Newcastle United 1 - 4 Portsmouth - 03/11/07 - Post match reaction from page 21

[Alberto2005]

Game of the day, get in, can't wait.

[robbo_11]

Back from the match and very disappointed.

 

I agree, why did N'Zogbia and Milner play on opposite wings?

 

Why did we consistenly hoof the ball (Enrique mainly) up the pitch to Owen?

 

We looked as though we could pass the ball 3 times in a row and then lose it. Portsmouth could pass it 10 times, keep hold of it and split the defence!

 

Joey Barton had a poor game, maye he is not fit yet. The booing for taking Milner were unneccesary. The chanting for Oba then the booing when he does a mistake Some fans can be really fickle, I was expecting "Shearer, Shearer" chants.

 

Overall, we lost the game in the first 11 minutes and never looked like scoring. 3 comical goals and as someone said after the Reading game, losing away games adds more pressure on at home.

[NSG]

You know it's grim when Owen thinks it's wise to try a bicycle kick through ball...

[ElDiablo]

Was coming for a while this imo. This is what happens when you replace pace for graft, you don't have teams on the backfoot and you have no outlet, we have one pacey player in Oba but he's simply too thick to use it properly. We need some creativity from the middle and pace up front and on the right. Seems strange saying it but i'm gutted we didn't go in for someone like Bellamy, just what we could do with.

[Guest shaun11177]

We need a huge reaction against Sunderland.

Tactically Sam hasnt cut it at all. Why is Martins behind Smith?  Why is Emre behind Barton?

Why are the wingers on the wrong wing?

The team must finish top half for Sam to get a 2nd season.

[Rob]

We need a huge reaction against Sunderland.

Tactically Sam hasnt cut it at all. Why is Martins behind Smith?  Why is Emre behind Barton?

Why are the wingers on the wrong wing?

The team must finish top half for Sam to get a 2nd season.

 

i think the wingers are swapped, because he can see that the two of them have potential to get goals from cutting in, such as  man utd last season and middlesborough this season, i just think someone needs to slap him  aqnd tell him that this only works once or twice in a blue moon and should only be done for a few occasions in a game, when the opposition full backs are weak ... today milner was in johnsons back pocket and johnson is sh8t

[NSG]

.cock

 

NEWCASTLE United manager Sam Allardyce said he was "devastated" and "gutted" by his side's shock 4-1 collapse against Portsmouth at St. James' Park.

 

Big Sam said his players were their own worst enemies and basic errors and defensive frailties were behind the defeat, in which Pompey led 3-0 after only 11 minutes.

 

"Disappointed is an understatement," he said. "I'm devastated by what's happened here today. I'm completely gutted inside.

 

"What I put out on the field of play is an extension of me. Players have to keep their shape and use their discipline and abilities, make sure they help their mates and use their talents in the right areas. Today that didn't happen.

 

"We lost all our discipline, shape and organisation, and going chasing lost causes means you lose deeper and harder.

 

"We were our own worst enemy today. The basic errors from the back four have to be cut out. You have to play as a unit, and the biggest unit of all has to be the back four.

 

"If it's great play by the opposition then you hold your hands up, but when it boils down to two basic errors there's very little that a manager can do. Their first goal was a stunning, stunning goal, but after that it was basic errors."

 

Added Allardyce: "It's not just the defence. It's about the protection of the back four. The front men's responsibility is to pressurise the opposition, and the midfield has to stop the attacks from the opposition.

 

"We had a lot of experienced Premier League players out there today - but they didn't use that experience.

 

"We lost the game in those first 12 minutes. We lost the game in the shortest period of time ever since I've been here. When you go 1-0 down - to a goal you couldn't do much about - you make sure you don't go 2-0 down.

 

"But we then gifted Portsmouth two more goals and even though we had a spirited comeback, and created some opportunities, and made David James show what a good goalkeeper he is, it was much too late.

 

"We cannot carry on defending like that. For the first time, our defensive frailties have slipped into a game at St. James' Park - and that's the reason we've lost."

 

Allardyce hauled off Brazilian centre-back Cacapa after 17 minutes and explained: "I wanted to make a change. We needed to get somebody off in the back four - it had looked so out of sorts. At least we brought a bit of solidarity back. David Rozehnal I thought did reasonably well.

 

"But in the second half Portsmouth didn't need to attack. Harry was going mad because his players kept attacking, but they put that right in the second half. They said: We don't need to score another goal to win."

