We’ve seen a replay of the game now so here are some of our reflections on Newcastle’s great win yesterday against the dour and good looking Birmingham City side.
- The game was in 3 parts. The first 20 minutes was Birmingham’s and the next 25 minutes of the first half was all Newcastle when they could and should have gone in at the interval two or three goals up. The second half was probably shaded by Birmingham, who came back well.
- The guts and will to win probably was what gave Newcastle the win, who in the end may have been a bit lucky, but there again they missed so many good chances before half time, they should have had it all wrapped up.
- Sam has to be worried about the defense with Rozehnal seemingly going to sleep on a long ball, when it should have been so easily cleared. If Faye is fit for Fulham next Saturday, he should partner Steven Taylor at the back, who looked strong again for Newcastle.
- Newcastle’s best part of the game was the 20-25 minutes before half time where they put so much pressure on Birmingham and had them completely rattled. They were obviously going for the win, as they will in the next 3 games. On another day we would have scored 3 goals in the first half, and even more.
- N’Zogbia and Milner had good games again. But why does N’Zogbia have to be a threatening player from left back. Sam – please play Milner on the right and N’Zogbia on the left wing, at least at home. Then we will have a double threat which opposing defenses will surely find hard to contain.
- Barton is coming back into form, although very slowly. He was lucky not to be sent off for that foul down the left in the second half. He was extremely lucky with that one, just to get the yellow.
- Our captain Geremi still seems out of sorts right now, and doesn’t seem to fit in Newcastle’s team at the moment. Maybe he’s just going through a bad patch, and he’ll come out of it as the season progresses.
- The penalty looked like it was one, because the Birmingham player, Matthew Sadler, swung his right leg round to bring Martins down. And there should have been another one late in the second half when a Birmingham player, goalscorer Cameron Jerome, in the wall, clearly handled a Newcastle free kick.
- A good win by the Magpies and exactly what we needed. Another 9 points in the next 3 games and things will certainly be looking up once the transfer window opens on January 1st.
You cannot question the commitment of this Newcastle team, and they got the job done yesterday, although we’ll be careful to keep our feet on the ground – promise. 😀
Comments welcome.
17 comments so far
billy
Dec 9, 2007 at 10:02 AM
Comment #1more takeover talk this morning .hopefully just more bullsh** from the press. 9 points in the next 3 games is on if we keep up the more attacking football and dont try for a clean sheet and a point away from home against poor sides.
valle
Dec 9, 2007 at 10:10 AM
Comment #2I dunno why we are such a target for talk like that. Why do so many ppl in the press want to see us hurt?
yh
Dec 9, 2007 at 10:28 AM
Comment #3Good points up there – I especially second the point about Zogbia and Milner the imbalance is really weird to watch – good teams can simply just focus their defense on the left then we’ll be easily neutralized… and pumping long balls.
Something I noticed yesterday. Okay, it was very wet and the rain was very heavy, so is that why BSA wanted our players to keep trying the long ball? Cause when they started to pass it along the ground, VIOLA, we looked mighty dangerous. When will they learn?!
billy
Dec 9, 2007 at 10:55 AM
Comment #4sam should play zog left wing milner right its not like he would get slated if for some reason it didnt work because the whole of newcastles crowd seem to want it.
toonbully
Dec 9, 2007 at 11:04 AM
Comment #5Watched the game , good getting the three points , but I’m afraid Match of Day is right we are looking like an 2nd Bolton , the way we hoof it all the time from defence to attack missing out midfield . We used to play it on the floor all the time and play great midfield footy , teams were scared of our defence . I can see why Parker left he knew his game was up when allardyce was brought in . We can’r hit high balls to 5 feet 7 strikers like martins and Owen , we need to re- think . Good result but long – term I feel some soul searching by the directors and BSA is necessary before Jan window .
Defence still looks mighty vulnerable .
Good to see 52,000 get behind the lads !!
