Newcastle United 0 - 2 Chelsea - 05/05/08 - post match reaction from page 13

[Northern Monkey]

for some reason it doesn't look right to see Northern Monkey write 'meh'.

 

meh.

 

that's just for you, johnny boy, right there.

 

 

put it back in your pants. i like Dave.

[ShearMagic]

Decent first half, slightly disappointing second.

 

Still, we were playing Chelsea, you know, the team that's in the CL final and still have a chance of winning the league?

 

It was a decent enough performance at times, they were just far too good for us.

 

Smith gets a lot of unfair criticism just because he's Smith. I'm not saying he was good, but the carry on over his performance (which wasn't bad either btw) is unfair, and happens everytime he plays.

 

You do realise Keegan told him to move back into the midfield when we were under the cosh don't you?

 

He didn't do it just because he wanted to.

 

Anyway, hopefully we can finish off the season well at Badison Park next Sunday, and regardless, we'll still finish 1 place higher than last season (assuming Wigan don't beat Utd) after going through a third of the year without winning a game.

[Northern Monkey]

Decent first half, slightly disappointing second.

 

Still, we were playing Chelsea, you know, the team that's in the CL final and still have a chance of winning the league?

 

It was a decent enough performance at times, they were just far too good for us.

 

Smith gets a lot of unfair criticism just because he's Smith. I'm not saying he was good, but the carry on over his performance (which wasn't bad either btw) is unfair, and happens everytime he plays.

 

You do realise Keegan told him to move back into the midfield when we were under the cosh don't you?

 

He didn't do it just because he wanted to.

 

Anyway, hopefully we can finish off the season well at Badison Park next Sunday, and regardless, we'll still finish 1 place higher than last season (assuming Wigan don't beat Utd) after going through a third of the year without winning a game.

 

his positioning for the goal was beyond woeful. but is that not poor ickle alan's fault either?

[Guest shearer_united]

3 players were around Ballack yet no one really marked him !!!

[ShearMagic]

Decent first half, slightly disappointing second.

 

Still, we were playing Chelsea, you know, the team that's in the CL final and still have a chance of winning the league?

 

It was a decent enough performance at times, they were just far too good for us.

 

Smith gets a lot of unfair criticism just because he's Smith. I'm not saying he was good, but the carry on over his performance (which wasn't bad either btw) is unfair, and happens everytime he plays.

 

You do realise Keegan told him to move back into the midfield when we were under the cosh don't you?

 

He didn't do it just because he wanted to.

 

Anyway, hopefully we can finish off the season well at Badison Park next Sunday, and regardless, we'll still finish 1 place higher than last season (assuming Wigan don't beat Utd) after going through a third of the year without winning a game.

 

his positioning for the goal was beyond woeful. but is that not poor ickle alan's fault either?

 

Alan Smith was actually marking Carvalho (I think it was him) and Butt was on Ballack. Don't ask me why Butt was on Ballack, because that's a poor match-up to start with, but he was.

 

Butt was ball watching, Smith realised where the ball was going, tried to get there, and couldn't.

 

It made it look like Smith was on Ballack, but he wasn't.

 

If you don't believe me, you can watch it again.

[Northern Monkey]

Decent first half, slightly disappointing second.

 

Still, we were playing Chelsea, you know, the team that's in the CL final and still have a chance of winning the league?

 

It was a decent enough performance at times, they were just far too good for us.

 

Smith gets a lot of unfair criticism just because he's Smith. I'm not saying he was good, but the carry on over his performance (which wasn't bad either btw) is unfair, and happens everytime he plays.

 

You do realise Keegan told him to move back into the midfield when we were under the cosh don't you?

 

He didn't do it just because he wanted to.

 

Anyway, hopefully we can finish off the season well at Badison Park next Sunday, and regardless, we'll still finish 1 place higher than last season (assuming Wigan don't beat Utd) after going through a third of the year without winning a game.

 

his positioning for the goal was beyond woeful. but is that not poor ickle alan's fault either?

 

Alan Smith was actually marking Carvalho (I think it was him) and Butt was on Ballack. Don't ask me why Butt was on Ballack, because that's a poor match-up to start with, but he was.

 

Butt was ball watching, Smith realised where the ball was going, tried to get there, and couldn't.

 

It made it look like Smith was on Ballack, but he wasn't.

 

If you don't believe me, you can watch it again.

 

he failed to get in front of th player. He might as well have done wat he normally does, and just stood there.

 

i was there, and i watched him scuttle around doing fuck all of benefit, as always.

 

We paid 3 times too much for a subpar Premier League player.

