For the third game in a row the game at The Hawthorns was one we could have won if we had taken the chances we had in the game.
On Monday we had chances before West Brom won the game after 78 minutes when Steven Fletcher headed the ball home under that arms of Newcastle goalkeeper Karl Darlow.
It was an unlucky defeat but it’s now two in a row and we continue down there in the relegation places – third from the bottom on 17 points.
Fab Coloccini challenges Victor Anichebe
There were some good performances in the game and here are out top three players against West Brom.
- Fabricio Coloccini (41%) had a very good game and it started by Colo coolly clearing off the line after a couple of minutes and then just before 30 minutes was up he brilliantly blocked a good shot from Fletcher in the penalty area.
Fabricio put in a good performance and then after Paul Dummett had hit the cross-bar after 55 minutes Colo almost scored when he back-heeled the ball against the post but it went for a goal-kick.
That would have been a great time for us to go ahead.
Colo has taken some withering criticism this season, but to be fair to him in the games since the Leicester debacle, he’s played very well and starting to show some leadership on the pitch – by his example. - Chancel Mbemba (19%) is fast becoming one of our favorite players and for the fourth game in a row he’s in second place in the voting and he was very strong alongside Colo at the back on Monday afternoon.
Chancel reads the game very well and he often intercepts the ball and he is also strong in the tackle and seems to be getting better with every game.
We will need Mbemba to keep improving if we are to avoid the drop this season – and along with Gini Wijnaldum these two are our best signings from the summer. - Karl Darlow (9%) is third in the voting and that that may come as a surprise to some.
Yes – Karl could have done better with the Fletcher goal, but the young goalkeeper did make some good saves that Rob Elliot would have been proud of.
To his credit Karl made a great save after just 5 minutes and two good saves in the final 10 minutes of the game from Anichebe and then Berahino – but the damage was done by then – unfortunately.
Karl was very nervous with some of his kicking – but it was always going to be a tough test when he was brought in for his first Premier League appearance with only minutes to prepare for the game.
Comments welcome.
58 comments so far
Belfast
Dec 29, 2015 at 10:51 PM
Comment #1Well I must confess I voted for Darlow. Just to take the piss out of this man of the match nonsense after a defeat.
Man of the match poll after defeats….
Out!!
Tsunki
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:00 PM
Comment #2Fingers Out!
Tsunki
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:01 PM
Comment #3Chancel Mbemba for me will be player of the season, and the one we should be most afraid of being poached by another club.
Belfast
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:03 PM
Comment #4Apologies to all those who look forward to the man of the match polls after defeats, but yeah scrap them.
Tsunki
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:03 PM
Comment #5Must agree this mam of the match stuff doesn’t really work if you’re asking who was our best player in our most recent humping. 😐
Tsunki
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:04 PM
Comment #6Although your mam of the match might work….
Laurent Robert 32
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:07 PM
Comment #7So utterly saddening about Pav. As genuinely nice a player as Sir Bobby was as manager. A fantastic character, compassionate, loved the club, the people, and area. A real football role-model and caring human being. I’d hoped he would come back and do some coaching. It was great he came back for another spell at the club.
A legend of the club, and a big loss to this world. You are brilliant, Pav. Thank you.
Tsunki
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:08 PM
Comment #8I see the Pavel Srnicek tribute article was honoured by a good robust gouging of each others eyeballs out, as is the custom. The usual asocial miscreants biting and tearing at others in respect of the passing away of a great Toon old boy.
Timeless Class.
Belfast
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:08 PM
Comment #9Like turkeys voting for Christmas
Blackley and Brownlie
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:08 PM
Comment #10Colo. Man of the match. You couldn’t make it up. In the name of Toonbrother give me strength.
When Darlow made that good save from close range it was Colo who went AWOL and got skinned in the left back position. Remember that kids show with Mike Read (Frank off Eastenders). Runaround. Read woild shout “runaround now”. Reminds me of Coloccini. All over the place but never where he should be. The show was mayhem. Just like our defence.
