Match Thread Newcastle United v Everton - Preview, Match Report and MotM Poll

[Cameron Manning]

I still feel absolutely crushed today.

That felt like a season defining game. I know there is still time etc, but I am very worried.

The game changed when Gray and Mina went off. Injuries have blighted our team for three seasons now and could play a significant part in our demise.

So down.

I think we lost nearly all of our attacking ability when Gray went off although Gordon played well. When Mina went off the defence was nearly as bad as when Mina was on having a very poor game, Branthwaite was calmer and passed the ball better than the erratic Mina.

 

[blueblue]

The injuries certainly unbalanced the team but I thought El Ghazi might have been a better sub that Dele, it would have been more like for like.

Newcastle was never going to be easy but next Saturday is vital.

 

[ramacca]

There were no bad performances against Brentford on Saturday. What a difference a few days make, as there wasn't any really good performances overall last night. At least Dele Alli and Van de Beek had a run out because they're not up to match fitness and speed. We're in a real battle and can't afford to lose to those around us. Leeds on Saturday is a huge game and let's hope we can rekindle some home form.

 

[Billy Dean]

Kept me up until the early hours that did last night. Couldn't sleep.

In my 40's and that's what they still do to me.

Last night was probably the most I've ever fumed about us.

 

[UltraVires]

I disagree I think the team thought they were unbeatable after Saturday ,they just don't learn there are no easy games .
We were unlucky losing Mina after Godfrey . I think they should just practice passing ,they were shocking last night .How someone getting so much money cannot pass a ball 5 yards or pass it to the player instead of behind or too far in front beggars belief.
They should be made to watch their own passing for many hours every time this happens until they are as sick of it as us .
I gave MOM to Gordon as he was the best by far ,I thought VDB was a class above the rest of the midfield and deserves a mention ,he had so much more control than the other clowns .

I really didn’t see the performance as overconfidence after Saturday. I think their crowd were really up for it and it made our players edgy.

Hopefully Goodison will be behind the players on Saturday like their fans were last night as it they need all the support they can get from us otherwise we will be booing them all the way to the championship

 

[Toffeelover]

Yes , but you have to analyse where it went wrong - old players shoehorned in not just at right back, but left back & their winger was on fire in the 2nd half we could not live with him - take him out of their team what did they have - about the same as us ..... the pace of that guy destroyed us we could not live with him Holgate looked lost his pace has gone, Keene has no pace neither has Coleman nor Townsend

I have been saying from the start Patterson should play, Myko also but off ill for this day. Right about the others who only know snail pace.

 

[blue1948]

I really didn’t see the performance as overconfidence after Saturday. I think their crowd were really up for it and it made our players edgy.

Hopefully Goodison will be behind the players on Saturday like their fans were last night as it they need all the support they can get from us otherwise we will be booing them all the way to the championship

I didn't mean that appearance on it's own but they typically think they are unbeatable after one win ,I agree we need Goodison behind them but it is early yet to talk of the drop .We must do as Frank says and look at the whole picture ,yes it cannot continue for sure but we can and I am certain will turn this around .

 

[JammyP]

Happy with Ed B's piece.

Give them time, and a little luck

 

[TimHowardsBeardJuice]

There were no bad performances against Brentford on Saturday.

In retrospect Brentford really capitulated, didn't they. Other than a brief spell after our second goal did they even compete. Canos was good but otherwise I thought they were garbage.

In particular they did not give Gomes any trouble gathering the ball and picking passes which let him put in a MOTM level performance.

I applaud Lampard for telling us to enjoy the ball and to get passes going forward but we have too many players in the buildup who just aren't good enough. Keane has the skill to pass but so many times - starting with the first 20 minutes of the season when he gave the ball up to Southampton for their first goal - he's just frozen or panicked. Mina is decent but he's never out there. Godfrey is starting to get back into form but he regressed so badly from where he was last year. Gomes, just not physical enough. Allan, a step too old and slow, and can't do it alone.

No coincidence that we've played our best when Doucoure was fully fit and beasting it from box to box.

Rafael, to be fair, had a good idea with getting the ball quickly up the wings and he brought in players to fit that style. Gordon has also developed into a player who can do that. But to play Frank's way we need CBs and DMs who can pass through the middle. Brentford let us do it. Newcastle punished us for trying, quite severely.

Play VdB. No reason to start Gomes over him based on what we saw last night.

 

[UltraVires]

I didn't mean that appearance on it's own but they typically think they are unbeatable after one win ,I agree we need Goodison behind them but it is early yet to talk of the drop .We must do as Frank says and look at the whole picture ,yes it cannot continue for sure but we can and I am certain will turn this around .

I am hopeful too mate but I am as nervy about it as I have ever been I would say. I don’t think any of us have any real connection to this group of players with very few exceptions. That’s never happened before as even when we had bad teams, I still always thought that the players would give it their all and care about the club.

If Ivan Toney is coming out with derogatory comments about Brentford after the good times he has had with them, can you imagine what our players think behind closed doors? Don’t think they care less about our club to be honest

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

Last night was probably the most I've ever fumed about us.

I was fuming even before the game kicked - off having to climb all those stairs to mine and my lads seats.

 

[EGWToffee]

Watching the game back it wasn’t an “absolutely disastrous” performance. At least we are now keeping the ball more.

What does stick out is the genuine lack of quality in some players. Townsend had an absolute shocker and it’s fair to say he shouldn’t be anywhere near the first 11 now. Gomes also stunk the place out. The amount of corners we conceded was very worrying too. A lot could have been cleared for throw ins.

The first goal is so so poor in terms of marking for the corner. Townsend & Gomes both losing their men. Second goal Townsend loses Fraser

 

[Cels]

Newcastle United absolutely took us to pieces in the second half and were fully deserving of their win. But what was Jordan Pickford doing for their third goal? Surely he wasn't happy with our wall and should have had the players tighten up? The free-kick was struck though the only gap available.

Thought Anthony Gordon dropped off bit has the game when on, understandable after the lad was nearly cut in half by JonJo Shelvey, but he still did more than enough to earn MotM.

 

[toffeenic]

Jeez, I've just said very similar in another post. I agree entirely.

 

[Bluestar]

Luckily there are at least 4 teams below us who are really [Poor language removed], because we are on a very slippy slope and even the impetus of a new manager fell flat after 1 game

Well one of them is not so poor now.