Newcastle United 1-2 Stoke City

[NJS 4071]

Krul was a mixture for me - some good takes but as has been said flapping badly for the goals.

[Renton 18860]

Krul had a mare like. Hard game for him though as he didn't get much help off the people in front of him. At the same time though he was rooted to his line a lot and didn't help his defenders out. That said, when he did come to claim a cross he was miles away and missed it completely leading to the first goal. Harper wouldn't have done any better though imo and I think he's got more ability than Harper too.

 

His kicking was awful and he looked panic stricken when under pressure - he needs to sort it out quickly

 

you ever tried a goalkick on your wrong foot? hes a left footer and it was constantly being played back to his right

 

Are you saying the outfield players were to blame for his poor kicking?

 

And it wasn't just that, he just doesn't give an air of confidence and seems so slow to react to everything - take Anelkas penalty on Wednesday or his bizarre dive after the first goal went in yesterday. I just worry the reality of our goal keeping situation is quite scary now its been imposed on us. If its a fact that Arsenal can't win anything because of Almunia, then what does that say about us if Krul doesn't improve?

 

Also, talking about kicking, Sorenson's kicks were abysmal in the first half, we should have put him under more pressure and at least tried to capitalise on this.

[Happy Face 29]

By the way, as excited as i was every time Ben Arfa got the ball, in the end he did nothing..

 

First decent cross all day was when Gutierrez came on..

 

Routledge was the worst of the 3....

 

 

Awful lot of red around the box from him there.

[trophyshy 6593]

What are the pitch dimensions now then if we've narrowed it? It was already one of the narrowest in the league....

 

 

And why? Kashley trying to save money on lawnmowers?

[vinnieq 0]

By the way, as excited as i was every time Ben Arfa got the ball, in the end he did nothing..

 

First decent cross all day was when Gutierrez came on..

 

Routledge was the worst of the 3....

 

 

Awful lot of red around the box from him there.

 

 

Ya, fair enough.. Ben Arfa had a good cross to Routledge actually.. Didn't really get in those positions too often tho. If i'm to push a plea for Routledge tho, i'd say he hadn't the same support in Enrique, that Ben Arfa had. Ben Arfa kept drifting in, Enrique gets the ball, and Ben Arfa isn't there in time to take advantage of the space...

 

I think Gutierrez and Enrique are much more effective on that wing.. Ben Arfa should be grand.. Not yet though. Drop Nolan for a game..

Based on that game i'd have Tiote and Barton in midfield alone.. I don't they need any more support now.. Tiote's brilliant. Nolan's just dragging more defence near midfield having him around..

[Happy Face 29]

Our Spanish left-back Jose Enrique has lifted the lid on what happened after the game yesterday in the dressing room – as he told the local Evening Chronicle today:

 

After the game Chris was angry. There were mistakes made by everybody and people know when they've made them. When I play well I know I have, but when I make mistakes I don't need to be told.

 

Everyone knows we can’t afford to play like we did in the second half again, or we will lose more games. We had a meeting after the game. When we lose it’s worse because Chris is more angry.

 

The players were angry too. Sometimes it’s better to speak the next day, sometimes the players answers aren't normal. When you're angry, you react badly to mistakes. We need to change the mentality in time for the next game.

 

I understand how the fans feel. We play the games and of course everybody is sad because everybody knew we should have won this game.

 

It’s like people say, we have to beat teams like Blackpool and Stoke. We have to fight for the same cause. I'm disappointed because I thought we played well in the first half.

 

For some reason when we play big clubs we do better but I don’t know what happened in the second half. If we can try to change that and beat the teams that are around us, we have a good situation here. We have to play better in the second halves of games.

Edited September 27, 2010 by Happy Face

[Guest alex]

Has a lorry load of laptops met the usual fate in Liverpool in the last couple of weeks or something?

I thought a 'Scouse Laptop' was a takeaway pizza.

[Park Life 71]

Bafra isn't at his most dangerous out on the left, often picking the ball up near the half way line. Needs to be central and behind the striker.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

I'd love to see Hughton angry.

 

You know; raging, seething.

 

He frowns and shouts an awful lot on the touchline but he seems like a rather placid individual off it.

 

Shame there's no-one there to get angry at Hughton over his dodgy subs or one dimensional tactics.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

And those comments from Jose there are spot on.

 

Hughton also admitted in the post match interview that lessons were learned. Can only hope we apply these lessons to the next match. We were woeful in the second half and Stoke played well and made the most of that.

[peasepud 59]

What are the pitch dimensions now then if we've narrowed it? It was already one of the narrowest in the league....

