Jack Colback (now a free agent)

[madras]

I didn't think he was particularly bad today, that was pretty much what I see from him every week.

Aye, thought it was a typical Colback performance, lots of running around BUT constantly out of position and making boring/safe passes

Wasn't looking to pick the ball up off the defenders and letting his man face him up much more than usual. Don't get the boring passes bit when aimed at him.. Can't remember many occasions when there were better options. Same goes for Anita on that score.

[themanupstairs]

He's just positionally all over the place. Sometimes that means he's in the right place for mental last second tackles, most often it just means Anita gets to do the work of two, and then gets criticized for not being domineering. Please drop him.

 

If he continues to contribute nothing and McClaren drops him, I'll suddenly have a massive surge in confidence that our new manager actually has his wits about him, and genuinely wants to go places with this squad.

[Shak]

I can see how people would think he's a useful player if they don't pay much attention to our games and/or don't really understand the game of football.

 

Probably applies to a large portion of the St. James' Park crowd though, unfortunately, which is why he's mysteriously liked by so many of our fans.

[Disco]

He's liked primarily because of how upset the Sunlun fans got about it because our fans are simpletons in the main. He also runs about a lot.

[ExiledGeordie]

If McClaren can get Tiote to anything close to the form under Hughton when he did all the simple things extremely well before he started hitting Hollywood shots and passes, I'd be inclined to have him start next to Anita in place of Colback. Anita keeps things moving very well and if Tiote could patrol the area in front of the back four well then he could just win the ball and give it to Anita, Winjaldum, Thauvin etc

[captainhaircut]

We were much better in a 4-1-4-1 system and since anita, Gini, ayoze, thauvin, Sissoko and mitrovic should all be first choice picks, it should pick itself.

 

A big part of my judgement of Mcclaren will be formed over the next two weeks. If, as I assume he will, he plays colback over ayoze, then I'll know he's just another clueless twat.

[Altamullan]

I can see how people would think he's a useful player if they don't pay much attention to our games and/or don't really understand the game of football.

 

Probably applies to a large portion of the St. James' Park crowd though, unfortunately, which is why he's mysteriously liked by so many of our fans.

Really? Are those the only two reasons people could have a different opinion to you Sir Alf, Jose, Sir Bobby, Pepe... Oh! sorry, it's Shak isn't it. FWIW, I think the kind of player (role, not quality) Colback is, is the most likely to be unappreciated. Today, I thought he didn't perform as well as he usually does. Normally, I greatly admire his contribution. His statistics look good, as do his match ratings. So it seems there might be some basis to the JC is 'useful' hypothesis other than inattention or ignorance ( reading that sentence back -JC bit - makes me want to develop a Kenny Everett brother-lee-love thang, but I can't  be arsed and MOTD is on!!)

[Foluwashola]

I can see how people would think he's a useful player if they don't pay much attention to our games and/or don't really understand the game of football.

 

Probably applies to a large portion of the St. James' Park crowd though, unfortunately, which is why he's mysteriously liked by so many of our fans.

 

He was a weak link today, but good grief this self-righteousness

[Shak]

Wasn't entirely serious you fannies.

 

End of the day I'd say he's good enough to play for a PL team who are fighting relegation, any team who aspires to anything higher shouldn't have him playing IMO.

[Kasper]

I can see how people would think he's a useful player if they don't pay much attention to our games and/or don't really understand the game of football.

 

Probably applies to a large portion of the St. James' Park crowd though, unfortunately, which is why he's mysteriously liked by so many of our fans.

 

He was a weak link today, but good grief this self-righteousness

 

There's a point there though. Many people watch football and they only see what happens in that space where the ball is. If Colback makes the occasional sliding tackle or block they think he was awesome. They don't see the bigger picture, how the players move without the ball, how and when they press the oppososition or when they take a step back and fall back to formation. It's sad but true.

 

Anita does many things well that the average football fan doesn't ever see so they don't appreciate it.

[samptime29]

I can see how people would think he's a useful player if they don't pay much attention to our games and/or don't really understand the game of football.

 

Probably applies to a large portion of the St. James' Park crowd though, unfortunately, which is why he's mysteriously liked by so many of our fans.

 

Strange post.

[Kasper]

I can see how people would think he's a useful player if they don't pay much attention to our games and/or don't really understand the game of football.

 

Probably applies to a large portion of the St. James' Park crowd though, unfortunately, which is why he's mysteriously liked by so many of our fans.

 

Strange post.

 

Not really.

[BrettNUFC]

We had a corner, he played it short and within seconds he was sending Rooney on a counter.

 

Anita can't keep covering him and playing the two man midfield on his own. Colback positionally is up with the worst I've seen.

[ED209]

Jack who?

[madras]

I can see how people would think he's a useful player if they don't pay much attention to our games and/or don't really understand the game of football.

