Official Match thread: Fulham Vs Newcastle United

[TheInspiration 1]

Maybe he should just not pick Carr in the first place.

 

Just a thought.

Edited February 3, 2007 by TheInspiration

[Gejon 2]

They accidentally added a ":" someone email them and let them know

[@yourservice 67]

It was United's first Premiership defeat of 2007 and Roeder told nufc.co.uk: "We set our standards higher than that. It was a flat performance and I'm very disappointed.

Yes Glenn,with a squad like we have,very fucking high!

 

"Maybe we shaded the first-half and had a couple of chances, and at half-time we said keep it tight and make sure we don't make a bad start.

What game was he watching like?

 

"But that plan went up in smoke within a couple of minutes when we conceded a poor goal.

 

"And, I have to say, we found it difficult to pick ourselves up after that."

Of the kick off you mean Rat.

 

 

 

Roeder added: "Stephen Carr was very disappointed to get out-muscled for the second goal, but there can't be many more powerful players in the Premiership than Boupa Diop.

Or shite full backs like Carr!!

 

"We put an awful lot of effort into the win against Villa on Wednesday night and maybe that caught us out a little bit.

And now everyone can see how shit we really are and Villa deserved at least a fucking point if not the win!

 

 

"But we have to pick ourselves up and regroup before the Liverpool game at St.James' next Saturday."

So i'll give the lads a few days off??

[smoggeordie 0]

Fulham 2, Newcastle United 1

Feb 4 2007

By Neil Farrington, The Sunday Sun

 

So it took less than three days for United's transfer window woes to take a miserable toll.

 

Less than three days for the mind-boggling failure to address their squad's worst shortcomings to be embarrassingly exposed.

 

What the next three months will bring barely bears thinking about on the evidence of yesterday's second half.

 

True, the seeds of this defeat were sown by a man who has been anything but a weak link in recent times - Nicky Butt.

 

The one new face to arrive in January, Oguchi Onyewu, enjoyed a blameless debut.

 

And though the competitive edge lent to the scoreline by Obafemi Martins' last-gasp strike was misleading, the Nigerian was also above criticism.

 

But Newcastle's collapse after Butt had gifted Heidar Helguson his 48th-minute opener was brought about by some all too usual suspects.

 

Steve Carr, who should not be in the side at right-back let alone filling in on the opposite flank, invited Brian McBride to put Fulham home and dry 17 minutes from time.

 

Titus Bramble's enduring ability to ruin a decent display with a single aberration should have earned him a red card moments earlier.

 

And but for an outstretched leg here and there, Fulham's unforeseen dominance would have been rewarded with a rout.

 

It was a capitulation that even the more cynical of Newcastle's magnificent travelling fans could not have seen coming at half-time.

 

With Onyuwi impressing alongside Bramble on a debut against a side bereft of all attacking inspiration, all was calm within the United ranks on and off the field.

 

Too calm, if truth be told, with the visitors' failure to profit from Fulham's fear of Martins' pace and invention another disappointment of the opening half.

 

But a first clean sheet for 15 games - which beckoned at the break - promised to be a triumph in itself.

 

Instead, one self-inflicted wound and Fulham's slight, but unspectacular improvement once they scented blood were all it took to extend a run which mocks the Magpies' inactivity on the transfer front.

 

Cruelly, Butt had been rushed back into action after taking a knock against Aston Villa in midweek.

 

But there seemed little logic in the decision to play Steven Taylor at right-back and Carr at left-back while leaving Nobby Solano on the bench.

 

It hardly mattered during a first half in which Fulham would have struggled to break down a Women's Institute XI.

 

The Cottagers - having hit trouble even before kick-off when keeper Antti Niemi was injured in the warm-up - were abject.

 

But Newcastle's failure to service Martins and the rather less impressive Kieron Dyer rendered the first period a non-event.

 

Dyer shot wide from one of the few crosses Damien Duff delivered all afternoon, then failed to win a penalty for a tumble over Philippe Christanval.

 

Scott Parker broke off from a bruising midfield battle with Michael Brown to fire high and not so handsome into the home end from long range.

 

And, far more significantly, a save by Niemi's deputy Jan Lastuvka and a near-post block by Carlos Bocanegra denied first Steven Taylor then Onyewu following a James Milner corner.

 

But the first half had still given little hint how pivotal that episode would be.

 

For even on this cloudless day, to say Fulham's breakthrough four minutes after the break came out of the blue would be an understatement.

 

Carr's throw-in deep inside United's half left Butt under pressure, but not enough to justify his feeble attempt at a backpass which fell for Helguson and left Onyewu and Bramble floundering.

 

To be fair to the Fulham striker though, his first-time finish was superb - Harper helpless as it cleared him before dipping under the crossbar.

 

Disbelief at the fact and manner of going behind almost turned to despair as Fulham immediately set about doubling their lead.

 

Harper had to help Brian McBride's downward header over his crossbar, then watched as a shot by Michael Brown fizzed wide.

 

Milner hinted at an equaliser with a 20-yard free-kick which found the side netting.

 

But United could have no complaints at going two goals down, having ridden their luck - and then some - before McBride's 73rd-minute strike.

 

Bramble was lucky not to be sent off for tugging back Helguson as he threatened to go clean through.

 

Then Bocanegra beat Harper with a glancing header, only for Milner to clear off the line.

 

No such luck following Newcastle's next defensive aberration.

 

Carr was skinned in contemptuous fashion along the right-hand byline by substitute Papa Bouba Diop, a man not deemed fit enough for the Fulham bench until Niemi's injury. And the midfielder's cut back was sidefooted home in spectacular style by the fast-arriving McBride.

