Newcastle United 0-0 Aston Villa - 18/08/07 - Post Match reaction from Page 12

[NSG]

I'd like to see a return to the left wing for Zoggy when Enrique is ready. Looks dangerous again, just not a defender.

 

It's a shame Zog isn't a RW really, because IMO Milner if far more effective on the left.

[JH]

I'd like to see a return to the left wing for Zoggy when Enrique is ready. Looks dangerous again, just not a defender.

 

It's a shame Zog isn't a RW really, because IMO Milner if far more effective on the left.

 

I agree. If one of our other wingers could cover the right wing, I'd put Milner as 1st choice LW. He seems a much better player when he cuts inside onto his right foot from the left side.

[Guest Alex20]

In a couple weeks this board is going to be pleasantly surprised

care to expand on that ?

 

Well, we're still on the verge of buying at least 2 quality players, plus players like barton, cacapa, emre, enrique were unavailable.

So basically half the squad, and we still looked good especially first half.Aston villa is a decent team, and we didn't give them much of a chance.

The only thing we lacked was communicaton and creativity, but then again we missed the two players that give us that, emre and barton.

We haven't played a single game with our full squad, and even then a team needs some time to click.

 

I'm thinking that we're going to finish the league 4th, give or take...I saw the potential.

And in a a couple weeks this board will be pleasantly surprised at how well we're going to play.

 

[Quailman]

Was at the match yesterday and the Villa fans were a lot louder than we were at times. The Toon Ultras tried to start up a couple of chants/songs, but seemed to have given up during the second half. Once again the Villa fans said that our support was sh*te and at times they were right.

 

As for the match itself, I was disappointed we didn't make the most of our first half possession and dominance. I felt that in the 2nd half Villa came back into it and O'Neil seemed to have motivated them enough to come out and close us down more successfully. However both teams gave away stupid balls and failed to make the most of the chances. We had passes intercepted loads more than they did, which is something we need to work on, but the midfield held firm when needed. Villa were all about the counter in the first half and it was similar in the second half with moments on threatening pressure.

 

I thought a draw was probably fair, but we have highlighted some key problems in the team. One of which is obviously Carr, who gave away too much of the ball, struggled against Young and look very nervous on the ball. The sooner we bring someone else in the better!! Final 3rd was poor throughout the match and didn't seem to get the bounce of the ball in their 18yd box, which could have presented a couple of goals. Martins make some good runs which scared the Villa, but nothing came of it and his 1st and 2nd touches were poor. Dukes had a hot/cold game and I was disappointed in truth. Expected a lot more. Fantastic ovation for Owen, shame he wasn't match fit and sharp. Made some good runs, but midfield couldn't pick him out.

[Guest newcastle4life]

Dissapointing result sort of match we need to try and to win finish high in the league early days 4 points is a decent start strange that we kept a clean sheet and didnt win or even look like scoring.

[jimmymag]

Isn't that why we paid £6m for Smith?

 

OMG Massive knee jerk reaction!!! You must be one of the "greatest football supporters" eh?! [/Jimmymag]

 

 

Eh?!

 

Please post in context otherwise you make yourself look a bigger mug than you already are!!!

 

I'm taking the piss out of you for saying people are kneejerkers for not hanging out of average players arses.

 

Champions League experience, current England international, by all accounts the Mancs sorry to see him leave them, but obviously not good enough for us after 2 competitive games?!!!

 

Get real man!

 

Smith's obviously being told where and how to play by Sam. He's doing a job for the team.

 

Like I said, knee jerk reaction!

 

[Guest Harry-Norway]

The ghost of GR over St.James park against Aston V? same type of football?

[Guest soprano79]

Team needs Emre as soon as possible in order to set piece.

[Jaehyun]

Team needs Emre as soon as possible in order to set piece.

gosh no....Emre's set-pieces were horrible under Roeder.

[Guest DONTOONER]

Talyor didnt have a great game, was found dazing a few times. but he didnt really Jeopardize  the defense at any time but i think all of us should agree he needs more experience and polishing to become a great player.

Things to improve on:

 

1) To be more compose in difficult situations.

 

2) Learn to head the ball!!!  Has being a problem for me ever since he stepped up into the 1st eleven. To elaborate his clearing headers seem to be going out for a throw in more then staying in play.

 

3)I would personally prefer talyor not to distribute the ball forward...thats not really his strongest attribute.

 

[Northern Monkey]

Harper - 7 - did what he had to, and did it well.

 

Carr - 3 - fuck off, you useless cunt.

