Newcastle United 4-3 West Ham United (30/03/24) | Reaction: pg 50

[Sibierski]

13 hours ago, Matt1892 said:

The other thing about today was the referee for their second goal, at the time I didn’t think he should of allowed play to continue but I am wondering if Schar is becoming the boy who cried wolf with him going down holding his face at least once per game, that refs are not going for it anymore.

It’s a running joke/bet I have with a mate when we watch Newcastle together. What minute in game will Schar go down ‘injured’.

[Lenny]

12 minutes ago, Sibierski said:

It’s a running joke/bet I have with a mate when we watch Newcastle together. What minute in game will Schar go down ‘injured’.

Letting the game continue when it's still in play under those circumstances is one thing, but allowing a quick free kick when the ball is out of play and a man is down is another. 

Doesn't really sit right. Did he even check on Schar?

[Lenny]

That along with it being blatantly obvious he didn't realise he'd already booked Gordon before his second yellow just has the optics of a ref that's not particularly in control. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

2 minutes ago, Lenny said:

That along with it being blatantly obvious he didn't realise he'd already booked Gordon before his second yellow just has the optics of a ref that's not particularly in control. 

TBF being booked shouldn’t protect you from being booked again. I know the ref should know though. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

30 minutes ago, Andy84 said:

Not signing Phillips was a great piece of business 

If we had signed him he would still be doing Eddie training anyway. That’s why we couldn’t sign him. 

[Lenny]

5 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

TBF being booked shouldn’t protect you from being booked again. I know the ref should know though. 

Agreed, I'm commenting on the refs handling of the situation though. 

[Yorkie]

I didn't have too much beef about the second goal despite, by the letter of the law, the referee having made a mistake by allowing them to play. Schar was clearly feigning injury so - whilst there's a valid reason to be fuming - I just don't. 

 

It's the other way round re the Gordon dismissal; there's no really valid reason to be fuming, yet in this case I am, cos it's so fucking innocuous and disproportionate. I accept that it's an offence but for it to be met with the same punishment as a potentially leg-breaking tackle is very hard to stomach. Again no blame on the ref; clearly even Gordon had forgotten he'd been booked too.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I agree but almost every player is feigning injury almost every time they go down, and it usually gets the game stopped. 
 

We got two very questionable pens though, so can’t complain too much. 

 

 

Edited March 31 by AyeDubbleYoo

[STM]

Few thoughts:

 

Yesterday felt a massive game, it was either win= Europe is back on, lose= season is over or draw = the unmistakable agony of waiting another week to find out whether we are still in with a shout.

 

In terms of performance, I felt that we were the better team and the stats back that up. More shots, more possession, more territory but that doesn't tell the the full story of our performance. It was very similar to the chaos of Luton/Bournemouth/Forest away, where it felt like it could be any score.

 

Our issues:

1. Under performing players still in the side. Longstaff and Burn (not now) should have been hooked weeks ago and its not whether they are "shite" etc, it's more that there are players on the bench with reserves of energy ready to play, namely Anderson, Barnes, Hall. The side needs an injection of energy and enthusiasm.

 

2. Our lack of pace in defence. I'm getting really worried about Schar, it might be controversial opinion but his performances have dropped off a cliff. He's more interested in commiting fouls than actually getting back into position. Tripper, Burn Botman and Lascelles aren't exactly quick. When your defenders can't recover in transition, you have a problem have a look at Bowens goal? Who's closest to him... Gordon and Livramento, point made.

 

3. Midfield shape. Bruno is a superstar.... when we have the ball. Without the ball he's not a natural DM, again another player in our 11 who lacks pace/energy in transition.

 

Now to the postives:

 

At 3-1 I'd decided it was time to take a trip to the petrol station to fill up my lawn mower can.  It turns out that Eddie and his players were the only fuckers who thought we could win the game from there. By the time I'd got there we had a pen, by the time I'd got back, Barnes had equalised.

 

One thing nobody can criticise this current group is their character and their desire to score goals. The entertainers by default.

