I saw this coming a mile off - My thoughts on the ****test game ever played

I don't really think either team deserved to take 3 points, as both sides were pretty poor. They hacked us down all game, and I can't believe we picked up those bookings while they got away with murder.

However, no point in blaming anyone else. We were dreadful. We played long balls vs a side like West Ham? Why? We should have kept it on the ground, and Krul needs to learn how to throw it out to a fullback so we can counter attack.

It's really a shame that a poor attacking performance occurred in the same match where our defense was very sound. Williamson, Santon and Simpson were good today.

I don't know why we tried to challenge Carroll for those flick ons, you can't beat him in the air when he runs and jumps for it, so just watch the players around him. Carroll didn't really do anything today.

I think we were a bit tactically exhausted. Europe is having a bit of an effect our performances.

Ratings -

Krul - 5 - Couldn't really do anything about the goal. Some decent play under pressure, but couldn't find anyone across the ground so we could start an attack.

Simpson - 7 - Thought he had a good game. A couple of times he backed away a bit too much, but other than that he was good.

Saylor - 5.5 - Not a great game. Some silly challenges on Carroll, and wandered forward a bit too much.

Willo - 7 - Dealt with Carroll pretty well. Had a good game, apart from a few sloppy moments.

Santon - 7 - A good game.

Jonas - N/A - Some good tackling early on. Hope his injury isn't too bad.

Anita - 5.5 - Some good defending and play in the middle. Apart from a poor mistake which could have put us 2-0 down, he was pretty good.

Cabaye - 5 - Couldn't really effect the game that much for the last 60 mins or so. Some good tackling and some decent passes.

Ben Arfa - 5 - A goodish first half. Passenger 2nd half, mainly due to our long ball bullshit.

Ferguson - 5 - Started brightly, some good crossing and movement, but made some errors 2nd half, and then tailed off a bit.

Cisse - 3 - Got into some good positions at times, caused some problems, but couldn't make much impact.

Ba - 6 - Some good efforts on goal, and almost scored a couple of times.

Shola - 6 - Won some headers but no one on the end of them. Some good little passes and played a part in our build up play. Couldn't quite do much damage.

Ober - n/a - Can't be arsed.

Overall - I don't think WHU deserved to win, but we deserved to lose. We looked clueless and played right into their hands. I saw this coming, as much as I tried convincing myself otherwise.

All we can do is come back and beat Swansea at the weekend, where maybe long balls can work, as Swansea like to pass it. But we should really be playing to our strengths.

 

Our style of football isn't that far off what Allardyce had us playing at times. Eleven league games in and still awaiting a performance that can be described as anything other than "hard working, gritty, determined" etc. And today we weren't even any of them. Complete shambles and feel for the lads forking out to watch the football that's been on show this season from us.

 

Agreed.

 

I disagree with the Ben Arfa rating, a 5 is harsh for our only dangerous player. I mean he may have gave the ball away a few times but its hardly his fault when all we were doing is passing it to him every attack and he pretty much ended up having 3 players around him, i mean he's good but he cant do it every time can he?

 

for me.. Santon was head and shoulders above everyone... closely followed by HBA... both deserve 8 IMHO.
Cisse... well I was rather disappointed once again...

 

This...again this highlights the flaw in our only game plan of "give it to HBA and see if he can do something brilliant". He has three players on him, surely this should open up space for other players, where's the plan b?

 

A game devoid of quality between two average to poor teams. That said, we still 'battered' them from the moment they scored – however that is just not good enough.

Again this season it's a listless, jaded, quite pathetic start to an NUFC performance. Only waking up with what could be described as urgency or tempo AFTER conceding a goal.

All other prem teams should take note that if you score first against this Newcastle side you'll win the game, unless some bizarre twist of fate nabs two points off you.

Last season we wouldn't have just won this fixture we would have rubbed West Ham's nose in it... Get it sorted and do it quick.

 

You shouldn't have alerted them to our weakness 25 SS.

 

Williamson's positional sense leaves a lot to be desired. He frequently gets shown to be in no man's land when the opposing side are in the area. Nolan scored one of his typical goals yet Williamson was oblivious to him ghosting in behind him. His distribution is usually just a hoof up field which comes straight back.
As for our forwards, what is the point of 2 forwards when neither of them are close enough to get balls from the touchlines ( not too many though ) or even balls knocked long- they are normally miles apart. We appear this season to have little flair going forward and can't retain a ball for toffee. If we continue in this vein then I fear we will be dragged down among the deadwood.

