Newcastle United 1 - 1 Arsenal - 05/12/07 - Post match reaction from page 19

[Dan Gleebals]

Can't be arsed to read all of this but very well done to the players - great performance.

 

Of more significance, the best performance goes to the fans.  What a difference a good atmoshere has made.  A repeat of that week in week out would soon have the place rocking again.

 

The players and the fans owe it to each other to give it there all..

[ChezGiven]

So, the fans who refused to accept that we needed a new manager, etc, and that we needed to "give him time", suddenly think that after a draw (in which we were less shit than recently), we have the right man for us, we've turned a corner, etc?

 

Question: if we don't get 7 points out of the next 4 games (12 points available), will the some of you make more excuses for Fat Sam and his players, or will you accept that its not good enough? I'm guessing there'd still be some who stuck to the "bedding in/hard games/yadda yadda" rubbish.

 

 

 

I take it you didnt enjoy last night then? I agree with your second point, my fear is that last night means the players and the manager think its all sorted when it clearly isnt and there is a lot of work to be done to get it right.

 

Northern Monkey "Less shit than recently" 

 

Henry Winter "colossal performance, relentless endeavour, outstanding"

 

To be fair Winter is a bit one-eyed with us, he loves it when we do well and he does rightly criticise the defence.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/12/06/sfgnew106.xml

[Guest alex]

[tgarve]

i still think people are slightly missing the point as we should be playing like this all the time! its all too well doing it against arsenal but its the games against the bottom half we need to do this in, and if we did it would be 3 points all the time agaist the likes of birmingham, middlesbrough etc.

 

saying that it was a great performance today, i feel we should and maybe could have won the game. ratings from me are:

 

given- 6/10

looked shaky at times, but still stood firm when needed.

 

beye- 6/10

solid performance, still caught out of position at times, should be playing centre back in jan if we bring in another right back and get shot of carr

 

taylor- 6/10

took his goal well, oozes passion, should have had more games earlier on in the season

 

rozehnal- 5/10

looks like a player short of confidence at the mo. the croud needs to get behind him, but saying that will be out the team when faye is fit

 

n'zog- 5/10

not a defender. why play here when we have a 7 million left back is boggling to the mind. great going forward but his attributes could be utilised more effectively if he played in midfield

 

geremi- 6/10

looked more effective on the right whipping balls into the box. if we played a more othodox 4-4-2 he would be very effective on the right side

butt- 6/10

Played some good and bad passes, never short of commitment though

 

barton- 6/10

see butt!

 

milner- 7/10

best game of the season for him, very direct and always looked a threat, could cut inside and have a few more shots.

 

smith- 9/10

battled away, but also provided a threat, the goal will come soon, and now looking like a great signing when played in his proper position

 

martins- 6/10

equally fustrating and effective, but with his pace he will always be a threat, streched the arsenal defence but you always feel he could do so much more, saying that he's never lacking in effort.

 

viduka- 6/10

came on and didnt do much, could have done better with his blocked effort though

[Guest alex]

I see Alan Oliver's signed up.

[tgarve]

just thought id give my opinion! reading it back i sound like a twat tho

[Guest alex]

just thought id give my opinion! reading it back i sound like a twat tho

Just joking mate! Take no notice.

[ChezGiven]

Beye had a blinder last night.

 

Click on the telegraph link and then load the 'density' data in the graphic. Beye gave us the attacking width on the right that we have been lacking. The stats also confirm that we attacked Clichy's position the most. Surprised to see where Geremi spent most of his game, he played much better yesterday.

[TRon]

 

 

To be fair Winter is a bit one-eyed with us, he loves it when we do well and he does rightly criticise the defence.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/12/06/sfgnew106.xml

 

Henry Winter's a top journo in my book. He did a good piece yesterday leading up to the game as well.

[WhatTheFunk]

Can't be arsed to read all of this but very well done to the players - great performance.

