I Wish I Was A Geordie - The Blog of Newcastle United in the US

NUFC 0-1 Arsenal: Toon Doomed By Mitro Red

The game in one sentence: Ten-man Newcastle fought hard after Aleksander Mitrović was sent off early, but an unlucky bounce off Fabricio Coloccini's boot gave the Gunners the win.

The lineup: Krul; Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Haïdara; Anita (Pérez 72), Colback; Sissoko (Cissé 78), Wijnaldum, Thauvin (de Jong 87); Mitrović

What went right: Just like last week, the effort was definitely there, especially after the controversial/borderline red card to the big Serbian striker. Perhaps more surprisingly, Newcastle occasionally looked somewhat dangerous in the second half, though Arsenal thoroughly dominated the possession. Gini Wijnaldum put together an especially sharp and composed performance as a #10 and left-sided midfielder, and all four members of the much-maligned back line were pretty solid.

What went wrong: As the saying goes, "one's an example, two's a coincidence, three's a trend." With three cards, including today's straight red, in his first four Premier League matches, is it time to be concerned about the rashness of Mitrović? Sure, many NUFC supporters will disagree about how deserved the sending-off was. But like Cheick Tioté in prior years, the new man has clearly gotten a reputation among the officials. Maybe the coming three-match suspension will be the wake-up call he needs.

The verdict: If nothing else, today's match gave the back four plenty of practice, with Arsenal swallowing up three-quarters of the possession and directing 22 shots at Tim Krul's net. The players who stayed on after the early red deserved their post-match ovation from the crowd at St. James' Park for their effort and tenacity. (How often has a Newcastle team been described in those terms over the past couple seasons?) 

Next time out: Monday, September 14 (3:00 pm Eastern, NBCSN) against West Ham at Upton Park.

On The Air: Youth Movement (Or Lack Thereof)

On IWIWAG's latest Cast of Pod, the four Blogpies examine the new look of NUFC's squad, from Mitro to in vitro. Is Flauvin the new Ben Arfa? How many options are too many? If Austin came, where would he go? Hear Matt and Tom break down academy players we hope you've never heard of, while Phil and Bob talk amongst themselves. Plus: Feltz has a chance to get Colback at his critics. Click below to listen, or download your personal copy on Stitcher.

 

Skype 20150827 2100

 

 

Overreaction Theater ... the Sequel!

Welcome to another edition of Overreaction Theater. This is where we find white-hot scoring takes from Twitter to evaluate whether or not the comment is worthy of an overreaction. As always, we will rate on the scale of 1-to-5 panic emojis, 5 emojis being full-on overreactions. 

The biggest news from the last couple of weeks ...

Hope Thauvin offers more than just stepovers and falling over. As long as he does, we’ve got the better half of that deal… #NUFC

— Chris (@Chris_Hewitson) August 19, 2015

Physicality issues with Cabella are maybe hiding the fact that he simply wasn't v. good. Smaller/leaner players have succeeded in EPL. #NUFC

— Matt Smith (@ElasticoChop) August 19, 2015

@themightysteve Cabella? He looked like a tiny puppy. Unfortunately, he also played like one (that's harsh, I realise).

— George Caulkin (@CaulkinTheTimes) August 20, 2015

The transfer news out of St. James' Park was the acquisition of Florian Thauvin in exchange for Remy Cabella and cash. Long coveted by Newcastle Director of (Sports) Graham Carr, Thauvin represents the first real gamble of the Ashley-era since Hatem Ben Arfa, a player the new French playmaker is often compared to. Thauvin brings to the Black and White raw talent that could help him develop into a phenom under the right circumstances. Newcastle gambled on Steve McClaren being the right man to unlock Flauvin's massive potential.

What I like about this move most is that it was consummated without the standard financial dog-leash usually placed around Newcastle by its owner. The Thauvin transfer was about Carr’s ability to find a player of immense talent who fit a system the current boss wants to install. It showed a simpatico between Carr and McClaren that was never present during Alan Pardew’s tenure.

