Schalke 1 - 3 Newcastle United - 03/08/14

[thenige]

Thought it was functional performance but a bit spoilt by Elliott especially smashing it aimlessly long far too often. Passing wasn't fantastic. It just had Pardew all over it.

 

Just a bit like our kit, grey and drab.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

If anything, the movement is worse than the passing and the root cause of our problems. We just don't know how to get into positions to receive the ball.

[TRon]

If anything, the movement is worse than the passing and the root cause of our problems. We just don't know how to get into positions to receive the ball.

 

Yep, and that comes down to lack of coaching ideas at the end of the day. The way Malaga played compared to the other three sides in the tournament was an eye opener. Their movement and passing was on a different level, and you can't tell me that is just down to having players with ability. I doubt their team was assembled for that much more than ours.

[ponsaelius]

If anything, the movement is worse than the passing and the root cause of our problems. We just don't know how to get into positions to receive the ball.

 

Yep, and that comes down to lack of coaching ideas at the end of the day. The way Malaga played compared to the other three sides in the tournament was an eye opener. Their movement and passing was on a different level, and you can't tell me that is just down to having players with ability. I doubt their team was assembled for that much more than ours.

 

Their team isn't like the one of a couple of years ago. No money there. Squad is made up of journeymen, cheap signings and youngsters. The lad that scored the first is 20 and the kid that got the other 2 doesn't even have a Wikipedia page.

[Alberto2005]

I know everyone keeps banging on about getting a center back/another striker but I think a quality central midfielder is more important.

 

Than scoring goals and not conceding them? Aye, alright.

Yeah look forward to all those chances we create through Colback's eye of the needle passes.

[nufc4eva]

If anything, the movement is worse than the passing and the root cause of our problems. We just don't know how to get into positions to receive the ball.

 

Yep, and that comes down to lack of coaching ideas at the end of the day. The way Malaga played compared to the other three sides in the tournament was an eye opener. Their movement and passing was on a different level, and you can't tell me that is just down to having players with ability. I doubt their team was assembled for that much more than ours.

 

It's down to coaching and players comfortable in the style of football they are playing, keep it on the ground, possession football, move into space and move to get the ball. They also don't seem to have defensive issues when losing ball with players out of position.

[TRon]

If anything, the movement is worse than the passing and the root cause of our problems. We just don't know how to get into positions to receive the ball.

 

Yep, and that comes down to lack of coaching ideas at the end of the day. The way Malaga played compared to the other three sides in the tournament was an eye opener. Their movement and passing was on a different level, and you can't tell me that is just down to having players with ability. I doubt their team was assembled for that much more than ours.

 

Their team isn't like the one of a couple of years ago. No money there. Squad is made up of journeymen, cheap signings and youngsters. The lad that scored the first is 20 and the kid that got the other 2 doesn't even have a Wikipedia page.

 

I don't know much about them tbh, but it was quite frightening to watch them take us and the hammers apart. I know it was a friendly but I've never seen us come close to popping the ball about at speed like they were doing, and they got their foot in as well for good measure. I wonder what their coach could do with our players?

 

 

[Ashley17]

We look decent on the break, problem is we need to be ahead before teams will over commit as Schalke did today. Can see our home and away tallies being similar to last season, that is of course unless De Jong or one of the forwards is shit hot from the outset.

 

Williamson still holds the defence together, which is utterly pathetic but he does. He's really limited but surely even Pardew can see Steven Taylor's presence nearly always leads to a problem.

 

I saw one post yesterday saying Pardew was an idiot for playing Abeid because he won't pick him when we get to the real games. Pardew has many faults but I don't see how he can be criticised for having a proper look at somebody who has been away for a year. He must have one of the highest number of minutes from all the friendlies and I think that's fair enough really. He's done well without being spectacular and I doubt he'll get more than 5 appearances this coming season, if he stays.

 

Haidara is much better than Dummett.

 

Gouffran is basically the 12th man now, he has no identity anymore and will fill in wherever. It's a waste in some ways but encouraging that we have somebody like this not in our best 11

 

The new lads look decent, doubt Ferrerya will be up to much simply because of the records of many of his fellow country men but that's probably because they aren't very good rather than some curse on Argentinians. Aguero and Tevez aside of course.

 

It keeps nagging me that Pardew goes on about 3-5-2 and how it is based around getting the most out of De Jong. We should stay well clear of this no matter what Van Gaal is trying, but you just know we will see it at some point. I imagine it'll have De Jong in the 'Robben' role basically a free roaming striker, Cabella as the 10 (Sneijder) and Tiote/Sissoko in the middle, but that's just me speculating and I hope it never sees the light of day.

 

Aarons is a breath of fresh air and Obertan was surprisingly useful, I noticed him getting his head up at the byline and picking a pass out instead of being shite. Physically, he has everything in place but obviously lacks a footballing brain to make it all click. I look forward to him ripping some league 1 team apart in the League Cup 2nd round before being booed on in a league match by November. Aarons should get his minutes.

 

Finally it was a top header from Riviere but I doubt he can do it consistently. Who knows though, under this idiot there's nearly always 1 striker in form, look at Leon Best ffs. Stranger things have happened

[Guest H09]

What a calmer thread

[summerof69]

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/neil-cameron-newcastle-united-should-7564419?

