abertoon Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I just wish some of our shooting chances had landed to anyone but Butt, though saying that there weren't many on the pitch up to hitting the target from 5 yards out tbh. Impressed with Fayes strength on the ball, but still looks a little clumby IMO. Butt and Smith did little but give the ball away. Zog had a decent game, Enrique looked pretty decent at the back, but nowt to really write home about from anybody. Lucky to get away from there with a draw. I heard SSN had reported Sam to have had 'A standing ovation' we were standing all match ffs! Good toon support as per, big Mike Ashley was in the middle of it all again... though I was stood next to a couple of kids who literally spent the whole match looking over to the home fans, mouthing off to them and then laughing and making gestures, even when we were on the attack, they weren't watching the pitch, what the fucks the point of going to a match if you're going to do that ? Tbf, not really much worth watching on the pitch, but surely better than watching a couple of spotty Stoke hooligans all match, ffs. Didn't see any trouble, but escaped pretty quick after the whistle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Thandi_45 Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 This was the third game I've been to all season. First I went to Pride Park where we lost 1-0, then to the JJB where we lost 1-0 and now 0-0 against fecking Stoke! I must be a bad omen on the team or something! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Snrub Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Just seen the Sun gave Ricardo Fuller a rating of 8! This after the BBC took a good couple minutes laughing at him and Crooks at half time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colocho Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I missed the game yesterday. How did Owen and Viduka play as a partnership? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Luque Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I missed the game yesterday. How did Owen and Viduka play as a partnership? 0-0 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colocho Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Well, I understand that but I am more interested in how they played together. Did they threaten at all, what was their link-up play like? They are without a doubt our first choice partnership now Oba is away so it's quite important for them to play well together. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest leon b Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 to be honest both owen and viduka look sluggish,may be lack of match fitness. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
abertoon Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Owens touch was pretty poor, not much confidence in him at the moment. Viduka one decent turn and shot and didn't win much in the air. Their link up play was pretty non-existent, Owen was looking for the flick ons, but Viduka didn't produce Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colocho Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Owens touch was pretty poor, not much confidence in him at the moment. Viduka one decent turn and shot and didn't win much in the air. Their link up play was pretty non-existent, Owen was looking for the flick ons, but Viduka didn't produce Well all we have aside from them is the hope that Martins will be available for Man Utd away and Andy Carroll ... Owen and Viduka have hundreds of career goals between them, if they can't score goals we are fucked. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest leon b Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I think owen and viduka can/will score goals but the service has to be spot on and the midfield will have work hard to support them. Neither players is particularly quick across the ground, and when you think that was once owens main threat it does make you wonder.......... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulivye Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 we were very lucky not to lose this match. we were plain and simple out-hustled. stoke played aggressive close-down-your opponent football with plenty of smashmouth physical play...lucky for us they seem to have offended the football gods who would not allow them to score. rozehenal just does not know how to use his body and play in close with opponents in the English style. he can't block, tackle or win in the melee of aerial balls into the area. zoggy does far too much dribbling into dead ends. however he seems to get a pass from many of us b/c he has the ability & willingness to beat his man. he needs to put more end product into his mazy dribbling- either pass or shoot! this was why lualua looked good, to me, all the good dribbling but w/ the addition of purpose. viduka was a waste. i thought carroll on from the beginning might have made more sense after seeing how he did. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colos Short and Curlies Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 couldn't believe that a Dukes-Owen front line would be so toothless Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I missed the game yesterday. How did Owen and Viduka play as a partnership? shit, both didnt look interested and a waste of space, carroll did more in 5mins than viduka did in 85 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest newcastle4life Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Not a great performance but at least we didnt lose and kept a clean sheet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordie jamie Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Have BBC or SKY announced if the replay will be on tv? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GAMMELL Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Have BBC or SKY announced if the replay will be on tv? Sky are showing Liverpool v. Luton & the Beeb have gone for Citeh v. West 'AAAAmmmmm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest elbee909 Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Conditions were hardly condusive to a slick passing game, not surprised it was turgid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlin Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Conditions were hardly condusive to a slick passing game, not surprised it was turgid. ....'a slick passing game'...now THAT would be something to see ; remind me - is THAT what football is supposed to be about..!?