McClaren decided Cabella doesn’t fit his style of play. But was Cabella as bad as everyone seems to think he was?

Whether he was given a fair chance or not at Newcastle, Cabella never proved he was able to excel in the Premier League. He was too lightweight, took too long when on the ball, and never looked comfortable on the pitch. He was a square peg in a round hole, and if he had to be sent away to make the Thauvin deal a reality, then it had to be done.

Panic Meter (5 emojis being full-on panic): 

Thauvin was the star of the show on Tuesday in the League Cup match against Northampton Town. A goal, three assists and scary chemistry with Daryl Janmaat could mean we have a genuine gem playing for Newcastle.

Backline consternation? 

@NUFC_Index no matter how much flair we have going forward our defence will always let us down. Season of standing still.

— Sean (@sean597_sean) August 21, 2015

I said in this space last week that the back four needed time to develop an understanding. That chemistry hit a speed bump when Janmaat was sent off before the end of the first half at the Liberty Stadium. The subsequent suspension introduced Steven Taylor to the lineup and pushed the Chancellor to right back. However, concerns were subdued after an impressive performance at Old Trafford. The backline allowed a staggering 17 shots from open play, but less than half were from inside the 18 yard-box. None of those 17 shots was in the six yard-box.  

It was a hard-fought, well-earned point at a venue where the Magpies usually struggle. Credit for this point sits on the shoulders of the back five. When the ball did fall in a dangerous position, Tim Krul (another player who struggled last season) was there to save the day. We could nitpick about a play or two throughout the match, but it would be wasting your time and mine. I’m going to take my point against good opposition and not look back. You should too.

Panic Meter:

A season of standing still? Come on now. Newcastle have some exciting pieces in the attack to compensate for what they might lack in defense. The best defense? It might be a good offense.

 Everyone's favorite pinatas...  

Williamson AND Gouffran? WHY?!?!?!? #NUFC

— Jake Oliver (@jolivernyc) August 25, 2015

Let’s have a quick word about the Newcastle scapegoats, Mike Williamson and Yoan Gouffran. At this point in their Newcastle careers, they are fringe players at best. While they may not have a future at St. James' Park, they were still part of the squad against a favorable draw in the opening round of the League Cup, and able to the job. Northampton Town's visit afforded the luxury of squad rotation. That’s exactly what McClaren did, to the anger of most of some sections of the Newcastle fan base who wanted "the strongest squad possible."

Newcastle didn’t need the strongest XI to dispatch of their League Two opposition. What the Magpies needed was players in the squad to get some valuable minutes on the pitch. It was a good opportunity to give Williamson and Gouffran some minutes in the shop window.

I don’t have any problem with Williamson playing, and would rather have seen him than Curtis Good or Lubomir Satka, who could've struggled against the physicality of a League Two side. I have a slight problem with playing Gouffran in an unfamiliar position when we could've played Gael Bigirimana or Olivier Kemen.

If we all agree McClaren knows what he is doing, what does it say for these kids who can’t crack the lineup over two players who don’t have a future in black and white? Maybe that's the question we should be asking. 

Panic Meter: 

It was Northampton, and Williamson scored a goal. Go on, Iron Mike. Hindsight being what it is, it was good man-management by McClaren to get some fringe players some playing time. 

Scoreless, But Not Pointless

Newcastle United bounced back from last week's loss by hanging on for a scoreless draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The game in one sentence: Hard-working Newcastle battles for a somewhat fortunate point against misfiring Man U.

The lineup: Krul; Mbemba, Taylor, Coloccini, Haidara; Anita, Colback; Obertan (Thauvin 69), Wijnaldum, Perez (Tiote 78); Mitrovic (Cisse 88)

What went right: Steve McClaren's makeshift backline wobbled, but never collapsed. Tim Krul made two big-time saves. Fabricio Coloccini looked more like the 2012-13 version of himself. Massadio Haidara was energetic and steady. Vurnon Anita played one of his best games in a Newcastle jersey. Aleksandar Mitrovic reined himself in, but was still active and almost scored the winner.