Its easy to see us winning against bottom 8 but we will struggle away from home against top 12 , yh and billy above have valid points….. Sam set pieces are not the only solution to nufc’s success…
Gavin
Dec 9, 2007 at 11:39 AM
Comment #6If we’re going to have this long-ball mentality we need the mids and forwards to be there to collect the knockdowns. Seldom did i see someone there to take it down. Oba was usually running in a different direction and the mids were nowhere to be seen
ToonKing
Dec 9, 2007 at 12:26 PM
Comment #7Why do you people go on about this long ball stuff ???? we are nothing like Bolton, it’s completely mindblowing to me how people can say this. We play nothing like Bolton, yes we throw long balls but who doesn’t ?? we’ve been playing some nice possesion football lately, both in Arsenal game and yesterday there were plenty of moments where our possession was more than 66%.
plus there was a nice article after the gooner games in the times online where our statics are compared to las years, and you know what ??? were playing fewer long balls than last season. so everybody pls lay off the Bolton stuff cause it’s getting annoying.
Nomis_jade
Dec 9, 2007 at 12:42 PM
Comment #8Great result yesterday! In all honesty we were a bit lucky but ffs we deserve a bit of luck. We never seem to get any and for once yesterday we got the rub of the green. I too would like to see zog on the wing as opposed to left back, but considering the last two results i cant really see sam changing it. Beye seems really good, and he has his confidence high at the mo, whereas players like geremi and roz, seem to be lacking a bit of confidence. I agree with toonking, we are nothing like Bolton and play far fewer long balls, although i would like is to try and play it through midfield a bit more. Finally emre has got to be given more of a chance, he is playing really well at the mo for club and country.
p.s Taylor is a hero and should keep his place when cacapa and faye come back.
Len
Dec 9, 2007 at 1:13 PM
Comment #9I thought we were alarmingly slow to get started and in the end a bit lucky, you could also say we were unlucky not to go in 3-1 up? Lots of positives. A number of positives. The U21s Oba Milner Zog and Taylor looked excellent. Smith looks good up front. Barton and Beye big improvement. Roz had an off day, doesnt make him a bad player. Geremi and Butt are OK up to a point but simply not the box to box midfielders you really need. Cause for concern Viduka who just looks totally unfit. Also interesting we managed to change formation without getting totally confused.
Miles Renmbe
Dec 9, 2007 at 2:32 PM
Comment #10Would you still be reflecting on the game if Newcastle had not won? You won thanks to a last gasp fluke goal. Newcastle were boring and unentertaining. Thier a terrible team with a terrible manager. For a start your leveller Martins goal that was not a peanlty. Birmingham should have won. – MANCHESTER CITY FAN.
Ed Harrison
Dec 9, 2007 at 3:35 PM
Comment #11Miles – I do it for every game – what went right – what went wrong etc. Look forward to our game Jan 2nd.
scott 9
Dec 9, 2007 at 4:10 PM
Comment #12i wasnt at the game saw the highlights who played well
ToonKing
Dec 9, 2007 at 4:52 PM
Comment #13miles……..two words………..fook off……….go back to your criminal owner and your cheating swede…..
PS : nice result at the Sperms 😉
Leo
Dec 9, 2007 at 5:28 PM
Comment #14brillient result for us, puts us in good sted for the next group of games, and if we do well in them that will put us in a good position for the january transfer window
valle
Dec 9, 2007 at 7:58 PM
Comment #15Miles, u guys are playing well above ur ability… U will fall, and we will look down on u guys, be sure of that
Leo
Dec 9, 2007 at 8:03 PM
Comment #16yeah miles. please jog on, was a penalty, and should have had a second penalty.
look at the rules, if you take someone down, its a foul. he intentionally stuck his leg out and it brought martins down, whether or not he was going to get to the ball.
we had a good game, probably not entertaining for you because you probably had to go out and steel someones television at gunpoint to watch the match
Nobby's dad
Dec 9, 2007 at 10:09 PM
Comment #17To the goon Manchester City fan who said Birmingham should have won – you my friend are CLUELESS! Birmingham were hardly in our half in the first half – I know because I sit down that end and all of the play was at the Leases End.
The problem yesterday was that half time came -up to the 45 we were so on top a goal had to come, but after the break we took ages to get back into our stride. But overall we had probably about 10 more chances than Birmingham.