Alan Shearer doesn’t have a lot of time to turn around the fortunes of Newcastle United, but he will will be confident after a week working with his new players, at the Benton training ground this week.
Alan Shearer – training for full week with players
Alan was at the Reserves game last night where there was a big turn out of both coaches and players to watch the game, and Alan talked about the play of Andy Carroll to the Evening Chronicle today:
“I asked Andy to go out and show me what he could do, and he’s done that.”
“Like all of the lads who came from the first team, he showed a great appetite and a great attitude.”
Shearer used the game to try to see as many players in action as he can this week, as he must somehow pick a team that can win the game at Stoke City on Saturday – draws will not be good enough now.
Shearer was able to run the rule over first-teamers Alan Smith, Danny Guthrie, Carroll and Xisco, along with young fringe players David Edgar and Nile Ranger. Iain Dowie and coaches Colin Calderwood and Chris Hughton were sitting alongside Alan during the game.
Alan continued:
“I asked all of the lads who had been involved with the first team to go and play for the reserves.” “I asked them to put in a performance and they’ve all done that. All of them will have a part to play.”
“The mood has been very good in training.” “It’s been very positive despite what happened on Saturday against Chelsea.” “Everybody has come in and worked very hard.”
We’d like to see some height and physical prowess up front on Saturday against the tall Stoke defenders, and we just don’t think we’ll get much out of an Owen-Martins partnership.
We think Martins could miss out and Andy could even get a start depending on how he performs in training this week, and he can then make his presence felt and maybe there will be a few loose balls that Michael could sweep home, not to mention Andy’s own goal-scoring abilities, which he showed us all last night.
Andy’s also a local lad and can be relied on to play all out for the time he is on the pitch. And Danny Guthrie seems to also be in good form and although he went off injured last night, it was more of a precaution, and he’ll be fit for Saturday, and Danny could be given a start too.
It will be very interesting as to which team Alan plays against Stoke, but we’re sure it will not include Argentine center-back Coloccini, who was at the Reserve game last night too. Fabricio is just making too many mistakes right now.
Comments welcome.
25 comments so far
Doocey
Apr 7, 2009 at 12:42 PM
Comment #1indeed
lesh
Apr 7, 2009 at 12:47 PM
Comment #2Why not Owen, Carrol and Martins?
Micky Toon
Apr 7, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Comment #3Again, height and power. Just because someone is tall enough to get a header down in the box doesn’t mean all of our problems are saved. You actually have to do something with it. What people are subscribing to isn’t too far away from the Sam Allerdyce school of football and every single person on here did not want that.
stevep
Apr 7, 2009 at 12:58 PM
Comment #4@mickytoon – we need to revert to 4-3-3 and try to win some games wether its pretty or not
Carroll is the only striker we have with some height.
Unfortunately I’ll be in Enniskillen on Sat, anyone know any pubs where toon will be on television?
Stuart79
Apr 7, 2009 at 12:59 PM
Comment #5Micky Toon // Apr 7, 2009 at 12:48 PM
I think you’ll find that since Adebayor has come back to the Arsenal side they’ve been on fire. He’s a big target man.
Man U went and bought Berbetov, he’s a big man.
When Chelsea were winning things they had Drogba.
Can you see a pattern?
Bill F
Apr 7, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Comment #6Mickey, problem is, is that we have too many Allerdyce type players to play any different. Unless the kids are bought in en-masse which would be one hell of a gamble.
Stuart79
Apr 7, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Comment #7The match is on Setanta so as you’ll be in Ireland I imagine it will be on in any pub you go in.
Toonkistan
Apr 7, 2009 at 1:03 PM
Comment #8looks like andys gonna start on sat
cicero
Apr 7, 2009 at 1:05 PM
Comment #9Against Stoke at the Britannia stadium (the narrowest in the premiership) I would play 4-3-1-2 with a back 4 of S.Taylor, Beye, Bassong and Enrique. A 3 man midfield of Guthrie, Butt and Guttierez all 3 will work their socks of in a narrow middle without congesting it. Michael Owen would play in the hole linking up play between midfield and an attack of Oba and Andy Carol. This would see us playing balls through the Stoke back 4 rather than down the wings for them to easily pick out. If their defence plays high Oba can use his pace to get beyond them and if they play deep Carol can hold the ball up to bring in MO.
chuck
Apr 7, 2009 at 1:11 PM
Comment #10Carroll, not the answer, slow as molasses with an attitude.
Bent will be available come summer, at present he is far from being Arry`s flavor of the month, resulting in a lack of confidence.
But the guy is a natural goalscorer and could be a great buy for the club.
Could be the key forward who could play with both Owen or Martins, ergo forwards solved.
Parker is playing well at W/Ham, why did we sell him again ?
