Lost again - Steven Taylor at fault for the only goal in the match.
We (desperately) need another Centre Back and (hopefully) Austin in soon (hopefully both this week) on this performance.
If you go by results alone, we've had better pre seasons. But these results don't concern me. The defence of course does and needs to be addressed. I think this is going to be a season where we have to remember where we're at as a club and recognise that a season of sustained results is progress for us. I always said that I was hoping for top 10 minimum and a season in which we were not going to drift down the league like we have done.
But I really do think the signings we have so far made will improve us.
I notice that BT Sport are stiffing your travelling fans up this year.
November 7th, you are away to Bournemouth. 6 hours 15 mins on the train, including a cross-London Tube connection. Not the longest trip you have by any means, and after all you are used to long trips to away games, but not the best.
BT Sport are putting your game on the telly....at lunchtime. 12:00ko. I've checked, and you'd have to leave Newcastle station at 4:45am to get there for 11:00am (in order to allow for a delay and/or getting to the ground.) Tickets cost about £103 for an advance return trip (two singles, £51 each way) and will be on sale next week from all rail ticket websites.
I can't imagine how long it would take in a coach. I expect many may consider overnighting.
They really aren't trying to hide the fact they want you to stay at home and watch the game on their poxy TV channel, are they?
It's the same for any club. The fans who go to the games always come off second best. Our fans will always find a way though because we go pretty much anywhere for the love of the club.
Mind I saw something somewhere saying you can get a flight for £55 if you're quick
I'm bored of this (Austin) transfer rumour/saga now.
If we need another striker then they should (probably) go back in for Dost or Berahino because (in my opinion) we should now be focusing on signing another centre back and a winger.
Major points:
Wants both Sissoko and Coloccini to stay.
Coloccini (apparently) wants to stay and remain Captain.
We've made no contact with QPR over Charlie Austin.
We're going to take both Cup (FA Cup and League Cup) competitions seriously.
Agrees the defence needs/needed to be worked on after last season.
We're working on set pieces (to score more goals).
Major points:
Wants both Sissoko and Coloccini to stay.
Coloccini (apparently) wants to stay and remain Captain.
We've made no contact with QPR over Charlie Austin.
We're going to take both Cup (FA Cup and League Cup) competitions seriously.
Agrees the defence needs/needed to be worked on after last season.
We're working on set pieces (to score more goals).
All in all, a very positive interview.
We all know the defence needs major surgery. It's looking likely we'll start with Williamson and Steven Taylor in defence although Mbemba is going to be an excellent long term signing.
In spite of all of this, I remain optimistic. We've got to be. If this was Pardew and Co I'd be a lot more worried than i am right now. But these are good players. It sounds to me like the players are enjoying themselves again and actually want to play. So I'm expecting big improvements to come. Maybe not overnight as Southampton are a very decent team but they will come.
McClaren may not have been my first choice but he's a good coach and underlike Pardew I support him from the start.
Will say it again all I want from this season is a bit more consistency (of the good kind) and a cup challenge.
A point against a good team and an entertaining game
Williamson and Gouffran seem to be two of the fringe players McClaren was talking about possibly moving after not getting in the squad which few people would complain about.
Memba looking very good in defence and wijnaldum looking really good.
Obertan proved his worth in the starting line-up
Bad points
Colo and Tiote look like they ain't trained since 2010, frigid and will be left standing still against some of the best players in the league.
Not convinced by Hiadara out there too. If another CB is not coming in some real work needs doing on that defence, you have 2 very good players with two average players with the lack of communication being obvious. Which is worrying considering our captain is one of those average players in that back four
Yea I'll take that result, considering we were hanging on for dear life at end of that game. No real problems going forward on the evidence of that performance need to work on defence.
Mitrovic worries me slightly getting his yellow within seconds of coming on and could easily have seen red. He's clearly a volatile player and these needs to be channeled properly..
Be interesting to see how Anita is doing. We lost a lot of or momentum when he was injured.
