Newcastle United 1 - 0 Norwich - 18/3/12 - post-match reaction from page 35

[wormy]

Thought the build-up to the goal, and the goal itself, was some of the best carpet football we've played in donkeys, and gave an indication of how effective it can be. We were hoofing the ball from Krul's arms again within about 5 minutes.

 

I think a major issue was Williamson's fuck up. After that, Krul seemed reluctant to play it to the defence for a while. After a couple more attempts that ended up just going back to him again he just started frustratedly telling them to shift higher up the pitch and then he'd launch it.

[JH]

NUFC are a shambles sometimes. The Muamba support on the electronic boards said 'your' instead of 'you're'

 

Along the lines of 'Your in our thoughts'.

 

I couldn't fucking believe that

 

Thought of Dave straight away

[Sifu]

A very unconvincing win.

 

We started off well and did play some good stuff but then we tailed off badly. Norwich could have easily nicked a goal in the second half if they didn't have Morisson upfront on his own (had Holt started, the outcome of this game could have arguably been different). We were definitely second best in the second half seeing as we were pretty much camped inside our own area inviting pressure after pressure. I thought that we panicked for large parts of the game and this was obvious by the number of mis-placed passes and clearances we made. We should have gone at them more in the first half (and indeed the second half), that second goal would have been a nice breather but nah, we had to play it the hard way and sit back and defend the 1-0 lead.

 

In the end though, it's still a win and it is three valuable points but we can't ignore the worrying signs.

[cp40]

Well, that was shit.

[Jayson]

The first 20-30 minutes was some of the best football we've played all season. The system looked class, we were fluid when we attacked. After that it just fell away for no reason atall, complete confidence turn around. Confusing stuff.

[M4]

There seems to be a real intent on playing as little football as possible and most of it facing our own goal. Barely any urgency from anyone right from the start, hardly no one ever ran with the ball. As if we are constantly delighted to be getting throw ins or goal kicks because it will allow us to spend a good 30 seconds to take them.

 

Big relief to get the win but saved by a moment of magic just like against Villa, although to be fair Cissé could have scored any of his chances. Disappointing that it also shows how much of the second half revival against Sunderland was probably down to them losing a man rather than our own creativity.

 

Was glad to see the change in having Jonas at the back and Cabaye wide. At least it showed Pards was willing to try something different in order to maybe revitalise our game. In the end Perch was probably our best player, which says a lot. Tragic football

[Sifu]

Thought the build-up to the goal, and the goal itself, was some of the best carpet football we've played in donkeys, and gave an indication of how effective it can be. We were hoofing the ball from Krul's arms again within about 5 minutes.

 

I think a major issue was Williamson's f*** up. After that, Krul seemed reluctant to play it to the defence for a while. After a couple more attempts that ended up just going back to him again he just started frustratedly telling them to shift higher up the pitch and then he'd launch it.

 

There probably is something in this actually. After Williamson's mistake, you could tell that alarm bells started ringing in Krul's mind. Tim just wouldn't pass it out to the defence even when they offered themselves to receive the ball short. I think there's a lack of confidence there from our defenders (Williamson and Simpson mainly) and Krul. Have to work on that.

[Pilko]

Nearly all of the pre-match stuff was pissing and moaning that we had Perch, Gutierrez and Cabaye playing in unnatural positions. Perch had one of his best games in our shirt today, and Gutierrez deserved his man-of-the-match award. Cabaye was areet in patches too.

 

The football was still too much long-ball, for large periods we looked a bit shaky, but other than those two saves Krul made in quick succession, did Norwich actually trouble our goal whatsoever? No.

 

Ba and Cisse both had great chances well saved and on another day we'd have had at least one penalty. We were a bit better today (in fits and starts) than we have been of late but nowhere near peak performance. Thankfully, it was enough. I think today was just one of those ones we needed to win in whatever fashion and move on from.

