Newcastle United 0-2 West Ham United (25/11/24)

[r0cafella]

2 minutes ago, Shak said:

Surely it's natural for people to look for problems that we can address, though?

 

I'm not sure what you can do other than hope Isak starts putting them away. There's no other option to take his place, realistically.

 

Definite argument to be made that Barnes could start ahead of Gordon given how wasteful the latter has been in front of goal this season.

Isak xg under performance is 1.x 

Gordon's is 2.x 

 

Our expected points position is where we are. 

[Superior Acuña]

Quite noticeable how much Trippier was trying to organise when he came on.

[samptime29]

Really frustrating. We created enough to win the game but we just didn't take our chances. We get into great positions but final ball isn't good enough. 

 

I thought West Ham defended well tbf. They were snide and niggly but managed game well after 2nd goal. Inconsistent Toon.

[BermyToon]

Thought Kelly was poor. Burn's return would be welcome.

 

Murphy was pretty bad as well. Perhaps we should strongly consider buying a RW in January?

[Shearergol]

7 minutes ago, BermyToon said:

Thought Kelly was poor. Burn's return would be welcome.

 

Murphy was pretty bad as well. Perhaps we should strongly consider buying a RW in January?

 

[Danh1]

Wonder if kicking towards the Gallowgate first half is some weird tactic? 
 

I refuse to believe we’ve lost every single coin toss.

[NG32]

38 minutes ago, Superior Acuña said:

Quite noticeable how much Trippier was trying to organise when he came on.

he was right in front of us when warming up, he was shouting at Gordon, Barnes and Hall to get in position etc when West Ham were taking throw ins etc. 

[TRon]

1 hour ago, Shak said:

Surely it's natural for people to look for problems that we can address, though?

 

I'm not sure what you can do other than hope Isak starts putting them away. There's no other option to take his place, realistically.

 

Definite argument to be made that Barnes could start ahead of Gordon given how wasteful the latter has been in front of goal this season.

 

Agree. We can criticise Isak for missing chances, but strikers will have spells where they miss chances, even Haaland is going through a lean patch by his standards. We need to be less reliant on one player and look across the whole front line for culpability. Not sure Barnes is the answer either unfortunately, he's looking increasingly like a one trick pony.

[Jordan]

In a team of poor performances, i thought Murphy comfortably stood out as the worst. He’s been horrendous this season and will only be sticking around because no one would be stupid enough to buy him off us so we have to ship Miggy. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

7 minutes ago, Jordan said:

In a team of poor performances, i thought Murphy comfortably stood out as the worst. He’s been horrendous this season and will only be sticking around because no one would be stupid enough to buy him off us so we have to ship Miggy. 

Aye, he was shocking. Really bad. 

[Smal]

1 hour ago, Kid Icarus said:

All the fine tooth comb soul searching we do after a defeat:

 

- Howe's getting it wrong

- Tonali should be starting

- Bruno's been crap since getting the armband

- Barnes was a waste of money

- Murphy put in the worst performance ever 

- We can't cross

- We need a #10

- Our midfield isn't balanced

- We don't create enough 

 

And somehow still barely anyone talking about how by hook or crook we do create chances only for Isak and especially Gordon to keep missing them. I don't get it, it's like we're pointing at every possible problem except the glaring one.

 

 

 

 

 

we have created 0.54 xG per 90 for Isak this season vs 0.81 last season. That's a huge drop off. 

[Sempiternal]

He’s been scoring for Sweden, and scored in his last 3. Not his fault imo. It’s more of an overall problem with the team 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Your lone striker is never going to be ‘that’ involved. Even Haaland basically just runs onto chances and knocks them in. 

[Smal]

2 minutes ago, Sempiternal said:

He’s been scoring for Sweden, and scored in his last 3. Not his fault imo. It’s more of an overall problem with the team 

 

that’s what I mean. He’s underperforming his xG slightly this season but we’re only creating 2/3 of the chances for him.

 

 

Edited November 26, 2024 by Smal

[Sempiternal]

2 minutes ago, Smal said:

 

that’s what I mean. He’s underperforming his xG slightly this season but we’re only creating 2/3 of the chances for him.

 

 

 

Oh yeah I was agreeing. It was more aimed at people saying there’s an issue with him. I don’t think it’s him at all. I wouldn’t swap him for anyone but haaland 

[Sempiternal]

Just sign big Gyok and let’s go 4-4-2 

[Smal]

I wouldn’t even swap him for Haaland but that’s purely based on aesthetics

[Sempiternal]

9 hours ago, Disco said:

Not enough  faces in the world for that.

