Unsung heroes! How about some praise for the donkeys?

James Perch - Quality in reserve?
James Perch – Quality in reserve?
There seem to be a number of headline grabbers at United these days. You know, the ones who always seem to be there to grab the glory and the accolades.

In fairness it’s usually not without good reason as the player in question has more than likely done something to contribute to the game.

You know what I mean. I mean players like Moussa Sissoko or Yohan Cabaye or Hatem Ben Arfa. Players that are on the lips of fans because they’ve scored or assisted a goal or made a cracking pass or displayed some cracking individual skill. It’s all well and good but the team isn’t all about them they may be at the forefront of attention but there are others players who contribute.

They are the ones who just quietly get on with things in the background and contribute when called upon. I’m referring to players like James Perch and Rob Elliot recently and, going back to earlier on in the season/last season, players like Ryan Taylor. If you want to go back a bit further look at Aaron Hughes, who in my opinion we should never have sold.

These are the types of players that, for me anyway, success is built on. Having players who can come in and do a job when required is all part of having a competitive squad. At some point, all of Elliot, Taylor and Perch have come in for criticism from fans for this or that and whether it’s warranted is up for debate.

However they rarely let us down. They may not be the best but they are our own dependable little donkeys that just trudge away in the background before being called upon. Dare I say that we’ve actually missed one of those donkeys (Ryan Taylor) as times during this season?

For every great thing one of our notable players has done, there has been something that one of our lesser lights has done to equal it in another way. Elliot’s saves and assist against Southampton, Perch and his goalmouth clearance against Metalist Kharkiv, Ryan Taylor and his goals last term.

And none of that should be forgotten so how about some kind words for the squad players?

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

189 thoughts on “Unsung heroes! How about some praise for the donkeys?

  1. Agreed matey, and the other thing is that these ‘Donkeys’ tend not to go missing when the going gets a bit tough. I think Sissoko is the real deal mind you. I can see Raylor keeping the RB reserve slot warm when Simmo goes, and in all fairness its probably because he is injured that Simmo has stayed with us.

    I really hope Mbiwa plays if Collo cant and Benny boy comes in for Jonas. Jonas is another of these ‘Donkeys’ I think, but his effort isnt matched by his end product often enough for me, but as you say you need Jonas, Raylor and Perchinio to pull you through and also put a bit of pressure on the ‘Stars’ to keep performing.

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  2. I actually think that Perch is the pick of our so called squad player, his improvement has been exceptional. Remeber his start with us, a own goal and a yellow card blitz 🙂 I don’t stress too much anymore when he s on the park…

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  3. I know what you mean, though it does puzzle me that he gets on before Anita, who I think started equally slow but has improved dramatically

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  4. Raffo, Perch is a negator mate, one job and sticks to it. I think Anita is a bit more expansiv and as a result, liable to drift off task defensively. I think Anita has more talent but he and more imprtantly Pardew, haven’t found his niche yet.

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  5. I said earlier that I felt that a lot of our early season dip was due to the squaddies not stepping up to the plate. This season, Bigi & Perch have. Elliott is getting a few games now and seems to be OK.

    Anita is coming on and I can see him standing in for Cabaye or Sissoko, but not Tiote. I thought he was more defensive than he is. Bigi & perch seem better adapted there though.

    The way I interpret things at the moment is that we have a great bench at long last. Options all across the park.

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  6. thanks toonsy for a new thread 😆 as they say its a team game and all have a part to play,some not to the fans liking but like all clubs there will be players fans just dont take to they think there should be a 11 star players on the pitch at all times,no club works like that ime afraid

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  7. if perch is classed as a backup player – tiote should be aswell.

    coz so far this season he’s nee better- infact if we got the money back what we paid for him we’d be doing well.

