Newcastle

[Saintslfc13]

The problem is that our two main goal-scorers are incredibly inconsistent passers, meaning the play has a habit of breaking down with them. Now, there is no way we drop Sturridge and Suarez, because their other strengths more than make up for the passing inconistency, but it means that with them up front leading the line, we need a better ball-winners and passers behind them and beside them. We don't have that; in fact, many of the other players are just as unreliable with their passing, but without the deadly goal-scoring instinct or moments of magic.

 

Coutinho coming back will help, of course, but you can't help but think that our midfield needs a total overhaul.

 

 

I actually think Suarez is good at making the right decisions around the box with regard to passing. He just doesn't always pass, though today I thought he was far too passive for the majority of the game, we needed a moment a magic from him, and we got one to be fair with the assist for Sturridge's goal, but I thought he could have been more aggressive throughout. Sturridge gets a bit lazy/selfish at times in my opinion but he scores and that's why we bought him so it works out.

 

Funnily enough for the majority of today's game I thought our most aggressive attacker was Johnson. One of his best balanced performances in a while for me and the only negative thing I can say about him was there was an instance today where he passed when I thought he should have shot and another where he shot when I think a pass was the best option. Considering he's a fullback/wingback I figure we can take those in stride as long as the rest of the team is performing.

[TheFridge]

HEY, Stig Inge, Macca, stop yer nonsense, a point away to them will do, not ideal but it'll do especially if we beat WBA then its job done, save yourself the horse shite you whinging slags, it isn't bad, Danny got his chopper out and sorted it, our away record this calender year is rude, were expecting a little bit to much because of it.

 

 

 

elllllllo! uncle Chop Chop says Hi!

 

And i just go fucking bang!

[TheFridge]

Oh Chopper put it a fucking way!

[TheFridge]

BT is a swipe in the nuts to us all, Jake Humpphreys i hope you get run over, put your face near Cav again and it will hopefully get taken off.

[DirkDiggledinho]

This so-called great start is entirely misleading. Last season we had 14 points from the same fixtures, this season we have 16. Our season could easily fall apart very quickly when we face some decent sides.

 

Dropping two points to 10 man Newcastle without their starting CB's is a horrible result. Rodgers has to take a fair portion of the blame as he persisted with a back 3 for 25 of the 65 minutes we had a man advantage. Playing like shite is fine if you're getting results, but now he has to go back to his principles and start to pass the ball around. This is our last season with Suarez so I'm guesing next year will be harder to finish top 4. I hope to god we don't fuck up this great opportunity to finish above the Mancs.

 

Aren't you a ray of sunshine.

[Hades]

Aren't you a ray of sunshine.

 

When we had a shit start last season I was saying it wasn't that bad because it was a difficult fixture list. Just staying balanced.

[Josef Svejk]

We desperately miss Coutinho. And a pair of competent midfielders.

[razor]

I am livid about only getting a point.

 

Overall it wasn't a bad performance, and overall it hasn't been a bad start to the season.  But that was a hard result to take.

 

1.  I am fed up of us slowing down play.  We move the ball quickly, then one player (and the culprit varies) decides to slow it down to walking pace instead of keeping it moving fluidly.

 

2.  Every time I see Suarez drop deeper when we're on the attack, my heart sinks.  It's just this kind of stupid move which results in slowing down our play.  Get beyond the ball, lad and stay there.  He should be hovering around their penalty area, or pulling wide to create space rather than keeping it all narrow and taking it upon himself to drop into a deeper role and just knock it back to Gerrard or else look to pass it to where HE should be.

 

That second half was criminal.

[Aldonose]

Yesterday was always going to be difficult. Suarez, Gerrard and Sturridge alone had intense matches last week (Suarez must have been fucked with the miles he's clocked in the past couple of days). In addition Cissokho (sp?) was forced to play in a game that he was not even close to be ready for. As well as Glen Johnson who also probably wouldn't have played had their been any other suitable alternatives. Added to this that Newcastle were right up for the game from the start, I think a draw is a decent result.

[fowler9]

poor performance from us, was crying out for a fit Coutinho

[Dr. J]

 

As well as Glen Johnson who also probably wouldn't have played had their been any other suitable alternatives

 

Wasn't Kelly on the bench?

