anything from the papers yet?

[sempuki]

Newcastle fall as Allardyce looms

By Louise Taylor at St James' Park, Sunday Telegraph

Last Updated: 11:43pm BST 05/05/2007

 

Match summary

 

 

 

 

Have your say      Read comments

 

Newcastle United (0) 0 Blackburn Rovers (1) 2

 

How Sam Allardyce must have revelled in this latest setback for Glenn Roeder. Yet whether 'Big Sam', who resigned as Bolton's manager last Sunday and is reputedly rather keen on a move north-east, would be the right man to take charge of Newcastle remains highly debatable.

 

 

Party-pooper: Jason Roberts scored Blackburn's second to spoil Michal Owen's return to St James' Park

Allardyce's abrasively pragmatic brand of percentage football is highly unlikely to appeal to the Toon Army but Roeder - who, after all the injuries suffered by his players this season surely deserves a chance to rebuild the club his way - could definitely have done without this latest defeat at a time when his chairman, Freddy Shepherd, seems a little twitchy.

 

Widely booed by those fans who had not already departed during a distinctly half-hearted post-match 'lap of honour', Newcastle ended the season in ignominy and having failed to score a Premiership goal here since February. Small wonder disaffected supporters subsequently protested outside main reception. "I understand their frustration, we're on a very poor run and can't score," admitted Roeder. "But it doesn't make me lose confidence. I'm very much still the same person who led this team to a fantastic finish last season."

 

No such problems for Mark Hughes, Blackburn's much-coveted manager, whose team, with Christopher Samba and Morten Gamst Pedersen particularly impressive, seem set fair for Inter-Toto, and perhaps even Uefa, Cup qualification after preventing Michael Owen from marking his home comeback with a goal.

 

The England striker started his second game since recovering from a knee injury sustained at the World Cup last June but Blackburn's Benni McCarthy opened the scoring. Despite looking suspiciously offside when Stephen Warnock directed an angled ball into the area, the South African controlled it before beating Steve Harper from close range.

 

 

Generally well contained by the towering Samba, little was seen of Owen until the brink of half-time when he pounced on a rebound but failed to get the ball down sufficiently and sent it ballooning over the bar.

 

Understandable ring-rustiness aside, Owen, who has gained a stone of sheer muscle during his rehabilitation and whom Roeder will discourage from playing for England B at Burnley later this month, received distinctly sub-standard service.

 

He captured the overall mood early in the second period by kicking an advertising hoarding in disgust after a promising burst down the left wing - in which his acceleration looked impressively sharp - ended with a loss of control.

 

Owen, though, would later have equalised after rounding Brad Friedel, had the back-pedalling Samba not done extremely well to head his angled shot off the line.

 

Soon afterwards Jason Roberts stole in front of Peter Ramage and defied Steve Harper with a header after David Bentley sashayed, unimpeded, down the right before dispatching a chipped cross in the scorer's direction. It was yet another case of appallingly slapdash Newcastle defending.

 

Match summary

Man of the match: Christopher Samba. Assisted by Ryan Nelsen, he ensured Michael Owen's home comeback was not a scoring one. Also displayed an impressively sure and, sometimes skilful, touch for such a big man. Knew when to kick the ball into row x and when to play it out of defence. A great signing by Mark Hughes for £400,000 from Hertha Berlin. 

Moment of the match: In the second half when Samba headed Owen's goalbound, angled, shot off the line.

Rating: 6/10

 

 

[sempuki]

Newcastle Utd 0 Blackburn Rovers 2: Roberts rises to put Roeder in firing line

 

Allardyce's sudden availability could tempt Newcastle chairman into investing in new manager

 

By Simon Turnbull at St James' Park

Published: 06 May 2007

 

The next scheduled fixture at Newcastle United's home ground will have Chrissie Hynde on stage, no doubt singing: "I'll stand by you." It remains to be seen whether Freddy Shepherd will be sitting in the stands mouthing the same sentiment, with Glenn Roeder still installed as team manager at St James' Park.

 

The Newcastle chairman may well have assured Roeder that his job was secure, but that was before Sam Allardyce became available on the managerial market, before Sunderland clinched promotion, and before goals by Benni McCarthy and Jason Roberts consigned the Magpies to their 17th League defeat of the season yesterday.

 

The one-time pretenders have never suffered so many losses in a Premiership campaign and need to win at Watford next Sunday to avoid finishing with their lowest points total since their promotion 14 years ago. Even with Michael Owen in their ranks yesterday, they could not break a goalscoring duck in League matches at St James' that stretches back to 10 February - their longest blank on home ground since 1951.

