Alan Pardew rightly thought his side were not threatening enough in front of goal this afternoon at Brighton , when Newcastle went out of the FA Cup with a late own goal by Mike Williamson.
Alan Pardew we did not take our chances
Pardw felt his side lacked any threat in front of goal, and he’s right about that, because Shola Ameobi and Leon Best didn’t look at all sharp this afternoon.
The sooner Newcastle start Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse up front the better, and Alan Pardew should be on the phone to the Senegal manager, requesting that neither striker should play tomorrow night against Libya, so they are ready for the Wednesday night game at Blackburn Rovers.
After all Senegal are already out of the competition having lost their first two games in Group A of the African Cup of Nations, and Newcastle do pay their wages.
If Demba Ba had been playing this afternoon, we could have been 2-0 up at half-time, but we struggled to have any threat up front at all at Brighton, with Leon Best and Shola Ameobi looking anything but in good form in front of goal.
After the game Alan Pardew had to admit Newcastle had failed to take their chances:
I felt we werent threatening their goal enough. They defended well, Brighton, to be fair to them.
We had a good grip of the game in the first half, we felt comfortable. We just struggled to get more shots on goal, to get more chances.
But just before the 90 minutes was up Newcastle should have had a penalty, when Ashley Barnes handled the ball to stop a Yohan Cabaye shot, but the referee didn’t give the penalty – and yes – just our luck!
Pardew talked about the incident:
We havent had one of them all year so we werent expecting one today. I cant really fault my players too much in terms of the commitment they have shown.
It’s the second terrible result and poor performance in the last two games, and we hope Newcastle will do a lot better against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Wednesday evening.
And a little plea to Alan – please start both Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse on Wednesday night – please!
We might even to be able to win the game.
Howay The Lads!!
210 comments so far
t00ntime
Jan 28, 2012 at 9:54 PM
Comment #1@daztoon just 2 weeks ago pardew was the best since SBR…
JackButler
Jan 28, 2012 at 9:56 PM
Comment #2It’s hard to be threatening when the man he made captain for the day has a turning circle of an oil tanker and our most creative outlet was put wide right?
And to add to that simpson was beyond poor along with Jonas
davybtoon
Jan 28, 2012 at 9:57 PM
Comment #3After perch solid display tonight I say we give him another go at ryt back instead of Simpson
GeordieToon89
Jan 28, 2012 at 9:58 PM
Comment #4A reckon the players need a kick up the a*se but then when you think about it the players will be taking the positions for granted because they know they cant get dropped because we aint got anyone ready and good enough to step in yet
davybtoon
Jan 28, 2012 at 9:59 PM
Comment #5There’s nothing with that formation the problem is the players in it shola can’t play the loan striker n u need Ben arfa obertan n vukic the 3 in behind best who works his arse off as the loan striker
GeordieToon89
Jan 28, 2012 at 9:59 PM
Comment #6davybtoon – Perch started his career with us at RB and was dreadfull hes better in the centre wether that be CDM or CB but Willo was pap today a would leave him out give him a rest keep Simo RB and have Perch and Colo CB if Colo is fit if not then well mayaswel not turn up
GeordieToon89
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:00 PM
Comment #7joke about not turning up btw!
daztoon
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:01 PM
Comment #8@t00ntime
Maybe to you but will never be in the same league as the great Sir Bobby.
@davybtoon
agree Simpson is poor or play tavernier looks a far better fullback
RobertNufc25
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:03 PM
Comment #9I blame Jack Butler.
Scottishtoon95
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:03 PM
Comment #10GT89 – couldn’t agree more
Jail for Ashley
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:03 PM
Comment #11I thought this last game against Fulham,and after watching Best put that header wide,I feel fully vindicated in thinking that if ya two strikers are not doing the business and never look like doing the business,it must have a knock on effect to the rest of the team,Boater if ya on ,surely you must be getting sick of defending Best and Shola that was a performance down to not putting chances away.
t00ntime
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:05 PM
Comment #12SBR is better -_- we all know that… what I said was best since SBR which means better then every manager after SBR…
RobertNufc25
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:05 PM
Comment #13I would just keep Perch at centre back or Play him in front of the back four.
Apart from the Norwich game,Perch has done quite well when he’s came into the team this season.
