If you thought we were unlucky to draw vs Burnley (which we were) then we we’ve just about evened it up today, with Palace probably going away from that one wondering how they’ve only got a point.
There was only one winner in that one in the end, although we dug in and put in some great last ditch blocks to preserve our point – one that may just turn out to be a precious one when it comes to the final standings in May.
That being said, 3 vs Burnley & 0 points today would’ve had us better off, proving once again that wins really are gold dust in this relegation battle – especially when the likes of Brighton and Southampton earned big wins yesterday.
We started really positively and Mo Diame’s goal gave us the perfect start. He deserved it and was good once again today, with us not looking nearly as strong in midfield when he came off.
Darlow’s performance was also a funny one. We had him to thank when we went in at the break 1-0 up, however he was far from convincing in the second half, struggling with the majority of clearances and looking incredibly hesitant from a few crosses. One minute he’s the MOTM (Stoke away), next minute he’s costing us (Everton home). It’s hard to be overly critical of him today, but I really struggle to trust him. If I was a defender for NUFC I doubt he’d exude confidence and I’m also quite certain he doesn’t communicate too well either.
Dummett and Kenedy were plus points. The latter faded and was taken off early in the second but showed his qualities in the first. His pace/power, skill and added quality on the ball looks like giving us something different down the left, with Dummett’s reliability at left-back probably allowing him (Kenedy) that bit more freedom to roam forward.
Perez and Gayle didn’t do nearly enough, making the importance of Slimani’s pending introduction all the more important. It was a thankless task at times, but they were invisible in the second half just when we needed them. Yes they were feeding on scraps and could sometimes do little with long balls up against two centre-backs a foot taller than them, but they didn’t offer enough. Gayle looks woefully short on confidence, whilst Perez lacked conviction – both physically and technically, with several of his attempted passes or flicks seeming weak and wasteful.
(CLICK HERE to see our player ratings and thoughts on each player’s performance following today’s game)
Most would see it as 2 points dropped in a game where we took the lead, but in the circumstances, I’d prefer to see this as 1 point closer to safety in a game we could have very easily lost.
It’s not the win we craved, but that point could end up being precious one in the final reckoning. Obviously we need to start turning draws into wins, but I have faith that Slimani (and Kenedy) will help us achieve that.
Man Utd next. Can we pull off an upset? Who knows, but I get the feeling it may take a big result against one of the top sides to keep us safe this season.
Match stats
Updated Premier League table
Cheers Olly,
Got lucky in the end today. We are desperate for Slimani to get fit and hit the ground running , we really are.
Gayle was terrible today , did nothing, he is looking more useless than Joselu who at least holds the ball up and takes up half decent positions.
Yedlin was poor and so was Ritchie. Clark may of cost us the pen but made two vital clearances .
Darlow did ok
Shirt pulling happens every game and goes unpunished, that lino flagged Gayle offside when he was on too, I heard he is a local guy, is that true ? If it is that shouldn’t be aloud.
Gonna be a hell of a challenge to stay up tbh, nothing short of a miracle needed I reckon.
Swans losing Fer and Bony could be a big help is stopping their mini revival and Brighton have a tough run in so maybe that keeps their point tally low. Hate relying on other teams , Fatman should never have put us in this position, it’s pure negligence and greed bought us to this point.
kimtoon(Quote)
Need 5 wins from 12 games for 40 points???
Icedog(Quote)
Allowed not aloud 🙄
kimtoon(Quote)
Ice , if we can get 13 points from 12 games that’s 38, could be enough this season.
Now that’s 4 wins and a draw or 3 wins and 4 draws or 7 draws and 2 wins
hmmmmmmm difficult .
kimtoon(Quote)
Going to be nail biting,you don’t realise how quickly the games come and go that’s for sure
Icedog(Quote)
Mark DouglasVerified account @MsiDouglas · 15h15 hours ago
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NUFC next three games are against the top three sides in the form table ATM… Time to start pulling some rabbits out of hats!