 

West Ham clearly absolutely shite but we fucked it to an unreal degree. Second half especially we were shit and got worse with every change to the point they were taking the piss, absolutely awful.

 

Wan Bisaka joining Lazaridis and Rowland in the utter dross stakes against us.

Yeah I thought they were fucking awful. Though Wan Bisaka’s finish was class. And Bowen is a lovely player to watch 

[Sempiternal]

Just now, Smal said:

I wouldn’t even swap him for Haaland but that’s purely based on aesthetics

Yeah he’s far more pleasing on the eye and a better footballer. Also we don’t really have a KDB to feed Haaland 

[Kid Icarus]

25 minutes ago, Smal said:

 

we have created 0.54 xG per 90 for Isak this season vs 0.81 last season. That's a huge drop off. 

 

Do you mean Isak's xG is lower, or that there's a specific 'created for...' metric? Just that xG on its own doesn't really cover how chances come about.

 

 

We've had 3 matches now where we've massively underperformed our xG. As I've said Isak can excuse himself because he has hit some form, but Gordon’s has been shocking and both of their decision making hasn't been great either. Harvey Barnes, the player who seems to get the most flack, is the only one really upholding his end of the bargain as an impact sub.

[Big River]

Bowen was a different class. it'd be nice having someone like him in our team.

 

fkn Murphy man

[Kid Icarus]

2 hours ago, Shak said:

Surely it's natural for people to look for problems that we can address, though?

 

I'm not sure what you can do other than hope Isak starts putting them away. There's no other option to take his place, realistically.

 

Definite argument to be made that Barnes could start ahead of Gordon given how wasteful the latter has been in front of goal this season.

100%, it's natural to examine everything and that's what the forum's for. It just feels a bit can't see the wood for the trees to really get down to every possible problem we might have but kind of skip what to me seems to be the most glaring problem we have.

 

As great as he's still been, Isak's had 4 or 5 "I cannot believe he's missed that" moments this season and that sentence has basically defined Gordon’s.

 

I get that you can't over rely on players, but all of your front 3 having the same issue and Barnes seemingly only being useful from the bench is a real problem that needs addressing before even thinking about anything else imo.

 

I think we've seen how when we do put chances away all of our other perceived issues melt away.

 

 

Edited November 26, 2024 by Kid Icarus

[TRon]

12 minutes ago, Sempiternal said:

Yeah I thought they were fucking awful. Though Wan Bisaka’s finish was class. And Bowen is a lovely player to watch 

 

I missed the first half in fairness, but West Ham didn't look awful in the second. They were trying to pass their way through us with some aggressive intent, reminded me a bit of Fulham. Bowen was definitely causing us some problems, and as soon as I saw Soucek in the line up I was nervous he'd score. One of those pain in the arse players a bit like Antonio.

[Sempiternal]

Just now, TRon said:

 

I missed the first half in fairness, but West Ham didn't look awful in the second. They were trying to pass their way through us with some aggressive intent, reminded me a bit of Fulham. Bowen was definitely causing us some problems, and as soon as I saw Soucek in the line up I was nervous he'd score. One of those pain in the arse players a bit like Antonio.

It’s obvious to say but the first goal really killed us. They just had something to hang onto. I thought we were bad second half rather than anything they did, but agree Bowen is great. 

[Kid Icarus]

2 hours ago, Lush Vlad said:

Isak should have scored the left footed chance, granted. Gordon missed a snap shot that fell to him because a West Ham player decided to put it on a plate for him. Still should be scoring, but his finishing has been crap all season. 
 

We had 2 shots on target all night and outside of that and some decent early runs from Isak. We were wasteful and didn’t create decent chances. We’ve basically created one really good chance all night. The Isak half volley.  
 

We always look like that in the final third. All a bit slow and clueless. Probably why people are complaining as it isn’t like Fabianski has had a MOTM performance or we were regularly creating. It was the Brighton game all over again. Chances to score. But overall a big lack of quality in and around the box. 

 

2 shots on target all night is the point, we can't finish and aren't making the right decisions. Maybe I just see it differently but in those moments the creation/pressing stage is complete and it's about decision making and finishing.

 

Isak half volley, Gordon straight at the 'keeper/skied it/skewed wide, Willock missing from the edge of the area, even Hall in the 2nd half. I agree that it was Brighton allover again, we can't keep being wasteful, expect the chances to keep coming and rely on the opposition not taking their own chances.