The Newcastle United Blog

78 responses so far ↓

• 1 NathanB // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:06

  This is just Newcastles luck of late. SA cant be sacked for reasons like this.

• 2 Hadrian // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:06

  Oba was blocked in the box in the first half , for me a definate penalty . i need to catch the replays for the first goal , as kalou’s ‘assist’ looked more like a handball in my eyes?
  and that last goal..erk , begger’s belief why we still continue on without video assistance in a match , sod the tradition , what’s traditional about arguing over crap ref descisions at the weekend?

• 3 Jack Franklin // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:07

  So unlucky. But, as I said, a good performance was the most important thing and we got it.

• 4 Tripp // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:10

  Dark times. I didn’t see the game. Did we in fact play a 4-4-2? We really should stick to that if that’s what we played.

  And this loss is precisely why there should be reviews in football. And don’t say a damn thing about disrupting the flow of the game. That’s a load of bollocks. The allowed (non) goal disrupted the game more than a quick review of this “goal”.

• 5 Ross // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:10

  we ran them ragged for 35 minutes of the second half. battled for everything and worked really hard.
  deserved a point and we’ve been absolutly robbed. thats a shocking decision from the linesman. its not even dubious. he’s clearly a mile offside.

• 6 Howie // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:13

  we were robbed. much better peformance. lets get behind the lads against city on wednesday.

• 7 Southern_Magpie // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:13

  I feel sorry for the players. Sam must take the blame for his negative subs. We were on top, then he replaces a midfielder for a defender. Chelsea obviously came at us more when we had fewer attacking options and scored the winner. Yes it was offside, but it was bound to happen with all the pressure they put on us in the last 10 minutes. Attack is the best form of defense, and if we played Martins and Owen upfront together we would have got a well earned point, or maybe even nicked it! And whats the point in putting Viduka on in the 90th minute? You may as well not use him at all Sam!
  Credit to the players. Given looked back to his normal self and Cacapa was very solid. Well played lads.

• 8 Eve // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:14

  Can I just say, seeing as everyone else are complaining about the wrong goal decision. Anyway it was a decent enough performance by the lads, a lot of heart. On another note, Given, for the first time in a while, played very very well.

• 9 toonoholic // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:15

  sigh .. i am non violent and calm but today after newcastle chelsea match i feel like slapping( or stabbing if its legal in that country) a chelsea fan who calls it a deserved victory, any one else feel the same ?

• 10 Obafan // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:28

  We were unlucky with the 2nd Chelski goal, but isn’t it SA fault. I’m sorry but every time he needs to be so negative. After 1-1 we completely dominated the game untill SA thinks oh no, we are too attacking this can’t be true. Why not make a few changes so we will not go forward too often. I’m scared that we make a 2nd one.

  Lets first get my “captain” off for a CD who I today will play at LB. Why not, I’ve given the most of my players another position but he is one of them who always played at his natural position.

  Martins, oh no he is threatening the Chelski defence too much, that is why we are attacking too much. I will get him off and put Owen on for him, because Owen is not 100% fit and he will not be able to hold the ball so long that my other players can come forward. Martins his non verbal communication said it all, he was disappointed to leave the pitch and he was 500% right.

  Oh no, my defensive plan is knocked by an offside goal (!!!). I will put Vid on so they can’t blame me that I am too defensive.

  I’m really bored with this tactical rubbish of a manager who needs to be kicked in the *ss.

  We could have been the 1ste team in a long time to win at Stamford Bridge, but no our manager wanted us to show that he is scared to attack. SACK HIM!!!!

  We needed someone like Emre to open up the “weak” Chelski defence, but no that is something which can not be done by SA. Go back to Bolton or any other team, but please go as far as possible away from Newcastle.

  Congratulations to the players for making it very hard for Chelsea, but once again whoooo for our stupid manager.

• 11 Neil A H // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:30

  The players fought really hard but I thought Sam started the game off too defensively. With a more attacking mindset in the first half, I think we would have secured at least a point.