[ElDiablo]

Don't think we were hanging on, but we handed them the initiative which we didn't need to do. The movement, again, is absolutely fucking shit, the man on the ball often looks bad because nobody near him attempts to make himself available or create space by moving. It's horrific to watch and needs to be sorted, the players either need to think a bit more or Pards needs to take the shackles off them. We're so predictable and needn't be because we have the players to play good, inventive stuff.

 

So grim that second half. Hopefully playing away might mean a bit more space to work with next week, but if we're so static and scared of moving out of the flat formation assigned we'll be beaten comfortably.

 

Pains me to say it, but we should take a leaf out of the way Sunderland have started playing under O'Neil if we're going to sit back. At least they have a gameplan for when they sit back, high pressure and then ready to break quickly. We seem to just put 9 men behind the ball and hope for the best, there's nothing organised about it at all. We got away with today because Norwich are pretty poor, but looking at some of the games we've got coming up, we'll get turned over easily playing like this.

[Skirge]

Wasn't pretty but a great three points, at time we look half decent but some sloppy passing and Guthrie is so unfit, he looked shattered 20 mins into the 2nd half.

 

Benny was great, worked hard today, credit to Pards for getting Benny to work for the team and now rewarding him with a starting place

[Ronaldo]

Jonas got MOTM? For what exactly?

[TRon]

Don't think we were hanging on, but we handed them the initiative which we didn't need to do. The movement, again, is absolutely fucking shit, the man on the ball often looks bad because nobody near him attempts to make himself available or create space by moving. It's horrific to watch and needs to be sorted, the players either need to think a bit more or Pards needs to take the shackles off them. We're so predictable and needn't be because we have the players to play good, inventive stuff.

 

So grim that second half. Hopefully playing away might mean a bit more space to work with next week, but if we're so static and scared of moving out of the flat formation assigned we'll be beaten comfortably.

 

Pains me to say it, but we should take a leaf out of the way Sunderland have started playing under O'Neil if we're going to sit back. At least they have a gameplan for when they sit back, high pressure and then ready to break quickly. We seem to just put 9 men behind the ball and hope for the best, there's nothing organised about it at all. We got away with today because Norwich are pretty poor, but looking at some of the games we've got coming up, we'll get turned over easily playing like this.

 

Nothing to add to that, pretty much bang on.

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

Jonas got MOTM? For what exactly?

 

He was quality first half in fairness. Got a great assist and put some great balls in to Cisse. I don't think it's undeserved.

[Ronaldo]

I thought he did OK.

[gazza ladra]

Speaking as a Ben Arfa fanboy who is gutted every game he doesn't start, I felt much more confident about us holding on to all three points after Santon came on. Thought Pardew got the substitutions right.

 

Just don't understand what happened after we went up 1-0. Went flat, looked awful from 15 minutes on.

[Guest BlacknWhiteArmy]

I thought Jonas looked pretty suspect under pressure defensively but when he got forward he was smart and his delivery was consistently good.

[WarrenBartonCentrePartin]

watched it with 2 Norwich fans.  They were pissed off that they offered fuck all for the amount of possession they had.  Both were annoyed Holt didn't start as Morison is shit, which was evident.  They also thought Lambert left it far too late to make changes and would've had Holt on at HT.  They said they thought Cisse and Ba would have torn Whitbread and Ward new ones and were quite surprised.

[Dell Boi]

First match I've been to in a while, atmosphere was vile.

[Frazzle]

Nice to get 3 points but lots of worrying aspects for me.  I'm not sure why we played 4-4-2 today, especially with the personnel available.  Playing Cabaye on the left of a 4-4-2 (or at best a lopsided 4-4-2) is just crazy, its no wonder he isn't playing at his best at the moment.

 

At the moment, and people have said it before, but we're just scared to commit to attacks, everyone is scared to leave their position.  We were attacking at points today with just three players...at home...to Norwich.  Until Santon came on I can't really remember a full back getting beyond the wide men after about 15-20 mins.  There's still no reason we can't play football even with the weaker links in the team, we can't keep possession because there's no movement, no central midfielders come wide when we have the ball on the flanks (obviously made more difficult with a 4-4-2) and no midfielders push up when the ball reaches the strikers.  Everyone is scared to get caught out.  Pardew obviously wants safety first but its counter-productive now, especially with Saylor out because we don't have the defensive strength anymore.

