Are You Glad I Signed Now?
At the start of the season, Newcastle were being seen as a
bit of a joke with fat Mike Ashley still owning the club despite saying he was
looking for a buyer for about the 50th time and their best manager of recent
years, Rafa Benitez having had enough of the circus and disappearing off to
China. When Benitez went, the Ashley camp did put out there that Rafa wanted to
bankrupt the club by spending ridiculous money and everyone kind of went “yeah
yeah whatever“. The season started with Steve Bruce in charge who to put it
politely, has had a chequered managerial record which included being manager of
Newcastle’s arch-rivals, Sunderland. There was the capacity for the Geordies to
forgive though because Steve Bruce for all his faults, is one of them, a born
and bred Geordie. A dodgy start to the season
followed and it was widely thought that Bruce didn’t have a clue what he was
doing and Ashley was just asset stripping but then the results started to turn
and Newcastle strung a few wins together. It’s remarkable how much bitching
about the owners disappears when the team strings few results together. I’m not
saying that Steve Bruce is the best manager in the world and I’m certainly not
saying that Mike Ashley is the best owner in the world but at the moment,
Newcastle are doing alright.
As for Ashley, well he sanctioned punting £40 million on a striker in Joelinton who doesn’t look at £40 million player but he’s done okay… well as ok as a striker can do without scoring any goals. He has also brought in Andy Carroll and the local hero is always a threat, although mainly off the bench. Bruce has rehabilitated Jonjo Shelvey who has loads of talent. Similar to ourselves in a way, they have some good attacking talent in wide positions and the thought of Saint Maximim running at Cedric today is one that gives me the shits. Unlike us though, they are pretty solid defensively which is a relic of the Benitez days. If Saints are going to keep up their inexorable march towards the Champions League places, then we are going to have our work cut out today at a stadium where we never do particularly well.
I’m expecting us to start with the same team that we started with against Norwich. Hopefully Yan Valery will be fit enough to return to the bench and hopefully Sofiane Boufal has not kicked another table. The players who are going to have to perform for us today in particular our Euro 2016 tight shirted boy band Champion Cedric Soares, who is going to have a job of keeping Saint Maximim quiet and also, the central defenders who are going to have to stand up to the physicality of Joelinton and Carroll. This will be an interesting test of Jack Stephens recent improvement. I feel that the two wins that we have had means we can go into this game with no fear and if Pierre and JWP can get a grip in midfield then I see no reason why we can’t get something from this game if everyone else stands up and puts in a decent performance.
So it’s a Sunday 2 o’clock kick-off but the game is not on Sky or BT or anywhere else and no one has been involved in the Europa league on a Thursday night. What happened this week is the Amazon Prime showed all the mid-week games and part of that deal was that a couple of games had to be played on Thursday night which included Newcastle. No thought given to Southampton fans travelling the entire length of the country. It’s yet another way that fans who go to matches can be fucked over by ridiculous fixture changes.
Our team is as expected and the only change is on the bench where Danso is replaced with Vestergaard – I assume for when Carroll comes on later in the game. Don’t see the point myself as Carroll will smash him to bits.
As for Ashley, well he sanctioned punting £40 million on a striker in Joelinton who doesn’t look at £40 million player but he’s done okay… well as ok as a striker can do without scoring any goals. He has also brought in Andy Carroll and the local hero is always a threat, although mainly off the bench. Bruce has rehabilitated Jonjo Shelvey who has loads of talent. Similar to ourselves in a way, they have some good attacking talent in wide positions and the thought of Saint Maximim running at Cedric today is one that gives me the shits. Unlike us though, they are pretty solid defensively which is a relic of the Benitez days. If Saints are going to keep up their inexorable march towards the Champions League places, then we are going to have our work cut out today at a stadium where we never do particularly well.
I’m expecting us to start with the same team that we started with against Norwich. Hopefully Yan Valery will be fit enough to return to the bench and hopefully Sofiane Boufal has not kicked another table. The players who are going to have to perform for us today in particular our Euro 2016 tight shirted boy band Champion Cedric Soares, who is going to have a job of keeping Saint Maximim quiet and also, the central defenders who are going to have to stand up to the physicality of Joelinton and Carroll. This will be an interesting test of Jack Stephens recent improvement. I feel that the two wins that we have had means we can go into this game with no fear and if Pierre and JWP can get a grip in midfield then I see no reason why we can’t get something from this game if everyone else stands up and puts in a decent performance.
So it’s a Sunday 2 o’clock kick-off but the game is not on Sky or BT or anywhere else and no one has been involved in the Europa league on a Thursday night. What happened this week is the Amazon Prime showed all the mid-week games and part of that deal was that a couple of games had to be played on Thursday night which included Newcastle. No thought given to Southampton fans travelling the entire length of the country. It’s yet another way that fans who go to matches can be fucked over by ridiculous fixture changes.
Our team is as expected and the only change is on the bench where Danso is replaced with Vestergaard – I assume for when Carroll comes on later in the game. Don’t see the point myself as Carroll will smash him to bits.
