Newcastle 2 - 1 Spurs - 18/08/12 - post-match jubilation from page 35

[Revolution]

Pretty poor.

 

We're off the pace, Cabaye looks particularly so. We're trying to pass it out but it's hard in a 4-4-2- Tiote and Cabaye have never really functioned together so both are deep and there is no advanced player to play into. Ba is not a natural at it in my opinion. We'd look better with Anita on and Cabaye pushed up.

[loki679]

Are we playing flat four four two?

[Guest Realist]

Dire.

[Weznufc]

shocking we need to up our game or spurs will win this

[Guest fluctuator]

WTF was that routine

its called london bridge is falling down

[Guest bimpy474]

Shit game, cabaye is a petulant little prick, Manu player if I've ever seen one.

 

In a two he does too much of the chasing, i'd like us to stick another in there and let him play ten yards further forward and play through him.

[SUPERTOON]

Pards is quite clearly playing 4-4-2 for Ba, it is the only reason.

[LesPaul]

Poor first half. No shape, passing awful and might as well be a man down with Simpson on the field (almost WERE a man down thanks to him). Still we finished well enough.

 

[Dinho lad]

Shit game, cabaye is a petulant little prick, Manu player if I've ever seen one.

 

 

[nemtizz]

Do tha magic Pards.

[Parky]

I'd like to see one more in midfield.

[Stottie]

Lethagic and a pretty clueless on the whole.

 

Still its 0-0, so count our blessings and go out there to win it.

[Unbelievable]

Room for improvement

 

To say the least.

[matta]

that was quite shit.. and what a silly yellow by cabaye

[Dyeyzzon]

WTF was that routine

its called london bridge is falling down

 

[Guest bimpy474]

Pards is quite clearly playing 4-4-2 for Ba, it is the only reason.

 

Ridiculous if its the case, the team come first whatever the formation.

[JH]

Like a pre-season game.

 

Spurs should be ahead.

[James]

All the players have bricks on their legs. Ben Arfa best player but he has been very leaden too.

[afar]

We look so under cooked. Cabaye nowhere near fit, lightweight up front, outside of the odd run by Benny we've offered nothing, lucky not to be behind.

[Memphis]

We look like a team that is trying to use 4 midfielders, only one of whom is 100% fit, to deal with 5 who are.  And we look like a team that hasn't really played together much in the preseason.

 

Cabaye won't be on much past 60 minutes, and Tiote might not either.  Both look nowhere near their best.

[Shak]

Ben Arfa has looked good and we've shown a commitment to keeping it on the deck, so those are positives.

 

We just don't look good in a 4-4-2 though, far too stagnant, no width.

 

It's gonna be a running issue this year if Pardew's comments about Ba and the Carroll chase are anything to go by.

[JB]

Would like to see 4-3-3 but more than that needs to happen to change this.

[Stifler]

We have lost the midfield battler. Our midfielders are sitting too deep, when we do get the ball we don't look for a simple to a man in space but try to play it through their players. The defence has resorted to the long ball which obviously has proved as successful as a Mackem in a job interview.

 

Their only real threat comes on the counter attack.

 

Simpson has been like a shopping trolley, every time he goes forward for some reason he's being pulled to the side and away from where you want to go. I'd contemplate bringing Anita on for him as he's going to get done with Bale's diving.

[Beren]

Didn't think it was as bad as some of you tbh. We look like we're lacking in match sharpness though, for sure. Some silly lapses in concentration. Simpson's still there

 

Jonas and HBA have been great at relieving the pressure though. Not great though, but didn't expect as much from this having seen bits and pieces of our pre-season.

[Cronky]

I'd like to see one more in midfield.

 

Yeah, really we've got no choice, at least in the longer term.

 

Same side, same issues. We're not good at playing it through the midfield, and we're reliant on flashes of individual class.