Allardyce is backing his defender

[Scottish Mag 3]

SAM Allardyce has backed Claudio Caçapa to emerge stronger from his nightmare experience at St James’s Park on Saturday.

 

The centre-back was substituted after just 17 minutes of the 4-1 defeat to Portsmouth having been at fault for Portsmouth’s second and third goals. Both were similar in that first Benjani Mwaruwari, then John Utaka outpaced the 31-year-old, then shrugged him off the ball to go one-on-one with Steve Harper.

 

But Allardyce believes the man capped three times by Brazil is experienced enough to deal with his traumatic display, and learn the lessons of it.

 

“Claudio will pick himself up,” said the 53-year-old former central defender. “He was looking a little laboured, that is why I made the early change. He has enough experience to accept he has made some mistakes. When you wake up on Sunday morning you can kid as much as you like to everyone else but when you look in the mirror you can’t kid him, can you? You know if you have done all right or not.

 

“Claudio is one of the few you thought wouldn’t make that type of mistake, but he did. We all try to learn from those mistakes and eliminate them as much as we possibly can.”

 

The former Bolton Wanderers manager made no attempt to hide his hurt after seeing his side’s unbeaten home record under him disappear in dramatic fashion. “Portsmouth’s win was down to Newcastle United gifting them the game and not down to their ability to win the game apart from a stunning, stunning first goal,” he said. “What I put on to the field is an extension of me. The players have to go out and put on a performance, be organised, understand how they should play, keep their shape, keep their discipline and use their abilities in the right areas.

 

“In the first 12 minutes we lost the game in the shortest period ever since I’ve been here. That sums it up. It was all destroyed in a 12-minute period.”

 

SHOT OF THE MATCH

 

The eighth-minute opener from stand-in left-back Pamarot was unstoppable. The least said about the other goals, the better.

 

CROWD WATCH

 

Losing 4-1 at a ground where you are unbeaten all season is embarrassing, to do so against a team supposedly at your level even more so. But to hear the away fans chanting: “We want seven!” a quarter of an hour in takes the biscuit. When they weren’t booing, Newcastle’s fans were chanting Martins’ name but Kranjcar’s goal meant many didn’t hang around long after Allardyce took the hint.

 

TACTICS WATCH

 

There were many strange decisions by Allardyce: playing N’Zogbia on the right, subbing Milner 11 minutes after he had been perked up by moving to the left of a midfield three, and keeping Emre on the bench so long. Smith did little to suggest United are better off playing with a target man than Martins and Owen.

 

GLOVE WATCH

 

It’s been possibly one of the mildest Novembers in recent memory but not mild enough to stop Pompey’s Benjani needing wooly gloves to keep his hands warm.

[newcastlebroon 0]

He made Ramage look better than him on saturday.

[MrBass 2821]

GLOVE WATCH

 

[bassplayerjj 0]

I remember Souness saying the same about BOumsong after his honey-moon period..... Let's hope Cacapa takes it on the chin, maybe he has just come to a cross-roads in his life and wants to be a hollywood star like that other solid CB at the other end who used to play in red and white.

[Scottish Mag 3]

The guy was outmuscled by Benjani for the first and slipped for the second and all of a sudden he is a liability. He has been a fantastic player for us in recent weeks and to hear him getting booed and supporters wanting him hauled off was shocking IMO.

 

Yes he lost out physically on Saturday and you can guarantee (infact I have already read it several times) that he cannot handle the physical side of the game and is now written off as to being able to play against any big centre forwards now but I am sure this will be bollocks and he with the career he has had he will have played against similar oppposition many times in the past. But you know our support is fickle as fuck and until he comes back in and has a decent game will now be labelled a liability.

 

Btw without him in the team we will also miss build up from the back. He was one player who tried to play football and not just hoof it anywhere and with our midfield looking so clueless he was key to much of our possession play.

[Ketsbaia 0]

I remember Souness saying the same about BOumsong after his honey-moon period..... Let's hope Cacapa takes it on the chin, maybe he has just come to a cross-roads in his life and wants to be a hollywood star like that other solid CB at the other end who used to play in red and white.

 

You mean the first three minutes of his Newcastle career before he was made to look like a prat by DJ Campbell against Yeading?

