Newcastle Post match thing

[captainfog]

All of the central midfielders are the same

I seriously hope we buy a couple of central midfielders in the summer, including a dedicated holding player

There was a bit in the game where he stopped at the touchline with the ball but it took him so long to get his body to change direction that a Newcastle player easily stole it off him. He does so many things well, but he's not athletic enough to be a top player. Still, he's probably our best central midfielder at the moment.

[meffin]

Pretty certain that Ibe was played to get some minutes into him so he wouldn't be as rusty on Sunday.
He was way off the pace as you'd expect after being out for 6 weeks.
In the context of last night's game only then starting Borini or Markovic and using Ibe as a sub for 20 minutes made more sense.

That wouldn't have helped as much for the Semi Final though

Should have started Markovic and brought Ibe on for half an hour

[RedReet]

Pretty certain that Ibe was played to get some minutes into him so he wouldn't be as rusty on Sunday.
He was way off the pace as you'd expect after being out for 6 weeks.
In the context of last night's game only then starting Borini or Markovic and using Ibe as a sub for 20 minutes made more sense.

That wouldn't have helped as much for the Semi Final though

I see a major flaw in your hypothesis.

[Paul12]

There is no sense whatsoever in starting Borini in a game

[Rich]

Late on when Borini broke down their left and 'surged' into the box I knew he didn't have the quality to do anything. As it happens he won a corner but that was the best outcome from what was a very good position.

[G]

I see a major flaw in your hypothesis.

He's cup-tied Sunday.

[RedReet]

He's cup-tied Sunday.

I'd give him 30 mins against Spurs U21's on Friday, a weeks rest, then hopefully he'll be raring to go against WBA teh following week.

[DannyMan2006]

I dont think Henderson has been as effective (defensively) this season. Hes lacked energy most of the season. Last season he was all over closing people down but this season he hasnt done that anywhere near enough

I've no problem with his contribution in terms of goals and assists, but defensively I have come to expect more from him and it hasnt happened this season for one reason or another

Harsh on Henderson.

Yesterday and all season our midfield has been effective when pressing and they all put a shift in. They get stuck in and trouble the opposition. However, when we don't press, or that first press is beaten, we are too easily walked through by any opposition.

And tbh, that's why whenever we have a half fit or lazy striker up top, we generally can't compete unless the opposition sit off and allow us to push right on top of them. And it was exactly the same last season, but when we had a fit Sturridge & more importantly, Suarez, leading the line they pressed from the front and teams found it difficult to get through our team press.

Quite simply you can't press with half fit or lazy players. It's why Ibrahimovic didn't work at Barca.

[DannyMan2006]

Late on when Borini broke down their left and 'surged' into the box I knew he didn't have the quality to do anything. As it happens he won a corner but that was the best outcome from what was a very good position.

He'd have done more with it at Sunderland where he was playing regularly, but we all know he's not good enough to be at this club.

[Exiled_red]

I'm not sure how much of last night was us playing well and how much was Newcastle being ****, we should have won that game comfortably, it should have been about 5-0 (5-1?) at half time, if we could finish. If it has been the LFC team of last season against that Newcastle side we could have had double figures

[Fierce]

Unfortunately, it was mainly down to Newcastle being abject IMO

Any decent team would have destroyed them

Good as Sterling's goal was, I could have finished that other one and any professional football should at least have tested the goalkeeper a 3rd time

[BigChief]

Good enough that he was standing out in La Liga at 19 or 20. He has a nice mix of skill and power. What stands out about him is how cleanly he wins the ball from other players without having to leave his feet. He just nicks it and is then motoring away with the ball.


More recently he was one of the stand out players for Monaco against Arsenal in the CL.

Sacrificed watching Real vs Atletico so I could catch my first proper look at Kondogbia. Sooooooo disappointing. Doesn't 'nick the ball off people's feet' like Lucas because he just doesn't move enough. He's got a nice touch and can dribble away from people which I like.

But it felt like I was watching ten busy, buzzing men of Monaco and a guy in the middle helping out when he could but not quite sure what he was supposed to be doing. Too far forward to be a defensive mid and too far back to worry Juventus in an attacking sense.

I'll need to watch a few more games I think.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Sacrificed watching Real vs Atletico so I could catch my first proper look at Kondogbia. Sooooooo disappointing. Doesn't 'nick the ball off people's feet' like Lucas because he just doesn't move enough. He's got a nice touch and can dribble away from people which I like.

But it felt like I was watching ten busy, buzzing men of Monaco and a guy in the middle helping out when he could but not quite sure what he was supposed to be doing. Too far forward to be a defensive mid and too far back to worry Juventus in an attacking sense.

I'll need to watch a few more games I think.

One game does not tell much, especially tonight's game.

To be fair if anyone was watching our big games of late to see how good the likes of Sturridge, Sterling etc., were, they would be going away asking what the fuss was about as well.

Kondogbia did not play too well tonight against Juventus, but he has played well for Monaco and he certainly played well for Sevilla in La Liga when he was with them.

Another thing to take into account with him is his age. He only turned 22 a month or so ago so is still very much in the potential stage in many ways.

Defo do watch more of him play though as he has more good games than bad. If you have Setanta then they show live Ligue 1 games every week along with a highlights package.

[Maxiedge]

Didn't watch the game so can't comment

[ChrisDR1968]

Didn't watch the game so can't comment

You just did