Ugly Draw Lays A Foundation

For some observers, Newcastle United's scoreless draw at Norwich was simply the latest underwhelming performance in a season replete with them.

Newcastle was outpossessed (54.8 to 45.2), outpassed (342-455, 75 percent to 288-377, 76 percent) and outchanced (10 to 5) by a Norwich team that was also far from its best. Newcastle failed to craft the sort of premium scoring chances required to crack a Premier League defense, a familiar problem this season. The point left United in 16th place in the league table, just two points above the relegation places.

That's the glass-half-empty view.

Maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but I'm choosing to see Saturday's performance through the glass-half-full view.

It wasn't a work of art, and it wasn't how this Newcastle team should perform when at full strength. But we all know that hasn't been the case for some time.

I was simply relieved to see Newcastle defend competently, stay organized and display some grit. Unlike the previous three Premier League matches - losses to Manchester United, Arsenal and Everton - I didn't expect Newcastle to concede every time the opposition attacked.

There's obviously still work to do if Newcastle is to avoid following the 2008-09 squad in plummeting into the Championship. Papiss Cisse needs to rediscover his confidence and the attack as a whole needs fortifying. The latter project is underway, with news breaking Sunday that Newcastle had agreed a fee with Marseille to buy French forward Loic Remy (confirmed by the most reliable news outlet of all: Joey Barton's Twitter account). Newcastle also needs to find a way to address Fabricio Coloccini's family issues and hang onto its captain and unquestionably best center back, while also adding defensive depth.

But, at the very least, Saturday's scoreless draw laid a foundation for further improvement in the coming weeks. For all our sakes, I hope that's not merely the viewpoint of an unrealistic optimist.

Comments

[Mathew]

I always like to try and find the positives in a game however I wouldn't say it was a half empty or half full glass. It has 1 good thing we somehow managed to keep a clean sheet. Some part of that was defending, the other was luck. At times they were lining up on our box and taking shots. I'm not sure if it was luck, their lack of a striker or our defending that kept the ball out. I think it's fair to say a combination of all 3. That's not good and is why against a decent team we've looked like swiss cheese. You can't applaud the defense when the opposition helps them so much with its poor shots. On the flip side we had zero creativity in the middle with Marveaux spending more time complaining to the ref while the game was still going than doing anything. It's a shame we've regressed so much and if on top of this there is also another round of toxic attitudes in the locker room then we're in for a long end of the season.

[MNTOONARMY9]

The match had the feeling of a bunch of ants running around wildly without the usual productivity associated with that type of work. The play was choppy and mostly dull. While Cisse managed to stay mostly onsides, he seemed to be playing 1 v 3 or 1 v 2 for most of the match which is not ideal.

I am going to be optimistic, as well. Here is my perscription for survivial:

(1) Get everyone healthly: Saylor, Cabaye, Ben Arfa are three right off who we need every match.
(2) Bring in Remy, Sissokko and at least one solid CB. Note to Mr. Ashley...the money you spend now will pay you back almost tenfold if you stay in the PL.
(3) Expect the collapse of at least one or two teams above us in the table. At least one or two teams above us will hit a rough patch and allow us to climb above them. It happens every year that some club just struggles in the new year. My favorites this year are Southampton (not enough talent), Sunderland (they're Sunderland and Martin O'Neil isn't as smart or good as he thinks he is), Norwich City (after that display this week how the devil are they sitting 12th?)
(4) We need a moment. We need a galvanizing moment that will take an aimless quest for survival and give us the venom and spirit. Ideas? A red card tackle (with no serious injury) on one of our best players leading to a bit of a scrum. Get the lads firey and sticking up for each other. Hell, they did it for Joey A. Barton...they'll do it for anyone. We just need a spark to light the fire.

[Mathew]

I agree we need a spark and I think it'll be Europe. I also agree they need 3 more players and some focus.

[Jaeger]

well if we go along with joey barton's twitter then remy is going to QPR instead of nufc.... just the news we needed to hear at this moment.

[MichiToon25]

Yep. Sounds like we just lost Remy.

[Brian Sizemore]

I'm just so disappointed. I feel like NUFC has become a M*A*S*H unit and there hasn't been any success in addressing that problem. I was heartbroken when the drop occurred, and I am absolutely terrified it's about to happen again -- especially t a team that's IN EUROPE!

[Richard]

Found it interesting what happened when Cabaye came on. Seemed that the others deferred to him almost immediately. Is that a sign of their confidence in him, lack of confidence in their own abilities, or sign of unhealthy dominance of some individuals in the dressing room? Maybe the rest of the team really believe they can't win without their 'stars' - not a good dynamic.

[Richard]

MNTOONARMY9 - agree with point 4). Not sure what it will be, but need something to light the fire, get three points in the bag and build some momentum. Relying on others is not healthy, even though it may be the ultimate reason we do stay up.