Also Cisse moved into 7th in our all time Premier League goal scorers list yesterday:
1. Alan Shearer (303 games and 148 goals)
2. Peter Beardsley (129 games and 47 goals)
3. Andy Cole (58 games and 43 goals)
=. Shola Ameobi (294 games and 43 goals)
5. Les Ferdinand (68 games and 41 goals)
6. Nolberto Solano (230 games and 37 goals)
7. Papiss Cisse (97 games and 35 goals)
8. Rob Lee (267 games and 34 goals)
9. Demba Ba (54 games and 29 goals)
=. Gary Speed (213 games and 29 goals)
Also Cisse moved into 7th in our all time Premier League goal scorers list yesterday:
1. Alan Shearer (303 games and 148 goals)
2. Peter Beardsley (129 games and 47 goals)
3. Andy Cole (58 games and 43 goals)
=. Shola Ameobi (294 games and 43 goals)
5. Les Ferdinand (68 games and 41 goals)
6. Nolberto Solano (230 games and 37 goals)
7. Papiss Cisse (97 games and 35 goals)
8. Rob Lee (267 games and 34 goals)
9. Demba Ba (54 games and 29 goals)
=. Gary Speed (213 games and 29 goals)
Had to laugh at the goals per game ratio Cole v Ameobi.
Forget about a striker the left side needs improving! Haidara and Obertan ain't the answer.
While Cisse, Mitrovic (even though he still hasn't scored for us yet) and Perez are OK strikers for us this season, Riviere isn't good enough however so I wouldn't mind one more forward this summer but I do agree we do need the left side sorted out and another centre back this transfer window.
Riviere is out for a while anyway with knee surgery. So that's the motivation we need for a new striker anyway despite the media reporting this as a "blow" or a dilemma for us.
Looking forward to having you down the Liberty this weekend, should be a good match.
What is the general impression on Mitrovic so far? I know it's still very early days, but he is someone I want to keep tabs on as we were quite heavily linked with him in pre season. I know he got that quick yellow card but other than that how did he look?
Looking forward to having you down the Liberty this weekend, should be a good match.
What is the general impression on Mitrovic so far? I know it's still very early days, but he is someone I want to keep tabs on as we were quite heavily linked with him in pre season. I know he got that quick yellow card but other than that how did he look?
Our record against Swansea hasn't been great in recent years but at least we have a better record away at the Liberty than we do at home and we did get a draw there last season.
As for Mitrovic as you say say it's still early days but I'm just hoping he doesn't end up as some of our previous strikers who have ended up being flops here.
Riviere is out for a while anyway with knee surgery. So that's the motivation we need for a new striker anyway despite the media reporting this as a "blow" or a dilemma for us.
Another striker is a no brainier for us now.
I agree but I doubt we're going to sign Austin unfortunately and the only striker we've been linked with (apart from Austin) recently is Diego Rolan (from Bordeaux) or maybe we'll go back in for Dost again?
Comments
If you go by results alone, we've had better pre seasons. But these results don't concern me. The defence of course does and needs to be addressed. I think this is going to be a season where we have to remember where we're at as a club and recognise that a season of sustained results is progress for us. I always said that I was hoping for top 10 minimum and a season in which we were not going to drift down the league like we have done.
But I really do think the signings we have so far made will improve us.
It's the same for any club. The fans who go to the games always come off second best. Our fans will always find a way though because we go pretty much anywhere for the love of the club.
Mind I saw something somewhere saying you can get a flight for £55 if you're quick
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/newcastle-united-transfers-charlie-austin-9779985
I'm bored of this (Austin) transfer rumour/saga now.
If we need another striker then they should (probably) go back in for Dost or Berahino because (in my opinion) we should now be focusing on signing another centre back and a winger.
I still think we're not done yet for transfers!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02xr5kq (from 35:18 onwards)
Major points:
Wants both Sissoko and Coloccini to stay.