 

But for a smart save with his legs by Harper from Helguson soon afterwards, a rout would have been on the cards.

 

It wasn't to be, though Martins' goal arrived far too late to affect the result.

 

What it did prove was what Newcastle had missed out on in failing to give him decent service - and in their team selection.

 

For it was Solano, on for Dyer, who provided the pinpoint long ball from which Martins outpaced the home rearguard before volleying left-footed past Lastuvka.

 

NICKY BUTT'S brainstorm of a backpass gifted Fulham a breakthrough which had not appeared possible - but proved pivotal.

 

OGUCHI ONYEWU stood up to be counted on his debut against the muscly McBride and was blameless for Newcastle's sorry surrender.

 

BUTT has been United's hero so often in recent months that his blunder was as shocking as it was decisive.

 

A FIRST Premiership defeat of 2007 this may have been, but it exposed familiar failings for United.

 

Managers' view

 

Glenn Roeder last night pulled few punches in laying into a "flat" and "poor" performance from Newcastle at Fulham.

 

Only new boy Oguchi Onyewu and 11-goal striker Obafemi Martins were spared Roeder's wrath after United's first Premiership defeat of the new year.

 

But the Magpies boss refused to blame the setback on Nicky Butt, despite the midfielder having gifted the Cottagers their opening goal.

 

"We gave a very flat display," admitted Roeder. "Conceding the first goal straight after half-time contributed to a poor performance.

 

"It was a scrappy game in the first half, although we had good opportunities to take the lead twice in the final few minutes of the half.

 

"What I said at half-time was: `Make sure we get through the first 10 or 15 minutes after the restart.' So the timing and manner of the goal were disappointing."

 

But Roeder insisted: "Nicky Butt has been fantastic for us this year. I'm not going to criticise him. Those things happen."

 

Instead, the Newcastle manager chose to savour a promising debut from centre-back Onyewu. "Considering he only trained with us on Thursday and yesterday, I was more than pleased with what he contributed," Roeder said of his loan signing.

 

"I'm sure he will only get better for us. He was strong in the air today, and that's what we desperately need."

 

But other than praise Martins - who scored despite getting "poor service all game" - Roeder's only comfort was in allaying fears of an injury to Kieron Dyer.

 

Meanwhile, Fulham boss Chris Coleman hailed Brian McBride after seeing the veteran striker grab the game's decisive second goal.

 

"He's the best £700,000 anyone has ever spent," raved Coleman. "He's different class even when he's not scoring goals. His level of performance and commitment are always the same.

 

"If only he was five years younger . . . though if he was five years younger he wouldn't be playing for us!"

[Tom 14015]

Knee Jerk after knee jerk tbh.

 

So predictable and fucking annoying,

 

we know the situation yet everyone still fucking moans,

 

one day its all blah blah, awesome and shite then the next after a narrow defeat its ''Roeder out'

 

Grow up for fucks sake,

[luckyluke 2]

Knee Jerk after knee jerk tbh.

 

So predictable and fucking annoying,

 

we know the situation yet everyone still fucking moans,

 

one day its all blah blah, awesome and shite then the next after a narrow defeat its ''Roeder out'

 

Grow up for fucks sake,

 

Tbh Roeder isn't good enough. The knee-jerks come after results like the Spurs match (where we were completely outplayed but 3 good finishes paper over some enormous cracks).

[Papa Lazaru 0]

Knee Jerk after knee jerk tbh.

 

So predictable and fucking annoying,

 

we know the situation yet everyone still fucking moans,

 

one day its all blah blah, awesome and shite then the next after a narrow defeat its ''Roeder out'

 

Grow up for fucks sake,

 

If you can find anyone who's said its been "awesome" at any point this season, i'll be impressed, but since they haven't its not knee jerk at all.

 

And i would be astounded at any NUFC fan who doesn't question and get annoyed at the manager for leaving Nobby on the bench, picking Bramble (who returned from injury miles away from where he needs to be) and Carr (who has been shite all season and unfit) and on top of that playing Carr at LB. Again this isn't knee jerk as people have been unhappy with those two players all season, whilst all have recognised that Nobby has been better than anyone else at RB and has improved the others around him at the back when he's played.

 

Its also been pointed out by many that Roeder has been forced through injuries to pick certain players and whenever he's had the chpice, he's made some strange choices, he did it again against Fulham, so its not knee jerk at all.

[Shearergol 0]

Knee Jerk after knee jerk tbh.

 

So predictable and fucking annoying,

 

we know the situation yet everyone still fucking moans,

 

one day its all blah blah, awesome and shite then the next after a narrow defeat its ''Roeder out'

 

Grow up for fucks sake,

 

Awesome?

[MattM4 0]

I don't where the knee jerking is here. We knew it was going to be tough, but Roeder's selection meant we made even harder for ourselves, he should be working for us... sometimes it doesnt look like it.

 

We'll end the season somewhere between 8th and 13th and actually that's okay by me, Roeder will have had his shot, and that'll be that. Get someone else in.

[David Kelly 1260]

I never thought Roeder was the man to lead us in the first place but tbf he has done well in difficult circumstances this season.

His team selection on Saturday shows why we were all worried in the first place though.

For most of the season he's had next to no options in nearly every position but finally he had some options at the back and he completley blew it.

Carr and Bramble are fucking clowns who cause panic in the rest of the team whenever they play and have cost us countless points.

Nobby (along with Butt and probably Milner) has been our best player this season since moving to rightback . His positional sense is better than any of our other defenders and he talks to the rest of them and seems to organise us into something like a defence.

To leave him on the bench is a fucking disgrace and shows Roeder up for the numpty he is.