Newcastle 1 - 0 Bolton Wanderers - 23/08/08 - Post match reaction from page 15

[Guest michaelfoster]

I was at the game so here we go

 

Given - 8 wasnt really tested too much but great pen save & made some other important saves

Beye - 7 - good going forward

Coloccini - 8 Cool calm & collected

Taylor - 6 Was going to give him a 5 but his fat head saved a certain goal in the last min, actually did ok before the penalty tbh

N'Zogbia - 6.5 good going forward but poor defensivly

Milner - 6.5 Did ok but can we ban him from taking corners please?

Butt - 6.5 steady

Guthrie - 5 worst player in the pitch for us today imo, gave the ball away far too often, run around alot but didnt do much else

Gutierrez - 8 excellent defensivly & attacking

Martins - 6 huffed and puffed but didnt have many chances

 

Geremi - 6.5 did ok when he came on

Owen - 6.5 took the goal well but didnt do much apart from that

 

[SUPERTOON]

http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~1373742,00.html

 

 

Strange comments about Smith or maybe i read it wrong

[Guest michaelfoster]

But just poor noise levels, that opera bloke tried his best to get us going before the game but to be honest I felt embarrassed for him, stopping to let the crowd take over works for Robbie Williams but it did not work for him..

 

Whs, i thought that opera bloke was cringeworthy today

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Given - 8 - Fantastic save for the penalty, assured throughout, caught a lot, decent kicking, good command of his area. He's back and in fine form.

 

Beye 6 - Still to find his feet for me, not as assured as usual and sloppy on the ball at times. Good energy levels and seemed to get better when Geremi came on. Didn't do much wrong defensively in truth but given we were at home he needed to drive forward more.

 

Taylor - 5 - Would have had a perfect afternoon had he not handled, I need to look at that again as it happened so fast, don't know if it was accidental or deliberate, he made several important and successful blocks today. Not long after the pen he dilly dallied and got out strengthened close to our goal. Shame as he was decent in everything else he done.

 

Collocini - 7 - Good reading of the game, flawless on the deck, composed passing and a cool head. Showed good pace and strength when battling with opponents and did well enough in the air considering how many balls were being pumped in.

 

N'Zogbia - 5 - Throughout the game he had tons of space and time to get forward but hesitated a lot and when he did get forward he either lost the ball frequently due to over doing the dribbling or sent in piss poor crosses. He had a few chances to shoot too but again hesitated or chose the wrong option. However he kept going and carried a threat. Bolton didn't get much joy down that flank with N'Zogbia and Jonas there. We need much better quality in the final third though and defensively he switches off at times. Collocini's reading of the game helped N'Zogbia out a bit today.

 

Milner - 5 - Like N'Zogbia going forward really, ineffective dribbling, hesitant, poor crossing. Worked hard as ever and was tidy on the ball when playing it back, sideways or in tight triangles, but overall he was all effort and little class. Played better when he floated after Owen and Geremi came on, much better. Perhaps that's his best role, floating. On the wing he lacks pace and quality on crosses, in midfield he isn't strong enough or athletic enough.

 

Butt - 5 - I like Butt, he works hard, and when he has time and space he can hit a good pass, and he can tackle, but when the game becomes frenetic he gets sloppy on the ball, seemingly unable to make quick enough decision accurately, and as an attacking force, he slows it down too much. He badly needs replaced. He's maybe more suited away from home, but at home we need some legs and class in there.

 

Guthrie - 7 - Some lovely passing, rarely lost the ball, a good mix of passing. Good feet too to get out of trouble and carried it well at times also. Very easy on the eye. The downside? Seemed to tire and doesn't really impact the team going forward, despite his best efforts to get forward. To his credit he tried to play some killer balls but either Martins or Duff misread them or they weren't quite accurate enough, that and good defending from Bolton. If he is to become a mainstay in our side, we need some pace and drive in there. I maintain we need a powerhouse type midfielder, let Guthrie act as the anchor, picking it up off the back-four, spraying it about, making himself available for passes and to sit and protect which he did do quite well when he had to, although he dillied dallied at times. I'm liking what I see thus far however.

 

Jonas - 7 - Not as electric as his performance at Old Trafford but just as good in general all the same. Strong, great work-rate, carries the ball so well, terrific feet and close control and very direct, always looking up and forward. A bit sloppy in the final third, but another impressive display. Brilliant athlete. If we had players with his mobility, strength, ball carrying skills and directness in central midfield and on the other flank, we'd be very strong in there.