• 12 valle // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:34

  Its a cruel, cruel world (feel free to exchange the word “world” with “ref”)… Great performance away to chelsea tho, and we deserved to get something… Even the commentators, who are usually quick to rub salt in, had sympathy for us, since we had put chelsea under more pressure than they have been under for years at the Bridge… Since we’re nearing Jan, heres a list of players who just dont cut it… Milner, Taylor and Oba just aint good enough… It hurts me with Taylor, since i really like to have some home growns in the team, but time and time again he looses his cool and fails to stand up in important moments. Milners delivery just sucks, and Oba looses his cool every time he has time to think…

• 13 shirts // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:38

  Much improved.

  I disagree with the complaints about Rozenhal coming in for Smith–it was not a straight “midfielder replaced by defender”–it seemed a much, much smarter move than I could have expected from Allardyce.

  He saw that Wright-Phillips was eating N’zogbia’s lunch and knew he had to reinforce there. So instead of taking N’zogbia off, he pulls Smith, who had been useless, and lets N’zogbia go forward. Nzogbia had been a threat all afternoon from the back and became even more dangerous when roaming free.

  Any thoughts on that? I’d like to hear different perceptions.

  That said, I’m baffled by the Martins/Owens substitution. Is Sam just trying to get Owens some minutes before Oba goes off to ACN? And the late arrival of Viduka? No Emre? Don’t know.

  2nd goal for Chelsea: We wuz robbed. Fecking feck.

  Given: good game: 8/10

  Beye: I like him very much. Maybe Sam’s best purchase so far. 7/10

  Taylor: 5/10–responsible for the 1st goal

  Cacapa: good display, though he is slow. 7/10

  Nzogbia: dangerous on attack, shocking in defense, but he was the creator of our goal. Hard to say, such a conflicting performance… how about 6/10? Shouldn’t be played in defense, I think.

  Milner: in love with his own feet. Needs to make better decisions and pass more quickly/better. 5/10

  Faye: strong in the Makelele role? 7/10

  Duff: 6/10. Needs better passers to work from & with. I think he’d click well with Emre. Didn’t strictly stay left in 1st half, did he? Roamed across field, but that left N’Zogbia exposed. Seemed to be taking a leadership role.

  Butt: 7/10 for getting forward on the goal and that one through pass to Oba which could have unlocked the Chelsea defense early on…

  Smith: useless. 4/10

  Martins: 6/10? Largely absent or ineffective, but he got little or no service, did he?

• 14 Graham // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:41

  Forget being robbed, once again Allardyce has invited pressure onto our poor defence by brinig on Roz for Smith. Its bad enough changing your defence round from game to game but during it? Its insane!

  I dont care if Kalou was been 20 yards offside but if we kept a more attacking ‘formation’ he probably wouldnt of had the chance in the first place.

  Anyway its water under the bridge now… and if it were my choice Allardyce would be swinging from that very bridge too.

  The team have had their bollocking (like they did after Portsmouth and come out fighting (like they did against Arsenal) but in a couple of games time we’ll be back to the same old tactless football we know so well.

  dont be fooled by a spirited performance…

• 15 Southern_Magpie // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:42

  To be fair Oba was so isolated and just doesn’t suit Sam’s tactics. The same probably goes for Owen. I wouldn’t complain too much if one sold sold for a high amount. As for Taylor, he is still learning. When you see him alongside experienced defenders such as Cacapa and Beye you start to see his faults that were distracted by Bramble, Babayaro and Carr last season. Other than Duff, Milner is our only midfielder who can beat a man and with Duff not fit I want him to stay for now, unless we get a top quality replacement. One things certain, central midfield creativity is a MUST.

• 16 Edd Case // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:42

  Sam must be sacked.

  90% of fans know it, the 10% who think Sam is good enough to be our manager need only look at today’s game for yet more evidence of how stupid he really is.

  I’m sick of writing the reasons why, we all know ‘em.

  Look lads, yes, we lost today, yes, the players performed much better and yes we were robbed by a blind linesman…

  But, if Big Fathead Sam had have shown some balls and thrown on another striker, in the second half, or dare I say it, even started with a 442, we could have won this game.