[Ketsbaia 0]

The guy was outmuscled by Benjani for the first and slipped for the second and all of a sudden he is a liability. He has been a fantastic player for us in recent weeks and to hear him getting booed and supporters wanting him hauled off was shocking IMO.

 

Yes he lost out physically on Saturday and you can guarantee (infact I have already read it several times) that he cannot handle the physical side of the game and is now written off as to being able to play against any big centre forwards now but I am sure this will be bollocks and he with the career he has had he will have played against similar oppposition many times in the past. But you know our support is fickle as fuck and until he comes back in and has a decent game will now be labelled a liability.

 

Btw without him in the team we will also miss build up from the back. He was one player who tried to play football and not just hoof it anywhere and with our midfield looking so clueless he was key to much of our possession play.

 

I concur.

[David Kelly 1280]

The guy was outmuscled by Benjani for the first and slipped for the second and all of a sudden he is a liability. He has been a fantastic player for us in recent weeks and to hear him getting booed and supporters wanting him hauled off was shocking IMO.

 

Yes he lost out physically on Saturday and you can guarantee (infact I have already read it several times) that he cannot handle the physical side of the game and is now written off as to being able to play against any big centre forwards now but I am sure this will be bollocks and he with the career he has had he will have played against similar oppposition many times in the past. But you know our support is fickle as fuck and until he comes back in and has a decent game will now be labelled a liability.

 

Btw without him in the team we will also miss build up from the back. He was one player who tried to play football and not just hoof it anywhere and with our midfield looking so clueless he was key to much of our possession play.

The fickle nature of our fans is becoming worse and worse. I used to think it was a myth put about by the southern press but with the way many of our fans have reacted to this and the Reading game it clearly isn't.

Cacapa is a quality player and despite his nightmare on Saturday I still believe he's the best defender we have. That said, I'm not sure I would risk his confidence against the scum on Saturday.

[Jimbo 175]

I'm also pissed off that the knee-jerk media have suddenly planted Cacapa in Boumsong/Bramble territory, on the back of one performance.

[Scottish Mag 3]

I'm also pissed off that the knee-jerk media have suddenly planted Cacapa in Boumsong/Bramble territory, on the back of one performance.

 

So have many of our "supporters" tbh

[Jusoda Kid 1]

I'm also pissed off that the knee-jerk media have suddenly planted Cacapa in Boumsong/Bramble territory, on the back of one performance.

 

So have many of our "supporters" tbh

 

 

 

Had a disagreement with one of my close mates on Saturday about the whole BS thing, he wants him out if we don't get europe this season and says he never wanted him, I say we can't keep getting new managers and he has to be given a chance.

 

Have to say though some of his tactics and subs have been worrying

Edited November 5, 2007 by Wacky Jnr

[Guest alex]

I've been thinking about Allardyce and why he persists with playing both wingers on the wrong side. I have no problem with trying stuff like that for periods in a match but not for a whole game especially when it isn't working. I hope it isn't simply him thinking they can cut in on their strongest foot and have a shot. If that's one of his tactical masterstrokes I'm underwhelmed to say the least. I used to do that on ISS on the N64.

[Baggio 0]

I've been thinking about Allardyce and why he persists with playing both wingers on the wrong side. I have no problem with trying stuff like that for periods in a match but not for a whole game especially when it isn't working. I hope it isn't simply him thinking they can cut in on their strongest foot and have a shot. If that's one of his tactical masterstrokes I'm underwhelmed to say the least. I used to do that on ISS on the N64.

 

Wenger has winger who favour cutting inside, he does it so they drag the opposition fullbacks in field and his fullbacks can overlap and get in behind their defence.

 

Perhaps he wants to do the same here.

[Jimbo 175]

I've been thinking about Allardyce and why he persists with playing both wingers on the wrong side. I have no problem with trying stuff like that for periods in a match but not for a whole game especially when it isn't working. I hope it isn't simply him thinking they can cut in on their strongest foot and have a shot. If that's one of his tactical masterstrokes I'm underwhelmed to say the least. I used to do that on ISS on the N64.

