Newcastle played quite well in the first half but were still 1-0 down at the interval. Newcastle must now attack to try to get result at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.
It looked like Cacapa and Taylor were the two in central defense with both Faye and Butt playing up front of the back four and Duff and Milner were out on the wings. Martins was the only forward up front with Smith playing a central midfield role as Newcastle packed their central midfield to try to get more of the ball.
Newcastle had an excellent chance after 15 minutes when Martins was played through the center but he was too slow to hit the ball and Chelsea cleared the danger. If Oba had hit the ball with his left foot first time it was a great chance to score.
Given has made some good saves in the first half especially after 21 minutes when he brilliantly saved a deflection of Nicky Butt’s shoulder with his lightning fast reflexes. Shay looks in good form today.
Just before the break Wright-Phillips had a great chance to put Chelsea two ahead, but put the chance wide of Given’s right hand post when he should have scored. Alex also should have done better with a good chance for Chelsea from a corner, but he put his bullet header straight at Given who took the ball well.
The first 20 minutes was all square but in the final 20 minutes of the half Chelsea started to gradually take hold of central midfield, and the game.
On 28 minutes Chelsea went ahead and the ball really should have been cleared by Steven Taylor but the ball eluded him and Essien scored with an open goal at his mercy.
In the second half Newcastle will need to up their pace and attack more if they are going to take anything from this game. Martins, Smith Duff and Milner have to push up – we cannot score without attacking and defensing when you are 1-0 down against Chelsea is not what’s needed.
Newcastle need to attack and become more adventurous in the last 45 minutes oif they are to take anything from this game. It’s not over yet.
Teams:
Chelsea: Hilario, Michael Essien, Joe Cole, John Obi Mikel, Michael Ballack, Wayne Bridge, Salomon Kalou, Tal Ben-Haim, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Alex, Juliano Belletti
Subs: Steve Sidwell, Claudio Pizzaro, Scott Sinclair, Paulo Ferreira, tbc
Newcastle United: Shay Given, Claudio Cacapa, Habib Beye, Charles N’Zogbia, Steven Taylor, Abdoulaye Faye, Nicky Butt, James Milner, Damien Duff, Alan Smith (c), Oba Martins
Subs: Steve Harper, David Rozehnal, Emre, Michael Owen, Mark Viduka
Referee: Mike Riley
Attendance: tbc
56 comments so far
Leo
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:02 PM
Comment #1i just realised that enrique is not even on the bench, sam, do you know what your doing?
Ed Harrison
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:02 PM
Comment #2We MUST attack in the second half.
ObaFan2
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:04 PM
Comment #3Lol Butt we’ve changed sides @ half time
Chris Bunton
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:10 PM
Comment #4No sign off attacking, Sams kept things the same..I guess hes happy with a 1 nil defeat, he’ll say it’s progress on recent stamford bridge performances!!
steve
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:11 PM
Comment #5get in 1-1
ObaFan2
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:11 PM
Comment #6Wonder if Butt’s attempt is classed as a shot on target for us?
coolsmurf
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:11 PM
Comment #7we must attack? haha, tat’s funny.
toonfan1
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:11 PM
Comment #8goallllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!11
Rob Kirton
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:12 PM
Comment #9Out of the blue but what the hell 1 -1 !!!!!
ObaFan2
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:16 PM
Comment #10ha ha site crash when we score lmao….well done Butt someone told ya where their goal is 🙂
Cockney Magpie
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:16 PM
Comment #11HAHA we scored just as Chelsea were singin 2ur worse than sunderland” hahaha, get smith off 4 owen!
Steve_48
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:17 PM
Comment #12Ed – you need to sort out your site when high traffic hit, usually in the unlikely event that we score as has been demonstrated 😉
Get in Butt lad, Zog down the left, about time we saw a Newcastle attack – forgot what one looked like
Sing your hearts out for the lads
Do you think that finally Sam will realise if you play people in their best positions they will win through – I mean playing Zog @ LB instead of left wing FFS
Eve
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:20 PM
Comment #13Come on now lads. Keep it up.
ObaFan2
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:20 PM
Comment #14Given having a great game and well played Zog 4 the goal.
Cockney Magpie
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:23 PM
Comment #15finally we have woken up a bit!
Southern_Magpie
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:25 PM
Comment #16Duff inches from scoring
Steve_48
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:26 PM
Comment #17OH JESUS CHRIST fecking good defending there otherwise we were defo 1-2 up
Bit of fight at long last; we’ve got them on the ropes for a change; Smudger off but cannot understand why defensive player on… anyone? Need another striker on
ObaFan2
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:26 PM
Comment #18great play well defended 🙁
Rob Kirton
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:27 PM
Comment #19Rozenhal come on as left back.
Smith Off – Nzogbia playing CM
Cockney Magpie
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:28 PM
Comment #20no support up front at all!!
Eve
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:28 PM
Comment #21Oh dear God no..Smith off and Rozehnal on.
Callum
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:29 PM
Comment #22Why take off smith for rozenhal when we’re putting pressure on chelsea? stupid
Southern_Magpie
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:30 PM
Comment #23Owen replaces Martins
ObaFan2
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:30 PM
Comment #24back 3 with 2 wing backs?
Steve_48
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:31 PM
Comment #25Who’s that coming off the bench, a new signing? Probably get injured
This is the first time THIS SEASON I have seen us play as well as this
Southern_Magpie
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:32 PM
Comment #26Cacapa is playing well
Cockney Magpie
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:35 PM
Comment #27If Sam wants everybody behind him he better get the team performing the way we have this 2nd half
Steeley
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:43 PM
Comment #282-1 CHELSEA
Eve
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:44 PM
Comment #29Chelsea 2-1..balls!!
Steeley
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:45 PM
Comment #30Well done Sam! We play well and you take off attackers and put on defenders and guess what!!!?? We concede and we’re going to lose! YOU STUPID FAT TW@T!!!!
SAM OUT. SAM OUT. SAM OUT.
P.S. Chelsea scorer was a million miles offside!!
ObaFan2
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:45 PM
Comment #31offside by a mile fgs
subz
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:45 PM
Comment #323 yards offside imo.
Steve_48
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:50 PM
Comment #33Just seen the replay, at least 4 yards offside, I mean FFS I know BSA has had a kicking as of late but when luck and then the officials are both against you, you don’t stand a feckin’ chance
Eve
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:50 PM
Comment #34YA, offside, Given, in not most polite way told the ref, and was booked for it.
Big Sam Fan
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:52 PM
Comment #35should of been disallowed offide. but obviously the ref wouldnt dare disallow a goal at stamford bridge
Howie
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:53 PM
Comment #36how could the linesman not see that it was so obviously offside. gutted about that and with west ham winning they pull away a bit
RyanTeh
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:53 PM
Comment #37Darn it, the offside so obvious…. Are the ref blind or just buyers?
ObaFan2
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:55 PM
Comment #38Ok robbed of a point but a much better performance…..still formations and tactics astonish me at times.
We ended up playing for a draw and what a surprise we lost.
Beye n Zog were great again, Duff had a good liely game and Given better than of recent games.
Some positives but BSA I still wonder about you and where your coming from at times, we have a great attacking squad but you rely on defence so so much.
Eve
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:55 PM
Comment #39Who got MOTM??
geordie_jordan
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:55 PM
Comment #40this results was shit. we should have taken it to them. why are we sitting back at 1-1???????? rozenhal for smith at 68????? why???????? why didn’t we see emre????why wasn’t viduka on before 88???????????????????????