 

The defence did ok today but we on a whole are leaking soft goals for fun. We can't keep a clean sheet. Think we have had 1 clean sheet all season. ****ing pathetic especially since we are not prolific scorers either. Pardew needs to address this because the system is not working. Cisse is in horrendous form, on one hand I think keep playing him, he will find his form eventually but the team is suffering. To get he most out of out attacking/creative players we have to go back to a 433, play Ba through the middle with HBA on one side and fergie, Sami or even Marv if on form on the other. (Anyone with pace and a decent first touch really)We will also see a better cabaye playing this way. It's not rocket science. It worked last year, I don't know why he has abandoned it.

 

HBA didn't really do **** in the 2nd half. Total passenger.

 

Another thing, set pieces, ****ing woefull. Not scored one all season and don't look like doing so either. What they doing in training man.

 

Good comment, if it isn't broken .................... don't fix it.

 

This sums up our season so far for me.
As soon a we go behind I feel we wont come back, we are not taking the game by the scruff of the neck.
Plus side Santon had a good game and Fergie impressed when going forward.

 

I said this about Ben Arfa last week, as soon as he has the ball he has three players on him, liverpool made him ineffective last week, we've been sussed and done nothing about it, if we can see it surely Pardew can.

Tash, totally agree about krul throwing the ball out, he takes too long, distribution is often poor, he gives the oppositon time to regroup, if he threw it out quicker we could be much better on the counter attack!

 

There were more questions than answers.

 

Defending sound ?? ( did you miss their goal )


QUOTE=Tash.;3754779]I don't really think either team deserved to take 3 points, as both sides were pretty poor. They hacked us down all game, and I can't believe we picked up those bookings while they got away with murder.

However, no point in blaming anyone else. We were dreadful. We played long balls vs a side like West Ham? Why? We should have kept it on the ground, and Krul needs to learn how to throw it out to a fullback so we can counter attack.

It's really a shame that a poor attacking performance occurred in the same match where our defense was very sound. Williamson, Santon and Simpson were good today.

I don't know why we tried to challenge Carroll for those flick ons, you can't beat him in the air when he runs and jumps for it, so just watch the players around him. Carroll didn't really do anything today.

I think we were a bit tactically exhausted. Europe is having a bit of an effect our performances.

Ratings -

Krul - 5 - Couldn't really do anything about the goal. Some decent play under pressure, but couldn't find anyone across the ground so we could start an attack.

Simpson - 7 - Thought he had a good game. A couple of times he backed away a bit too much, but other than that he was good.

Saylor - 5.5 - Not a great game. Some silly challenges on Carroll, and wandered forward a bit too much.

Willo - 7 - Dealt with Carroll pretty well. Had a good game, apart from a few sloppy moments.

Santon - 7 - A good game.

Jonas - N/A - Some good tackling early on. Hope his injury isn't too bad.

Anita - 5.5 - Some good defending and play in the middle. Apart from a poor mistake which could have put us 2-0 down, he was pretty good.

Cabaye - 5 - Couldn't really effect the game that much for the last 60 mins or so. Some good tackling and some decent passes.

Ben Arfa - 5 - A goodish first half. Passenger 2nd half, mainly due to our long ball bullshit.

Ferguson - 5 - Started brightly, some good crossing and movement, but made some errors 2nd half, and then tailed off a bit.

Cisse - 3 - Got into some good positions at times, caused some problems, but couldn't make much impact.

Ba - 6 - Some good efforts on goal, and almost scored a couple of times.

Shola - 6 - Won some headers but no one on the end of them. Some good little passes and played a part in our build up play. Couldn't quite do much damage.

Ober - n/a - Can't be arsed.

Overall - I don't think WHU deserved to win, but we deserved to lose. We looked clueless and played right into their hands. I saw this coming, as much as I tried convincing myself otherwise.

All we can do is come back and beat Swansea at the weekend, where maybe long balls can work, as Swansea like to pass it. But we should really be playing to our strengths.[/QUOTE]

 

We have never come from behind in the prem and won under pardew. Quite pathetic really.

 

Got to say today was a joke, passionless and the players couldn't give a toss. Fearing the worst for Swansea on Saturday. Bottom half for us this year.

 

I think the cluelessness outweighed the passionless ness.