NUFC vs Bolton Wanderers

[Kevin Carr's Gloves 3788]

I thought Ameobi and to a lesser extent Owen were both poor tonight. Balls were played to them but the movement was poor from Owen and non existant from Ameobi. I agree he needs to be punted it's like playing with 10 men.

[Isegrim 9680]

I thought Ameobi and to a lesser extent Owen were both poor tonight. Balls were played to them but the movement was poor from Owen and non existant from Ameobi. I agree he needs to be punted it's like playing with 10 men.

I don't really agree. Most balls they received was in no man's area or hopeful punts up front which wasn't really down to their movement but us not really getting out of our own half. Especially Ameobi was making a mess of most half decent balls he got though, although he can be excused of not having played regular football for some time (or getting blamed for showing that there is not really any difference between a fit and unfit Ameobi).

[Fordy 1]

thought Rozehnal was awful personally had alot of the ball but seemed to give it away all the time

[Jusoda Kid 1]

Bolton got what they came for and when I seen our midfield I knew we'd struggle on the physical side of things. Forgot how poor Ameobi and Carr really are...pure shite.

[khay 10]

Owen seemed to want it more tonight, came deep a couple of times and was chasing down a lot more.

 

LuaLua looked promising.

 

Bolton came for a draw and got it.

[Jusoda Kid 1]

Owen seemed to want it more tonight, came deep a couple of times and was chasing down a lot more.

 

LuaLua looked promising.

 

Bolton came for a draw and got it.

 

 

Agreed, looks like he's got a decent touch and an eye for a pass

[@yourservice 67]

The perfect game to show KK the dross thats on that pitch!, said before it's N'Zogbia and Given then your looking around

Edited January 19, 2008 by @yourservice

[Park Life 71]

It was to be exptected. It would have been far too much of a fairy tale. First half was awful, especially as Bolton did really well to kill the game. Second half was slightly better, but without really creating any chances.

 

Main problem was probably that Duff and especially Milner were having poor games, N'Zogbia tried but couldn't get any grip of the game. So Owen and Ameobi had nothing to make us of. Rozehnal was doing alright, but we were lacking some creative spark (although he really tried doing cunning long balls). The back four did well in more or less. Cacapa was having one of his better games, Enrique sometimes too sloppy. So, overall we got what we deserved. I liked the look of LuaLua though. His first pass was (nearly) pure magic, but he didn't look out of his depths at all. He could really be someone for the future.

 

Kazenga again looking good in his little camero and as you say nearly a killer pass. He has a bit of pace and seems two footed - no lack of confidence either.

I know Duff is coming back but he really seems to have lost all his pace, continually running sideways or into dead ends.

Milner is really no more than a squad player who has the odd good game. How many times did he try and fail to get a good cross in?

 

Impressed with Roze and even a couple of good searching balls from him. But he seems to be another one who is neither fish nor flesh (same as Smith) but in his case he isn't quite the reliable CD or good enough on the ball for more than a passable DM (Faye has been best in that role a couple of times he's played it.

 

Looking at today we really need to get an AM in and at least one more winger, one that has proper pace.

Edited January 19, 2008 by Park Life

[Jusoda Kid 1]

Keegan again repeating "we only want quality, real quality players". He knows what needs to be done and I have every faith he'll do it.

 

From now until the end of the season is going to be a learning process for both KK and the players, don't learn and your out.

[Noelie 103]

No reflection on Keegan due to the absense of players but this was another game we should of won and didn't.

In fact we never looked as though we could, lots of possesion but no real threat on goal. 2 points frittered away.

Ameobe lived up to my expectations which aren't very high on his ability.

Owen didn't do much but then he didn't see the ball much.

Duff was flat, kept running into nowhere or into somebody and not causing too meny problems for them.

Milner was flat and had another one of his ineffective non productive games.

N'Zogbia was flat and did not have one of his more effective games.

Rozenhal did alright out of position but his final passes weren't the best.

Enrique is promising at left-back but is a little too nonchalant in his efforts.

Carr lived up to my expectations which aren't too high for him as a right-back.

Cacapa did alright but scares me sometimes with his movement.

Taylor scares me a lot in a bramblesque way but he did alright.

Given, Man o' the Match for his last face-saving save.

[Besty 4]

Apparently I was on tele. When will it be repeated?

[Jimbo 172]

Apparently I was on tele. When will it be repeated?

 

Setanta 1 at midnight

[Park Life 71]

No reflection on Keegan due to the absense of players but this was another game we should of won and didn't.

In fact we never looked as though we could, lots of possesion but no real threat on goal. 2 points frittered away.

Ameobe lived up to my expectations which aren't very high on his ability.

Owen didn't do much but then he didn't see the ball much.

Duff was flat, kept running into nowhere or into somebody and not causing too meny problems for them.

Milner was flat and had another one of his ineffective non productive games.

N'Zogbia was flat and did not have one of his more effective games.

Rozenhal did alright out of position but his final passes weren't the best.

Enrique is promising at left-back but is a little too nonchalant in his efforts.

Carr lived up to my expectations which aren't too high for him as a right-back.

Cacapa did alright but scares me sometimes with his movement.

Taylor scares me a lot in a bramblesque way but he did alright.

