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Newcastle United 1 - West Bromwich Albion 0
Philip Cole (RSABaggie):I watched this match on TV after watching the Man City v Leicester game and the difference was striking. Leicester have not spent huge sums on players but they play as a team and look to get forward and create at the earliest opportunity. They deserve their success! What a contrast with West Brom, that currently approach every game, home or away, aiming to defend to the death and nick one late in the second half. It's not that we don't have good players, although some of them have been criminally ignored - it's the script they're performing to which needs to be torn up. So many questions stand out. The starting line up - dire and devoid of creativity. Fletcher is not a creative midfielder, so why try to play him as one? Given that Morrison is still out, why not try Sessegnon or even the new guy Pritchard at the top of the diamond? Why bother playing Anichebe when all he does is amble around and fall over every now and then? The first half was woeful - we just sat back and invited Newcastle on to us for the whole half and made a very limited team short on confidence and without a defence look good. At least Pulis changed it at half time - but why not start with a more creative line up/ Why bother leaving Anchebe on when he couldn't be bothered. Even then we were still crying out for a midfielder who could take the ball forward and pick out a pass. Marks:
Subs:
Brendan Clegg:Absolutely terrible. A new nadir. How much longer can this go on? How could Pulis look at the Swansea performance and deduce that what we needed was more players out of position and less creativity? Injuries or not there were still better options than what he went for. And in my opinion, if you have players fit enough to make the bench then they should start - better to play your strongest team for as long as you can and then change it to try and hang on then go out there with an inferior team in the hope that you will sneak a draw. And if players on the bench or not fit enough to play, put players who are there - even if they are only your most promising kids. In the first 30 minutes of this match we managed 30 pass attempts with a success rate of 57%. That is appalling at any level. 1 pass a minute! We ended the game with a possession percentage in the low twenties over the ninety minutes. We were not playing Barcelona - we were playing a rudderless Newcastle side with brittle character and injuries similar to our own. When you play centre backs at fullback you seriosuly limit your ability to keep the ball. When you go one further and play a right footed centre back at left back you surrender any attempt to play down that wing. I cannot believe that internationals with as many caps as Poc and Gamboa are so bad - does anyone think Gamboa would do a poorer job than Gardner on the right wing if he cannot be trusted at right back? McClean could move to left back with Poc in front of him on the wing if Poc cannot be trusted at left back - at least we would have balance. Instead we had 4 centre backs, 4 holding midfielders, a 1 dimensional championship winger and a career-inconsistent forward utterly isolated and with no service. I do not blame the players. They either have to follow the rules or are made examples of and doomed to the bench - like McManaman, Sess etc. It could have been 4 or 5 today against a team really struggling. Pulis apologists - I get how much you love the club and how you value our survival in this league over anything, but nobody can seriously believe this is as good as it gets? Moyes was on Radio 5 this morning saying how much he wants a job in the Pemier League at a decent club where he can be given time to build something again. Rowett, Pearson or Monk would be better than Pulis. Even Rogers might be although I worry our players are now so Pulis institutionalised that they would crumble if asked to play the Rogers way for our final 10 games or so. It's not about wanting a Mel, Irvine or a Mowbray - it's about going for a proven or experienced coach who is better than the one you have when there is an opportunity to do so. I could go on but what is the point? Say we do survive - do you trust Pulis in the summer? Do you want more of this next year?
Did anyone else think the ref's decisions against us were terrible today - lots of 50/50s or 70/30s in our favour that went against us? Might this also be a Pulis factor - referees so wise to the way he looks to play that they are subconciously prejudiced against his teams where there are comings together? michael mills:As expected, it really does get worse. "Yesterday's", stubborn old coach, playing his inflexible, rancid, relegation, pub football. Premiership? You really are having a laugh. Pulis do you have a hidden agenda? Or do you just really dislike West Bromwich Albion, and us loyal fans? More likely, you are past it, passed by, and can't move on gracefully. By your tactics, formations, and team selections, we are now in serious trouble. Why so scared to be more positive? but still have a leaky defence? Those 4 centre halfs, always out of natural positions, works well, doesn't it?? Brendan Batson and Derek Statham could STILL achieve more now, than our present supposed full backs. If by some strange miracle, we cling onto premiership football, and you remain in charge next season, why any reason for optimism? You will not change I'm afraid. I will. For the first time in 47 years, you will drive me away from attending the Hawthorns, and watching my beloved club. If you do go, please take your boy Gardner with you. Even more fed up than usual. |
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