Newcastle started brightly against Chelsea this afternoon at Stamford Bridge, but although Chelsea had all the play in the first 45 minutes, the teams were level at half time, and Newcastle were even showing signs of getting more into the game, with some good attacks in the last 10 minutes of the half.
Newcastle were playing well at the beginning of the game, and looked organized and confident against the current League leaders.
Then after 8 minutes Shay Given made an instinctively brilliant point blank save from a Lampard header, as he dived well to his right to parry the ball.
As the first half progressed Chelsea were getting more and more territorial advantage, and Newcastle were finding it hard to pick up Lampard, who was moving through on attack with far too much space.
While Chelsea had all the territorial advantage, they could only create a couple of good chances that both went to Lampard, so for all the possession Chelsea had, they have been unable to carve out any great chances for themselves.
At the back for Newcastle Seb Bassong is having a tremendous game, and is continually cutting out the Chelsea attacks, along with Coloccini. This boy looks like a good player in the making and he is hardly over-awed by the occasion. He’s actually been Newcastle’s best player in the first 45 minutes.
Newcastle started to come more back into the game in the last 10 minutes of the first half which has been a good defensive display from Newcastle, but in the second half the Newcastle side will need to get more possession to keep the pressure off the Newcastle defense.
A good performance so far from the gallant Newcastle side, but we need to play at least as good in the second period because Chelsea can seemingly score at any time.
The central midfield two of Guthrie and Butt are holding their own, and all Newcastle players are playing for each other, which is good to see from the lads. Newcastle are also not playing all out defense and can be dangerous with players like Jonas and Martins in the squad.
What we really need is the first goal and then that would open up the game. and give the Newcastle side the confidence they need.
We need another excellent performance in the second half from Newcastle, and we may even be able to get something out of this game, but we shouldn’t try to defend too much – because then we are playing to Chelsea’s strengths, and they will get that all important first goal.
117 comments so far
JJ
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:05 PM
Comment #81Ooh, my favourite part player ratings:
Given – 8 (solid as ever)
Beye – 9 (great defending and attack)
Coloccini – 8 (experienced and read game well)
Bassong – 9 (exellent and strong)
Enrique – 7 (strong but gave ball away passing)
Duff – 6 (ran in circles but worked hard)
Guthrie – 7 (worked hard and kept ball well)
Butt – 2 (ABSOULUTELY USELESS)
Jonas – 7.5 (good cover for Beye)
Oba – 6 (ineffectual today)
Owen – 5 (no pace, headless chicken, light weight).
Subs:
Ameobi – 4 (well he was Ameobi)
Zog – 6 (should have come on sooner)
Desmond - DesmondBlog.com
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:06 PM
Comment #82Petey – I think Duff defended pretty well. He’s the one coverign for Jose and Habib.
Kinnear made the right decision to bring in N’Zogbia halfway to rest Jonas.
KK FOREVER (Ross)
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:06 PM
Comment #83Actually, i have to credit Beye and Enrique also. i thought they too were both excellent. Just a great all round display from the back four. It was a scrap, and we won it.
toonoot
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:07 PM
Comment #84Top 15! Yahoo!
azim
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:08 PM
Comment #85Bassong MOTM,
beye ,colo, enrique,guthrie,given had game of their life
howay lads….great fight and dont let us down at Boro next week
micepie
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:08 PM
Comment #86I honestly think we should choose to play Coloccini and Bassong in central defence for years to come. Obviously we’ll get injuries from time to time, but they’re both strong and comfortable on the ball and if they concentrate on responsibilities they’re as good as we’ll get.
Beye was better today too, as was Jose (who just kept giving the ball away against Wigan).
It’s probably midfield where we need a big injection of top quality. We did well enough today. I wish Zog would have as much control and urgency in his play when he plays the whole game as when he comes on as sub.
Amazing that in a season of turmoil and struggle that we’ve come away from Chelsea and Man U with 2 draws!!!!!!!!!!!! A very satisfying and rare feeling!
NotAGhostToon
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:08 PM
Comment #87Bassong was absolutely fantastic, credit to all of the lads. Despite my comments before the game i’m not sure owen playing helped to be honest, but I suppose he’s still not match fit. Under the cosh to be fair but well done for fighting it out lads!! off to watch the manc scum play and wearing my top with pride this after then off out to celebrate! 1 point is 3 these days
Spyro
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:08 PM
Comment #88I would agree with that JJ, except i would give Martins a 5 just like Owen
xfer
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:08 PM
Comment #89Butt could have easily cost us the game! He made couple of costly error, well, almost.