What went wrong: Newcastle couldn't hang on to the ball for long stretches and would have lost to a better Man U team. Chancel Mbemba isn't a right back, and Gabriel Obertan didn't give him much help. Obertan was back to being meek and ineffective. Newcastle needs to find a way to get Georginio Wijnaldum more involved, and the Dutch midfielder needs to assert himself and come find the ball, too.

The verdict: It wasn't pretty — Newcastle had less than 30 percent of the possession in the second half — and a vintage Man U would have probably won by a couple of goals. But credit to Newcastle for not allowing many premium scoring chances (the 50/50 offside call on Wayne Rooney early on helped!) and grinding out a point. There were a few encouraging signs from McClaren's Newcastle, particularly Coloccini's revival and Mitrovic's first start. And regardless of the performance, a draw at Old Trafford is nothing to discount — Newcastle had taken five points from its past 11 visits in the Premier League.

Next time out: Tuesday, Aug. 25 against League Two club Northampton Town in the Capital One Cup

Now Presenting ... Overreaction Theater

Welcome to Overreaction Theater. In this space, I will find comments about Newcastle United from various dark alleys of the Internet, and discuss whether or not they have any merit. Let’s start with the most common overreaction to the match against Southampton.

From the Chronicle ... 

 

Phil’s take: The argument can be made that, out of the starting XI that took the pitch against Southampton, Fabricio Coloccini was under the most pressure to perform. It wasn’t the best of displays for the Newcastle captain, who looked every bit the player that did not partake in a single match all preseason. The curly-haired center back faded badly as the game wore on. The two dangerous dribbling runs by Sadio Mane near the end of the match left the captain to pick up his Fruit of the Looms and nearly cost Newcastle the point. If the Saints attacker put one of the two chances into the net — as he should have — would there be the same good vibes around the opening performance? Probably not.

Look, you do not need fancy statistics to show that Colo had a bad game. It was a performance that did not silence one question about whether the 33-year old’s best days are behind him. However, it should be noted that it was just one game. After not playing a minute all preseason, no reasonable fan should have expected a spotless performance. Be concerned, but there is no reason yet to outright panic. As it stands, the center back pairing of the Captain and the Chancellor is still Newcastle’s top duo. And until either has a horrible run of form, and not just an isolated bad game, they should be given the majority of the minutes.

Panic Meter (5 being full-on panic):  

I’m willing to give Coloccini a run of games to develop his match sharpness back before I start to panic, but it is a bit concerning. 

From Twitter ...

Sounds crazy but I'd take Jose Enrique back. When fit he's well ahead of haidara and dummet. Thoughts? #nufc

— Nick Cahill (@nickcahill9) August 12, 2015

Phil’s take: It’s hilarious that after two seasons of being a Twitter All-Star, left back Massadio Haidara was absolutely pilloried for his performance against Southampton. Next to Coloccini, the 22-year-old left back — making his first career opening-day start for Newcastle — was the Newcastle player most filleted post-match.

This sort of overreaction can also be filed under the "it's just one game" analysis, and certainly there is no reason to suggest that the answer to the club's left back problems is a player who not only stormed out of Newcastle, but took jabs in the process. Never mind the cost of bringing him back, and the fact he hasn't played regularly for the last two seasons.

For more of a breakdown of Haidara's performance, do yourself a favor and read Robert L. Bishop’s piece over at Coming Home Newcastle. There is absolutely nothing else I can add to his tremendous "upon further review" piece. 

Panic Meter: 

Again, let's give Haidara a run of games. He is still just 22 years old. Let's hope his potential can turn into another "p" word: performances. 

Back to the Chronicle ... 

 

Phil’s take: Overreaction Theater isn’t just a place for negative comments! We love good positive hot takes as well. What a match for the Dutchman, and what a goal.

Wijnaldum is someone we can really start to get excited about. You couldn't have asked for much better of a debut from the Dutchman. "Gini" was a constant threat to the Southampton defense with his drive toward the net, completed 95 percent of his passes, and scored a highlight reel goal that should have been the game winner.

