Newcastle 0 - 1 Blackburn Rovers - 01/03/08 - Post match reaction from page 20

[Cronky]

Just watched the hour's highlights from Sky.

 

Owen has always been good at getting on the end of chances, but his conversion rate has never been great. The two best chances fell to his left foot, where's he's still very weak. For the first one, he scuffed it with his left, for the second, he used his right but didn't get enough on it. Overall, he looked sharper than I'd seen him this season, but if you're going to pick a player on the strength of their finishing, then they've really got to do the job.

 

It looked to me like we were unlucky, but not quite as unlucky as some are saying. The defence looked dodgy, with the opposition able to find a lot of time and space around our area. It's like the players are afraid to challenge in case they lose out, and hanging back in no man's land instead. Blackburn had some very good chances as well.

 

We were very naive for the goal. The opposition should never score as easily as that. That was park football.

[Skirge]

It was a mass improvement from what we have seen and we should have won that game easy, Owens finishing was shocking he needs service well he got plenty yesterday. Even with Barton and Smith playing we did really well and of course if Martins and Zoggy had started then yes we would have won but there are still lots of positives to take from yesterday its not all doom and gloom..

[Guest shearko]

i just have no idea how come alan smith can always stay in the st. Jams 90 mins?

even this match, butt had been changed out, but he replaced Butt?

why?how?i really dont know...

 

[Northern Monkey]

Harper - 6 - did alright, in the main.

Beye - 5 - Out of position far too much, can't seem to get back after he goes forward.

Taylor - 5 - Good and bad, in one game.

Faye - 5 - He's a journeyman pro, no more

Enrique - 5 - His bets game for us so far,  still not great.

Milner - 6 - the onky one who's really trying in midfield.

Butt - 3 - shit

Barton - 4 - two good passes, otherwise fucking awful on the ball (until he gets it taken off him. again).

Duff - 4 - Better tahn the last game, ran forwards a couple of times. Nowhere near good enoguh, though.

Owen - 4 - hamstrung by playing with Smith, at least he got INTO the scoring chances. No other forward at the club would have.

Smith - 2 - i think he won one header all game. Fucking shite.

[Karjala]

Feels like an absolute age since I started on the bevvy on a saturday night happy that the toon had just picked up 3pts.

 

In fact it is an age, December the 8th, approximately 12 weeks ago.

[Guest rebel_yell12]

My ratings (6 = fair/standard)

 

Harper -- 7, played fairly well, imo. 

Beye -- 6, like all the defence, would be helped by a better pairing at CM

Taylor -- 5.5, some good, some bad, and like Beye needs more help from the CMs.

Faye -- 5.5, hasn't looked great since ACoN, wonder if he misses his old pal BSA?  But, also could benefit from more protection from midfield.

Enrique -- 6, as all the defenders, needs more help from mid, BUT he looked decent and he's a helluva lot better than playing others out of position.

Milner -- 7.5, has looked good last two matches, imo, and loads of effort.  Maybe KK is working his magic on this lad as well?  Whatever it is, keep it up Jimmy. 

Butt -- 3.  If you watched the match, I needn't explain.

Barton -- 4.5, some credit for good passes that would have been assists on another day, but the other 86 minutes didn't do enough to bump his numbers higher.

Duff -- 5, looked improved on last few matches, but still not good enough to keep out Zoggy in his natural position.  Unless Zoggy plays in CM, then leave Duff at left.

Smith -- 3.  See Butt.

Owen -- 6.  Earned a 5.5 on the pitch for good positioning and compensating for the lack of a strike partner (has Owen EVER in his LIFE played well without a partner up front?), but .5 points back for being man enough to admit he should have done better, on national television and apparently in the dressing room.

 

 

N'Zogbia -- 6, could play in CM against Liverpool?  Better than Butt, but then the comparison is hardly flattering to Zoggy.

Martins -- 6.  The team played better before he came on, but that to do with Smith not going off not Martins coming on, imo.  Play Martins and Owen next week, get Owen a partner, get Smith off the pitch, and the team's top scorer back on -- three birds killed with one stone. 

 

[madras]

rebel yell....re butt....i watched the match but you'll need to explain. better than barton on the day (and at least barton done something yesterday for a change)

[Northern Monkey]

My ratings (6 = fair/standard)

 

Harper -- 7, played fairly well, imo. 

Beye -- 6, like all the defence, would be helped by a better pairing at CM

Taylor -- 5.5, some good, some bad, and like Beye needs more help from the CMs.

Faye -- 5.5, hasn't looked great since ACoN, wonder if he misses his old pal BSA?  But, also could benefit from more protection from midfield.

Enrique -- 6, as all the defenders, needs more help from mid, BUT he looked decent and he's a helluva lot better than playing others out of position.

Milner -- 7.5, has looked good last two matches, imo, and loads of effort.  Maybe KK is working his magic on this lad as well?  Whatever it is, keep it up Jimmy. 

Butt -- 3.  If you watched the match, I needn't explain.

Barton -- 4.5, some credit for good passes that would have been assists on another day, but the other 86 minutes didn't do enough to bump his numbers higher.

Duff -- 5, looked improved on last few matches, but still not good enough to keep out Zoggy in his natural position.  Unless Zoggy plays in CM, then leave Duff at left.

Smith -- 3.  See Butt.