 

So my big takeaway is 2 things:

 

1. This season is ending like Hitler in the bunker. Nothing is changing. Expect 2 more injuries per game and 6/7 goal thrillers every weekend. Fuck it, 7 games left, let's fucking do it.

 

2. At the end of the season, the back 6 (including the keeper and Bruno) needs remodeling and needs to include pace. If we do that, our attacking players can win us games, no doubt.

[PauloGeordio]

 

[Groundhog63]

On their second, both teams were very good at stopping play when players were injured. Gentlemenly even. 

Not for this goal. Even given Schar routinely hits the deck there is a clear argument for head injury. Petty as it is Kudos runs his fingers down Schar's bracket, lashing out. He did the same when Gordon fouled him in the 1st half. 

Maybees it's his thing. 

Our players should've been on their toes regardless but the ref's body language was all about stopping play. 

 

[CheikBoom]

11 minutes ago, STM said:

2. Our lack of pace in defence. I'm getting really worried about Schar, it might be controversial opinion but his performances have dropped off a cliff. He's more interested in commiting fouls than actually getting back into position. Tripper, Burn Botman and Lascelles aren't exactly quick. When your defenders can't recover in transition, you have a problem have a look at Bowens goal? Who's closest to him... Gordon and Livramento, point made.

 

Agree regarding Schar. On the point of pace, you're absolutely right that we lack pace at the back. I do think its a two part issue though and we defintely need to address that in the summer. However, losing Pope has ruined our press IMO. His sweeping really helped the back 4s lack of pace. We're dropping slightly deeper yet still trying to press and its exposing the lack of pace in midfield. 

 

On the game itself though, a few things I noticed

• That felt a bit like Forest away last season. Sets us up nicely for a good run to end the season#.
• Longstaff needs hooked. His confidence looks utterly shocked. Takes too long releasing the ball.
• Murphy is really poor, but his directness is effective.
• Comfortably Isak's best game for us. Him dropping deep and linking up play was brilliant.
• Barnes out to inward runs should be a dream for Bruno if we can move him up the pitch
• Dubravka's starting position is a major issue. He's way too deep.
• Chuffed for Eddie Howe, that felt like a big game for him.

[STM]

Personally, I thought we got exactly what we deserved for that stupid foul and rolling around on the floor. Aye the ref was shite but we don't help ourselves.

 

Anyway, best comeback at easter since JC.

[Gallowgate Toon]

Defensively, we were generally fine in general play yesterday imo. Poor for the first but the other 2 were set piece errors mixed in with some dodgy 'keeping rather than anything structural.

 

I thought West Ham were a relatively poor threat considering they have some real attacking talent at their disposal. Most surprising was how shit they were defensively though - we played through them a lot. More confidence in the final third and we could've had 6/7.

[STM]

2 minutes ago, CheikBoom said:

 

Agree regarding Schar. On the point of pace, you're absolutely right that we lack pace at the back. I do think its a two part issue though and we defintely need to address that in the summer. However, losing Pope has ruined our press IMO. His sweeping really helped the back 4s lack of pace. We're dropping slightly deeper yet still trying to press and its exposing the lack of pace in midfield. 

 

On the game itself though, a few things I noticed

• That felt a bit like Forest away last season. Sets us up nicely for a good run to end the season#.
• Longstaff needs hooked. His confidence looks utterly shocked. Takes too long releasing the ball.
• Murphy is really poor, but his directness is effective.
• Comfortably Isak's best game for us. Him dropping deep and linking up play was brilliant.
• Barnes out to inward runs should be a dream for Bruno if we can move him up the pitch
• Dubravka's starting position is a major issue. He's way too deep.
• Chuffed for Eddie Howe, that felt like a big game for him.

 

I'd be looking at something like this next year:

 

                      Pope

 

Tino    NEW CB   Botman    NEW LB

 

               Bruno    Tonali

 

NEW RW     Joelinton        Gordon

 

                       Isak

 

I'm not saying I'd drop Trippier or Schar, I'd just manage their game time better.

