Newcastle United 0 vs Liverpool 3 - 24/11/07 - Post match reaction from page 19

[JH]

"We went chasing the game and left so many gaps for Liverpool to exploit."

 

Thing is, we didn't even go chasing the game! We just seemed to stand there and do nothing.

[Rob]

"We went chasing the game and left so many gaps for Liverpool to exploit."

 

Thing is, we didn't even go chasing the game! We just seemed to stand there and do nothing.

 

all those monitors he has must be needing a clean, he obviously aint watching the same match everyone else is

[relámpago blanco]

"We went chasing the game and left so many gaps for Liverpool to exploit."

 

Thing is, we didn't even go chasing the game! We just seemed to stand there and do nothing.

I am worried because it looked as if the players had lost faith in BS.  He won't be sacked for a while but I can see the clique's (if they have actually dissapeared) reforming.

 

No-one looked happy with the system employed.

[Troll]

Two games ago it was great, and two games later it's a disaster.

 

Yeah, the Reading and Sunderland games were a huge season highlight.

 

EDIT: I forgot the Portsmouth game. Jesus wept.

 

I think he was talking about home games there.  Two matches ago we beat Spurs 3-1.

[robbo_11]

I watched the secong half after work and after a minute could see we would not going to win this game. They mentioned that Given could have been sent off, but that would have been incredibly harsh after seeing a replay of it.

It should have been worse, but Torres finishing was poor. He makes a difference to their overall play by linking up and dropping deep for the ball, but lacked the finishing today. If Martins could do that he would be a better player. He either drops deep and loses the ball or casually strolls in the opposition half. If the question was put forward to sign wither Martins or Torres, who would you choose?

Viduka rarely looked interested and Geremi resorts to the long ball. Beye looks accomplished at the centre of defence and could potentially play well alongside Abdoulaye Faye. Alan Smith, for all his effort, lacks any sense of attacking or defending. He often plays the "middle-man" role and just does enough.

Rozehnal and Enrique didn't look strong enough, getting outmuscled by Kuyt and in Rozehnals case outpaced by the forwards. His positional sense when defending is a let down, by getting easily turned when standing his opponent up.

 

Second Goal - An awful goal to concede. Firstly, the corner was put into a dangerous area by Gerrard and Beye, who had been marking Kuyt, missed the clearance and Kuyt scored. If you had to blame anyone it could have been Beye, but I think another player tried to clear the ball and maybe a lack of communication at the back. I noticed Given pulling Enrique about at corners and Carr trying to organise the back line without success.

 

With regards Allardyce, I think he should be given until after the January window. Although the substitutions were baffling, I think most fans need to be patient. Was anyone really expecting success so soon into a new period for the club? Its is disappointing to lose and 4 games since a win, but to be 11th 5 points ahead of 12th is not as bad as it seems today.

 

Everton 7-1 Sunderland 

[ohmelads]

I didn't think Butt or Emre were any worse than the rest, they were victims (or to blame?) for the whole team sitting in our own half at times. They simply had nowhere to play the ball, no options, no movement, nothing. It was naive to think we could camp in our own half and get away with it, but we've been doing it a lot lately. Reading and Sunderland wasted plenty of opportunities to hurt us, Portsmouth and Liverpool put themselves out of sight. We have to be positive at Blackburn if we are to have any hope of coming away with anything IMO. In our last 4 games we have scored courtesy of two OGs and a fluky cross, and have barely created any other chances. We're playing games in our own half and there almost seems to be a "clean sheet at all costs" mentality, as shown by the manager's comments and team selections.

 

Liverpool were always going to play a possession game and frustrate the home players and crowd. People predicted it in the pre-match thread, so it's not hindsight talking. We would need to give Liverpool something to think about and relieve the pressure on ourselves. Smith is hardly an attacking outlet for Butt or Emre is he? Milner, while not great, would have been a significantly better option and would have maintained the balance of the team playing in his natural position. But this is all common sense anyway. Why Milner didn't start is something for Allardyce to answer, or preferably put right. He has only had 4 naturally wide players at his disposal, and yet they've only started 2 games together this season. That's why we lack width, it's not rocket science.

 

As for the substitutions, I'm not convinced they were designed to get anything from the game. I said a few days back that I almost felt that Allardyce would take a 'dignified defeat' if you offered it to him, and it looked like we were playing for that in the second half. One or two Liverpool fans were surprised by our negativity going into this game, but I think they can see why now.