I can’t tell you how pissed off I am with NUFC. I am f****** livid. And all this talk about signing more shite. Like another French winger. WTF?
nightfa11
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:10 PM
Comment #11Tsunki
agreed. hes the most consistent player we have.. for a 21 year old kid..playing in a shitty defence..and has only 4 months of epl under his belt.. the guy is world class..
it will be really hard to keep perez, wini and mbemba..
James RS
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:10 PM
Comment #12Could have won? We were outplayed! Need a new manager who can man manage; understand tactics and not do nothing when things don’t go right
Tsunki
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:11 PM
Comment #13Just to enforce a point, it may not be entirely unlikely that those who were close to Pavel would appreciate the tributes from all kinds of fan sources to the man. To hop onto this blog to scan the fan tributes might just be soured a little by having to skim over the unsurprising regulars who like to snipe, troll and gripe at anyone and anything to score their weasel points.
Tsunki
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:16 PM
Comment #14Blackley you could cut the defence some slack. To a man they are exposed by a tragically arranged midfield. They are battered week in week out. It’s called attrition. We have Anita, Colback, Sissoko in midfield. Where is the defensive midfield cover? Where is the attacking, controlling, midfield? It just doesn’t not exist. I think we would have the leagues best defence if the players in front of them were half decent at their jobs. They’ve had enough practice.
Blackley and Brownlie
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:17 PM
Comment #15Tsunki
I said on the blog what I wanted to say on Pavel, whose death at such a young age is tragic. I took myself off in the car to park up and listen to radio newcastle for 90 minutes to hear the tributes. I don’t often listen to the show these days but didn’t want to miss it. But I wanted to vent my spleen about our once great club. It boils my piss how far we’ve fallen from Pav’s day and that WBA goal takes the f***** biscuit. It doesn’t mean there isn’t room left for others to pay tribute.
Munster Mag
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:24 PM
Comment #16Ed, thats utter rubbish. If West Brom had a decent striker they would hve been out of sight. I hate managers who blame one ref decision, when they have lost, but done little to really deserve the win. Pardew was actually far more magnanimous than most in defeat, but was never given credit for it. Most prem mgrs are appallling – Hughes, fergie, Pulis, Wenger all really bad like this. Sadly, I cant see us staying up unless new players contribute fast. Its probably three from us, Sunderland , Norwich, maybe Bournemouth ( who should be fine ) . The appointment of The Bluffer and 50 million spent, has not made us better than we were under Catchys friend Pardew, who, despite being apparently utterly useless, saved Palace at a canter and now looks down on us from a height, and is highly respected generally. He was no genius, but Jeez he wasnt the useless plodder some of the numbskulls on here claimed. Its quite simple, they were incorrect. I would like better than both Pardew and McClaren for NUFC, but Carr and Charnley dont interview managers , they just pick one ( well, Carr does) , and give him the gig . And then Carr buys flimsy french wingers from one agency. Ashley Carr and Charnley, you really are a bunch of numpties. Finally, oh for a young Pavel in goals now. God rest him.
Laurent Robert 32
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:26 PM
Comment #17I was disappointed for Siem not to get a start in the last couple of games as I’d have liked to see him get more game time and build. Captain of Ajax and a Dutch international shows he’s not a mug. He just needs to be in comfortable team surroundings. He can handle the Champions League, he can handle here, and he has a leadership element to him as well, amongst his other attributes.
Two defensive midfielders is simply a waste of a player in a lot of cases. As with when Hatem played, I’ve been wanting 433 to be given a shot for too long now.
Blackley and Brownlie
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:30 PM
Comment #18Tsunki
Look at that WBA goal. We had virtually our whole team back in our box and yet WBA had players lining up unmarked in the centre of our box bearing down on goal just waiting to cash in. Our players were mesmerised by the winger. They couldn’t have been more beguiled if they’d been staring at a woman’s naked breasts. WBA certainly made us look like complete tits.
