Newcastle (a) post match thread

[mayo31]

I can't bear to read through the previous 91 pages so sorry if its been mentioned already, but does anyone else think this team has a real habit of sulking whenever a referee makes a particularly bad decision?

I think it's happened quote a few times now over the last few years. We get a really bad decision, whether it's a goal disallowed or a blatant penalty or red card not given and they just seem to take ages to get over it.

Yes like the time kdb was kicked to fuck by spurs but went down the other end and smashed home a goal dedicating it to silva

And like the time he did similar v wba

Just 2 examples of the players doing the opposite of what you are saying

 

[jollylescott]

It’s very, very difficult to retain the title.

So many factors feed into a title defence. The mentality of the players, the desire of opposition teams to lift against the top dog, balancing all the demands of all the various competitions, luck with fitness, getting a fair shake from the refs where the margins are razor slim, and reinvigorating the team in the off season through player acquisition.

In our case, I think there’s a valid argument in regard to the mentality of our team. Complacency has always loomed large and I think we have seen evidence of this in some games. Secondly, we lost our best player for a good part of the season. Thirdly, we’ve copped it from quite a few refs this season (the non penalties to Sterling being a good example). Finally, we didn’t reinvigorate the team in key positions in the off season.

I’m still not writing us off. But if last night’s game doesn’t give our players an almighty kick up the rear end, then nothing will.

Our players have to forget about believing their own publicity, roll their sleeves up, and get back to basics. That is, working their butts off for 90 minutes.

It starts with the next game.

 

[kippaxking79]

Just goes to show, for all the superior possesion and passing stats, it counts for nothing if you don't put the ball in the back of the net.

Why is pep so rigid in his formations against the lower teams. We could easily have gone 3.5.2 or 3.4.3 against them lot last night.

And we've gone back to conceding at every bloody effort on goal. I'd love to see the shots on goal to goal ratio both for and against us. I bet it's miles apart. Still think in the summer is where we are performing badly. It's happened the last 2 times of winning the league. The board think "well we won it so we don't need to compliment the squad. Liverpool addressed all their problems in the summer with key acquisitions, whilst we argued with Leicester and Napoli over a few quid. The same will happen this summer. We will spend a shed load, win it, stand still then lose it the year after.

Long way to go, but I think last night might just be that one loss too many.

 

[City Raider]

Dave needs to shave his head again

 

[mayo31]

Although I didn't expect last night's 'performance' the fact is we have been well below last seasons standards for months and even before our recent semi-collapse. Half arsed, strolling around play from far too many, the whole team seemingly stopping playing when we get in front and a mass loss of form have combined to create a perfect storm.

The league may have gone but there is still time to make sure the season isn't a complete non-event. However, there needs to be some hunger and desire shown in order for that to happen & Pep needs to show that he won't accept what the squad is currently delivering.

One thing with the part about Pep showing them it will not be accepted seems to be his hands are tied with signings.

We have missed out on a few players he wanted, why is that?

I not arsed about working with what you have got, if this manager wants someone, then you go and get them.

We seem for want of a better word, stale at times

 

[OB1]

Pep gets £15m per year to find solutions to our teams problems, if I was at the club I'd tell Pep it's ok to win 1-0, and more importantly it's ok to play on the counter.

You don't hire Pep to develop a counter attacking team and the club has a clear vision as part of its strategy as to how it wants to play and Pep embodies that philosophy.

Strategies can change and should if they are not working but it's far too soon to divert from the vision. The players have to execute their roles better or be replaced.

I'm sure Pep will evolve how the team plays to a degree but the fundamental approach is not going to change.

 

[OB1]

One thing with the part about Pep showing them it will not be accepted seems to be his hands are tied with signings.

We have missed out on a few players he wanted, why is that?

I not arsed about working with what you have got, if this manager wants someone, then you go and get them.

We seem for want of a better word, stale at times

I think we have seen more and more evidence that we have to do a bit more in the transfer market. Easier said than done though.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Oh, we can win it, no question. But we've now put ourselves in the position where, not only do we have to play bloody well (more than possible, despite last night) but Liverpool have to start dropping two, or even three, points against mediocre and downright poor opposition. Something which there's been no indication whatsoever so far that they're going to do. On the contrary, they dig in, even when they haven't played very well, and get the three points (i.e. Palace, recently). We don't. Not this season. I had forgotten that we lost three times from winning positions. Now that is dire.

 

[Stoned Rose]

have you forgot palace and leicester

Last night was worse.

Abject.

 

[Beanhead]

Dave needs to shave his head again

Yep. Although I think this is sadly the start of his decline as he is of that age. I was actually surprised quite how brilliant he was last season, probably his best along with 2011/12 season. Same goes for Dinho.

Both still have the ability to have outstanding games (Dinho against dippers a prime example) but not sure they can reach those levels week in week out anymore as they are simply just getting old.

Urrgh... today is a grim day.

 

[badaz52]

Nobody in their right mind would want Walker or Danilo/Delph overlapping anyway. It’s just going to concede possession and then leave us over-committed and exposed to the counter. So Pep would much rather leave the full backs in areas where they should be able to control the opposition (though Walker does his best to make it as difficult as possible). I agree with the lack of overlaps. What’s lacking is quick passing to draw the opposition out of position and quick diagonals to get one v ones for the wingers. Well, we try a lot of the diagonals but so often they are poorly executed or we are offside.

Our passing has been way too slow this season, frustratingly so. I'm starting to think that there are a few players in that dressing room who are possibly starting to realise that there are a few team mates that aren't at their level, maybe they are beginning to not trust some with the ball either. Everyone seems to be keeping the ball too long, picking the wrong pass, shooting from distance rather than moving it when they should.

