As infuriating, humiliating and depressing as Newcastle's 4-1 home - or should that be pummelling - to Portsmouth was, it is unhelpful and as premature as a teenager fumbling his way to second base to start talking about Sam Allardyce being replaced as manager.
Don't get me wrong, there is plenty to get your teeth into for those who are unsure about the manager's credentials and uncertain about the direction he is taking the team, but sacking a manager after just 13 games and who, just two weeks ago was celebrating - or at least mentioning lots - the fact the club had just enjoyed it's best start to a season in 11 years is, to put it bluntly, stupid.
Allardyce was far from a universally popular choice as manager and I have some real concerns about some of his comments since he became manager - particularly in terms of playing style away from home - but can we at least give him a season to prove he is capable of improving things.
Big Sam is under pressure for the first time as Newcastle manager and rightly so. The Magpies were a mid-table team when he took over in May and, after back-to-back defeats to Reading and Pompey, they are still a mid-table team a little over five months later.
What exactly has changed? As Sam himself has admitted today, it is all back to square one and that is unlikely to impress owner Mike Ashley or chairman Chris Mort.
There is one major problem for Allardyce, which will always undermine him. While there has been plenty of public support from those above him since Freddie Shepherd was ousted, he was not Ashley's appointment.
The billionaire may have chosen Allardyce to implement his vision for the future had he taken the club over before he did, but we don't know that. And, when you have spent upwards of £130m on a football club, it is only reasonable to assume that you will want to have your own type of manager in place.
When Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea, he gave Claudio Ranieri a season to prove he was up to the job of manager. When Chelsea didn't win the title, the Italian was replaced. I wonder if, privately, Allardyce has been told he has this season to prove himself, say with a Uefa Cup place?
But, as I've said, to talk about sacking at this stage is silly and one report in the Sunday papers which claimed Blackburn's Mark Hughes was already being lined up to replace him was little more than mischief making if you ask me.
However, worryingly for Allardyce, Portsmouth are the first decent team Newcastle have played at home this season and they comprehensibly out-played United. If we're being truthful, it could have been an even heavier defeat couldn't it, particularly if the referee has spotted David Rozehnal's blatant hand ball in the area.
Allardyce knew the defence was his main area of concern when he arrived, but despite his specialist backroom staff and two first-team coaches - Nigel Pearson and Steve Round - little appears to have changed. New faces in the back four, but all the same problems. That does leave a positive impression of the manager or the coaching staff.
Yet, this was always going to be a potential problem. Allardyce signed four new defenders in the summer and only one, Abdoulaye Faye, had any previous experience of playing in English football.
When you also consider that neither Jose Enrique, Cacapa or Habib Beye can communicate comfortably in English, no wonder there have been problems when they are put under pressure - something which, until the Pompey game, had only happened away from home. Significantly, with the exception of Rozehnal and possibly Enrique, these were also not the manager's first choices in the transfer market.
Then there is the strange tactic of playing Charles N'Zogbia on the right wing and James Milner on the left!? I must have missed that one in a coaching manual somewhere! Looks like someone trying to be too clever for their own good.
Michael Owen looked isolated and frustrated at the weekend as teammates consistently failed to spot his runs behind the defence. Oh, and, once again, I must ask, what does Alan Smith actually do other than run around a lot and get booked?
Joey Barton doesn't look match sharp yet and Geremi, the club captain, was dropped to the bench against Pompey after an unspectacular start to his Newcastle career.
Problems, problems, problems, for which the manager is paid handsomely to solve. A derby win over Sunderland next weekend should go someway to repairing the damage, but with Arsenal and Liverpool the next to visit SJP and an away trip to Blackburn sandwiched between them, it could be an uncomfortable few weeks for everyone concerned.
- Post to:
del.icio.us
Digg
Newsvine
Nowpublic
Reddit
« Previous | Home | Next »