[Guest LFD]

We desperately miss Coutinho. And a pair of competent midfielders.

 

Gerrard was arguably our best player.

[Jairzinho]

Gerrard was arguably our best player.

 

Wetting yourself is less embarrassing than shitting yourself.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Gerrard was arguably our best player.

 

That's not really saying much though, is it? 

 

In his deeper role, which he can perform with his eyes shut, he'll always be amongst our top performers. It doesn't change the fact that there was no one either around or ahead of him in the centre of the pitch actually doing much.

 

Our midfield shouldn't look infinitely improved when a young lad with extremely limited top flight experience enters the fray. Alberto's presence just reinforced how reliant we are on Coutinho's creativity.

 

Wetting yourself is less embarrassing than shitting yourself.

 

Depends if we're talking a dry nugget or not.

[Dr. J]

 

Gerrard was arguably our best player.

 

I'd like to hear the argument, seriously.

[Aldonose]

Wasn't Kelly on the bench?

.

 

Think they're really taking they're time with him because of the extent of his injury.

[xerxes]

A brilliant game, and a draw which keeps us up their as contenders for a top four slot.

[JermainePennant]

I'd like to hear the argument, seriously.

I'd like to hear how he played badly in the Newcastle game, he certainly has been in others but against Newcastle he had a good game.

[Dr. J]

I rated him 5, at best - this included scoring the penalty. He was mediocre, at best. Early on he made one storming run into the box - after that? The rest were square passes at the top of the penalty area, balls thrown away and one well placed diagonal ball to Sturridge who played it on the volley. If he's scored, it would have surpassed DiCanio's similar volley from years past.

 

Was there any other service from him or Henderson to the strikers?

[MLB]

We were shit. Far too many laboured, half-hearted, uninspiring performances this season, yet we are still joint second. We really need to get our act together quickly though because we are going to fall away in no time if we keep playing like that.

[DirkDiggledinho]

A brilliant game, and a draw which keeps us up their as contenders for a top four slot.

 

Is that really what you think? ...Really?

[Guest LFD]

I'd like to hear the argument, seriously.

 

Was between him, Suarez or Skrtel for me.  All three played well.  

 

Skrtel was very good defensively.  Suarez won the penalty, their player sent off, hit the bar and got the assist for Sturridge.

 

Gerrard did a lot of running, passed well, scored, should have had n assist for Sturridge with a great cross.  Not sure how he can have criticism yesterday.

[DaveT]

 

 

Gerrard did a lot of running, passed well, scored, should have had n assist for Sturridge with a great cross.  Not sure how he can have criticism yesterday.

A mixed bag for me.

Must have had my eyes shut when he was doing all that running. He made a couple of great passes, including that cross to Sturridge. But he was pretty anonymous for 40 minutes when Cabaye was running the midfield. He was probably the main culprit in the 2nd half in slowing moves down to a complete stop, looking for a killer pass, when he should have been mxing it up a bit more, passing quicker, trying to move their packed defence around more, trying to make our extra man count. Put away the penalty nicely.

 

Man of the match for me was actually Andre Marriner, who mostly made the right calls despite the rabid Geordie rabble howling for everything...except the Gerrard booking which was a bit of a nonsense.

[KopOut]

Well, they were there for the taking after that sending off, and once again Rogers' inability to direct a killer approach is on display.

Onwards and upwards. Arsenal are the early sprinters and we need to beat them in a couple of weeks time. Please.

[Barney_Rubble]

Utterly disappointed with that game. The Geordies were there for the taking. You can't say we didn't try though and you can't say we didn't have our chances, that's the annoying thing. How did Suarez miss that absolute sitter during the second half is beyond me.

 

I was livid with the goals we conceded as well - totally fucking stupidity no matter how you look at it. Was it Sakho backing off for eternity for the first (and our midfield going awol) and then losing his marker for the second?

 

Not a good weekend, apart from the mancs' result, obviously - the only ray of sunshine there. The West Brom game is a must-win now for us, particularly given that the Arse have a piss-easy game and we play them next at their place.