I suppose it makes a change from soft, and easy to beat and lacking in heart and desire, such was the lable of last season. Anyway I thought I would take a look at some stats from the last four games to see if these accusations are true.
Our first game saw us take on Southampton and we picked up 2 yellow cards and committed 9 fouls, we won 15 free kicks. Saints on the other hand collected 4 yellow cards committed 12 fouls and won 9 free kicks, so on the balance of play I would say we were the less physical on the day.
Our second game saw us take on Swansea where we picked up 1 yellow and a red card and committed 11 fouls and we won 13 free kicks. Swansea collected 2 yellows, one more than us and committed 8 fouls just 3 less than us and only won 9 free kicks. As for the red card for Janmaat, it was a pull back on Montero, hardly physical and we’ll see plenty of good right backs suffer at the hands of Montero this season, that much is for sure. I really can’t see much for Garry Monk to of complained about going by that set of stats.
Our third game was against Manchester united where we recieved 2 yellow cards, committed 11 fouls and won an impressive 19 free kicks. Manchester by comparison also got 2 yellows but committed 15 fouls, 4 more than us and won 11 free kicks. Again we were hardly the more aggressive side there.
Our last game was against Arsenal which is where the stats would have you believe it all went wrong. We all know Mitrovic got that quick red card for a studs up challenge, and it has divided opinion as to whether it was deserved or not. We also collected 6 yellows not helped by Arsenal players falling and rolling like a sniper had got them, despite miraculously getting up right as rain seconds after our player is booked. We committed 15 fouls and won 10 free kicks. Arsenal collected just 1 yellow despite the fact they carried out a fair few rash challenges themselves on the day. They also committed 8 fouls and won 15 free kicks . The general consensus seems to be that referee for the day Mariner had a bit of a mare in that he was inconsistent with his cards and free kicks and missed a certain penalty claim for Arsenal too. After the game Arsene Wenger accused the Newcastle players of being physical but even though the stats back that up, I would argue that the referee lost control was inconsistent so the true nature of the game was lost.
Overall I would say we aren’t particularly more physical than any other side out there. I just think sides are taken aback by our renewed committment which was sadly lacking last season in most if not all our playing staff. Such was the frustration of players last season when our form dipped, they ended up losing self control and discipline and we ended the season with a high tally of red and yellow cards respectively. I don’t see that frustration now, just a desire to not give up which is long over due. If other teams are upset because we no longer give up the ghost so quickly, then tough, I for one am glad we don’t intend to be this seasons whipping boys.
Do you think we are a dirty or overly physical side? Thoughts welcome as ever.
Kimtoon
Kim – I agree with you. I think we are more committed in our defending but certainly not overly aggressive. If you consider Janmaats dismissal – neither was an aggressive challenge. In the Arsenal game I think we picked up afew cards for decent rather than challenges.
I’m in the Mitrovic was unlucky camp personally. I think if someone like Anita made the same challenge it would have been a yellow. He had a good game against Man Utd and I actually thought that Smalling left a few on him – probably hoping to push his button.
There were about 6 red cards last weekend, which makes me wonder if the referees have been instructed to be more strict?!
Either way, I much prefer this gritty looking NUFC.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Thanks Kim good read. There is no doubt we have renewed hungervthis season. Now we have Manure and Arsenal out the way I want to see us start playing a bit of footy. We have 2 points from 12 trying to play defensively on the counter. It’s nice to see us more organised but it’s not been productive so far so let’s see what the lads can do when sent out with a bit of intent. It’s very early days yet but we don’t want to get into a negative football style /results cycle or we may find it difficult to move away from whilst the other sides begin to gather momentum.
Shamrock(Quote)
Sham – I know what you mean, and the stats totally back that up. But I do think that being down to 10 men so early in 2 of the games meant we couldn’t be anything but defensive. The Man Utd game – not many teams go to OT on the offensive & come away with a win.
I think against Northampton we got the balance right, and to be fair to Mc in the games with 10 men, his subs have been positive offensive ones.
