Arsenal 3 - 0 Newcastle United - 30/08/08 - post match reaction from page 28

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Beye was f***ing useless.

 

I know he's not fully fit but he's massively overrated by a section of our fans.

 

Doesn't look fit at all.

 

I said earlier on he's been abysmal today but I don't think he's over-rated. He was very good last season, but he doesn't look right at the moment. He was walking around by the end, don't know if he was injured or what?

 

When he goes down or gets challenged, he stays down a few seconds longer I've noticed instead of getting straight up, perhaps a sign he's still searching for full fitness?

[Ally]

Beye was very 'leggy'. Looked about as fit as me.

 

Agree HTT about Owen, sadly we had no other option today. When all fit I reckon 4-3-3 with Owen deeper would be KK's plan.

[Guest BooBoo]

Given- 7 did his best

Beye- 3- Not fit and out of sorts

Enrique- 5- Injured.

Collocini-6- Did okay

Taylor- 4- Out of his depth

Butt- 5- Yawn

Guthrie- 6- Couldnt really get going

Jonas-6- Tried

NZogbia- 4- Generally awful

Owen-6- No service

Shola- 1- Shoot him please.

[Guest rebel_yell12]

Got to watch this one live on telly, as it was shown on FSC over here.  My thoughts:

 

Shay did well, considering the circumstances.  It could've been much worse if Newcastle hadn't had such a class keeper, imo.  

 

Beye still looks short fitness -- looking like missing pre-season was worse for him than for Owen, tbh.  Not bad, just not quite his self yet.

 

The new boys all look like quality signings, an improvement on what was in those positions before.  Guthrie and Jonas particularly are great additions to the midfield options.  Bassong looked pretty solid on the left as well -- good to have a versatile player in defense to come off the bench.  Coloccini should be an improvement on Faye, imo.  Just looks to need a bit of time to settle into the squad fully.  

 

Michael Owen is not suited to playing without an at least semi-decent partner upfront (shocker that, I know).  He looked worse than himself last season when playing with Smith, and again today with Ameobi.  I think everyone knows how highly I rate Owen, but he needs to have options upfront with him -- always has, right from the time I watched him play in the Liverpool Youth team.  The loads of options is why he did so well in the 4-3-3.  He did all right v. Coventry and Bolton because the team was pushing forward, but against a side like Arsenal, he ended up in the midfield and had no help from Ameobi (and at least once, a direct hindrance) when the ball did get forward.  

 

The sooner Martins (especially) and Viduka get fit the better.  The match today might have been significantly different with either available (let alone both).  

 

I was actually semi-pleased to see Barton on the pitch.  Because much as I want to despise the little thug, at least he's a decent player, and Newcastle needs fit senior players.  Especially if they can be used to help in attack. 

 

The commentators sucked...at more than one point I encouraged them to purchase a goat and engage in activities that are probably illegal and may be humanly impossible.  

 

The club needs signings.  At least one more "cover" striker -- today is plentiful evidence that Ameobi is not Premiership quality -- preferably two (so Ameobi & Smith are gone by January window closing).  Don't need to be replacing the ones injured (especially not Martins) but another body is desperately needed.  At least one more midfielder -- Butt isn't getting or looking any younger.  Hopefully two more midfielders, really.  At this point, I'd not worry about another defender in favor of getting those three/four in.  Already have Bassong, Edgar & Cacapa on the bench.

 

A few general positives:

 

Shay looks very much his old self.  

 

The new boys seem to be settling well (and quickly).

 

Owen made it 90 minutes in a very fast paced match, and was still running at the end (good fitness news for once).  And to be honest, he does still have 9 in his last 12 for Newcastle, 2 in 3 this season.  Not bad. 

 

Owen didn't score...will Capello pick him/play him?  For Newcastle, Owen on the bench for England means he's unlikely to pick up an injury.

 

Defense actually looks...better.  Last year, matches like this turned into 6-0 drubbings.  This year, only a 3-0 drubbing.  Thats improvement, of a sort.  Nice to have good cover in Bassong.  Wasn't really worried to have to bring him on (usually defensive subs for Newcastle leave me terrified as the cover is poor). 

 

Two of the worst fixtures are over -- OT and Emirates.  Those two out the way, and mid-table.  To be honest, we all expected to have 3 points out of the first 3 matches.  To have 4 isn't really bad, is it?

 

Negative:

 

Enrique injured?  Yeah, cuz Newcastle needed another injury.

