The game was at home against a side that was rock bottom of the league with just 3 points out of the last 15 league games and devoid of confidence and a team we hadn´t lost at home to in ten years.
But this inconsistent Newcastle side, after seeing off both Liverpool and Tottenham in their previous two games couldn´t get the job done and win the game to give Newcastle fans a big Xmas present after a simply terrible year.
And a number of people before this game questioned whether this Newcastle team could make it three wins in a row against the weakest side in the Premier League and our easiest game this season and our easiest game on paper this year for that matter.
Steve McClaren looking far from calm and collected today
We failed to win even though we went ahead in the game in atrocious conditions, but it´s a sign of just how inconsistent and unprofessional this Newcastle side can be that we dropped back to 4th bottom of the league.
A Swansea win tomorrow at home to West Ham will see us back in the relegation zone at Christmas.
This is what Steve McClaren told Sky Sports after the game:
“That was a battling point and two lost,” “I’ve just seen the chances. There were three clear-cut ones and I think the defining moment of the game was Siem de Jong’s chance.”
“We missed and two minutes later they scored the equalizer. It could have been 2-0 but in the end it was 1-1. We had a bad 15 minutes but we finished the game so strong,”
“I’m proud of the players. They kept going forward and went for the game. We had two opportunities at the end through Wijnaldum and Perez, but it wasn’t meant to be.”
“I said on another day we’d take those chances and win the game but if we keep playing that I can’t fault the attitude in what were difficult, difficult conditions. “
In what has been a terrible year for Newcastle in the Premier League, that´s just 30 points and 7 wins we have in the 36 league games we have played this year and a goal difference of -30 with 67 goals conceded – relegation form.
[table “42” not found /]After missing out on relegation on the last day of last season we are back fighting relegation again after spending over £52M in the summer transfer market.
We should not be satisfied with one point from this game, as Steve McClaren seems to be.
The manager has tried to put a positive spin on things, but we have to remember the opposition came away with a point and almost won the game at the death for only their second win since the opening day of the season.
It was a disappointing and frustrating loss of two points at St. James’ Park today for most fans.
That´s the unvarnished truth.
15 comments so far
The next Mike Williamson
Dec 20, 2015 at 2:02 AM
Comment #1We need someone who can unlock a team that sits back and is useful when we are dominating possession. Someone like De Jong used to be, or Ben Arfa or Cabella. We also need a winger to get some crosses in as Sissoko is only good running into space and this only happens when we are under the cosh and can counter attack.
A Cabaye replacement is essential also if we are wanting to build attacks.
The next Mike Williamson
Dec 20, 2015 at 2:16 AM
Comment #2against smaller teams i’d play this team
Eliott
Janmaat, Colo, Mbemba, Colback
———-Anita Sissoko————–
Thauvin,- Wijnaldum—— Perez
————–Mitrovic—————
It has more width, more creativity, and gets Wijnaldum forward. He’s not effective out wide
cwsbbb
Dec 20, 2015 at 3:40 AM
Comment #3Ed seems particularly angry about this result. We have just gotten 2 great results against great teams. It could have been worse, we could have lost!
davis_toons
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:02 AM
Comment #4A commanding Tall, Strong CM is what we really need.
A Patrick Vieira
A Steven N’Zonzi
N’Zonzi began his career with the French Ligue 2 side Amiens SC before moving to Blackburn Rovers in 2009 for £500,000. He joined Stoke City for £3m in 2012 before moving to Sevilla for £7m in July 2015.
This kind of Tall and Powerful CM.
Still Remember Didi Hamann.
Dietmar Hamann has stated on social networking site Twitter that he enjoyed his time at Newcastle United.
The former Germany international midfielder moved to Newcastle from German giants Bayern Munich in the summer of 1998.
Hamann moved on after just one season at St. James’ Park, joining Liverpool in the summer of 1999.