 

Duff - 4 - Awful, it has to be said. Did zero going forward, kept turning back on himself and the play when on the ball and when he had time and space he miscontrolled or chose the wrong option. Sloppy too, failed to control several passes which rolled away from him.

 

Martins - 5 - Played far too deep at times and when he had the chance to play others in he would wait and wait, until the moment was lost. Sloppy control at times too and not the threat he was at Old Trafford. Missed a header too which looked easier to score.

 

Subs

 

Owen - 7 - Give us more energy up front and of course carried a goal threat, scoring the winner. Good to see him back. He got involved from the off and due to his intelligent running and positioning his presence seemed to give the midfield more ideas and more options.

 

Geremi - 6 - Like Owen he changed the game too, he clung to the wing and offered himself as an outlet, which made Beye play better. He was involved a lot too when he came on. Good crisp passing at times and some urgency.

 

Crowd - 7 - I thought the atmosphere was supportive throughout and at times very very good with the singing end in fine voice.

 

KK - 7 - Kept the same lineup which was the right decision for me. Made the changes he did which both worked. Lots of positive instructions from the sidelines, i.e. when to drop off, when to defend further up, urging N'Zogbia to attack space and to keep the ball moving all the time.

 

Today was never going to be easy, Bolton are a big strong athletic side who launch it long at will and get 10 men behind the ball, they are well organised and came here for a draw. We were just too good in the end, although the pen save was crucial, but we deserved some luck for some good play of our own, lots of hard work and positivety.

 

As a team we defended really well I thought and looked very organised. Spirit seems fantastic and the lads were in communication with one another (and the bench) throughout. We didn't panic and tried to play our stuff, at one point creating a fantastic move that saw Milner head over, would have been a class goal. There were other class moves too. We're looking fit and good but we need quality in midfield, central midfield, and a focal point up front.

 

Well done KK, the lads and fans. Canny start to the season.

[morpeth mag]

Thought Colo was pure class today - ball was like a magnet to him in the second half. Good 3pts but also showed the lack of class in CM and the poor quality of the crosses until Geremi came on!!!

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Taylor 5 - liability, constantly trying to look big and clever

 

 

You write that before you went out this morning?

 

Because its bollocks.

 

Up until the penalty he had a decent game, and after that shaky spell for 5 minutes after it he did well too.

 

Still that doesn't fit with what you want to post though

[Guest Howaythetoon]

But just poor noise levels, that opera bloke tried his best to get us going before the game but to be honest I felt embarrassed for him, stopping to let the crowd take over works for Robbie Williams but it did not work for him..

 

Whs, i thought that opera bloke was cringeworthy today

 

Some bloke asked me why I wasn't joining in with the singing when he was on the pitch with his walking in a KK wonderland and Toon Toon thing and I said "I'm here for the football, not the cheerleading"

 

Very cringeworthy but harmless I suppose, kids around us seemed to love it and got involved.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Couldn't argue with much of what HTT said (except the Guthrie mark)

[Dokko]

But just poor noise levels, that opera bloke tried his best to get us going before the game but to be honest I felt embarrassed for him, stopping to let the crowd take over works for Robbie Williams but it did not work for him..

 

Whs, i thought that opera bloke was cringeworthy today

 

Some bloke asked me why I wasn't joining in with the singing when he was on the pitch with his walking in a KK wonderland and Toon Toon thing and I said "I'm here for the football, not the cheerleading"

 

Very cringeworthy but harmless I suppose, kids around us seemed to love it and got involved.

 

Yes you were, but no harm done eh? 

[SUPERTOON]

If Taylor hadnt of hanballed we would have been one down now im not his biggest fan but some of the comments on here are ridiculous

[Mick]

 

Thought the two of them were fairly equal tbh, Taylor seriously let himself down (again) with the two mistakes you mention though.

 

At the same time though, I thought Coloccini was weak in the air today, although he was playing against a team of experts at the aerial game.  He seems to miss/flick on the ball a bit too much rather than clear it, particularly in the first half.

 

Early days for the partnership though & it does look promising.  They seem to at least have some sort of understanding.