A decent start and we’re controlling matters in midfield and
knocking it about nicely. In addition,
when we lose it we’re in Newcastle’s faces and not giving them any time. It’s all going well and then Saints get
presented with a glorious chance to take the lead courtesy of a shit pass
across the Newcastle defence which is intercepted by Redmond and his first
touch knocks it past the last defender leaving him bearing down on Dubravka in
goal. The Redders of last season would it take on this on the skip past the
goalkeeper but the Redmond of this year doesn’t even think and just hits it
early and it’s too close to Dubravka who gets a foot in the way and deflects it
wide. You can’t be missing chances like this and expect to win many games in
the Premier League.
From the resulting corner of the ball gets cleared the edge of the box and there is Redmond again with her another opportunity to smash it towards the goal. This time, he absolutely creams it but unfortunately it is too close to Dubravka who parries it away.
From the resulting corner of the ball gets cleared the edge of the box and there is Redmond again with her another opportunity to smash it towards the goal. This time, he absolutely creams it but unfortunately it is too close to Dubravka who parries it away.
That’s more or less it for the rest of the first half but we’re
the better side by quite a long way as Newcsastle haven’t had a sniff. Any dominance is rendered kind of pointless
though with the score being 0-0.
Second half and we are still better side without really looking like scoring and then the Newcastle defence gifts another chance as Stephens long ball out of defence is left by Dummett, the Newcastle centre back and Ings is away and unlike Redmond in the first half, you absolutely know he is going to score as he takes a touch wide to open up the angle and rolls it past the keeper into the net. Five goals in five for the main man and it’s all on record but I said at the start of the season that he is our best striker by a mile.
There is a potential game changing substitution when Bruce takes off Joelinton who to be fair, has not done very much and has been quite easily handled by our central defenders. On comes Andy Carroll or as we call him, Andy the Bastard. Newcastle immediately start playing the ball longer and we have to compete against him and it’s not pretty and immediately, Newcastle are having more possession in our half by picking up the second balls.
From one such long ball, the ball goes towards Cedric and he allows the ball to bounce high before trying some sort of wanky hitch kick to try and clear the ball and he succeeds in booting Almiron in the head. The free-kick is crossed in by Shelvey and headed away to the left back area where Andy the Bastard runs and retrieves it, is allowed to switch it on to his good left foot any pings over a superb cross which Shelvey meets about 7 yards out and bullets the head past McCarthy who has absolutely no chance. Shelvey looked suspiciously unmarked on first viewing and when you see the replay, it’s evident that the two players in the wall just completely switched off and allowed fucking Voldemort to wander into the box.
Up the other end we go in a corner on the right hand side. JWP swings it in and Shane Long, like he did last week flicks the ball across goal but it flies too fast for Bertrand who doesn’t quite anticipate it and the ball skims is off his head and flies over the bar from right in front of the open goal. Again, we really have to score there.
And so it comes to pass with three minutes to go to having been the better side throughout, we do our usual. A long ball is launched towards the Bastard and Bednarek and Hojbjerg obviously don’t communicate with each other and neither of them heads the ball and a great distance. Eventually is worked out the left and then back to Shaun Longstaff who hits one from 25 yards and McCarthy makes a bit of a bollocks of it and pushes it sideways to wear Fernandez has a tap in. There are four Newcastle players following in the shot and precisely zero defenders doing anything. For fucks sake.
We have about 10 minutes to get back into it but our bolt is well and truly shot and to be honest we don’t even look like scoring a goal. Danny Ings is replaced with Che Adams which really isn’t going to achieve anything and so we fall to a rather depressing defeat and our unbeaten run stops at three.
Second half and we are still better side without really looking like scoring and then the Newcastle defence gifts another chance as Stephens long ball out of defence is left by Dummett, the Newcastle centre back and Ings is away and unlike Redmond in the first half, you absolutely know he is going to score as he takes a touch wide to open up the angle and rolls it past the keeper into the net. Five goals in five for the main man and it’s all on record but I said at the start of the season that he is our best striker by a mile.
There is a potential game changing substitution when Bruce takes off Joelinton who to be fair, has not done very much and has been quite easily handled by our central defenders. On comes Andy Carroll or as we call him, Andy the Bastard. Newcastle immediately start playing the ball longer and we have to compete against him and it’s not pretty and immediately, Newcastle are having more possession in our half by picking up the second balls.
From one such long ball, the ball goes towards Cedric and he allows the ball to bounce high before trying some sort of wanky hitch kick to try and clear the ball and he succeeds in booting Almiron in the head. The free-kick is crossed in by Shelvey and headed away to the left back area where Andy the Bastard runs and retrieves it, is allowed to switch it on to his good left foot any pings over a superb cross which Shelvey meets about 7 yards out and bullets the head past McCarthy who has absolutely no chance. Shelvey looked suspiciously unmarked on first viewing and when you see the replay, it’s evident that the two players in the wall just completely switched off and allowed fucking Voldemort to wander into the box.
