Newcastle did not play well against Fulham yesterday, and the game was an extremely poor one to watch. There’s no getting away from that. However, there were a couple of shining lights in the game.
Claudio Cacapa – quietly performed heroics for Newcastle yesterday
Newcastle didn’t show any attacking flair whatsoever, and were still a little suspect at the back yesterday at Craven Cottage. The player that looked most susceptible was David Rozehnal, who seemed tentative at best yesterday.
And Fulham, to their credit, came back in the second half, but it was then that Brazilian Claudio Cacapa looked strong and confident in the back four for the Magpies, and looked an excellent player. Claudio made several key blocks and interceptions and saved Newcastle on more than one occasion.
And this was after he had been brought in at the last minute after an injury to Steven Taylor, and he had played just once on Thursday in the quickly arranged friendly against a Hartlepool United eleven, that Newcastle beat handily 4-1.
This was redemption for Claudio Cacapa yesterday, after his terrible performance against Portsmouth 6 weeks ago. Looks like we’ll have to accept that he had an injured knee in that woeful performance against Portsmouth, when we were 3-0 down after 11 minutes.
It shows you what a great player this lad is – not to mention his strong and gutsy character – to come back like he did yesterday. He was Newcastle’s best player, just shading Habib Beye, who had yet another strong game for Newcastle at right-back.
Those were the shining lights in yesterday’s game, and the 3 points, and that was about it. Well done Claudio, he’s obviously back, and performed heroically yesterday, and Beye is starting to look great at the back too.
Comments welcome.
11 comments so far
Indian toon
Dec 16, 2007 at 10:14 AM
Comment #1cacapa doesn convince me. faye and taylor\rozenhal for me anytime.
adam
Dec 16, 2007 at 10:24 AM
Comment #2cacapa is our best defender. steven taylor is good but will get a lot better with more coaching and experience. i would like to see those two play in the defence.
credit also to beye.
does anyone else hate sams stupid ‘better to have premiership experience’ comment? there are so many examples that prove him wrong its not funny. man city have so many.
Hadrian
Dec 16, 2007 at 10:41 AM
Comment #3indian toon, your comment sums your usual comments up nicely .
rating our wannabe playmaker defender (rozy) higher than cacapa.
cacapa is no nonsense , he read the game brilliantly against fulham , and was where he needed tobe for every fulham attack , before fulham even knew where they were going to put it .
rozy on the other hand seems to think he’s all the time in the world at the back , and is showing a love of careless passes and balls across our box
Leo
Dec 16, 2007 at 10:42 AM
Comment #4yep beye is great, but cacapa has even improved his game, i saw him during the game make the defencive line stick where they should be, and where there was a chance for a header, he would have cleared it with such conviction.
plus in his interviews afterwards does everybody think also that he has an infectious smile. i was smiling watching and turned and most my friends were grinning
maybe that was the beers, maybe that was the lucky win, but i doubt it
Ausgeordie
Dec 16, 2007 at 10:47 AM
Comment #5Inclined to agree with Hadrian. Roz looks a little too comfortable when defending. Face facts though there were several moments when a strong shot drilled in low would have gotten in. Luckily for us none of them was a gerrard strike and gave Given plenty of time to gather in. Funny how the opinions of Smiths game ranges from crap and useless (me) to man of the match (others). Oba did not do a good job last weeke just cause he got fouled and got a penalty so neither did smith this weekend. Score some goals then tell me your a striker
valle
Dec 16, 2007 at 11:31 AM
Comment #6I agree with Ed… Roz still havnt learned that at the pace we play in EPL u cant just short pass inside ur own half with 2 ppl from the other team putting pressure on the poor guy he passes to. Cacapa looks great tho, if he pases short, its because there are no pressure of mention and if there is, he just clear it. He wins headers, he reads the game and along with Faye he is our best defender.
Our back four in the order i see them.
1. Faye… (When we bought him, i wasnt exited at all, but he has so far been our most consistant defender.)
2. Cacapa… Apart from the portsmouth game where he shoulndt have played he has looked sollid and seemed to understand the EPL very quickly.
3. Taylor… Our homegrown talent seems to have gotten better after he is pushed for a starting place, hopefully he can reach his full potential in years to come.
4. Roz… Impressed me at first, but have since done the oposite. Fails to do the simple defending and way too nonchalant at times.
scott 9
Dec 16, 2007 at 12:08 PM
Comment #7indian toon dont try and tell me taylor and rozy are better than cacapa your talking stupid mate i love taylor but hes not quite the finished article and has a lot to learn he makes a few mistakes he will be an england player inyears to come but cacapa is different class and dont even try and tell me rozenhal is better because thats just boleux rozy is no were near the standard of cacapa he makes numerous amounts of mistakes
Mick G
Dec 16, 2007 at 12:36 PM
Comment #8Cacapa was the only bright spark in a game that didn’t reach the dizzy heights of shocking.Don’t let a victory hide that fact.If the FA ever brought in a rule that would deduct points from teams that dished up dross like that they would get my vote.Football is supposed to be a form of entertainment,the brilliant travelling fans should get a full refund.
Len
Dec 16, 2007 at 4:06 PM
Comment #9No question Cacapa can read a game well etc. Where his game broke down against Pompey was when he had to deal with a big strong forward who physically bullied him. Fulham didnt offer that kind of physical challenge up front. We will see.
Tom_Toon
Dec 16, 2007 at 4:37 PM
Comment #10Kuqi, much much sronger than Benjani.
Obafan
Dec 17, 2007 at 1:30 AM
Comment #11He is pure class.
Beye, Cacapa and Milner were the best players against Fulham.