[afar]

Just finished watching the game, that was a truely horrible performance, we were lucky to get away with 3-0. Where are to idiots telling us, it's not the end of the world if we don't strengthen ?

 

I don't care how good Arsenal were, it was criminal that we just didn't compete.

[Guest BooBoo]

Just finished watching the game, that was a truely horrible performance, we were lucky to get away with 3-0. Where are to idiots telling us, it's not the end of the world if we don't strengthen ?

 

I don't care how good Arsenal were, it was criminal that we just didn't compete.

 

That was the most disappointing aspect. There was none of the courage or will that was so clearly evident at Old Trafford.

[afar]

Just finished watching the game, that was a truely horrible performance, we were lucky to get away with 3-0. Where are to idiots telling us, it's not the end of the world if we don't strengthen ?

 

I don't care how good Arsenal were, it was criminal that we just didn't compete.

 

That was the most disappointing aspect. There was none of the courage or will that was so clearly evident at Old Trafford.

 

The two performances were night and day. They same to have a huge inferority complex against Arsenal away.

[indi]

Just finished watching the game, that was a truely horrible performance, we were lucky to get away with 3-0. Where are to idiots telling us, it's not the end of the world if we don't strengthen ?

 

I don't care how good Arsenal were, it was criminal that we just didn't compete.

 

That was the most disappointing aspect. There was none of the courage or will that was so clearly evident at Old Trafford.

 

The two performances were night and day. They same to have a huge inferority complex against Arsenal away.

 

We caught ManU on an off-day and Arsenal we didn't.

 

Just as the game at Old Trafford was promising but not something to get carried away about, today's showed up our weaknesses but isn't a total disaster.

 

It's like the fucking Moulin Rouge in here!!

[afar]

Just finished watching the game, that was a truely horrible performance, we were lucky to get away with 3-0. Where are to idiots telling us, it's not the end of the world if we don't strengthen ?

 

I don't care how good Arsenal were, it was criminal that we just didn't compete.

 

That was the most disappointing aspect. There was none of the courage or will that was so clearly evident at Old Trafford.

 

The two performances were night and day. They same to have a huge inferority complex against Arsenal away.

 

We caught ManU on an off-day and Arsenal we didn't.

 

Just as the game at Old Trafford was promising but not something to get carried away about, today's showed up our weaknesses but isn't a total disaster.

 

It's like the f***ing Moulin Rouge in here!!

 

 

Totally disagree. If you couldn't see the desire, commitment and willingness to fight for the cause at Manure and the total lack of any of that today, then you are a blind man. How the opposition played has fuck all to do with our desire and will to get a result.

[magpie418]

We had nothing going on in the middle of the park, Zog was having a bad day, which left our only attacking option being Jonas, who did as much as he could.  Obviously that alone made it easy for Arsenal and let them control the whole of the midfield to their liking.  Shola was never going to do anything (apart from get in the way of owen).  When Arsenal are playing like that, it makes Butt look like he's aged around 45.

 

 

[Guest BooBoo]

The players didnt display much confidence which got me wondering whether the Milner sale could have effected team morale at all.

[Guest alijmitchell]

Just finished watching the game, that was a truely horrible performance, we were lucky to get away with 3-0. Where are to idiots telling us, it's not the end of the world if we don't strengthen ?

 

I don't care how good Arsenal were, it was criminal that we just didn't compete.

 

That was the most disappointing aspect. There was none of the courage or will that was so clearly evident at Old Trafford.

 

The two performances were night and day. They same to have a huge inferority complex against Arsenal away.

 

We caught ManU on an off-day and Arsenal we didn't.

 

Just as the game at Old Trafford was promising but not something to get carried away about, today's showed up our weaknesses but isn't a total disaster.

 

It's like the f***ing Moulin Rouge in here!!

 

 

Totally disagree. If you couldn't see the desire, commitment and willingness to fight for the cause at Manure and the total lack of any of that today, then you are a blind man. How the opposition played has f*** all to do with our desire and will to get a result.

 

A bit from column a and a bit from column b really. Man u didn't play as well as arsenal, and we didn't play sa well as we did against man u. It feels like such a cop-out to say arsenal were too good today (even though they obviously outclassed us), because we played pretty poorly for a lot of the game. I think the penalty took a lot out of us too, and to be fair, if we hadn't got the early goal at OT and then got punished by fletcher, we'd have suffered the same fate as today.

[magpie418]

Totally disagree. If you couldn't see the desire, commitment and willingness to fight for the cause at Manure and the total lack of any of that today, then you are a blind man. How the opposition played has f*** all to do with our desire and will to get a result.