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jimmy1982 Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Conditions were hardly condusive to a slick passing game, not surprised it was turgid. ....'a slick passing game'...now THAT would be something to see ; remind me - is THAT what football is supposed to be about..!?? From where I was sitting I thought this match was the most we've kept the ball on the deck all season. The long ball was definitely the last resort and that must have been Sam's instructions to them. The main reason it didn't work spectacularly well, especially in the second half, was that we had Smith and Butt in the centre. Smith is not a natural centre mid and consequently doesn't have the feeling for when to go forward and when to hang back and so he stays on the side of caution, as most of us would probably do, and tends to hang back. This meant Butt sometimes found himself supporting the attacks, which is not and never has been his game, even in his younger days - his shots over the bar were the shots of a holding midfielder. I'm pretty sure Makalele doesn't get criticised for his long range shooting, and that's because he is rarely required to do that - Chelsea's midield works propery, with players in their correct roles. Having said that there were a couple of occasions in the first half where we passed it around Stoke as if they weren't there, even if the moves didn't have as much forward momentum as we'd have liked - Barton was brought in to provide that and Sam can count himself unlucky that he got injured in pre-season then couldn't find his form then let everyone down with his behaviour over Christmas. Hopefully if we get Nolan he'll provide this driving force. Supposedly Emre was injured but I for one wouldn't mind getting some money for him in the window if we can - yes he's probably the most gifted ball player at the club but it seems he's destined to blow hot and cold for us. While some people will complain that Emre out and Nolan in is getting rid of a skillful player in favour of a workhorse and will therefore reduce our attacking options, that is a simplistic view. You don't need an Elano/Riquelme type of player in midfield to play good passing football, especially in England - think about our early Premier League midfields, when we had combinations of Lee/Venison/Clark, and occasionally Albert or Bracewell. We passed teams off the park even though none of them were really the kind of creative playmakers that some of or supporters have been crying out for. Admittedly we've got nobody even approaching the sheer class of Rob Lee, nor a genius doing the job of 3 players and linking midfield with attack like Beardsley, but I thought the Stoke match showed that Sam's preference is for passing football if at all possible. If we can get Davies in that might become more of a reality. Certainly Viduka/Smith and Owen would appreciate having someone like him running from midfield for 90 minutes and supporting them up front. Edit: I got Davies and Nolan mixed up... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsley Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Thought it was a good result in very tough conditions and against a side well up for the game - I can see several other Premiership teams struggling at Stoke at the moment. Faye and Taylor were colossal in the centre of defence and it's a shame to see Faye leaving for the AFC at the beginning of what could be a strong pairing. Was quite impressed with Enrique as well; he looked solid and pacey and linked with Zog nicely at times. I thought we played quite well in the first half, we controlled the game and created a few good chances but almost lost it in the second as Stoke hit their stride. Sorry to say it but Rozehnal is a liability regardless of where he plays. Might be good technically but lacks pace, strength and composure and left us very exposed down our right flank. A clean sheet's a good sign at least and I'm hoping Sam buys well in Jan to get our creative juices flowing again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exiled in Texas Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 If Roz had played right back, instead of overlapping the right wing, then there wouldn't have been so many breaks down his empty channel with Taylor forced to abandon his center defense spot to cover the inrushing left winger. So many times in the 2nd half we saw no right back, Stoke pouring down their left wing, taylor covering out wide, and then 30 seconds later the white shoes of Rozenhal arriving late in the middle. He should concentrate on playing his position and not glamming it up with the forwards. Once - OK, but after they have poured into your empty zone two or three times you should have figured out that the first rule of defense is f****** playing defense. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest the_guv_nor Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 Fucking 20 quid to go and watch the replay at St James'!!! that's an utter joke that like, no free kids tickets either! i thought it might have been 15 quid tops! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paully Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 f****** 20 quid to go and watch the replay at St James'!!! that's an utter joke that like, no free kids tickets either! i thought it might have been 15 quid tops! Due to them greedy red and white bastards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Monkey Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 Thought it was a good result in very tough conditions and against a side well up for the game - I can see several other Premiership teams struggling at Stoke at the moment. Faye and Taylor were colossal in the centre of defence and it's a shame to see Faye leaving for the AFC at the beginning of what could be a strong pairing. Was quite impressed with Enrique as well; he looked solid and pacey and linked with Zog nicely at times. I thought we played quite well in the first half, we controlled the game and created a few good chances but almost lost it in the second as Stoke hit their stride. Sorry to say it but Rozehnal is a liability regardless of where he plays. Might be good technically but lacks pace, strength and composure and left us very exposed down our right flank. A clean sheet's a good sign at least and I'm hoping Sam buys well in Jan to get our creative juices flowing again. £25m on 9 players, only two of whom are good, would seem to reduce the chances of that.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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