There is nothing quite like a 0-0 draw to dampen enthusiasm, crush expectations and quell excitement, but before everyone gets carried away on a wave of pessimism just remember it could be worse – Newcastle could have lost 3-0 to Wigan Athletic!
While United’s momentum was being checked by Villa, Sunderland’s was being brought to a grinding halt at that most depressing of football arenas – the JJB Stadium. The result was even enough to briefly put everyone’s relegation favourites top of the Premiership. The early days are so often the strangest.
So Newcastle fans, before you make the monumental blunder of thinking it is a good idea to ring up the Three Legends for a good moan and groan about Sam Allardyce and the players, it is worth pointing out that four points from the first two games is a pretty solid start and that, under Glenn Roeder, the Magpies would almost certainly have lost to the claret and blue lot from Birmingham.
Had Newcastle drawn 0-0 at Bolton on the first day and then beaten Villa 3-1 at St James’s Park on Saturday, things would seem a lot better, although ultimately the number of points on the board would still be the same. Feel any happier now? Nevertheless, and regular readers of this blog will know there is often a nevertheless as far as I’m concerned, there are a few reasons for mild, and I mean mild, concern after a Saturday defeat.
Firstly, while Allardyce was used to doing what Villa did to Newcastle at the weekend with Bolton – in other words, sitting back, frustrating the opposition and then hitting them on the counter attack, he will have to get used to the fact that, at home at least, United fans expect to see visiting teams being cut to shreds.
Secondly, the 4-3-3 formation might not be as good at home as it is away, as it means opposition teams can pack the midfield and stifle play in that department so the strikers are starved of service. I might be wrong, but I’d rather see 4-4-2 at home, with more width and an attacking mentality which means three of the midfield four burst forward at every opportunity.
Thirdly, a midfield trio of Geremi, Nicky Butt and Alan Smith is not going to offer the variety, pace or spark needed to break down stubborn resistance. The three are all a little too similar for me, although injuries to Joey Barton, Emre and Damien Duff probably mean Allardyce has few alternatives at the moment in terms of personnel.
On the positive side, though, Newcastle’s new-look defence has conceded just one goal in two games and Steve Harper’s display once again underlined the fact that, even in the absence of Shay Given, United have an excellent goalkeeper to call upon when needed. I know Allardyce is looking to bring in some cover while Given is injured, but I don’t see the point of this being anything more than a loan signing.
Finally, after two games, Newcastle are ahead of Manchester United, level on points with Chelsea and well in the hunt for a European place! Who cares if there is a long way to go, surely that’s reason to be cheerful!
Leyton Orient, meanwhile, have knocked QPR out of the Carling Cup and lead League One with two wins out of two! As I said, a long way to go. As someone clever once commented – I think it was Brian Clough – there is no point taking the league table seriously until at least 10 games have been played.
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