The players

[Martinmalta]

Everyone is blaming JFH for this disaster and tbh, I did as well! However, its the players that runs on the pitch and if they are not up to it, its them to blame. I did not find the courage to watch all 90 minutes and instead watched the highlights. In these few moments I watched from the game, I had no doubt that the players where not up to the task. I think they gave themselves conquered from the very first moments. Could be that JFH, being a DIV 2 manager now in the Championship, make them too aware that the opponents are good. Our players didn't press them at all; I saw several situations where our players stood still staring at their opponent; some of the goals could had been avoided but for slow reaction from our defense; even Smithies comes into this. I saw on other occasions (Blackburn spring to mind) and in this one he had two occasions, where he hesitated to come out of his line to either clear or collect the ball. On both occasions we conceded. I agree that from JFH point of view, he got the tactics wrong. However, our players make it worse by giving up early. My biggest concern is that we are struggling big at home. Even when we manage to win in the League Cup, on both occasions, it was a big struggle. Not to mention the defeat to Preston; the draw with Blackburn and now this. As usual, our season is turning into a mess.

[corbray]

I was at the game last night and its 50/50 imo. The players kept panicking everytime they got the ball and would either pass it to the side, backwards or right at a newcastle player, heck, at times it was like they were playing hot potato! We barely made any runs or spread around the pitch when off the ball, all clumped together in the middle and onouha was as usual doing a terrible job in keeping the team together.

However jfh picks this team, he tells them how to play, he chooses the formation, who goes in what position and most worringly he plays people out of position time and time again.

For example, why are we playing cousins as a CDM when he plays more as a creative midfielder who works his ass off?? Why is ned playing rightback despite rarely looking convincing there? (Or anywhere). Why is shodipo still benched most the time and why can't we at least try to score in open play rather than passing it backwards everytime an opposition defender puts the pressure on us? Why do we never press a counter attack and instead allow everyone to regroup? Why are we still playing this style of football despite other teams having figured us out?


Both jfh and the team are accountable for us playing shite

[Stanley]

Everyone is blaming JFH for this disaster and tbh, I did as well! However, its the players that runs on the pitch and if they are not up to it, its them to blame.

Both the manager and players have to take the blame. However the manager picks the team, trains them all week, organises, motivates, dictates the tactics, game plan and formation. Therefore JFH is mostly to blame. He's the leader and the buck stops with him.

[nasser95]

I was at the game last night and its 50/50 imo. The players kept panicking everytime they got the ball and would either pass it to the side, backwards or right at a newcastle player, heck, at times it was like they were playing hot potato! We barely made any runs or spread around the pitch when off the ball, all clumped together in the middle and onouha was as usual doing a terrible job in keeping the team together.

However jfh picks this team, he tells them how to play, he chooses the formation, who goes in what position and most worringly he plays people out of position time and time again.

For example, why are we playing cousins as a CDM when he plays more as a creative midfielder who works his ass off?? Why is ned playing rightback despite rarely looking convincing there? (Or anywhere). Why is shodipo still benched most the time and why can't we at least try to score in open play rather than passing it backwards everytime an opposition defender puts the pressure on us? Why do we never press a counter attack and instead allow everyone to regroup? Why are we still playing this style of football despite other teams having figured us out?


Both jfh and the team are accountable for us playing shite

1. Cousins is not a creative midfielder, he's a box to box player and yesterday, he didn't know how to turn around and run. Not the managers fault that the players get nervous.

2. Ned is playing at right back because he played well there when asked to this season. Watch the matches, you'd be surprised.

3. Shodipo was on the bench for the reason I said yesterday that no one even took seriously because they think they're aware of the physical nature of a 19 year old who's made 3 competitive appearances for a championship side and who's next game was 2.5 days after his last game. That is not enough recovery time. He was on the bench as a last resort, we're limited on options with injuries etc. Hence why Pawel came on for Perch.