Oh dear
kimtoon(Quote)
When we are under pressure the back four just kick it anywhere. Now there are times when you have to do it but we do it all the time. It just surrenders possession and makes the pressure worse. I would like to see Mbemba come back as he is much calmer on the ball. Trouble is he has been out so long he will be match rusty. Clark I think is not confident on the ball. Passes sideways and backwards to get rid of the ball or just lumps it upfield. Not the player he was last year and maybe he is not suited to the Premiership given his last year with Villa.
Groucho(Quote)
Yeah Groucho. All 2nd half we just invited pressure on ourselves by needlessly passing back to keeper and punting upfield.
If we had kept the ball on the floor like in the first half and did not play backwards all the time, we might have actually created a few chances or least relived the presssure and not conceded the corners/penalty.
I know it’s not that simple but they managed it in the first half.
I do know that switching Zaha from the middle to out wide caused an awful lot of hassle.
shamrock(Quote)
Good point Groucho. Hoofing the ball so often is one of our trademarks.
I thought it was a good point yesterday but it was two dropped on Wed. Very tight I admit but I think we’ll just make it. Kenedy looks our most potent attacker which says a lot when Perez and Gayle are on. If Slimani can notch 3 or 4 it’ll be a big improvement.
Still not understanding Rafas substitutions. Daime and Kenedy were our best players. He also had Lejuene on the bench while Atsu brings nothing. Along with Ritchie. Why not Murphy?
3 wins and 3 draws in an echo of Rafa’s first spell? Which included a draw at Anfield and a point against City. We’ve played 8 games recently and only lost to City. That shows at least 6 teams not better than us.
georgio(Quote)
I worry that we expect too much from Slimani. I think he’s a good player and a good addition – as is Kenedy. Slimani needs to come in & do his bit for sure, but there are a number of our own players need to step up & play for their future as well mind. If we get relegated, Slimani & Kenedy will go back to their parent clubs and still be PL players. If our own players still want to be playing at this level next season, they better up their game.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Diame had a tight groin and looked to be limping when walking off and Kenedy had tired due to lack of match time, so was precautionary moves by Rafa I understand.
kimtoon(Quote)
I would not be starting Gayle again, he offered nothing yesterday, even Joselu contributes more.
Zaha far more effective second half once out wide. Caused us no end of problems.
kimtoon(Quote)
And as for Yedlin, give me strength, he is no defender that’s for sure. I would play as an out and out winger.
kimtoon(Quote)
I think it is time to give Lejeune another go. Clark has turned into Steven Taylor where he makes some last gasp blocks but is also caught out a lot. Maybe even go with 3 centre halfs but that doesn’t suit Dummett at fullback.
I also think we have to start the new goalkeeper. I thought Darlow had turned the corner and was a bit more confident but he was a bundle or nerves in the second half and Elliot’s distribution has gone backwards.
I agree about the hoofing. We had a short forward line today and it just invited more pressure. We better figure a way to sort this out because just about every team plays the high press.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I don’t think Perez and Gayle play well together. Could play one or the other with Slimani and hopefully would see their form pick up.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Our biggest problem is missing chances. This is the biggest contributor to our inability to keep hold of a lead. Because we continue to miss chance after chance we are invariably always trying to hold on to a one goal lead. That’s just not always possible.
Stuart79(Quote)
Groucho – yeah you make a good point mate. It’s a fine line really isn’t. What they are doing now just invites the pressure back on. It’s like a boxer on the ropes pushing his opponent away then staying still waiting for the onslaught to start again.
But equally, you don’t want defenders taking risks & making stupid short passes that will get pounced on in a more dangerous area.
This may sound like I’m shifting the blame, but the problem is as much because our forwards aren’t good enough as well.
If you look at the likes of City, Spurs & in particular this season Lpool – they always have an outlet with their forwards. So ok, they have a bottomless pit of money. I can use our opponents yesterday as the example.
To have Benteke, Zaha & Townsend as an outlet makes it so much easier for their very average defenders. None of them are ‘ball players’ as they say. So if they are under pressure, they will also ‘get rid’ – but if they clear it right, left or centre, they have players who can compete and will quickly change defence to counter attack.
More often than not, those players will always be in those positions – they rarely have to track back and defend, and very rarely break their positions. So their defenders know that if they clear the ball into a certain area of the pitch, they have to players who will generally more the ball forward – win a freekick or throw in or whatever, but more often than not, they stop the ball going back.