[Rob]

zog left, milner right, a holding midfielder, and attacking midfielder  ... 4 at the back ... 2 upfront ...simple: pass the ball try and get down the flanks..  and try and get crosses in the box why is that so fucking difficult for our army of backroom staff to understand?

[ohmelads]

zog left, milner right, a holding midfielder, and attacking midfielder  ... 4 at the back ... 2 upfront ...simple: pass the ball try and get down the flanks..  and try and get crosses in the box why is that so f****** difficult for our army of backroom staff to understand?

 

That would be too sensible and straight forward. A master tactician has to have a master plan.

[Rob]

aye ... disecting this ... micro managing that ... analysing every little bit of every players sweat... no fucking wonder they cant play .. when theyre being watched so closely...

 

sven was asked after a few games and he was asked what training was like and he replied, we just let them play football ... why cant they just let our players play football?

[JH]

Andy Gray making comments about 50,000 Newcastle fans trying to manage the team. Forgot to mention the fact that those 50,000 Newcastle fans were talking sense, while Allardyce looked like he'd been playing Football Manager.

[Alberto2005]

Andy Gray making comments about 50,000 Newcastle fans trying to manage the team. Forgot to mention the fact that those 50,000 Newcastle fans were talking sense, while Allardyce looked like he'd been playing Football Manager.

It wasn't Gray who said that, it was the other one, Dark i think his name is.

[Rob]

it's amazing how so many people can see the same thing, but one man can see something totally different, it doesn't make sense

[JH]

Anyone here what Geoff Shreeves said just after half-time? Said he'd been talking to Given and he was adament he didn't handle the ball while "Reserve goalkeeper Steve Harper felt that the ball hit Given's shoulder which is classed as handball"

[Coxaux]

It's difficult because the players must take as much stick as the manager in my eyes. Our game plan in the first twenty minutes for the most part was to nullify and see off the Liverpool attack, which they did a fare job of. In parts our play wasn't too bad, we had the odd passage of play and I felt that there was something to build on as the game went on.

 

You have to call a spade a spade and Gerrard's goal was a fantastic strike, but it was a pivotal moment in the game, do we go on and try and grab the equalizer or sit back and hope we're only one down at half time? We sat back and this decision set the tone for the rest of the game. As soon as Liverpool grabbed their second after some pretty God awful defending, our heads went down and we continued to sit back, inviting pressure.

 

The odd long ball was pumped forward but ultimately a lack of attacking prowess in midfield meant a goal scoring threat never materialized. Combine this with a disjointed defense sitting as deep as it gets and we got the trouble we were looking for.

 

The reason I say the players must take a share of the blame too is because it was their piss poor defending which lead to the second, it was their piss poor play that meant we couldn't get out of our half and it was the players who along with Allerdyce ultimately showed a total lack of desire to claim anything from the game. The manager deserves his fare share of criticism but calling for his head is premature to say the least...

[Guest michaelfoster]

From the start, why was milner dropped and Smith starts yet again, i think he is 'undropable' under Fat Sam.

 

Tactics from KO it looked as though we were playing

 

N'Zogbia Emre Smith Butt but with N'Zogbia playing wide left and the other 3 in the middle with no RM, it took Fat Sam 20 mins to realise he had nobody there, until he contacted Pearson who told smith to go there, even so he kept playing more CM which meant Geremi has to act as RB & RM, which he struggled to cope with.

 

Gerrards goal was pretty fb tbh, Kuyt's goal was pretty flukey tho it looked as though it actually hit him rather than him hitting it as he pointed to his knee when he celebrated, then Babels goal was also very good.

 

After the 2nd goal, Sam, Nigel Pearson, Steve Round & Terry Mac were standing in the dugout looking bemused for some reason, they looked like they didnt know what to do. I could see Terry Mac writing stuff down but i think he was most probably organising the christmas party.

 

Given's save hit the top of his chest but it did look like handball at first but i checked the replay at half time & it was deffo not handball. Torres had a poor game, he should of scored a hatrick & Liverpool should of won 5 or 6-0.

 

I think the fans did have a right to complain due to the tactics he started with, having 1 winger in N'Zogbia and nobody at RM. Bringing off Emre seemed strange at least he was trying to get the ball and go forawrd with it & make tackles, Barton did nowt when he came on. N'Zogbia didnt have a particularly good game but at least he tried, smith was very poor & should of been subbed for Milner, hence the 'you dont know what your doing' chants afterwards. You know were doomed when we bring on Steve 'The Fat b*stard' Carr, the bloke behind me said he was going to leave if he came on & as soon as he came on said 'see ya later lads'

 

Some of the liverpool chants were brilliant

 

Your getting sacked in the morning was good and got clapped.