 

At the final whistle, booing rose in a crescendo as Roeder and his players gathered in the centre circle to thank the Toon Army for their home support throughout the season. There were chants of "Sack the board" and "We want Shepherd out" inside the ground and then several choruses of "Taxi for Roeder" as disgruntled fans gathered outside the main entrance afterwards to protest.

 

It was the first whiff of dissent against the Newcastle manager and it could prove significant. Shepherd decided to promote Roeder from caretaker when the fans started chanting the name of the temporary manager. If the chairman has brass in pocket, it seems unlikely that Roeder will be the one who will be spending it this summer.

 

"Of course I can understand the fans' frustration," Roeder said, when informed of the chants against him. "I understand where they're coming from. They want a winning Newcastle team. I absolutely want a winning Newcastle team."

 

The trouble is Newcastle have won just once in 10 Premiership matches now. It might have been different for them yesterday if Kieron Dyer had buried the opportunity that came his way in the fifth minute.

 

Blackburn were in front in the 14th minute. It was difficult to tell whether Oguchi Onyewu was playing McCarthy on-side when Stephen Warnock hoisted a cross from the left but the assistant referee kept his flag by his side and the South African Rover beat Steve Harper.

 

All of which left Newcastle needing to chase the game but struggling to get a grip against Mark Hughes' smartly organised Rovers. Just before the interval the Magpies did spark fleetingly to life, Owen flicking a ball through for Scott Parker to shoot tamely at Brad Friedel.

 

There were boos at the sound of the half-time whistle and only briefly did the mood of depression threaten to lift in the second half. Owen came close to equalising in the 68th minute, chesting a Nolberto Solano through-ball round the advancing Friedel, only to have his angled shot headed off the line by Christopher Samba.

 

When Roberts rose to head home David Bentley's right-wing cross four minutes later, the game was up for Newcastle. Whether the same can be said for their manager, only time will tell. There was no sign of a taxi waiting for him last night, but it is fair to assume that the meter is ticking.

 

[sempuki]

Roeder gets no respite

 

Newcastle 0 Blackburn 2Paul Forsyth at St James’ Park

 

As he prepares for the summer of speculation that is part and parcel of managing Newcastle United, Glenn Roeder didn’t need to sign off with a defeat in his final home match of the season. A goal in each half – the first by Benni McCarthy, the second by Jason Roberts – so dismayed the natives that when the players remained on the pitch to thank them for their season-long support, few were left in the stadium.

 

Newcastle’s ineptitude in front of goal again combined with defensive carelessness to cost them dear. Three points for Blackburn keep alive the Lancashire side’s hopes of qualifying for Europe, but the biggest winner could be Sam Allardyce, who has been linked with the Newcastle job.

 

Not even Michael Owen, making his first appearance at St James’ Park since recovering from injury, could come to Roeder’s rescue.

 

It was Owen’s first appearance at St James’ since December 2005, only his 12th for Newcastle in all. His anxiety to make an impression during a frustrating first half was evident in his uncharacteristically petulant response to the attentions of Christopher Samba. The England striker, who reacted furiously to one particular challenge by Blackburn’s towering central defender, had only two sniffs of goal in that opening period.

 

His intelligent flick set up Scott Parker, who responded with a weak shot at the goalkeeper, and when Brad Friedel could only parry a low cross, Owen’s effort on the rebound was too high. A free kick by James Milner was pushed away by Friedel, who also blocked an early header by Kieron Dyer, and there was no sign of an end to the goal drought that has afflicted Newcastle recently.

 

Roeder’s priority is to tighten his rearguard. Despite an earlier promise not to waste the club’s money on players over 26, he has identified a need for experience, with Sol Campbell and Sami Hyypia touted as possible signings. Whether either would have averted Blackburn’s opener, after only seven minutes, is open to debate.

 

Titus Bramble and Oguchi Onyewu, neither of whom is expected to be at St James’ Park next season, were rightly aggrieved by the decision to allow McCarthy’s goal, but the way in which they executed the offside trap was too cute for their own good.

 

When Stephen Warnock was fed by Morten Gamst Pedersen, the Rovers full-back swung in a looping cross that the back four decided to neglect. All in the penalty box stood still, with the exception of McCarthy, who had time and space to sidefoot the ball home. In the silence that followed, the South African striker had the good grace to look surprised by the absence of a flag.