 

Probably applies to a large portion of the St. James' Park crowd though, unfortunately, which is why he's mysteriously liked by so many of our fans.

 

He was a weak link today, but good grief this self-righteousness

 

There's a point there though. Many people watch football and they only see what happens in that space where the ball is. If Colback makes the occasional sliding tackle or block they think he was awesome. They don't see the bigger picture, how the players move without the ball, how and when they press the oppososition or when they take a step back and fall back to formation. It's sad but true.

 

Anita does many things well that the average football fan doesn't ever see so they don't appreciate it.

Isn't that a bit big headed, "I see things in a game many others dont" ?

 

fwiw I've backed Anita, loved his tempo and such but has been poor when he's had his channces. Today seemed liked he'd came to grips with the premiership, purely IMO.

[Aiston]

Every game so far this season this idiot has lost the ball in a dangerous position.

[Guest neesy111]

He's fucking awful.

[Spider Jerusalem]

Apart from two great tackles on Mata and Rooney, he was terrible IMO. Miles away from the action for most of the game, and stupidly gave the ball away several times in dangerous positions.

Completed 25 of 28 passes. I didn't see the first half but was good in the second IMO as was Anita

 

In a black and white world stats like completion rate are wonderful, but when those alleged 3 misplaced passes have set up opportunities for the opposition and broke up good attacking moves, while the greater percentage of completed passes are backwards or sideways completion stats are fucking useless to show a player's effectiveness.

[Kasper]

I can see how people would think he's a useful player if they don't pay much attention to our games and/or don't really understand the game of football.

 

Probably applies to a large portion of the St. James' Park crowd though, unfortunately, which is why he's mysteriously liked by so many of our fans.

 

He was a weak link today, but good grief this self-righteousness

 

There's a point there though. Many people watch football and they only see what happens in that space where the ball is. If Colback makes the occasional sliding tackle or block they think he was awesome. They don't see the bigger picture, how the players move without the ball, how and when they press the oppososition or when they take a step back and fall back to formation. It's sad but true.

 

Anita does many things well that the average football fan doesn't ever see so they don't appreciate it.

Isn't that a bit big headed, "I see things in a game many others dont" ?

 

fwiw I've backed Anita, loved his tempo and such but has been poor when he's had his channces. Today seemed liked he'd came to grips with the premiership, purely IMO.

 

You can call it big headed but its also the truth, purely IMO

 

[ponsaelius]

Apart from two great tackles on Mata and Rooney, he was terrible IMO. Miles away from the action for most of the game, and stupidly gave the ball away several times in dangerous positions.

Completed 25 of 28 passes. I didn't see the first half but was good in the second IMO as was Anita

 

In a black and white world stats like completion rate are wonderful, but when those alleged 3 misplaced passes have set up opportunities for the opposition and broke up good attacking moves, while the greater percentage of completed passes are backwards or sideways completion stats are fucking useless to show a player's effectiveness.

 

Exactly. At least 2 of those 3 were shite easy sideways passes that led to breaks for Man Utd.

 

He's never ever good enough to play regularly for any team that wants to 'achieve' something. Scrapping, limited, bottom 5 player. A Sunderland player.

[triggs]

Apart from two great tackles on Mata and Rooney, he was terrible IMO. Miles away from the action for most of the game, and stupidly gave the ball away several times in dangerous positions.

Completed 25 of 28 passes. I didn't see the first half but was good in the second IMO as was Anita

 

In a black and white world stats like completion rate are wonderful, but when those alleged 3 misplaced passes have set up opportunities for the opposition and broke up good attacking moves, while the greater percentage of completed passes are backwards or sideways completion stats are fucking useless to show a player's effectiveness.

I agree tbh but as I said only saw second half and he didn't make any massive errors from what I saw

[Ikon]

Not only is he weak but he's slow and undynamic as well which leaves him chasing shadows most of the time. Positionally all over the place. I don't how many times Manu came through the center and i was looking for that orange dot and was fucking nowhere where he should have been so many times.

[Cronky]

I can see how people would think he's a useful player if they don't pay much attention to our games and/or don't really understand the game of football.

 

Probably applies to a large portion of the St. James' Park crowd though, unfortunately, which is why he's mysteriously liked by so many of our fans.

 

He was a weak link today, but good grief this self-righteousness

 

There's a point there though. Many people watch football and they only see what happens in that space where the ball is. If Colback makes the occasional sliding tackle or block they think he was awesome. They don't see the bigger picture, how the players move without the ball, how and when they press the oppososition or when they take a step back and fall back to formation. It's sad but true.

 

 

Looks like the professionals like McClaren can't see it either. They really ought to come on here more often.

[Ikon]

[Guest]

I'm hoping it's more to new players bedding in, fitness of other players, etc. maybe 4-5 games down the line and we get a run of games we would be favourites to win, we'll see him out the team.