 

Taylor lets himself down for no reason, if he'd saved the ball on the line or put in a shit tackle then I would say it's just one of those things but to do what he did today tells me that he's lacking something between his ears and I'm not really a Taylor basher as I'd love him to come good.  We can't keep making excuses up for him when he carries on with the cock-up's, not that you have.  It’s only because of Given that Taylor only let himself down because if Given hadn’t saved the penalty then we might have been in trouble and then he’d have let all of us all down.

 

I didn't a lack of heading ability from Coloccini but to be honest, I can't remember him heading the ball either.  I was encouraged by his positional sense and the way he just oozes confidence and seems to read the game very well.  I noticed a few times that he could have gone a few steps forwards and headed the ball but he did the opposite, he went a couple backwards and did the work with his feet instead and we kept possession because of it.

 

What was refreshing to me was that I can’t remember him flapping at all during the game, it’s early days yet but I think we’ve potentially signed a classy defender.

 

[Liam Liam Liam O]

If Taylor hadnt of hanballed we would have been one down..........

 

Haven't seen it yet, but is that right?

 

Mind you he probably didn't know that

 

There seemed to be more forwards than defenders in the box at the time.

 

 

[Mick]

If Taylor hadnt of hanballed we would have been one down now im not his biggest fan but some of the comments on here are ridiculous

 

If Taylor had moved slightly then he would have stopped the ball with his chest, handling the ball was the last thing he needed to do and could easily have lost us the game.

[SUPERTOON]

If Taylor hadnt of hanballed we would have been one down now im not his biggest fan but some of the comments on here are ridiculous

 

If Taylor had moved slightly then he would have stopped the ball with his chest, handling the ball was the last thing he needed to do and could easily have lost us the game.

 

Not easy to do with the ball coming at you

[Liam Liam Liam O]

If Taylor hadnt of hanballed we would have been one down now im not his biggest fan but some of the comments on here are ridiculous

 

If Taylor had moved slightly then he would have stopped the ball with his chest, handling the ball was the last thing he needed to do and could easily have lost us the game.

 

Not easy to do with the ball coming at you when thinking's not your strong point

 

[James]

Second last on MOTD tonight.

[Parsley]

Didn't see or hear any of the match but am chuffed with the result.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Just saw the handball incident, looks accidental to me, as did the hand ball from the initial cross seconds earlier.

 

Another pleasing aspect of today, I can't remember Shay having to make a single save in open play.

[Incognito]

3 points better off than the games against same opponents last season.Thats brill.

[Guest toonlass]

Was at the game so I give

 

Given - 8 Hero for the pen save & made some other important saves

Beye - 7 - good going forward

Coloccini  :colo: - 8 Solid defender, knows that he doesn't have to do any fancy shit, gets the ball and gets it away

Taylor - 6 Hmmm nowt amazing, could have maybe had a 7 had he not stuck out his hand

N'Zogbia - 6 Not a defender, what is wrong with Enrique

Milner - 6 Alright, nice when he had two of Bolton's lads chasing him and not catching him. NEVER EVER TAKE CORNERS AGAIN!

Butt - 6.5 solid

Guthrie - 6 Nowt brilliant

Gutierrez - 8 A wizard, ran all day, covered every blade of grass, nice touches, going to be a legend

Martins - 6 missed when he should have scored, looked tired

 

Geremi - 6 did ok when he came on

Owen - 6.5 took the goal well but didnt do much apart from

 

Man of the match Given simply for the pen save as it buoyed up the crowd and lifted the toon.

[Mick]

 

Not easy to do with the ball coming at you

 

It looked arm to ball to me so he had time to work out what he had to do with his arm, I was at the other end of the ground but the view was clear if slightly distant.

[Mick]

I thought Geremi was excellent when he came on and if he'd had 90 minutes and played like that all game then he would have challenged for MOTM, and he didn't take any corners when he came on which was a plus.

[Robster]

Second last on MOTD tonight.

 

Good old BBC. Step up from last I guess

[TRon]

Second last on MOTD tonight.

 

Good old BBC. Step up from last I guess

 

Thank fuck I've got Prem Plus.

[thedudeabides]

It may not be the popular view but I thought Geremi changed the game when he came on.

 

He put more decent balls in and made more intelligent passes than N'Zogbia/Jonas/Milner put together in all honesty. His legs may have gone but his intelligence and technique make him a very useful player IMHO.