Lisbon revisited

biggs wrote...

another shambles from brambles
roeder the tactical genius,
how many more seasons do we go on waiting for a manager who
can motivate and have the know
how to win games at any level .mr shepherd act now or the club we all love will get left behind .

Posted by: biggs  | March 16, 2007 5:56 AM

Peter Gibson wrote...

season over , the idiots that control this club win again .no defenders of any class bought in 06/07 and still bramble carr etc pick up big money !

Posted by: Peter Gibson  | March 16, 2007 7:53 AM

Rob -- Baku Azerbaijan wrote...

I agree with your comments Lee, i am still baffled as to the GR tactics employed last night especially after last weeks game, where we got at them along the ground and murdered them for 45 mins, last night 75% of our play was in the air, the 25% we did manage to keep the ball on the ground we had a chance or two to score a goal and cause them problems, Duff well he was Duff, Milner should have started on the left with Zoggy or Duff coming on later if needed, Also GR should have noted we were being hammered down our left and moved the more senior experienced and left footed Bramble into left back and Huntingdon into the center, I would also have thought of bringing on Carroll for Sibi for the last 25mins. So i, like many will not be sad to see an end to a very sad and poor season and hope that things are sorted out within the corridors of power at SJP long before the start of next season and not the day before kick off.

Posted by: Rob -- Baku Azerbaijan  | March 16, 2007 8:19 AM

Gary Hall wrote...

Last night's performance in Alkmaar proved that the first leg was the blip and the games against Boro, Wigan, Fulham and Birmingham are slowly becoming the norm.

What was refreshing was to hear Roeder actually apportion blame - albeit in a roundabout fashion, without naming Bramble directly.

To blame the players 100% would be somewhat disingenuous, I think Roeder is partially culpable for this horrendous performance - he clearly failed to motivate the team, who looked like they believed the unhelpful media hype of AZ being this fantastic outfit.

Add to that another bemusing choice of substitutions and the result was a gift to van Gaal. Credit to the Dutch tactician, over two legs he has overcome a bunch of players better than his own by having his lot play as a team.

Hardly rocket science.

Posted by: Gary Hall  | March 16, 2007 8:43 AM

Gary Hall wrote...

Last night's performance in Alkmaar proved that the first leg was the blip and the games against Boro, Wigan, Fulham and Birmingham are slowly becoming the norm.

What was refreshing was to hear Roeder actually apportion blame - albeit in a roundabout fashion, without naming Bramble directly.

To blame the players 100% would be somewhat disingenuous, I think Roeder is partially culpable for this horrendous performance - he clearly failed to motivate the team, who looked like they believed the unhelpful media hype of AZ being this fantastic outfit.

Add to that another bemusing choice of substitutions and the result was a gift to van Gaal. Credit to the Dutch tactician, over two legs he has overcome a bunch of players better than his own by having his lot play as a team.

Hardly rocket science.

Posted by: Gary Hall  | March 16, 2007 8:44 AM

Guy Bailey wrote...

Could have won? With teams like Benfica, Sevilla, Werder Bremen, Bayer Leverkusen, Espanyol, Osasuna and even Spurs left in it?

That's what I love about you Geordies - why let reality through the gates at St James when you can wave your scarves?

Never mind, you've always got your plaque.

PS - WPC Honey Harman was murdered and DC Nadir has gone to prison. June Ackland has also retired and Jim Carver made a last ditch attempt to win her heart. Now your all caught up for next week.

Posted by: Guy Bailey  | March 16, 2007 9:34 AM

Adam wrote...

It's obvious why we lost last night - we weren't good enough. It really is that simple. Glenn Roeder had no answer to Luis Van Gaal's tactics - we showed ourselves yet again to be tactically one-dimensional. AZ's players are no better than ours, so why did we lose?

Roeder can criticise his players all he wants, but it's about time he took some responsibility. He was a defender and is now a coach, yet after more than a year with NUFC his players still can't defend - neither the seniors he inherited nor the youngster HE brought through the academy.

You are spot on to say last night was worse than Lisbon, Lee. When we lost in Lisbon, we had been in total control until Dyer - our best player on the night - was injured. Last night we were simply not good enough and we had no plan B. We were lucky not to lose by more goals, in fact.

I don't want to sound like this is a bitter, miserable knee-jerk reaction, but I just don't think Roeder is the man for the job. I never did in the first place, I've questioned him throughout the season and now again I want him out. Most of our victories this year have been flukes, and most of our defeats have been embarrassing. The question is, who would replace him?

Posted by: Adam  | March 16, 2007 10:00 AM

david wrote...

Inept and abject but was Bramble really the only one to blame for the fact that didn't have a left back and took best part of 80 mins to muster a shot.

But alls well.. Freddie and the shareholders will still get their £5m this summer... something the board of Alkmaar could probably only dream of...

Posted by: david  | March 16, 2007 11:11 AM

Gerry Hagon wrote...

