far too willing to bypass the midfield. Pardew's men attempted 69 long balls back in February, but that figure dropped to 43 on Sunday. They are clearly playing with a little more confidence following a similar scenario against Chelsea the week before.

Newcastle kept the ball well enough against José Mourinho's men, completing 80% of their passes. They attempted 42 long balls compared to Chelsea's 70. They played quick on the counter, without resorting to pumping the ball forward aimlessly, and they got their just rewards. Loïc Remy, who is well suited to fast, counter-attacking football, has been key to such a shift in ethos.

The Frenchman has the best conversion rate of all Premier League players with more than three goals this season (26%). His seven goals this season mean that Newcastle are no longer relying on Cissé. It's worth noting that the misfiring No9 hit a similar purple patch shortly after his arrival, but his form subsequently dropped off.

With Remy now sharing the burden, the fans will hope that his potential strike partner eventually comes good once again. One thing's for sure, both will be thankful that Newcastle's "kick and rush" game has been tailored and, while there's room for improvement, Pardew seems to have his side on the right track.

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