4. The players passed it backwards so much yesterday because of how pressuring Newcastle were on the ball. Against Blackburn, and generally in matches with Cousins and Henry playing together, I'd imagine the issue is in how deep they both start. We know cousins is someone who likes to run from deep, but maybe he's starting too deep. The other issue is that Chery's position is really more like a striker than a cam. I saw it this morning, his average position was basically alongside CW and they were in line with the two wingers. To me, what that shows is that there's a huge disconnect between our midfield and our attack. I don't see how we can blame the manager for that being the case if it's in the players' style of play to start from deep or from high up. What we should do is switch it around, get Luongo in who will actually take a higher position and close the gap between everyone.

5. We know JFH said he wants pressing, so one thing I think we can eliminate is the idea that he told his players not to press Newcastle. But when you play against a team of that quality, they're gonna get you running early, and you're not gonna have much left in the tank very quickly.

JFH made errors yesterday, not making changes early enough, starting CW over Sylla. I understand some of his decisions, like Perch playing RM to support Ned against top half premier league quality left winger Matt Ritchie. I understand the concept of playing Henry against the best attacking side in the league, whose combined value is probably over 40 mil at least and who's overall club value more than doubles ours.

No manager in the world tells their team to play like we did yesterday. Not one, and people who think JFH legitimately told the squad to play like that need to take a step back, deep breath and just think about it for a moment. He got some of it wrong, he's acknowledged that and we know that, but the players were the ones who stopped playing football yesterday.

[Martinmalta]

Most of our players are still young and without much experience. I have full respect to Newcastle, however what I cannot accept is that our players. professionals as they are, freeze in confronting a good side. We can blame JFH, however I watched mistake after another in our box. Our players did not know what they were doing. They lost all game plan. Were disorientated to say the least. Lost discipline, concentration and the will to fight. No pressing, no man marking, no closing down opponents. Well, the way our players performed was a perfect recipe to disaster. And that's what happened.

[72bus]

1. Cousins is not a creative midfielder, he's a box to box player and yesterday, he didn't know how to turn around and run. Not the managers fault that the players get nervous.

2. Ned is playing at right back because he played well there when asked to this season. Watch the matches, you'd be surprised.

3. Shodipo was on the bench for the reason I said yesterday that no one even took seriously because they think they're aware of the physical nature of a 19 year old who's made 3 competitive appearances for a championship side and who's next game was 2.5 days after his last game. That is not enough recovery time. He was on the bench as a last resort, we're limited on options with injuries etc. Hence why Pawel came on for Perch.

4. The players passed it backwards so much yesterday because of how pressuring Newcastle were on the ball. Against Blackburn, and generally in matches with Cousins and Henry playing together, I'd imagine the issue is in how deep they both start. We know cousins is someone who likes to run from deep, but maybe he's starting too deep. The other issue is that Chery's position is really more like a striker than a cam. I saw it this morning, his average position was basically alongside CW and they were in line with the two wingers. To me, what that shows is that there's a huge disconnect between our midfield and our attack. I don't see how we can blame the manager for that being the case if it's in the players' style of play to start from deep or from high up. What we should do is switch it around, get Luongo in who will actually take a higher position and close the gap between everyone.

5. We know JFH said he wants pressing, so one thing I think we can eliminate is the idea that he told his players not to press Newcastle. But when you play against a team of that quality, they're gonna get you running early, and you're not gonna have much left in the tank very quickly.

JFH made errors yesterday, not making changes early enough, starting CW over Sylla. I understand some of his decisions, like Perch playing RM to support Ned against top half premier league quality left winger Matt Ritchie. I understand the concept of playing Henry against the best attacking side in the league, whose combined value is probably over 40 mil at least and who's overall club value more than doubles ours.

No manager in the world tells their team to play like we did yesterday. Not one, and people who think JFH legitimately told the squad to play like that need to take a step back, deep breath and just think about it for a moment. He got some of it wrong, he's acknowledged that and we know that, but the players were the ones who stopped playing football yesterday.

