Newcastle (H) | PL | Post-Match Thread

[OB1]

I have to agree with many of the opinions expressed on here. Eddie's distribution, especially in the first half, took me back to some of Joe Hart's days when he seemed determined to blow the head off a fan in the fifth row! And watching KdB misplace the simplest of passes, but what was really sad was seeing his look of resigned acceptance when he did. I can only hope that Pep was right in claiming that he isn't recovered fully from an illness. But we deserved our victory and MotD was wide of the mark in suggesting that we were lucky to get a point. Newcastle did have their chances but we see comparable chances missed every week and none of them were exactly "on a plate". The only period which was at all worrying for us was the ten minutes or so before our second goal. The geordies did seem to have greater energy and seemed likely to take control but with Bernardo we upped the tempo and hit them at a psychologically important juncture. From then on we were comfortable.

It's important to remember that for all the talk we heard about their difficulties scoring Newcastle don't concede many and they certainly don't lose very often so this was always going to be a tight match. We dominated the first half and very much had the upper hand in the second apart from a short spell so I think we can be reasonably well satisfied. The concern about one or two of our players declining is real and I think we'll see something of a rebuild this summer and we'll remain the PL's top club for some time yet. At least I hope so.

Eddie's distribution was well below his usual standard.

MotD's coverage was as misleading as I've seen. Mind you their exceitment at Arsenal's winner when I made the mistake of swithcing to the radio too soon on my way home was such that I feared a torrent of ejaculate would come pouring out of the speakers on my car's stereo.

Yes, Newcastle failed to get shots away in a few instances (one of which I think Walker may have blocked anyway) but Gundo, Haaland and Phil might all have done better with goal attempts that immediately come to mind.

Given we have some players who seem to want to move on, a bit of a rebuild in the summer seems like a must. Plus we know opponents are going to try and improve so it really is timme for City to flex their financial muscle to the max.

First though, we need to get Kev back to whatever his best now is. In fact all our players need to find top form pdq.

 

[Dribble]

A couple of points from the game... Having watched the match back, is it just me, or is anyone else anxious up until the point Haaland scores?

I'm absolutely sick & fuckin tired of hearing about Haaland's "2 game scoring drought" & City's constant failure to slide a through-ball into him, & the player being pissed off with his lack of service.

Even if we win without the Viking scoring, the media term it as a crisis with stories emerging about him looking for the exit door in the summer. If the constant "City failed to find Haaland again" stories are doing my head in, imagine the effect on the squad? :-/

Since the loss at home to Brentford, it's been highly noticeable that clubs are playing narrow against us, packing their central defence & defensive midfield, only leaving space out wide, with very little or no direct routes to goal.

KDB, Gundog, Bernardo & Rodri are supreme passers of the ball. If they're struggling to find through balls to Haaland, isn't this more a case of the opposition have found ways to cut off Haaland's central supply, rather than a wholesale loss of form by our entire midfield?

I think we should be giving the opposition more credit for finding a solution to the Haaland problem. As for Haaland, he's now playing in the toughest, most high profile league in the world, where any one of seven teams could realistically win the title.

If Haaland wants to be rated as the world's best striker, he's in the right place to claim that title if he can succeed in the EPL.

There's three ways this "Finding Haaland" issue will work. Either City adapt to Haaland. Haaland adapts to City. Or we meet halfway & adapt our style to better suit Haaland & Erling adapts his game to be more Harry Kane-like to better suit City.

Solving this Haaland puzzle will also go some way to resolving our midfield's perceived lack of form. We've seen it take Grealish 18 months for him to "Get City".

In respect to scoring, Haaland's hit the ground running, however in terms of playing, he's yet another in a long list of players who it'll take a season or two for him to also "Get City" & Guardiola's way.

In a recent match, Haaland kept moving to the right, which wreaked havoc for the opposition defenders who didn't know whether to track him or leave him.

This created the central space for our midfield to operate & perhaps Haaland being more mobile across the front & dropping deep is our best way forward.

Haaland will hopefully accept that assists from him are as important as his goals to City, even though it may effect his scoring stats.

 

[eruptron]

A kanji is what he is. 5th choice, ok on the ball, rarely gets injured, was cheap, unlikely to moan if not playing every week. Decent squad player. Would prefer a home grown player getting that sort of role personally but he seems like a good lad

He's not 5th choice though, Doesn't need to moan because he's getting game time. He's taken his chance and fair play to the lad.

 

[Saddleworth2]

In fact all our players need to find top form pdq.

I don't think we are in too bad shape. We have a good few that are in their best form and most others don't need too much. For me, Kevin and Phillips are the most important to take a step up for the rest of the season. That would make a difference for different reasons.

Top Form (as good as they have ever played for us)
Ortega
Lewis
Stones (when fit)
Ake
Rodri
Foden
Bernie
Grealish
Mahrez

Need to improve in some games (but not really a huge concern)
Ederson
Walker
Laporte
Akanji
Kevin
Gundo
Haaland
Alvarez

Big improvement in form required
Phillips
Gomez
Palmer

 

[Gone for a Burton]

Agree mate, they had some great opportunites to score. Need to keep the tempo going.

They could have scored 2,we could’ve scored 5.

We were the better side for 80 minutes without being at our best.

We beat an awkward,niggly,time wasting side who have the best defence in the league. Arsenal didn’t beat them !!

 

[Saddleworth2]

He's not 5th choice though, Doesn't need to moan because he's getting game time. He's taken his chance and fair play to the lad.

he is a good defender that has a relative weakness in the air and is average at moving the ball forward into midfield. Good squad player and very valuable when our top CB's are regularly injured. Stones/Dias are still my favoured pairing if they ever get the opportunity to both be fit.

 

[halfcenturyup]

Mate, were you at a different game yesterday?

Pep was doing his nut in re Ederson kicking the ball out of play.

And he clearly could see Kev was having a very poor game.

:) To be fair, Guardiola does his nut in every time we lose possession anywhere on the pitch, even if are up by 6. I thought Ederson was OK yesterday, a few loose passes, some excellent ones, didn't screw anything up too much, rushed out one time and took Wilson (was it?) out, dropped a cross once, but he has credit in the bank for me.

 

[Bluemanc100]

Thanks my grandaugher is 7 weeks old

Mine’s 12 weeks tomorrow… Great isn’t it.. our first too

Let’s agree to disagree on Ederson.. he’s an enigma and I do like him .. he can be spectacularly good and (sometimes) spectacularly shit

 

[Tb1981]

Isak left him for dead at the byline and he was also marking fresh air when Wilson missed his second sitter after the break.

I'm not sure what Akanji is good at, apart from passing under no press?

He's weak as shit in the air and positionally, very poor.

I think we go up another couple levels again now Stones is fit and can play alongside Ruben.

Otherwise, Laporte has to play.

I’d sell in summer if we can turn a profit and get gvardiol to replace laporte

 

[blue cigar]

Could he do what Kev does ?

Doesn't have the range of passing to be a 10 for me, I ways thought he would suit that role but now he's thriving on the left.