Newcastle United 1-0 Wigan Athletic - 1/9/07 - Post match reaction from page 19

[Guest jimmy1982]

I agree with the optimism of loads of people on here... Unbeaten run continues, another clean sheet by an increasingly impressive defence, one of Europe's best goal getters scoring in two matches running for us and getting into goal scoring positions, us keeping going right until the end without getting dis-heartened and panicky as we almost certainly would have done under Roeder/Souness... Still got a few mint players to come in as well... Don't want to build myself up for Barton's return too much but can't help it: as somebody else said the prospect of him coming into that midfield, a proper pair of fullbacks coming in and Zoggy playing with fewer defensive responsibilites is a little bit tasty. I still won't be totally convinced by Owen until he plays the majority of a season without being injured all the time, but I loved his interview on match of the day - great to hear such confidence!

[Thespence]

Enrique wasn't on the bench to bring on.

 

High up the Gallowgate bit where I sit we don't have the luxury of a clear sound system & when the dark haired player warmed up, someone said that was Enrique & I went with it.

[Guest mikefin]

Back, and a bit pissed. Think people should leave off Butt. Twice as good as Geremi today, tbh.

 

100% true. Clearly our best player in midfield so far.

[Wallace]

Enrique wasn't on the bench to bring on.

 

High up the Gallowgate bit where I sit we don't have the luxury of a clear sound system & when the dark haired player warmed up, someone said that was Enrique & I went with it.

 

It was David Edgar.

[BlueStar]

Still had difficulties going forward and I'd have been gutted and pretty gloomy about things if we hadn't finally managed to get a goal.  But we won so fuck it

 

We need to get Zog on the left and Milner on the right as soon as possible and then we'll terrify many teams in the league.  Shame we had nowt going down the right today and it was frustrating to watch at times.  But hey, unbeaten so far and along with Liverpool we're to only team to never have been behind in a game this season (Thanks to the match programme my mate got free for sitting in the posh seats for that little nugget of information)

 

Another good point from yesterday was that in spite of the ref being baffling for most of the game he instantly redeemed himself by having a proper drop ball when I haven't seen one in ages. Made my day.

[gray]

tbf we won 3-0 if the ref wasn't in wigan colours.

[Tom_NUFC]

From the Telegraphs report

 

"He was facing a Wigan side enjoying its best ever start to a season in the top flight and with a defence containing Titus Bramble - so often a formidable tower at the heart of the Newcastle back line."

 

I know time is a healer but come on....

 

Surely that's meant to be tounge-in-cheek/sarcastic?

[STM]

Bit late but here goes:

 

Harper- 7 Not a great deal to do but a good stop from a free kick and no mistakes

 

Taylor- 7 Not brilliant delivery but assured at the back and had energy to burn

 

Cacapa-8 Looked comfortable all afternoon

 

Rozhenal- 9 Neat and tidy. A breath of fresh air at st james, the best defender we've had in years

 

N'Zogbia- 8 Wasted at left back but still deserves praise for his runs down the left and calm defending

 

Smith- 6 He's no right winger but put in a shift and showed good attitude

 

Butt- 7 Decent commanding performance. Gave the ball away a couple of times and should have scored

 

Geremi- 7 Didn't create a great deal but he was the glue between defence and midfield.

 

Milner- 8 Same old, same old. Hopefully he will get the results of last season with a more goals and assists

 

Viduka- 6 Looks typically lazy but still proved a handfull. Should have scored.

 

Owen- 9 Superb performance. Could have scored four and will before long, outstanding.

 

Sub Martins- 8 Injected life and got the all important assist.

[Keefaz]

I know it will look like I'm sticking up for Nicky Butt, and I am a little bit, but people have to understand that giving the ball away is something that comes from trying to make things happen. Not everything will come off, but alternative is someone like Parker who very rarely gave the ball away but never actually created anything and stifled our forward play.

[STM]

I know it will look like I'm sticking up for Nicky Butt, and I am a little bit, but people have to understand that giving the ball away is something that comes from trying to make things happen. Not everything will come off, but alternative is someone like Parker who very rarely gave the ball away but never actually created anything and stifled our forward play.

 

Agreed. I thought both Butt and Geremi had total domanation over the middle of the park yesterday, it suprises me that they are getting critisism. I understand that we may lack some creativity in that area because of the type of player they are but we do look solid.