Not sure of the exact dimensions but theres been about a yard (basically you can still see the stripe where its been mown previously) sliced off the East Stand, not sure about the West.

 

I never do understand how its ok to have different pitch dimensions, does it happen in any other sport? rugby? basketball? etc

[peasepud 59]

Our Spanish left-back Jose Enrique has lifted the lid on what happened after the game yesterday in the dressing room – as he told the local Evening Chronicle today:

 

After the game Chris was angry. There were mistakes made by everybody and people know when they've made them. When I play well I know I have,

but when I make mistakes I don't need to be told.

 

Everyone knows we can’t afford to play like we did in the second half again, or we will lose more games. We had a meeting after the game. When we lose it’s worse because Chris is more angry.

 

The players were angry too.

Sometimes it’s better to speak the next day, sometimes the players answers aren't normal. When you're angry, you react badly to mistakes. We need to change the mentality in time for the next game.

 

I understand how the fans feel. We play the games and of course everybody is sad because everybody knew we should have won this game.

 

It’s like people say, we have to beat teams like Blackpool and Stoke. We have to fight for the same cause. I'm disappointed because I thought we played well in the first half.

 

For some reason when we play big clubs we do better but I don’t know what happened in the second half. If we can try to change that and beat the teams that are around us, we have a good situation here. We have to play better in the second halves of games.

Is it just me that gets the feeling theres now some tension in the dressing room?

[Happy Face 29]

Is it just me that gets the feeling theres now some tension in the dressing room?

 

You've got me wondering about Smith's influence having been dropped.

 

[Tooj 17]

They all probably had a pop at Hughton and Nolan stuck up for him.

[peasepud 59]

They all probably had a pop at Hughton and Nolan stuck up for him.

Krul probably took a swing at him.....and missed

[Cid_MCDP 0]

What are the pitch dimensions now then if we've narrowed it? It was already one of the narrowest in the league....

Not sure of the exact dimensions but theres been about a yard (basically you can still see the stripe where its been mown previously) sliced off the East Stand, not sure about the West.

 

I never do understand how its ok to have different pitch dimensions, does it happen in any other sport? rugby? basketball? etc

 

Baseball has different dimensions (don't know that they actively change based on opponent though- I don't think so). Only sport over here that doesn't have a standard as far as I know.

 

Don't teams just usually move in the signage when Stoke comes to town? Like, not actually change the dimensions of the playing field, just move the LED boards closer to the sidelines so he can't get as long of a run? Wonder why that didn't happen.

 

I haven't seen Krul play much, so I can't comment competently (never stopped me before, right? lol), but his long-ball game didn't seem to work well. As much room as Stoke gave NUFC's defense and midfield, seems like on the deck would have been the way to go rather than just turning over possession on nearly every goal kick.

 

Easy to forget when he's playing well, but when Carroll is having an off-day/ is neutralized by the defense, NUFC doesn't have anyone to reliably pick up the slack. I didn't think Barton or Ben Arfa had particularly bad matches, and Jonas had a nice cross in, but there just aren't many legitimate scoring threats in black and white.

 

On the plus side, Jose Enrique made Jones look straight up foolish several times. I thought NUFC passed the ball well in the first half too. Being a relatively new fan of the game, sometimes it's hard for me to tell the difference in a team playing badly and a team being shut down by it's opponents, but it seemed like after half-time, it was over for NUFC. Dunno if that was Pulis figuring how the right tactics or NUFC dropping off, but there was a vast difference in the halves.

 

I don't like the idea of starting players without merit, but I think NUFC could do with some relatively static lineups for a few weeks- whatever those lineups may be. Give Ben Arfa and Tiote time to adjust to their new surroundings, and one could make a debate that as little as he's played prior to this season that Barton is practically a new player as well. Give those three time to gel and learn each other tendencies as well as the forwards they're feeding the ball to and the backs giving them the ball, and I think NUFC becomes a lot more consistent and less reliant on a particular player turning in a heroic effort for us to win a match. As it stands right now, they're mis-timing runs and making inaccurate passes in the middle where really knowing your teammates pays off.

[Asprilla 96]

It's a sickener but it's not like we haven't lost "easy" games at home before no matter who was manager.

[manc-mag 1]

What are the pitch dimensions now then if we've narrowed it? It was already one of the narrowest in the league....

Not sure of the exact dimensions but theres been about a yard (basically you can still see the stripe where its been mown previously) sliced off the East Stand, not sure about the West.

