Newcastle played a lot better in the second half against Malaga yesterday, when Alan Pardew brought on Yoan Gouffran, Manu Riviere, Gabby Obertan and Rolando Aarons at the start of the second half, and we looked a better team than in the first half, when we didn’t look very good at all – but we still lost 3-1.
Yoan Gouffran – celebrates after scoring against Wellington Phoenix
And Yoan Gouffran has looked in good form so far this season, after having a very good first half of last season, but then tailing off in the second half like so many other of our players.
Gouffran thinks the new signings will make a difference next season, and this is what the former French U21 International had to say on the Newcastle web site:
“It is a different squad with new players and a different style of play.” “But the guys who played in the World Cup are back now, and we have got a very good team.”
” I’m looking forward to everyone playing and hopefully that happens in Germany.” “The new players will bring a lot of quality to the squad. Manu scored a lot of goals in France and Remy went to the World Cup, so they are two great players.”
“Siem was the captain of Ajax and is a very clever player who can score goals and make them too.” “These players will get the fans excited and that is a good thing.”
Newcastle have so far signed Ayoze Perez, Jack Colback, Siem de Jong, Remy Cabella, Manu Riviere and Daryl Janmaat, with the expectation that Newcastle will introduce new loan signing Facundo Ferreyra of Shakhtar Donetsk early next week.
The deal for the Argentine striker has already been agreed for a loan fee of €2m, after he wanted to leave his club because of the fighting going on in the eastern region of Ukraine.
But the first half performance yesterday pointed to our central defense not looking too strong again, although Mike Williamson did make his first appearance of the season as a sub in the second half, and could start this afternoon against Schalke 04.
And we need to see a much improved Newcastle display from yesterday’s first half performance.
Comments welcome.
Note: There will be a meeting with Peter Beardsley at the Green in Wardley, Gateshead on Friday 22nd August from 7:00 pm. Tickets are now available priced at approx £25, and that includes a meal, a glass of wine and a talk with Peter – if you’d like a ticket for this event please call the Green at 0191 4950171.
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21 comments so far
Bambams
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:28 AM
Comment #1It was interesting listening to Brendan Rogers interview when talking about his youngsters playing mith maturity. However he also added he was pleased they played the ‘system and style’ he wanted. This is my biggest concern for our club. We dont have a way of playing, we dont build from the back or use wingers, counter attack, possession football……
I cant see any hiding places this year for P45due, ok we have not spent a fortune but he has been backed more than ever.
Lets see how his team plays later this afternoon.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:31 AM
Comment #2previous thread
Laurent
Yeah they might of taken their foot off the gas – still was an improvement to the woeful first half performance.
As I said hopefully we give a better show today and in the Real Sociedad game we will see some semblance of the team of the team/style we are going to take into the Man City game
Slank
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:34 AM
Comment #3REPOST
Expatmag @ 26
That is a very good analysis and puts the game and result perfectly into perspective.
In the first half we only had two players who were regulars last season, Colo and Sissoko. And it was Sissoko’s first game and it showed.
Again, in the first half only Colback, Haidara and Cabella have a realistic chance of starting against Man City. The rest don’t.
Krul will replace Elliot
Janmaat will replace Yanga-Mbiwa
Williamson will replace Saylor
Tiote will replace Abeid
De Jong will replace Armstrong
Rivière or Ferreyra or even ANO will replace Perez.
Tsunki
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:37 AM
Comment #4How privileged I feel to have been corrected by the voices of sanity and reason who scold us all for complaining about a performance in `just a friendly`. Its a good thing its not a game in a competitive tournament that allows themanager
Cpt. Dreamboat
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:39 AM
Comment #5Although we may have put in a poor showing against Malaga. Let’s put this into perspective, we can’t honestly be as bad as West Ham . Fat Sam had them totaling a hefty 0 shots on goal over the full 90 minutes.
Anyway on wards and upwards from here’s hoping we place a bit more experience into the team tonight.
Tsunki
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:40 AM
Comment #6How privileged I feel to have been corrected by the voices of sanity and reason who scold us all for complaining about a performance in `just a friendly`. Its a good thing its not a game in a competitive tournament that allows the manager to bed in new signings in time for an imminent season, experiment with tactics and playing styles, and motivate players to get into the winning habit….oh….wait….
Ethiotoon
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:43 AM
Comment #7Either s.Taylor or Williamson has to go.
Both lack concentration and speed.we want to see strong side today v schalke:
Elliot/krul
Janmaat. Mbiwa. Coloccini. Haidara
sissoko tiote. Anita. Cabella
Reviere. Goufran
Slank
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:44 AM
Comment #8Charlie
Yes I agree. From now on I expect the team that will eventually play Man City will begin to take shape and will start to play in all the forthcoming pre-season games.
The experimentation with the youngsters, newbies and reserves is probably almost over.