The 41-year-old, though, seems to have enjoyed his time at Newcastle, although he appears to wish that Kenny Dalglish was not sacked as manager so soon after his arrival
We need CG to scout this kind of players to help the team.
brklyngeordie
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:07 AM
Comment #5I find it hard to believe that most are being critical of today’s game yes both teams had to deal with the weather and the pitch and it not an excuse but it is FACT that it affected the game and didn’t allow for simple things to be so simple and def feel we would have been sharper had it not been for the weather
And game def should have been done and dusted had Siem converted that simple header let’s be real.. As for Siem if we can recoup some of his transfer fee please do so not made for the Premier League and no De Jong is made for NUFC sorry
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:30 AM
Comment #6Morning…it’s not just the players. We have a manager who cannot setup his team not even against the bottom teams of the league…
…he just reuses the lineup / tactics if he gets a win. How amateur is that! At least look at who you are playing and make changes. This search of the perfect starting lineup is just showing he doesn’t get it.
There is no such thing in modern football…every game is different. And it’s okay to drop players who gives you nothing. Players like Colback, Dummett and Cisse, in the end it might even save your job…
…if Charmless ever was to sack someone!
JDdubai
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:32 AM
Comment #7Overall 7 points from 3 games is better than expected, should have been 9 but the 3 chances we missed cost us.
Cisse shouldnt start any more, either play Mitro or Perez if SDJ is persisted with. Think i saw in the kast 3 games SDj had 2 shots, created 1 chance and made 67% of passes. Maybe should take a bench role.
Dont get the logic of keeping Mitro and Perez on the bench. Surely you want your best players on the pitch for the longest time, instead of 30mins at the end with the other 2 getting an hour.
Defensively we have improved, just wish we had a LB who could attack like Janmaat does, Dummett limits our attacking play so much- Wini cutting in is fine as long as the LB overlaps but if he doesnt then we have nothing down the left and it means every attack comes down the right. Needs fixing next month.
For Jan, CB still, LB definitely, CM and CF. 4 players needed to ensure we get out of this mess.
The next Mike Williamson
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:40 AM
Comment #8It’s not so much yesterdays performance as our performance in general against smaller teams. We’ve only beat Norwich and Northampton this season from teams outside the top 6. Yet we played brilliantly against the big 6 Man Utd, Chelsea (deserved to win), Spurs, Liverpool, and we outplayed Man City for 45 minutes. Arsenal doesn’t count because we had a man sent off very early on. That’s 8 points against the top 6 teams (and deserved more) and we only have 9 from 10 games against the lower teams. And that’s only because we got a miracle result against Bournemouth. Even Sheff Wed easily beat us. We need to change something.
Reyantoon
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:47 AM
Comment #9The RAIN definitely contributed a negative impact in our play and made it difficult to play how we wanted to play and move.Haven’t disappointed badly considering the weather. But
that miss by Siem dj is the defining moment.
That’s a huge miss.WTF is he doing?? And
The Rain,Rain,Rain,Rain, Rain, Rain,Rain,Rain…
Where the Fcck has it came frrrrrooooommm???
Ron Knee
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:49 AM
Comment #10Morning jesper
We’re lacking in quality in terms of players (supply your own names) and manager so I don’t get too p*ssed off when we lose to better teams (that’s most of the league!).
But to fail to beat a team that’s even worse than us is pretty hard to take!
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:55 AM
Comment #11Reyan…Spurs could basically say the same when they played us!
Morning Ron…I might nit be McClaren’s biggest supporter but even I think he is better than this…he should be better than this. The team is not this bad either.
But alot of the decisions are very questionable and it’s not really that big a surprise we are where we are.
Some people think we can just buy us out of this mess. The first step on recovery is identifying the problems.
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 20, 2015 at 6:59 AM
Comment #12When I played we always this excuse about the sun…”the sun was in our eyes” 😉
But I guess the rain will suffice!
jesperfuglsang - capt'n awesome of the lemon crew
Dec 20, 2015 at 7:00 AM
Comment #13*had
SUTTY1978
Dec 20, 2015 at 7:29 AM
Comment #14We didn’t win yesterday because the players thought the game was done and dusted at half time. That was the first time Villa have come from behind to get even a point in two years.
It was as predicted by many the same old Newcastle failing to turn up against the lesser teams.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Dec 20, 2015 at 7:31 AM
Comment #15I know the rain did not help yesterday – but my problem with the TOON for the past few seasons is we look disjointed in every game, especially at home when teams sit deep. Very few times do you see us inter-pass – build up moves and when we do we don’t have the play maker to unlock defences so the ball comes back or square. So we run out of patience and hoof it long.