Coloccini wants out; Sevilla confirm interest

[Taylor Swift]

Jesus, two or three bad games and suddenly we need someone better.

 

Before the Wigan game, we had kept 4 clean sheets in 7 matches and Coloccini played a big part in that. It was only after our settled backline was broken up (and one of them replaced by S Taylor) that we've been leaking goals again.

 

I do feel that some of his poor performances have come because he's still not yet settled. The same happened with Vidic and Evra in their first seasons and that's why they were on the bench for a lot of it. Unfortunately Colo and Bassong are the best we've got so he's gotta play through this learning period.

[NE5]

He's a soft fairy like, out muscled plenty of times yesterday and it infuriates me no end when players just back off which Colo did several times. He's an intelligent footballer, quite classy with time and space to his advantage, but too timid and too passive in his tackling, marking and positioning which are key aspects of football in England. I guess what I'm trying to say is that he lacks any kind of aggression in those 3 areas hence why average Premier League forwards are getting the better of him on an increasing basis worryingly.

 

yep. I counted 3 times yesterday - when he didn't stand on his feet when he attempted to make a straight on tackle, and just went down on his arse. Worrying. 

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Jesus, two or three bad games and suddenly we need someone better.

 

Before the Wigan game, we had kept 4 clean sheets in 7 matches and Coloccini played a big part in that. It was only after our settled backline was broken up (and one of them replaced by S Taylor) that we've been leaking goals again.

 

I do feel that some of his poor performances have come because he's still not yet settled. The same happened with Vidic and Evra in their first seasons and that's why they were on the bench for a lot of it. Unfortunately Colo and Bassong are the best we've got so he's gotta play through this learning period.

 

To my mind he's never really had any outstanding games for us yet, a few decent ones but nothing special and as the season has wore on his game and form has become a bit of a mixed bag to the point where his weaknesses are becoming quite apparent and these are not minor weaknesses but pretty big ones. Weaknesses average Premiership forwards are exposing on a weekly basis now. And the alarming thing is that this isn't down to holes in the team's defensive system exposing Colo's weaknesses but any individual dual between him and forwards. His team defending is pretty good, he reads play well, he covers well and he is not too bad in the air, but his own personal individual defending is average hence why when called on to make a tackle, stand his ground or nip in between an incoming ball and the attacker to intercept for example, he struggles or rather has struggled and against some pretty average forwards too.

 

Thankfully these weaknesses can be worked on and stem from inexperience and naivety more than anything. This isn't an ability issue. In La Liga and at international level the type of defending required is different to that in the Premier League and especially at a struggling club who is often playing backs to the wall to use and old cliche or defending deep. Its in your face here, most centre-forwards will play right on top of you in the Premier League and even if the attacker is yards away as play is going on, as soon as that ball goes towards the area of space in between the defender and attacker, the forward will move towards the defender and be right there in his face ready to challenge for that ball or space. Colo is having a tough time dealing with that and of course the different kinds of forwards this league has.

 

I'm hopeful however that he will in time adjust and these big weaknesses that are effecting his defending and with it our defensive solidarity, will lessen and pass fully. But he needs to wise up quickly because I can see a time where a good forward will tear him a new arsehole soon enough and he'll need all that tough Argentinian mettle to get over that.

 

At the moment he's struggling with the physical side of our game and the way the game is played here which I think asks more of defenders as individuals as much as defensive units which as we know, can if organised, confident and with good protection in front, keep clean sheets even if the individuals in the unit are not the best of players.

 

Unfortunately when the unit breaks down, defensively you're at the mercy of the individual. This is why your very very best defenders like Carragher, Terry, Vidic et al are the players they are because they can be relied on as individuals to defend even when the defence itself has fallen apart. These players tend to save their fellow defenders or 'keepers when called on, rather than being made mugs of which Colo was made several times yesterday by Carlton Cole of all players.

[Kanj]

I can count numerous, numerous times that Bassong has saved our team with what you are referring to in your final paragraph HTT.

 

Colo will come good, it will take time - but he will fix those errors in his game.

[Guest toonlass]

I think he's struggled to cope with the weather here.

 

Bloody hell, I stuggle to cope with the weather here and I was born here. Its freaking freezing at the moment.

[WhatTheFunk]

Average yesterday, but you can't really blame him for the second goal.  Cole made a run in behind him unseen, while Taylor stood, watched Cole run past him and pointed.  I'll make allowances for Taylor if he makes a mistake playing in an unfamiliar position at right-back, but that had nothing to do with it in this situation.