Up the other end we go in a corner on the right hand side. JWP swings it in and Shane Long, like he did last week flicks the ball across goal but it flies too fast for Bertrand who doesn’t quite anticipate it and the ball skims is off his head and flies over the bar from right in front of the open goal. Again, we really have to score there.
And so it comes to pass with three minutes to go to having been the better side throughout, we do our usual. A long ball is launched towards the Bastard and Bednarek and Hojbjerg obviously don’t communicate with each other and neither of them heads the ball and a great distance. Eventually is worked out the left and then back to Shaun Longstaff who hits one from 25 yards and McCarthy makes a bit of a bollocks of it and pushes it sideways to wear Fernandez has a tap in. There are four Newcastle players following in the shot and precisely zero defenders doing anything. For fucks sake.
We have about 10 minutes to get back into it but our bolt is well and truly shot and to be honest we don’t even look like scoring a goal. Danny Ings is replaced with Che Adams which really isn’t going to achieve anything and so we fall to a rather depressing defeat and our unbeaten run stops at three.
Fuck it. On the balance of play we deserve more out of the
game but in the key moments at both ends of the pitch, which are the areas that
matter most, we coughed it up again. Bad misses of very good chances by Redmond
and Bertrand in particular and a lack of discipline when defending on both the
Newcastle goals, cost us the game against a team who we really should’ve beaten.
The first Newcastle go there is a free-kick from Shelvey which is headed out, the Bastard retrieves the ball and crosses it back in and Voldemort is completely unmarked to head in the equaliser. If you watch it back he takes a free-kick and just jogs past the two Saints players in the wall who are Redmond and Djenepo and neither of them get anywhere near him or anyone else, they just fucking stand there so basically they’ve stood in the wall, seen it chipped over them and then done nothing.
On the second goal, of course McCarthy should do better than to parry it out but why is Fernandez the only player reacts. On top of that, the move the letter the second goal all started with a hoof up field and Bednarek and Hojbjerg both try to head the same ball. Absolute basics you learn when you are 10 years old. If the ball is in the air then the central defender calls for it and the midfielder gets out of the fucking way.
The first Newcastle go there is a free-kick from Shelvey which is headed out, the Bastard retrieves the ball and crosses it back in and Voldemort is completely unmarked to head in the equaliser. If you watch it back he takes a free-kick and just jogs past the two Saints players in the wall who are Redmond and Djenepo and neither of them get anywhere near him or anyone else, they just fucking stand there so basically they’ve stood in the wall, seen it chipped over them and then done nothing.
On the second goal, of course McCarthy should do better than to parry it out but why is Fernandez the only player reacts. On top of that, the move the letter the second goal all started with a hoof up field and Bednarek and Hojbjerg both try to head the same ball. Absolute basics you learn when you are 10 years old. If the ball is in the air then the central defender calls for it and the midfielder gets out of the fucking way.
At the other end of the pitch, Redmond should’ve put us in front of the first half as he had a choice about five things he could’ve done but as befits a player with zero confidence he’s just tried the easiest thing possible which was to hit it from where he was and the goalkeeper made a simple save. The Bertrand miss was a tougher chance but still should have been taken. Today wasn’t quite up there with the Arsenal draw in terms of missing chances but the pisser is that if you look at that game as well, we really should have got 12 out of 12 over the last 4 games.
There will be positives that could be taken out of the manner of the performance and the fact that we did look the better side for about 80 minutes but it’s points we need and this was a major chance with the way the game panned out, for us to get three more and the fact that we’ve not even ended up with one is a bit of a kick in the bollocks.
The Moment It Went to Shit
We didn’t react well when Andy the Bastard came on and as he always does, he absolutely terrorised us. It was interesting hearing Ralph saying that he is hard to defend against Bastard because he’s 10 foot tall. Yes he is. If only we had a similarly massive centre back to bring on. We do of course but Bastard would’ve eaten Vestergaard alive even though he is four inches shorter than him. The fact that Vestergaard wasn’t used to mark the best header of the ball in the league tells me that he’s not going to be around much longer.
Positives are of course yet another goal from Danny Ings. When he went through with the ball you just knew he was going to score, similar to Redmond in that you knew he was going to miss. I thought the central midfield of Hojbjerg and JWP competed well and this is why we dominated the majority of the game. All of the defenders in the main played well with Cedric today only being a partial liability instead of a complete one. Shane Long put in his usual hard-working performance up front but it would be nice if he was actually a goal threat.
The next two games are West Ham at home and Aston Villa away. We certainly need to be winning the West Ham game and we certainly can’t afford to lose either of these games. West Ham are capable of putting in a decent performance, like they did at Chelsea recently but they are also capable of stinking the place out and the players don’t seem to be really enjoying playing for Pellegrini. Saints showed again today that they can do it and we looked like a side that is perfectly capable of getting out of the mess that we are in but whilst the issues in both penalty areas persist, we’re going to be in for a season with many more frustrating games like this one.
No comments:
Post a Comment