Newcastle looked a poor side today, and we suppose we should have expected it because it’s been a good display followed by a poor display for the last five games.
Joey Barton – hey the goal is this way – he was badly missed today
In the last 5 games Newcastle have picked up just 2 points, and we were really hoping for a win today at West Brom, where we usually do well in the league, and in fact the win by West Brom this afternoon, was their first one against Newcastle in 26 years.
Newcastle were hopeless today – just hopeless – and it’s hard top be upbeat after watching a performance like that – and one or two Newcastle players had very sub-par games.
Danny Guthrie was one of those, and the 23 year-old just didn’t show at all in central midfield, and we have to wonder how different things may have been if Joey Barton hadn’t withdrawn late, after suffering a knock in training, when we all expected him to start today.
In fact – yes this is all in retrospect – but we should have flooded midfield more, because playing 4-4-2 gave West Brom much more of the ball and the play – right from the kick off.
We have to hope that both Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton can return next Saturday afternoon, in the late game against Liverpool at home, and we are at least due to play well in that game.
But notice if we do play much better and say get another draw – that will only be 3 points form the last 18 points, and we really need to start winning game, which is why when we play teams like Blackburn, Bolton and WBA that we expect we can win, we’ve got to turn up and play our best.
But we’ve lost all three of those games, and also drew at home to Fulham..
Chris Hughton has a tough job on his hands this week, and we’re sure we’ll see an improved performance next Saturday against Liverpool – maybe – but anything but a win will hardly be good enough.
That’s especially true if we then put in another poor performance in our next game at Birmingham, a game we could be expected to win, and if we continue like we’ve been doing this season, the team will not turn up again.
Newcastle are certainly a yo-yo side this season – it’s up and down then up then down then up again – we’re starting to get seasick!. 😀
But it’s a pity we always seem to be down against teams we are expected to beat, and that’s costing us a lot of points – because wins are what we need.
Comments welcome.
12 comments so far
RichK
Dec 5, 2010 at 5:42 PM
Comment #1We were awful today and I’m sorry but Campbell is just not good enough at the top level anymore! We lacked any kind of creativity and also a top striker! We’re going to be in big trouble soon if we put many more performances in like that! We didn’t look interested and didn’t work hard enough- that’s not acceptable!
jimiley
Dec 5, 2010 at 5:45 PM
Comment #2This result is just a blip. We can still get 6th when Wor ben returns
atom
Dec 5, 2010 at 5:52 PM
Comment #3I don’t think its much a mystery here, we are not the same side without Barton in there. If he was not out today, I think we got at least a point out of that game. I am praying he is back next week for Liverpool or another lopsided scoreline may be in the cards.
Toonmania
Dec 5, 2010 at 5:53 PM
Comment #4Love your Pessimism jimiley unfortunately it’s going to take more than this team to get 6th 1 man doesn’t make a team and to me it seems Hughton is struggling to motivate the players 6th from bottom if we are lucky me feels
Sinner
Dec 5, 2010 at 5:54 PM
Comment #5Hopefully by next week,hughton will play something like this:
………….Krul
Simpson..Taylor…Sol…Enrique
Barton…Nolan…Tiote……Jonas
……Caroll………Lovenkrands
bill
Dec 5, 2010 at 6:11 PM
Comment #6We were shite. Without two match fit centre backs, without anyone in midfield to drive the team forward, without anyone up front to keep the ball.
Football is a team game, and when you have so many players who are just coming back into the team it is difficult for anyone to perform. We were jittery at the back, the midfield didn’t want the ball, the wing play was poor and the forwards were isolated.
The problem is as I keep telling you people, we do not have enough quality players to fill gaps that appear because the shite owner won’t spend any money.
cyprus
Dec 5, 2010 at 6:51 PM
Comment #7How does Shola get so many chances? We played with ten players the first half. Sorry, sell him to QPR. Play Ranger from the start, let’s see what her’s got. Guthrie was so good last year, no good this.
cyprus
Dec 5, 2010 at 7:01 PM
Comment #8Bill, still on about the owner? He purchased a broke club, tried to steady the ship, we went down but came straight up, got rid of deadwood (Owen, Viduka, Butt). He admitted his mistakes. We’ve purchased (well with a budget ok), we thrashed Sunderland and Villa, beat Arsenal away (!), we’ve looked competitive in all but this (and Man U) games. Enough already. The players (very expensive, compared to many teams) must take responsibility.
Charlietoon
Dec 5, 2010 at 9:46 PM
Comment #9I think you said it. The problem is we ‘expect’ to win. When we dont expect to win we put in a solid shift.
Sav
Dec 5, 2010 at 11:54 PM
Comment #10Guthrie was no different today than he has been in any game lately- hopeless. Pass and hide, can’t tackle, and poor deadball skills.
Ameobi I reckon isn’t fit – but then we shouldn’t start with him.
Jonas must be the only Argentinian who can’t put his foot in. Weak, lacklustre and ineffectual.
Routledge, Routledge, wherefore were’t thou?
Brutooon
Dec 6, 2010 at 12:00 AM
Comment #11what up and down? its down down and downnnnn
terencemag
Dec 6, 2010 at 2:25 AM
Comment #12No English players are badly missed. English players are the cancer of the current team if you notice properly. Fans are having too much gay pride sticking to the local players.
We need more foreign players like Tiote, Jonas, Enrique, Colloccini and Lovern because they play with pride and spirit and always give 200% to the club.