At no time yesterday did we look like a team expecting to win. In fact we looked like a team trying desperately not to lose. At SJP we tore into this same team and destroyed them in 30 minutes.

Were the tactics of the manager to defend for 90 minutes and hope they did not score? Was the hope that pumping the ball up to the isolated Martins and Sibieski would somehow get us a goal? Or had the opposition improved to such a degree from the first leg that we hardly had a shot on goal the entire first half and most of the second.

I felt sorry for Martins and Sibieski who both worked hard but to limit Dyer, your best attacking mid-fielder, to a defensive role is ridiculous.

I fear that this might be the definitive performance of the manager's tactical knowhow. It is not the winning or losing, it is the way we played that matters to me, and I can only assume that that losing performance was constructed largely from the tactical inadequacies of the management.

It is clear that building disasters from a winning position is just not good enough.

Posted by: Gerry Hagon  | March 16, 2007 12:04 PM

Tony Poolan wrote...

It was a gutless performance and an insult to the club and fans. You can list the same ongoing faults in every player out there. There the problem is they never learn or change - Taylor is horribly average and continues to make the same stupid impetuous mistakes, Bramble should have been shown the door seasons ago, Dyer never delivers when we need him to, Parker is overrated and can't stay on his feet. We can't pass the ball or keep it, we created just about nothing and that sums up the quality of coaching and management at the club. Will someone at the club finally admit we are just not good enough and do something about it?

Posted by: Tony Poolan  | March 16, 2007 12:34 PM

sally wade wrote...

I do not agree with with you all blaming Titus Bramble there ara 11 players in the team.It seems you just want a scapegoat all the time and just seem to pick on him. how come every manager has had faith in him. you all just take heed of what you read in the papers.

Posted by: sally wade  | March 16, 2007 1:05 PM

Peter Harper wrote...

Gerry Hagon's appraisal was spot on. Game after game it would appear the coaching is non existent and the tactics are abysmal.Not a one off -this is the norm.No excuses about injuries.No wonder Chelsea wanted rid of Duff-£5 million - he's not worth five bob.Even Shay Given threw the ball to the opposition time after time.Sibierski,Martins,Parker,Emre can hold their heads up.The rest should hang their heads in shame along with the management and coaching staff.COME BACK KEEGAN-as quickly as possible!!!

Posted by: Peter Harper  | March 16, 2007 1:24 PM

Michael Hammill wrote...

Roeder should never have been given the job in the first place. His tactics are poor, his selections are worse. We carried 3 players last night, Dyer, Duff, Huntington in our biggest game of the season. You win nothing playing without creative players. Parker gives his all we know, but he is not the best going forward, so Roeder moves him up front, strange tactics.

Posted by: Michael Hammill  | March 16, 2007 1:52 PM

az fan wrote...

yust wanted to say thanks guys you are a great club and fans and the match yesterday will be with me forever.
dont worry about losing here in holland az is still unbeaten at home in europe i think 29 matches allready
and oure coatch is a tacktical mastermind
greetings from alkmaar

Posted by: az fan  | March 16, 2007 2:27 PM

AZ supporter wrote...

Sorry for you guys, good for us. That's sport. I do feel however that your team's manager has utterly failed in properly preparing the NU team for a night in Alkmaar. First there was this "we play premier league", next he stated NU were only coming over to keep 0's at the scoreboard. A man in his position should have at least considered AZ's status as the most productive team in Europe this year, as well as their unbeaten status in european games on home ground. Please believe me when I say that there were few people here in Alkmaar who DIDN'T believe it would be us going to the next round after that second goal of ours in SJP. Your management should have know better.

Posted by: AZ supporter  | March 16, 2007 2:28 PM

Andrew Davis wrote...

I just think we all expected that newcastle would lose and i hate this as its not great to point out the normal reaction, but there is a reason why GR has mentioned TB in passing as he is telling him he will not receive a new contract and we will have to spend big money in the summer and lay off GR as he will get it right and when we get a couple of quality Left backs and a tough centre half we will be ok and i would hate to be charlton at the weekend?
Andrew

Posted by: Andrew Davis  | March 16, 2007 2:28 PM

AZ supporter wrote...

Sorry for you guys, good for us. That's sport. I do feel however that your team's manager has utterly failed in properly preparing the NU team for a night in Alkmaar. First there was this "we play premier league", next he stated NU were only coming over to keep 0's at the scoreboard. A man in his position should have at least considered AZ's status as the most productive team in Europe this year, as well as their unbeaten status in european games on home ground. Please believe me when I say that there were few people here in Alkmaar who DIDN'T believe it would be us going to the next round after that second goal of ours in SJP. Your management should have know better.

Posted by: AZ supporter  | March 16, 2007 2:29 PM

gren wrote...