 

Rozehnal - 7 - looked quality

 

Taylor - 5 - Not his best game, but fewer mistakes than many games last season.

 

N'Zogbia - 6 - not a fullback (although still better than Carr).

 

Milner - 7 - Continuous effort, and some successes, crossing improving.

 

Smith - 4 - Unimpressive.

 

Geremi - 4 - An alarming lack of pace, and some poor passing.

 

Butt -  7 - Firefighting all the time, due to our formation and style of play.

 

Martins - 5 - Not great, to be fare. Never seemed to really push the defence.

 

Viduka - 4 - Another insipid performance.

 

Overall - the formation/style of play was wrong, and that needs sorting out. We were exposed far too often on the wings, and the players we have don't seem suited to that formation, especially up front.

[toptoon]

Car and Viduka were crap yesterday. Smith i was disapointed with too. I also question Alladyce's judgement in taking off Martins for Owen when he looked the most likely to create something. Viduka should definately have been the one to come off as he didn't do anything at all. Shola looked much better in the last 10 mins than Viduka did all game. Car was as poor as we all know he is and Zoggy needs to play further forward, i hope Enrique is nearly ready.

 

Harper - 7 not much to do really but didn't do anything wrong.

Car - 3 should not be anywhere near the 1st team, Geremi should play there imo

Taylor 6.5 - ok i thought.

Roze - 7 Good

Zoggy - 6.5 ok

Smith - 5 disapointing  had some good shooting opourtunities and didn't take them.

Geremi - 5 disapointing

Butt - 7 Good

Milner - 7 Good tried hard to create.

Viduka - 3 very very disapointing did nothing should have come off earlier, I'd start Shola ahead of him next game.

Martins - 6.5 looked the most likely to create something, mystified as why BS decided it was him who needed to make way.

 

Ameobi - 6.5 looked more troublesome than Viduka did just didn't have enough time.

Owen - 5 disapointing.

[Guest Alex20]

Team needs Emre as soon as possible in order to set piece.

gosh no....Emre's set-pieces were horrible under Roeder.

 

Geremis' werent exactly brilliant either.

[Guest goal!]

Team needs Emre as soon as possible in order to set piece.

gosh no....Emre's set-pieces were horrible under Roeder.

 

Geremis' werent exactly brilliant either.

 

At least Geremi can get his crosses past the first defender on most occassions, and his set pieces have looked quite promising in pre-season. Have to remember Villa were very impressive defensively on Saturday especially on set pieces. They won most things in the air, Laursen in particular gave Viduka no chance. Plus we were hardly packing the box with numbers were we - Big Sam was being too cautious.

 

Emre usually hits the first defender on the near post 19 out of every 20 free kicks/corners he takes, he is shockingly bad. Zoggy has a habbit of doing this too much as well but at least he's got the excuse of being young and in-experienced, while he can also deliver the ball with pace. Milner's crossing used to be terrible but to his credit looks like he's worked hard on it over past 1-2 seasons and it's much much better than it used to be.

[Guest StJames]

Talyor didnt have a great game, was found dazing a few times. but he didnt really Jeopardize  the defense at any time but i think all of us should agree he needs more experience and polishing to become a great player.

Things to improve on:

 

1) To be more compose in difficult situations.

 

2) Learn to head the ball!!!  Has being a problem for me ever since he stepped up into the 1st eleven. To elaborate his clearing headers seem to be going out for a throw in more then staying in play.

 

3)I would personally prefer talyor not to distribute the ball forward...thats not really his strongest attribute.

 

 

I hope taylor doesn't turn out to be the new Jasmin Janice - believing his own hype etc.

[brummie]

You were unlucky in that Martin Laursen was in absolutely inspired form (and not in his frequent injured state).

 

According to the Telegraph he completed 20 clearances and his pass completion ratio was 84%, plus he very nearly scored. I can't remember the last time I saw a defender so consistently win everything in the air.

 

 

[Guest shaun11177]

The tactics were just plain wrong-the 433 with 2 defensive midfielders-Viduka holding up the ball and Martins counterattacking pace is fine for away games, but at home we need width and 2 attacking fullbacks but if we insist playing 433 at home where are Owen and Viduka going to play in that formation.

[Guest goal!]

You were unlucky in that Martin Laursen was in absolutely inspired form (and not in his frequent injured state).

 

According to the Telegraph he completed 20 clearances and his pass completion ratio was 84%, plus he very nearly scored. I can't remember the last time I saw a defender so consistently win everything in the air.

