Newcastle Vs City C1C Post Match Thread

[citymad]

Re: Newcastle Vs City C1C Post Match Thread

Tonight makes me appreciate the first team players even more especially Merlin, words cant express the love I have for this special and utterly world class player. Changed the game tonight and I cant wait see him in action on Saturday.

 

[East Level 2]

Re: Newcastle Vs City C1C Post Match Thread

Poor performance tonight, but job done and we're through to the quarter finals. It was by no means an easy task, but we laboured for long spells and were perhaps fortunate to be level at half time. Not many of the peripheral players did enough to suggest they merit a place in the starting line up. Fair play to them for showing enough resilience to win the tie though.
There was a notable improvement when Silva came on, and Milner moved to the middle. He should be third choice centre mid for me, behind Yaya and Fernandinho but ahead of Garcia and Rodwell.

Sums it up for me. The highlight was the Cajun Boxmaster at the KFC on the way up. Oh and the traffic was quite light on the way back. Basically we didn't pick a "second team" we picked eleven squad players and sent them out to do a job. Any two or three of them, with the possible exception of Garcia, could be added to the spine of the team in a first team game, but that eleven as a team just didn't work.
Leicester next, and while they are doing OK in the Championship they should be beatable if we are serious about this tournament.

 

[eversince 76]

Re: Newcastle Vs City C1C Post Match Thread

Poor performance indeed. We were the better side after Silva came on and Pellegrini made a few changes in position i.e. Milner more central that clearly suited the player. Especially when having the ball it showed why Pellegrini didn't play Richards, Lescott or Boyata in central defence. Let's hope that one is cleared up by lastnight.

- Pantilimon 8 (2 great saves, looked at ease)
- Richards 5 (some headless chicken runs and clumpsy tackles, far too restless at times)
- Boyata 6 (defended well, when having the ball the only way was a riskless sidepass)
- Lescott 6 (defended well enough, great clearance from the line in the end, build-up play very poor)
- Kolarov 5 (great season so far but played like he couldn't care less on the night)
- Garcia 7 (another decent performance, played a big part in all 4 past awaygames, had to play deep to help out deep Boyata and Letcott when in possession of the ball)
- Rodwell 5 (far too restless, wanted to overdo it)
- Navas 6 (looked a lightweight, but after Silva came he showed much more of what he is capable of)
- Milner 7 (involved himself a lot, but his passes went nowhere; change of position worked for him and he ended in fine style)
- Dzeko 6 (even though he provided 1 and scored 1, it were the only 2 decent touches of the night; would've had a 4 without)
- Jovetic - (such a pity he had to go off so early; he was clearly very frustrated)
- Negredo 7 (have seen him play much better, but dug in and scoring a goal was his reward)
- Silva 9 MOTM, even as a sub (when he came on everything within the stadium changed)
- Zabaleta 7 (helped to ease down the tempo and looked more solid and composed than Richards)

 

[Marvin]

Re: Newcastle Vs City C1C Post Match Thread

Poor performance indeed. We were the better side after Silva came on and Pellegrini made a few changes in position i.e. Milner more central that clearly suited the player. Especially when having the ball it showed why Pellegrini didn't play Richards, Lescott or Boyata in central defence. Let's hope that one is cleared up by lastnight.

- Pantilimon 8 (2 great saves, looked at ease)
- Richards 5 (some headless chicken runs and clumpsy tackles, far too restless at times)
- Boyata 6 (defended well, when having the ball the only way was a riskless sidepass)
- Lescott 6 (defended well enough, great clearance from the line in the end, build-up play very poor)
- Kolarov 5 (great season so far but played like he couldn't care less on the night)
- Garcia 7 (another decent performance, played a big part in all 4 past awaygames, had to play deep to help out deep Boyata and Letcott when in possession of the ball)
- Rodwell 5 (far too restless, wanted to overdo it)
- Navas 6 (looked a lightweight, but after Silva came he showed much more of what he is capable of)
- Milner 7 (involved himself a lot, but his passes went nowhere; change of position worked for him and he ended in fine style)
- Dzeko 6 (even though he provided 1 and scored 1, it were the only 2 decent touches of the night; would've had a 4 without)
- Jovetic - (such a pity he had to go off so early; he was clearly very frustrated)
- Negredo 7 (have seen him play much better, but dug in and scoring a goal was his reward)
- Silva 9 MOTM, even as a sub (when he came on everything within the stadium changed)
- Zabaleta 7 (helped to ease down the tempo and looked more solid and composed than Richards)