 

I'm happy enough until Barton returns. He is the key.

[Baggio]

I know it will look like I'm sticking up for Nicky Butt, and I am a little bit, but people have to understand that giving the ball away is something that comes from trying to make things happen. Not everything will come off, but alternative is someone like Parker who very rarely gave the ball away but never actually created anything and stifled our forward play.

 

Nail on head.

[Keefaz]

Aye, it'll be great to see Joey B in the black and white. Think we'll look a much more balanced team once he gets fit.

[Guest nufcfan76]

Just wanted to comment on the match-

 

Great to see so many chances and playing with so much confidence - and finanlly some bottle showing that sometimes you plug away and they do't go in but eventually they do as it was a great cross from Oba to a clinical finish from Owen who was unlucky to not have a hat trick.

 

Our back 4 looked fine, but against younger, faster and hungrier opposition we'll need even better performances as this game will go down as a squad strengthening one, so it served it purpose all around I'd say.

[Yorkie]

Just thinking... when was the last time we simply couldn't score for 89 minutes, no matter what we tried, and then do so within the dying moments? Has happened to little times in the last few years.

[Dragon55544]

Just thinking... when was the last time we simply couldn't score for 89 minutes, no matter what we tried, and then do so within the dying moments? Has happened to little times in the last few years.

 

Anyone remember Nufc v Fulham a few seasons back? We battered Fulham but couldnt score, Fulham have 4 shots and 4 goals. It wasnt till the very end Bellamy managed to score but by then it was to late.

[Ikon]

My internet connection has been down so i haven't had the chance to express myself. I was so frustrated that we hadn't scored a goal and the ref doing his best to deny us one, and we were unlucky and missed quite a few that should of been goals.

 

When Owen scored i could not stop celebrating. YES!! A frustrating game that ended in a smile after 85 minutes. But quite a good game.

 

Extremely delighted.

 

 

I was impressed with the back four, calm and solid, especially Cacapa and Rozehnal, Not much to do, but what they did was done with quality.

[Andy]

Ray Ting's Player Analysis - sponsored by CILIT BANG:

 

Harper - 7 - He stood there and he SAVED SHOTS, a true patriot in the net.

N'Zogbia - 7 - A typical FRENCH performance from the little bloke at left back.

Taylor - 7 - Like a gigantic FORTRESS of mass-destruction, this was a pathetically OBSCENE display of arrogance

Cacapa - 8 - So BRAZILIANT that he doesn't even move. Just stands there and MOCKS his foe.

Rozenhal - 8 - As idiotically SOLID as a defensively-competent ox.

Milner - 7 - He is UGLY, but his ball-skillz are not. Crossing is BANG OUT OF ORDER.

Smith - 5 - Dark hair is affecting his footballing talent, BLEACH NEEDED ASAP.

Butt - 8 - Tireless and steely, fierce and GINGER. What more can I say?

Geremi - 7 - His head gets SHINIER by the week, a true captain's HAIRCUT.

Owen - 6 - As LETHAL as Jack Bauer and as DEADLY as Jack the Ripper.

Viduka - 35 - That's not his rating, it's his BMI.

 

THE OTHERS:

 

Martins - 7 - FASTER THAN THE BALL

Pattison - N/A - FATTER THAN THE BALL

Ameobi - 6 - FALLS OVER THE BALL

 

BANG AND THE DIRT IS GONE™

[Dave]

[timnufc22]

I know it will look like I'm sticking up for Nicky Butt, and I am a little bit, but people have to understand that giving the ball away is something that comes from trying to make things happen. Not everything will come off, but alternative is someone like Parker who very rarely gave the ball away but never actually created anything and stifled our forward play.

 

Nail on head.

 

Exactly.

[Guest Coin]

Ray Ting's Player Analysis - sponsored by CILIT BANG:

 

Harper - 7 - He stood there and he SAVED SHOTS, a true patriot in the net.

N'Zogbia - 7 - A typical FRENCH performance from the little bloke at left back.

Taylor - 7 - Like a gigantic FORTRESS of mass-destruction, this was a pathetically OBSCENE display of arrogance

Cacapa - 8 - So BRAZILIANT that he doesn't even move. Just stands there and MOCKS his foe.

Rozenhal - 8 - As idiotically SOLID as a defensively-competent ox.

Milner - 7 - He is UGLY, but his ball-skillz are not. Crossing is BANG OUT OF ORDER.

