Barney 0 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Dec 12 2007 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal NEWCASTLE United have been told they can improve their miserable away record by learning from one of the last visiting teams to win at St James’s Park. Portsmouth’s 3-1 victory over the Magpies(wtf?) was even more comprehensive than the scoreline suggested and underlined the excellent start Harry Redknapp’s side have made to the season, particularly away from home. Pompey have won six of their nine Premier League matches away from Fratton Park, as opposed to just one (on the opening day of the season) from seven Newcastle away wins. It is a record United must start to address sooner rather than later, and they will have the opportunity at Fulham’s Craven Cottage on Saturday. Portsmouth’s start is all the more impressive because they have already doubled their number of away successes for the whole of last season, something not lost on Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce. “I watched Portsmouth against Aston Villa (last Saturday) and they’re a team who couldn’t win away for love nor money in the last two years,” he noted. “Now Harry Redknapp has built a team that plays better away from home than at home, who’ve won six on the trot away and who pasted Aston Villa (3-1). “Villa had more passes and more shots on goal than Portsmouth, but Portsmouth are clinical in their finishing. They suck the opposition in to get big spaces to counter-attack into.” The current Portsmouth team is somewhere between the side Allardyce assembled at Bolton Wanderers and Arsenal’s “Invincibles” who went the 2003-04 league season unbeaten. All three were dominated by powerful, athletic players, the vast majority over 6ft tall. Like the Gunners of three years ago, they are encouraged to play free-flowing football through flair players such as Niko Kranjcar. It is clear Allardyce would love to emulate what he describes as the best away side in England. “They do that so well they’re probably the best team in the Premiership now by far, I would say, away from home,” he said. “It suits the players they’ve got. At home they’ve struggled by drawing one or two 0-0 but there’s no harm in that when you’re winning six on the trot (away).” Portsmouth have won only two of seven home Premier League games this season. But they are unbeaten on the south coast and that, plus their away form, has left them level on points with fourth-placed Liverpool, who have played a game less. Newcastle’s only away win in any competition this season came at Bolton Wanderers. United opened their campaign with a 3-1 win over what was then a shambles of a Trotters side. They have not managed so much as a draw outside the North-East since, their only two further points coming at Middlesbrough and Sunderland. Top scorer Obafemi Martins has been named in Nigeria’s squad for the African Cup of Nations. He is expected to be one of four United players involved in the tournament, which takes place in Ghana in January and February. Manager Berti Vogts has also insisted all 31 members of his squad report for a pre-tournament training camp in Spain from January 4. Should the Super Eagles reach a seventh final of the biennial competition, Martins will miss the games against Stoke City, Manchester United, Bolton Wanderers, Arsenal, Middlesbrough and Aston Villa. Martins is one of eight British-based players in Nigeria’s squad, though there is no place for Everton’s Victor Anichebe. His clubmates Joseph Yobo and Ayegbeni Yakubu were named alongside Nwankwo Kanu, John Utaka (both Portsmouth), John Obi Mikel (Chelsea), Dickson Etuhu (Sunderland) and Seyi Olofinjana (Wolves). Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou (both Chelsea), Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue (both Arsenal), Abdoulaye Meite (Bolton), Emerse Fae (Reading) and Didier Zokora (Tottenham) are in the Ivory Coast’s provisional squad. I watched Pompey against Villa, and they were brilliant, it helped that Reo Coker was muck, but Portsmouth looked an excellent side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 14021 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Its Muntari and Bejani man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammynb 3642 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Also helps when you have a player like Benjani as your first choice striker, with the quality of Kanu ensuring he's trying his arse off otherwise he's out of the team and a midfield full of strength and creativity. On the subject of Pompey, we could do a lot worse than look to sign Matt Taylor in Jan. He wants away and we need a midfielder than can shoot from distance accurately, that can play in a three man midfield and double up as a LB. I think a left side of Enrique, Taylor and Zog could be quite useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 That must be why Sam has been bolstering the midfield with big, powerful pacy Africans like Barton and Smith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammynb 3642 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 That must be why Sam has been bolstering the midfield with big, powerful pacy Africans like Barton and Smith. Oh the irony. Think about his Bolton midfields. And what does he have at Newcastle! Fucking mackem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney 0 Posted December 13, 2007 Author Share Posted December 13, 2007 I don't rate Matt Taylor as anything other than a squad player. Scores some screamers, but not good enough(imo). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammynb 3642 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 I don't rate Matt Taylor as anything other than a squad player. Scores some screamers, but not good enough(imo). Compared to who? Geremi? Smith? Emre? Butt? Barton? Fuck he'd walk in to the starting 11 atm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinofbeans 91 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 joey deacon would walk into our first XI at the moment. [/irony] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 joey deacon would walk into our first XI at the moment. [/irony] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RlCO 0 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Roeder shuffle more like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney 0 Posted December 13, 2007 Author Share Posted December 13, 2007 I don't rate Matt Taylor as anything other than a squad player. Scores some screamers, but not good enough(imo). Compared to who? Geremi? Smith? Emre? Butt? Barton? Fuck he'd walk in to the starting 11 atm. Are you saying those players are left wingers/full backs? If so, then you are correct, Taylor is far better in that position than any of those players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinofbeans 91 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 he's a bit slow at full back or wing back however. great delivery though and guaranteed a couple of flukey goals a season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Carr's Gloves 4090 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 he's a bit slow at full back or wing back however. great delivery though and guaranteed a couple of flukey goals a season. Thats what we thought about Parker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammynb 3642 Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 I don't rate Matt Taylor as anything other than a squad player. Scores some screamers, but not good enough(imo). Compared to who? Geremi? Smith? Emre? Butt? Barton? Fuck he'd walk in to the starting 11 atm. Are you saying those players are left wingers/full backs? If so, then you are correct, Taylor is far better in that position than any of those players. Where did I mention left winger/full back? Left side of a three man midfield is what I mentioned and seeing that's the shape we play!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney 0 Posted December 14, 2007 Author Share Posted December 14, 2007 I still think he's no better than Emre in that position. A few wonder goals over the course of 2 seasons and he became a "match of the day player". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammynb 3642 Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 I still think he's no better than Emre in that position. A few wonder goals over the course of 2 seasons and he became a "match of the day player". Sorry Barney but what shite. Emre disappears more than he turns up. Taylor would at least be consistant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney 0 Posted December 14, 2007 Author Share Posted December 14, 2007 Sibierski is consistent. We have enough mediocre players in midfield IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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