I'm going to rule it’s appropriate to "panic" positively about the new Newcastle No. 5. He looked like the type of player you can build a team around, and will demand opponents' attention. He's the first player in a black and white shirt since Yohan Cabaye that looks like a genuine star, and was rightly tipped by a couple on this blog to be Newcastle's Player of the Season.

Positive Panic Meter (excited face emojis):  

#LetsGetCarriedAway 

From I Wish I Was I Was A Geordie ...  (wait, what?)

 

Phil’s take: Matt, what are you saying? This is silly. Jack Colback is the backbone on which Newcastle builds its team. Ginger Pirlo sets the tempo for Newcastle on the field. He is the connection between the defense and the attackers. He collects the ball from the defense and distributes to the Sissokos and Wijnaldums. The 25 year-old gives the team balance. He pushes forward and tracks back. If I knew where on the Internet to find “distance covered”, I promise you Colback led the team.

Colback is the type of player who, if he does his job effectively, you won't hear his name. The 
dirty work he puts in the midfield will never show up on the scoresheet, but is vital for the team's collective success. And he even contributes goals and assists (four and six, respectively, last season). Not bad for someone who "only passes sideways." Colback is more than a recycler of possession, and in the last 10 minutes of the Southampton match, his diving block saved the match for Newcastle.

Panic Meter: Zero

So in conclusion, what he lacks in melatonin, he makes up for in football talent. And please never compare him to Danny Guthrie again. 

Looking forward to the next pod to crush you Stephen A. Smith style, Mr. Feltz.

Jack Colback: So "Underrated" That He's Overrated?

Those of you who caught our season preview post and podcast (and if you didn't...well, what are you waiting for?) may have noticed that I have a bit of a disagreement with all three of my co-bloggers about a certain ginger Geordie midfielder. To put it bluntly, Jack Colback should not be an automatic starter in central midfield for a top-half club in the Premier League. Here's why.

This is Colback's passing chart from the Southampton match, courtesy of Squawka.

 

Notice anything? There are hardly any forward passes or passes into the final third of the field. Granted, he completed 92% of the passes he did attempt, but that's because they were extremely safe. Given the choice of a performance like this or some of Cheick Tioté's worst outings, when he tried to channel then-teammate Yohan Cabaye and sprayed passes wildly all over the pitch, I guess I'd take Colback. But outside of his corners, he essentially offers zero in an attacking sense.

Late in Sunday's match, the commentators pointed out that Steve McClaren was yelling from the sideline to tell Colback to switch play and involve Moussa Sissoko and Daryl Janmaat, who had been left unmarked while Southampton packed the center of the park. That moment summarizes Colback as a player to me. He's not bad, per se. But he isn't capable of involving his more talented teammates in a way that allows them to take advantage of space or mismatches. Instead, he's content to slow the play down with a safe sideways or backward pass that gives the defense a chance to settle back into position. 

That's why comments from my co-bloggers about Colback being "underrated," or producing "the definition of a captain's performance" set my teeth on edge a bit. If anything, he's now become overrated, as commentators clearly love him even though he's a fairly limited player.

Colback did have two extremely good defensive plays in the last 10 minutes against Southampton and deserves credit for making them. But by and large, his performance was what you'd expect: that of an average midfielder who runs a ton (sometimes too much, as he chases the ball and can run himself out of position), can easily slot into a number of roles, but is ultimately replaceable and not a good enough player to build a team around. Especially since his inclusion in the lineup effectively comes at the expense of someone like Ayoze Pérez.

When Colback first signed for Newcastle last summer, I compared him to Danny Guthrie and said that I thought he would be effective in the same role Guthrie filled in the fifth-place season. In that campaign, Guthrie played 16 league matches and three in the cups, ably stepping in for Cabaye and Tioté in spot duty. That should be how McClaren uses Colback from here on out: starting him in select matches where his tenacity could prove useful, but not relying on him excessively.

