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
neozero
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:03 PM
Comment #121decent result, good performance but poor substitution on keegans part
ende
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:05 PM
Comment #122subbing off martins likely made not a bit of difference. not really worth getting so upset over. sound like a bunch of brats.
Spyro a.k.a Dragoner
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:05 PM
Comment #123i hope so hadrian, i just hope our players realise that this is how they have to play until the season ends. we have had good performances before and the next game we didnt carry it on. e.g. Arsenal at home
ObaFan2
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:05 PM
Comment #124Hadrian, I agree with you, it’s a step forward and hoping for KK’s first win come Saturday.
There’s no pleasing some people!!!!!!!!!!!!
ash
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:06 PM
Comment #125geremi was so poor, viduka wth was he doing, these 2 should have come off. butt, what can i say ? his long distribution is horrible. but positive thing is owen looks good i supposed and martins too. was hoping for a 2nd goal, owen should have scored though when he got thru.
Frankie Wild
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:06 PM
Comment #126Hey Ed
Has KK lost the plot?
Why take Martins off, the best and only player on the team(trying)
I fell embaresed of our management team.
Let me know if you and your fellow friends are still as concerned as me.
??????
ash
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:07 PM
Comment #127but ill take the point!
Howie
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:07 PM
Comment #128leave kk alone. much better peformance than i saw in quite a few months. ok martins sub was strange but lets get behing them saturday and stop moaning.
JJ
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:07 PM
Comment #129Really not happy about the Oba subtitution, but Im happy with what KK got out of the lads in the second half.
I can understand him settling for a point but why take off Martins when Barton was tired and Owen really did nothing without Oba creating chances for him.
I likes Viduka holding the ball up but Id like to have seen Zog on for Barton and Carrol on for Viduka in final 5mins.
Spyro a.k.a Dragoner
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:08 PM
Comment #130im not going to say martins sub cost us the game because that is just speculation and no1 really knows, he could have given the ball away and cost us a goal for all we know, however, it was clear to see that we were less threatening after he came off, KK remembered what happened with blackburn and just wanted to protect the point i am sure.
Howie
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:08 PM
Comment #131i dont understand what yee all say about butt. who else can we put in there. i thought he was ok tonight
paddyq
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:09 PM
Comment #132good to finally see some fight. pity about the first half though. martins and nzogbia need to be on, the only guys who can create something out of nothing. martins was brilliant in the box in the second half. good result against a tough birmingham side and now we are looking good at home to fulham
JJ
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:10 PM
Comment #133Agree, Howey, strange sub, Im not gona judge him on one mistake, he must just learn that oWen CAN come off too so Martins doesnt always get unfair choice.
I DONT want to lose him in the Summer.
Go Kev and go NUFC.
Spyro a.k.a Dragoner
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:10 PM
Comment #134one thing i must say about the game is that if it were big sam speaking to them at half time, would we have come back out the way we did? probably not, today was a day when kk’s motivation worked perfectly i cant deny that.
ScottyT
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:11 PM
Comment #135after that i hope people plz realise how shite joey thuggy barton is.. he does nothing he must have gave the ball away at least 15-20 times tonight his passing is absolutely awful, hes slow, hes going to jail why do we keep faith with him
thought butt pld quite well but when everyone fit id rather have emre and either butt zog or geremi even tho geremi is shite as well
CJ
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:11 PM
Comment #136Zog on for Barton on the 60min would have done me but i have to say i was expecting us to go and get beating so it was a good result i would be happy with the same team against Fulham with Zog replacing Barton and get Oba further forward.
Jack
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:11 PM
Comment #137I think Barton’s becoming the new Butt based on tonights performance. Gave the ball away everytime he got it.
paddyq
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:12 PM
Comment #138howie butt is a liability in normal circumstances, however tonight his performance was acceptable. however next season we must aspire to have a much better defensive midfielder. until then nicky, its up to you!
ps who on earth calls there son nicky, especially considering the surname
millepede
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:12 PM
Comment #139at least smith didnt play
Spyro a.k.a Dragoner
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:12 PM
Comment #140JJ Owen should not have been subbed today, he was class in the second half and was all over the pitch.
Today we went to birminghams ground and outclassed them in the second half despite them leading and being really high on confidence. I am proud of the lads
peted
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:13 PM
Comment #141some people just dont hav a clue. u complain about keegan preventing the win, but look what hapend when he went all out against blackburn- we ended up wiv nothing!
ObaFan2
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:14 PM
Comment #142Look at Ed’s half time blog report:
“magpies-look-fragile”
Well that certainly doesn’t resemble the second half so lay off KK, he’ll keep us in the prem. and he’ll buy good in the summer.
