Still very happy with the result - My thoughts on the Chelsea game

Well, I'm a bit gutted that we didn't see it out, however, you could argue that our two goals came from ****e defending also, so we're not that unlucky.

I'd prefer to take the positives from the game.

We didn't give them much of a chance in the box. They had to bag a great long range strike and a set piece.

We defended very well. It's great to see Mitrovic back. We just look so much more dangerous up front.

Mitrovic + Perez could be a great partnership.

Ratings -

Krul - 8 - Some good stops before the goals. Couldn't really do anything about them really. He saw the ball far too late for the second.

Janmaat - 8 - Good defending and pressure.

Colo - 7.5 - A good improvement. Nothing startling, but pretty solid.

Mbemba - 7.5 - Solid, apart from a shaky move going forward.

Mbabu - 8 - Really excited about this lad. He had his shaky moments, but was mostly fierce and solid, but also very calm, and not reckless.

Wijnaldum - 8 - Another goal. Good header, good pace and ball control, good all round work.

Anita - 7.5 - Good work and defending.

Colback - 7 - Very good when he was on.

Sissoko - 6.5 - Better than he has been, but some sloppy **** at times, and stupid fouls given away. I still sensed the same petulance as usual from him.

Mitrovic - 8 - A right beast up front. Proper man to partner Perez.

Perez - 8.5 - Great goal and a lot of excellent work around the pitch. He won the ball back, and showed some amazing touches, ball control and composure. What a fantastic find.

Obertan - 6.5 - Good effort.

McClaren - 8 - A good decision to play 4-4-2, and got us back into our ranks well. We defended well apart from their 2nd goal.

MOTM - Perez for me. Was all over the show.

 

Anita was the best player on the pitch!

 

It was an exceptional performance, and deserved the victory - just - but it wasn't science. Play with a committed striker who can hold the ball up, and a decent enough back four, you'll be alright. We cannot possibly be a 4-2-3-1 dictate the play, explode in the final third team. We haven't the players. We need to play 4-4-2, or 4-4-1-1. I think Newcastle's identity has never changed - we've always been 4-4-1-1 and it's difficult to argue with the performances of Mitro and Perez, both excellent. Whether Thauvin can do something on the left to allow Gini/Anita to form a Dutch partnership remains to be seen - no secret that we had nothing down the left, with a RB in Mbabu and a CM/RW playing on the left. But it is so heartening tonight to feel a bit of pride.

 

It will be criminal if SM plays with anything but 4-4-2 from now on

 

Unreal for 70 mins then bottled it

 

The stadium was electric tonight.

 

I was expecting hell, I was mentally prepared for it and right now I feel it a touch but not for the reason I thought.

I'm now going to be doubly pissed when we play crap against the poor teams at St James.

Not listening to talkshite ever again, they actually said "for Newcastle this draw at home to Chelsea will feel like a win" - just **** off...

 

It's criminal we haven't done this from day one. The perseverance with Cisse is ridiculous, particularly on his own, and ignoring Perez is ludicrous. Ayoze is our best attacking player, closely followed by Mitrovic. Mitro was incredible today, Shearer at his ominous best, winning freekicks, just being unplayable. They have to start together, and if one can't play stick with two up top - or 4-4-1-1 that has ALWAYS been the Toon identity. That's us. We stick in tackles, we have a Beardo, we have a Shearer, and we have two banks of four behind them. Colback applied himself well today, Sissoko actually tried, Gini did what was asked in both roles, Anita was fantastic. That's a midfield. Give us options with Aarons left or Thauvin right, but stick with these four, experienced, talented players and play narrow. Janmaat is incredible; best player in the squad. He, Mbemba and even Colo today made us proud. Special mention to MoM Kevin Mbabu; what a talent. Strong, brave, confident. Excellent performance and it wasn't as if we were set up to beat Chelsea, we just played a game that resembled and identity. Do that against the bottom 10 and more or less you'll end up with points.

Well done, Steve; man manager (mitro was hammered today) and practitioner. Let the season begin today.

 

If it had then Sunderland would still be bottom - the only solace we can take so far this season. I'm wary of hoping too much, the points today and against Southampton would have had us looking very different.

 

Well guys your not going to like this but yet again it's not good enough we are desperate for points and to be 2-0 up and not getting the vital 3 points that we need is just massively disappointing

 

It's true. In one sense, we were unlucky. However, we switched off from the set piece and weren't out quick enough to Ramires.

 

**** off, bottled it! They gave their all, every one of them then ran out of steam. No keeper would have saved the first, second one put in the right place. Impressed with the effort today, crowd was good as well. Bottled it? Bollocks!

 

Not good enough? We were playing Chelsea ffs. ****ing Jesus

 

I know but we were 2-0 up though

 

Common theme

 

In terms of conceding and dropping points

 

Let's be honest here we are in a perilous position and a point isn't good enough, we are getting further and further away from safety

 

In our first 8 games we play ALL of last seasons top 4 and 3 other teams who finished top half - the only league game we've properly messed up so far was Watford. There's signs we should be ok this season. We get put in the same boat as Sunderland because we have some things in common but difficulty of fixtures so far is not one of them!

 

We need to take today as a starting point. It's disappointing throwing away a 2 goal lead with so little time remaining but lets be honest the majority of us would have taken THAT performance alone before kick off. If we apply ourselves in the way we did today then we will be fine IMHO

 

My thought, good formation. We have finally found a strike partnership. We have finally found a left back (albeit a right footed one). Great effort, good performance. Sat a bit too deep second half inviting them on instead of maintaining our first half pressure and confidence. A bit disappointed not to win but a draw maybe fair in the end. Pleasantly surprised as I was fearing the worst. Perez mom but other close contenders. Will still worry with our central defenders up against a big striker though. I would play Collo in cm with a big centre half at the back alongside Mbemba. With what we have would prefer that to be Saylor or Dummett. Failing that have to say Laschelles as he is only going to get experience by playing and with Collo, Krul, Jaanmat and Mbemba he has plenty of experience around him. Mbabu showed what can happen if we give these lads a chance. Let's face it, good as we were today we're not expecting much next week anyway so get the set up and experience in.