Ok, so a good win against an injury depleted Newcastle side (Although we played 3 full-backs all match too!) and Leon Barnett at last kept a clean sheet, if only it has been for the full match rather than just the last 10 mins. Thought I'd comment on the incidents before I do my player ratings. The corner producing the first goal should have been a goalkick, no doubt in my mind, Krul caught it after it crossed the line, although why he felt the need to do this, I don't know. This only evens out the turned down appeal when a Newcastle player handled one of our crosses in the penalty area with plenty of time to withdraw his hand and should have been a penalty. I actually thought the red card was a little harsh because it didn't look a straight red to me, and I thought the first booking (as well as one of ours) where really bookings for minor fouls. But on to the ratings: Ruddy: 7. Did everything we could of expected, not at fault for any of the goals and made a couple of good saves. Just unlucky that both of Newcastle's real chances went in. Naughton: 9 (MoM). I thought Naughton was excellent defensively today. Made vital tackles, won vital headers and made blocks. Put in a few good crosses too. R Martin: 5. I felt he lost Ba for both of the goals especially the first one where Whitbred clearly pointed out Ba's run to him. Whitbred: 6. Ruined an otherwise good game by being tackled, and not for the first the time this season (Wigan). Tierney: 7. Hard to fault his performance, it was very good without being exceptional. Nothing he could of done for either goal, nor Naughton. Fox: 6. Made most of his passes, missed a few. Attempted some ambitious long shots when there where better options available hence a 6. Crofts: 7.5. Pretty good defensivley, and good crosses all match. Surman: 6. Didn't do much to justify a start ahead of Pilkington, he wasn't bad, but he just didn't seem to do that much today. Hoolahan: 7. I know he scored, but I didn't think he was as good as he normally is today. His goal was a bit lucky anyway. Morrison: 8. Great header for his (yet another) goal but this did mask out him conceding possession a little too often, I was expecting him to bully Newcastle's makeshift defence, but it would be harsh to say he was disappointing. Holt: 8.5 Difficult to see Holt not starting now, but no way Morrison will be making way. 2 well taken goals and a good all round display. Whipping in crosses, playing through balls, it was like Holt was back in League One the way he was playing!
I'm very disappointed that nobody has proposed a vote of thanks to the one person that guaranteed our win today! Take a bow Colu_Mike FACT
I am personally going to fly back to England, hunt him down, put a gun to his head and get him to say on this board we are going to lose again next week
Yeah we're good lads really Same goes to you! No gloating over on our board,, just us lot breaking down We should hopefully have 2 of our CBs back for Swansea, so we should be fine. We lost the game in the air in the box, that's where it went wrong. Bad time to play you lot, to be honest. Well done, and good luck for the season.
On another note, Holt currently has the 4th most goals for an English striker in the Premier League, behind Rooney, Sturridge and Defoe, surely that should justify an England call up? With Rooney unavailable for 2 games in the group stage of Euro 2012, logically that at least gives Holt a place on the bench?
'grats on the win today lads, fully deserved. your tactics were spot on. got to say the ref was a bit card happy though. Don't think anyone's mentioned this, but if we werent forced to play 4 fullbacks due to injuries then the result may have been different
5th win of the season, last time in top flight our 5th win also came against Newcastle but it was in our 34th match of the season...
I think I agree with most of that but I would switch scores for Martin and Whitbread. Its no good passing a player on if he's already got past. Whitbread just didn't run with him. And that stupid dribble on the touchline cost us the second. You will get punished in this division for the slightest mistake. And I don't know why Johnson was dropped and then asked to play the left hand role.
