Minority Report v Newcastle United

After Saturday, most Barnsley fans would have been expecting a massacre, so 0-2 would have come as a bit of a relief. Barnsley retained the 4-4-2 system that I had been so critical of on Saturday and Newcastle lined up 4-2-3-1, an initial statement that they did not intend to concede. And so it was at half-time as the teams went in at 0-0 with very little to show by way of excitement. My half time discussion hinged around why we had conceded 2 on Saturday by half-time but but today we had conceded nil. In my opinion, as a team, we had not played any better. Our passing was still woeful, we struggled to retain possession and most of our passing forward was of the back to front variety, mainly because our close passing was so poor. As a result, our forwards were isolated and unable to get into the game. And yet, defensively we had coped easily with Roberts taking Gayle and Jackson picking up any spare man. Of course, with so much long ball, our midfield was more compact and they were never as stretched as happen on Saturday, though Newcastle contributed by being much more defensive minded than Fulham. By the end of half time, all that I could offer was that Newcastle were not as good as Fulham.

Shortly after half time, just as in the Fulham game, we conceded to go behind. A free-kick was not cleared properly (with Jackson being at fault I think, though I could be wrong), the ball was knocked back into the throng and Gayle sorted out the melee. It was a mess, and once again we had dug our own hole. The difference this time is that the formation had nothing what so ever to do with it. Indeed, our 4-4-2 coped quite well with the Newcastle system and we finished slightly ahead on possession. But the Newcastle system was there in order to avoid conceding, and you could see our shoulders drop when we did. The players knew that their chance had gone.

The second was irrelevant, and it hardly seems worth the effort in allocating blame between Jackson and Davies. The game was lost after that first goal and as the game opened up, there was only one possible winner. I am not going to waste my time in arguing for a change in system, because tonight the system made no difference. I did not even think that Newcastle played particularly well. It was typical Rafa Benitez, turn up, play the system, avoid all excitement and most of the entertainment, win and move on. I am sure others will want to point out the difference in cost between the teams but for me tonight was a free game with no expectations, and I was not disappointed.

 

I thought the 1st goal ultimately came from corner.

One that was given for jonjo slicing stupidly wide.

 

Well and succinctly put.

Onwards and upwards.

 

Tonight was the first time back at the well for many a month to be honest, ive not stayed away through choice but as many are aware its been due to health reasons.
Well tonight i felt up to going and many thanks must go to Dean ( dec parker ) for baby sitting me and our mate steve for his input too.
My take on the game is simple...putting aside ones feelings .and the bias which we can all at times be guilty off towards our own team....it boiled down to the gulf in class which for me showed up alarmingly all over the field....we appeared rushed, relied too much on the long ball from the back, passing at times was rather lack lustre...we seemed to lack the fight needed to bridge the gap.between skill and experience..yes at times Newcastle lacked some composure but we never really settled or were allowed to for that matter.
On tonights showing i feel we will struggle in this league....we lack sharpness and someone to put their foot on the ball and steady the ship and thus control the game...at times we were like rabbits in the headllights...both goals came through defensive mistakes , the second one id put down to jackson,, giving up too easily and leaving it to davis when a old head would have taken charge and put the ball over the stand regardless.
Its hard to accept, but yet the blame game isnt the answer...for me the boys are learning their trade and its not their fault that the gulf in class collectively is having a major effect on the outcome of the games...they can only play to their best ability unfortunately it falls short...of whats needed....
Its going to be a long season if tonight is anything to go bye and better teams than Newcastle will take us apart.
Fair play to Newcastle they did enough and went away with the points

 

I personally thought we played much better than on Saturday and that that was due to the return of Hourihane. It's true that we did concede possession way too easily - particularly as the game went on and we tired. But Rafa, class manager that he is, had done his homework. Kent and Hammill were totally snuffed out and hopeful balls into the box were never going to reach our diminutive forward line. We weren't good enough to be passing it through a better Newcastle midfield - hence we were unable to create much in the way of chances. For all that, we competed well and showed that we were up for it. Newcastle were very patient, and that again I think is a product of Rafa's guidance. Let's not forget that in their last Premiership game, Newcastle put five past Tottenham.We were a League One+ side playing a Premiership one.

Jackson loooked very assured, and I hope it's not just wishful thinking on my part to hope that he will provide Kevin Long-type leadership to the defence. Our attacking down the flanks was publicised in two Wembley final victories and we need to have more ideas against better sides who have done their homework. Hourihane at present is vital to this side, and if he is to depart in January or July then we need to be working very hard to try and identify a replacement. I thought Morsy did much better, and also looked fitter last night. I worry about Sam's lack of pace and lack of influence against the better sides in this league. I thought that Bree, Roberts and Yiadom had solid enough games. Davies had to gamble for that second goal, and I don't think the outcome would have been any different if he had stayed put. I think that when Hammill reflects on how he was marked out of the game he will adopt a more mature view of why Hecky replaced him, and will quietly apologise behind the scenes.

I think that a repeat of last night's performance will give us every chance of getting something at Brentford, and let's face it - we'll be up for Bristol, won't we? I enjoyed the game last night, and I think there were plenty of positives to take away. Let's not forget that this time last season we were losing to the likes of Shrewsbury, Crewe and Fleetwood. There's bags of time to regather ourselves and push on again, and we have money in the (Mr Cryne's) bank!

Finally, did we switch to 3-5-2 at the end there, Red Rain? Does it hold out hope of another option when we need to adjust?

 

I most certainly was not expecting a massacre and I can see where the next win is coming from. (Ref your previous post after the flum game).
Apart from that I do agree with much of your latest post particularly your comment on the quality of our last two opponents. Fulham were outstanding on Saturday. Newcastle were no better than us last night apart from taking their two chances. I really thought we were going to surprise a few and beat them.
We're not as one dimensional as you have suggested. 442 can work against some opponents. Last night is a good example of hecky not needing to change the system.
Saturday was a different matter. It did need changing to cope with Parker and their midfield. So, for me it's less about moving away from our core match planning and more about having the flexibility and agile thinking to vary tactics during the game.
I cab see the next win coming. Brentford, Bristol. ...both winnable games.
We do need to strengthen, if we can, in Jan. For me we need more midfield cover and we so need a big target man who will gove us the option to change formations. We might also see Bradshaw prosper with someone like that alongside a la to shack and keegan.
Keep the faith.

 

The difference in class individually was evident . The close control and distribution of the ball from the Newcastle players was streets ahead of our lads . They tried their best but apart from a 25 minute spell in the first half we were 2nd best . The defeats to Reading and Fulham at home hurt more than this one .

 

If we did switch to 3-5-2 I missed it, but yes it would give us another option. I expected us to use that system if Hourihane had not made the game. Yesterday, Hourihane collected his 4th booking of the season for the hand ball, so just 1 more to go before suspension. Even if Hourihane is fit for the next 2 games, there is the possibility of being without both him and Scowen for the Bristol game if he is booked at Brentford, so we could well see that system against Bristol City. We saw 3 at the back for 10 minutes in the Fulham game, but we were already down to 10 players, so we had just 4 in midfield. There were big gaps between the 3 defenders, but we were already 2 goals behind and Hecky seemed to lose his confidence in the system very quickly, so I don't know.