Yes the midfield is poor. It lacks a player who can pass a ball to create a chance. We have two terriers and two head down ball carriers. But it’s schoolboy errors in defence that will sink us.
I’ve long said we’ve not got enough firepower but few would have it. I only recall Jail wholeheartedly saying as much, although there were some others sauing it too, I’m sure. But not many.
The complacency from the club is galling.
Tsunki
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:30 PM
Comment #19Lr32 the problem is we have too few quality players and it stretches what quality players we have beyond their limits.
I would say SDJ, Wijnaldum, Mitrovic, Perez, Mbemba, Coloccini and possibly Janmaat are held back or exposed by the rest.
Blackley and Brownlie
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:33 PM
Comment #20Time and again I see we could help ourselves with good organisation. The players don’t have to be the best. I’m sure a manager like Pulis would be able to steady the ship. Makro and Costco are overboard and out of their depth.
Laurent Robert 32
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:36 PM
Comment #21Tsunki, he’s stretching them already by playing the same team in a few days. It would have been a good time to revolve some of the team I reckon. Much better than running the same names into the ground like our other manager did. Take the results as the come from there, good or bad.
Tsunki
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:40 PM
Comment #22Blackley I disagree, sorry. it’s too simple to say that for instance we lost because a rookie keeps fumbled a shot. it’s too simple to say our defence or individuals were caught ball watching or drifting. it’s too easy saying we misfire up front therefore change of strikers required. The glue that binds all these elements is the heart and engine of the team and it’s tactic, the fully functioning efficient midfield Unit. We have no Unit, no drill, no cohesion. Look at why we aren’t connecting from back to front and vice versa. If we score we do so from breaks that virtually bypass midfield. If we concede, it’s for exactly the same reason. We play a selection of disenfranchised individuals in midfield. Look at colback and Anita, could there be any less cooperation or affinity? And what exactly does sissoko do on a team level? I am not as impressed with him as many seem to be.
Blackley and Brownlie
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:41 PM
Comment #23As for SDJ he’s done f*** all. Stroller boy. Talk about the WBA goal . He was one of those out on the wing. Just watching from 3 or 4 yards instead of getting in hard with a tackle or working yo close down like Mitro does. F******* Ajax wonderboy, my arse.
jimiley
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:41 PM
Comment #24Where is the tribute to Pav????? This blog is bollocks. Ed spends his whole time writing about transfer targets which are utter bollocks. When a Toon legend dies at 47 we get nowt. It sums up the whole rotten system at the Toon. Harrison you should lay off the bollocks you write and dedicate your money making to Pav. At least for a day. Out of respect for a legend????
jimmysmith
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:43 PM
Comment #25We aren’t a good side, I’m afraid that’s now been established, but we’ve been better than Sunderland and Villa and at times far better, and Bournemouth will likely struggle over 38 games as will Norwich. Swansea also don’t look to be a better side than us. So it’s still more likely than not we won’t go down, but still, what an astonishing past few years it’s been. Newcastle are far too big to have been so bad without plenty of cynicism and incompetence from management, and the owner being so rich, makes it all the more appalling.
Tsunki
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:43 PM
Comment #26Blackley @20 – there I agree. I always said with Pardew the least he could ruddy well do is organise us so we could try not to get beat. Especially in the derbies. Same for SM.
Tsunki
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:46 PM
Comment #27Jimiley – we spent a whole half season being berated on here for our cynicism. Absolutely staggering isn’t it?
jimiley
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:48 PM
Comment #28A legend dies at 47 and this blog is concerned about the manager or the owner (both are shit along with Carr and Penfold.(end of discussion) or made up transfer targets. Get real and show some respect Harrison. You are as bad as the fat man.
Blackley and Brownlie
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:53 PM
Comment #29Tsunki
It’s not too easy to say we need a goalscorer in the team. It’s f******* obvious. It’s not too easy to say we have a shite defence with a liability in Colo. It’s f****** obvious. To me they are the main weaknesses.
