Newcastle 4 - 1 Celtic (friendly) - Post match thoughts from page 29

[Ronaldo]

Sunday couldn't come quicker..! will be really intrested to see how we will play against a world-class side such as Juve, would love to see Luque slotting one home against Buffon (Being too optimistic?)

juve are not a world class side and world class sides are not world class sides in friendlies.

 

too right

[Mick]

 

i remember 2 years ago when Shearer did nothing for 5 games then got a tap-in and everyone was applauding him, pathetic

 

if someone has scored two goals in a game then cannot be terrible, no matter how little impact they've had on the rest of the game

 

Very few foreign players come to this country and pick up the pace of the game straight away, Luque needs a run of games before we can say for sure if his good enough or not, personally, I'd like to know one way or the other.

[Mick]

I'd like to move this thread in a different direction.

 

Do the Prozac Munchers ©Obi. think things look brighter today then they did yesterday?

 

I think they do, I wasn't slashing my wrists anyway but I think we're close to having a good team and we seem to have a manager who knows what he's doing, the future is looking bright for us if we can get what we need in defence and pad out the squad.

[Newcastle Fan]

I am still gutted that Allardyce didn't use Krul when Taylor got injured

[Baggio]

Sunday couldn't come quicker..! will be really intrested to see how we will play against a world-class side such as Juve, would love to see Luque slotting one home against Buffon (Being too optimistic?)

juve are not a world class side and world class sides are not world class sides in friendlies.

 

Aye, Barcelona were lucky to beat Dundee Utd tonight ffs.

[ohmelads]

I'd like to move this thread in a different direction.

 

Do the Prozac Munchers ©Obi. think things look brighter today then they did yesterday?

 

I think they do, I wasn't slashing my wrists anyway but I think we're close to having a good team and we seem to have a manager who knows what he's doing, the future is looking bright for us if we can get what we need in defence and pad out the squad.

 

Bit shocked by tonight's result (didn't see the match), pleasantly surprised indeed. We have to bear in mind though that Allardyce is in his honeymoon period, Roeder and Souness both had promising starts too. Not trying to take anything away from tonight's win but we shouldn't get carried away. We need defenders as much as we did yesterday.

[Willow]

Good to know the players were wearing heart monitors again tonight, I hope they inform them exactly whos pulling their weight and who isn't.

 

Maybe its why Carr seems to have a spring in his step of late

[Mick]

 

Bit shocked by tonight's result (didn't see the match), pleasantly surprised indeed. We have to bear in mind though that Allardyce is in his honeymoon period, Roeder and Souness both had promising starts too. Not trying to take anything away from tonight's win but we shouldn't get carried away. We need defenders as much as we did yesterday.

 

I'm not sure if we were better than expected or if they were worse but I saw a few things which I liked, the game was played at a good pace and some of our play was excellent, I can't remember Geremi getting a pass wrong all game and he looked strong.  I didn't expect him to play that well but he wasn't the only one as we had quite a few plusses.  I know it was only a friendly but we had something that we were missing last season but I can't quite work out what it was yet.  The players worked for each other, our passing was mainly good, I don't know if that is because we didn't have Bramble hoofing it.

 

I'm not sure we're having a honeymoon period but you could be right as we used so many players that nobody was left out, they all played a part, we obviously can't do that during a normal match.

 

We still need the defenders but I've got more confidence today than I had yesterday that the rest of the team looks good, seeing us play the way we did gave me confidence, yesterday it was just hope.

 

Young Troisi looked comfortable with the ball, I hope we can help him develop because he looks like he can play a bit.

 

[Mick]

Good to know the players were wearing heart monitors again tonight, I hope they inform them exactly whos pulling their weight and who isn't.

 

Maybe its why Carr seems to have a spring in his step of late

 

Carr wasn't wearing a heart monitor, it was a Defribulator.

[La Parka]

Good to know the players were wearing heart monitors again tonight, I hope they inform them exactly whos pulling their weight and who isn't.

 

Maybe its why Carr seems to have a spring in his step of late

 

Carr wasn't wearing a heart monitor, it was a Defribulator.

 

 

[Yorkie]

Just glad we went back to 4-4-2. I was all for 4-5-1, but we simply don't have the players; blatantly the way to go this season.

[Baggio]

I've always thought we've had a good squad of players Mick, apart from the defence which is why the situation has pissed me off so much.

 

A few good defenders could be the difference between us having a very good season or a very average one.

[Guest WalkervilleMag]

but who do you leave out, Martins, Owen or Viduka ?

[Baggio]

Just glad we went back to 4-4-2. I was all for 4-5-1, but we simply don't have the players; blatantly the way to go this season.

 

We have, or should I say we will have when Viduka pulls the shirt on.

[Mick]

I've always thought we've had a good squad of players Mick, apart from the defence which is why the situation has pissed me off so much.

 

A few good defenders could be the difference between us having a very good season or a very average one.

 

I totally agree about the team and defenders, the prozak remark wasn't aimed at anybody, it was just a bit of bait.

[Mick]

but who do you leave out, Martins, Owen or Viduka ?

 

I would like to think that those three players will have to battle it out and whoever plays is whoever is on form, that would make a change from the last few seasons.

[Baggio]

I've always thought we've had a good squad of players Mick, apart from the defence which is why the situation has pissed me off so much.

 

A few good defenders could be the difference between us having a very good season or a very average one.

 

I totally agree about the team and defenders, the prozak remark wasn't aimed at anybody, it was just a bit of bait.