 

If we can't hold the midfield then we're fucked, there were 2 or 3 times at the beginning of the second half where we started to do that, but the inability of our forwards to hold the ball up (infact I think it was shola who just gave the ball away), resulted in another Arsenal goal.

 

We need to replace Butt asap.

[Spider Jerusalem]

Given- 8 Wasn't great for the third but kept it down to single figures where others wouldn't have given a shit

Beye- 2 Carried on from his previous matches this season.  Has he been replaced by the evil Beye.

Enrique- 3 Poor positional play before he manged to get 'injured'

Collocini-6 pick of the defence

Taylor - 5 second pick of the defence.  We're f*cked.

Butt- 1 turned up and put the right shirt on.  Should be ashamed that he is claiming his wages as a 'professional' footballer.  Jogged around a bit behind whoever had the ball at the time.

Guthrie- 6- Should have joined a good team.

Jonas-6- See Guthrie

NZogbia- 3 Well done lad, found the bloke in the same shirt as you on a couple of occaisions

Owen-7 Dropped deep to at least see what the ball looked like.

Shola- Do not get me started on this c*nt.  The epitomy of everything that is wrong with football.

 

[indi]

Just finished watching the game, that was a truely horrible performance, we were lucky to get away with 3-0. Where are to idiots telling us, it's not the end of the world if we don't strengthen ?

 

I don't care how good Arsenal were, it was criminal that we just didn't compete.

 

That was the most disappointing aspect. There was none of the courage or will that was so clearly evident at Old Trafford.

 

The two performances were night and day. They same to have a huge inferority complex against Arsenal away.

 

We caught ManU on an off-day and Arsenal we didn't.

 

Just as the game at Old Trafford was promising but not something to get carried away about, today's showed up our weaknesses but isn't a total disaster.

 

It's like the f***ing Moulin Rouge in here!!

 

 

Totally disagree. If you couldn't see the desire, commitment and willingness to fight for the cause at Manure and the total lack of any of that today, then you are a blind man. How the opposition played has fuck all to do with our desire and will to get a result.

 

That was the first game of the season, a number of players were making their debuts and Keegan had obviously got them right up for it, but if ManU had played to their full ability and had Ronaldo been in the team would we have played like that, I don't know, but I doubt it. How the opposition play has a huge amount to do with the team's desire, if you're getting your arse kicked and obviously aren't going to win then it's human nature to let your head drop a bit, have you never played on a losing side or something?

 

We could have been better, yes. We started badly, yes. We were never really in the game, yes. All those things are obvious, but people are going on like it's the end of the world, as if they expected to go there and kick their arse!! That was never going to happen.

 

How we approach the next game and the level of desire shown there, will tell you much more about what's ahead of us this season, not getting a bit of a football lesson at the Emirates. Much better teams than us will have that happen to them this season.

[Guest optimistic nit]

didn't think owen was any better than ameobi myself.

 

ameobi made some good knock downs from long balls that owen should have been looking to get on the end of. maybe he was, but if he was he wasn't very successful

 

ameobi was poor mind, very poor some of the time (what was he doing for their first goal ffs!) but singling him out and then giving owen a 7 is just wrong imo.

[The College Dropout]

Some of Guthrie's passing is excellent, he's wasted next to Nicky Butt though.

 

It was indeed, as was some of his ball carrying runs. He's a very tidy player, very good close control and body strength too. However he like Jonas needs to make better use of those attributes in getting forward more to support and to take some chances when presented. He needs to do more in short where it matters most, further up the field. Does he have the athleticism to get up and down, across and over? I'm not so sure myself. If he could just add that to his game though he'd be dynamite.

 

He'll never have the athleticism of Gerrard or even Jenas but if he could get a bit more physically fit as in stamina/engine he might be able to do that.

 

We where always going to be overrun with Butt going up against Fab/Denilson as Guthrie is hardly blessed in this department. i thoght we should've perhaps atrted with 5 in midfield.. dare I say Smith's energy may have been useful today. Shola hasn't played a prolonged amount of Premiership football in years and was more woeful I thought.

[Flip]

Gutierrez once again impressed me, and my friend called him a bull. He's never seen such a fighter and hes an arsenal faan which was quite pleasing to hear about gutierrez performance. He never gives up.

[Guest Heneage]

Having read Bartons SSN rating where was the challenge dirty?