Smith - 5 - Dark hair is affecting his footballing talent, BLEACH NEEDED ASAP.

Butt - 8 - Tireless and steely, fierce and GINGER. What more can I say?

Geremi - 7 - His head gets SHINIER by the week, a true captain's HAIRCUT.

Owen - 6 - As LETHAL as Jack Bauer and as DEADLY as Jack the Ripper.

Viduka - 35 - That's not his rating, it's his BMI.

 

THE OTHERS:

 

Martins - 7 - FASTER THAN THE BALL

Pattison - N/A - FATTER THAN THE BALL

Ameobi - 6 - FALLS OVER THE BALL

 

BANG AND THE DIRT IS GONE™

 

mackems.gif

[alpal78]

Glad with the win but on another day we would have easily drawn and we will draw a canny few if we keep on playing like this. Dissapointed Aallardyce didn't went for it after they were down to 10 men, you just know that Mourinho would have taken off a defender and sub with an attacking player. Sam just relied on his players working harder and harder and threw on Martins as the last throw of the dice without changing the formation. It's good to have faith in your players but sometimes you have to go for it to win more than you draw.

 

With the score at 0-0 we made the only substitution that could sensibly be made, ie swapping a midfielder for a quick striker. We had no other sensible substitutions available, but you could have hardly called N'Zogbia a left back, with him occupying an attacking midfield position whenever off the ball.

 

What people are stupidly failing to appreciate is that the game became more difficult for us when Wigan went down to ten men. In the first half, we were creating chances because Wigan were creating spaces through their own play by trying to win the  game themselves (but with little joy due to our defenders being a step ahead).

 

However, in the second half, Wigan packed every player in their defensive third, stopping us playing the short ball, while their physical presense was always going to make us lose out on the long ball. It is an effective tactic that can win invaluable points for a smaller team just hoping to avoid relegation. Man Utd and Chelsea would have struggled to win this game.

 

Only an excellent playmaker could have broken the deadlock, but a playmaker who is good enough to make a consistent impact in the every day 11 vs 11 hustle and bustle in the Premiership is rare. In England, we have Alonso, Arteta and Scholes, and that is about it.

 

Not sure if my post "stupidly fails to appreciate" the point you raised. On the contrary, I acknowledged that when going against a team with 10 men, we needed to play with 2 wide men to stretch the play as the 10 men opponent would likely pack their defence resulting in a very narrow formation. 2 ways to skin the cat, have a superb playmaker in the mold of Riqeulme (and we don't have a player of that ability in our squad currently) to thread the ball through the pack defence or use the 2 wide men approach to stretch the play. In my view, by keeping both Milner and Zoggy on the same side and retaining Smith on the other side (till Martins came on that is), we did not do what we could have done to counter the packed Wigan defence.

 

Unsurprisingly we scored the moment Martins played on the right and from probably his first cross as well which vindicates my point and suggests that we could have potentially scored earlier had we gone with 2 wide men.

 

[Northern Monkey]

I assume all of the "Bramble on his day is one of the strongest/best defenders in the league" merchants will be sticking up for him again?

 

He's fucking shit, he's always been fucking shit, and his comedy defending can now be enjoyed by us as well as other PL fans.

[Guest WalkervilleMag]

put Bramble under abit of preasure and he cracks every time.

[Dave]

Taylor came close not to being there (U21s) at all, when he fell awkwardly after an assault by Wigan's Emile Heskey on Saturday.

 

"I've not seen the replays yet. I've got down on my shoulder, and my head's hit the ground as I've gone down.

 

"I remember at the time the referee put his fingers down my throat to stop me swallowing my tongue. It looked worse than it was, but I didn't want to move at the time in case something was wrong."

 

I don't like Steve Bennett at all as a referee, but fair play to him on that incident. He was over to Taylor quick as a flash.

[PM]

Taylor came close not to being there (U21s) at all, when he fell awkwardly after an assault by Wigan's Emile Heskey on Saturday.

 

"I've not seen the replays yet. I've got down on my shoulder, and my head's hit the ground as I've gone down.

 

"I remember at the time the referee put his fingers down my throat to stop me swallowing my tongue. It looked worse than it was, but I didn't want to move at the time in case something was wrong."

 

I don't like Steve Bennett at all as a referee, but fair play to him on that incident. He was over to Taylor quick as a flash.

 

Absolutely