Given, Man o' the Match for his last face-saving save.

 

 

Really need a real right winger with pace and better crossing ability. Whenver Milner beats someone they catch up after two or three paces then his cross is partially unsighted/blocked...Or he has to beat the man again [repeat/] I'm beginning to think Kuyt can run faster.

Edited January 19, 2008 by Park Life

[Jimbo 172]

Other than gaining 3 points, a lop-sided win would have done us little good tonight, imagine a Shola hat-trick ffs, we'd have given a totally false impression of our team's ability, Keegan is now under no illusion of where we need to strengthen, midfield and strikeforce nowhere near good enough to play to the standard he expects.

[Park Life 71]

Other than gaining 3 points, a lop-sided win would have done us little good tonight, imagine a Shola hat-trick ffs, we'd have given a totally false impression of our team's ability, Keegan is now under no illusion of where we need to strengthen, midfield and strikeforce nowhere near good enough to play to the standard he expects.

 

To bring it down to the bottom line our biggest failing is that we can't break with pace. And even when Martins comes back it's no good just one player doing it.

[Tribal 0]

Reckon Bolton can knick it, not overly confident at all.

 

That's the spirit.

 

It seems we're overconfident and expected to steam roll over Bolton.

 

A dangerous thing?

 

They knicked a point. The bastards!

[@yourservice 67]

It never took Terry Mac long did it?

 

"I'm off now Kev it's nearly off"

 

[Jill 0]

Would like to express my deepest cringes at those paper hat things.

[@yourservice 67]

Would like to express my deepest cringes at those paper hat things.

 

What happened with the Anal mask?

[Jill 0]

Would like to express my deepest cringes at those paper hat things.

 

What happened with the Anal mask?

 

Fuck knows, thankfully it didn't seem to happen.

[@yourservice 67]

Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan promised his side will get better after the Magpies were held by Bolton in his first game since returning to the club.

Newcastle were short of ideas in a drab 0-0 draw but Keegan said: "I told the players not to be disappointed.

 

"We were missing a lot of players. Take that into consideration and forget the hype and it's actually a good result.

 

"It will improve from here. Maybe we will get players in - we're a quality squad but we are a small squad."

 

Keegan felt Newcastle had been affected by playing for an hour with 10 men in their victorious FA Cup victory over Stoke on Wednesday.

 

"We'll have better days," said the 56-year-old Newcastle manager. "We're short of numbers and we looked tired - there are excuses there if we want them.

 

The players are lacking confidence because things have not gone their way - they have not won in the league for a while and there have been some big changes at the club

 

Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan

 

"We weren't quite good enough to win the game. A draw was a fair result and because of our endeavour we certainly didn't deserve to lose it.

 

"The stadium was rocking but Bolton set themselves up to spoil the party - they came to stop us and hit us on the break.

 

"Our team lost 6-0 last week, has got four players away at the Africa Cup of Nations and has got more suspended.

 

"The team I put out was a very good one but there wasn't much on the bench when I was looking to change things.

 

"From our point of view, the players gave everything."

 

But Keegan is confident he can get more of the players already in his squad.

 

"Will I be patient? Definitely.

 

"I'll work with them and talk to them. They're lacking confidence because things haven't gone their way - they haven't won in the league for a while and there have been some big changes at the club.

 

 

Keegan faces a tough task in his next two matches, both at the Emirates against to Arsenal.

 

The Magpies play the Gunners in the FA Cup fourth round on 26 January and return for a Premier League match three days later.

 

"We'll have to perform a lot better against Arsenal," said Keegan. "We know that and we hope we will."

[Bizza 105]

Would like to express my deepest cringes at those paper hat things.

 

+1

 

They were fucking horrible.

[Tribal 0]

This is giving Keegan a pefect example of where we need to stregnthen at the moment.

 

Everywhere?

 

 

No.

[maggiespaws 0]

Reading Noelie's post I think he's made some good points.

 

However, I thought Duff showed some good stuff tonight and wasn't as bad as some have made out. Although on the whole I completely agree he's not yet good enough.

 

We were missing 7 first team players tonight. I'd have had Beye on for Carr, Faye on for either Roz or Taylor (neither Roz or Carr can hit a shot), Smith on for the Ameoba, Butt in CM where we were losing it and Martins would have been a useful sub.

 

Based on that I'm not horrifically disappointed with the draw. Before someone leaps down my throat, I know we should be winning our home games (especially against Bolton). But given the team we were able to put out and the recent shenanigans at the club, coupled with the fact the Bolton came here to defend - a draw was not disastrous. I agree with the posts about showing Keegan what we are. I would add to that though, this is what these players are currently like. I expect to see an improvement in several of them as a result of Keegan's influence.

 

Naturally I would have preferred 3 points tonight, but I thought Bolton defended well and we wasted the chances we had. Carr spooned two, at one point Roz had had more chances than Owen and screwed them all. Our final ball wasn't good enough and we lost it too many times - particularly in midfield; but in the 2nd half we showed genuine improvement and actually attacked the game.

 

Still, we looked more like a team wanting to play football, so there is hope for us yet.

 

Bring it on

[maggiespaws 0]

Since typing my reply I've just read @yourservices quote from Keegan. I hadn't seen it before - honest.