 

I never do understand how its ok to have different pitch dimensions, does it happen in any other sport? rugby? basketball? etc

 

IIRC there is a required minimum dimension for the extremities of the pitch (width and length) but everything else is a single standard and can't be altered ie goal size, (6 and 18 yard boxes being self evident).

 

And as I say, I'm pretty sure theres only a minimum requirement, not a maximum-or at least I've only ever seen it expressed as such-which could mean in theory I spose you could have a fuck off huge pitch the size of a cricket field.

Edited September 27, 2010 by manc-mag

[Cid_MCDP 0]

It's a sickener but it's not like we haven't lost "easy" games at home before no matter who was manager.

 

Wenger coughed one up this past weekend even. It happens.

 

35 points, boys. That's probably all NUFC need to stay up. Just 28 more points in the, what, next 32 matches?

[manc-mag 1]

What are the pitch dimensions now then if we've narrowed it? It was already one of the narrowest in the league....

Not sure of the exact dimensions but theres been about a yard (basically you can still see the stripe where its been mown previously) sliced off the East Stand, not sure about the West.

 

I never do understand how its ok to have different pitch dimensions, does it happen in any other sport? rugby? basketball? etc

 

IIRC there is a required minimum dimension for the extremities of the pitch (width and length) but everything else is a single standard and can't be altered ie goal size, (6 and 18 yard boxes being self evident).

 

And as I say, I'm pretty sure theres only a minimum requirement, not a maximum-or at least I've only ever seen it expressed as such-which could mean in theory I spose you could have a fuck off huge pitch the size of a cricket field.

 

I was totally wrong

 

The length of a pitch must be between 100 yards (90m) and 130 yards (120m) and the width not less than 50 yards (45m) and not more than 100 yards (90m).

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/r...ent/4200666.stm

 

To borrow a phrase though, thats quite a range. You could have some seriously different sized pitches if that were taken to extremes in the professional game. Different shapes too because a perfect square seems to be possible.

[manc-mag 1]

As an aside I think they are probably more standard now what with all the new grounds these days, but historically I always remember Maine Road being a really wide pitch. Highbury always seemed proper narrow, although it was no narrower than SJP. West Ham must have been one of the narrowest before they knocked down the main stand and moved the new stand back from the pitch.

[manc-mag 1]

Before anyone says anything, boring bastard I know.

[NJS 4071]

As another aside did anyone else notice Gray/Tyler's comments about Carribeans being lazy bastards?

 

Surprised it seems to have gone un-commented elsewhere.

[manc-mag 1]

Before anyone says anything, boring bastard I know.

 

Actually I don't care tbh, fuck yous all.

 

From a 2007 stat:

 

Here are the top 20 pitches ranked in order of size. The large number after the size of the pitch is calculated by multiplying the length and width of the pitch (in yards):

 

1. Manchester City, City of Manchester Stadium, 116 x 77 yards, 8932

2. Manchester United, Old Trafford, 116 x 76 yards, 8816

3. Blackburn Rovers, Ewood Park, 115 x 76 yards, 8740

4. Everton, Goodison Park, 112 x 78 yards, 8736

5. Aston Villa, Villa Park, 114 x 75 yards, 8550

6. Middlesbrough, Riverside, 114 x 75 yards, 8550

7. Arsenal, Emirates Stadium, 114 x 74 yards, 8436

8. Derby County, Pride Park, 114 x 74 yards, 8436

9. Reading, Madjeski Stadium, 111 x 76 yards, 8436

10. Sunderland, Stadium of Light, 114 x 74 yards, 8436

11. Wigan Athletic, JJB Stadium, 114 x 74 yards, 8436

12. Portsmouth, Fratton Park, 115 x 73 yards, 8395

13. Chelsea, Stamford Bridge, 110 x 75 yards, 8250

14. Fulham, Craven Cottage, 110 x 75 yards, 8250

15. Liverpool, Anfield, 110 x 75 yards, 8250

16. Birmingham City, St. Andrews, 110 x 74 yards, 8140

17. Newcastle United, St. James’s Park, 110 x 73 yards, 8030

18. Tottenham Hotspur, White Hart Lane, 110 x 73 yards, 8030

19. Bolton Wanderers, Reebok Stadium, 110 x 72 yards, 7920

20. West Ham United, Boleyn Ground, 110 x 70 yards, 7700

 

 

 

Read more: http://soccerlens.com/premier-league-pitch.../#ixzz10ki4A9n4

[Jusoda Kid 1]

We could do with measuring the distance Bartons crosses are short/long by and adjusting it accordingly