OTF

I also know a lot more about our players and what they're capable of, but I'm not judging them anyway just suggesting that it's pretty rubbish that with a relatively short injury list our starting backline featured two epl debutantes, we didn't have a real winger on the bench instead playing a striker who the manager has admitted on several occassions was surplus to requirements (presumably before realising that he'd have to play him). In central midfield our starting players were weak and we had no replacements on the bench spare a kid with no experience.

Too early to judge them properly. They'll be there or thereabouts depending on their own injuries and form and that of Chelsea. Us on the other hand, we clearly need to add to and improve our team.

Their reserves would be in with a good shot of turning us over.

If Carroll had a decent consistent strike partner they'd soon learn where to be to pick up the myriad of flick-ons and headed passes that Carroll makes seemingly regardless of opponent. As it is though every other game we'll have Nolan playing in a made up position that facilitates his lazy game under the illusion that we're suring up a midfield that only requires suring because at least one of the players there is inadequate. In the meantime we're sacraficing any chance of someone building a good onfield partnership with Carroll. Sounds overly critical but it's the truth - and yet I still have some hope for the season!

Yep, Barton wasn't great but wasn't horrible, made to look better by playing alongside Smith and Nolan. Like an ugly bird who doesn't look as bad standing next to a fat and ugly one.

Tactically I didn't think we were good at all to be honest, Nolan and Smith were virtual pedestrians out there for much of the match. Clearly Hughton is going to be employing the same tactics from the Championship, which is naive. Nolan's value last season was virtually in his goals alone, goals that won't come anywhere near as easy in the top league (take a look at his scoring record for the last couple of seasons in the EPL). At least we did try to attack, but manure were happy to give up the wide channel knowing we had no option through the middle and a couple of widemen who would struggle to deliver a paper.

Agree we still would have lost if Carroll scored, but it would have been a more interesting match and I don't think they had it in them to get more than 3 or 4, as they're not properly in sync yet.

Where was Lovenkrands? The first goal was all down to Jonas if you ask me. Turned it over far too easily when he should have been protecting it. Can't really blame Enrique for that IMO.

If Perch keeps playing like he is then he'll probably be dropped before Simpson is back, otherwise yes I would say that Hughton would see Simpson as our first choice 'specialist' right-back.

Nolan and Smith Both too slow and cumbersome to be playing. Nolan would work if you're getting a lot of set pieces and he's sniffing around, or if he's played in behind two forwards looking to pickup scraps with not much of a defensive onus, otherwise he's rather useless IMO. Smith is pretty much just useless, not quick enough to break up opposing teams play, doesn't read the game well, makes brash challenges, adds absolutely nothing to our attack and often turns the ball over. Guthrie is no World beater but he at least add a dimension to our attack going forward, can score the odd goal, decent at set pieces and is an ok long passer. Generally values posession. I can tell already that Hughton persisting with Nolan and Smith is going to be a bugbear for me this season. It was that kind of attitude with players like Butt that helped to seal our relegation fate in 08/09.

Xisco "An exciting sounding name"

In his defense there was a LOT of space down our right for them to exploit. He was pulled in too narrow a lot of the time though, contributing to that. Needs to close the space on the right out better but needs more communication from our central defenders. Despite him not having a great game he still effectively shut down Valencia. PL definitely not too much of a step for him, but there's only so much a left back can do. I don't think you can blame the CBs for is ineptness. I think he is a league out of his depth. Possibly 2. I hope i'm wrong. Enrique looked a shadow of the player last year. We were playing one of the best teams in the world so I wont cast judgment too much. I agree Perch looks out of his depth, but was just saying that he wasn't helped by having such a large area to cover, or the fact that yeah, we were playing Manure. Hardly think Enrique looked a shadow of last year, didn't look the world beater but that's to be expected with the dramatic gulf between the leagues. More than held his own, with the exception of his silly attempt to play the ball out from the back instead of clearing it or sending it down the line. Basically he's the least of my worries.

Clearly

Yeah, looked solid. A pretty slow set of central defenders though... will probably be dropped when Campbell's fit anyway, even if he continues to play well which is quite unfortunate for him.

In his defense there was a LOT of space down our right for them to exploit. He was pulled in too narrow a lot of the time though, contributing to that. Needs to close the space on the right out better but needs more communication from our central defenders. Despite him not having a great game he still effectively shut down Valencia. PL definitely not too much of a step for him, but there's only so much a left back can do.

No doubt, would be interesting to see a midfield of Routledge, Guthrie, Ben Arfa, Jonas with Lovenkrands and Carroll up front. Jonas and Routledge aren't good crossers of the ball but Jonas in particular can combine well with other players. Having someone pacy and skillful inside him with Enrique potentially overlapping should be good. We won't see that though, as we'll no doubt have Nolan chugging along in midfield when he's not deployed behind a lone striker in away matches (or matches against top sides).

Agree, he did some excellent things, looked spritely on the ball but failed to deliver anything despite getting into dangerous positions. After beating his man, which he does far more often than not, he needs to be looking for passing options drawing another man making the pass and then breaking into space. Instead he continues with the ball trying to beat another player, and so on. It would help if he had someone in central midfield who can spray a pass accurately, but first things first he has to actually get the ball to them. He and Jonas are two frustrating players. I was quite annoyed with Enrique towards the end where he held onto the ball and made a silly attempted pass back to Coloccini. Should have never turned back goalwards. Clearly a very good player who pretty much nullified Valencia, but needs to appreciate that it's not the Championship anymore.

3-0, at least par for the course with our handicap. Shame we didn't get on the scoresheet we had enough chances to have done so. Smith was a waste out there, it's a shame that Guthrie wasn't available (I assume picked up some sort of knock?). I'd probably have rathered see Vuckic out there, and he surely would have been more effective at keeping posession. At least we tried to play our game against them; but sadly for us our game seems to be occassionally getting the ball into good positions and then wasting it.

Yeah the SkySports site has this: Possible starting XIs: Man Utd: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Vidic, Evans, Fabio, Scholes, Carrick, Park, Valencia, Rooney, Owen. Newcastle: Harper, Perch, Ryan Taylor, Coloccini, Enrique, Gutierrez, Nolan, Barton, Guthrie, Smith, Carroll. Still retarded as that probably puts Perch in the centre of defense with Ryan Taylor right fullback. I can see Routledge being left out though, with either Guthrie or Barton on the right to facilitate Smith 'shielding' the defense.....and by shielding I mean running around chasing shadows a second behind the ball, attempting slide tackles all over the place. Hopefully though we'll see Routledge on the right with Smith at best on the bench and Guthrie and Barton through the middle.

They're so much better than us

Wow, that's piss poor from Sky. Missed our best player and the first name on our team sheet.

well at least you won't be freezing . . . . . .

Jesus wept ... "Respect for privacy" - surely he's taking the piss there.

I'll be watching at 5AM right through regardless of the score and resulting pain. Thankfully it's warmed up the last couple of nights/mornings so here's hoping I'm not freezing and disappointed.

A player, or a good player? Shola was desperate to re-sign for us.