 

If we actually try to play good football and everyone's confidence builds again that will in turn help us to play better football.  At the moment thanks to the tactics and the crowd, the players are terrified on the ball it seems. 

 

Not sure why Ben Arfa came off either, couple of points people have raised seem to be - didn't do much/looked tired/risky in possession.  I dunno why Ben Arfa is being judged at a higher standard than others like Jonas who can go 5-6 games without setting it up on a plate for someone.  Obviously the less HBA plays the less chance he'll have to create decent chances.  Risky in possession?  Obviously referring to that one incident when he DIDN'T lose the ball in our own box.  Didn't think he looked tired either, he was helping out in defence for the most part.  I sort of started to accept Pardew's attitude because he has got HBA working more but if he's not even playing him when he's working then its mental.

 

Wouldn't have brought Cisse off either.  Ba drops too deep now (because there's no midfielders pushing on and a general lack of ability to create chances) so isn't as much as a goal threat, Cisse still gives us a goal threat regardless of how he's playing.  Once Shola came on (who did alright) we had no goal threat and Ba still dropping deep and ultimately not doing a lot.

[Frazzle]

Don't think we were hanging on, but we handed them the initiative which we didn't need to do. The movement, again, is absolutely f***ing s***, the man on the ball often looks bad because nobody near him attempts to make himself available or create space by moving. It's horrific to watch and needs to be sorted, the players either need to think a bit more or Pards needs to take the shackles off them. We're so predictable and needn't be because we have the players to play good, inventive stuff.

 

So grim that second half. Hopefully playing away might mean a bit more space to work with next week, but if we're so static and scared of moving out of the flat formation assigned we'll be beaten comfortably.

 

Pains me to say it, but we should take a leaf out of the way Sunderland have started playing under O'Neil if we're going to sit back. At least they have a gameplan for when they sit back, high pressure and then ready to break quickly. We seem to just put 9 men behind the ball and hope for the best, there's nothing organised about it at all. We got away with today because Norwich are pretty poor, but looking at some of the games we've got coming up, we'll get turned over easily playing like this.

 

Nothing to add to that, pretty much bang on.

 

Yeah, summed it up well, in much less words than me. 

[TRon]

watched it with 2 Norwich fans.  They were pissed off that they offered fuck all for the amount of possession they had.  Both were annoyed Holt didn't start as Morison is shit, which was evident.  They also thought Lambert left it far too late to make changes and would've had Holt on at HT.  They said they thought Cisse and Ba would have torn Whitbread and Ward new ones and were quite surprised.

 

Considering the lack of service they did really. We had nothing except up front as far as I'm concerned.

[Interpolic]

Perch MOTM for me. Result is all that matters.

 

Disagree tbh mate, result was categorically the most important thing but a good performance today would have set us up nicely for the last 9 games.  As it is I think we'll scrap and we'll bore the life out of the opposition until game 38 and hopefully by that point we'll have somehow scraped 6th or 7th.  It's a lot more difficult to be confident when you're playing like shite every week (as a fan) and I'd imagine that applies to the players as well.  Sick of watching us at the minute tbh.

[Mistle17]

First match I've been to in a while, atmosphere was vile.

 

Aye, it was absolutely awful.

[madras]

poorest game of top flight football i've seen since the new years day against boro (lee clarke equaliser).

 

haven't got a clue about what we were supposed to be doing.

[JH]

Perch MOTM for me. Result is all that matters.

 

Disagree tbh mate, result was categorically the most important thing but a good performance today would have set us up nicely for the last 9 games.  As it is I think we'll scrap and we'll bore the life out of the opposition until game 38 and hopefully by that point we'll have somehow scraped 6th or 7th.  It's a lot more difficult to be confident when you're playing like s**** every week (as a fan) and I'd imagine that applies to the players as well.  Sick of watching us at the minute tbh.

 

This tbh. Absolutely this.