 

Allardyce has a fat head caused a few laughs around the ground.

 

Allardyce for England &

 

Better off at Bolton

 

Basically a very poor performance, a masterclass in midfield from Gerrard.

 

The ref Alan Wiley was shocking, seemed immune from Booking Gerrard for constant dissent yet he booked Butt, seemed to give everything against us and had very large man boobs. At least he wasnt the fattest bloke on the pitch when carr came on.

 

Liverpool deserved the win and should of got 5 or 6.

 

Given - 7

Enrique - 5

Beye - 6

Roz - 5

Geremi - 6

N'Zogbia - 6

Butt - 7

Emre - 6.5

Smith - 5

Viduka - 5

Martins - 6

 

Milner - 6.5

Barton - 5

Carr - n/a

 

Oh and announcing Smith as MOM was just comical.

[Alberto2005]

Anyone here what Geoff Shreeves said just after half-time? Said he'd been talking to Given and he was adament he didn't handle the ball while "Reserve goalkeeper Steve Harper felt that the ball hit Given's shoulder which is classed as handball"

[Dr Spectrum]

Only saw about 70 mins of your game (staggered to discover it finished 0-3 btw), but I was fully expecting Rozehnal to be getting absolutely crucified on here. Seems like Geremi is the brunt of the flak but I thought he was unimaginably awful.

 

Allardyce blatantly doesn't have a clue btw, don't know how anyone can expect to do owt if they willingly surrender possession as readily as you are doing at the moment. How much effort on the training ground is going into your non existant movement compared to hoofing practice. Pitiful.

[Guest madness]

agree with mf. Alan smith seems undroppable in whatever formation Sam plays (Ashley's fav?).

[Keefaz]

Only saw about 70 mins of your game (staggered to discover it finished 0-3 btw), but I was fully expecting Rozehnal to be getting absolutely crucified on here. Seems like Geremi is the brunt of the flak but I thought he was unimaginably awful.

 

Allardyce blatantly doesn't have a clue btw, don't know how anyone can expect to do owt if they willingly surrender possession as readily as you are doing at the moment. How much effort on the training ground is going into your non existant movement compared to hoofing practice. Pitiful.

 

Rozehnal was bad and very casual.

[madras]

who'd have thought a 0-3 by liverpool would be the best result by any of the north east big 3.........hot bed--my arse!

[ohmelads]

Only saw about 70 mins of your game (staggered to discover it finished 0-3 btw), but I was fully expecting Rozehnal to be getting absolutely crucified on here. Seems like Geremi is the brunt of the flak but I thought he was unimaginably awful.

 

Allardyce blatantly doesn't have a clue btw, don't know how anyone can expect to do owt if they willingly surrender possession as readily as you are doing at the moment. How much effort on the training ground is going into your non existant movement compared to hoofing practice. Pitiful.

 

Rozehnal has been poor since his first game IMO. Many people were too busy hammering Taylor back then that I think they couldn't see the wood for the trees. Whoever plays alongside Rozehnal, be it Taylor, Cacapa, Faye or Beye, is in for a very busy afternoon.

[Karjala]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/sol/newsid_7110000/newsid_7111200/7111225.stm?bw=nb&mp=wm&news=1

Nigel Pearson's post-match interview

[jimmymag]

Allardyce was totally outmanoeuvred tactically by Benitez. Sam wanted to play 3-5-2 but this plan went pear shaped when Benitez stuck 3 up front and left our defence and midfield wondering what to do for 20 minutes. There was no plan B and Allardyce should have been out of his seat in the stands after 5 minutes and on the touch line to try and get some semblance of a formation sorted. I felt sorry for Oba and Viduka who had nothing but poorly directed 50 yard punts to try and get some attacking momentum started. Pathetic!!!

 

IMO the most telling part of the afternoon came when the Newcastle players came out of the tunnel for the second half looking like condemned men on their way to the gallows, it must have been a less than inspiring half time team talk from Allardyce and, much as I hate the phrase and the concept, he seems to have lost the dressing room and I think his days here are numbered.

[Guest fraser]

It was abject of itself and coming so quickly after the Portsmouth debacle, shattering.

[ramirez]

pains me to say it but as long as anyone here is alive we will win nowt.  We should just play 11 geordies so at least we can take some pride in our team.  Bilbao style.