[merlin]

This match was useful in that it highlighted several things ;

1.That despite a spirited showing in the first half, there is a class gap as wide as the Pacific between sides like Chelsea and ourselves.

 

2.That we need a new Target man desperately - we fell apart after the interval, partly because they started to play(they passed us off the park for long periods), and partly because we couldn't keep the ball, esp when it was played up to the front men because with Viduka gone, no-one had the strength to hold it up and wait for support.Neither Martins or Owen can do this, and Martins is only effective when he can use his pace against defenders - he was almost anonymous in the second half, as was Owen, but the

difference is that with just one half chance, Owen almost scored an equaliser.

 

3.The midfield have not go the skill or intelligence to compete with top sides

 

4.If you allow a team to keep coming at you, even a good defence will crack - Faye & Taylor(one of his best games in my view)did little wrong, but they were under too much continuous pressure because the attack/midfield couldn't keep the ball.

 

5.It was a huge pity that we didn't manage to sign Terry before Abramovitch took over - he was immense at the back for them and has great will-to-win..!

 

6.Allardyce was conned by Fergie over Smith's fee - no longer a top player.

 

Despite being disappointed by the result, I am honest enough to give credit to Chelsea, and esp Grant -

he has had a difficult job after Mourinho and has done really well ; I know some on here do not like them

as a club, but in this case I would now prefer them to go on and win the Title - they are a damn good side(despite Carvalho's acting, which was irritating) and I would LOVE IT, JUST LOVE IT(!) to be able to see Fergie's face if they fall at the last hurdle..Fergie has done us few favours over the years and his (typical)interference over Allardyce's sacking was yet more mischief making..

 

He needs taking down a few pegs(as do ALL the Man U acolytes in the Press etc) and I really hope Chelsea do it for the whole of football although the odds are stacked against them.

[Offshore]

Quite even 1st half but eventually beaten by a team of better players, no shame in that.

[Guest shearer_united]

Michael Owen is the player i am most disappointed with !!

Over-rated, peaked-along-time-ago tw** !!

[PCW1983]

Horrible cheating cockney scum, no fucking dignity.....its the type of players like malouda and dog-ba that as skillfull as they are have ruined the english game forever....pack you bags and fuck off back to the ivory coast you horrible cheating bastard.

[Dr. Nguyen Van Falk]

We really need more players with pace. Painfully obvious.

[Swissmag]

Horrible cheating cockney scum, no f****** dignity.....its the type of players like malouda and dog-ba that as skillfull as they are have ruined the english game forever....pack you bags and f*** off back to the ivory coast you horrible cheating b******.

 

Hmmmm...

[Swissmag]

This match was useful in that it highlighted several things ;

1.That despite a spirited showing in the first half, there is a class gap as wide as the Pacific between sides like Chelsea and ourselves.

 

2.That we need a new Target man desperately - we fell apart after the interval, partly because they started to play(they passed us off the park for long periods), and partly because we couldn't keep the ball, esp when it was played up to the front men because with Viduka gone, no-one had the strength to hold it up and wait for support.Neither Martins or Owen can do this, and Martins is only effective when he can use his pace against defenders - he was almost anonymous in the second half, as was Owen, but the

difference is that with just one half chance, Owen almost scored an equaliser.

 

3.The midfield have not go the skill or intelligence to compete with top sides

 

4.If you allow a team to keep coming at you, even a good defence will crack - Faye & Taylor(one of his best games in my view)did little wrong, but they were under too much continuous pressure because the attack/midfield couldn't keep the ball.

 

5.It was a huge pity that we didn't manage to sign Terry before Abramovitch took over - he was immense at the back for them and has great will-to-win..!

 

6.Allardyce was conned by Fergie over Smith's fee - no longer a top player.

 

Despite being disappointed by the result, I am honest enough to give credit to Chelsea, and esp Grant -

he has had a difficult job after Mourinho and has done really well ; I know some on here do not like them

as a club, but in this case I would now prefer them to go on and win the Title - they are a damn good side(despite Carvalho's acting, which was irritating) and I would LOVE IT, JUST LOVE IT(!) to be able to see Fergie's face if they fall at the last hurdle..Fergie has done us few favours over the years and his (typical)interference over Allardyce's sacking was yet more mischief making..

 

He needs taking down a few pegs(as do ALL the Man U acolytes in the Press etc) and I really hope Chelsea do it for the whole of football although the odds are stacked against them.

 

Chelsea for the whole of football??? FFS don't make laugh...

[Tom_NUFC]

We were decent yesterday and were matching them in the first half. But they needed the result more than we did, stepped up and right now, if Chelsea step up then we can't match them. Viduka being subbed at half time didn't help, and Smith was pretty useless. Other than that I've got no problem with how we played.