 

The front 4/5 is irrelevant, because I don't our ability to score goals. We can chop and change how we like, bring in Willock/Barnes, no problem but our defence needs sorted ASAP.

 

Joelinton will protect Bruno and Tonali and those two will protect our defence. 

 

Tonali has the pace and energy to help our defenders in transition and is comfortable enough on the ball to play in a double pivot with Bruno. You get the best of both worlds.

 

 

[Guest]

Phillips should take the paycut and go back to Leeds for £15m-ish in the summer. Be happy again, he might do a Barkley.

[Groundhog63]

Quite like ?

[St1pe]

Baffled by the drama surrounding our second pen - particularly by West Ham fans. Players putting their bodies in the way to get kicked to win a penalty has always been that way. Is it a soft way to concede a pen? Absolutely. It’s really shit defending. Did Gordon buy it? 100%. You can’t boot a player in the box, not touch the ball and expect it not to be given. It’s literally always been this way. 
 

I actually like that West Ham side. If they had a more progressive manager they’d do alright. 

[STM]

8 minutes ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

Defensively, we were generally fine in general play yesterday imo. Poor for the first but the other 2 were set piece errors mixed in with some dodgy 'keeping rather than anything structural.

 

I thought West Ham were a relatively poor threat considering they have some real attacking talent at their disposal. Most surprising was how shit they were defensively though - we played through them a lot. More confidence in the final third and we could've had 6/7.

 

Its transition. As soon as anyone gets a yard on us, we suffer. We don't have any recovery power, aside Tino.

 

It's also why we chronically miss Joelinton who is by far our most destructive player in defensive and offensive transitions. The man is an animal.

 

We don't concede goal one with Joelinton because Paqueta doesn't get the pass away and we don't concede goal 2 because Joelinton would have stood over the ball preventing a quick free kick or at least would have got back in to help cover Kudus. He's such a miss.

[The College Dropout]

10 hours ago, Gawalls said:

Okay so just watched match of the day and whose that fucking moron saying “the way we defended this season is criminal and everyone has found it easy to play against”. Look I’ve slagged us off a few times as had some others (were allowed lol) but “everyone”, really? Correct me if I’m wrong but we’re twelfth in the league aren’t we? 
 

if “everyone” has found us easy to play against then we’d be at least in a relegation scrap. 

Since Pope’s injury we are one of the worst defences in the league.  Like worst 3. 

[TBG]

 

 

[Gallowgate Toon]

Really, really like Kudus. Proper turn on a 6-pence player. Hall did really well against him second half but it looked like Kudus had gassed out a bit to me - not sure if that's common with him.

 

Also, Paqueta is so fucking annoying I feel like he's canny over-hyped as well - absolutely a good player but not a great one. 

[madras]

1 minute ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

Really, really like Kudus. Proper turn on a 6-pence player. Hall did really well against him second half but it looked like Kudus had gassed out a bit to me - not sure if that's common with him.

 

Also, Paqueta is so fucking annoying I feel like he's canny over-hyped as well - absolutely a good player but not a great one. 

Re Paqueta, him and Bruno had a few giggles with each other during the game. Was canny funny watching actually.

 

 

Edited March 31 by madras

[maybe_next_year]

Ref should have clearly stopped play for their second, a player is clutching his head, the ref should be putting potential head injuries above all. Made more annoying by the fact that goal comes from West Ham exploiting the space left by Schar. 

 

Both our pens were pens, however I'm not sure the second one comes under 'clear and obvious error' to be overturning the ref's original decision. Although the FAs concept of 'clear and obvious' is very different to mine, given how much VAR has constantly spent ages analysing potential penalties all season in slow-mo. 

 

Gordon's red was a red, can't argue with that. I just wish referees would enforce that consistently, looked like the ref only gave it because he forgot Gordon was on a yellow.  

[STM]

Bowen-Kudus-Paqueta are exceptional. Put them in Man Citys side with De Bruyne, Rodri and Haaland they'd not look out of place.

 

The issue West Ham have is that certainly the latter pair will be off very quickly.

 

Kudus could start for anyone.