I’ve got a ticket for the Watford game though, so I am hoping to see us really go at them.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sham, That’s very true, we still aren’t very productive on the goals front and this has to improve or we will be in yet another relegation battle. It’s a matter of balancing out the tighter defensive work rate with attacking intent and that requires good link up play from the midfield which hasn’t quite come off yet. I’m still giving Steve time as to be fair we have had a **** opening set of games to contend with and it may be that he’s had to set us up more not to lose. The Man u result away was really good and we could of easily won it on the day and the draw v Saints was unexpected as they are a bit of a bogey team. Even the Arsenal match needed an own goal to break us, all good so far but we need to beat West Ham and Watford because it’s Chelsea and City after that.
kimtoon(Quote)
Good read KIM as for Wenger he has twisted on for seasons about teams playing “dirty”he gets on my tits thinks his players shouldn’t be tackled hoping it will play on refs mind,I don’t think for one minute we are a dirty team,if you want to talk dirty talk Stoke.with Mis yes he’s a rough player but think he’s been “too” keen to do well and has gone over the top to impress he’s a bit like Costa in that way as someone said if he had played him in the cup game where he would have had a better chance to score he might have settled a bit,he needs to stop tackling for a while and just hustle defenders without sticking his big foot in,let’s hope SM settles him down
icedog(Quote)
Id take a physical side any day over the spineless **** we’ve seen in the last 3 seasons
CC(Quote)
Much prefer our stronger look. It was embarrassing last season.
But I’ve always said SM is too defensive, going off our first few games I can’t see us scoring many goals this season.
I’m not being negative, just saying how I’ve always saw it with SM.
I’m going to give him plenty time to develop our squad.
Gashley(Quote)
Ice – I think Costa is a dirty player. I think he’s a malicious player who looks to stick one on opponents and regularly does. Only he seems to get away with a lot of them thanks to Jose & being a Chelsea player.
Mitrovic is desperate to impress and needs to channel that enthusiasm. But he really impressed me against Man Utd, his work rate was excellent and he was so close with that header.
Sharpy17(Quote)
See Mitrovic has notched against France tonight.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Good article Kim. I don’t know why we went out to kick Arsenal off the park (that’s what it looked like to me) because whatever their fans said about it being harder against 10 men, I still think they would have struggled against 11 and we might even have held them. West Ham are a strange team and a tough one to predict, so far this season they have shown that they can beat anyone and be beaten by anyone. I have said before, I don’t think that we get the breaks that some other teams get. Part of the problem is that, even now, teams tend to be on their guard when Newcastle come to town. I honestly think if we supported a West Brom or a Leicester (although they have a good name at the moment) we would catch teams out more. If you are Man U or Chelsea, everyone wants to beat you (and we up out game against them) I think other teams are a bit like that with us still (even though we’ve been shyte for years. Maybe I’m just a deluded fool and it’s all in my head. (I bet West Ham don’t have an ‘off day’ against us though) 😉
DJG(Quote)
Regarding Mitro, as has been said, he needs to concentrate on just scoring, forget the tackles for a while, let everything cool down. We need the media talking about his goals not his temper.
kimtoon(Quote)
The mackems used to be a team that could ‘fly under the radar’ a bit. Getting some jammy results and catching teams out. 😉 These days though they are a ‘must beat these’ club. 😆 So it can work the other way also.
DJG(Quote)
Good article Kimtoon lass. It’s press bollocks as usual although Mito is going out of his way to attract the refs’ attention. If he gets himself under control we’ll just be an average team for physicality.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
hes a bit of both 😉
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
SHARPY@8 it depends on the type of game you like,yes I love to see good footy but imo these last few years the game has gone soft to many pussys in the game now its only came about with the TV covering every little thing on the field TV has gone over the top,even when playing I loved a bit of rough and tumble its also a art of getting away with it,they will be playing with handbags on their arms if it carry on like this
icedog(Quote)
just needs to be proper match fit which he aint at the more thats why he looks slugish 😉
TOONARMYELITE(Quote)
Ice – I was a CB by trade myself mate and loved a physical tussle – I couldn’t catch the pacey little shites 😆
What I don’t like about Costa though is that he’s ready to stick one on the CB, but when they mix it with him he gets dirty.
Sharpy17(Quote)
All this talk about Sissoko saying Palace are bigger than Toon.
Is it just me, cos I read those comments the other day and the way I read it at the time, before all this fuss, was him referring to PSG and saying ‘although he has now signed for Crystal Palace’.
Maybe I have black and white tinted glasses.