The midfielders are decent in their best positions and with the right players alongside them. But Makro hasn’t found the right solution. And Graham Carr probably never gave it a moments thought because he’s not charged with putting them together. Therein lies a major ptoblem.
Makro has landed on a very bad midfield combination and he sticks with it. WTF happened to Marveaux? He’s the sort of player we need.
jimiley
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:53 PM
Comment #30Tsunki,
I do not come on here now very often because the author is a total con merchant. I have been going to the Toon for 50 years and said 5 years ago we should stop going to force the owner out. Ed Harrison seems to differ. But I had to say something about Harrisons lack of respect to Pav. He just writes bollocks about fairy stories.
Munster Mag
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:56 PM
Comment #31SDJ…another bad signing who wont work out for us, like a host of others by Old Man Carr , who has completely lost touch with the changing pace ( literally) of english football. I guess if we get a new manager, Carr will nominate one bloke ( I assume Moyes) , and one interview will take place, if at all.
lesh
Dec 29, 2015 at 11:56 PM
Comment #32Jiminy
Look back a few threads and you might even see an article about Pav, bless him.
jimiley
Dec 30, 2015 at 12:00 AM
Comment #33Lesh,
Far too little mate. After about a few minutes we got more bollocks about something totally irrelevant from Mr Harrison. Move on Pav is dead, and lets talk about Thauvin or man of the match at WBA or some other bollocks. Total disrespect and it suns up Mr Harrison.
Mister Tuff
Dec 30, 2015 at 12:03 AM
Comment #34Moanster -you cannot help yourself talking about King Percy – give it up man – he jumped ship and doesn’t love you anymore.
jimmysmith
Dec 30, 2015 at 12:04 AM
Comment #35Bluffer is not too bad a word to describe McC. We certainly aren’t the side he’s been claiming, and so his coaching not as advertised on the tin either, up to now. But I also wonder to what degree if any, he and more specifically Carr and Charnley have been bluffing their owner. Ashley clearly doesn’t like throwing money around, but I’m not sure if he isn’t being rolled a bit by these three and maybe even Moncur, who really don’t appear very good at all, and are perhaps doing a reasonable job of persuading the owner otherwise, and that we are more capable than we really are.
jimiley
Dec 30, 2015 at 12:09 AM
Comment #36Jimmysmith,
I am on a roll and may not come back for weeks. But….
Bob Moncur is a traitor just like Beardsley. Bob was my hero and will always be a top center back at the Toon. But he has sold out for the silver shilling. He must be short of a few bob. He is also an old fart like Carr and should get out before he make an utter fool of himself.
Blackley and Brownlie
Dec 30, 2015 at 12:20 AM
Comment #37Tsunki
Colo, SDJ and Jamnutz held back or exposed by the rest you reckon.
I’ve said it all about Colo. How anyone doesn’t see it is beyond me. Get rid.
SDJ, strollerboy, holds himself back because he doesn’t like to break sweat or mix it. Get rid.
Jamnutz exposes himself because he cannot defend. And he is far too progligate when he goes forward with his poor crossing and passing. Get rid.
jimmysmith
Dec 30, 2015 at 12:22 AM
Comment #38I’m watching Cathro. If he becomes marginalised or disenchanted and leaves, the speed it happens will be a good barometer of just how much of a paper tiger we really are. He looks increasingly unhappy, whenever I see him, which isn’t so often recently.
Blackley and Brownlie
Dec 30, 2015 at 12:22 AM
Comment #39JIB before you pounce, that is profligate not progligate. Slip of the finger.
jimmysmith
Dec 30, 2015 at 12:51 AM
Comment #40I think half a dozen really good players would legitimise the side though. A centre back, left back, two central mids in the mould of Tiote and Cabaye, a seasoned reliable striker and a real winger who can go past players at pace either side to shoot or cross with quality.
We have 3/4 of a very good squad, but when you still lack half a quality first choice 11, you are still quite some distance from the the top third in this league.