A Wild Ride To Start The Season

Newcastle United opened the 2015-16 season with a 2-2 draw against Southampton at St. James' Park, thanks to goals from Papiss Cisse and Georginio Wijnaldum.

The game in one sentence: An entertaining, up-and-down performance shows new-look Newcastle's promise and problems.

The lineup: Krul; Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Haidara; Anita (Tiote 68), Colback; Sissoko, Wijnaldum (de Jong 81), Obertan; Cisse (Mitrovic 75)

What went right: There was a fresh energy to Newcastle's play in Steve McClaren's first match in charge. Jack Colback may not have been wearing the armband, but he put in the definition of a captain's performance. Wijnaldum showed flashes of being a difference maker in the midfield. Chancel Mbemba looked like a Premier League center back. Overall, McClaren got the balance right in his formation and lineup.

What went wrong: The back four looked like it hadn't played together before (because it hadn't!). Fabricio Coloccini wasn't up to the speed of the game after sitting out every preseason game. Massadio Haidara's defending and crossing once again didn't match his athleticism. Haidara and Gabriel Obertan lacked chemistry and understanding on the left wing. McClaren's substitutions didn't generate a winning goal.

The verdict: Considering how cavalier Newcastle looked at the back at times, 2-2 was a fair scoreline. That's not necessarily a bad thing — Southampton is a good team and Newcastle is in the midst of reinventing itself. Newcastle showed signs of building the possession-based style of play that McClaren talked up during the preseason. And between Aleksandar Mitrovic's batshit crazy first tackle, McClaren's corded phone and dashes down the stairs, Obertan's rise from the dead to set up Wijnaldum's goal and more, Newcastle looked like it just might be a bit more entertaining this season.

Next time out: Saturday, Aug. 15 at Swansea City

On The Air: The Boys Are Back

The boys of Newcastle United Football Club are back (barely) for another exciting (terrifying) Premier League season, and so are IWIWAG's four blustering bloggers with their 2015-'16 debut podcast. Hold on tight for eyewitness accounts of NUFC's summer sojourns to Milwaukee and Portland, followed by a comprehensive rundown of the club's hopes, dreams and dangers for the coming campaign. Is Colo-Mbemba too much of a Chancel? Can Gini be bottled? When is a striker not a striker? Plus: Butchering a nickname for Mitro. Click below to listen, or visit our Stitcher page for your very own download (refreshed iTunes page and link coming soon).

I Wish I Was A Geordie 2016-1

 

NUFC Has Burning Questions, And We've Got Answers

Somehow, the 2015-16 Premier League season is five days away. And as Newcastle United fans, that means we're filled with our usual wacky combination of excitement, dread, amusement and exasperation.

John Carver is out, Steve McClaren is in, Mike Ashley has splashed some cash and Gabriel Obertan is still on the roster. Look out Southampton!

Ahead of Sunday's big kickoff — and a few days before our highly-anticipated season preview podcast — our IWIWAG team answered a few of the questions surrounding the 2015-16 Magpies.

OK, so ... there is no other place to start a season preview. Are you excited for the new players?
Matt: After the listless displays which characterized the end of the Pardew/Carver era, who wouldn't be excited? NUFC desperately needed a new approach and a less complacent attitude from the top down, and hopefully a suite of players looking to prove themselves on the Premier League stage will provide some sort of spark.

Bob: Yes, but that's not saying much. For my money they could have sold everyone except Colback, Perez, Janmaat and Aarons.

Who are you most looking forward to seeing play?
Phil: Hands down, Aleksandar Mitrovic. The Serbian target man comes to Newcastle with an impressive goal scoring record on the field, paired with a reputation off the field as a character. Newcastle has been a collection of bland, completely uninteresting footballers devoid of charisma and personality (probably intentionally). Mitrovic's back story, highlighted in this excellent piece in True Faith, has me fixated on his every move.

Tom: Chancel Mbemba. Did you see Newcastle's center backs last season? If he comes anywhere close to the Vincent Kompany comparisons, we're all in for a treat.
(Editor's note: Matt and Bob both said Mbemba as well. How did none of us say Gini Wijnaldum?! His name is hard to spell ...)