3) my brother played weds , sat , sunday semi pro and worked 6 days a week , not having shopido can't play twice a week . he should have started

[acricketer]

3) my brother played weds , sat , sunday semi pro and worked 6 days a week , not having shopido can't play twice a week . he should have started

Come off it! Shodipo's a professional

[Qprtanpa1]

I almost always agree with Nasser's sharp, informed, and objective analysis.

But the riff below suggests we just had a bad game, and it's not really anyone's burden to own up to it.

I don't mind losing when the team leaves it all out on the pitch, when they give a damn to fight adversity even in defeat.

Yesterday the team was horrifyingly flat; the manager's crossed arms pose betrayed he has no comfort in pursuing in game tactical changes; and the lineup shorn of Sandro, Shodipo and a second striker was indefensibly (and stubbornly) designed.

I have generally liked JFH's emphasis on teamwork, team play and fitness.

What we saw yesterday was none of those things as fans endured a pathetic exhibition of willpower and skill in abstentia.

[Bigdave]

3) my brother played weds , sat , sunday semi pro and worked 6 days a week , not having shopido can't play twice a week . he should have started

Yeah I agree mate.

The reason Shopido didn't play was our ####in clueless cant of a manager was sh it scared to play him against Newcastle so he stuck another defensive minded player in Perch there. It's Tony Pulis style football.

[1973 ranger]

They looked as bored and pissed off with his tactics and style of play as much as the punters.

[Ramsey is god]

3) my brother played weds , sat , sunday semi pro and worked 6 days a week , not having shopido can't play twice a week . he should have started

Are you for real? you honestly think playing semi-pro requires the same levels of fitness / concentration as it does in the championship?

[Shepherds Mush]

1. Cousins is not a creative midfielder, he's a box to box player and yesterday, he didn't know how to turn around and run. Not the managers fault that the players get nervous.

Cousins has played over 125 league games and has played for England at all levels from U16-U20 and you are telling me he got so nervous playing Newcastle that he forgot how to turn around and run.

F*cking hell that is one seriously sh*t "box to box" midfielder...

[nasser95]

Cousins has played over 125 league games and has played for England at all levels from U16-U20 and you are telling me he got so nervous playing Newcastle that he forgot how to turn around and run.

F*cking hell that is one seriously sh*t "box to box" midfielder...

I doubt he's played a team of that quality yet. Remember, he's played 125 league games at this level, I'd say in those years, newcastle are the best team to play at this level by a mile. There's one thing we know for sure, JFH likes pressing. Now, if the players aren't pressing, do you honestly think JFH told them not to? Because if so, then of course it's his fault. But in all honesty, there's no way he told them to go against his own philosophy. Players behind Chery froze because they couldn't handle the pace and quality of the newcastle attack, players in front of and around Chery were beaten to everything by Lascelles and the rest of newcastle's defence. We saw 2 lines basically, the attack of 4 players and the defence of 6, and our players were so lost that they stayed in these banks. When a team like newcastle presses that hard, where 3 of their guys close everything and most importantly, where they make the pitch so narrow and short by closing all the space, if players can't get into that space, it's hardly the manager's fault.

He made mistakes for sure, but I have to primarily blame the players because there is no way any manager would tell their players to play like that.

[Shepherds Mush]

I doubt he's played a team of that quality yet. Remember, he's played 125 league games at this level, I'd say in those years, newcastle are the best team to play at this level by a mile.

Better than free scoring Watford a couple of seasons ago?

People are putting Newcastle on a pedestal but they won't win this league. We made them look like Barcelona...same as we did against Swansea, Bolton and all the other teams that have tonked us in the recent past.

[Kevin Mcleod]

Cant agreed there Mush. I'd give them the trophy now. They will walk it imho. That was the best performance ever by any championship side would be my guess.