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  8. Prem – agreed. Having a bench that provides competition aswell as cover is going to be crucial going forward. I think Bigi will be immense for us, and I think he would benefit from a loan more than anyone else in the squad as I really think that after another 18 months Tiote may be away, and Bigi could provide real cover in that role. I thought Sissoko was more of a DM, but seems to be our Yaya Toure and he is more a forward thinking CM

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  9. I hate to say it but Tiote seems tainted now. All of the refs know his bad boy reputation and ref to it accordingly. He is still better than Perch tho 🙂

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  10. @ ROY CROPPER
    you lack a bit football know how bud if you class tiote as a back up player lol 😆 😆 😆

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  11. I always thought we should never sold Hughes. He was a great back up could play along the line etc. Also he was replaced by some terrible players.
    As for this season r Taylor has been as big a miss as some of the big names for his adaptability and set pieces

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  12. <<<<<<<<<< thinks some peeps would not know a good player if he kicked them up the **** lol 😆 😆 😆

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  13. you @ 15

    do you still think colo isn’t good enough & we should sell him ?

    keep an eye on your **** kidda.

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  14. @ ROY CROPPER
    we should of sold collo last summer after this season whos ganna want to buy him now ?

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  15. All this donkey praise and no love for Shola? Getting the win v QPR and Metalist? 😀

    We all know what Perchy can do now and he’s a handy little player for us nowadays.

    Elliot looks a steady bet for 2nd choice, if we get a young keeper and train him with Elliot’s distribution and krul’s shot stopping we’ll have a hell of a player 😆

    I think its a shame we’ll lose simmo but we have some depth in those positions now.

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  16. Also defo looking forward to seeing more of bigi, if we’re too strong a side for him then he should be loaned out to the CC as he looks like he has real talent, and just as importantly, the attitude.

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  17. WOW a player that made it into prem team of the season not good enough 😯 some people are either blind or deluded 😆

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  18. Tiote was great in our last match, for some reason he is now the scapegoat for the early failings of the midfield this season when people forget Cabaye was also well below average. On form they are a great pairing, and with Sissoko on board we will have a great heart of the side.

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  19. @ BATTY
    that was last season bud we talking about this season now and dont ya think its wiser to sell when he was in the player of the season team rather than now

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  20. TAE you said we should of sold him in summer ,i dont think he is any worse of a player its just that his head is up his **** at the mo

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  21. @ BATTY
    ne1 in there right mind is ganna give ya 20 mil for collo 😯 maybe 20 quid and a few bags of crisps is closer to the mark 😆

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  22. @ 28

    he’s an international on the top of his game & we have him on a 4 year contract.

    so my valuation is £10 million – tho he does read the game brilliantly he lacks that little bit pace.

    so taking that into consideration i’m gonna drop his value by 500k.

    you don’t get many players of his caliber playing in the black & white’s – so enjoy him while you can.

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  23. People people … fans fans and dreaming ….
    who would have thought colo would be under preform this year… if we did sell him last season then we will be complaining Ashley is all about making money ( remember AndyC who used to play for us) Ashley thought that was hell of a money that donkey will never go 4 in his entire life…. ( now the fans out there who wanna us to sell Colo last season) u r the one bitchin and mornin about not investing $40M of AC money… here you go $15M – Cisse, $5M-HBA, $4M – Cabey, $10M-MY, $6M – Debu, $3M- Sisso, $8M-Anita, $7M on other players = 58M
    Now have we still spent AC money…. NOOOOOOOOOOOO Ashley is pocketed it and gambling with it n casino TOON …
    Stop bitching about what and if and concentrate on what should and could… look for the future and not the past. learn from past mistakes not talk about what could or should happened if we take a turn up or down…. COLO is always class and he is part of this team and i will support him and Tiote as they are great players most teams in EPL would love to have them on their books… end of story

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  24. ROY CROPPER says
    he’s an international on the top of his game & we have him on a 4 year contract.
    so my valuation is £10 million – tho he does read the game brilliantly he lacks that little bit pace.
    is on the floor in stiches here 9 and a half million dream on bud and lacks a bit of pace is an understatement bud as for on top of his game if thats the case i would hate to see him on a bad day lmao 😆

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  25. @ 44

    we’ll just leave it at that then – you obviously know a good player when you see one.

    time for a shower.