Maybe I just have a head on my shoulders and not a turnip.
Hello all by the way, hope life has been grand of late.
Cheers for the decent article as per Kim.
You Yew(Quote)
YY: no it is just the papers **** stirring. Similarly, the story of us offering Aarons in part exchange for Austin was just bollocks from an agent.Once these stories get repeated they take on a life of their own.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Nice one Kim…… we are not overly physical…. players have just turned into a bunch of divers that are effectively cheating by feigning injuries to get opposition players sent off ! Refs need to stop getting sucked in by these theatrics. Its a blight on the game! Pathetic! 👿
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
For at least the next 5 years, I dont want Lacazette at Newcastle period. What I want is de Jong with Mitrovic upfront, with Armstrong off the bench, I want 2 players out of Thauvin Aarons and Ayoze on wings. I want to see that back 4 become succesfull: Janmaat Lascelles Mbemba Dummett. I want to see how far Jack Colback because dont get me wrong, Anita is decent player, dutch got natural skills, but at the CM position I take Colback any day, both cant play toghether. Xhat we need on short term is Wijnaldum to play deeper with Colback with Sissoko n10 behind de Jong, or play with Tioté with Colback and Wijnaldum. I want us to try de Jong upfront with Thauvin Sissoko Ayoze behind him and have an alternative line up when Mitro isnt playing.
Cholo A. Sall(Quote)
We are not too physical, in my opinion we are one the weakest teams in terms of physicality and we need more athleticism and quality in defence
Cholo A. Sall(Quote)
For the Sissoko interview, I can guarantee 100% he never said Palace was bigger than Newcastle. Typical overstatement. One thing McClaren can bring is the 4312, like Juve, this might suit our midfield and bring more quality with Thauvin, Ayoze or Aarons as Mitrovic’s or Cissé’s Bellamy. Imagine something like that:
————————–Krul———————–
-Janmaat-Mbemba-Colo-Dummett-
———Sissoko-Colback-G.Wijn———-
————————-SdJ————————–
—————Mitrovic-Thauvin—————
Cholo A. Sall(Quote)
I also hope we build future with Vuckic, Bigi, Ameobi and bring back Tavernier and even Abeid at some point espacially if they get much better.
Cholo A. Sall(Quote)
And also hope we can be able yo field at 5 british players or academy players in the line up in the future.
Cholo A. Sall(Quote)
Playing with Cissé/Ayoze and Thauvin upfront in the 4312 with SdJ n10 and Ms7, Jc14 and Gini CMs is a good deal. Especially for nxt 3 games and Mitro suspended.
Cholo A. Sall(Quote)
SHARPY lol@17, I was one of those Pacey little shites
Great to hear Tim Sherwood come out and tell his flair players to stop crying on about rough tackles from players and get on with the game,my kind of man well said its a mans game,no offence Kim some woman players are just as rough at times,Ime with AMF I am sick at these fairys rolling about screaming and crying on as if they had been shot with a 12 bore at close range get them booked and off
icedog(Quote)
Me too Ice. . Nothing worse than soft.**** nancy boy footballers..
Say what you want about Aussie Rules Football but the boys playing that could teach a few footballers how to toughen up. I once saw a full back get his front teeth knocked out by another fellas knee, early in the game and he simply put his mouth guard back in played on. Hard stuff…and expensive dental bills! 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Aussie Rules players dive as well, though. Granted they don’t feign injury, nor do the league players or the rah rahs.
I’m with you guys on the footballers are soft as ***** bandwidth. The powers that be are at fault for this; they’re the ones who have told refs what to penalise, and players are milking the rules.
It’s getting to the point where any physical contact is liable to end up as a free kick. It really pisses me off when refs give yellows for some honest attempts to win the ball (and reds for accidents in Mitrovic’s case).
And the Premier League is just about the most broadminded in the world as far as I’ve seen. If you step into somebody’s personal space in Asia you get a talking to.
By all means come down hard on obvious deliberate fouling or even persistent rough stuff, but what’s wrong with a warning before reaching for a card?
brisvgas(Quote)
Vegas, that was my point really…yeah they feign for free kicks but never go down injured to get another player in trouble. Generally if a player is laying on the ground, they are in serious trouble.