The only queries Pardew will have is how will the likes of Cabella and Reviere / Ferreyra cope with the demands of the Premier League. I expect De Jong and Janmaat will cope and there will be no problem with Colback.
expatmag
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:47 AM
Comment #9Tsunki
I would imagine the WC has had an impact on new players and existing players being given more time to adapt and get fit.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:49 AM
Comment #10I have not been on much lately, but just wondered if pre-season is used to both get in shape and try out new formations, styles so be ready for the new season.
What good does it do it half your starting 11 (within this new formation / style) are “on vacation”?
expatmag
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:52 AM
Comment #11Slank
Thank you for your support. I Would have thought some people on here would be a little bit more open minded and realistic regarding the problems associated with pre season especially in a world cup year and a multitude of new squad players gelling together.
Some on here apparently want instant success.
Slank
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:53 AM
Comment #12Ethiotoon
Krul
Janmaat – Williamson – Coloccini – Haidara
Tiote – Colback
Sissoko – Anita – Cabella
Reviere
Pardew needs to start playing with a formation that he intends to start the season with and as many of the players he expects to start. At the moment he is only missing De Jong. I have selected Reviere but on form and experience Gouffran is better.
expatmag
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:53 AM
Comment #13Jesper
I would imagine it would make life more difficult for the manager.
firebug666
Aug 3, 2014 at 8:54 AM
Comment #14Slank and Ezpatmag
I get what you are saying about the team not being the first 11 that will start the season.
But again, the style of football was exactly the same as in the second half of last season. Misplaced passes, intercepted passes, no team cohesion, no movement off the ball, our inability to keep the ball, far to many defensive errors.
Those players have all looked good so far pre-season (with the exception of Cabella and Sissoko first runs), but the first real opposition we faced showed us that nothing has changed, we are still playing a system 4-2-3-1 that cost us so many games last season, and the players (although differed players) looked disjointed.
Yet again there was no service to the front men, who for the most part of the first half may as well have not even been on the pitch, did Perez actually get a touch of the ball?
I know it will be a different first 11 to start the season, but that system mixed with Pardrew’s tactics just does not work. We all pretty much agreed that the second half of last season we were relegation material, yesterday showed us nothing has changed, same old, same old!
firebug666
Aug 3, 2014 at 9:00 AM
Comment #15Expatmag @11
Not looking for instant success mate, just a half decent performance will do.
Ethiotoon
Aug 3, 2014 at 9:29 AM
Comment #16Slank
Completely agree wind u.but looks like worrying time if something happenes to siem dj. IMO he is here to fill the gap of cabaye.and he is the only playmaker here.
My team for man city game will be:
Krul
Janmaat William. Coloccini haidara
Sissoko tiote. Anita cabella
Siem DJ
Reviere
Shaker Shakrah
Aug 3, 2014 at 10:15 AM
Comment #17” Newcastle played a lot better in the second half against Malaga yesterday ”
I’ll leave this site at the end of this continue
are you gonna believe what Pardew says ???
I saw the match and we didn’t control the second half
at all , we didn’t control the midfield !!
After they scored 3 goals they slowed down
their pace a little bit & we didn’t create too many in the second half too , so stop saying garbage things please !!
RobertLeeNo.7
Aug 3, 2014 at 10:35 AM
Comment #18i think we are a little worse off than last season without a proven goal scorer. If we really want to be the best we have been under pards we need a top game reading and strong CB. Also for creativity if we are gonna sit 2 players deep which would preferably be sissoko and tiote we need to get arfa firing again and another creative mid signed doesn’t have to be grenier. So WHEN injuries hit we go back to losing our direction. This is far from the team that finished 5th as other teams have improved so must we and raise the bar.
RobertLeeNo.7
Aug 3, 2014 at 10:38 AM
Comment #19Shaker
I watched too and totally agree and the headline that the new players improved us? 2 that were mentioned were’t new players! obertan? forgotten but not new.
RobertLeeNo.7
Aug 3, 2014 at 10:43 AM
Comment #20I am all up for giving Riviere a chance but to put the goal scoring weight on him is stupid! somebody needs to be wing manning cisse in every club so he is getting blown left right and center to get his confidence back to taking wild shots cause no doubt he has the technique when confident… OR we spend some of that TV money on a proven scorer. for F@%ks sake Ashely pocket half of it but spend half on a CF !
lesh
Aug 3, 2014 at 12:42 PM
Comment #21‘…. It is a different squad with new players and a different style of play.” is it?
Some different players yes but having watched the first half of the Malaga game, I couldn’t see a different style of play.
We seemed to sit back and when Malaga did come it us, the defence was disorganised and seemingly not watching the game.
Did we really have eleven players on the pitch? Where were the full backs? Nay, who was bossing the defence?
We seemed to treatthe first half as an afternoon kick-about in the park!