  The fact that we were left with nothing because of a dodgy decision retracts nothing.
  In my eyes, we still lost because Fat Sam didn’t have the courage to go for it.

• 17 valle // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:45

  Shirts… i agree with almost everything, except Oba, who really stinks our attack up… wake up ppl… Also, i thought Beye and Cacapa as well as Faye deserve an 8. They were great for us today and kept us in it at times, i was also impressed with Faye in midfield, he did way more than just tackle and win headers didnt he?

• 18 heads23552 // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:45

  Another defeat, thats all that will be remembered, soon be in a relegation fight.

• 19 Edd Case // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:45

  By the way, I’m sorry for having another go but James Milner today showed how poor he really is.

  Week in and week out the lad tries his Ronaldo impressions and then thumps aimless crosses either to the opposition goalkeeper or into the crowd.

  Zoggy was playing the same game last week against Derby too, however, Zoggy is far more direct.

  Someone needs to tell Milner to stop f*cking around and just get the ball into the box for our lone striker to at least try to get somewhere near.

• 20 steve // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:46

  Better performance, putting Roz on for Smith was to allow Zogs to get forward more which is what we’ve all been shouting for so we can hardly blame sam for that, not sure Owen for Martins was a good idea as he was scaring the chelski defence with his pace, they must of been really pleased to see him go off.

  When you’re down you don’t seem to get much luck and the offside decision was as clear cut as you can get, god knows what the linesman was doing but he obviously wasn’t watching the game .

  Given - good game
  Beye - played well
  Zogs was prob our best player
  Cacapa - solid game
  Taylor - poor game
  Butt - worked hard and had a good game
  Smith - ran around a lot, I really wish he could tackle and stand up, lots of effort but not much else
  Faye - good game but looked tired in the last 15 mins
  Duff - fairly anonymous and clearly not match fit
  Milner - looked threatening although his crosses were pretty poor
  Martins - scared defence with his pace but looks like he’s lacking confidence, he probably knows that when Owen is on bench he is going to be subbed.

  All in all a much better performance and a fairly good team effort although we’re definitely lacking some class in midfield
  Bizarre that Enrique can’t even make the bench!!

• 21 Toon Barmy // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:48

  A much better performance just keep it up lads thats all we ask. chelsea winner 3-4 yrds off side we woz robbed.

• 22 valle // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:49

  Southern Magpie… For a guy who we are told are one of the fastest players in the EPL, martins dont get that much out of the through balls he gets does he?. He was also to blame for at least not putting the chance he got in the 1st half on target… Give Spurs a straight swap for Berbatov, the way Oba has performed against them i think they will take it if Berba is still unsetled.

• 23 Stantos // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:49

  I’m getting sick of this Sam bashing, ffs they got lucky. He’s the only manager wev’e had in recent times that has the no how to sure the defence up. We come away with apoint and everyones happy, we attack all out leave space at the back and Big Sam’s a muppet for not protecting the point.

  The guy can’t win, and it’s making me sick. This club is becoming a laughing stock, not because of the team but because of the retards that support us. FFS get behind the boy’s, the manager and everyone else.

  FFS we re a two good wins off 7th not in the bottom 3. He’s the right man for the job and I’d bet my house that within 3 seasons we’ll have a trophy.

  Now just get behind em if not go support the Mackems !!!!!!!

• 24 ToonKing // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:49

  absolutely gutted i am……this was a robbery in front of 60000 people, gotta be the biggest heist in history……. both of their goals were given when the first was an obvious handball and the second was an offside that even my partially blind granddad saw. i mean come on….. i see these kind of decisions when i occasionally go out on Sunday to sit in a 7500 capacity stadium and watch my local 4th division team. this is an outrage….it’s the Epl for gods sake………absolutely gutted.

  We played pretty good today and it was an improvement, but then again we always play good against top teams and struggle with boyscouts.

