We lost our second game in a short two days yesterday when a header after 78 minutes from West Brom captain and former Manchester United star Steven Fletcher, was enough to give West Brom their first win in six league games against a poor looking Newcastle side.
So two 1-0 defeats means no points picked up by Newcastle over the Christmas period and we are now 3rd bottom of the league table and in relegation trouble half way through the season with only 17 points.
There hasn’t been much Christmas cheer at Newcastle United this year.
Fab Coloccini challenges Victor Anichebe yesterday
In fact this is our worst start ever to a Premier League season after 19 games played and we were 5 points better off in 2008 – which turned out to be a relegation season for Newcastle.
This is what captain Fabricio Coloccini said on the Newcastle web-site immediately following the game yesterday:
“We are all disappointed. It is similar to the Everton game on Boxing Day, losing by a late goal from a cross.” “We didn’t play well. We had a couple of chances but we didn’t score and we have now lost two games in three days.”
“We defended well for big parts of the game but you cannot defend for 95 minutes. The opposition are always going to have a chance that way, and they may score.” “When we get chances we have to take them.”
“The Premier League is very difficult and you have to score when the opportunity is there.” “It has been a very tough year and there are so many things we need to improve on.”
“Hopefully we can put those things right over the next year, improve on the mistakes we are making. We have to work hard to turn this situation around as soon as possible, and we will do that.”
“We are going to work very hard to get out of the relegation zone.” “When a player gets injured in the warm-up, or is sick like Robbie, and the team has to change it is always difficult.”
“But we cannot say that was why we lost. There is always a teammate who can come in and do the same work and today that was Karl.”
“Karl is a very good goalkeeper, we trust him and have confidence in him. The result was not because of the change.”
We expect Rob Elliot to be OK to resume in goal at the Emirates on Saturday afternoon and we have to try to get something out of that game – but with Arsenal challenging again for the Premier League title – that’s going to be very tough.
Comments welcome.
9 comments so far
Rotonda heights
Dec 29, 2015 at 2:34 PM
Comment #1Belfast
Yes problems do go beyond just the manager but it doesn’t help when we keep appointing deadbeats.
Why does it always have to be so narrow mindedly and stupidly be brits every time?
Only decent english managers are Howe and Clement.
West Ham, Leicester and Watford even brought in new foreign managers last summer and they have all been successful and we haven’t.
Our Toon
Dec 29, 2015 at 2:42 PM
Comment #2Rotonda
It takes ighalo 10 chances to get a goal, and we are talking about clear cut chances….not half chances. He’d score 1 in every 8 games for the toon based on them stats. Without Deeney Ighalo is nothing, that thug in the mitro mold has assisted 9 of Ighalo goals.
Blackley
Defenders won’t stop every chance from being created by the opposition, I thought Chancer and Colo both had very good games, Fletcher though is a midfielder so why is colback out wide when the cross comes in instead of following fletcher? Finally Darlow should save it, the blame is all Darlow because he made the biggest mistake!!
Rotonda heights
Dec 29, 2015 at 2:47 PM
Comment #3our toon
guess deeney’s just a better thug then and almost certainly would have scored from the crosses mitro is missing.
lesh
Dec 29, 2015 at 2:48 PM
Comment #4They can’t defend for 95 minutes?
Is McClaren seriously peddling playing on the back foot?
Unbelievable and disappointing but in any event, it’d be good to know why he sets up that way, especially when we’ve seen entertaining attacking play in earlier games.
Could it be he’s got no faith in his defence and midfield?
JamesToon
Dec 29, 2015 at 2:49 PM
Comment #5Everything about the club is crap, its rotten to the core, there is no long term plan, there is no ambition or good footballing decisions, its being run by business men who know nothing about football.
Why the hell did we hire a fired championship manager, when we could have had the likes of Flores, Billic, Emery, Bielsa, De boer, Sampaoli?
Although i don’t think all of this is mcclarens fault, i genuinely think that he was told to get the best out of the current squad, whereas you look at watford where Flores came in and literally evaluated the squad within 2 weeks and then totally revamped it, and you look at mcclaren saying everyone is going to get their chance this season, when its clear that the likes of gouffran, dummett, obertan, cisse, riviere, williamson, coloccini (keeping him as captain????) haidara, ARE JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH, surely Mcclaren can see that? I just don’t think he has the balls to say what he thinks, he is what he is, a YES MAN.
Our Toon
Dec 29, 2015 at 2:51 PM
Comment #6Rotonda
How many goals has Deeney scored from open play, think he’s scored 4 pens and 2 from open play….could be wrong. He’s played every minute of Watford games.
Mitrovic who doesn’t take spot kicks but should have had one at the weekend has 3 from 8 or 9 games
OneAlanShearer
Dec 29, 2015 at 2:51 PM
Comment #7Our toon – a convincing argument but I think he plays only the players he trusts and I can see why.
The issue for me is he needs to play 2 DM’S in front of the back 4 as the defense is so poor but neither can pass forward. Thauvin loses the ball fat too easily and is knocked off it to easily as well.
I actually agree Wijnaldum should be the no.10 100%. I just think it’s deficiencies all over the pitch causing Mcclaren to stick with the side he has. To be fair as well if our lads had taken their chances we could have been talking about 5 wins on the trot rather than a draw and two losses. The players have to take the blame for a lot of the mess we are in….which brings us back to Ashley.
I think if Ashley bought a proper squad under Mcclaren you’d see a far better manager than the hamstrung one we have.
If they don’t buy shelvey they are mental. Add to that a centre back striker and a left winger, goal keeper and left back and you will see a great push up the table. It wouldn’t just save us know it would show intent and help us keep our better players.
Whumpie
Dec 29, 2015 at 3:05 PM
Comment #8It is still all about wahat it was always about – the arrogance of a sociopathic billionaire. Right now if you offered me a series of relegations to the 2nd division which got rid of Ashley on the way – I’d take it in a heartbeat.
lesh
Dec 29, 2015 at 3:25 PM
Comment #9James
I suspect that Charnley told McClaren to look at all squad members before committing to replacements.
Roughly translated that means that Carr’s told Charnley who’s coming in and Charnley in turn has used the evaluate all players tactic to effectively block any moves to replace the rubbish.