On Duff, he has been really hardworking today. He was the last man when Ballack had a shot on target! Cant believe my eye.
stuart
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:08 PM
Comment #90Great performance in defence.
That could be a goodbye gift to Kinnear from the players.
Desmond - DesmondBlog.com
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:09 PM
Comment #91Butt was totallly useless. He should’ve cover for Guthrie and Jonas but he didn’t.
If we’ve Barton in this match, we could have win it…maybe.
Petey
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:09 PM
Comment #92lol, ur not wrong desmond, i just got worked up that damien duff sometimes lacked that ability to really make an impact……
and in the end guttierez for the zog was also a good sub. jonas was on a yellow, resting him was a good choice.
but i think we can agree on one thing desmond my man, who the …. are chelsea?
steve
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:09 PM
Comment #93Back four were immense as was Given – obvisouly nowt going forward but a point gained that I for one was not expecting
Ganiyu
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:09 PM
Comment #94From what i have seen in the past.oba has losts a lot of confidence.shola should have started.owen is not needed
Lapu kia
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:11 PM
Comment #95http://sport.setanta.com/en/Sport/News/Football/2008/11/22/Prem-Chelsea-v-Newcastle-report/
Look at the last paragraph
Legend!
Desmond - DesmondBlog.com
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:11 PM
Comment #96Okay…We seriously need someone to replace Butt..
I personally think Orlando Engelaar is the right person to do so. In the Euro recently, this dude was amazing!
Desmond - DesmondBlog.com
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:13 PM
Comment #97pity owen. he was up there all alone. lol
Tore Torell
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:15 PM
Comment #98Great gritty performance by the lads!
Butt was actually not so bad today, even if he commited a trademark mistake just before the end which almost cost us the game.
Bassong was amazing, great that he’s finally in the side! Bassong and Beye have to challenge for the MOM today, I think they should share the bottle of sparkling 😉
Desmond - DesmondBlog.com
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:16 PM
Comment #99Butt is the STARMAN? WTF
KK FOREVER (Ross)
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:16 PM
Comment #100lapu kia-is he joking!? hahaha
what game was that fella watching!
micepie
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:17 PM
Comment #101I wouldn’t knock Owen or Martins today. Think about it! If we’d had a couple more half-chances today, or even snippets. any unlikely goal would have come from either one of them, probably no one else.
JJ
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:17 PM
Comment #102Desmond, I think I could do a better job than Butt.
Or maybe Kinnear could get his boots back on because he is seriously that bad lately.
We need Guthrie to play Butts role and Barton back or another box to box midfielder. ANYONE but BUTT.
I reckon Bullard would be a cheap option and we need someone who can take a corners and freekicks!!!!
Petey
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:17 PM
Comment #103now watch match of the day bum chelsea…..and say we didnt perform well at all, not in any way, and that we are poo and we always have been…..
bloody match of the day
AndyNUFC
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:18 PM
Comment #104Comment 20, because that isn’t Owen’s job. Fair enough he should be a bit better in posession, but he’s an out and out goal poacher.
JJ
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:20 PM
Comment #105micepie,
Owen is the kind of player we need playing at home when we are creating lots of chances against inferior opposition… In this game he is too light weight and too slow and has no range on his shots to influence the game.
He is a fox-in-the box striker and we werent gona create any chances for him, therefore Oba and Ameobi or Ranger would have been better choices…
Oba can score out of nothing from anywhere and so we needed him on the pitch.
JJ
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:21 PM
Comment #106AndyNUFC
– re post above…
Owen shouldnt have played this game.
Petey
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:21 PM
Comment #107bbc gave man of the match to shay given….
fair enuf, but i think bassong is being over-looked
Spyro
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:23 PM
Comment #108Again, i agree JJ
Owen wasn’t bad or good today and i dont blame Kinnear for playing him. Owen was there to take one of the few chances we created. However, we didn’t create any so he didn’t contribute. Not his fault. Doesn’t matter anyway, we draw 😀
Spyro
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:25 PM
Comment #109I agree Bassong should have got MOM, whenever we keep a clean sheet Given is always going to get it. However, he did play very well and CAME OFF OF HIS LINE A FEW TIMES TOO! 😀
Petey
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:25 PM
Comment #110problem is, because owen cudnt do anything, and i agree, it wasnt his fault, he will probably get over-looked next time…..
dan
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:29 PM
Comment #111Get in , the Smoggies have lost 3-1 to Bolton.