  Sam didn’t do much wrong today though. People can’t see the forest from the tree, yes he took off a midfielder for a defender, but lets face it, Smithy was tits today while the back 4 was good, except maybe Taylor. Secondly and most importantly that sub allowed Zog to push up.

  good game and should have taken the point today……to bad for an Abramovich paid off referee

• 25 Nev // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:52

  good performance on the whole
  still bemused by sams tactical deciscions tho..
  with the fixtures weve got till end of january it would be unwise to throw a new manager into the mix
  give sam till the end of the season … and if its still not improved get rid

  i would recomend Quique Flores (free agent) or Boothroyd from watford .. probably best young english manager with Paul Ince
  Keegan would be a step backwards … we need to move on and shearer needs some experience before he comes to us

• 26 Edd Case // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:52

  Latest quote from Sam on todays game…

  “We were very good today and we did all of it right”

  All of it right?

  10 Shots On Target 2
  6 Shots Off Target 1
  9 Fouls (Conceded) 11
  12 Corners 3
  1 Yellow Cards 2
  0 Red Cards 0

  There’s the match facts Sam…

  16 shots to 3

  10 shots on target to 2…

  Yes, the players didn’t collapse like a pack of cards like normall, but we were anything but right on everything in the game…

  If you’d allow the team to attack opponents from time to time, and play 442 Sam, we might get it all right - but a defeat is not ALL RIGHT AT ALL you arrogant foop.

• 27 Pi55 Off Sam // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:53

  We got what we deserved for no invention or attacking intent

• 28 Southern_Magpie // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:53

  Why pay £6m for a full back with proven top flight quality, and instead play a left midfielder there? I agree Zoggy played well in that position but I would have preferred to see him in a more advanced position. Enrique had a shocker against Liverpool, but that cant be the reason he was dropped, because there were as bad performers that day who kept their place. When he signed, Sam talked about him needing to find his feet in England before playing often. How will he find his feet it he isn’t even playing. It Beggars beyond belief.

• 29 AndyT // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:54

  The performance in this match is totally irrelevant. We always perform well against Chelsea, Liverpool, Man U and Arsenal. I wont be happy that we have put in a good performance until we play a strong controling game against the likes of Bolton, Fulham, Wigan, Derby, Reading, Mackems, Smoggies, Brum, Blackburn. All teams we should be capable of destroying. Putting up a good performance in a close game against Spurs, West Ham, Pompey, Villa, Everton, Man City. Its like the players think there are only 4 teams that it matters to play against. I wish someone would tell them that irrispective of the opposition on the putch they are competing against Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea every time they cross that white line, and should play as if they were the opposition.

• 30 Eve // Dec 29, 2007 at 17:55

  Anyone know who got MOTM??

• 31 Ed Harrison // Dec 29, 2007 at 18:00

  AndyT - you’re right - we have to keep this up against sides worse than us - not argument there.

• 32 Ed Harrison // Dec 29, 2007 at 18:00

  Shay has to be MOTM. He was great today.

• 33 lezb // Dec 29, 2007 at 18:01

  Dont know if there was a plan today from Sam or if the players decided after the last 2 perfomances to take matters into there own hands but for me it was a lot more joined up football .For Sams part the 2nd and 3rd sub ????
  and as for the winning goal dont think I need say more diabolical.Looked more like a team today not perfect but much better.Well done lads.

• 34 shirts // Dec 29, 2007 at 18:02

  Valle–I agree that Faye was a revelation today. He played very well and with a solid back four he looks a natural for the defensive midfielder spot.

  Cacapa looked very good, I’m happy to say. And Beye looks very good too. Left back is a major concern.

  Anybody have an idea why Enrique’s not playing? One thought I had is about pace. The few times I’ve seen him play, he seemed to… what? dawdle on the ball a bit too much, looking for a good pass. Unfortunately, that’s been a major problem for us–passing the ball on the ground. I think Duff, Enrique and Emre in the team improve the side immeasurably if we can get them clicking together. But who do we sacrifice? Butt? Smith (obviously)? Geremi?

