Match Day Thread Toon v Fulham

I've came away from this game again wondering how the hell we're at the top of the league.
At least we lost against a good team today. Fulham looked a good side today, though our midfield had a nightmare. Shelvey had such a poor game, as did Diame and Atsu.
Nothing seemed to come off for Ritchie.

The tactic of high balls for Gayle to play on his own, challenging big defenders for. It doesn't make sense. High balls to Murphy would be more like it, especially if Gayle was around to collect the knock-downs.

A great week spoilt by another terrible home performance.

Good luck to Fulham. They deserved their win.

 

Sorry lads, but please will you stop going on about this formation and we would have won, or that formation and we would have won. You could have played 13 vs 11 today in any formation you like and we would have lost because we couldn't ****ing pass the ball 5m. Fulham were outstanding both with and without the ball. They stopped us passing it completely by employing a high work rate and closing us down in numbers, and they kept the ball and passed it around very well. As for individual performances, just about everybody was below par. I can let Gayle off because he literally had nothing to work with all afternoon, and Murphy did well when he came on. Shelvey in particular was very poor and when he plays like that we are up against it because he makes the team tick. Atsu and Diame's passing was criminal at times and none of the players had a good first touch - 'couldn't trap a bag of cement' was a phrase that sprung to mind.

I actually though the first 15 mins until the goal went in we were doing okay but as soon as they scored we seemed to retreat and let them have the ball and our tempo went completely when just the opposite was required. All of them seemed more than just a yard off the pace and heavy legged and I don't know if that was down to playing 5 games in 15 days but they were playing below their normal energy levels. Maybe because we have fallen into a habit recently of letting the other team have more possession we are doing more running than we should and the players are getting fatigued. With a week off until the next game hopefully they will recover a bit and we'll see a more energetic performance next Saturday. But I'm not disagreeing with what people are saying about being more attacking at home; it's just I think the issue is more about the tempo we play at, both in terms of closing down players quicker when the opposition has the ball and then the passing must be more snappy and more positive when we have the ball.

So all in all, it was a bad day at the office and the home form needs sorting out because it's getting to be problematic now, but let's not get carried away - it was the last game in a gruelling run of 5 games, we are still top of the league and we have a week off to regroup and get ready for an away game at Birmingham (that's right, an away game!). Things could be much, much worse.

 

at times it looked like we had Stevie Wonder wearing a Shelvey mask in the middle.

 

Before they scored I was noting how Fulham were playing with a very high line, basically defending the half way line at times and it was an obvious tactic to get the ball in behind for Gayle to use his pace. He's scored a fair few of his goals this season using that tactic. Unfortunately, as you say, the balls were aerial lobs which were all overhit, rather than the cunning through ball that we required. With Shelvey being so off his best today we had no chance of that happening either. Fulham were there to be had in the first half on the break like that in all honesty.

 

I think he had his boots on the wrong feet mate.

 

Completely agree Jim. Would never have happened on his watch. Getting pumped off championship sides at home on a regular basis.

 

Well deserved - best side to come to St James this season. It's not a reflection of yourselves, it is just we have been absolute gash at home all season. We set ourselves up badly and play too defensive a team. I'd say I can't believe Rafa returned Diame to his no10 role but I can.

Utterly useless management, utterly useless performance from players. And credit to Fulham who played us off the park.

 

We will once we are playing away

 

Got to say, as a Fulham fan I fancied us today, not because we are better than you, because we are not, but playing on a wide pitch suits us, and we kind of do ok at your place. No doubt this is a blip from you, just enjoying watching us play for a change

 

Rafa still hasn't worked out playing at St James Park. Shearer has noted previously. Dyer and Jenna's talked about how Shearer and Speed used to drill it into them. Win the first 15mins. Set up aggressively and play really high tempo. We do have a bit of unique thing at home. It's really very simple but for whatever reason we can't work it out. It's not just about formations. But of course your set up and team selection does influence your approach. If you basically put yourself down to 10 men by playing Diame in the hole, then you kinda deserve what you get as a manager.

You have to earn the right to play. Our passing was abysmal but that is what happens when you hand the initiative to the other team from the off. It doesn't need to be pretty free flowing.

Their stunner of a first goal was a belter. What did he have though? Time. We need to come out with a much more aggressive attitude. We need to forget this negative two holding midfielders. It doesn't help with the first problem. It's fine away. We need to take the game by the scruff. I realise this goes against rafas preferred slow considered approach but I can't stress it enough, if he doesn't change our approach the results will not change. The fans here rightly or wrongly do not come to the ground quite happy to sit patiently through slow football. He has to adapt to that, not the other way on. All he has to do is look at successful managers previously here, KK and Bobby. Both understood the club and the ground. Nothing wrong even at his age with learning and correcting your mistakes.

 

Mate, you had quite a lot of fans today. I'd say almost double the last couple of times you've visited. IS there any reason for the big jump in numbers? It is the better football being served up? Made some decent noise and I was really surprised by how many you lads brought.

 

Yes that's double we would bring in tne prem, reasons are we are playing well,( hope) it's not freezing cold, and not played there for 3 years, I love the trip up there, just don't like tne stairs and view, but result always makes it

 

It was half of what some team have brought though in fairness.

 

Thing is mate I'm sick of reading this. No offence at all, 'cos you're completely right!!! But have been for about 4 months. Why doesn't it change? As has been rightly said, if this was Pardew we'd be fcking screaming about it.

DIAME'S NOT A NUMBER 10
STOP PICKING TWO DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS AT HOME YOU C***
WHY IS COLBACK IN THE SHIRT

And so on.

I said so earlier; sometimes even the best get too set in their ways, a la Wenger.

 

I know I'm not saying it anymore this season. I'm bored of it. The bloke has a great track record. Whoop de ****ing whoop.!injust wanna enjoy my Saturday watching my team at our ground. The ****

 

I would laugh but I'd probably get killed first Monday

 

That done it,

 

Nah Nev is nailed on with the lack of updates - mock away

 

I can't, we lost to Hull. I would otherwise

 

I thought Jack Colback would do well it this level... Boy was I wrong.

Jonjo Shelvey doesn't do so well when we're up against it but he's a gem to have when things are going our way.