We don’t have that in the likes of Gayle, Ritchie, Perez. Maybe Kenedy could do that for us. Maybe Slimani could. Atsu can sometimes do that, as can Murphy. But neither are selected regularly & our tactic seems to be for our front men & wingers track back a lot – maybe because they aren’t good enough to play that counter attack – maybe because the rest of the players aren’t good enough to adopt another tactic at the moment. It’s an observation, not a criticism.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Eric – no mate, me neither. To be honest I think while we don’t have a decent #10, we need to drop this 4-2-3-1 formation and either go 3 at the back, or 4-3-3. I think the players we have in the squad just now would be more balanced in those formations rather than this one we are still trying to make work.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I doubt McClaren will be appointed at Leeds but it crazy that he is even considered. What is it with recycling these British managers. Allardyce seems to be immune to criticism as well. Everton were never going to go down and the 50 million they spent in January brings their spend to 200 million over the last 2 years.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric – Fat Sam is immune because he’s going with the unorthodox approach of critiquing his own players before the pundits do or they turn on him (which is unlikely to happen as he’s the super manager who saves clubs).
Sam slaughtered those players so far – it’s only a matter of time before they turn on him.
He had a reputation as the manager that saves club – before he took the England job & became Capt Corrupt.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’ve even heard calls for Sam to be sacked now and bring Silva in. 3 points less and they’d consider it.
It’s tight for us this season but most people’s guess would have been 12th to 15th this season and a lot saying 17th would do. Right now I’d take 17th!
georgio(Quote)
SHARPY. Capt. Corrupt Love it??
Icedog(Quote)
Allardyce dropped Tosun for the last 2 games because he cannot hold the ball up and he is still adjusting. They spent 27 million on him. That USED to be a lot of money!! They were total **** against Arsenal and I think the Gunners actually eased up a bit.
And Pards is being Pards and dropped Jay Rodriquez who had played a part in all of the goals they had scored recently. Sturridge is good on his day but this might have been the time to ease him in and not drop your most influencial player.
I was thinking he might save West Brom because he has a pattern that he repeats at clubs. Now I am not so sure.
And then there is the Hammers…
If we had won it would have been quite a good weekend. I know Brighton won, but some of the strugglers are bound to win some weeks.
Has Moyes had is new Manager bounce and are we back to Mackem Dave?
I see a lot of doom and gloom on other boards but if you think about it there are others probably in worse trouble – Stoke, Huddersfield, Swans – and we haven’t even seen 2 of the players we just go in.
And I am now convinced Rafa was correct about the goalie. I thought we had decent cover but I was wrong. Shot stopping is no longer enough, look at Mignolet at Liverpool. they spend a fortune on defenders but it is all sabotaged because they don’t have faith in their keeper.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
What are the dirty stinkin’ Mackems doing?
* They just loaned out their most expensive ever player to Watford
* Jack Rodwell is earning 75k a week and is ostracized.
* John O’Shea is starting and turns 37 in April
* Moyes’ Everton mercenaries are not starting
* Watmore out for the season. He is a non-scoring striker but always gives 100%
* They have turned on Cattermole bigtime which I find very funny since he has always been a **** but they loved him for it.
* They lose at home AGAIN and are 2nd bottom AGAIN
Where are your planes and banners now 🙂 Karma is a wonderful thing.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You got it right kim.
funrafa(Quote)
Don’t worry. We will get 4 points from the 3 games.
funrafa(Quote)
Olly’s writing a lot about pundits’ opinions. There is usually a grain of truth to what they say but they just go over the top and are totally hypocritical. They say things just to be controversial and make themselves the story.
I love Jaime Redknapp telling Rafa to stop complaining. Maybe he should look close to home and wonder about pots calling the kettle black. His Dad was the biggest blowhard complainer and pass the bucker in the history of the Premier League, possibly in the history of football but he has a lot of competition. I am looking at you Fat Sam and Pards.