  Smith–can’t fault his effort and workrate, can you, but I’m just not sold on anything else he does. Making him our captain? sheesh. That said, Sam’s not shy about subbing him, is he? I don’t mind that at all.

  Haven’t seen Duff running at people, have we? When I first became aware of him, he seemed to run at defenses all the time. Now he plays a passing game a lot more and I don’t see anybody else with us who does that, except maybe Emre, who’s on the fecking bench all the time. Maybe Enrique works with these two, as i mentioned above.

  I feel like those two could be a potent creative combination, but somebody needs to slap Milner in the face and tell him to pass the fecking ball quickly instead of trying out his samba moves every time the ball comes near. If he could just balance out that running with some better passing, he could be so much better…

• 35 Graham // Dec 29, 2007 at 18:02

  Stantos are you blind?

  “He’s the only manager wev’e had in recent times that has the no how to sure the defence up”

  we have now let in 31 goals in just 20 games and you call that shoring up the defence?

  The way i feel at the minute I could make Sam Bashing into an Olympic sport! He was never right for us and never will be - i said that when we were after him the first time round and no-one, least of all Allardyce will change my mind.

• 36 scott 9 // Dec 29, 2007 at 18:10

  ed case we can keep going through maneger and maneger and well have no success people like yourself need to be more patient sam wnet for a draw at chelsea and derserved it u aint gonna win at chelsea he did right stop moaning manegers need time if hes sacked someone else will come in and do no better and cause nufc fans are so impatient hell be sacked again weve gone through to many manegers and quite frankly im sick to death of it we need stability give sam time and hell bring that and it might take a couple of years but well be a regular in europe inyears to come

• 37 valle // Dec 29, 2007 at 18:24

  Sitting here and reflecting, one thing that strikes me is this:
  So many times this year, we have had offsides against us where the player offside was on line with the oposing defense… The commentators mentioned that this had something to do with the fact that if there was any doubt, the doubt would come the defense to aid… Isnt it just typical that we get a goal against us, that even a blind mand could see was offside?… We are cursed i tell u… CURSED!!!

• 38 Southern_Magpie // Dec 29, 2007 at 18:29

  I think people would be more patient if a manager with more quality was in charge. I was against Sam’s appointment, but still believe he deserves to see out this season before we judge him. However, we expect gradual improvement but unfortunately in the last six months we’ve gone backwards in terms of performances on the pitch. However, hopefully todays performance will be a turning point, but then again I said the same after we played Blackburn

• 39 scott 9 // Dec 29, 2007 at 18:44

  sam has got quality he got bolton into europe and pushed for a champo league spot with themn he also
  bought
  anelka
  giurkioff
  diouf stelios
  campo
  jay jay okocka
  now dont try and tell me sam isnt a quality maneger wouldnt u love it in years to come if we had players like that in our team

• 40 Tom_Toon // Dec 29, 2007 at 18:49

  sam aint quality, hes just another fat dumb english manager, id like a fat clever dutch manager please, id give him time.

  JOL!

• 41 Cockney Magpie // Dec 29, 2007 at 18:57

  Although i still dont think Sam is the man for us he cannot be blamed today as the substitution wasnotreally a negative one at all sure he brought of Smith for Rozehnal but then he put rozenhal in defenceand brough N’Zog who is alot more attacking than Smith in midfield

• 42 Cockney Magpie // Dec 29, 2007 at 19:01

  But yea im with Tom Toon on the Martin Jol comment, He was sacked way before his time at Spurs, and if anybody knows about gettin under achievers to achieve its him, Sure he had a bad start this season but it think after getting spurs to the brink of champions league 2 seasons in a row with players no way near the talent of our boys he should have been allowed a bad run of games at some point! ( i know you could say the same about sam but he is just not going to take our team anywhere!)

• 43 Tom_Toon // Dec 29, 2007 at 19:04

  yep, jol was done over by the spurs board and commolli, spending all that money when he didnt want to.

• 44 Dragoner // Dec 29, 2007 at 19:35

  tom toon you aint gonna win any friends with that anti english manager stuff mate . By the way, Any manager outside of the top four would have made the defensive substitution sam made when looking at the facts.