[NG32]

We need to replace Viduka, i'd go for crouch TBH.

 

 

[Yorkie]

We need to replace Viduka, i'd go for crouch TBH.

 

If he's available at the right price, it'd be a good signing.

[ElDiablo]

We need to replace Viduka, i'd go for crouch TBH.

 

If he's available at the right price, it'd be a good signing.

 

Right price being about 2m. He's one of these players that will do one good thing in the game that for some people seems to gloss over the fact that he's absolute shit the rest. He isn't strong, he can't head it, his finishing is average, he's not that quick, he's not very mobile... don't see the attraction.

[Mr Logic]

No controversial comments or sly digs heard from Allardyce during the game?

[NG32]

No controversial comments or sly digs heard from Allardyce during the game?

 

Aye, did anybody hear what big mouth had to say?

[Disco]

We were poor second half, both individually and as a team. Our shape was cack and we dropped far too deep, giving them the ball back at every opportunity.

 

2-0 makes it look comfortable for them though, which I don't agree with. We were the better team in the first half, and they had to work hard to get the breakthrough.

 

They deserved to win overall - don't get me wrong - but I think 1-0 would have been a fairer reflection of the way the match went.

 

PS - the referee and linesmen were a disgrace. Absolutely pathetic at times.

 

Quoted for truth. Needed to score when we were on top and didn't which in the end cost us the match. Desperately need a target man as when Smith came on we lost all shape, impotus, ability to keep the ball upfront, someone to aim for upfront. Whether this is Smiths fault i don't know as he may've instructed to play deep which in my view if he was, was a big error from Keegan. We also need some more pace in midfield. Geremi and Barton altho decent players don't worry opposition defenders and are easily caught up when in space/ away from someone as a result of this we often lose what momentum we've built up and we're definitely a better team when playing at pace. Thought Oba was immense first half although he still needs to look up more but that will come.

 

On a seperate note how the fuck was Mikel not booked, gave away 7 free-kicks yesterday, odious twat that Bennett is.

[merlin]

This match was useful in that it highlighted several things ;

1.That despite a spirited showing in the first half, there is a class gap as wide as the Pacific between sides like Chelsea and ourselves.

 

2.That we need a new Target man desperately - we fell apart after the interval, partly because they started to play(they passed us off the park for long periods), and partly because we couldn't keep the ball, esp when it was played up to the front men because with Viduka gone, no-one had the strength to hold it up and wait for support.Neither Martins or Owen can do this, and Martins is only effective when he can use his pace against defenders - he was almost anonymous in the second half, as was Owen, but the

difference is that with just one half chance, Owen almost scored an equaliser.

 

3.The midfield have not go the skill or intelligence to compete with top sides

 

4.If you allow a team to keep coming at you, even a good defence will crack - Faye & Taylor(one of his best games in my view)did little wrong, but they were under too much continuous pressure because the attack/midfield couldn't keep the ball.

 

5.It was a huge pity that we didn't manage to sign Terry before Abramovitch took over - he was immense at the back for them and has great will-to-win..!

 

6.Allardyce was conned by Fergie over Smith's fee - no longer a top player.

 

Despite being disappointed by the result, I am honest enough to give credit to Chelsea, and esp Grant -

he has had a difficult job after Mourinho and has done really well ; I know some on here do not like them

as a club, but in this case I would now prefer them to go on and win the Title - they are a damn good side(despite Carvalho's acting, which was irritating) and I would LOVE IT, JUST LOVE IT(!) to be able to see Fergie's face if they fall at the last hurdle..Fergie has done us few favours over the years and his (typical)interference over Allardyce's sacking was yet more mischief making..

 

He needs taking down a few pegs(as do ALL the Man U acolytes in the Press etc) and I really hope Chelsea do it for the whole of football although the odds are stacked against them.

 

Chelsea for the whole of football??? FFS don't make laugh...

 

So you think the majority of fans want Man U to win...?

Now that IS laughable..!

[Dr Venkman]

We need to replace Viduka, i'd go for crouch TBH.

 

 

 

this

[ATB]

Rather buy Bent than Crouch.

[Dave]

Really cannot get my head around the fact Geremi takes EVERY set-piece when he's on the pitch. Apart from the fact he's generally gash at them, why on earth can't we mix it up a bit, or simply give others a go? Weird.

[buzza]

GEREMI LOOKED REALLY SLOW YESTERDAY...

Pity Fat Sam didn't heed the advice that he'd "lost his legs", certainly seems the case...