[Beezeri]

How about our midfield...it seems so poor at the moment. Our forwards can't get any service at all and mostly they create the chances themselves. We have no pace at all in our play and Milner just dribbles with the ball and the loses it or crosses way out of the target. Midfield doesn't cover the defence and how come all our defenders looks like shit althought they've been successful at their previous clubs. Our only players who are able to do something on the pitch are N'Zogbia and Emre. They have the skills and pace to put the opponent under any pressure.

 

Maybe we should think about changing the midfield instead of rotating defenders and attackers or sacking coaches!

[EthiGeordie]

There is only problem to our team and it is simple we need 11 players and a settle side we change 5 players today and we were useless. It is sad but it seems Sam doesn't know what is his best team is it seems we need more time and we have to give it to him.

[ohmelads]

Allardyce trying to be clever again. If the Reading result didn't bring him back down to earth then hopefully this one will. We can't afford to keep throwing these games away.

 

N'Zogbia on the right and Milner on the left? Butt/Barton in midfield at home to Portsmouth? A bit negative isn't it?

 

We didn't deserve to be beaten 4-1, and Portsmouth must know they enjoyed some good fortune today, but we didn't do enough to say we deserved anything from the game. I'm really worried about Allardyce and this squad, if he wants enough time to build a squad that plays his football then he must be patient and adjust his tactics to fit the current players at his disposal. If he isn't willing or capable of doing that then he will fail here. Players like Owen, Martins and even Smith fighting for high balls isn't going to get us anywhere. If we don't play to our strengths then we will lose games we should be winning and he will lose the respect of the players.

 

Next Saturday is an absolutely massive game for us. I worry that if we play for the draw we will lose and Allardyce will lose a huge amount of respect from the fans, which will ultimately filter down to the players. We must get something from this game, and have a real go at the mackems. No funny stuff from Allardyce, just players in their familiar positions going out to win the game. Portsmouth showed us how to play away from home today.

[Rob]

There is only problem to our team and it is simple we need 11 players and a settle side we change 5 players today and we were useless. It is sad but it seems Sam doesn't know what is his best team is it seems we need more time and we have to give it to him.

 

i agree with the fact that he needs time and I also think there is too much changing to the team... he is tinkering too much... players are probly on edge too much thinking as soon as they make a mistake they are dropped completely from the team... stop fucking about with formations and tactics until you can get a team that communicates with each other... let them play football for fucks sake

[Guest Toongaboom]

...it is my birthday today.....f***!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!---now i`m so drunk.....and....very soon.....more drunk................................

[Rob]

i also think nigel pearson needs to be replaced, he is the defensive coach, and all too often when i see the dug out i see him sitting there biting his nalis

[Pav]

Aslong as our form changes next week then I couldnt give a fuck.

[Gallowgate Toon]

Today wasn't inordinary, every season every team has an extremely poor and freakish result at home. Last season for us it was Birmingham last season for Arsenal it was West Ham etc, but weird things happen in football, like freaky results today, you can't stop them.

today though, effectively the real result was 1-1, because those crazy 5 minutes were an absolute fluke and a total shambles. Cacapa, arguably our most experienced and best player had a shocker. I hope it doesn't have the same effect on him as it did on Boumsong after Man Utd. But he isn't totally to blame. The first goal was an absolute screamer but who the hell was closing paramot down? pathetic really. Cacapa is solely to blame for the second but for the third i blame the whole defence, what was Faye doing and why did Harper have to come out so early and make the goal a much easier target, those who celebrated Harper coming back, are i hope giving themselves a good slap, as he was also really at fault the fourth goal too. I can see why SA brought Taylor back to deal with the aerial threat but Beye must be back for next week imo. Enrique i thought had a good game and was our best player. Faye was just as bad as Cacapa just his blunders weren't so critical. Rozy showed us why he is a class act today really good when he got on.

For me Barton not match fit, but showed some real class in glimpses some good balls etc. Butt for me never MOTM was poor. The wingers should never start like that, maybe switch round a little bit, but Milner was rubbish Zoggy was a little bit better. Emre was pretty lively when he came on and i would like him and Barton to start at home.

Oba should never have been dropped in the first place you just simply don't drop the top scorer. Owen looked alright today just slow and weak. Smith was ineffective.

 

Harper - 4

Cacapa - 2

Faye - 3

Taylor - 4

Enrique - 6

Milner - 4

Zog - 5

Barton - 5

Butt - 5

Owen - 5

Smith - 4

 

Subs

Martins - 6

Emre - 6

Roz - 6.5

[Kev]

What a shock!

we have a 'steady, strong' defence? HAVE WE FUCK

useless for 90minutes, taylor and rozehnal were the only players who looked like they were trying and they were the only ones trying to run through pompeys defence

nicky butt somehow got motm? taylor was miles better even if we conceded 4 (as hes a defender)

owen was shite once again

 

IM SCARED FOR NEXT WEEK BECAUSE WE WILL GET TORTURED

[Rob]

i think faye and roz are the way forward at the minute... faye against the bigger stronger opposition and  roz against the quicker, should give a bit of balance

[Wullie]

That was bad.