  First of all, we equalised, not them, and it is obvious they are going to really battle to get back in the lead in order to not fall further behind the top two.

  secondly, they are at home, we are away, and their home record is outstanding.

  Thirdly, Zoggy, despite a great performance today, couldnt really handle SWP. So defensive help was required.

  I couldn’t help but think that this game would have possibly been easier if Drogba was here. Drogba brings a predictability to Chelsea’s play and i feel Faye and Cacapa could have coped with him.

  Another point is, we faced a second string chelsea squad who are all internationals, yet have something to prove in order to cement a place in the first team. They were really good today and we basically matched them. I feel we should be proud of the lads performance today…and also stop trying to pick holes in everything allardyce does.

• 45 john // Dec 29, 2007 at 19:46

  DECENT SECOND HALF BUT EVERYONE IS GETTIN CARRIED AWAY SAYING IT WAS A GREAT PERFORMANCE. CHELSEA HAD AN OFF DAY AND THERE 3 MOST IMPORTANT PLAYERS MISSING. WHAT WOULD THE SCORE BE WITH OUR 3 TOP PLAYERS MISSING. JOL FOR TOON. ATTACK

• 46 ToonKing // Dec 29, 2007 at 19:46

  i have no problem with foreign managers but JOL ???? hell no, i rather hit myself in the nuts with a rabid hamster.

  that besides is still stand my ground that Sam is the man.

• 47 Dragoner // Dec 29, 2007 at 19:57

  John

  Chelsea did not have an off day mate. They played well. We defended well. What is with the negativity on here. Then the people have the cheek to call SAM negative.

• 48 valle // Dec 29, 2007 at 20:23

  Listen… In Jols time at spurs, they played well above their level (Spurs fans own words). Its not that he is a great manager, and he certainly made some weird signings, and may i add, by the looks of those signings he wouldnt be the man to shore up our defense. Its the same with Man City who many of u are screaming bout when ur point to how we have fallen backwards. These clubs just buy some players and then send them out, telling them “do ur stuff”. That might work for some time, and surely enough, the players will love it in the beginning, but its short sighted and in years to come we will be much more stable than they are with our new board who seems very wise and with Sam running the place. He has taken a chance, comming in and changing the captain, half the team, the formation and the tacs, the backroom staff and the match preperation and so much more. Dont underestimate how much time that will take to settle with the players. It wont bring the instant success that many of our fans crave, but it will build for even bigger things in the future… In Sam we trust!!!

• 49 Cockney Magpie // Dec 29, 2007 at 20:26

  I think we r so lucky to have Habib Beye he really is a class act

• 50 Andy H // Dec 29, 2007 at 20:35

  Sam can’t win can he? I can understand him going defensive against Chelsea when we had equalised because if we’d gone for it and thrown a point away - idiots like edd case and tom_toon would still be moaning and everyone knows it. The change he made was sensible because he realised that N’Zogbia was struggling defensively and also causing problems for Chelsea when he the ball at his feet. Taking off Smith - who cares - he was crap and will probably always be crap in midfield. N’Zogbia was good on the left and Duff pushed up to support Martins and then Owen.

  Yes, a lot of the time this season he has been too negative especially against the likes of Derby, Wigan and Reading but I’d probably do the same. He is under so much pressure to get points that he tries to play it safe. It seems he is so scared of the backlash from the fans and then the media attention this always gets that he sets out in a way that makes him most comfortable. However, it doesn’t suit our players.

  Against Chelsea any result is a bonus and so I would play for the point as well even if the fear of defeat is not so bad. We are no longer good enough to challenge teams like Chelsea and we’ve got to realise this. Big Sam can get us back to where we were with Bobby Robson and would have a better chance if he wasn’t under the pressure of ridiculous expectation.

• 51 valle // Dec 29, 2007 at 20:38

  Andy H… Wise words… i agree

• 52 valle // Dec 29, 2007 at 20:41

  Cockney Magpie… I agree, him and Cacapa can finally shore up our defense… now we only need a new left back and a centre back… How bout Brown and Bridge?