My answer is 5 minute recovery periods… If a player is down “hurt” or showing signs of “distress” after a tackle. They should be made to sit off for 5 minutes so they can “recover”. If you go down screaming from a tackle that earns the opposition player a yellow card…. go have a rest for 5 minutes. Or alternatively, after a hard tackle, the ref should simply lean over to the player and ask “do you need medical attention” If the answer is yes…. go have a 5 minute rest. This will stop players feigning injuries to get other players booked and time wasting to slow down the game.. Nothing boils my **** more than when some one is stretchered off and then as soon as they are off the park they get up and run back on…. terrible behavior, that should be shut down…
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Aussie,Agree @30
kimtoon(Quote)
AMF aye mate or even a sin bin type time out as in rugby,some of these players need to change t a non-contact sport like baseball or for some bloody netball,reminds me when I did a bit of coaching of under 13s in Aussie part of it was to tell them to put your bloody “foot” in how to use your elbows/shoulder fairly of coarse to shield the ball,maybe I would get sacked now,but at least I got to win the all Aussie tournament final,now the pussys move in I guess lol
icedog(Quote)
Ice 😆 I still preach those same techniques to my under 11’s! 😛
I have told them to never pull out of a tackle. Fully commit or you will be the one that gets hurt! I played for near on 25 years like that… got kicked plenty but gave my share back. Lots of dirty ex pat Poms, Irish and Scots… you needed two sets of shin guards on each leg. One for the front and one back! 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
It was only the Arsenal game in which we really looked over-physical, and even then their play-acting and our tired legs in the last 30 contributed to the card and foul count. We just look much more organised to me. Even in terms of points gained, I had us down for 5 from the first 8 games, only 1 by now, so am just waiting to see how we play the counter attack game vs Hammers and whether we can switch to a more attacking game, (and not get caught out) against Watford. Judge after 10 games, as they used to say in pre-Permier League days
GTE(Quote)
AMF 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
Life’s so tough in Australia 🙄
georgio(Quote)
30 odd thousand whinging ex pats can’t be wrong Geogio! 😛 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Ice @27 – in which case mate you would be getting a dead leg or ya foot stamped on at the earliest opportunity 😉 😆
My boy has been blessed with the same lack of pace, so there will come a time when the art of a discrete foul has to passed on – a real father/son moment 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
I like the idea @30 Aussie. Should be at the ref’s discretion, 5 or 10 mins. Those with broken legs that recover in 20 seconds get the 10 mins. Similar for Coquelin screams!
georgio(Quote)
Georgio, yep there needs to be something on the line for players that are not injured.. if they want to take the risk of slowing the game down or trying to get a player booked, there should be penance for doing the wrong thing..
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Having said all that Aussie, it’s very easy for a player to fake a proper injury.
15 mins for them?
georgio(Quote)
Georgio, when you are hurt in any situation in life, you generally know when it is bad or if you can get on with things. Players should be made to choose treatment or get on with it. If the players are unsure then a small rest will be best… I think 15 minutes is a bit harsh but a minimum of 5 is all that is needed.
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
I wonder what that would do to player insurance policies.
brisvgas(Quote)
Who cares Bris. 🙂
georgio(Quote)
England game tonight, gonna watch it despite expecting a really boring cagey game 🙄
Sharpy17(Quote)
What’s it worth to get a player booked, or sent off. 5 minutes, 10.
Premandup(Quote)
Brave man Sharpy – I’ve got no time whatsoever for “our” team.
georgio(Quote)
Clever question Prem. Seems an obvious flaw in what I thought was a sensible suggestion . . . What do you think?
georgio(Quote)
Georgio – bravery & stupidity are often 2 peas from the same pod mate 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
Don’t know. But it sure aint as easy as only punishing tackles that cause injury.
Premandup(Quote)
Prem – did you see the cricket the other day – Stokes dismissal in the ODI?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Didn’t see it, heard about it. What about the two yellows last night?
Premandup(Quote)
good read
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/moussa-sissoko-needs-say-less-10013969
kimtoon(Quote)
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/moussa-sissoko-needs-say-less-10013969
Good article by the Chronicle.
