5 reasons why our attack will get much better even without a new striker

I do think we'll get a new striker, but I don't think we'll rely on him for some bite in our attack, because there are a few other ways we should considerably improve.

1). Jonas and the left-back.

Jonas has barely attacked in the last two games because he's had to track back and help Ryan Taylor so much. At many points we were basically playing with two left backs. Did anyone notice what happened when Williamson came on? The 5 man defence allowed Jonas to start going forward, and as soon as that happened we started having a lot more attacking potential down the left flank. Jonas on his own regularly got the ball up that side and into the final third far more than any other players did before him. In doing so, he also got us the free kick which enabled us to win.

Once we have a new left back and the pressure is off, Jonas can start launching himself forward with his pace, his ability to get around players and his ability to get us good free kicks. I think people underestimate how important this guy is to our attack.

2). Obertan and Ben Arfa.

Newcastle NEVER go through the middle. It's always textbook crossing from the flanks. I think we need to utilise all the attacking fronts, but unfortunately, Obertan isn't up to the job in the role behind the striker. You need a LOT of agility and technique to get around players and make key passes in such a busy area.

Luckily, Ben Arfa can do that role comfortably. Once we have him fit and on form again, we can start to utilise the middle and have us attacking the oppositions goal from three different directions.

3). Cabaye, Barton and Tiote.

Tiote hasn't been great these past two games. I think he isn't match fit yet after the visa incident. Plus, I've heard he's participating in ramadan, which means he'll be fasting, and if that's true, it will massively dent his performance.

While he's like that, Cabaye has to drop deeper and Barton also has to help out in midfield. Fortunately though, when he's back to his best, Cabaye can inch forward a little more and Barton can start taking the ball down the right flank more frequently. With Cabaye especially, I think he has a lot of attacking potential. Just look at his strike during the derby. I can see Cabaye being the type to just pop up out of nowhere with some blistering goals. Even if he gets around 5 this season, that makes up half of what we would have missed from Nolan last season. Once you find a CM who plays much better than Nolan and still scores a few goals, Nolan's usefulness suddenly seems much weaker.

4). Marveaux

Set up two and scored one in his game against Gateshead. He's still finding match fitness, but watch out for this guy. I think he could be a real gem. Liverpool weren't hunting him down for nout, and they've attempted nothing but high quality buys this season.

5). Ba

This guy DOES have goals in him. We've seen evidence of it during West Ham and throughout his career. He hasn't done much after the first two games, but we need to give this guy time to settle, build match fitness and find form. With the right type of player behind him, I'm confident he'll bang a fair few in.


So, basically, we just need a little more patience. Once we get a new left back and some of our key players get fully match fit, we'll be a lot more of an attacking threat, and that's even BEFORE a new striker is brought in who can hopefully succeed.

 

news now this. Very good article and very true. Got to look up!

 

Good post.

Agree that once a LB is in place and has gotten tp grips with the game, we can utilise Jonas as a more attacking option.

Can't wait until Ben Arfa is back.

I also really like Cabaye and his style of play.

 

Great post, optimistic and realistic. Hopefully these reasons won't be used as reasons not for spending, but it looks likely that we will anyway. Agree especially on Ba, people have maybe forgotten that he's the guy who netted over a goal every other game last season - he'll come good soon.

 

Optimist in me thinks this a good post and a reason to be positive.

The pessimist in me thinks the only reason we're going for the attack from midfield look is because midfielders are cheaper.

 

seconded.

(i think the goal was scored before williamson came on though, but i may be wrong)

 

It was.

Jonas actually really started attacking more right from the off in the second half. He must have had a word from Pardew during half time. He started attacking even more though once he didn't have to worry so much about Raylor.

 

Agree. Top post Chappaz.

By the way do you think Raylor should move to RB(take Simpson's place) if a NEW LB comes in BUT Raylor still puts in a good performance against Fulham for example?

 

Spot on Chappaz, agree with pretty much everything you said apart from the Obertan thing, I reckon he could play well in the middle, just behind a striker. He's lightning quick, can jump well and head the ball, got a great touch, plenty of skill and can play short, fast passes to involve other players.