If we beat them by just 1 goal at the riverside, we will go above them!!
LATINAMERICATOON
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:34 PM
Comment #112well done lads you’ve done us proud. It’s been years we haven’t held off for a draw like that.
Ive said again and again we have to play bassong with colo as they both will play the ball on the deck and have great tackling ability. I saw the game like this.
Given 8:tremendous few saves when called upon, although surprisingly he wasnt over busy thanks to defence, good to see him come out on last corner, he has learnt from last week.
Beye 6.5 good game, some good interceptions, but definetly the threat came dowe his side more.
Colocini 8.5: Rock, class, composed all come to mind. Reads the game like no one on the pitch
Bassong 9: Same as for colo but, increibly imposing in the air, had anelka in his pocket all afternoon, They are both from clairefontaine. It’s good to see that Bassong and colo having played soo little together have a better understanding than taylor and colo. top top performance!
enrique 7: did very well, had his side well under control, very srtong and bullied chelsea all afternoon, no big mispasses, I expect alot from him and lets hope for the best. Well done!
Gutierrez 7: not much of a day for forward players. Did very well when going forward and was our only threat with oba combining well at times. He tracked back very well and made some good interceptions! segui che!
guthrie 8.5: Great performance all over lampard deco and mikel. great at keeping the ball and slowing things up. Always looking to play forward first. tireless display.
butt 6: good break up play, however poor passing and nearly cost us a goal again. Bring back barton
duff 6: Again not much offered going forward, run tirlessly all day, not a day for players like him.
Owen 6: very little service, he never threatened but help the midfield alot.
Martins 7: always looking at creating stuff from very little and our dangerman today with jonas. Could of nicked a goal if it wasnt for terry maybe would of if he stayed on. always trying and fast and unpredictable making him a nightmare to other defences
ameobi 5: never did much, tried to hold the ball up was there to do something did it with nothing else and saw the game out for us. No more to be said
nzog: 6, helped ease pressure on the defence by his forward runing. not much time but again he shows he is one of our best atacking players and i definelty think that he should be at least rotating with duff if not replacing him all together.
What do you think???
BT9MAG
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:37 PM
Comment #113Here, I know didn’t do much today, but it was the right decision to play him – look at the majority of goals he’s scored this season; messy goal line scrambles…If we were gunna score anything it would be more likely something ugly but effective! Owen is one of the best in the premiership at getting them, right time-right place…
We were never gunna create many chances and so the forwards will have looked massively ineffective, especially with everyone getting back and defending! But anyway, forget the negatives, let’s all just focus on the outstanding defence!
Thomas
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:40 PM
Comment #114Don’t know why ppl slagging off owen again… He worked his socks off today so atleast give him credit for that!
51times
Nov 22, 2008 at 5:46 PM
Comment #115Petey – All of the Southern Media will bash us, they always do, don’t worry about it.
Alex
Nov 22, 2008 at 6:21 PM
Comment #116Nobody let us down today Kinnear give them all a job to do and they did it . If i had to pick a man of the match then i would name all 11 plus the subs . It was a team performance.
O'Hurley
Nov 22, 2008 at 9:28 PM
Comment #117I’ve changed my mind- I think after today’s game, the ideal formation for our club should look like this-
4-1-2-1-2
——————Given——————
Beye–BASSONG!–Colo—-Enrique
—————Guthrie(DM)—————
Jonas—————————-N’Zogbia
—————Barton(AM)—————-
——-Martins———–Shola———–
Possibly time to let the Little Waster go? The Duke is apparently doing well and should be fit soon, and Martins is MUCH pacier. We’ve still got Xisco who’s relatively untried, and we could get a nice ransom for Owen. We should take a que from Arsene Wenger and invest even more into young talent (or maybe a couple more Argentines?). I think we could also use another top class creative CM, but that’s old news. Anyway, GREAT result today, ya know! Keep up like this and maybe we’ll be in the top 11 soon (fingers crossed, like).
Howay the Lads!