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Luke Edwards is Chief Sports Writer of The Journal and uses his blog to give a unique and entertaining insight into events at Newcastle United and Sunderland.

As well as football, Luke also regularly takes a wry look at the biggest sports stories from across the North-East and beyond. From cricket to rugby and basketball to boxing, some are criticised and some are praised.

Sometimes provocative, sometimes laugh-aloud funny, but always interesting Luke Who's Talking also gives you the chance to interact with Luke and have your say on all the major sporting issues.

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What Has Michael Let Himself In For?

Posted by Luke on May 1, 2007 9:53 AM | 

First the good news. Michael Owen is back and he looked fit and well at Reading, if not entirely match sharp after almost a year on the sidelines.

But that, I'm afraid is where the good news ends. Newcastle were, as has become the norm away from home this season, limp, lethargic and lightweight.

It begs the question, having waited for 15 months to start a game in a black and white shirt, what must Owen think now he's back? What have I done perhaps!

We are not going to see the best of Owen until next season, the final two games against Blackburn and Watford are more about him trying to regain the sharpness that made him one of the most respected out and out goalscorers than anything else.

But at least it will give supporters something to take their minds of the utterly joyless experience of watching the rest of their team.

Glenn Roeder insisted Newcastle had played well. I'm afraid United's manager is wrong. They were poor except for a bright spell at the start and end. Yes Newcastle had chances, but so did Reading, a side only promoted from the Championship last season with a budget which pales in comparison to United's.

Kieron Dyer was made captain for the game and was shocking, as was Emre, Antoine Sibierski, Titus Bramble, Nolberto Solano and Obafemi Martins.

That is surely far too many individuals to merely put down to a bad day the office, there appears to be something seriously wrong in the dressing room and it is poisoning the atmosphere.

The defeat at the Madjeski Stadium means Newcastle have now lost more games on the road than at any time in their Premiership history and they are in real danger of securing their lowest possible finish.

Despite a strikeforce containing £27m worth of talent - alright Owen is only just returning from a serious injury but still - it was also the eighth game in 11 in which they have failed to score.

Michael Owen is not a miracle maker but that is starting to look exactly what Newcastle need to turn things around.

I hate to say it, but this season cannot end quickly enough for Roeder and his players and then there needs to be a serious contemplation about where this team is going. Down the pan looks about right at the moment.

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Comments (11)

sawdox wrote...

If Roeder thinks we played well last night where does that leave us? How bad do we have to be? If he is going to accept that kind of mediocrity as a good benchmark then we can go no further with him in charge. He is not up to the job - not by a long chalk.
Roeder's never been the manager for me - not even close to being good enough. However, I was putting up with him reluctantly under the misapprehension that he understood NUFC and its supporters. By giving Dyer the armband last night Roeder kicked every one of us in the teeth and told us once and for all that he is not in touch with the fans' feelings.
It was the final insult Glen and I hope you do the honourable thing and resign.

Posted by: sawdox  | May 1, 2007 11:46 AM

Rach McK wrote...

I've said before that you could have the three best strikers in the world playing together but unless you create something, none of them will score unless they do an Henry and dribble the ball past all his own players and all the opposition players before rounding the keeper and heading it off the floor into the net.

Titus Bramble and Keiron Dyer should never play for Newcastle again after one too many last chances. They were attrocious. What possessed Roeder to give Dyer the captains armband, I'll never know. As I said before: Can't pass, can't control, can't dribble past anyone, can't cross, can't shoot, too lazy to run around, doesn't try, quick to blame everyone else, can't track back, can't tackle, can't head, can't even jump, can't/won't play on the right, can't play on the left, inneffective in the middle, can't play up front...

Pathetic.

Note From Luke
I wish you'd put a bit more feeling into things Rach!

Posted by: Rach McK  | May 1, 2007 12:27 PM

Steve Davison wrote...

I get the impression that Owen is biding his time for another big money move elsewhere. He's had a chance to sit back and watch the debacle that has been the 2006/7 season. Why would he want to waste his time working with a very average manager in Roeder and a chairman that has no clue how to run a successful club. How he must wonder what riches/glory awaits over the pennines if the rumours about Man Utd are true.

Posted by: Steve Davison  | May 1, 2007 1:07 PM

Greg P wrote...

