Alan Pardew had talked at the end of last season that one area that Newcastle had to improve on for this coming season was set-plays, and one thing he was going to do was bring in a center-back who could help get us some goals from the set-plays.
Steven Taylor got a good run-out last night
Last night at Den Haag right-back Ryan Taylor was able to set up a number of chances from dead ball situations, but Newcastle didn’t take any of them, although to be fair, we were very close on two or three occasions.
But Newcastle couldn’t get the one goal that would have given us our third victory of pre-season, although we have only lost one game so far, the first one by 1-0 at Chemnitzer FC in Germany, back on Friday 13th July.
Alan Pardew talked to nufcTV after the game last night:
“The grass was really long.” “So when you want to cut through teams and play fast, quick football, the pitch isn’t going to allow that. It makes it difficult.”
“But we should have won the game. We had four or five great set plays and we’ve got to score those.” “There was only going to be one winner in my opinion but just couldn’t open the moment.”
“We perhaps lacked a little bit of creativity and flair, so that’s something we need to work on.” “I’m a bit disappointed that we haven’t won, but the overriding factor is that everybody gave everything.”
“There were no injuries as well, which is another big plus.” “We came off and everybody looks like they are ready for Tuesday. We go to Hartlepool and will try to win there.”
One very positive thing this summer is that Newcastle have not picked up many injuries, as Alan points out, and only Shane Ferguson with a troublesome hamstring injury has not seen any action yet in pre-season – and everybody else is fit, including Dan Gosling, who returned from his slight hip injury last night.
So all in all, the pre-season has been fairly good, and a win at Cardiff City Stadium next Saturday afternoon, will see Newcastle ready for Tottenham on 18th August, and we should be able to get our first win of the season. :D.
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14 comments so far
davybtoon
Aug 5, 2012 at 10:56 AM
Comment #1Glad pardew sees we lack creativity
Toonboy_84
Aug 5, 2012 at 10:57 AM
Comment #2Toonboi4EVA
Cheers!!
HullMag6
Aug 5, 2012 at 10:59 AM
Comment #3Which is why he wanted AC, BUT its not all about hoof ball with andy that’ll be down to the team around him. I can picture him latching onto a killer dreamboat pass and drilling past any keeper.
Spuggy
Aug 5, 2012 at 10:59 AM
Comment #4No goals from set plays….enter Andy Carroll.
davybtoon
Aug 5, 2012 at 11:01 AM
Comment #5Like I said I think Carroll deal is gonna happen
SupaToonKid
Aug 5, 2012 at 11:10 AM
Comment #6I’ve got an idea lads of a player who could give us more creativity & also give us further options up front… drum roll please…
GIUSEPPE ROSSI
BelfastMagpie87
Aug 5, 2012 at 11:13 AM
Comment #7No chance Davy unless they lower they’re askin price..
Minato
Aug 5, 2012 at 11:14 AM
Comment #8We had this issue last year too..hopefully Saylor fit will add to this tally..but we need to get another centre back (as we all know) that can also chip in.
jimmymagpie
Aug 5, 2012 at 11:25 AM
Comment #9What worries me is that Ba has looked in pre-season, exactly what he has looked ever since February, a blo-dy slow, cumbersome, totally ineffective forward. Probably why nobody activated his release clause, despite all the hype.
Whoarya.com
Aug 5, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Comment #10Pardiola & a lot of others have already forgotten Ryan Taylor’s free kick v Braga?
He will score a few of those and the Dembas will compliment the Machum slayer with other set plays so I’m as relaxed as a coiled spring LOL
JDdubai
Aug 5, 2012 at 11:56 AM
Comment #11Ive said all summer we should be focusing our recruitment on another player like HBA who can beat a man and more improtantly has pace.
We lack pace in a major way up front, no ball in behind option to worry the opposition so they can push upto halfway and make it more difficult to pass our way through as they know they will have time to recover if it gets knocked in behind.
Marveaux could be key but should only be relied on after we get to Xmas and he hasnt been injured. If HBA gets injured we are screwed, Obertan/Jonas etc arent upto HBA’s standard and will never be. Hoilett would have been perfect IMO but understand if he was asking for silly money, but need another winger/dribbler before we need Anita as we could cover CM with our youth this season.
croftus5678
Aug 5, 2012 at 12:02 PM
Comment #12raylor is our best player at set pieces but he’s not in our 1st team (only as cover or sub) or he could add 5+ a season to goals and even more chances to assists! in two minds weather he’s worth keeping in the 1st team just for his set pieces though ???.
and saylor is one of the best defenders for goals imo as long as the lad stays fit we should not have a problem there either.
any one else thinking we have the solution allready though in marvaux for set pieces he seems to have vision and passing skills to burn and thats without his pace.
gfp13
Aug 5, 2012 at 12:20 PM
Comment #13Guiseppe Rossi. I’d like us to sign him but he has a really bad injury at the moment meaning he would only be available to play the back month or 2 of the seasons. That’s the reason I don’t see him moving anywhere. It’s also the second bad injury in a row he’s had so it could cause problems for the rest of his career
Hatem's better than Messi
Aug 5, 2012 at 12:27 PM
Comment #14I hope a Carroll deal can be done.
Howay Mike & Derek opening gambits done.
No one twitched.
Time to offer some decent money that could get the deals done.
I’d rather see any deals done before the season starts.