Newcastle in the end came out with a point in today’s derby at the Stadium of Light against North East rivals Sunderland, and given the previous two defeats it was a reasonable result for Newcastle.
The main thing is that Newcastle weren’t beaten and came back quite well after going a goal down.
Big Sam – we must cut out these silly mistakes at the back
That’s the good news – the bad news is that it was another very poor goal to give away and we cannot go on conceding these stupid goals.
Sam again talked about how the Newcastle defense has to improve.
“We can’t keep making silly mistakes at the back†“It was a silly goal to give away.â€
“First a silly pass from one center-half to the other, then we should have cleared the ball for a throw-in not a corner – and then we allow them to score from there.â€
“Set-pieces decide most games and we were punished there.â€
However, for most of the game Newcastle’s defense was quite solid. Big Sam was also pleased with his side’s reaction after conceding the goal, and felt Newcastle deserved a point and maybe more. Sam continued:
“Yes, I don’t see why we don’t deserve a point because of the response from going a goal down.”
“We had a fear which pepped our game after conceding the goal, and we might have even won it at the end.â€â€œWe haven’t lost which is very important.â€
The main thing is that Newcastle didn’t lose, but while they could have won the game with a little luck, they didn’t deserve to win, and Sunderland were the better side. But Sam has survived a defeat, which would have been catastrophic for Newcastle at this stage of the season. It would have also been 3 defeats in a row.
Newcastle can also hopefully build on this point, since it has stopped the rot.
Comments welcome.
47 comments so far
Steeley
Nov 11, 2007 at 11:22 AM
Comment #41I think we were lucky to get the point yesterday to be honest. I was very disappointed with how much they were aloud to outplay is midfield! When I saw the starting line up I was vry excited as I thought Sam had decided to go all out attack, however, when we started it was very much the opposite!! We need to go away to teams and play to win every time….its no good waiting until we go a goal down before we decide that we need to score. The midfielders took far too many touches on the ball (and consequently lost it!) and it was always played backwards.
I thought Owen looked OK, but as you saw when Oba came on, I agree with some of the comments above that he would have scared the living daylights out of their defence.
Smith needs to be dropped with mifield looking like
Zog – Emre – Barton – Milner
with Enrique back in at LB. I dont know why it wasnt like that to start with yesterday anyway….Milner on the left wing….AGAIN!
Time for the international injuries now…..
P.S. Where was our right midfield yesterday???!!!
Bill f
Nov 11, 2007 at 11:27 AM
Comment #42Hadrian you’re right I can’t judge the game from the highlights but they are a very good microcosm of the game and what I saw was really poor defending and equally poor keeping. phoonck obviously did see the whole game and has summed it up very neatly and concisely saying much of what I was thinking from the highlights.
Sam himself said his first priority is clean sheets which to me is a defensive attitude regardless of what team he puts out so if he fields a potentially aggressive side and then says to them dont concede any goals, well if thats not confusing to the players I don’t know what is. That from the highlights is what we got a confused team who hadn’y a clue whether to attack or defend and we essentially got neither. Watch some of the Italian league games their teams know how to defend. It takes real skill to score goals in that league not just hopefull lobs into the box by poor quality attackers. ( Sorry but they really are). I understand that Terry McDermot is and has been our defence coach for the last zillion years, is there perhaps a connection and reason for our crappy defending.
Doctapaul
Nov 11, 2007 at 11:49 AM
Comment #43The last decent defenzive coach we had was Fazackerly. I’m surprised that McDermott would be considred as a defensive coach? It’s news to me. What does Nigel Pearson do? He’s surely the most experienced (if not only) defender on the Toon’s staff?
Newcastlefan
Nov 11, 2007 at 12:21 PM
Comment #44I think Smith should be used as backup striker with viduka and martin upfront. Martin probably would have made the difference.
Can’t blame Viduka of not getting any goals bcoz he is a target man and depend mostly on crosses and pass.
nightfall
Nov 11, 2007 at 12:36 PM
Comment #45a lot of players sucked yesterday but i think we all agree that the past few matches were all BSA’s fault… he can blame it on the defence, but still…his tactics is awfull…idiotic…
Eve
Nov 11, 2007 at 4:02 PM
Comment #46I’m sick of hearing about clean sheets, if we go out every week with this defensive attitude, then we’re not going to take any risks and we’re not going to score goals. If everyone plays well, defends well, goes out like they’ve nothing to lose and attacks and gives it their all then clean sheets will come. But with Sam’s obbsesion of wanting clean sheets he’s got his players playing and thinking negativley and defensively before they even go out on to the pitch and you can’t score goals like that.
toonmadtom
Nov 12, 2007 at 10:58 AM
Comment #47i think the match was a shambles. they outclassed us. we didnt even deserve a draw.