Newcastle 1 Everton 3:: More Positives Than Negatives

What? I hear some of you say. More positives than negatives in that defeat?

IMO, yes.

First steps to big changes

You can't lose the quality of players we have, replace them with youngsters, play the original squad in a new formation, with a new manger... and expect fluid football.

But...

That is what the team produced in an opening spell where Everton struggled to get any possession and hardly crossed the half way line.

From KO the high press was in evidence, and not just in the final third. Every Everton player wherever on the pitch was closed down and put under pressure.

When we had possession the standard predictable way of last season - playing it out wide and shuffling it back and forth towrads the corner flag - was non existent.

Instead players from defenders through to mids were always looking to play Jaissle's favoured 'vertical' passes - forward and through the lines .

Those passes were played quickly, even to tightly marked players, but the plan was clearly to play quick one two's to get in behind and create chances.

That style of play is exactly how the top teams play against a low block, something we have struggled with for two seasons under Eddie's 4-3-3 shuffle it out wide format.

That's not to say our wingers were passengers, anything but.

In fact in that first half Elanga was one of, if not the, best performer and Toure wasn't far behind.

The difference was that our vertical passes were mixed with playing it out wide and only making that pass when Elanga and Toure had space to run in to. Again, clearly a plan.

Elanga was also given licence to come inside when receiving the ball, not simply to get his head down and try and get to the byeline. And he did that very well.

One thing I mentioned about Elanga last season was his ability to play a quick incisive pass around the box and that was on show last night. A £55M player might just be coming out of hiding.

As for Toure; how he manages to get great crosses in from seemingly impossible situations borders on the miraculous. Once our forwards realise that miracles are possible you can bet they'll be ready and waiting.

And. it isn'y just crosses that Toure excels at, you have to get into a position first.

That's no problem for the young lad who has the skill, pace and strength to get past his man.

Similar to the great Ginola, Toure shoulders the defender away before they can get a tackle in. Using that body strength at the right time is an art, and Toure has it.

I was also impressed by Jo in that first half, playing in a deeper position and with more time on the ball he looked the part. If his career at the Toon takes him much further back in the line up don't be surprised to see him in goal next.

Remember; friendly results are secondary

But of course, typical Newcastle, Everton scored a ping pong goal against the run of play and then got a laughable penalty to go 2-0 up.

In the second half Jaissle made a raft of changes and Moyes made one.

He left the very impressive winger George on and he capped off Everton's win with a superb goal.

George looks some player and with Ndiaye opposite and CF Barry looking a handful I thought our defence of youngsters in that second period did well, Robinson especially.

Steur was our stand out player in the second half, it's hard to believe the maturity of his play for one so young and he'll be knocking hard on the door for a starting place.

Barnes's goal - does he ever stop scoring - originated from yet another quick vertical pass from Steur when 9 out of 10 times last season Bruno or Tonali in the same position with a player free out wide would have passed it there.

Too often last season those horizontal passes to the wings left as lying in that position at the end of the game, beaten and flat out.

Jaissle's mania with the vertical has every chance IMO of developing into a style of play that is unpredictable for the oppo, difficult to defend against, and will leave us standing up as winners more often than not at the final whistle.

But, it will take time.

Rome wasn't built in a day and the new Toon team can't be built on two weeks of a new manager and two friendlies.

So, let's not go overboard about last night's defeat.

IMO there were plenty of positive signs that a new style of play is emerging.

Toure mayb be able to produce miracles on the wing, but Jaissle can't be expected to wave a magic wand and get miracles occuring in no time across the pitch.

Remember; in friendlies results are secondary. That can't be .... as long as we win.

There are still new signings to come and I'm conident that with Matthias Jaissle we are in safe hands and could be the Prem's surprise team this season.

There is always one, Why not the Toon?

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