We do need a new striker and LB still, just two injuries to Ba and Best/Shola then we're ****ed but should still have enough to survive in the Prem.

 

Simpson seems to have improved over last season in the two games so far. He's definitely been working on his defensive abilities over the pre-season and you can tell. If he keeps that up he should keep his place. Ryan Taylor has been a good servant playing out of position at LB, but it has been our weak spot with him there and he's regularly needed Jonas to help him out - which is why we've barely seen Jonas attack in the past two games.

IMO Obertan has everything apart from the agility, nimbleness and control. This seems like a strange thing to say considering his incredible pace, but I think the only situation he has pace is when he's running in a straight line with the ball. When it comes to actually controlling the ball, his feet aren't quick enough, and that's a big problem when you're just behind the penalty spot in the opposing half and you have a bunch of defenders and half the midfield all swamping you. It gets real hot in there in the hole, and I think Ben Arfa is the only guy with the agility, skill and control to make goal scoring opportunities from there.

Obertan could turn into a top winger and utilise his pace properly, but if he's in the thick of it with the ball, he'll ****e himself when 4 or 5 players come running at him from all directions.

 

I thought Danny Simpson was even more solid that Taylor against the Mackems. I think everyone loves Raylor because he scored the goal, which of course I do too, but Simpson doesn't deserve to lose his place after a performance like that IMO.

 

Nicely written and I love the optimism, but the Jonas point is too flawed, and obertan is never a winger. Can't wait for marveaux to get a shot but until then IMO gosling showed enough to earn him more game time ahead of obertan


Side note - iPad corrects obertan to overran.... Interesting

 

also changes tonite to robots and that has ****ed my fb messages up quite a few times

 

Gosling looked very lively as well when he came on, had he been left footed I think he would have wrapped the game up when he had the one-on-one.

 

Should've wrapped it up anyway tbh. Still though, who else has ran beyond the line of defense in the last 2 games?

 

Why do people call my points flawed and then just make no effort to explain why

The Jonas point is key. He made very few attacking runs because he was helping Raylor out so much. Once he was given his freedom (must have been Pardew telling him to go forward) Jonas suddenly became far more of an attacking threat. We'll see more of that when a new LB is brought in and Jonas feels more confident he can trust him.

And Obertan is a winger. He has every attribute to succeed as a winger. Considerable pace and good dribbling. His crossing is suspect, but hopefully that will improve in time. He also doesn't necessarily have to cross all the time. If other players head up there with him, then he can play some short passes and try to break through the defence. Obertan is basically the human form of a long ball. He can take the ball from our end of the pitch and use his pace to bring it right up to the oppositions end - avoiding the midfield battle entirely.

I just can't see him doing well as an 'in the hole' fella. He doesn't have the confidence or rapid agility/nimbleness required. He doesn't seem to initiate attacking play. He just plays his part in the attacking plan initiated by someone else. For the guy behind the striker you need someone like Ben Arfa or Sessegnon who are confident in their abilities and can take control. Basically, you need a playmaker.

Obertan might end up 'playing' as a decent secondary striker/ACM, but I do wonder how many times he'll get genuine assists for all his play.

 

The flaws were already explained above. You claimed the 5 man defense gave Jonas freedom. But Williamson didn't come on til the 85th minute and after that time Jonas did very little running (gosling did most of it).

Wasn't having a go, Jonas made very few attacking runs because bruces gameplan was all about elmohameddy and sessegnon first half. He was phenomenal second half due to us changing our shape and tactics (played the 3 centres more deeper and obertan and jonas were clearly told to run the line more) and Sunderland changing theirs (stopped giving it to elmohammedy so much and opted to go straight through the middle), very little to do with raylor.

Obertan is not a winger. There is no way around this. He can't cross, doesn't make smart runs, and can't beat a man after standing him up from what I've seen these last 2 games. Granted he has bags of pace and a few tricks but doesn't use them the way a winger would to get round a man. I agree he isn't a second striker either mind so something needs to be worked on for him to fit somewhere.

 

Side note - I have an iPad.

 

Other side note: I have the new iPad nano (aka iPod Touch)

 

Side note: You two should have just got Macs, they're better