Our real need is a mid fielder who can take control and boss the team, Apiah, Sissoko, Mbia
plus some defensive help, but dont hold your breath I still dont think Ashley gets it yet.
Watched Cuellar on the W/end, looks like MO`N
made a great buy there, building a decent side one by one, we should be so lucky.
cicero
Apr 7, 2009 at 1:18 PM
Comment #11Chuck – Andy Carol may not be the answer long term but against Stoke he doesn’t need to be world class. Let him batter their defence for an hour then bring on Ranger (pace and power).
stevep
Apr 7, 2009 at 1:33 PM
Comment #12Cicero – I like your team (same as mine) and agree with your tactics. We desperately need to win this game and a few after that, lets get these done and dusted before we start thinking about longer term
Volume_Coxlodge
Apr 7, 2009 at 1:34 PM
Comment #13cicero – good comments I agree
The bench is just as important, fresh legs, you never know someone might get injured (only a faint possibility), and someone might think about changing a game plan if things go wrong – its called management.
Big game.
GEORDIE69
Apr 7, 2009 at 1:48 PM
Comment #14Our best team when fit.
GK Krul
RB Beye
LB Enrique
CD Bassong
CD Kadar
RW Lua Lua
CM Vuckic
CM Barton (c)
LW Jonas
CF Ranger (p)
CF Martins
SUB Forster
SUB S Taylor
SUB R Taylor
SUB Nolan
SUB Guthrie
SUB Carroll
SUB Tozer
Balls Deep!!!
bennytoon
Apr 7, 2009 at 1:54 PM
Comment #15GK Krul
RB Beye
LB Enrique
CD Bassong
CD Kadar
RW Lua Lua
CM Vuckic
CM Barton (c)
LW Jonas
CF Ranger (p)
CF Martins
relegation fodder
Micky Toon
Apr 7, 2009 at 1:55 PM
Comment #16Like I said on the other blog, I understand why we have to play like this, but as fans we seem to be advocating it. Berbatov and Drogba aren’t really big target men in the Shearer style though are they.
Drogba is a big bloke with loads of strength, but he doesn’t play the target man role, nor does either of the other two you’ve mentioned. Yes, the are really good players and no doubt they are missed by their respective teams, but they don’t play the way people are suggesting we play.
Personally at this moment in time I couldn’t care less how we play as long as we win and stay up. Even a crap performance and a lucky one nil with the ball going in from a wicked deflection on shola’s arse would send me do lally. But way before this crisis people have been saying we need big target men up front.
Like I said the real top teams don’t play that way.
GEORDIE69
Apr 7, 2009 at 1:56 PM
Comment #17BENNYCLOWN What do yee kna????
Bosck
Apr 7, 2009 at 2:23 PM
Comment #18Ed, I dont think you can drop martins against a team like stoke, his pace gives them a hell of a lot to worry about that owen can no longer do and he always has that potential for something crazy. in fact even though they dont seem to work as a 2 man combination i think martins and owen must play in all of our remaining 7 games as we need goals and these 2 can score them better than anyone else at the club, we just need to work out how to supply them with the chances.
RyanToon
Apr 7, 2009 at 3:03 PM
Comment #19bennytoon
you still here??
you need to get a life and sort yourself out
ronaldeano
Apr 7, 2009 at 4:41 PM
Comment #20MOOBS!
N.Ireland Mag
Apr 7, 2009 at 5:53 PM
Comment #21stevep-
You’ll be able to catch the games in Pat’s Bar. It’s at the Diamond on the main street through the town (Townhall st.), opposite the townhall.
Here’s a pic
http://www.jenandrodney.com/blog/uploaded_images/DSC_6778_tone_edit_800-793587.jpg
(It’s the white and red building in the middle-right)
You should be able to get a good dinner in Pat’s too!
chuck
Apr 7, 2009 at 6:50 PM
Comment #22_________Harper________
Beye_Taylor____Colo_ Enrique
_________Bassong_________
Jonas_______________Duff
_________Owen__________
____Xisco_____Martins______
Nolan
Butt
R.Taylor
Geremi
Guthrie
Think Bassong can play the sweeper role to allow both wings to attack yet provide a defensive ability, two strikers with Owen in support puts at least four up front who can score, something badly lacking of late.
Here Ya go Al, problem solved.
Darryl
Apr 7, 2009 at 7:10 PM
Comment #23Swap Bassong with Colo, and id agree… Colo has been crap, dont trust him in defence atm.
chuck
Apr 7, 2009 at 7:26 PM
Comment #24OK
Harper
Beye–Taylor–Bassong–Enrique
————–Colo———————
Jonas—————————Duff
————–Owen——————-
——–Xisco——Martins———
Understand Colo has played in the midfield before, hope he is better there than @ CD
Tom_Toon
Apr 8, 2009 at 12:37 AM
Comment #25/