[Dr. Nguyen Van Falk]

Anyone else impressed with Pompey? Look a canny team with some very good players. Gonna be fucked come January mind.

[EthiGeordie]

If you see BS Bolton team when they lose they lose with big margin. I think he bought that around along with his scintific approch to the game.

[Wullie]

There were worrying signs in the team selections for this and last week that Sam isn't backing his own judgement. This is what can happen when a manager is under pressure at a bigger club. Last week, it was dropping Smith. This week it's playing Zoggy and Milner. Those are choices that a lot of people were wanting him to make, and you wonder whether he's been influenced by all that. Wrong calls both.

 

He's got to stick to his beliefs and call it as he sees it.

 

So you'd play Smith and play neither of Milner or Charlie? Are you having a laugh or what? Smith is garbage and the way he's fucking the wingers about is pure stupidity.

[sparta]

well, i saw the match on the telly, but my main point of view is that we are missing a couple of things!

1. a proper passing game,

if you watch any other team in the league (except derby i would think), the passing game is exellent, but not ours. this is something we have struggeled with for a couple of years, and we REALLY need to improve on it! i dont really think anyone can blame owen for anything this game, he is just doing his best! if a player dont get the ball to his feet... EVER... its not much he can do! owen had the ball in his feet twice during the entire game (near the box), there was a goal at the first one, and a very good save from james on the other one! seriously, passing game in midfield and wingers up to strikers are horrible!

2. second ball, striker support.

well, second ball is also a problem we seem to have. Our team seems to be laying very low at times, especially the wingers who really should be up there trying to score goals or even link up plays with the strikers for a change. Owen and Smith seems very lonely at times, and when you are 2 against 4 or 5 it is very hard to create something (especially with all the long balls!)

 

3. lack of (entusiasm?)

sometimes shit hits you in football, thats something we all know, 3 in a row happens! but then we get one in (by a brilliant run and a helping campell) and we just seem to shut down...? i was very frustrated to see it was only the subs who very running after the ball when they got a throw in etc., fact is you dont have much time when your down 3-1, and you have to make the best use of it! apply pressure! players should run their asses off!

 

best man of the match would be rozendahl, made our defence sturdier, and cinda calmed things down...

for people who praise butt, wake up folks! butt is WAY out of position ever other game! and when he is, he is utter shit! his passing game is not something he would get the nobel price for! okok maybe he shuts down plays, and have a fair tackling game! but thats not good enough if he cant hit his team mates or even stick to what he does best!

my ratings for this game would be so

Harper  -5- one or two good saves? shit judgements on the 3 and 4th goal

 

Enrique -6- Good offencive game, but whats up whit a million long balls who hits air?

Faye    -5.5- Got scared by cacapa, got better later in the game, very good second half in my opinion!

Cacapa -1- Subbed after 14 min? Nuff said

Taylor  -6- fairly good game from him! gave us acually a good drive forward at times!

 

Milner  -4- Did nothing really!

Zog    -5- Looked a treath at times, but lacked a bit of everything this game!

Barton -5- One or two glimpses of ability, but he should really be eased in! big sam! open your eyes! shouldn start next game, or the one after that one...

Butt    -5- tackels good, breakes down plays at times, but off day for him as well (read further up)

 

Owen  -6- As i said earlier, what can he do? think he did farely good with what he had!

Smith  -4- Yellow carded again, worked hard, but it didnt pay off in any way really

 

Subs

Rozendahl-7- my only 7 and probably MOM in my eyes! eased down the defence, and he can play the ball to midfield wich none of our other defenders do.

Emre        -6- Did alright, but didnt have any impact! showed his work rate and determination to do well for the team!

Martins    - 6- showed he should start games, to bad he didnt bag that one!

 

 

 

as for ports. good game from them, but nothing special except from the first goal.

James showed once again what an excellent keeper he really is! best goalie in the league in my eyes

[chicago_shearer]

Sam is absolutely right when he talks about shape and discipline. Playing poorly is one thing.  But conceding 3 in 11 minutes is just amateurish.  The first was unavoidable, but the other two were down to a lack of professionalism.

[Ally]

That was an absolute car crash of a performance, fuck me.

[Mick]

Wullie gets my vote for understatement of the year.  'That was bad.'