The game was fairly even in the first half, and Birmingham City went closest to scoring several times in the first 30 minutes, before going ahead.
Then in the 33rd minute James McFadden put Birmingham ahead and yes – it was terrible defending again from Newcastle United.
It was appropriate that Birmingham’s most dangerous striker James McFadden scored, and he made it look so easy.
A fairly innocuous cross came in from the left to McFadden, and the Scot then beat Faye far too easily and put the ball casually past Steve Harper, giving the Newcastle goalkeeper no chance. It was clear that Harper was furious with the goal, another bad one to give away by Newcastle’s defense.
And so we were down again in a game through a defensive error. Having scored only 3 goals in 8 games we’ll have to score two now to win. After the goal Keegan continued to look grim in the dugout.
One goal down away from home (again), and we’ll have to see how we can fight back in a game we just can’t lose. But it will take a lot more than Newcastle showed in the first half to get anything out of this game and a defeat will put Birmingham above us in the league. It’s not looking too good for us at half time.
In the first half it’s been fairly even but Birmingham have not given us any chances through mistakes, which cannot be said for the Newcastle defense. But the Birmingham side shaded the first half and created a lot more chances than Newcastle. In fact we can’t remember a chance Newcastle created in the first 45 minutes.
The midlands side have looked a lot more dangerous in attack too, which is a little worrying.
Another disturbing aspect in the first half is that Birmingham are much sharper than Newcastle, and the Magpies have had only one shot at goal, and that was a 30 yard speculative shot over the bar from Owen.
The final 45 minutes will be a test of Newcastle’s character and courage, but we have to say things are not looking good for Newcastle.
We need some men in black and white stripes to stand up and be counted in the second half, otherwise this will be yet another defeat. 🙁
Where’s the fight? Where’s the passion? Where’s the guts? Where’s the pride? Where’s the goals?  We look a very sterile team and we have to wonder what’s going on at the club, because this is turning into a disaster – a real disaster for Tyneside.
If we lose this game relegation will start to look a probability rather than a possibility, but we still have 45 minutes to turn this game around.
171 comments so far
ScottyT
Mar 17, 2008 at 8:59 PM
Comment #1pathetic first half all i can say
Dave
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:02 PM
Comment #2does anyone know how to tie a noose?
rich
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:03 PM
Comment #3all i can say is we are going down….
JK Muzzi
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:04 PM
Comment #4at least we got the carlisle game to look forward 2 hopefully!
Optimist
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:05 PM
Comment #5Someone said if we wont beat Fulham we will be relegated,so far we cant even beat bham.. oh we are dreaming , i even doubt we will pick any points at the rest of the season.
Play the young ones,our only chance passion > skill,definitely passion > name, but at the moment i see no skill at usual first eleven.cmon Keegan show some character, drop them, they are useless. Leave Martins, Beye maybe Jose Enrique, atleast they are trying to do something.
Kevin Lawson
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:06 PM
Comment #6Lets hope we don’t slip all the way down like leeds 🙁
I didn’t like Sam, but i’m not sure that he’d have gotten us relegated.
I love KK and i KNOW in time he’d sort us out, it’s just whether he has enough time and those players have enough fecking guts to keep us up 🙁
Soren
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:07 PM
Comment #7Still believe!!! We’ve still got 45min to get back!!!
COME ON TOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kevin Lawson
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:09 PM
Comment #8COME ON THE TOON!!!!! i’m not religous but i’m gona pray all of the second half for a miracle 😀
Lasse
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:09 PM
Comment #9Bartons worst game this season. Skills, not motivation seems to be his problem…Viduka only have one move and that is not working. This is looking like another mission impossible.
Ashton
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:13 PM
Comment #10Bring roeder back !
Bert Shaft
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:13 PM
Comment #11Paceless, clueless, passionless long ball crap.
I hate to say it but Keegan looks lost and seems total devoid of any ideas and tactical nous.
Denis Wise, come on down (reaches for rope!)
Lasse
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:14 PM
Comment #12Three minutes into the second half mr Barton has not yet made a complete pass…
Tom_Toon
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:14 PM
Comment #13yes well done 104k a week owen, pricl!
cloudstrife
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:14 PM
Comment #14owen missed a sitter. come on captain!
milnerfan
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:16 PM
Comment #15any subs?
cloudstrife
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:18 PM
Comment #16OWEN!! GET IN SON!!!!!
GP
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:18 PM
Comment #17YEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
cooldj
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:19 PM
Comment #18GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
cloudstrife
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:19 PM
Comment #19WE CAN WIN THIS!!!
cooldj
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:19 PM
Comment #20i;m ashamed to admit i lost control then…
Kevin Lawson
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:19 PM
Comment #21F*&**NG YES
Soren
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:19 PM
Comment #22YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!!!!!!
cooldj
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:20 PM
Comment #23anyone watching it? what actually happend?
ObaFan2
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:20 PM
Comment #24Oba n Owen thank God for that.
Dave
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:21 PM
Comment #25Howay the lads. go on pop in a few more!!!!!!!
GP
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:22 PM
Comment #26and barton still has a crap first touch..get him off ffs
cloudstrife
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:22 PM
Comment #27The Price of Michael Owen: 107k per week
Staying in The Premiership: PRICELESS
Jack
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:22 PM
Comment #28YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS Come on! We need to press on for 3 points now.
ObaFan2
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:22 PM
Comment #29Oba shot from penalty spot, saved and Owen got rebound.
Soren
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:22 PM
Comment #30cooldj – Martins shot on goal was too powerful for Taylor and Owen came first on the second ball
Dave Hill
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:22 PM
Comment #31Get Barton off NOW!!!!! bring on Zog for the 2nd goal
cooldj
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:23 PM
Comment #32so tap into to an open goal basically?
cooldj
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:23 PM
Comment #33so tap into to an open goal basically?
cooldj
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:23 PM
Comment #34so tap into to an open goal basically?
cooldj
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:23 PM
Comment #35so tap into to an open goal basically?
cooldj
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:23 PM
Comment #36ooooo my bad.
GP
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:23 PM
Comment #37Get N’Zogbia on for Geremi and f*cking anybody for Barton
Soren
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:24 PM
Comment #38yep 🙂
Dave
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:24 PM
Comment #39yes cooldj it was a tap into an open goal……. we have gathered that
cooldj
Mar 17, 2008 at 9:24 PM
Comment #40cheers lads 🙂