Newcastle will go down

[Bigkegman]

Dont know what Keegan put in their half time tea last night but they where certainly better in the 2nd half - showed a bit of fight but not a lot more.

[all_funkt_up]

Newcastle were awful first half and Birmingham really should have been more than a goal to the good. the 4-3-3 formation is an odd one for them to play - in that you have 3 centre forwards who all play in a similar way. None of them really enjoy coming deep or hugging the touch line. Owen was dropping back into midfield but doesnt really have the skill set to do that - he's more of a striker than a forward. Similarily, I wouldnt really want Martins or Viduka dropping deep either. Although physically very different, they all play in the same way and they all want to be in the same areas of the pitch - consequently one of them has to adapt his game or else they all get in each other's way.

Anyway - they couldnt string 3 passes together last night and were shocking. They lacked shape and organisation and the fact they conceded only 1 goal was more down to the fact that Birmingham ended the match with Cameron Jerome up front rather than resolute defending. The lad is anything but Premiership class.

[all_funkt_up]

Originally Posted by Bigkegman

Dont know what Keegan put in their half time tea last night but they where certainly better in the 2nd half - showed a bit of fight but not a lot more.

Newcastle's front 3 probably earn a collective £250'000 a week.

They certainly didnt demonstrate their worth in the first half.

Agreed that second half they were a different team, they looked switch on and dare I say.... bovvered.

[crowie]

I swithched it off at HT. That first 45 mins of football hurt my eyes! It was horrific. Bar a couple of nice touches from McFadden it was devoid of any football whatsoever. I was like watching parks football.

Btw, Big Sam should be up in front of the bungs commission again considering he spent £6.5m on that dreadful left back. The boy was pish. He took one free kick which ended up a shot as it was about 30 yards away from any other Newcastle player....but he took it from his own half!

I was amazed Newcastle scored when I saw the result later.

[Wittmann 44]

The first half last night was as bad a 45 minutes as you're every likely to see in a top flight game. Second half was marginally better but still devoid of any real quality.

The free kick / shot was going I'd say 10 yards wide of teh Everton goal before the goalie caught it. The cameras weren't even focussing on the kicker . What was worse was the quality of the Newcastle corners. They forced about 4 in quick succesion in a relatively purple patch midway through the second half but Geremi couldnt clear the first defender a single time but no one took charge on field and got someone better equipped to take them.

If they don't get 3 points from Fulham they'll be some nervous Geordies.

Incidentally looking at the run ins Fulham have without doubt the easiest on paper - Newcastle (h), Derby(a), Sunderland, Reading (a), Birmingham and a Portsmouth team (a) who on the last day might not be too interested.

[rcgills]

Originally Posted by Wittmann 44

The free kick / shot was going I'd say 10 yards wide of teh Everton goal before the goalie caught it.

Must've been some miskick to send it all the way from Birmingham to Merseyside

[Wittmann 44]

The perils of doing (or trying to) do two things at the same time

[ONEDUNME]

Originally Posted by Wittmann 44

Incidentally looking at the run ins Fulham have without doubt the easiest on paper - Newcastle (h), Derby(a), Sunderland, Reading (a), Birmingham and a Portsmouth team (a) who on the last day might not be too interested.

Great. I make them a maximum of seven points out of that lot which takes them to 30 points and certain relegation..


I'd rather be playing teams like Boro, Wigan and West Ham who are all piss poor and have less to play for than the lot that Fulham have got to play.

[Wittmann 44]

I'd rather be playing teams like Boro, Wigan and West Ham who are all piss poor and have less to play for than the lot that Fulham have got to play.

Are these the same Boro, Wigan and West Gam that have been losing games to beat the bandwagon all season? The old "they have to win now" so they will (even though they haven't been doing it all year argument? The irony of me making an argument for Fulham on a similar basis isn't lost on me though .

Looking at those from Newcastle down the last place will probably be between Fulham and Sunderland as I think Bolton are fucked given their horrible run in. If Fulham beat Sunderland I'd actually fancy them to stay up and Sunderland to go down.

I've backed both Bolton (@ 2.20) and Sunderland (@ 3.90)for relgation at on the basis that they'll probably be shorter.

[christianu]

Bolton to go down is one of the bets of the season at this moment.

Man united (A)
Man City (H)
Arsenal (A)

They are already 3rd bottom, their odds are going to plummet, get on while you can.

Also Carlisle to be promoted 6/5 dont miss it. They are about a 60% shot to come 2nd, and if not they have the play offs defo to fall back on.

Brilliant double that.

[Cinny]

3 points for newcastle on saturday should go along way for them and i think theyll get it. 10/11 looks tasty