Newcastle Are Not A Premier League Side So....
It was impossible not to be caught up in the emotion of the occasion, but Peter Lovenkrands's equaliser against West Bromwich Albion was a get out of jail card as well as a fitting tribute to the memory of his father.
Seeing Lovenkrands burst into tears after scoring arguably the most important goal of his Newcastle career moved everyone who saw it and I'm absolutely delighted for him. The thought of losing a parent at a young age is one we all dread and it took a tremendous amount of mental strength for him to play against WBA.
But that should not distract us from the wider issues surrounding the game and if we learnt one thing it is that Newcastle will have plenty of work to do if they do manage to haul themselves back up into the Premier League this season.
I don't think Newcastle were out-classed, but they were out-played. West Brom looked a better footballing side and they ruthlessly exposed the lack of pace in the side.
Newcastle's midfield was over ran and Kevin Nolan and Alan Smith - particularly the former - were given a torrid time by the slick pass and moving game of the visitors. Goodness knows what would happen to them against the best sides in the top flight.
Nolan has scored a lot of vital goals this season and Newcastle would not be where they are without him, but he is too slow. There was even a case for moving Danny Guthrie into the middle and taking him off on Monday night!
Smith has been brilliant as a defensive midfielder but if Newcastle go up, I'd tell him to never venture across the halfway line and to remain as a screen in front of the back four as he can't get up and down the pitch as quickly as he could.
Had Newcastle not had Jonas Gutierrez and Jose Enrique causing constant problems for the WBA defenders, I dread to think where Newcastle's attacking threat would have come from on the night so God forbid one, or both of them, gets injured.
Nevertheless, although Newcastle were a little fortunate, they still managed to drag themselves back into the game after twice falling behind. That simply wouldn't have happened last season and once illustrates the unity and resilience in the squad.
Those qualities are still enough to get them out of the Championship and they still have players who are capable of individual moments of quality, like Guthrie's brilliant free-kick.
Yes, Ishmael Miller should have scored a third goal for WBA, it was a dreadful miss, but Andy Carroll should also have been awarded a penalty after that.
The game brought two contrasting styles, counter-attacking football based on speed and a methodical, relentless sort of game based on power and percentages and personally, while I was extremely impressed with WBA's style of play they are six points behind Newcastle in the table utilising it!
Nevertheless, this was a short sharp shock to the system. Newcastle don't need to worry about surviving in the Premier League at the moment, but they still need to add to the squad this month.
Their two top targets have slipped through their fingers and watching Danny Simpson being torn to shreds last night has not filled me with much belief he is a long term bet at right-back if they do go up.
Okay, he'll be a decent squad player so I'd still sign him permanently. He'll also have re-sale value so it's a good bit of business all round, but boy did he have a night to forget on the last appearance of his loan spell!
This is crunch time and it's about time Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias pulled something out of the bag.
They've never done well in a transfer window and they shouldn't be throwing millions at it now, you never should in January, but just get the three players the manager has asked for and we'll stop complaining...for a bit at least!
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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.
chris hughton is a coward he hasnt the guts to play pancrate on the right and leave smith or nolan out,and ameobi get that prik out of that shirt for good.
Good article luke. agree with most points, but as dave says above, will Hughton have the balls to drop smith or nolan and bring in a more mobile/creative midfielder. He's had oppotunities this season to play guthrie central when smith or nolan have been missing and every time he's brought in butt. smith and nolan are part of the plas committee, without whom Hughton would not be able to manage.
Sadly I thought we looked very ordinary against WBA.We need the infusion of two class players for the midfield...
If they do not arrive even on loan we could regret it come May.Glad we have spirit but we need ability too.Even considering Shola & Danny S. having off nights there was alot to worry me yesterday eve. We never really kept the ball for long in a comfortable way.By contrast our opponents looked streets ahead.
NJ
Every transfer window, we go into it with some form of optimism that 'this time it will be different'.....it never is. Mike Ashley wants promotion but wont spend a penny to achieve it. I'm glad we are not signing Beckford, the more I read and watch him, the less I like. His signing would be a short term fix, and we must start looking further ahead. Last night was a wake-up call though I dont think we were outplayed, perhaps just a little cavalier. Surely we should be in there with a bid for Victor Moses or Graeme Dorrans, players capable of stepping up. Yes it's unlikely WBA would sell, however £5m for Moses (resale value???) looks a bargain, and surely there is a pitch there for him that he'd be a regular, playing for a big club. If he goes to City he'll fade into the distance. As for Simpson £20k a week! He is not the long term solution at right back. There are some tough games ahead and the squad undoubtedly needs strengthening. Will that happen..... I think not
Nevermind the missed calls at both ends of the pitch. The most egregious call of the night was surely the offside against Lovenkrands to deny him his second goal. The replay showed that he was clearly level with the last defender.
