Maybe it´s just me but I thought Jose Mourinho’s comments after the 2-2 draw about Newcastle when he said we have the attitude of clubs who don´t win anything – it seemed he was making a very good point.
One we should listen to.
And for a coach like Jose Mourinho – who has been successful in his career at winning many trophies – this is a thing he obviously concentrates on with his players – every game is important.
Jamie Carragher – Sky Sports pundit
And after the game Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher thought much the same but also said that it was daft to say Newcastle could play like that in every game.
Jamie made some good points that when Newcastle play lesser (not the top six) teams in the Premier League the crowd expect 3 points and want the team to attack – and the fans wouldn´t put up with the way Newcastle played against Chelsea.
They also pointed out that when the less successful clubs come to Newcastle they generally defend more, so it´s not easy to get them to come out and attack Newcastle so we can use the counter-attack, and somehow we then have to break them down – which is not easy.
We got a rude awakening against Watford because they were clinical in front of goal when we are almost the opposite, and they deserved to win that game.
And almost every Newcastle stat against Watford was better than those against Chelsea on Saturday when we did so well.
It seems that what we need to try to encourage at Newcastle is to have more respect for the other teams in the league other than the top six clubs.
After all 3 points is 3 points and 3 points against say Bournemouth or one of the weaker teams (like Sunderland) is as good as three points against Manchester United.
The players will always be inspired to play well against the glamour sides, but it seems one of Steve McClaren challenges is to get our lads ready for the smaller clubs – especially when we play at home.
We know it´s a bit of cliche, but we should respect all the teams we play – and if we can do that we can do quite well.
I know when I saw Watford at home the only thing I thought was there´s 3 points for us.
But Watford have a good team and they are well-coached and organized, and they have done well so far in England´s top league.
What we don´t want to see is the team play great again at Manchester City next Saturday – get nothing out of the game or maybe one point – and then not turn up for our next game against Norwich City at home and lose the game.
That´s a possible recipe for being relegated this season.
We should respect all teams and realize our best chance to win is against the other 14 teams in the Premier League – those who are not in the top six.
The top six being the two Manchester clubs, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool.
It´s a change in the way we look at things from both the players and also the fans point of view.
That´s a way we could win quite a few games this season ……..
What do you think about this?
Comments welcome.
10 comments so far
JackButler
Sep 29, 2015 at 3:40 PM
Comment #1The problem we have, is the same one we’ve had for years and that is to many players fail to turn up for so called “lesser sides” even though we are a lesser side playing in front of a massive fan base.
The attitude against Chelsea was markedly different to that shown against Watford, Wednesday and West Ham.
cyprus
Sep 29, 2015 at 3:42 PM
Comment #2Yes, Steve must motivate them and all that against ‘weaker’ (close quotation marks) teams, but also Steve himself and his coaches must prepare better. In the two games we should’ve won, we huffed and puffed as much (actually more) than the competition, but we were ineffective…
Perhaps we need to do a Mourinho. He played every team as if THEY (the other team) were better, solidly defending, hitting them on counters and winning games galore.
cyprus
Sep 29, 2015 at 3:43 PM
Comment #3That’s why he’ll soon be in trouble as the owner wants entertainment, which he doesn’t do.
We, on the other hand, need points now.
Ian Toon
Sep 29, 2015 at 3:53 PM
Comment #4Mr Tuff- Is that really your best shot? You’ve undertaken a metamorphosis from a wise head into a kamikaze bully blogger. Every football club has their lunatic fringe who can’t distinguish between a difference of opinion and rank personal abuse. Do you really want to be like that ? I won’t be responding in kind and playing your puerile games. I happen to enjoy Kipling and poetry, what an insular type you are!
If you show respect to others they’ll respect you.
2_goal_tino
Sep 29, 2015 at 4:01 PM
Comment #5@Jack, Agree completely. Far and away our best performances this season have been against Man U, Arsenal and Chelsea. We actually looked fairly decent and capable of kicking a ball…
sickandtired
Sep 29, 2015 at 4:08 PM
Comment #6The problem this Club has, is that its rotten from top to bottom. 9 seasons of Ashley has brought that and culminated in these shocking stats –
1st team, reserves and U18’s in the last calendar YEAR
P70 W11 D 16 L43
That’s a win rate across all three sides of 11%
Tsunki
Sep 29, 2015 at 4:11 PM
Comment #7Interesting statement that sick and tired.
I think you carelessly omitted the word FACT! from your post though.
toon kk
Sep 29, 2015 at 4:13 PM
Comment #8Its when we come up against pscey sides we crumble, and for what ever reason most players just don’t bother turning up, challenges are only half hearted our passing is no better than school boy standard. But one game in about ten we actually try.
Pay the players on a win only basis, we’d see a instant improvement.
Slank
Sep 29, 2015 at 4:23 PM
Comment #9I think Mourinho and the two from Sky are not wrong.
They say that winning becomes a habit. Conversely, so is losing.
Newcastle have had, possibly since 1969, an atmosphere of failure often fuelled by hostile local media (as confirmed by Sourness) that successive managers have been unable to eradicate.
Some people will disagree I’m sure but managers have come and gone, players have come and gone and owners have come and gone but still the trophy cupboard is bare.
Some people may argue that trophies are not the be-all and end-all of football but anyone who has been fortune enough to witness a civic reception and an open top bus ride with a victorious team holding aloft a trophy may disagree.
How the club turns this malaise around is simple.
Win a trophy. Simple !
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Sep 29, 2015 at 4:24 PM
Comment #10The problems we have are almost the same as any other club outside the top 6!
…we just think it’s different for us because we have Mike Ashley!…it’s not!
We face the same problems at SJP as Everton at Goodison when we face a team outside the top 6.