 

 

 

Yes he had Viduka in his pocket, but to be fair it was Viduka v Laursen AND Mellberg most of the game and the ball was getting hoofed up in his direction out of defence far too much for my liking with most times Viduka being the only NUFC player in your half! Ameobi suprisingly won a few headers, knock ons and drew a few free kicks (from Mellbery mostly) when he came on.

[Dave]

But at least, unlike the home games last season against Fulham, Bolton Wanderers, Sheffield United, Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers, United did not lose this one, although they could easily have done so.

 

How rubbish is that?

[NG32]

Viduka didn't look sharp and was also isolated.  What we lacked in my eyes, was a midfielder bombing forward to help Viduka.  This will all be sorted out when we get everybody fit and a couple more signings.

 

And a big jabba disrespect to the wankers who Boo'd at the final whistle.

 

 

[Skirge]

Viduka missed getting the ball into feet, most of the time it was just banged up to him at head height and he was being fouled a lot and getting nothing, seemed to lose interest in the end.

[Shak]

While the poor performance is mostly my fault, I'm not overly upset by a draw at all. It's a point picked up and maintains our momentum from the Bolton game. If we can pick up another 4 points from the next 2 games (Boro and Wigan) then it'll be a fine first month of the season.

 

We could use some more pace in the team though, that's for certain.

 

Even though Milner looked our most threatening attacking player on Saturday, I'd be very interested to see how we'd get on with Martins and N'Zogbia either side of Viduka.

 

Hopefully Emre is ready to go by the Wigan game, as these type of home games we desperately need a playmaker. Emre's got the talent to do it, in my opinion, but whether he'll apply himself better this season than he has in the past is another matter.

[Skirge]

Seems Sam also thinks Viduka had no protection from Web, with Fergie and Wenger both crying about flair players getting no protection from ref's maybe they should be looking more at protecting the honest players in the game. Arsenal and Man Ure both have plenty of players that go to ground under the slightest touch and they got loads of free-kicks for it,yet  its players like Viduka that just take it and stay on their feet that get nothing. All the talk about how diving is going to be cracked down on this season, all they have done so far by ignoring the kind of treatment Viduka got is to show that you have to go down to be given a decision.

 

http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/newcastleunited/chroniclesport/tm_headline=viduka-his-own-worst-enemy%26method=full%26objectid=19662508%26siteid=50081-name_page.html

Viduka his own worst enemy

Aug 20 2007

by Alan Oliver, Evening Chronicle

 

SAM ALLARDYCE was happy with Mark Viduka’s home debut for Newcastle United – even though the burly striker did not score and was eventually substituted.

 

But the United boss was less than happy at the lack of protection his striker received from South Yorkshire referee Howard Webb in the rather disappointing goalless draw with Aston Villa at St James’ Park.

 

The Chronicle revealed on Saturday that Big Sam had installed two television monitors in the United dug-out and another two beside his seat in the stands.

 

He took full advantage by watching the replays – and he feels that Viduka was unfairly treated, although it must be pointed out that neither of the Villa central defenders, Olof Mellberg or Martin Laursen, were booked.

 

Said the United boss: “Mark Viduka was very, very honest. When we talk about referees looking for simulation, Mark Viduka got the reverse of that because he wouldn’t go and buy a free-kick.

 

“He got no protection from Howard Webb, who waved play on.

 

“That allowed their centre- halves to hit him harder and harder every time he tried to control the ball.

 

“From that point of view he had a very difficult game.

 

“The referee didn’t spot what the centre-halves were doing to him because he stayed on his feet.

 

“In the end, he was his own worst enemy.

 

“Perhaps Howard should have another look at it and learn from that.

 

“We don’t want players to dive – that’s what everybody’s saying – but if you don’t give them the free kicks when they stay on their feet, then you’re going to have to ask them to go down more.”

[johnnypd]

You were unlucky in that Martin Laursen was in absolutely inspired form (and not in his frequent injured state).

 

According to the Telegraph he completed 20 clearances and his pass completion ratio was 84%, plus he very nearly scored. I can't remember the last time I saw a defender so consistently win everything in the air.

 

 

 

think it was more Viduka being totally unfit than Laursen being in top form. Quite why we persisted with him till the last 10 mins is a mystery.

[StrandedX02]

Viduka missed getting the ball into feet, most of the time it was just banged up to him at head height and he was being fouled a lot and getting nothing, seemed to lose interest in the end.

I agree with that assessment...as did Sam apparently. It looked like he got fouled quite a bit and I'm not sure if either Villa center-half was whistled for anything in the entire game. Then when frustration set in he basically gave up.

 

Also, do we have anyone else who can take a corner? Geremi has been weak to say the least in that area so far.