 

Of more significance, the best performance goes to the fans.  What a difference a good atmoshere has made.  A repeat of that week in week out would soon have the place rocking again.

 

The players and the fans owe it to each other to give it there all..

 

Absolutely spot on. Isn't it just as simple as being a lot more fun and meaningful when the house is rocking like that!! The f****** pissers and moaners have no place at the match. I wish the c***s would stay at home. If we're just so s***, and have a s*** manager/out of his depth/not good enough/s*** players/smith/erratic taylor.....then why go to the match? do us all a favor and give up your f****** seats!! I would rather their seats went to corporate goons who just sat there and applauded than to have these f****** pissers and moaners poison the atmosphere!

 

Great atmosphere made for a much more riled up home team. I hope we keep this up as it will be key.

[Mowen]

Beye had a blinder last night.

 

I agree, though he was excellent, particularly defensively where I felt he read the play very well.

[Parky]

So, the fans who refused to accept that we needed a new manager, etc, and that we needed to "give him time", suddenly think that after a draw (in which we were less shit than recently), we have the right man for us, we've turned a corner, etc?

 

Question: if we don't get 7 points out of the next 4 games (12 points available), will the some of you make more excuses for Fat Sam and his players, or will you accept that its not good enough? I'm guessing there'd still be some who stuck to the "bedding in/hard games/yadda yadda" rubbish.

 

 

 

I take it you didnt enjoy last night then? I agree with your second point, my fear is that last night means the players and the manager think its all sorted when it clearly isnt and there is a lot of work to be done to get it right.

 

Northern Monkey "Less shit than recently" 

 

Henry Winter "colossal performance, relentless endeavour, outstanding"

 

To be fair Winter is a bit one-eyed with us, he loves it when we do well and he does rightly criticise the defence.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/12/06/sfgnew106.xml

 

 

mackems.gif

[toptoon]

Great performance by the lads last night we had alot of grafters in there which we really needed and defended well in general from the front. Smith an Martins ran their socks off an dropped back into midfield well to help out when needed. Viduka and Owen are luxuary players although great finishers which is great when we are controlling a game not so great when we are not. Tonight we needed smith and Martins workman like performances and they delivered.

 

Given 6.5 - Not masses to do but good when he had to be.

Beye 8 - MOM got up and down the line very very well, he makes a big difference to us.

Taylor 7.5 - Good goal, looked very dangerous on at least 3 occaisons up top from set pieces. Showed alot of passion and defended well too.

Roze 6.5 - Good in general.

Zoggy 6 - Got forward very well, but defending could have been better. At fault for first goal. Would like to see Enrique LB Milner RW and Zoggy LW.

Geremi 7 Put some decent crosses in and covered alot of ground as always.

Butt 6.5 Good

Barton- 7.5 bar one or two wayward forward passes very impressed with his performance looks to go forward alot and his passing was very good in the main.

Milner - 8  Excellent game i thought held the ball up very well, beat players alot and got alot of crosses in too, as well as grafting away when we haven't got the ball defensively and always making himself very availiable for the ball when we regained possesion giving the CM's etc a good option to give and go.

Smith - 8 Top grafter! Ran his arse off making things difficult for Arsenal defending from the front very well dropping into midfield as and when needed. Doesn't get into many goalscoring positions which is a shame but does bring others into the game well.

Martins 7.5 Ran his socks off, dropped into midfield well when needed and his pace is enough to scare any team including Arsenals, he gave them something to worry about. Could have done better at times.

 

Viduka 6 Good sub by Sam as we started to pen them in near the end, he didn't do much with the few half chances that fell his way.   

[Yorkie]

What an utterly fabulous night.

 

I'm whispering today. It's agony talking.

 

One question - to a season ticket holder, was the a good atmosphere or not, then? Sounded absolutely immense*.

 

*But then, i was in Row U of the Gallowgate, ie the very very top row, and it's difficult to escape the noise. But Christ, the chanting and singing was just constant. Marvellous.

