Time to read the riot act, just do it quietly
If there is such a thing as a panic button in football then Chris Hughton is refusing to press it following Newcastle United's drubbing at Derby County.
Newcastle's 15 game unbeaten run came to a disappointing end against the Rams on a night when nothing went right for the Magpies.
When United went 1-0 down to Rob Hulse's header there was nothing to suggest that Newcastle would not be able to operate the tools they have in order to snatch a result from Pride Park.
But when you're missing chances in front of goal and the referee, in Andy Taylor of Gravesend, has already let Robbie Savage get away with just a booking for a tackle similar to those that have earned red cards elsewhere this season, you start to expect the worst.
That came when Andy Carroll's effort was ruled out in another strange decision from Taylor.
Jonas then upended Michael Tonge to earn a penalty which Kris Commons belted home to double the lead and start to drain the belief out of Newcastle.
It was 3-0 shortly afterwards when Shaun Barker smashed home and that was that.
Newcastle surrender the leadership of the Championship but still have a game in hand and can return to the top on Saturday.
Hughton was a calm figure on the way out of Pride Park but it was pretty obvious that there had been a few home truths handed out to a team that he now starting to make look like his own.
All of the new boys looked pretty downbeat and with headphone clad Wayne Routledge in no mood for further human interaction during the aftermath, he looked like a man who needed to be left alone.
Yes, this was a bad night for Newcastle but there hasn't been too many like it this season.
But time to panic?
Not yet surely.
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Lee Ryder - Proudly born and bred on Tyneside, the Chronicle's chief sports writer has followed the fortunes of the club over the last three decades as a Toon fan and football writer.
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No panic, please.
We went there to play football and it proved to be a failure. But if we go to Swansea and play like this, we just might win. So, please no nil-nils a-la Leicester away, I'd rather lose one and win another!
Last night we conceded goals when we had upper hand - it's cruel but it happens.
On another day, we would get the first goal and went on to dominate the rest of the game.
My only worry is ineffectiveness of Gutierrez - he really should play simpler game and not give the ball away at nickybutt rate...
completely disagree with the first comment. We were second best from the start. Savage put it about in the first ten minutes and we bottled it from then on.
Smith should have started - he would have had a great battle with Savage (without doubt the best player on the pitch) instead of Nolan who just couldn't get close to him.
Nolan was a passenger - Gutierrez isn't cut out for that type of game. Neither should have started.
Best looks great at holding the ball up but constantly plays with his back to goal.
In general, we're very route 1 when Carroll plays which doesn't suit Routledge, Guthrie or Gutierrez.
Last night was a battle - one that NUFC unfortunately lost.
I have followed Newcastle all my life and it has never changed we get a great win one day, and the next day we throw it away, why why why?
I still think there are players at the club who think ,we will go there and get a easy win, ( WELL I AM SORRY, BUT THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, WAKE UP, )
We now have another away game at Cardiff and to be honest I cannot see use getting a win there either, we have struggled to get an away win all season, West Brom and Notts Forrest are gradually creeping up the table, and winning there away and home games comfortably, At one point this season we were 10 points clear with a game in hand.
Does this not look like times gone by ???????
Chris Houghton needs to get them all together and tell them straight, EVERY GAME NEEDS TO TREATED AS A FA CUP GAME, IF NOT I CAN SEE USE FIGHTING FOR A PLAY OF SPOT OR WORSE NOTHING ?
Sorry meant to say Swansea.
Can't treat everygame as a fa cup game otherwise we'd be sending out the reserves every week !
we should stop all the complains and grumbling. all this were in vain. we should be calm and analyse why did we exactly went wrong last night?..why is there such a great difference in terms of our performance against cardiff city and derby?..we did not change our starting line up either. our defence?..replace hall with colo when he is back from injury?..rest nolan and replace with smith. guthrie to continue in the CM. i guess our strikers are doing fine right?.
wad about formation?. should we try 4-1-2-1-1 or 4-3-3 instead of always using 4-5-1 or 4-4-2 which may not seem effective at times?..hope CH ponders this carefully. match against swansea is our only chance to reopen the gap between nufc and wba since we have all played 30 matches respectively.
True fans should back their team in times of need!Howay the Lads!
Panic no way!
Last night we weathered the first 15 minutes where Derby were clearly in control towards half time I thought we started to play the better football, their first was a quick break after our pressure, then Carroll's goal should have stood! At 1-1 it would have been anyones game.
We had a soft penalty appeal turned down and they got one given again against the run of play.
So until then pretty even!
My concern was the amount of high ball we played, Harps generally kicked long and there seemed to be a lack of cohesion between the fullbacks and our wide players - understandable given they have been together 3 games.
I hope we attack at Swansea but play the ball on the ground, which means start with Lovenkrands and not two target men. I'd rather lose one and win one than get a couple of 0-0 draws like Leicester.
HWTL
I was at Leicester and I was there last night. We played terribly in the Leicester game and were lucky not to lose to 10 men without creating a great deal. Yet last night we actually attacked them had a fair few chances, were unlucky not to get the goal that was ruled out and of course we had a couple of penalty shouts of our own. They were fired up for it, we had a few passengers in Nolan, Simpson and Jonas and didn't get the rub of the green. Get over it and move in starting on Saturday. Play the same starting XI, Smith has been poor for a while now so why should he just walk straight back in.
i don't mind seeing 451 until we take the sting out of the opposition then move up a gear to 442. and why isn't PLvnkds getting a start? maybe we were a bit adventerous at the mo until the new boys settle in, friday obviously had a bit of beginners luck about it. still a little concerned about the chopping and changing but hey we can't win them all...
It's a typical Championship when there are 3 teams going for 2 automatic promotion places, it's so annoying that there can't just be two at the top several points clear - wishful thinking I know but my paranoia makes me think it will be us that misses out. Forest's unbeaten run came to a sudden end, as will West Brom's. We have an equal number of home and away games remaining - as long as we win our home games and get at least draws away from home we should be ok. I would love to finish top but at this very moment in time I'm so paranoid I just want to get back up there!
4-1-2-1-1 ? Why play with only 10 players? I would prefer 5-5-4. Plenty of width.