Sharp as a Blade tonight!Once again, Newcastle United managed to leave us feeling slightly underwhelmed, and yet still went top of the league after taking all three points at Bramall Lane. The fact that we managed to grind out a 1-0 win against the red and white half of Sheffield was largely down to luck at their end, resilience at our’s and some brilliance from Stevie Harper.
After a fairly forgettable first half, in which Sheffield looked probably the more organised and potent force (though I use that term lightly). This despite their having several absences while we had generally a strong squad to pick from, though Hughton again left me scratching my head with his decisions. Not for the first time this season, the opposition seemed to move the ball sharper than us an didn’t look out of ideas once they crossed the halfway line. But for all their endeavour, the score remained 0-0 at half-time.
Newcastle came out and were the better side at the start of the second half and though there should have been a foul awarded as Kevin Nolan robbed Walker, Ryan Taylor nonetheless took full advantage and our second slice of luck was about to occur as his shot from 25 yards took a wicked deflection of Morgan, with Ian Bennett rooted to the spot in the Sheffield goal, the ball nestled into the far corner.
Sheffield threw everything but the kitchen sink at us in the dying minutes but we held on strongly due to resolute defending and some heroics in the goal from Harper. (more…)
Looking and feeling a little rusty in the middle?Yesterday’s review of the current squad, took a look at the Newcastle defence, an area that this season we’ve been surprisingly strong in, given our poor reputation in recent years.
Tonight looks at arguably the fulcrum of a successful team, the midfield, the place that could and should control a game and dictate the style of play. That doesn’t bode well for our side at the moment because arguably, we have a midfield full of players who are very similar and lack pace. Therefore, the pace is often pedestrian and the game often goes stale.
Looking at the current crop, it really makes you pine for some of our former midfielders who have graced the hallowed St James’ turf in the last couple of decades. Reminisce about the grace of French wingers David Ginola and Laurent Robert. Recall the guts, determination and drive of Robert Lee and Gary Speed. Consider the guile we had in Emre, albeit fleetingly, and the sheer brilliance of Nobby Solano. Even having pure pace ala James Milner, Keith Gillespie to worry the opposition. You can even look at some of the less popular characters. We would kill for the pace of Kieron Dyer and dare I say, I could forgive Jermaine Jenas. Possibly even Damien Duff is a big miss? Maybe that’s stretching it…..
Anyway, that was the past, what about the present? – (more…)
Nolan has stolen the three points!For such a relatively average game, this one managed to have a little bit of everything. And yet for the majority of it, Newcastle fans were once again left wondering whether this was going to be another long, hard season. With inept displays from Harewood, Carroll and in particular Gutierrez in the first half and everybody else just apparently and not for the first time, stuck in second gear, it looked like it might actually be a long, hard afternoon.
Once more Chris Hughton ignored what seemed to be the obvious opportunity to play Ranger but was forced into changes as Kadar came in for the injured Simpson. Nicky Butt also returned to first team action for the suspended Smith. Otherwise, we looked the same as we did against Scunthorpe, yes before someone says it, not great!!
I don’t get Gutierrez, I really don’t. For the umpteenth time I watched a game where he over-elaborated and held possession when the easiest thing and right thing to do, was to pass it. Instead he held onto the ball for far too long, got tangled up in a challenge and either lost the ball or threw himself on the floor in a heap. Anyway, Doncaster came here seemingly with every intention to try and play but with ex-Toon player, James Coppinger in the side, they never really looked like threatening. And then on 18 minutes they scored……..when a flick from James O’Connor to Sharp led to a low right-wing cross that seemed to take a deflection that picked out Dean Shiels who had the easiest of jobs to tuck it away. However, that goal was self-inflicted as Kadar had given the ball away cheaply and the defending was half-hearted. (more…)
Colo, we need you!!Uh-oh! Newcastle left Glanford Park with absolutely nothing tonight as Scunthorpe took all three points with a 2-1 win, and it would take a brave man to suggest the St James’ garden is rosy right now.
Despite having plenty of possession and creating a number of decent chances, Newcastle spurned several of them and were unable to prevent Scunthorpe scoring twice and that was all it took to swing this game the Iron’s way.
Due to work commitments, I was left to listen to the game on Radio Newcastle and the commentary of Mick Lowes and former assistant to Sir Bobby, John Carver. It didn’t sound great. Scunthorpe were backed by their biggest crowd in 21 years, and as with many teams this season, were obviously pumped up for this as they’re playing a relegated ‘big boy’ who are second in the league. But Newcastle appeared to have the better of the first quarter, although they couldn’t convert possession into goals.
Scunthorpe began to have the better of the play towards the end of the first half but the teams went into the break all square. Having missed a chance before the break, Woolford made no mistake after Khizanishvili was outpaced by Hooper, to make it 1-0. Hughton responded by swapping Geremi for Harewood but it was Kevin Nolan who equalised just after the hour, following what sounded like great build up play. (more…)
Crucial goalWell what a miserable bloody night…..stuck in a pub where I could only just about see and hear the game in the first half and where the locals seem to treat the bar as a place to lounge rather than a place to buy a drink. I was already hacked off before the game kicked off. And of course my mood didn’t improve with the events that followed.
The law of averages suggested that our luck was due to run out sooner or later again, and that when playing badly, some team at some point would take advantage. That team was Nottingham Forest. Of course it didn’t help that our, surprisingly, solid defensive start to the season was shattered with the news that both Steven Taylor and Coloccini would be missing. Really, of all the recent admissions I’ve made over things I’ve said which I never thought I’d say, to say that I never thought we’d miss Colo is right up there with the corkers……
But it’s a fact, he’s settled in a unit and has looked half decent at this level so missing both him and the combative Taylor was sure to spell trouble. Particularly when Forest came into this game with some decent form and two strikers proving to be a handful. However that aside, staying with the word ‘average’, does the whole set-up still not smack of something distinctly average? (more…)