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  26. <<<<<<<<<< thinks krul might have a fight on his hands to get back into the team with the way elliot disributes the ball

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  27. some fans very fickle imo how many players done there job in the first part of the season not many,KK would have got them going 😀 😀

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  28. any1 see that throw elliot did that landed about 10 yards into the other half and right at the feet of the newcastle player

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  29. I can see quality players like Colo and Tiote running out for the likes Barcelona, while James Perch is standing on the touchline of the Nou Camp with the first aid bag or parkingthe team bus. 😆

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  30. <<<<<<< will be watching elliots throws over the period kruls out if he can throw like that constant that far its a very quick way to go from def to att very quickly if he can constantly put it on the money

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  31. BATTY never heard of them to be honest your lass must shop there no stores in this area,i send wor lass to red cross,canny prices like 😀 😀 😀

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  32. but to be fair to elliot dont think krul would of saved either of those 2 goals they scored they were struck very well from well inside the box in my opion

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  33. Toonsy ,nice read and yes we should be giving praise to the ‘ donkey’s’ .Raylor has been a huge miss for us this season ,we would of had a lot more goals from set play with him on board imo. Nice to see Simmo come out in the press to say that ,even though he’s off end of season the manager can always depend on him . Wether injuries or suspension ,I will always be there for him ,he said. 😉

    By the way I’m 52 today so expecting a belated birthday pressie of a win from the Toon on saturday 😉

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  34. Afternoon all,

    Just catching up with some of the posts. I agree that we need good squad players and the point I was making yday was that in my opinion we have a huge gulf in talent between our starting 11 and reserve 11 and more. I think we lost 2 very useful squad players in the summer in Guthrie and Best and never replaced them as Pardew (rightly or wrongly) put faith in the younger players coming through. I’d maybe even argue that Pardew would have turned to Lovern and Smith earlier in the season had they still been with us.
    I understand why Guthrie and Best moved on in search of more regular football at arguably lesser clubs – although it hasn’t quite worked out for either of them unfortunately. But any team definately needs those type of players to function or compete in 3 or 4 competitions over the season IMO.

    Ice – I think that will be a good loan move for Fergie – as will Sammi’s to Boro I hope.

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  35. Sharpy@62 .Agree it is good to see both especially Fergie go on loan and get regular footie, it will be a huge benefit to us long term. Also guthrie was a player I really didn’t want to see us lose ,thought he always gave his all as did Best and Loven . We have seen too many underperform this season and those 3 rarely did that . O.k they may not be big stars like but always played with desire imo.

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  36. I actually believe our squaddies and people like Simmo have performed.pretty much on par or.above their.abilities. it was the first teamers letting us down.before.
    I do think we glamourise Ryan Taylor’s corner taking, last corner we scored was wolves away, start of 2011 October I believe? so even with him we weren’t scoring any last year. 😕

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  37. blackey

    colo could replace puyol @ barcelona with ease.

    tiote is a different matter – i would suggest as long as the hole in his **** points to the south pole then he’ll never wear the barcelona shirt.

    but if he’s keen he could always purchase one off his boss.

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  38. Happy birthday Kim

    ST-bang on, his corners just as poor for me, as well as his drifted deliveries into the box. We have missed those since Barton, altho both cabs and Raylor are far better at shooting than Barton ever was.

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  39. ROY CROPPER
    February 28, 2013 at 14:42
    blackey
    colo could replace puyol @ barcelona with ease.
    😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆
    SPECS SAVERS BUD 2 FOR THE PRICE OF 1 😆

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  40. Kim happy birthday 😉 and don’t be drinking too much.

    Batts don’t be letting anyone bully you, but you should be ok as Ice said he will look after you 😉

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  41. We gave credit to the also-rans last term and rightly so. This season they’ve been shithouse along with the majority of our stars, that’s why we are where we are.

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  42. Thanks Dave , no ,no booze as decorating girls flat and don’t wanna be falling off any ladders ,seen enough of A&E this month .

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  43. KIM happy birthday girl,25 you say lol hope cissie scores two like he did like the two he scored there last yr,for all of us

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  44. Yeah the Barton – Carroll – Nolan combo was obscenely good. Jonas with his ability to win corners and freekkicks (most fouled player in the league two seasons running I believe) even contributed to the attacking play!

    Unfortunately we basically attempt the same formula that we worked well with the tripod, but without the quality of deliveries, the aerial dominance, or the knack of poaching.
    Need to work on a new system. Or at least make a bit more movement in the box.

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