What was Roeder thinking of? He honestly thought to defend a 2 goal lead against a free scoring AZ team was enough? We have never been good at defending! what we needed was what we saw in the first 30 mins of the first leg, going at them and finishing the tie off. Roeder got his tactics all wrong, where was Milner? We needed him. Apart from Shay and Parker, the rest were rubbish, when is Duff going to perform like he did at Chelsea? we know too many players are under achieving at Newcastle but Roeder is never going to win us anything anyway with this approach to games.

Posted by: gren  | March 16, 2007 4:09 PM

Michael wrote...

a trophy we could have won????

come on Lee... lets face facts here.. we've done well to get as far as we did.

The squad and management team are not up to winning european trophies and sustaining a campaign in the league.

We need to look long and hard at what happened last night because it was an appalling failure top to bottom.

Posted by: Michael  | March 16, 2007 4:22 PM

Les Smith wrote...

Same old story.
Apologies from the players "we've let the fans down" How many times do we have to hear it before they (and Freddy) do something about it.
Never mind we'll be celebrating our Ruby anniversary of winning nowt, in 2 years time.

Posted by: Les Smith  | March 16, 2007 5:25 PM

dave wrote...

I'm fortunate that I live in Canberra so the distance softens the bloody awful but familiar feeling of seeing my club stuff up yet again. We could and should have progressed. We should have attacked - "attack is the best form of defence" - that made sense in times of armed conflict and is just as appropriate in a football match. I have absolutely no confidnece in the board and management of SJP. With them lie the bulk of the problems and until those problems are sorted then the problems on the playing staff will persist. Unfortunately I cannot see any sane quality coach/manager wanting to work with the shower of a board we currently have. I'm so depressed. HTL

Posted by: dave  | March 16, 2007 11:31 PM

Anne wrote...

I am Dutch so my post will probably not be published. Nevertheless I will give it a go. I beg to differ with all the opinions on this log. NUFC dominated only the first 30 minutes. AZ dominated 150 minutes of the 180. The game in Newcastle was lost by AZ because of typical Dutch arrogance and because all NUFC goal attempts ended in the net. AZ knew they played against mediocre opposition. Therefore the arrogance in the beginning. Probably all NUFC-players are millionaires, but also individuals. NUFC is not a team. And sorry to say, too many British players. Bramble, Taylor, Huntington, Duff, Butt. All of them are very mediocre. Newcastle was very lucky in Alkmaar. Both Taylor and Butt deserved a red card. Can someone explain to me what Butt was doing in extra time? AZ should also have had a penalty. The NUFC goal was disallowed, but please notice that the AZ-goalkeeper didn't make any attempt to hold the ball. It should have been 5-0 or so in Alkmaar. How on earth can you spend 100 million pounds on useless players? The AZ-squad only costed 10 million or so.

Posted by: Anne  | March 17, 2007 12:35 AM

Genghiz H Sengul wrote...

Mr Roeder gladly kept the same line-up. Why? Why did he put a 19 year old in left back? Why was Emre put in after 50 minutes? It's becuase he has faith in his players. He went into the game with the attitude that with any line-up, his team was going to win. As in ram it down your throat football. I applaud that. There is a sayng that your not as good as you think you are when your winning and your not as bad as you think you are when your losing. The team will win sunday.

Posted by: Genghiz H Sengul  | March 17, 2007 2:01 AM

dennis wrote...

GR tactically out thought by van the man, no passion no heart no trophy, no GR, how about van the man?

Posted by: dennis  | March 17, 2007 7:21 AM

Dave Taylor wrote...

The manager was technically strong,motivational and intelligent - unfortunately that was Van Gaal. Freddie take note. If we really want to bridge the gap between average and great, we need a great manager, not an average one. Watching both managers in action, Van Gaal irritated me all night with his passion and drive - because I want to see that in our own manager, not another teams. Within 10 minutes of this game starting, it was crystal clear which manager would drive their team to victory. What we get with NUFC is flat & dull every week - a bit like Glen Roeder

Posted by: Dave Taylor  | March 17, 2007 9:16 AM

martin wrote...

for many years newcastle has had only one player with any creative vision. and when bobby sold him to villa we didn't have any. until that changes we're going nowhere. i hope solano plays on forever.

Posted by: martin  | March 17, 2007 9:21 AM

mick the mag wrote...

glen roeder must get rid of the deadwood in the summer or the deadwood will get rid of him. carr,babayaro,bernard,bramble,moore,luque,pattinson,ramage all must be moved on.

Posted by: mick the mag  | March 17, 2007 6:48 PM

Kavo wrote...

why doesnt roeder sell all except GIVEN, RAMAGE, HUNTINGTON, EDGAR, TAYLOR, BERNARD, PARKER, DUFF, SOLANO, DYER, MARTINS, NZOGBIA and OWEN. He should then buy some affordable players such as DUNNE(watch him play for Ireland), BROWN, IRELAND, FERDINAND,ASHTON and REO-COKER. Our team would look like this

Given
Brown Ferdinand
Dunne Taylor

Dyer Parker Duff

Martins

Owen Ashton

Posted by: Kavo  | April 5, 2007 10:27 AM