Coloccini (apparently) wants to stay and remain Captain.
We've made no contact with QPR over Charlie Austin.
We're going to take both Cup (FA Cup and League Cup) competitions seriously.
Agrees the defence needs/needed to be worked on after last season.
We're working on set pieces (to score more goals).
All in all, a very positive interview.
We all know the defence needs major surgery. It's looking likely we'll start with Williamson and Steven Taylor in defence although Mbemba is going to be an excellent long term signing.
In spite of all of this, I remain optimistic. We've got to be. If this was Pardew and Co I'd be a lot more worried than i am right now. But these are good players. It sounds to me like the players are enjoying themselves again and actually want to play. So I'm expecting big improvements to come. Maybe not overnight as Southampton are a very decent team but they will come.
McClaren may not have been my first choice but he's a good coach and underlike Pardew I support him from the start.
Will say it again all I want from this season is a bit more consistency (of the good kind) and a cup challenge.
http://northumbrianimages.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/st-james-park-newcastle.html
Starting Line Up: Krul, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Haidara, Anita, Colback, Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Obertan and Cisse.
Subs Bench: Darlow, Taylor, De Jong, Aarons, Perez, Mitrovic and Tiote.
Strong subs bench also no Williamson.
Cisse scored our goal.
Awful end to the second half but at least we got a point out of the match.
Wijnaldum scored our second goal.
We still need more signings (in my opinion) after this performance though.
A point against a good team and an entertaining game
Williamson and Gouffran seem to be two of the fringe players McClaren was talking about possibly moving after not getting in the squad which few people would complain about.
Memba looking very good in defence and wijnaldum looking really good.
Obertan proved his worth in the starting line-up
Bad points
Colo and Tiote look like they ain't trained since 2010, frigid and will be left standing still against some of the best players in the league.
Not convinced by Hiadara out there too. If another CB is not coming in some real work needs doing on that defence, you have 2 very good players with two average players with the lack of communication being obvious. Which is worrying considering our captain is one of those average players in that back four
Mitrovic worries me slightly getting his yellow within seconds of coming on and could easily have seen red. He's clearly a volatile player and these needs to be channeled properly..
Be interesting to see how Anita is doing. We lost a lot of or momentum when he was injured.
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/newcastle-united-striker-papiss-cisse-9822597?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
Also Cisse moved into 7th in our all time Premier League goal scorers list yesterday:
1. Alan Shearer (303 games and 148 goals)
2. Peter Beardsley (129 games and 47 goals)
3. Andy Cole (58 games and 43 goals)
=. Shola Ameobi (294 games and 43 goals)
5. Les Ferdinand (68 games and 41 goals)
6. Nolberto Solano (230 games and 37 goals)
7. Papiss Cisse (97 games and 35 goals)
8. Rob Lee (267 games and 34 goals)
9. Demba Ba (54 games and 29 goals)
=. Gary Speed (213 games and 29 goals)
Had to laugh at the goals per game ratio Cole v Ameobi.
While Cisse, Mitrovic (even though he still hasn't scored for us yet) and Perez are OK strikers for us this season, Riviere isn't good enough however so I wouldn't mind one more forward this summer but I do agree we do need the left side sorted out and another centre back this transfer window.
Another striker is a no brainier for us now.
What is the general impression on Mitrovic so far? I know it's still very early days, but he is someone I want to keep tabs on as we were quite heavily linked with him in pre season. I know he got that quick yellow card but other than that how did he look?
Our record against Swansea hasn't been great in recent years but at least we have a better record away at the Liberty than we do at home and we did get a draw there last season.
As for Mitrovic as you say say it's still early days but I'm just hoping he doesn't end up as some of our previous strikers who have ended up being flops here.
I agree but I doubt we're going to sign Austin unfortunately and the only striker we've been linked with (apart from Austin) recently is Diego Rolan (from Bordeaux) or maybe we'll go back in for Dost again?
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-uniteds-paul-dummett-suffers-9848853