[bulivye]

  i was hoping our lads would really get stuck in, and they DID...in mud.  our fastest players even looked sluggish compared to the arse boys. 

zoggy was, as usual, a defensive liability.  want to beat NUFC?  direct your attack wherever n'zogbia is "playing", and it's just a question of "when" not if you'll score.  (i did think the pen was harsh on him though.)  as for his getting forward, i swear watching him "run at people with the ball" is like watching my grandmother drive a lamborghini in a traffic roundabout--can't see the outlet that will take us where we want to go, and even then somebody's always in the way... 

 

am disappointed in the selection of shola.  we surrendered any chance of 3 pts right there.  i've always had time for him due to his mitigating goals against s'land, but, really, it's like trying to watch eskimos pour syrup when he's laboring to trundle his oddly fat AND lanky ass anywhere. (seriously, has he gotten heavier?)  would love to have been a mind reader when he bungled up little mickey's chance b/c i doubt owen had any charitible thoughts towards him. 

[merlin]

Lucky to get 'NIL' - completely and utterly outclassed...

 

This game was in some ways, a blessing in disguise, for it showed up, for all to see, the results of the collective folly that has been the running of NUFC over the past 4-5 years, INCLUDING this one.

 

Arsenal were the perfect example of a stable, well-run club which I now have serious doubts that NUFC can become. There was a huge gulf in class AND organisation between the sides and it is no exaggeration to say that we could have been looking at a 6 or 7 goal defeat ; we conceded Free-Kick after free-kick at the edge of our box, and but for some excellent saves by Given and some wayward finishing by Arsenal we would have been the laughing stock of the Prem this morning.

 

The midfield were a joke when it came to keeping possession, and as soon as the ball was given away, Arsenal put us under immediate pressure with some superb movement on and off the ball ; we were passed to death by them..

 

As was expected, Ameobi constantly failed to lead the line as a target man of his size and(reputed) ability should ; how anyone thinks this guy is worth a place in a top half Prem side is beyond me and, I suspect, quite a number of fans who have seen the good, bad and the ugly of forwards at NUFC over the past 30 years ; Owen had one real chance, and Ameobi blocked this with his heel, but even if Owen had scored, we would still have lost.

I now hope Owen leaves, and leaves quickly - the lad gets so much stick on this board, and among other NUFC fans, that it is in his best interests to go - I would love to see the reaction if he went to Man U on a cut-price deal, say 7-8m, and then scored 20 goals, which he certainly would if he stayed fit for 20 games with them....

 

N'zogbia was disappointing, not for the penalty, as I think he was hard-done by(the Ref was certainly a homer), but he gave possession away and ran into trouble far too much as he is prone to do - I would rather HE had been the one to go than Milner, and I suspect that, if pressed , KK would say the same...

 

Jonas did his best, but was closed down quickly by their midfield/defence ; Our defence did OK considering the amount of pressure they were subjected to and Given(credit where its due)saved us from humiliation.

 

Enrique did OK until his hamstring went(ANOTHER injury..) and I don't think Beye was properly fit, but played because there was no choice for KK..

 

There is now a desperate need for new players - if these are not forthcoming, then our results over the first 3 matches will be a mirror to our points total at the season's end - we will be lucky to exceed 45.

Hull have just taken a pasting by Wigan, and hopefully will be a bit less confident as a result for next week's game - that can work 2 ways though, and they may be coming with hurt pride so we can't afford to take them lightly.

 

The worst thing about this match was the comparison between the two clubs, NOT just the teams - we are LIGHT-YEARS behind them in every way, and it is very disappointing to older fans who remember us turning them over a few times during KK's first spell as manager and in previous years..

I even have a bad feeling that the current Mackem side would not have lost so heavily or easily - we have a HUGE amount of work to do, and if people on here want to kid themselves that we don't that's up to them - I prefer to face reality, something NUFC have avoided for a number of years.....

[mrmojorisin75]

again can't be arsed to go through 36 pages here but my thoughts:

 

1. to the people who think martins is shit - this is a snapshot of a martinsless universe and it's fucking terrifying

 

2. we were beaten by a better team but never laid down to die for them and never will under KK, move on to the next game

[mrmojorisin75]

from nufc.com

 

"there is a real danger of this expected result at the Emirates being the start of a destructive downward spiral."

 

wtf?

[BlueStar]

Well, at least Ashley downed a pint...

[cubaricho]

Our team has no clue what to do when they don't have the ball.  Everyone stands around ball watching.  It has been our most obvious problem for quite some time now I am surprised KK hasn't "fixed" the problem yet - hopefully he's working on it (by doing more than buying Argentinians).