Shamrock(Quote)
Snap again Kim! 😆
Shamrock(Quote)
Prem – what did you make of the 2 yellow cards?, never seen anything like that before, but I actually thought it was the right call.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sisko says he’s worth a100 mil oh yer whos he kidding and C/P are a bigger club than the toon,get the pain in the *** out our club in Jan
icedog(Quote)
Well seems harsh. But technically right. But if you speeding in a car you can pass several speed cameras in the same trip.
premandup(Quote)
Sissoko is a good player. If the right mood he can be our best player by a country mile. Trouble is (and similar to HBA) it’s maybe every 10 games that he fancies turning up. That’s no good for a CL club, and it’s not great for us either to be fair. In a similar way to HBA, who told us all he’d win the Ballon d’or one day 🙄 Sissoko needs to pipe down and focus on playing well for us first!!.
If he insists on ‘selling’ himself at every opportunity, then we have to sell him IMO. If Mc is trying to improve the atmosphere & mentality within the club, he needs everyone on board – particularly his most senior players.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy, He’s a lazy ****, we need grafters not those that only turn up for the odd game. Over rated and over here, is how I feel about the guy. It’s a shame as he has talent, he just needs to stop blowing his own trumpet for 5 mins and concentrate on what he’s actually getting paid handsomely for.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim – I know we are in a transitional period, but for me we need to focus our play more through Sissoko & Gini. For me they should both be more central driving midfielders, with the likes of Thauvin and probably Perez providing more of the width. I posted this formation the other day and the more I think about it the more I want to see it adopted:
———————– Krul —————–
Janmaat – Mbemba – Colo – Haidara
———————- Tiote —————–
———– Sissoko —— Gini ————
Perez ————————— Thauvin
——————– Mitrovic ——————
For me we have to try and start playing through our midfield, rather than bypassing it with long balls.
Tiote win the ball, then lay it off to Sissoko or Gini who can either go on a run or look to move it out wide then get forward & support in the box, ready for the cross coming in.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy@61, I would agree mate but Sissy has to show up on the day to make it effective.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim – if we got the right fee for Sissoko I’d happily let him go & upgrade him. Colo, Haidara, Tiote and possibly Perez would also be in line for an upgrade in that formation too.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: what are you dropping Colback for? Has Tiote really shown anything in the past 2 years to have him start? Colback has covered 3rd most ground in the PL, can tackle and can pass. He chips in with the odd goal as well. He may not be the most creative player, but in theory that’s why we have Gini, Sissoko, Perez, Aarons and Thauvin.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Talk-in with John Andserson and Gary Bennett at Whitley Bay Snooker this Saturday at 7.30 p.m. That is the one approaching Whitley Bay Golf Club opposite the school and not the one in town.
Groucho(Quote)
John Anderson
Groucho(Quote)
Delph playing again; Left footed central midfield player who scores less than Colback, fewer assists than Colback, Lower pass completion, Creates less chances, makes Less tackles, Interceptions, covers less ground and plays fewer games but he spent last season at a club near Hodgsons house & now makes up the quota numbers for a champions league club
Makes perfect sense picking him…
CC(Quote)
Eric – it’s purely horses for courses mate. In that formation I would want Tiote to sit in front of the CBs and not get forward at all – he would be there to defend only. I think Tiote is better suited to that role than Colback. Colback would be better suited to that role I have Sissoko & Gini playing – but for me he wouldn’t get in ahead of them, so would provide strength from the bench.
Sharpy17(Quote)
CC – I thought Delph had a cracking game 🙄 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
Eric – I would also consider using Colo in that position as well mate, like a reverse sweeper role if that makes sense.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Certainly his most productive England match
CC(Quote)
CC
I think Jack may have got a call up if Carrick and Delph had not gone out at the last minute. Barclay, Milner and Shelvey now in midfield. I would be looking to the future, I think Milners’ had his day at international level.
DJG(Quote)
CC – I do like Shelvey though mate. I think he’s an excellent passer of a football.
Sharpy17(Quote)
If Armstrong and Aarons can’t compete with Walcott, Ox and Sterling in the next few years then something’s gone wrong, coz those 3 are hopless IMHO.
DJG(Quote)
DJG – they won’t be able to mate, especially if they stick with NUFC. It’s an age old problem with England – some players seem guaranteed their place if they are fit, regardless of form. The current 3 are Rooney, Whilshire & Smalling. In my opinion there are better players then them, but if they are fit, they start.
Sharpy17(Quote)