 

If you have a look at our squad (from memory)

 

Keepers

 

Given

Harper

Krul

Forster

 

 

Midfield

 

Solano

Milner

Geremi

Emre

Barton

Butt

Duff

N'Zogbia

Dyer?

 

 

Strikers

 

Owen

Martins

Viduka

Ameobi

Luque

Carroll

 

 

 

Not a bad group of players, then you look at our defence...

 

Carr

Taylor

Rozenhal

Ramage

Babayaro

Huntington

Edgar

 

It is such an obvious weak area, I know Allardyce is trying to do something about it but I dread having to start the season with that lot to pick from, I have been impressed with Rozenhal though.

[ohmelads]

Interestingly Troisi was left out of the young Newcastle XI which played Benfield and has featured in all three of our pre-season games, setting up two of our three goals against Hartlepool. He was also the only new face from the reserves to feature in tonight's squad. Seems he's the next in line to follow Huntington, Edgar and Carroll into the first team squad. What type of player is Troisi and how did he get on today? I know nowt about him.

[Yorkie]

Just glad we went back to 4-4-2. I was all for 4-5-1, but we simply don't have the players; blatantly the way to go this season.

 

We have, or should I say we will have when Viduka pulls the shirt on.

 

We've got neither the wing-backs neither the two 'other' forwards (in the three-man attack). We've got players that go in a 4-4-2 like a glove.

 

That's not to say we don't still need wing-backs...

[Baggio]

Just glad we went back to 4-4-2. I was all for 4-5-1, but we simply don't have the players; blatantly the way to go this season.

 

We have, or should I say we will have when Viduka pulls the shirt on.

 

We've got neither the wing-backs neither the two 'other' forwards (in the three-man attack). We've got players that go in a 4-4-2 like a glove.

 

That's not to say we don't still need wing-backs...

 

As you say we need fullbacks whatever position we play, Martins can play as one of the forwards IMO as can Duff, Dyer and N'Zogbia.

 

The only thing holding us back would be if Owen could play there and apparently he did at Madrid so we'll have to see.

[Yorkie]

Just glad we went back to 4-4-2. I was all for 4-5-1, but we simply don't have the players; blatantly the way to go this season.

 

We have, or should I say we will have when Viduka pulls the shirt on.

 

We've got neither the wing-backs neither the two 'other' forwards (in the three-man attack). We've got players that go in a 4-4-2 like a glove.

 

That's not to say we don't still need wing-backs...

 

As you say we need fullbacks whatever position we play, Martins can play as one of the forwards IMO as can Duff, Dyer and N'Zogbia.

 

The only thing holding us back would be if Owen could play there and apparently he did at Madrid so we'll have to see.

 

Well, we'll wait and see like you say.

 

What i know is this. We've played 4-4-2 twice this season, and ripped the opposition to shreads on each occassion. We played like dogshit the time we didn't use it. Obviously - it's not the fairest judge on things because it's only pre-season and it was a weird set-up at Carlisle; but those are the facts as we stand.

[Mick]

 

If you have a look at our squad (from memory)

 

Keepers

 

Given

Harper

Krul

Forster

 

 

Midfield

 

Solano

Milner

Geremi

Emre

Barton

Butt

Duff

N'Zogbia

Dyer?

 

 

Strikers

 

Owen

Martins

Viduka

Ameobi

Luque

Carroll

 

 

 

Not a bad group of players, then you look at our defence...

 

Carr

Taylor

Rozenhal

Ramage

Babayaro

Huntington

Edgar

 

It is such an obvious weak area, I know Allardyce is trying to do something about it but I dread having to start the season with that lot to pick from, I have been impressed with Rozenhal though.

 

7 defenders doesn't look too bad numerically, out of those 7 I'd only really rate 3, Edgar, Taylor and Rozenhal.

[Guest WalkervilleMag]

still think Huntington will come good.  was probably not good for him getting sholved straight into the deep end last season. and playing left back is no good for him either, just as Taylor found out when he started at right back at the Reebock.

[Guest Morph]

Really enjoyed the match, except for the smackheads sitting a few rows down from us causing trouble.

 

Rozenhal was fantastic, I actually really enjoyed watching him on the ball and he's super smooth.  I think he'll do just fine this season.  Geremi also showed some real class which I was very happy with.

 

Albert Luque though - even though he scored twice (both easy tap ins), was terrible imo.  No wonder no-one ran over to him when he scored, unlike Oba / Milner where the rest of the team were all over them.

 

Steven Carr must also be mentioned for how dire he was, Huntington too, awful.

 

Luque's a bit more Braulio than Palacio tbh.  I've been saying the same thing about Martins since I first saw him play for us, plays shite, really shite, yet he gets goals.

[Mick]

Interestingly Troisi was left out of the young Newcastle XI which played Benfield and has featured in all three of our pre-season games, setting up two of our three goals against Hartlepool. He was also the only new face from the reserves to feature in tonight's squad. Seems he's the next in line to follow Huntington, Edgar and Carroll into the first team squad. What type of player is Troisi and how did he get on today? I know nowt about him.

 

He played on the right of midfield and he looked comfortable on the ball, he looked as if he'd been playing in the first team for years, it didn't seem to worry him that he was playing in front of 30,000 people.  He tackled well, moved with the ball under pressure and most of his passes were good.  He wasn't making any massive runs with the ball but he covered the whole length of the pitch, helped out in defence and wasn't scared to get up the field.