• 53 Dragoner // Dec 29, 2007 at 20:45

  Faye, Cacapa, Beye should be in the defence every week

• 54 john // Dec 29, 2007 at 20:45

  brown and bridge then who will pay there wages when there on the sick. we have already got sick notes owen and duff

• 55 valle // Dec 29, 2007 at 20:48

  Dragoner… Faye actually seemed VERY good in def midfield, i would like to keep him there.

  John… Bridge had the record for playing most games in a row when he was at Southampton, he has had one serious injury at Chelsea, that hardly makes him injury prone. In regards to Brown, i dont know where u got that from?, actually he is the one who fills in when all the other Manure players get injured…

• 56 Edd Case // Dec 29, 2007 at 20:51

  Andy H - you call me an idiot (and perhaps you’re right) however, you called me that because you say I’d still be moaning if we’d have gone for it and thrown a point away….

  Well, you’re very, very wrong.

  I’d not be moaning at all, about that anyway.
  I’d love us to have thrown on another striker, really gone for it but lost - only because it’s Chelsea and we rarely get anything, so expectation levels are low anyway.
  But, like the old days, if we’d have gone for it, we might have bloody well gone and won it.

  My anger though, comes from having to make that substitution in the first place.
  Had Fat Sam gone 442, like in every pi$$ing game this season just about, and not played golden bollox Smith, then we wouldn’t be worrying ourselves over the ‘negative’ substitution, would we?

  And my final point is this;
  We still cannot defend a lead. We, for the foreseeable future at least, will seemingly always concede goals.
  So, why try to play so negatively?

  Attacking is the best form of defence.

  I just want to see our team really go at teams - we have the players to do it - we just need a manager who believes in them and has the balls to really go for it in matches.

  Surely you can see this?

• 57 Dragoner // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:00

  valle

  i agree faye is really good as a DM, it is just that i dont really trust Taylor in defence. He is not the worst defener, and yes he is young, but he tends to make mistakes at the worst of moments and more often then not cost us a goal.

  However i suppose he needs games to improve.

  Beye —-Taylor—–Cacapa—–Enrique

  Faye

  That looks a tough defence to beat dont you think. Now we just need Enrique back playing games

• 58 Tom_Toon // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:06

  to put a long story short: we should have won against a completely depleted chelsea team.

• 59 valle // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:06

  Dragoner… I agree about Taylor, but with January so close i actually had someone else in mind. Taylor seems to get a rush of lose his cool under pressure (today being a prime example). However, if we dont buy any new defenders i agree with ur selection, i think there is a good reason we dont see much to Enrique tho.

• 60 valle // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:08

  Tom_Toon… u might still have noticed names such as Joe Cole, Beletti, Wayne Bridge and Essien in there?

• 61 Tom_Toon // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:10

  wayne bridge, beletti your fkin joking, ye they are superstars arent they ;l

  Essien, hes a good player and so is Joe Cole.

  2 players, wow we had 11 on the pitch of fairly decent enough quality.

• 62 Dragoner // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:23

  Tom toon sometimes you just dont have a clue mate. Chelsea had SWP, Joe Cole, Beletti who is a superstar, Alex, Ballack, Essien, and a very on from Kalou. So do not try and belittle the team with comments like “depleted squad”.

  Anyhow, sometimes playing the second string can be just as hard, or even harder than the first team as they have a point to prove and are looking to cement themselves a place in the first 11.

  Stop being so negative just because you want to see Sam Allardyce out. Also, stop constantly repeating the same stuff. “sam out” “sam crap” “sam crap” come on mate, change the recored will ya.

  The thing is, sometimes you make some really good constructive comments, it is almost like your a split personality.

• 63 Tom_Toon // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:28

  you keep backing him up, he is a numpty he doesnt know what hes doing, the day i see him play 4-4-2 which doesnt involve smith from the start i will support him, of course i always support the team, no way is beletti a superstar, hes a good if not now average rb.