Bit harsh on Richards who was very committed.

How are the defenders going to produce good build-up play when the midfield were just as pedestrian?

Chelsea and Arsenal both have about 10 creative attacking midfielders in their squad - we don't. So we struggle when Silva, Nari are missing. But we have other assets in our squad which they don't have

 

[without a dream]

Re: Newcastle Vs City C1C Post Match Thread

One of the dullest games I've had the misfortune of attending. It only got vaguely interesting when Spanish Dave came on, he really is a special player, and then the old songs for the last half of extra time. At least we're through.

 

[yerwot?]

Re: Newcastle Vs City C1C Post Match Thread

panned out exactly as you would expect from 11 players who had never played together and likely never will again. There was no link between the back and the front, especially now that we have finally eradicated 'hoofball'. Rodwell has had far too little game time to step into Silva's role as creative mid, if he ever will be, (doubtful). Just glad we weren't playing Chelsea's reserves

 

[cibaman]

Re: Newcastle Vs City C1C Post Match Thread

Shouldn't read too much into these games. But it did seem that Richards-Navas isn't an ideal combination. Navas needs to be playing in front of players that can provide him with decent service. Micah's passing game isn't his strongest quality. The two just don't seem to go together.

 

[sh249]

Re: Newcastle Vs City C1C Post Match Thread

Bang on as usual ob1. We couldn't get the passing going because the entire back four couldn't build anything, because they are poor on the ball, and we were passing it along the back line or hoofing it. But newcastle didn't create much and we grew into the game steadily and always looked the more likely to win it from halftime on. Once the silva sub was made we took total control.

A very professional performance from a team without its spine.

Blue tinted specs on there DD, "Newcastle didn't create much" - they could have been three up at half time. " A very professional performance" - not really we could easily have lost it, other than that your analysis is spot on.

Maybe 'very professional' was pushing it. We were certainly poor first half. But I felt the players dug in and got the job done. If Newcastle had scored in the first half I still feel we'd have put silva on and won the game.

What a player he is. He was like a man amongst boys on that pitch.

Privilege to watch him, week in, week out. Despite the recent success, I still somehow find it slightly difficult to believe that we have someone that good playing for us.

 

[PragueBlue]

Re: Newcastle Vs City C1C Post Match Thread

Very average performance but good result.

 

[Plays By Sense Of Smell]

Re: Newcastle Vs City C1C Post Match Thread

What I noticed especially about Milner in the middle were a couple of things:

When the ball was played back to the back 4, Newcastle would often drop off to halfway - our centre mids (when silva also came on) would then drop a little and want the ball.

Added to this, they weren't afraid to step into the space that was created (noticed Boyata do this a couple of times later on too.).

when this happens, it puts the other team on the back foot as you instantly have an overload - an extra man that creates options and pulls people from their assignments as they have to deal with it or let that player keep coming. It's the principle reason why Yaya's storming runs are so devastating.

When Milner got the ball tonight he wasn't afraid to play a little give and get with the full backs to create the space in the centre, then move into it - bypassing a player and putting us in that attacking overload position.

And if there's one thing we've seen about the quick passing style, it's that having options is key.

Thought he was excellent defensively too, - remember him really stretching across to stick out a leg and block a pass - thought he'd pulled his groin on that one.