Taylor was the only player who could hold his head high last night. It was clear that had players not been injured Owen would have only played 70 mins, as he was pointless for most of the second half in a bizarre 3 man attack with no midfield?
Generally it was a disgrace though, with Dyer (captain - thats an insult after what he did last time he held the armband) looking like a headless chicken, and Carr and Bramble at their typical worst.
Bring on next season and hopefully 3 more defenders to help out Taylor (and teach him how to pass, as he seems to have to resort to hoofing the ball out to row Z every time).

Posted by: Greg P  | May 1, 2007 1:43 PM

Rach McK wrote...

FAO Greg P: To call Dyer a headless chicken is somewhat generous as that gives the impression of actually running around, of which I saw very little from him.

Posted by: Rach McK  | May 1, 2007 8:46 PM

RAY WILSON wrote...

I cant beleive Roeders comments. God help us if he thinks we played well at Reading.There is something seriously wrong at Newcastle and this guy is not up to putting it right.We need a good professional manager and motivator and we need one now or next season will be a bigger disaster than this one. Have to laughat Ameobis comments in todays press saying missed chances cost us the game. Well he missed a total sitter,but thats not unusual with him I have been saying for the past three seasons that despite playing many games with Shearer he has not learned a thing,he gets only the keeper to beat with a free header and what does he do -nods it straight into the keepers arms. Martins follows suit a few minutes later then Dyer with only seconds on the clock gets an open shot at goal and he tamely passes the ball into the keepers arms. We have seen this from this lot so often it it makes you wonder why we have coaches because nothing changes. We need a clear out and that means several players and the management. When Reading scored the only one who seemed to bleed was Taylor probably because he is a black and white. Most of this seasons squad need to find another colour-yellow might be appropriate.

Posted by: RAY WILSON  | May 1, 2007 11:46 PM

Anonymous wrote...

I think Owen must be looking closely at any get out clauses in his contract Because he must be dreading the prospect of seeing out his contract in the current seet up which is Newcastle United . I thought we started brightly on monday and actually looked as they we had learned how to get the best out of Owen by playing sensible balls through for him to run onto.So why did we stop doing it after 15 mins and start playing hopeful balls to no one in particular. Whilst Martins has not performed well recently and his confidence is low , surely his strengths are simiar to those of Owen ie pace and sitting on the shoulders of the last defended waiting for the quality through ball . It certainly isnt jumping for high balls or trying to feed off knock downs form Sibs. So if we havent learned that lesson all season for Martins, why would we now change for Owen .
Sorry Michael , but I think you are in for a long hard slog with the toon

Posted by: Anonymous  | May 2, 2007 10:51 AM

Allen Barber wrote...

First of all
congratulations
on a well written article,
the type of which that should be on your sports page rather than on a `blog`.
Whatever happens next is down to Shepherd, and the north east media, the fans have no say on the future of the club.
If Shepherd wants to retain and expand NUFC he has to show he is worthy of it otherwise he will send the club down the pan.
Roeder has got to go, after that, its down to Shepherd choosing the right man(fat chance of that happening)given his record so far.......
But the media have the power to make things happen
I just wish you would use it for the good of the city
and the fans.
ATB
Allen

Posted by: Allen Barber  | May 2, 2007 12:53 PM

True Mag wrote...

As I've said before, Michael Owen will not be at Newcastle United next season so he's only got to put up with this garbage for another couple of games!

Lucky him, the rest of us are stuck with it unless Shepherd makes the right decision for a change and sacks Glenn Roeder

Posted by: True Mag  | May 2, 2007 3:58 PM

Wallace wrote...

Michael Owen will be here next season. Who else is going to pay him £115,000 per week? Why should he leave now when by running his contract down, as he did with Liverpool, he can make a much greater financial killing.
I think Shepherd will try to play the Geordie card by bringing in Shearer to work with Roeder with a view to him taking over as manager in a year's time. he won't appoint Allardyce because he would want a long contract and some semblance of control. Anyway, we haven't seen the puffs of white smoke coming out of Thomson House yet. The NUFC Press Officer, aka Comical Olly, hasn't started sniping at the manager yet. When that happens you know his days are numbered.

Posted by: Wallace  | May 2, 2007 8:47 PM

Little Boooo Peep wrote...

Good article...

Roeder and Shepherd out..

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Posted by: Little Boooo Peep  | May 3, 2007 2:15 PM

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