Chelsea 0 - 0 Newcastle United - 22/11/08 - post match reaction from page 15

[Dave]

Why is it that we are so variable defensively from game to game?

[Teasy]

Like I said, no reason to believe we'd get a thrashing, you bunch of pessimistic bastards

 

Though I certainly didn't expect a draw.

[Mick]

I think it needs saying, Given had a very good game and actually came off his line a few times which helped out the defence.  I'd like to see more of that from him as he doesn't do it often enough.

[Umer]

I wonder if taylor will walk straight back into the team now?!?

 

An amazing point... never in a millioin years thought we'd get anything from that! But lets not get ahead of ourselves, unless we can be consistent we're gonna stay in the bottom half. The Boro game is massive if we want to build on this.

[Guest justin99.]

no doubt all attention will be on the offside decision

 

It was the right decision so tough.

 

i agree, but the focus will be on how chelsea were "robbed" rather than the gusty, heroic newcastle performance

[Willow]

well done bass and colo - warm that bench for now taylor 

 

http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/83787113.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF193003A50471BAAE0D5E3E5E4789487A0B2E30A760B0D811297

[Dave]

Like I said, no reason to believe we'd get a thrashing, you bunch of pessimistic bastards

 

Yeah whatever.

[Taylor Swift]

Given - 8

Enrique-7

Collocini-7

Bassong-9

Beye-8

Gutierrez-6

Butt-5 a lot of mistakes today

Guthrie-8 Great game from the lad

Duff-6

Martins-6

Owen-6

 

Subs:

 

N'Zogbia-7

Ameobi-6

 

 

Agree with this except Colo deserves a higher rating.

 

Butt is a useless fucker and his shit passes almost killed us. One 'no-look' back pass was to a fucking Chelsea player, and another dumb header gave Ballack an easy chance, which he obviously missed. Guthrie carried him the whole game and he desperately needs replacing.

[Guest Guinness]

Get in! Quality result. It's amazing that despite our decline this season we've taken a point away at the two best sides in the division.

[Ikon]

Great result, i've always thought that colo and bassong could be a really good partnership, still early but anyway...get in,,

[buzza]

Thought Bassong was outstanding , coloccini was average. Rest werre very good

[Baggio]

My brother just text me to say TalkSport gave MOTM to Nicky Butt. Worthy ?

I didnt see or listen to so I dont know but from what you lads are saying already, it probably should have gone to one of the back 4

 

He played a good through ball for Chelsea but apart from that he was shite.

[Disco]

Fucking awesome. I'm proud

 

Colo and Bassong were our best players.

 

I have a couple of gripes with the substitutions and how we took off our two most offensive players which lead to a 15 minute spell in which we couldn't get out of our own half, but oh well, we did very well and credit to all the players and Kinnear. That point was definitely earned.

 

I'd have taken Owen off for N'Zogbia and pushed Jonas up top.

 

Jonas looked done in when he went off like I thought but he always does.

[lovejoy]

great point. delighted.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

There was every reason to think we'd get boned in this one, very happy and surprised we didn't. Well done lads.

[Mick]

Why is it that we are so variable defensively from game to game?

 

Probably because we change too much and the defence don't get enough time to work together.

[Guest elbee909]

The main thing, of course, is that we'd never have got this result under Freddy Shepherd.

 

[johnnypd]

Why is it that we are so variable defensively from game to game?

 

we've not had that much of a settled back four have we? also, in games in which we're attacking more and committing people upfield the likes of Coloccini get singled out more and overall get less help from other players than they would today. that's not to take away from what was an excellent defensive job though.

[Wullie]

I think it needs saying, Given had a very good game and actually came off his line a few times which helped out the defence.  I'd like to see more of that from him as he doesn't do it often enough.

 

His punching was superb second half. He maybe doesn't do that often enough but one thing you can say is that he never comes and flaps or half clears. If he comes, he gets it.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Given - 8

Beye - 7.5

Coloccini - 8.5

Bassong - 9

Enrique - 7.5

Duff - 6

Butt - 5

Guthrie - 8.5

Jonas - 8

Ameobi - 7

Owen - 6

 

NZogbia looked decent when he came on, maybe a 7.56732 reoccurring.

[TRon]

That back four is very impressive defensively when I've seen them start together this season. Mind it was more of a back eight today.

 

Fair play though, well done lads.

[Disco]

Why is it that we are so variable defensively from game to game?

 

I think just going off today partially you can say that it was a bit like the way Cuellar looked so good last season in the Waffa for Rangers is that they just had do the basics and didnt get pulled out of positions like we are more likely to do when we play at home e.g. last week.

[biggs]

Just got this off a Chelski forum before the match ,what a twat with 0 knowledge of whats going on up here .

 

 

I’M A GEORDIE GET ME OUT OF HERE

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (9 votes, average: 2.33 out of 5)

Loading ... Loading ...