 

Get a decent DM in front of them and I'm sure the whole of the back 4 will look like different players.  They are far too exposed ATM.

 

Thing is, Andy Carroll was in the RB position when Cole made the run. Taylor was in the center iirc

[WhatTheFunk]

the main problem is the fact we can't defend as a team, we just let the opposition attack us and we only try to defend in our 1/3 of the pitch not all over the pitch as it should be

 

has anyone noticed at how scared we are to tackle in games as well, very worrying

 

We've given away 8 penalties in 21 games. That's a fucking outlandish number if you ask me. No wonder they're shy in the tackle

[Liam Liam Liam O]

This the same Carlton Cole that caused much more problems against Chelsea than he did against us? Thought so.

 

Yeah the shit one, who the West Ham fans hate.  That's the bloke.

[NJS]

rather than being made mugs of which Colo was made several times yesterday by Carlton Cole of all players.

 

Exactly what happened in September at their place.

 

 

 

 

[fredbob]

Im happy with Colo, he's a calm reassured defender who's developed a good partnership with Bassong, possilby the best partnership for 15 odd years. Nothing else to be said really.

 

My only concerns are his strength in the air and the physical side to his game, doesnt need protecting but i do think that Bassong should be marking the big forwards.

 

 

[Guest fading star]

Collocini has been less than impressive all season. Weak in the air, easily brushed of the ball and he has a turning circle that would embarrass an oil tanker. If he was called Smith and came from Denton he’d have been written off by now. As it is he’s got a fancy continental haircut, hails from Argentina and cost £10m so he must be great? 

 

Pace and strength aren’t really skills you can learn, Colo will have his work cut out to live up to expectations.

[WhatTheFunk]

Collocini has been less than impressive all season. Weak in the air, easily brushed of the ball and he has a turning circle that would embarrass an oil tanker. If he was called Smith and came from Denton he’d have been written off by now. As it is he’s got a fancy continental haircut, hails from Argentina and cost £10m so he must be great? 

 

Pace and strength aren’t really skills you can learn, Colo will have his work cut out to live up to expectations.

 

That's a load of bullshit

[jep]

Im happy with Colo, he's a calm reassured defender who's developed a good partnership with Bassong, possilby the best partnership for 15 odd years. Nothing else to be said really.

 

My only concerns are his strength in the air and the physical side to his game, doesnt need protecting but i do think that Bassong should be marking the big forwards.

 

 

 

 

Bassong sure is a bit rougher. Maybe even too rough at times, he's looked liable to give away penalties, and has already done so at least once I think?

 

They're a good pairing though.

[WhatTheFunk]

Im happy with Colo, he's a calm reassured defender who's developed a good partnership with Bassong, possilby the best partnership for 15 odd years. Nothing else to be said really.

 

My only concerns are his strength in the air and the physical side to his game, doesnt need protecting but i do think that Bassong should be marking the big forwards.

 

 

 

 

Bassong sure is a bit rougher. Maybe even too rough at times, he's looked liable to give away penalties, and has already done so at least once I think?

 

They're a good pairing though.

 

Yup. The foul on Heskey. Should never have been a pen mind.

[fredbob]

Im happy with Colo, he's a calm reassured defender who's developed a good partnership with Bassong, possilby the best partnership for 15 odd years. Nothing else to be said really.

 

My only concerns are his strength in the air and the physical side to his game, doesnt need protecting but i do think that Bassong should be marking the big forwards.

 

 

 

 

Bassong sure is a bit rougher. Maybe even too rough at times, he's looked liable to give away penalties, and has already done so at least once I think?

 

They're a good pairing though.

 

The thing is that our recent history shows us that we have strugled as a defensive unit, our stats maybe ok under the Keegan and SBR era but i put that down to us being such an effective attacking unit and thus not having so much defensive pressure rather than being a sound defensive one who can absord a lot of pressure.

 

Colo and Bassong, in my opinion have given us an extremely strong base to build upon, I dont think there are too many weak attacking sides who can boast a defence as strong as ours.

[Heron]

I cannot beleive the amount of people who criticise our defence in general...the shittest thing about Newcastle United is its midfield and it has been for a good few years.

 

Duff - Past it

Butt - Past it

Geremi - Past it

Jonas - Adapting to the Premiership

Guthrie - Needs guiding but does well

Barton - Injured and will probably continue to get more injuries as the majority of his opponents will go out to kick him up-a-height

Zog - Or best midfielder but wants away

Lua Lua -Inexperienced and hasn't had a chance

Gonzalez - Who? Is he even still here?