JackButler
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:06 PM
Comment #14GT89 – Jonas has been poor for the most part since Marveuax picked up his injury, Simpson though he’s improved this season I still believe we should have Tavernier in the squad to put him under pressure, too many players are playing without the fear of being dropped as they know that there is no one to come in for them
JackButler
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:07 PM
Comment #15RobertNufc25 – Its all my fault, just blame me for everything 😉
partizanovec
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:09 PM
Comment #16I will forget this no-show if we show passion and determination at Ewood, whatever the outcome from there is. No one complains when losing in a fighting battle, but today our attitude was far from professional.
Scottishtoon95
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:11 PM
Comment #17Vuckic was originally a CF why couldnt we have tried him there tonight in a 433 formation with HBA on LW and obertan RW, Cabaye, Guthrie and jonas in CM and the unfortunately without colo the same defence, except since simpson was rubbish, bring raylor in at half time to provide good crosses and through-balls. What do others think?
RobertNufc25
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:12 PM
Comment #18Jonas has been poor from he got his new contract.
It’s about time young Ferguson was given a chance.
davybtoon
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:12 PM
Comment #19Jb spot on there’s to many players who kno no matter how bad they play they won’t b dropped n that’s not good u need the fear of bein replaced n frankly sholas last 2 performances knowin ba n cisse r comin bk hav been shocking
nufc mad man
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:12 PM
Comment #20logging off now to try forgetting today but i guess this is the final piece of the jicksaw on how good our squad really is and so far i think only 4 would be good enough for a champions league or late europa league game and 5 i think it is too early to say but the rest are ether cover or no use at all
and those 4 good eough are krul saylor tiote ba
and the 5 too early to say are santon cabaye obatan cisse HBA.
but look on the bright side atleast we are not
no.1 during these last few games unlike our england cricket team 2-0 down what a discrace they were. lol
GeordieToon89
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:12 PM
Comment #21Jack – Agreed mate thats wha a was trying to say in one me other comments haha, Jonas has been really poor he cant even run anymore he wants to get on a diet and learn how to sprint again let alone learn how to cross a ball ha.. Cant wait for Marveaux to get back and hopefully he’ll stay fit and never ever ever get another injury or niggle =] some player he is ha
daztoon
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:13 PM
Comment #22@t00ntime
Why is he better.Yes we have some good players but down to Carr not Pardew.If someone like Wenger had Hba,Cabaye i`m sure they would be playing the ball to feet and pass and move not hoof ball
GeordieToon89
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:15 PM
Comment #23nufc mad man – Colo is easily good enough for champ league team
JackButler
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:15 PM
Comment #24Davy – I honestly thought that with both Cisse and Ba away, Sholla would put in the performances of a player that is playing for his future, but instead he played like a player who knows his time is up.
For me I’d drop Jonas and play Fergie, I’d drop Simpson and put Tavernier in and I’d just drop Sholla and play with 10 men if need be
GeordieToon89
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:17 PM
Comment #25If we actually played football instead of hoofball we’d win loads because we’d be playing to our players strengths… Colo/Santon/Cabaye/Guthrie/Benny/Jonas/Ba/Cisse all of them are actuall footballing players
SmithyyToon
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:18 PM
Comment #26To be fair, you guys are being way too harsh to the lads. We are sitting 6th in the table and you’re going mental about not progressing in a cup where lets face it, we probably wouldn’t win. Focus on the league is what I says and yes, maybe we should have won today but the team played alright, just lacking 2 strikers with the capapbility to finish. But our strikers are returning soon so don’t get your hopes down !
GeordieToon89
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:18 PM
Comment #27Jack – A personally think Tavernier is ready and imo a think he’s better than Simpson.. hes quicker, better at going forward, solid defender, stronger ad wack him in he doesnt need another loan
bye bye Shola
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:18 PM
Comment #28For the Blackburn Game on Wednesday I would keep Perch at CB and drop Williamson if Collocini is fit. Also what has Ryan Taylor done to have been dropped when he has played well this season. He should play on the right of midfield on Wednesday instead of Benny in my opinion. Shola and Best are a waste of space and don’t deserve a place in the starting line up. Hopefully the Wolves rumours are true and they do try to get Best and Lovers and as a present i would chuck Shola in the deal.