When teams attack us we lose simple as that, funny thing is Pep winges that teams don't attack us??? I don't get it.

 

[Terrycooke]

The goal was rightfully disallowed. Although I completely disagree that the team taking the kick should wait for the ref. The fact of the matter is the ref told him to wait and he didn’t - we can’t really complain about that

City player slowly and every time we play slowly we look shit

That’s what I thought from what I heard but reading this so many moaning agendas and it being a disgrace it was disallowed. If the ref tells him no and he ignores him then I don’t see the complaints. Agenda

 

[Boris Yeltsin]

WTF ?
Only a Rag or Dipper could make a stupid comment like that

Not really. When does he show up in big games? Bernardo didnt have enough time last night to put his stamp on the game. Should have started. The comment about rags or dippers is small minded. Its a witch hunt if someone shows a slightly different opinion.

 

[badaz52]

Flying if you look at stats against fodder who'd given up before kick off.
Slightly unfair - but look what happens when we meet well organised resilience.
Liverpool was an incredible game but we had to give everthing we had against a team that played nothing more than well. Papered over our issues this season.

Spot on, 4 of our last 7 wins were cup games to start with (Burnley, Rotherham & Burton x2) who were not expecting anything and then Wolves, Huddersfield & Liverpool. Wolves were poor and didn't take the game to us like they did at their place, had they done so we wouldn't have won. Huddersfield had just lost their manager so weren't in a good spot and we busted a gut against Liverpool to get a win but that doesn't matter now because we lost to NEWCASTLE. 15TH PLACED NEWCASTLE good god.

I'm actually starting to worry that we might not win anything this year, I'm a lifelong supporter and in many ways it was easier when we expected to lose on a weekly basis. Losing is part of football but in the Leicester, Palace and Newcastle games its the manner of the defeats and the fact that our players are freaking out and losing their heads that has got me really worried.

 

[balotellishaircut]

You don't hire Pep to develop a counter attacking team and the club has a clear vision as part of its strategy as to how it wants to play and Pep embodies that philosophy.

Strategies can change and should if they are not working but it's far too soon to divert from the vision. The players have to execute their roles better or be replaced.

I'm sure Pep will evolve how the team plays to a degree but the fundamental approach is not going to change.

Who said develope a counter attacking team, all I'm saying is you defend as a team and you attack as a team. The Leicester game last season was a prime example for me, were 1-0 up, Leicester are attacking us we have all 10 players behind the ball, we break Leroy squares it to KDB, we make it 2-0, whats wrong with playing like that and showing teams respect away from home.

 

[LeeJay]

i'm optimistic, the league isn't over mathematically - and until it is, there aint no fat lady singing at the Etihad.

Liverpool can still f*** up. They have Utd to face, as well as Everton (i think both away games?) as well as Palace, Spurs and right at the end of the season they have Wolves...

It's not over yet.

Admittedly, losing to the Geordies last night is a set back - and Liverpool are at St James' the week before they play Wolves.

Anything can happen in this game, we know, we've been there. Liverpool still have their bug-bear teams to face.

Keep that fat lady on ice. For now.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

[QUOTE="badaz52, post: 11514335, member: 17271"]Our passing has been way too slow this season, frustratingly so. I'm starting to think that there are a few players in that dressing room who are possibly starting to realise that there are a few team mates that aren't at their level, maybe they are beginning to not trust some with the ball either. Everyone seems to be keeping the ball too long, picking the wrong pass, shooting from distance rather than moving it when they should.

When teams attack us we lose simple as that, funny thing is Pep winges that teams don't attack us??? I don't get it.[/QUOTE]

Absolutely! Too many teams don't need to second guess where the balls going, it's pretty obvious. Pace frightens the shite out of defences whether it's player pace or ball pace and we haven't used too much of ball pace lately! It does get tedious where the emphasis is on ball retention, serial passing across the back four (women's team are the same for this!) short passes into midfield who return the ball to the person who has passed to them, and just when there's a chink of light we mis-pass the ball! I think the thing that has done for us in the games we've lost is the number of half chances that go begging. If the MDC was anywhere near accurate last night we could have had five. We need to match the scoring rate of the teams that beat us - 100% shot on target to goal scored! Did NUFC have two shots on target last night? And we need to manage games much better. The games against Leicester, Palace and now Newcastle we scored first!

 

[The Riot Club]

We need to let Pep buy who he wants, not baulk at the fees/wages. That's modern football, you get what you pay for. Pep looking pissed off probably because he keeps missing out on players he wants because we insist on this wage structure. Until we break that then we won't be able to stay ahead of the other top teams in Europe.

Players get older, tired, lose form or sharpness. Sometimes teams just need the boost a new signing gives. We always sit on our hands the summer after winning the league, and each following season is a disappointment.

 

[balotellishaircut]

i'm optimistic, the league isn't over mathematically - and until it is, there aint no fat lady singing at the Etihad.

Liverpool can still f*** up. They have Utd to face, as well as Everton (i think both away games?) as well as Palace, Spurs and right at the end of the season they have Wolves...

It's not over yet.

Admittedly, losing to the Geordies last night is a set back - and Liverpool are at St James' the week before they play Wolves.

Anything can happen in this game, we know, we've been there. Liverpool still have their bug-bear teams to face.

Keep that fat lady on ice. For now.

If Pep had any sense he should be saying to the media the title is gone, just to take some pressure off the club.

 

[Benarbia]

Sadly it’s just too many games for the players and mental fatigue comes into play. Can’t believe we have played 4 times since Liverpool last played a game. That’s a pretty mad stat