[Dave]

Better than usual Yorkie, and a million miles from that of late.

[Yorkie]

Mint. Really was brilliant.

 

I'm fairly sure me and my mate were the first people in the stadium. I was looking forward to watching it fill up but i could see about five rows of the Leazes End from where i was sat.

 

It's a very, very different view from there - but i really enjoyed it. You got to see the tactical side of it brillianly. I couldn't have told you who had scored; i was singing Jimmy Milner for a couple minutes afterwards, but it turned out to be Taylor.

 

But yeah - the atmosphere... i know i've not been to many matches, and i've never been there when it's a full house, but i don't think i've experienced my ear drums vibrating like they did when we scored. Immense.

 

Oh and - LOCAL HERO!!! Fantastic!!! Thought that was a mint touch.

[Dave]

Haha, I used to do that. About an hour early.

[Yorkie]

Oh and, Dave. I suppose we would have won if Fabregas, Van Persie and Hleb were playing eh?

[Yorkie]

Given - 6. Solid, but then he didn't have much to do. Stupid booking.

 

 

Beye - 7. I thought he looked really good down that right hand side. Eager to beat his man and he was one of the key men who could rattle Arsenal. Starting to come into his own. Made some great individual challenges. Best defender.

 

Taylor - 6.9. I thought he was a little bit ropey defensively, but he's worthy of a 7 purely for the goal. Could have won it at the end, too. That would have been mental.

 

Rozehnal - 5. Shaky, to say the least.

 

N'Zogbia - 6. He got up and supported well and he still looks like a good winger/average full-back. MAde some key interventions but quiet on the whole.

 

 

Geremi - 7. I actually thought he played a key role in our success last night. People don't notice him but you can really see how he does when you're actually there. He really held the team together and went close on a couple of opportunities. We really need him in the team.

 

Butt - 8. Probably my man of the match, actually. He was absolutely flawless infront of the defense. You could say this about all the players, but i think we would have lost had it not been for Butt's contribution, moreso than anyone else's.

 

Barton - 6. Quiet, but penetrated quite well in the second half.

 

 

Martins - 7. I'm gonna give him more credit than other people. I thought he battled exceptionally well in that second half, he was innovative but just took too many touches.

 

Smith - 8. Won everything.

 

Milner - 7. He was on par with Martins contribution-wise, even though they played different roles. Not everything came off for him but he looked more like the Milner of last season with his running at the defense.

[Dave]

Oh and, Dave. I suppose we would have won if Fabregas, Van Persie and Hleb were playing eh?

 

Damn right.

[TRon]

 

Martins - 7. I'm gonna give him more credit than other people. I thought he battled exceptionally well in that second half, he was innovative but just took too many touches.

 

[

 

Good to see other people pointing to his positive contributions rather than 'gash first touch', 'headless chicken' etc.

[ross magoo]

Alan Smith was tremendous last night.  His hold up play was first class and he brought Milner and Martins into the game at almost every opportunity.

 

I wasn't happy when we signed him but fair's fair - he played well.

[eaststar]

Well done lads...would have ruined my day if we lost but was really happy with the result and especially with the performance.

 

Just keep it goin.

 

Smith looks better up front. Not a fan but def a much much better player up front.

 

 

[Jackie Broon]

 

Martins - 7. I'm gonna give him more credit than other people. I thought he battled exceptionally well in that second half, he was innovative but just took too many touches.

 

[

 

Good to see other people pointing to his positive contributions rather than 'gash first touch', 'headless chicken' etc.

 

His passing was excelent as well.

[Mr. Snrub]

The Sun gave Milner MOTM with an 8, bit of an odd one.  He was alright last night like, but once again dire crossing let him down.  That and Sagna was fucking terrible which made his night that bit easier.

 

They also gave Adebayor, who was garbage other than the goal, the same rating as Smith - a 7.