In terms of player wants/needs for the second half of the season, the biggest concern has to be at the back end. Despite our excellent goals-against record, the alarming lack of depth behind Coloccini and S Taylor in the middle is alarming. With no Kizanishvili in the squad, our third choice centre back is... Tamas Kadar? That's scary.
Speed is the second concern for me, primarily in the midfield, but also up front. It's clear that against fleet-footed WBA, Hughton should have benched either Nolan or Smith, moved Guthrie into the middle, and put Pancrate on the wing. At this level of competition, the team needs to be tailored to the opponent rather than simply throwing out the "best" XI.
Up front, we are still pretty strong, despite Ameiobi's woeful performance, but would like to see another striker with speed in the lineup. Ameobi, Carroll and Ranger all fall into the slow, big-man, back-to-the-goal mold, but Lovenkrands is the only one with decent speed and agility. With this in mind, would recalling Xisco from Santander be a possibility? True he was crap in the Premier League, but maybe he could cut it in the Championship, and it wouldn't cost the club anything to "acquire" him.
I can't believe anybody would consider bringing Xisco back. He was woeful in the Premier League, because he's not very good. He's only scored 2 or 3 goals in Spain this season.
I agree with the motion for putting Guthrie inside and taking Nolan off. He looked slow on Monday and gave the ball away countless times. As we consistently mention on this blog, we're lacking any creativity and playing this direct style using Shola as a target man is a complete waste of time. For a 6'3" bloke, his heading ability is laughable. I counted 2 headers won all night. He's better with the ball at his feet. i do feel that some people are too quick to jump on his back, but he didn't do himself any favours with a lacklustre performance. Having said that, he wasn't the only one.
We were outplayed by a younger, quicker, fitter team who play some lovely football, I wish we played that way.
We've got 11 days left before the transfer window closes and there's no sign of any players to come in who'll improve the team. Hughton is making the same sounds that Glenn Roeder did (I will sign 3 players...) and he ended up getting Olly Bernard!
The owner has to spend money, otherwise we risk slipping into the play-offs. 1 win in 5 league games tells that story.
I agree with most of what Fauntelroy says, but especially with...
"We were outplayed by a younger, quicker, fitter team who play some lovely football, I wish we played that way."
The way our midfield was bypassed at will was v worrying. We can only dream of fleet footed sharp minded players like Dorrans. Even Thomas, rejected by umpteen teams in the last three years including Charlton, lookedhead and shoulders above our 'stars'.
Delighted to be top, but fear that this game highlighted what life would be like back in the prem with Ashley and Hughton at the helm.
Y.F.C.B.G.O.O.O.C.
LOL - we all seem to be getting carried away! At the start of the season I would have been happy with the play-off - even surviving mid-table! And I think that was the realistic view of most fans! Now we are top everyone feels the need to criticise! Let’s instead give credit to the team and Chris! If this was a normal job their key objective would be to get back in to the PL their second objective would be to do it in a way that entertains! Smith and Nolan are doing a great job in there and should be applauded; it is on the wings we should be looking for the pace! Danny G is a central midfield player and should be given his chance there - Saturday would be a great opportunity! We talk about signings, sign who? There are good young player - Tamas, Kaz, Donaldson, Tozer, Airey and others! Or at lest we are lead to believe they are good! So let’s give them a go! If I was to get frustrated about anything it is our lack of faith in these Kids! 3 nil up against Plymouth in the cup with 20 minute to go! Give Donaldson a run out in his preferred position! Upfront - Shola is not good enough! Is Carroll and Ranger? We are not going to find out unless we give them good runs in the team.
If we are to get player in they either need to be experienced so Harwood would be good I think, or hungry – an option I would look at is Giles Barnes – release by Derby, he was a promising player at one point, would be a free and has a point to prove – contract till the end of the season and good cover.
I say well done lads keep it up - but please let’s have a look at 1 or 2 of our kids and see if they can cut it!!!
Hughton is too afraid to play the kids. Ever. It's pretty pathetic. And like you said, why not give Donaldson a run out instead of the clumsy oaf Shola. Yeah, he's scored some goals in the Chumpionship, but he'll be completely worthless all over again IF we get promoted. I would love to see some more playing time for Kazenga, Donaldson, and others. And why won't he put Guthrie in the middle?! He's a lot more mobile than Nolan and is developing his taste for goal as well.