JackButler
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:19 PM
Comment #29I would say that Jonas today was like a headless chicken, but I’d only being insulting headless chickens the world over
PK-Norway
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:19 PM
Comment #30Shows how much we are without Ba, its a shame really that pardew chose shola as captain, a captain have to show passion and stand out so the rest of the team can follow, its a joke playing best on the left , without a really DM…and now after two loss pardew realise that we are not threatning enough.. Sad
t00ntime
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:19 PM
Comment #31I never said it was my opinion…
1 quick look at 1 post after the man utd game and 2 drifferent fans said this:
The back line is so well marshalled by Collo that the offside plan works, but Pardew has them well drilled and is a fine coach, as previous players who have worked under him have said.. Rotunda and Co – will you lot ever f off and stop moaning with your rubbish ? We dont play long ball football. We play classic english high energey football, as demonstrated by the majority of prem league clubs. Martinez at Wigan keeps being mentioned here as if he was some latter day genius – take a reality check. NUFC play a broadly similar style to Everton, Villa etc and Pardew is the fginest boss we’ve had in years. Other eejits claim that he cant take us to the next level ?? At the moment , we ARE at the next level. Some on this site are watching Barcelona too much…..
and this:
One the great things about last nights win was the discipline in the 2nd half.
Pardew plays with a high defensive line which squeezes the space in midfield and allows us to keep close to the oppo and constantly pressurise them when we lose the ball. It also means the back four have to hold the high line so that we play the oppo offiside and/or don’t get caught on the break. It was obvious Ferguson would tell Man U to bomb at us for the equaliser right from the start of the 2nd half and the easy thing (and what most teams do) is to drop off and start defending deep. That invites teams to attack. We didn’t, we held the high line right from the start, got an early second goal, and STILL didn’t drop deep after that. That is a huge reason why Man U got absolutely nowhere and ended up subbing four players including Rooney and Berbatov.
That high line tactic and discipline is down to Pardew – the best manager the Toon have had since the great Sir Bobby.
not my opnion but theres 😉
voila.
hotdog
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:20 PM
Comment #32My view is that AP is at fault for playing Best & Shola up front it does not work. You are better off playing Ben Arfa off a main striker BUT and it’s a big BUT! I looked at the Brighton team and did not recognise one player so, my question would be this. How many of those Newcastle players came off that pitch thinking they had outplayed their opposite number. Possibly one or two players and AP is not at fault for that! Time for a look in the mirror fella’s.
boardman64
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:20 PM
Comment #33I agree that the players need a wake up call, they take for granted the fact that they are playing in a legendary team which has had some REAL legends who gave their all every time they went out on the pitch.
I would like to see Pardew give the youth players a chance. I would rather have seen someone like Ryan Donaldson given a chance up front instead of Shola (I mean it’s not like he could be any worse)
And he is one of those fringe players who is getting on a bit so it might be time for him to take a chance or he might have to move on. I watched him play in the reserves thumping against Man U reserves the other night and I thought he was the biggest threat we had.
Players like Tavernier, Donaldson, Shane Ferguson, Kadar etc should be given a chance if starting 11 players aren’t performing, might spur on our regular players to actually work harder.
JackButler
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:21 PM
Comment #34GT89 – I thought he was ready after seeing him in pre season, Simpson and a few other need to have their safety net taken away and pressure put on them for their places
RobertNufc25
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:21 PM
Comment #35Been saying the same thing about Shola for years.
1 good game in every 5.
Plays shite for the next 4 games.
He was given a new 3year contract in the summer too.
Excellent idea ffs.
Scottishtoon95
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:23 PM
Comment #36GT89- Hoofball will only work when the strikers are a lot taller and stronger than the opposition defenders, that’s why we scored against man u. For teams such as Brighton we need to use our skill and top tier knowledge to beat defences, we obviously didnt do that today.
JackButler
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:23 PM
Comment #37There’s a rumour doing the rounds that Wolves want Best and Lovern on loan for the rest of the season.
I’d keep Best and allow them to have Lovern and then offer them 2mil to take Sholla as well
davybtoon
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:25 PM
Comment #38Agree Lads tavernier shud b giving his chance at ryt back also think obertan needs back in the team ppl finally starting to see what Ive said all along that jonas is useless
West Lancs Geordie
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:25 PM
Comment #39In reply to Jack Butler 27.
I have 6 chickens (two Blackrocks, two Blacktails & two White Stars) all with heads on & all far more active that most of them at Brighton. Any pairing would be great up front & Pards could get them in the window if he’s quick for £20 a piece.
thud and blunder
Jan 28, 2012 at 10:26 PM
Comment #40at the end of the day it all boils down to selection of players. Weve had more than 4 months to find a suitable centre half to add to the squad
What do we do, buy a centre forward (yes he is class) but hes at the bloody ANC.
Its show total inept forward thinking. A priority was a CB and here we are with 3 days left and no sign of such player.
For all the good work that has gone on (league wise) it will be a shame if it all goes down the pan.
Again I blame Pardew. Hes the manager, he knows what we need.
Blast over!!!!