In the latest podcasted sound waves from the four faux-Geordies, Newcastle United's split personality of recent form goes onto the couch for analysis. Is Shhteve naive? Is Sissoko loco? Was Colo's red hollow? And what about...ACCOUNTABILITY? Plus: Derby recap (sad but necessary), and dreams of a first visit to St. James' Park. Click below to start the show, or visit Stitcher to download a copy into your chosen device. Howay.
I Wish I Was A Geordie 10-29-15
The latest edition of I Wish I Was A Geordie's audio stylings features the Four Brusqueteers testing out various levels of panic and blame for an early-season run that looks frighteningly like the last late-season run (on the league table, at least). Is it a failure of the transfer strategy? The game strategy? The management strategy? The strategy strategy? Is there evidence of a strategy at all? Plus: A brand-new professional-style "lead-in" (the bulk of the broadcast remains thoroughly unprofessional). Click below to listen, or visit Stitcher to download a copy to call your own.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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