 

On the subject of Coloccini though, him and Bassong are both quality defenders who are more than capable of dealing with the majority of Premier League strikers, Enrique is decent at defending but often his distribution is wank and Taylor makes far too many rash decisions and errors, with Beye, Enrique and Bassong and Colo' we actually have a solid defence, it is the fuckers in the middle who cannot protect them that is the problem.

 

Butt has given endless free kicks and penalties away from being too slow...thinking he can get there but he just cannot. Guthrie has done okay but needs to either sit or go forward - instead he is forced to rush all over the place. Duff is shite defensively as is Charlie and Jonas provides decent cover for Beye (when he plays). Geremi is just too slow and Barton is out.

 

No matter what anyone says defense starts from the front and especially against West Ham our 2 strikers couldn't give a fuck about anything until the ball was at their feet, the link up play between the midfield and our strikers was woeful. As soon as defenders can bring the ball forward our midfield can be dragged out of position leaving their midfield open i more advanced position which then in turn drags our defenders out of place or simply they get over ran by attackers.

 

Really don't understand the amount of criticism he receives...

 

Anyways, why the hell did we play the offside trap against West Ham when we know that when Bellamy played for us everyone who played it against us ended up conceding from a Bellamy through ball? It was stupid. Sit deep and make them play in front of you, then they don't have a threat.

 

Againt Liverpool people laughed when I said play 3-5-2...I bet if we had of we would have done far better, Stevie G runs there game so over run their midfield and stop their supply to the front line.

 

I don't mind Kinnear, but he has got some of his tactics badly wrong in our last few games tbh.

[Thespence]

As anyone who follows the Argies on Sky will have known Colo has not played in most of Argentina's recent games due to his poor form at Newcastle is now dropped from the squad, the veteran Walter Samuel is picked instead & Jonas is still in.

 

Hopefully Colo will shove it reet up the liposucked cheating cokedhead dwarf by having Sissy or Jones in his pocket all game on Sunday.

[Guest timmy boy]

As anyone who follows the Argies on Sky will have known Colo has not played in most of Argentina's recent games due to his poor form at Newcastle is now dropped from the squad, the veteran Walter Samuel is picked instead & Jonas is still in.

 

Hopefully Colo will shove it reet up the liposucked cheating cokedhead dwarf by having Sissy or Jones in his pocket all game on Sunday.

 

Hopefully he can start with Bellamy tomorrow :colo:

[Thespence]

As anyone who follows the Argies on Sky will have known Colo has not played in most of Argentina's recent games due to his poor form at Newcastle is now dropped from the squad, the veteran Walter Samuel is picked instead & Jonas is still in.

 

Hopefully Colo will shove it reet up the liposucked cheating cokedhead dwarf by having Sissy or Jones in his pocket all game on Sunday.

 

Hopefully he can start with Bellamy tomorrow :colo:

 

I am overlooking that game

[Liam Liam Liam O]

More bad games than good.

[Guest neesy111]

More bad games than good.

 

simply hasn't got the pace for the premiership unfortunley will defo leave end of the season imo

[Guest toonlass]

More bad games than good.

 

simply hasn't got the pace for the premiership unfortunley will defo leave end of the season imo

 

[Ronaldo]

More bad games than good.

 

simply hasn't got the pace for the premiership unfortunley will defo leave end of the season imo

 

Give me 10 of the best premiership central defenders and I'll bet Colo's as quick or quicker than half of them. Pace isn't essential for a CB if they read the game well, and tackle well.

 

Colo just needs to fine tune his game to the premiership tbh, he's playing in a shite team atm and played out of position tonight. You really cant expect him to thrive under these circumstances.

[Dokko]

Collocini has been less than impressive all season. Weak in the air, easily brushed of the ball and he has a turning circle that would embarrass an oil tanker. If he was called Smith and came from Denton he’d have been written off by now. As it is he’s got a fancy continental haircut, hails from Argentina and cost £10m so he must be great? 

 

Pace and strength aren’t really skills you can learn, Colo will have his work cut out to live up to expectations.

 

That's a load of bullshit

 

Spot on really.

[johnnypd]

he's struggling very, very badly. i liked him before he came here but he's not adapted yet and ive been shocked at how bad his recent performances have been. Mind you the whole side is struggling atm, even Bassong has looked terrible recently.