• 64 Tom_Toon // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:29

  ‘Anyhow, sometimes playing the second string can be just as hard, or even harder than the first team as they have a point to prove and are looking to cement themselves a place in the first 11. ‘

  If its so hard then they will have proved theirselves, but are they the starting 11 everyweek, NO!

• 65 Dragoner // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:33

  I would say Beletti was a great who is now just good, anyway, regardless of what you think of Beletti, stop trying to make the team out as though it was full of your ben sahars, michael woods and scott sinclairs because it was by no means a youth or reserve team we played today.
  Yes i do defend Sam, but only if he is blamed 100% for our underperforming when there are many other factors to take into account. I wouldn’t mind you speaking negatively about sam if you said something valid and new each time, but the fact is your comments about sam are more or less a clone of what you have already said.

• 66 Andy H // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:34

  Yeah Edd Case I was also pissed off at making Smith captain because although he tries hard he just hasn’t got the quality to get in the team in any position. As a defensive midfielder I would prefer Butt, who is really experienced and consistent but relies too heavily on long diagonal balls. Or Faye who was impressive today defensively but also with some fairly compose passing in the final third which who would never see from Smith.

  Up front he played well as a strong target man and linked up well but he’s played 20 games without scoring and so Owen, Viduka and Martins have to be ahead of him and maybe even Shola. And he should never..ever play on the right midfield.

  He has been chosen for his versatility, like Geremi but what we need is consistency of shape and team selection so our best players can gel together. My choice would probably be Beye but as he’ll be missing in a few weeks it should have been Butt.

  I agree we should be attacking as well. It suits us better and would be better to watch. But at the moment I wish everyone would get behind Sam and maybe he’d be in more of a position to have a go at teams like Chelsea. That’s what we need to do starting Wednesday night.

• 67 Dragoner // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:35

  your reply about the second string completely misses the point tom toon (who is starting to sound more and more like a youth the more i read his comments) The point is that the second string can play with more hunger than the first team as they want to secure a place. It doesn’t mean they can do it consistently though does it, which is what is required if you want to replace some of the big names at Chelsea

• 68 Tom_Toon // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:35

  becuase its such a big factor, his tactics, it has to be mentioned, i know who was playing for chelsea but we had a fully strength squad bar barton who has been crap anyway and we probably should have beaten chelsea today.

• 69 Tom_Toon // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:36

  i nit pick so it doesnt miss the point

• 70 Dragoner // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:38

  Tom toon are you trying to say that on paper we had a BETTER squad then what Chelsea had?

• 71 Tom_Toon // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:39

  im saying that realistically taking all factors into account with our strongest team we could have beaten chelsea today.

• 72 Dragoner // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:42

  what factors are you talking about. because the factors i see are

  - Chelsea are a top four team and potential champions - we aren’t

  - Chelsea have a great home record - we dont

  - and Chelsea - were fortunate with their goals today - we weren’t

• 73 Dragoner // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:44

  the only factor we had in our favour was that they fielded a fairly second string side, which is of little or no substance anyway as their second team is also one of high quality

• 74 Tom_Toon // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:47

  simply, we COULD have won today, i dont think your taking into account what im saying, your thinking im saying SHOULD the whole time.

  COULD in a realistic fashion - as i could say that we COULD have beaten chelsea at full strength, but that is unlikely.

• 75 Dragoner // Dec 29, 2007 at 21:53

  ok my mistake

• 76 valle // Dec 29, 2007 at 22:48

  We COULD but we didnt… We DID play well against a good team whose second string are better than at least 12 of the other EPL clubs first 11.

• 77 Ausgeordie // Dec 29, 2007 at 23:12

  Both of Chelseas goal’s were shite and should not have been allowed. The ball comes off his arm, changes course and its tapped in. The other one clearly offside. No wonder they have not lost a game their for 4 years the officials are clearly influenced by either the occasion or maybe a bit of cash. Cheats

• 78 shirts // Dec 30, 2007 at 0:07

  1st chelsea goal was legit, 2nd was total hogwash.

  Why isn’t Enrique playing? Anybody got a bead on that?

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