Mick G
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:14 PM
Comment #143I’ve tried to bite my lip since KK came back’cause I like the bloke and he should be given a chance.He’s at best clueless .There I’ve said it.Sorry if it upsets some people but it is true.To take Martins off was gutless.He took the easy option instead of taking off one of the so called established “Stars”.What Geremi is doing on a premiership pitch is beyond me.I have never seen him deliver a decent cross , corner or freekick since he as been at NUFC.yet they let him take every one.Once Martins went off a draw was the best we could hope for.He was NUFC most dangerous player by miles,but Keegan couldn’t or wouldn’t see it.Hopefully with a bit of luck and despite Keegans obvious failings Newcastle may stay up.Those of you who think Keegan should stay on next season are living in the past or are to sentimental,get real Kevin’s time as been and gone,and as I said at the begining of this rant I like the bloke
Spyro a.k.a Dragoner
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:14 PM
Comment #144we should leave the team exactly the same for fulham as now is not the time to be chopping and changing after a good performance. We need to stick with this team and let them gel, if they play crap next time then we should make changes
CJ
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:15 PM
Comment #145100% agree Scotty T Barton give the ball away all night he has the legs of a 70 women on her zimma will no doubt get locked up and taken up the rear i have to say other than Geremi’s crossing he had a decent game one of his best yet for us but his corners were shocking.
Howie
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:15 PM
Comment #146paddyq i agree. butt is not acceptable next season but for the moment i think that line up we played tonight will keep us up this season and then we can worry about next season. a win on saturday is key though
Frankie Wild
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:15 PM
Comment #147Im still worried as i know all you are,
I can not slag Kk. but im sure all you are not convinced
And 100% about today.
They have no balls going forward.
Hopefully this shit result today can help.
OUR SORRY TEAM
sorry to be so harsh
ObaFan2
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:16 PM
Comment #148millepede, you’re dead right, had forgotten about him lmao.
Geremi n Barton were bad and Duke had a 50/50 but he hasn’t played in a while, imo he should have been subbed not Oba but that’s not up to me.
Whoever said Geremi could take corners was having a laught too.
JJ
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:17 PM
Comment #149haleluja millipede, haleluja…
Eamonn
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:18 PM
Comment #150If we beat Fulham & Reading, draw with mackems plus another two points on the road =survival . Keegan’s gonna save us again, I guess he wanted to get Zog on a 4-4-2, and Martins was on the left in fairness to him. Don’t be so negative about Keegan lads, Respect to the Man.
CJ
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:18 PM
Comment #151Faye had a shocker of a fist half but second half he put in a good performance alongside Taylor.
millepede
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:18 PM
Comment #152drangor, you wouldnt swap milner & duff for geremi and barton – they were seriously ineffective today
Spyro a.k.a Dragoner
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:19 PM
Comment #153mick g i am not a 100% kk fan but give the guy a break today, we went for the win with blackburn and was punished, you cant really blame him for taking off a striker. I dont think it was a good substitution either but i can kind of see reason behind it. He probably wanted viduka to stay on for his threat in the air as we were clearly going to start punting balls up the end of the field. Owen was working his ass off and i did not want him off the pitch, i dont think many did.
Frankie Wild
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:21 PM
Comment #154Mick G
at least some one speaks sense.
Spyro a.k.a Dragoner
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:22 PM
Comment #155milipede i know those two are better players AT THE MINUTE but i just dont want to disrupt things if you know what i mean, today was a good performance for most, and a bad performance for geremi and barton, but next time they might perform better, they are both fresh back arent they? i dont think you should drop someone every time they have a bad game
Dunc
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:23 PM
Comment #156What T F was that?
What T F was the starting line up?
What T F was Viduka doing on the pitch after 45 minutes?
W hat T F was Joey Barton doing at all?
Why T F can’t Geremi take a corner?
Why TF was Martins replaced?
Why TF did Zog or Duff not start?
That was disgusting. I had my mate round watching the match and he says it’s like watching Oldham. I agree!!!!! And the manager f**in jossed it!!!!!
JJ
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:24 PM
Comment #157That is true Spiro, Owen did work hard today, which was nice to see, but I do feel he needs someone like Martins and Viduka on the pitch in order to be effective.
We cant always play 3 strikers, so my preferable two up front will beMartins and Viduka.
Owen though, as much as I have ranted, its not directly his fault Martins was subbed.
So well played and keep it up!!!
Dunc
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:24 PM
Comment #158Oh… and Owen on 107 K
What T F for??
Spyro a.k.a Dragoner
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:25 PM
Comment #159wow! now i see why some people have a go at me when i moan, some people are just never satisfied unless not a SINGLE mistake happens in the whole game…come on guys, lay off
Frankie Wild
Mar 17, 2008 at 10:26 PM
Comment #160Open your eyes! Please
we are still not a team.
sorry to be so negative but…..
I can still see the light
Keep Martins on, what ever the team.
What do you think???