Contributed by Rowan Farnham-Long  •  21st November, 2008  •  1,587 views Discuss 'I’M A GEORDIE GET ME OUT OF HERE'  on our Forums

 

I’M A GEORDIE GET ME OUT OF HERE thumbnail

 

After a pointless international break comes a game against an almost pointless side, as Newcastle United come to Stamford Bridge for a rare Saturday afternoon kick-off.  I say pointless not in the sense of complete superfluity like, say, ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’ or a Spurs goalkeeper, but pointless as in Newcastle accumulating just 13 points from 13 games so far this season. In a Premier League table which is tighter than a pair of Jamie Redknapp’s trousers, Newcastle are just two points off the bottom but only two wins away from seventh, however with wins a rare commodity so far for the Magpies, it’s the former option which is looking ominously credible.

 

Newcastle’s mini-revival under Joe Kinnear has come to an abrupt end, and reality is again kicking in for the Geordie fans. Having lost to Fulham two weekends ago, a 2-2 draw against ten man Wigan last week - featuring a late Titus Bramble equaliser, as the error-prone defender continues to take points from Newcastle despite leaving the club a few years ago - wasn’t enough to take Kinnear’s side away from the bottom four. As well as struggling to find form, another constant from Newcastle’s recent league campaigns has been a crippling injury list, and this year has been no different.

 

Alan Smith, Joey Barton (boo), Nacho Gonzalez, and Mark Viduka are all definitely out while centre-back Steven Taylor and striker Xisco are doubts for the game. Michael Owen is always touch and go, and could easily get injured somehow between now and 3pm on Saturday, while Geremi and Damien Duff could be in line for a return to Stamford Bridge, both men former Blues and fondly remembered by the Chelsea fans.

 

Whereas Newcastle could claim to be a leading side in terms of the Premier League injury table, their usual place at the summit has been snatched by our very own walking wounded. With a maximum of nine players out injured, Luis Felipe Scolari’s squad selection is starting to look uncomfortably straightforward, meaning Salomon Kalou and Florent Malouda are almost guaranteed starts EVERY. SINGLE. WEEK.

 

Frank Lampard, Petr Cech, Juliano Belletti, Ashley Cole, Ricardo Carvalho and Joe Cole are all doubts but could return for Saturday, while Franco di Santo, Alex and Michael Essien are all definitely on the sidelines. Didier Drogba is suspended after charitably giving a pound coin generously back to the Burnley fans on that dark Wednesday, but with Nicolas Anelka banging in eight goals in the last four games, the Frenchman has admirably taken on the mantel of goalscorer supreme.

 

Although recent games at St James’ Park have been, at times, uncomfortable (see 2006/07, 2005/06, 2004/05 twice, 2003/04 and indeed, 2002/03) it’s been nothing but joy at the Bridge. In the last ten games - in all competitions - we have scored 24 and only conceded three, winning nine and drawing one. The last time Newcastle tasted victory at Chelsea was back in November 1986, with a 3-1 win in the old First Division.

 

The last meeting in the League was almost a shock to the system however. Sam Allardyce brought his struggling Newcastle side to SW6 in late December against a depleted Chelsea side led by Avram Grant. Despite opening the scoring through Essien, the Blues contrived to lose their lead in the second-half, with Nicky Butt equalising just over ten minutes after the break. As Grant replaced Joe Cole with Claudio Pizarro and later Michael Ballack with Scott Sinclair, the catcalls from the Chelsea crowd intensified to a hostile level, and with the Israeli boss never the most popular of figures, it seemed as if the fans weren’t prepared to bottle their feelings in. However, a late Kalou goal from an offside position sealed the points for the home side and Grant - as well as Chelsea’s title challenge - lived on.

 

With Newcastle struggling, and crisis after crisis stacking up in front of Joe Kinnear, they would do well to repeat last season’s performance. Instead, its more likely that the final whistle will again see the points go Chelsea’s way. Expect goals, action, and probably about eight injuries for both sides.

 

Prediction: Another disappointing weekend for the club now known as Sorry Newcastle. We tend to rack them up against the Magpies, and with goals flying in recently, particularly for Mr Anelka, I’m going for an ambitious 3-0.

[Robster]

My brother just text me to say TalkSport gave MOTM to Nicky Butt. Worthy ?

I didnt see or listen to so I dont know but from what you lads are saying already, it probably should have gone to one of the back 4

 

He played a good through ball for Chelsea but apart from that he was shite.

 

I had a feeling their opinion would be rubbish

[GM]

Didn't see the first half hour (couldn't bring myself to watch) but from what I saw (plus a couple of highlights at half time), the entire back five was outstanding. If they could do that every week we'd be laughing because we'll always score goals.

 

Yeah. Always...