Newcastle United 1-1 Fulham - 19/12/2020 - post match pg15 onwards

[samptime29]

This was the worst game I've seen us play since, the last time we played Fulham at home in Premier League. 

 

0 shots on target and was sooooooooo boring. This was a tiny bit better because of the goal, and the couple of shots we had on target.

 

Terrible game though.

 

That game was horrendous, but there’s been plenty since just as bad (almost certainly worse).

 

No there hasn't. Which other game did we not have a shot on target? We didn't even really have a half-chance in that game, it was beyond dire.

 

 

[TRon]

We were very slow in attack. Almiron has genuine pace, Wilson is not bad in that respect, but Joelinton, Longstaff, Ritchie, Hayden and Shelvey are all slow.

 

We don't seem to have a central midfielder who is nimble enough to switch the direction of the attack easily. They seem to play the way they're facing because if they try to turn, they risk losing the ball - as happens a bit with Longstaff.

 

Young Matty seems to have disappeared without trace. I can remember only one sub appearance this season, and he really struggled. But he's a player who can switch direction.

 

And PS - I thought we improved a lot when Fraser came on. He has that pace that we generally lacked.

 

Shelvey is quite nimble enough to switch the direction of the attack, he does it every match. He'll get the ball and switch it from the left side to the right, and sometimes from the right side to the left. Somehow that doesn't often lead to goal scoring chances.

 

Weeell - not quickly or under pressure. He usually operates from deep.

 

The whole team play deep, if you watch our games you would see we are usually camped in our own half for the majority of the game.

[BlueStar]

Glad to hear we held on valiantly against 10-man Fulham.

 

In spite of them pushing us back into our own half

[Chicken Dancer]

This was the worst game I've seen us play since, the last time we played Fulham at home in Premier League. 

 

0 shots on target and was sooooooooo boring. This was a tiny bit better because of the goal, and the couple of shots we had on target.

 

Terrible game though.

 

That game was horrendous, but there’s been plenty since just as bad (almost certainly worse).

 

No there hasn't. Which other game did we not have a shot on target? We didn't even really have a half-chance in that game, it was beyond dire.

 

 

 

Brighton at home this season.

[samptime29]

This was the worst game I've seen us play since, the last time we played Fulham at home in Premier League. 

 

0 shots on target and was sooooooooo boring. This was a tiny bit better because of the goal, and the couple of shots we had on target.

 

Terrible game though.

 

That game was horrendous, but there’s been plenty since just as bad (almost certainly worse).

 

No there hasn't. Which other game did we not have a shot on target? We didn't even really have a half-chance in that game, it was beyond dire.

 

 

 

Brighton at home this season.

 

Fair point, that one was absolutely horrendous.

[loki679]

Oxford in the cup.

[Optimistic Nut]

You can't win a game of football without having the ball.  I know that and I don't have any coaching badges.  What is it I don't understand Steve?

 

If you organise your team as a unit and hit on the break effectively, you can win a title with the third lowest possession in the division. If the strategy was to be solid defensively, draw them on to you then break, it can be a very good strategy. Problem is, we’re not a solid unit even when we sit back, and our counter attacking is pathetic.

 

Just as an example, possession stats when we thrashed Fulham 4-0 down there were 68-32 in their favour.

[Consortium of one]

Ritchie looks like he's running in 2 feet of water.  His legs are pumping like mad but he makes little progress.  Physically he's shot.  Should be offered another extension.

 

The club are devoid of confidence.  Our midfield is content to pass backwards rather than forward, defensively everyone is content to play in their own little bubble and amazingly it seems a whole team can just disappear.

 

I find myself looking for a glimmer of hope and was genuinely excited by a Longstaff sliding tackle only to see him fade back into obscurity.

 

It is quite sad.

 

Robbie Musto had a go at Cabbage head on Peecock at the half and after the game.

[TRon]

You can't win a game of football without having the ball.  I know that and I don't have any coaching badges.  What is it I don't understand Steve?

 

If you organise your team as a unit and hit on the break effectively, you can win a title with the third lowest possession in the division. If the strategy was to be solid defensively, draw them on to you then break, it can be a very good strategy. Problem is, we’re not a solid unit even when we sit back, and our counter attacking is pathetic.

 

Just as an example, possession stats when we thrashed Fulham 4-0 down there were 68-32 in their favour.

 

The most effective counter attacking teams I've seen are the ones who once they get the ball can release it quickly and accurately through the press and find the front runners. Our team under SBR was particularly good at it, hitting runners like Dyer, Bellamy and Robert. Solano was great at threading through the passes from deep positions.

 

What we do now isn't counter attacking, if we do get the ball, we'll look up, pass it sideways, get closed down and pass it backwards, then eventually either pass back to the keeper or hoof it long under pressure.

[GideonShandy]

 

Robbie Musto had a go at Cabbage head on Peecock at the half and after the game.

 

Before the game he was spouting the usual media line about how well Bruce had done and how unfair all the criticism was. Totally changed his tune at half time. He seemed shocked at how clueless we looked. "No Plan A and no Plan B."

[Disco]

Red card overturned.

[joeyt]

What's the point of VAR?