Do you think Mike Ashley has lived up to his pledge from the Sky Sports interview?
Phil: No. Not even a little. I am overjoyed that the protests at St. James' Park forced the man to speak on the record, regardless of the softball questions. The last two seasons of NUFC soccer have been an affront to competitive sports with the club’s complete and utter lack of effort. The signings are a start, but ask me this question again when Ashley is authorizing signings to push Newcastle from the top 10, to top six, then again to the top four.

Matt: He's exceeded the (extremely low) expectations I had after hearing him make that pledge ... so I suppose that's something. Because there were so many holes in the squad going into the summer, it would have been quite the task to patch them all. If Ashley has one more eight-figure check in him before Sept. 1, he should add another center back instead of trying to pry Charlie Austin away from QPR.

What are your impressions of Steve McClaren so far?
Tom: For a guy who has banned swearing among the players, he sure likes to use the word "damn" in interviews. He's talked a good game so far, but I'll withhold judgment until November.

Matt: It's honestly too difficult for me to draw many firm conclusions based on the preseason friendlies. It is reassuring to see that he and Graham Carr appear to be in sync on the player acquisition side of things. The one improvement I have noticed in preseason is the players seem much more comfortable passing the ball in tight areas, a persistent weakness under Pardew.

Who do you think should be in the starting XI, and how would you line them up?
Phil: Krul; Haidara, Dummett, Mbemba, Janmaat; Aarons, Wijnaldum, Colback, Sissoko; Mitrovic, Perez

I would try a 4-4-2 diamond. Jack Colback at the base, GDub the tip. Aarons left and Sissoko right. Sissoko can help the transition from the defenders to the attackers with his superior dribbling skills and Aarons on the other side can provide crosses for Mitro.

Tom: Krul; Haidara, Coloccini, Mbemba, Janmaat; Colback; Perez, Wijnaldum, de Jong, Sissoko; Mitrovic

I'd start with a 4-1-4-1/4-2-3-1 hybrid, with Gini being the box-to-box central midfielder in front of and alongside Colback. Phil and I both think Dummett is underrated, but he's coming off an injury and won't be ready for the start of the season.

Matt: Krul; Haidara, Coloccini, Mbemba, Janmaat; Wijnaldum, Colback; Aarons, de Jong, Perez; Mitrovic

Moussa Sissoko does not start in my ideal lineup. He'd likely play a lot, though, given the injury histories of Aarons and de Jong. I originally had Mehdi Abeid in this XI instead of Colback. To me, his stellar performances as a holding midfielder last fall should have earned him an opportunity under McClaren. Instead, the new manager hung him out to dry in the reserves before reportedly shipping him to Fortuna Dusseldorf — a worrying sign.

Bob: Krul; Haidara, Coloccini, Mbemba, Janmaat; Colback; Aarons, Wijnaldum, de Jong, Perez; Berahino, I mean, Mitrovic

I don't know where to put Sissoko. Could he play left back? 

What is the best case scenario for the season?
Phil: As much as I want Newcastle to aim higher, I think the damage from the last two years has left the club with a whole heck of a lot to fix. I think if the Magpies can end the season in the top 10, that’s a good start for the McClaren-Carr era.

Tom: I can't envision a scenario in which Newcastle finishes higher than seventh, which would be an impressive achievement for McClaren in his first year. I think 10th is the safe bet.

Matt: If McClaren finds a set of players that fit his style, and he gets lucky with injuries and a couple fortuitous bounces, an eighth place finish is certainly within reach. And as we saw last year, the bottom half of the league is absolutely terrible, so 10th should be the club's realistic goal this season.

Bob: New boys work in fast, no losses in the winter window and a healthy Aarons and de Jong. That could bring us as high as a battle for seventh. There's a gap from there up to the traditional big clubs, and Swansea, who look stacked to me.

What are your thoughts heading into the new season? Post a comment or question below, and we'll address them in our season preview podcast, which will be posted online Friday morning.