Owen -- 6.  Earned a 5.5 on the pitch for good positioning and compensating for the lack of a strike partner (has Owen EVER in his LIFE played well without a partner up front?), but .5 points back for being man enough to admit he should have done better, on national television and apparently in the dressing room.

 

 

N'Zogbia -- 6, could play in CM against Liverpool?  Better than Butt, but then the comparison is hardly flattering to Zoggy.

Martins -- 6.  The team played better before he came on, but that to do with Smith not going off not Martins coming on, imo.  Play Martins and Owen next week, get Owen a partner, get Smith off the pitch, and the team's top scorer back on -- three birds killed with one stone. 

 

BArton made 2 good passes. And gave the ball away many, many more times than that. He was only JUST beaten to the "worst defender on the pitch" title by Butt.

[Dave]

All the players were world class, particularly Viduka.

[GM]

All the players were world class, particularly Viduka.

 

World class wankers.

[Dave]

Pathetic excuses for Owen by Andy Gray.

[Northern Monkey]

All the players were world class, particularly Viduka.

 

I think Barton was particularly "class", and possibly a "great" player for us.

[johnnypd]

Pathetic excuses for Owen by Andy Gray.

 

what was said?

[Dave]

Pathetic excuses for Owen by Andy Gray.

 

what was said?

 

Just excuses for every miss, almost as if getting there was enough. Nothing really, just wasn't harsh enough on him iyam.

 

I'd rather miss them than not create them like.

[Northern Monkey]

Pathetic excuses for Owen by Andy Gray.

 

what was said?

 

Just excuses for every miss, almost as if getting there was enough. Nothing really, just wasn't harsh enough on him iyam.

 

I'd rather miss them than not create them like.

 

In fairness, Owen did better than any other forward we have would have been able to do, just by getting in those positions.

[Dave]

Pathetic excuses for Owen by Andy Gray.

 

what was said?

 

Just excuses for every miss, almost as if getting there was enough. Nothing really, just wasn't harsh enough on him iyam.

 

I'd rather miss them than not create them like.

 

In fairness, Owen did better than any other forward we have would have been able to do, just by getting in those positions.

 

That's fair enough. Still should have done better with them.

[Northern Monkey]

Pathetic excuses for Owen by Andy Gray.

 

what was said?

 

Just excuses for every miss, almost as if getting there was enough. Nothing really, just wasn't harsh enough on him iyam.

 

I'd rather miss them than not create them like.

 

In fairness, Owen did better than any other forward we have would have been able to do, just by getting in those positions.

 

That's fair enough. Still should have done better with them.

 

Definately he should of, and thats not a defence of him.

 

We'd be sat talking about how Martins never even gets in goalscoring positions if HE'D started instead of Owen.

[johnnypd]

Pathetic excuses for Owen by Andy Gray.

 

what was said?

 

Just excuses for every miss, almost as if getting there was enough. Nothing really, just wasn't harsh enough on him iyam.

 

I'd rather miss them than not create them like.

 

In fairness, Owen did better than any other forward we have would have been able to do, just by getting in those positions.

 

That's fair enough. Still should have done better with them.

 

Definately he should of, and thats not a defence of him.

 

We'd be sat talking about how Martins never even gets in goalscoring positions if HE'D started instead of Owen.

 

Martins gets into as many goalscoring positions as Owen tbf. we had the exact same discussion about Martins when he missed a few good chances earlier in the season and everyone said "at least he got into the position, Owen would never have". and they were right, Owen would not have gotten to those chances, but Martins wouldn't neccessarily get the same chances Owen does. They create different sorts of openings due to their different strengths. people back then said Owen would've put those shots away, we now know that's not true.

[Tsunami]

 

We'd be sat talking about how Martins never even gets in goalscoring positions if HE'D started instead of Owen.

 

 

Or we could be talking about the hat trick that he'd just scored. Bottom line is that Owen missed too many chances yday & has missed too many of that type this season.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

 

We'd be sat talking about how Martins never even gets in goalscoring positions if HE'D started instead of Owen.

 

 

Or we could be talking about the hat trick that he'd just scored. Bottom line is that Owen missed too many chances yday & has missed too many of that type this season.

 

Remember Hoddle getting ripped to pieces by the press for saying Owen wasn't a natural finisher.

[Tsunami]

Owen is great at taking half chances, where there is less pressure to score & where he has less time & just reacts to the chance presented. In situations where he has time to think his goal per chance ratio is poor. If he was a the complete goal scorer he'd take penalties, he tried that & missed too many. Martins is similar but he has a better work rate & unlike Owen is a tthreat outside the box & can create a chance for himself.

[TRon]

Owen scores in big games when the heat is on. I think he could play a crucial role in the relegation head to head games.

 

 

[Wullie]

Owen scores in big games when the heat is on.

 

Like yesterday?

[TRon]

Owen scores in big games when the heat is on.

 

Like yesterday?

 

No one is guaranteed to score in every match.

[ChrisJbarnes]

Owen is great at taking half chances, where there is less pressure to score & where he has less time & just reacts to the chance presented. In situations where he has time to think his goal per chance ratio is poor. If he was a the complete goal scorer he'd take penalties, he tried that & missed too many. Martins is similar but he has a better work rate & unlike Owen is a tthreat outside the box & can create a chance for himself.

he is our pen taker