 

 

I'm concerned that he got SO many things wrong on Saturday, it isn't just hindsight, very much like the Reading match, the result was in question as soon as the team was announced.

[David Kelly 1280]

I've been thinking about Allardyce and why he persists with playing both wingers on the wrong side. I have no problem with trying stuff like that for periods in a match but not for a whole game especially when it isn't working. I hope it isn't simply him thinking they can cut in on their strongest foot and have a shot. If that's one of his tactical masterstrokes I'm underwhelmed to say the least. I used to do that on ISS on the N64.

 

Wenger has winger who favour cutting inside, he does it so they drag the opposition fullbacks in field and his fullbacks can overlap and get in behind their defence.

 

Perhaps he wants to do the same here.

I think he was just so bemused by what happened on Saturday he just forgot to tell them to switch back!

[Guest alex]

I've been thinking about Allardyce and why he persists with playing both wingers on the wrong side. I have no problem with trying stuff like that for periods in a match but not for a whole game especially when it isn't working. I hope it isn't simply him thinking they can cut in on their strongest foot and have a shot. If that's one of his tactical masterstrokes I'm underwhelmed to say the least. I used to do that on ISS on the N64.

 

Wenger has winger who favour cutting inside, he does it so they drag the opposition fullbacks in field and his fullbacks can overlap and get in behind their defence.

 

Perhaps he wants to do the same here.

Yeah I know, it was part serious and only part flippant though. Arsenal do and traditionally have played very narrow under Wenger without conventional wingers (I wouldn't even class Pires as an old-fashioned winger). However however much you rate them Milner and N'Zogbia are best out wide on their proper sides imo. And if they were meant to play narrow to help out the middle two on Saturday that didn't work either.

[snakehips 0]

Allardyce was keen to tell everyone that if you 'play crap' you can expect to be dropped. It will be interesting to see whether Capaca retains his spot on Satdee.

 

Roz looked pretty good when he came on imo. Then again, there wasn't much to stand out from.

 

Whoever gets the shirt on Satdee, they are going to have their work cut out with that lump West. (Ken-something West ? No attempt at a pathetic dig, I honestly don't know his proper name!)

[Guest alex]

Kenwyn Jones. He's a handful like.

[Jimbo 175]

Kenwyn Jones. He's a handful like.

 

 

and a mouthfull for some too !

 

[snakehips 0]

Kenwyn Jones. He's a handful like.

 

Thanks Alex. Don't know where the fuck I got 'West' from

[Guest alex]

Kenwyn Jones. He's a handful like.

 

Thanks Alex. Don't know where the fuck I got 'West' from

He's like a cross between Colin and Taribo

[Jimbo 175]

Kenwyn Jones. He's a handful like.

 

Thanks Alex. Don't know where the fuck I got 'West' from

He's like a cross between Colin and Taribo

 

 

and Kanye

[Guest alex]

Kenwyn Jones. He's a handful like.

 

Thanks Alex. Don't know where the fuck I got 'West' from

He's like a cross between Colin and Taribo

 

 

and Kanye

Aye

[acrossthepond 901]

The guy was outmuscled by Benjani for the first and slipped for the second and all of a sudden he is a liability. He has been a fantastic player for us in recent weeks and to hear him getting booed and supporters wanting him hauled off was shocking IMO.

 

Yes he lost out physically on Saturday and you can guarantee (infact I have already read it several times) that he cannot handle the physical side of the game and is now written off as to being able to play against any big centre forwards now but I am sure this will be bollocks and he with the career he has had he will have played against similar oppposition many times in the past. But you know our support is fickle as fuck and until he comes back in and has a decent game will now be labelled a liability.

 

Btw without him in the team we will also miss build up from the back. He was one player who tried to play football and not just hoof it anywhere and with our midfield looking so clueless he was key to much of our possession play.

 

Here is some good sense. I hope some of those calling for Cacapa's head are listening. After putting up with some of the alleged centre-backs in recent memory, I honestly cannot believe that people are after Cacapa's blood already. He is class. Even class has bad games. He obviously didn't have it on Saturday, Big Sam realized it and took him off, now it's in the past and it's time to look ahead.

 

He is a first-team player and a solid signing for certain - if I were the manager, I would make him (or Butt) the captain.