Newcastle's grey kit was matched by their dull display in the Tyne-Wear derby... these really are dark days for the club Newcastle set another record as losers of the last five Tyne-Wear derbies They played in grey and put in an equally dismal and uninspired display Defeat came after Newcastle announced club record profit of £18.7million They were left to rue decision to ditch their black and white stripes By CRAIG HOPE PUBLISHED: 17:50 GMT, 5 April 2015 | UPDATED: 00:43 GMT, 6 April 2015 They played in grey and duly put in a dull and uninspired performance, these really are dark days for Newcastle United. Still, at least they returned a club record profit of £18.7million last week and retail gain was probably behind the bizarre decision to ditch their black-and-white stripes. But on Sunday they set another record as losers of the last five Tyne-Wear derbies. please log in to view this image John Carver looks on as his Newcastle United struggle against rivals Sunderland in the Tyne-Wear derby Head coach John Carver said before the game he had a secret motivational tactic up his sleeve and would only reveal what it was following victory. Well, we'll never know what he used in a forlorn attempt to rouse his players. But we do know it didn't work. Phil Neville was scathing in his assessment of Newcastle a fortnight ago when he said that their application during the 3-0 defeat at Everton was reminiscent of a set of players with one eye on their summer holidays. Neville was at the Stadium of Light on Sunday and, rather than prove him wrong as a livid Carver promised his men would, they played like a side with their flip-flops on. Carver was in a rage again on Sunday night, but this time it was his players feeling the fury. 'I said before the game that no side of mine would be criticised for not working hard enough. I was wrong,' he said. please log in to view this image Jordi Gomez and Remy Cabella do battle on the Stadium of Light pitch as Sunderland snatch victory 'The performance hurts more than the result. We were second best. It's a funny thing pressure, some players can handle it and some can't. Some of ours perhaps can't after losing five in a row. 'I am absolutely embarrassed to be part of it.' Newcastle's problem is a sad attitude of acceptance that has been allowed to permeate a squad lacking in ability and character. The Magpie mandate is survival and, to that end, their season finished the minute they were more or less assured of as much. Not even a derby can rally this lot. There was one incident in the second half which captured their passive approach. With the play dead, Mike Williamson had to scream at team-mate Daryl Janmaat in a desperate effort to return the ball with some sense of urgency. Sunderland, in contrast, hassled, harried and hounded their opponents. They had won the previous four derbies because they out-worked Newcastle and wanted it more. They won a fifth for exactly the same reasons. please log in to view this image Jermain Defoe earns Sunderland all three points with a sensational volley at the Stadium of Light
Spot on....Id rather support us in a crisis than them who looked like a hungover Sunday team. Good report Amsterdam
Good read. Saggy Chops had us down as the wost team in the league. Now we know that badge is worn 12 miles away.
You'd think he would be used to it by now, hasn't he been right hand man for the previous four, or did he have no influence over them then either? P45 already filled out for the summer.
This has always been the most fierce derby game in England. It has always required 45 balls on the pitch - the one they're kicking and the 22 each side must have. What a pity there were only 23 on the pitch yesterday. Let's face it, if Giaccherini or Alvarez had been ready for it to create more chances, we'd have won 5-0. Krul apart, I can see nothing Newcastle can take from this.