Football365 did an updated summary of Pards excuses after he said they scored too early. I will post a link.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Pards’s excuses:
http://www.football365.com/news/alan-pardews-excuses-the-longlist
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So long as our rabbits aren’t in the casserole dish 🙁
kimtoon(Quote)
Eric, gotta laugh at fat sam saying ” the whole team were **** ” bet that went down well in the dressing room like. 😆
kimtoon(Quote)
https://twitter.com/NUFC/status/960467132839616512
bless him RIP little one
kimtoon(Quote)
Biggest hypocrite out there. If the team win it was HIS selections and tactics, if they lose it was the players’ fault. Nobody on TV ever calls him on it. I really do think there is bias towards certain Managers and teams. ‘Arry and Fat Sam get away with saying the stupidest things. I think it is because they are always good for a soundbite no matter how wrong their words may be.
And of course there is a definite negativity to NUFC from 90% of the pundits. I bet you could conduct a test where you compared the negative and positive things said about a team and NUFC would be runaway winner in the PL. Merse and Lawro alone would tip the scales so far that no matter what Shearer said we would still be worst on the bias-o-meter.
I don’t think I am making this up. Of course I support NUFC but I am also not deaf and blind.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Swansea, Huddersfield and Stoke all have good, winnable games before we play on Sunday. I’d very surprised if we are not in the bottom 3 Monday morning unfortunately.
Stuart79(Quote)
Swansea, improving v Burnley last gasp draw specialists. Hmm, they may win, may be a draw, in which case they are still below us. Huddersfield, bottom of the form table against Bournemouth, top of the form table, an opportunity, but I would surprised by an easy Huddersfield win. Stoke at home to Brighton. One win in 6 v won the last game. Neither exactly on good runs.
You may be right Stuart, we may be in the bottom three before we play. But good winnable games. Not for teams in the position they are in.
Premandup(Quote)
The W/H players wil really love Moyes latest statement: I will not be W/H boss after this season no matter what lge we are in??
Icedog(Quote)
Maybe he will get the Chelsea jib tomorrow
Premandup(Quote)
job
Premandup(Quote)
Watford who have the worst home form of the division (saying something considering ours) are beaten Chelsea at HT!
Stuart79(Quote)
Palace could be in bother now,Zaha done his knee on Sunday could be out for a good length of time.
STU Chelsea down to ten men
Icedog(Quote)
FFS!
Stuart79(Quote)
Reckon Conte is pretty much finished at Chelsea…
Stuart79(Quote)
Looks like we’re talking about West Ham down now who are in 12th.
Stuart79(Quote)
Cant see west Brom or Stoke pulling things round. Huddersfield just dont have the right manager in place. The swans have lost two players, fer and Bony, Palace Zaha, and west Ham are a club in total crisis. I’m not saying we dont have work to do, but I wouldnt swop our position for theirs.
Premandup(Quote)
Agree Prem
Icedog(Quote)
Yep, West Ham and below are all in the relegation mix. I read the Telegraph article on Moyes and they hate the board and sacked their Director of Football last week for racial discrimination.
Now the supporters are planning a March and possibly hiring 20 hearses. Moyes throwing in the towel reminds me of his time at Sunderland. That, and the poison in the crowd will be felt by the players.
I wouldn’t be that surprised to see Moyes let go because Marco Silva is available. Regardless, I don’t think it is good psychology from Moyes.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You saw what happened at Watford when Silva got a strop on for not getting his move to Everton. I am hoping for the same sort of bad atmosphere at West Ham.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Bloody Chelsea have gone to rats last couple of games
kimtoon(Quote)
Weeks off to a **** start, lads ill again ! only went back last Wednesday and now has another bout of the lurgee .
Hate this time of year, nowt but illness and cold weather and nervy football. 👿
kimtoon(Quote)
I am not bothered if Conte is sacked. Him and that other miserable git Mourinho get paid a fortune and can buy some of the World’s best players. They seem to have thrown their toys out of the pram just because Pep is showing them how it is done but also by paying attractive football.
I don’t know what changed with Mourinho. I used to find some of his windups amusing and he was charming for his first stint at Chelsea. Maybe his schtick has got old but more so he has had a personality transplant and is now just a grump.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
NEW THREAD
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2018/02/06/my-10-observations-from-our-1-1-draw-at-crystal-palace-after-watching-the-game-back/
I’ve watched the Palace game again and shared some of my observations (I’m said , I know)
Olly Hawkins(Quote)