 

 

Try to imagine a football club who for one day of every year invites its supporters to meet the players and manager.

 

No boundaries. No PR person in your way. You get to say hello, shake hands, maybe grab an autograph of two and ask those questions which has been on your mind.

 

The Director of Football will be also there. As will all the coaching staff and some former heroes as well.

 

Oh, and did I mention there will be beer? And a free helicopter ride over the stadium. And a bouncy castle shaped as a football pitch. What more could you want?

 

Last Sunday morning I strolled through a football fan open day, or Schalke Day as it’s known, hosted by the club in the shadow of their home, the rather magnificent Veltins-Arena.

 

The sun was shining. Over 100,000 people in total wandered through the various tents, exhibitions, kids activities and had a go at taking a penalty, which the adult men took way too seriously.

 

They drank, despite it being in the morning, but nobody was drunk, and there was more currywurst and bratwurst than any one person could take.

 

I joined in as the crowds wandered through the Academy, a chance for them to see what goes on behind the scenes as their club attempt to produce the next World Cup winner, such as Gelsenkirchen’s favourite son, Manuel Neuer of whom there are pictures everywhere.

 

A small boy played footie with his dad on the very same pitch the first team train on.

 

It was nothing special. They do it every year, I was told that 12 months ago some 150,000 people passed through this free event. That shouldn’t come as a great surprise as the regular open training sessions attract 2000 fans. This is the first team we a talking about.

 

Now imagine Newcastle United, or any Premier League team come to think of it, doing any of this.

 

As I happily wandered around, I got talking to a man called, honestly, Rolf who came every year with his extended family, despite now living in another part of the country.

 

He told me; “The club has a close bond with the supporters. They recognise our loyalty and passion, so days like this are like a present to us.

 

“We don’t win trophies like Munich or Dortmund (Schalke’s big rivals) by we have a pride in our football club.

 

“I wouldn’t want to support anyone else. This is a special thing to be a part of.”

 

It has become almost a cliché now to suggest we always look to Germany in an attempt to improve all aspects of our own national game.

 

But the thing is, they do get almost everything right. Schalke 04, especially, are run in a way that would make any fan green with envy.

 

This is arguable the most popular club in Germany, but is some way from being the most successful. There are almost 100,000 paid up members of the fan club and there are now over 1300 supporter groups worldwide.

 

Gelsenkirchen, the large city which is the home of Schalke 04, is a bit like Newcastle and indeed the North East as a whole.

 

It’s very industrial, think Teesside but with more smoke billowing factories, is predominantly working class, although fewer work today as one in five adults are unemployed, and they are football mad. I mean utterly obsessed.

 

The club are not successful in terms of winning trophies. Schalke won the old Uefa Cup in 1997, but you need to go back to 1958 for their last championship, although three years ago they did win the German Cup.

 

Schalke are a cut above in other way. The open day is just one example of this. This is a football club built by the fans and is run for the fans.

 

A supporter representative enjoys a permanent seat on the club’s supervisory board, a body that can veto transfers worth more than 300,000 euros. Apparently Felix Magath tried to change this. He didn’t last much longer as manager.

 

Season tickets are sensibly priced. There is free transport to home games if you live within 50 miles of the stadium. There is a suggestion a similar scheme is to be brought in for away games.

 

This is the present. They don’t forget the past.

 

A real hero in these parts is ex-player and local boy Olaf Thon who won the World Cup with West Germany in 1990.

 

There was a sign outside of a tent that promised he would be there to chat and sign autographs for an hour, starting at 1.30pm. And sure enough, the great men turned up exactly at that time to be greeted by an already large queue.

 

Insert Germany efficiency joke here.

 

This all took place before final day of the Shalke tournament, which of course included Newcastle United. It was brilliant.

 

And it got me thinking, why do Newcastle not do something like this.

 

Would it not be great if for one weekend every summer, the fans were allowed complete access to St James’ Park and the training ground, just as Schalke do.

 

Admission is free, but there is plenty merchandise about so it’s still a commercial enterprise, plus it wins the hearts and minds of young fans whose head may be turned by more, shall we say, glamorous clubs.

 

Would it be impossible to set up stalls, activities, the odd beer tent or two in Leazes Park?

 

Schalke fans, a bit like those who have pledged their lives to Newcastle United, sadly don’t expect to win much. However, they do expect to feel part of their football club.

 

I came away from Germany with a new favourite team. Their PR worked on me and I am almost terminally cynical about anything football clubs get up to.

 

Seeing so many young people, boys and girls, dressed in their blue kit having a wonderful day made you want to be part of it all, as Rolf and his family were.

 

Newcastle should do something like this. It’s not a lot to ask. Mike Ashley even has a helicopter he could loan out for an afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wish this could be us

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bowlingcrofty]

 

Thoroughly enjoyed the Schalke 04 open day and their fans were top notch. A great club.

[Ryan]

Sounds brilliant that

 

German football is streets ahead of football over here. The matchday experience is terrific and is tailored for the fans.

[Scoreboard82]

 

Thoroughly enjoyed the Schalke 04 open day and their fans were top notch. A great club.

Aye. Fans were superb. Showed West Ham how support should be. Friendly, accommodating and respected the minute for Jon Alder and Liam Sweeney perfectly. Can't tar all West Ham fans with the same brush but they were let down badly by some of their own.