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Three initial thoughts on Sunday's embarrassing if not entirely unexpected 2-1 loss at Sunderland:
Rudderless: It's hard to pinpoint one tactic or performance to blame for not taking a point against a club that had been amid the worst start in Premier League history. Somehow Sunderland brought the passion (in Alan Pardew's post-match words) while Newcastle brought malaise. Loic Remy didn't appear to care a match was going on, much less a derby. Sunderland may not have won most of the duels but they won nearly all the important ones. Whatever flow Newcastle could muster was stanched quickly by a key interception or tackle. To use a popular American term, Sunderland won the day on hustle. In the end Newcastle once again appeared to lack the on-field confidence a moderately priced veteran or two could provide in a massive game against an inferior opponent.
Midfield mismatch. Or what should've been one, anyway. Newcastle was somehow unable to take advantage of a Sunderland middle relying on a thug and a winger for survival. Cheick Tiote was one of the few bright spots, roaming everywhere in an attempt to enforce some order on the proceedings. But Yohan Cabaye mainly followed Tiote around, and Moussa Sissoko continued his alien-like disappearance as his promising start fades into ever more distant memory. Newcastle's inability to press its strength even when it dovetails with the opponent's weakness is maddening to say the least.
Predictable. A player with Hatem Ben Arfa's skill should be licking his chops against resistance like Sunderland's. His nicely controlled part-shot, part-pass set up the lone NUFC goal, but he somehow couldn't break free to cause any damage on his own - the personifcation of Newcastle's pattern of playing up or down to its competition. Newcastle might well rebound on the other end of the odds next weekend against Chelsea. But it'll be hard to take much encouragement until Newcastle can put away teams it should - the mark of a club headed somewhere beyond mid-table.
Shit article, shit team.
Posted by: Lord haw haw | 10/27/2013 at 05:05 PM
Strange one. Not sure it was that bad a team performance. An early goal before the game even got going, set the tone of needing to patiently wait for a chance to bypass the proverbial parked bus. We did that, but what happened in the ensuing 30 minutes was the real sickener - albeit all too familiar stick/twist hinterland that is Pardew's 2nd half specialty. The mackems scored a rare decent team goal, but were only allowed back into the game by our inability to keep the momentum and drive through for a winner.
You've singled out Arfa and Remy - both of whom were admittedly flat, but Cisse was the real problem. Compared to last week, today gave the clearest demonstration yet that we area a much more effective footballing team without him on the pitch - as much as Ben Arfa is miscast as the no. 9 .
Posted by: geordiepat | 10/27/2013 at 05:23 PM
It was obvious that Pardew didn't have a plan going into this game. He was too damn busy in the previous week slagging Poyet, big upping himself for the supposed success with Liverpool and blockading the local press to focus on preparing his team for the only obvious threat that Poyet could play: Jozy Altidore, Steven Fletcher and a passionately desperate counter attack. It should be no surprise that we got mugged the way we did.
HBA had no clue how to play against the Scum because he didn't know what his purpose on the field was...He was played in 3 different positions across the midfield. Remy didn't care because he didn't know what he was supposed to do either; he was first sent out on the left then moved to the center and finally subbed for a complete waste of space and insult to the shirt Cisse. No wonder Remy is considering his future with us...he;s pulled off by a clueless, vindictive yes man for a lost striker being played out of position.
No mentions of Dummet? The poor bastard; I felt for him being used as ladder by Fletcher, but who else could we have thrown in? Perch? Oh wait we sold him as surplus to requirements...
It still amazes me Pardew gets away with what he does. This whole club has no passion for what they do and that includes the management.
Posted by: Beardsley's Love Child | 10/27/2013 at 05:44 PM
Newc are a pathetic disgrace.
Cisse - get rid
Ben Arfa - sell to highest bidder, inconsistent git
Cabaye - see Ben Arfa
Sissoko - Useless, get rid
Remy - Wants to play elsewhere - who cares?
Tiote - At least he's trying
Anita - tries hard, has a go
Santo - a dribbler thats all, send him back to italy
Debuchy - unconvinced
Mbiwa - gimme a break mate, useless
The rest - rubbish
Pardew - coach the juniors
Posted by: fred | 10/27/2013 at 07:01 PM