 

The next time McCarthy scampered clear of the defensive line, setting up Roberts with an easy chance which the striker duly converted, there were ironic cheers from the home support as the assistant referee this time raised his arm. Earlier, when Pedersen met a cross by Roberts, Newcastle had only their goalkeeper to thank for preventing a goal.

 

The pattern continued into the second half. David Bentley split Newcastle’s defence with a pass to McCarthy, who was halted only by an offside flag that Blackburn manager Mark Hughes couldn’t believe. Then, when Nolberto Solano misjudged a cross by Bentley, Pedersen chested the ball down and screwed his shot across the penalty box.

 

As a paper aeroplane drifted over the heads of those in the main stand, Newcastle weren’t capturing the imagination, and Owen knew it. After bursting past Ryan Nelsen, he made such a hash of the resulting cross that he booted an advertising hording in disgust. There were claims for a penalty when Owen was felled by Nelsen, and further anguish when he nipped in ahead of Friedel to release an angled shot that Samba headed off the line.

 

Roeder replaced Dyer with Shola Ameobi and Bramble with Peter Ramage, but if the manager expected that to shore up his defence he was mistaken. They looked softer than ever with 18 minutes left when Bentley chipped a cross into the six-yard area and Roberts rose alone to head past Steve Harper.

 

Match Stats

 

Star man: Jason Roberts (Blackburn)

 

Scorers: Blackburn: McCarthy 14, Roberts 73

 

Referee: M Atkinson Attendance: 51,226 Yellow cards: Newcastle: Butt Blackburn:Warnock, Roberts

 

Player ratings: Newcastle:Harper 7, Solano 5, Onyewu 5, Bramble 5 (Ramage 69min), Carr 6, Dyer 6 (Ameobi 69min), Parker 7, Butt 7, Milner 8, Owen 7, Martins 6 Blackburn:Friedel 7, Emerton 6, Samba 7, Nelsen 7, Warnock 7, Bentley 7, Tugay 6 (Gallagher 84min), Mokoena 6, Pedersen 6, Roberts 8 (Nonda 85min), McCarthy 7

 

 

[sempuki]

 

 

 

Newcastle 0, Blackburn 2

 

May 5 2007

 

 

 

 

By Lee Ryder, Evening Chronicle

 

 

Newcastle United ended their home campaign in lacklustre fashion today at St James' Park when they crashed against Blackburn Rovers.

 

A goal in each half was enough to condemn United to their first home defeat on the final day at Gallowgate since 1991. The defeat means United will play out their final game at Watford next Sunday with nothing to play for with their last chance to qualify for Europe also going up in smoke against the Lancashire side.

 

Chants of sack the board rang out from certain sections of the Geordie crowd on a frustrating afternoon for the Magpies.

 

United manager Glenn Roeder was able to name Michael Owen on his team sheet for the first time since December 2005 at St James' Park.

 

But Stephen Taylor was missing with a dead leg.

 

And than meant a start for Oguchi Onyewu.

 

 

And midfielders Scott Parker and Nicky Butt also returned to the fray.

 

 

Blackburn went in 1-0 up at the break but United did have their chances in the first half.

 

 

On six minutes Steven Carr crossed from the left hand side but Kieron Dyer sent a stooping header straight at Brad Friedel.

 

 

On 14 minutes though it was the visitors who snatched the lead amidst controversial circumstances.

 

 

A Stephen Warnock left wing cross who headed home by Benni McCartney but the player looked yards offside to infuriate Glenn Roeder.

 

 

Rovers held onto the lead and United continued their search for an equaliser after the interval.

 

 

Eight minutes into the second period Parker's cross fell to Onyewu but the American headed high over the bar.

 

 

With 22 minutes left Owen went round Friedel but his headed cleared off the line by Christopher Samba.

 

 

Four minutes later and it looked like it was game over when Jason Roberts headed home David Bentley's cross from the right to double the Rovers lead.

 

 

United wasted another good chance late on when Martins crashed one wide of the goal at Gallowgate.

 

 

Newcastle: Harper, Solano, Onyewu, Bramble (Ramage 70), Carr, Dyer (Ameobi 70), Butt, Parker, Milner, Owen, Martins.

 

 

Blackburn: Friedel, Tugay (Gallagher 88), Nelson, Emerton, McCartney (Derbyshire 66), Bentley, Pedersen, Mokoena, Samba, Warnock, Roberts (Nonda 85).

 

 

Attendance: 51,226.