Lineup for match with Chemnitzer FC, starting in 40 minutes! NUFC XI: Elliott, Tavernier, Perch, Williamson, R. Taylor, Gosling, Abeid, Amalfitano, Obertan, Vuckic, SAMeobi. SUBS: Harper, Simpson, Santon, Bigirimana, Jonas, Ba, Shola.
I've only seen one site but it's been overloaded and crashed. 1-0 to Chemnitzer, scored 15 minutes or so in.
Ended up losing 1-0. Had some decent chances. When you remember this was a second-string in essence against a side in their LAST preseason fixture, that's OK for me. Also, we lost to Orlando last year and look where we ended up. Sounded like the performance was decent.
If you're like me and don't recognize anyone but Gosling in the bottom row: Abeid, Tavernier, Gosling, Amalfitano
Might look a tiny bit better when names are put on them. Starting my Christmas list already: new home shirt with Ameobi 23 on the back.
I preferred the black and white rather than white and black, but eh. With numbering and such on the back it shouldn't be too bad. Then again, as long as a kit isn't gawdawful I'm really not that hard to please.
Squad against Monaco: (4-4-2) Steve Harper; Davide Santon, Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Jonas Gutierrez; Romain Amalfitano, Mehdi Abeid, Gael Bigirimana, Sammy Ameobi; Shola Ameobi, Demba Ba Substitutes: Rob Elliot, James Tavernier, Ryan Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini, James Perch, Dan Gosling, Cheick Tiote, Sylvain Marveaux, Gabriel Obertan, Haris Vuckic
Ba wins it 1-0 with a close-range header. Looked like they played this on a practice ground. Sounded like we put in a practice-kind of effort.
Yeah, watched the game and was not very impressed with most. The goal came when Ba challenged the keeper on a 50-50 ball in the goal mouth. Mon's keeper went for the punch and missed and Ba nodded it in, weak goal and could have seen a different ref whistling Ba for contact with the keeper. Newcastle had one other good chance for Shola in the first minute but hit the post. Monaco looked like the more dangerous attacking side. The hit a few posts and missed with some rockets that Harper would have had no chance with if they were on frame. Newcastle couldn't really break down Monaco's D for enough quality chances in my opinion. Bigirimana had a good match from a defensive point of view. He had some really nice tackles and broke up a number of Monaco's attacks. I can see why Pardew thinks he'll challenge for minutes even at 18. He's not your typical CM or DCM, kids got wheels and he covered a lot of ground at a high speed. Monaco finally just started attacking from the wings and gave up going through the middle because of him. Only player I came away from the game impressed with. Shola was the Capt for the day. One non game point I found interesting, Colo was on the bench. The camera's caught him a few times. The thing I found interesting was he was talking to the coaching staff and some to players who would go in during the second half. It was almost as if he was acting like an extra member of the back room staff. All this could be explained as him just being social, but I got the feeling there was more to it. If he was acting like an extra coach, which I could see him in that role when he retires, than I find that very interesting.
Actually it's 1:30 EST. Would be nice of the club to confirm these times. XI: Elliot, Simpson, Coloccini, Tavernier, Gosling, R Taylor, Marveaux, Tiote, Obertan, Vuckic, Ba. Amalfitano was in the XI but took a knock in warmups.
Finally had to turn off the sound. Commentators ripping Vuckic every time he doesn't look like Messi with the ball.
Ended 1-1. Abeid with a tidy finish at our end on 76 minutes, they equalized on pretty much the last kick. Krul would have saved it, IMO. Tavernier looked good in central defense. We looked fairly sharp all things considered, need a little more in the final third but it'll come.
Terrible effort from GolTV. They went to commercial and show highlights of matches from last season for 5-10 minutes of the second half. Didn't show the Newcastle goal when it happen. Am I the only one thinking Obertan is looking good in pre-season?
Jared, yeah agree about missing the end of the game. Gol dropped the ball there. They cited tech difficulties but I'm not so sure. They screwed up when it was going to start as well. As far as the play the D looked good but I think that was more up to Colo than Elliot. His positioning was average at best. His command of the area and communication were not up to the quality I've come to expect in Newcastle keepers (although we probably have been spoiled with Given, Harper, & Krul). I would much rather see Harper as our Europa keeper over Elliot. He doesn't have Elliot's reflexes or leg but he more than makes up for that in his positioning and communication. I doubt Colo plays a lot of the Europa cup games and if it is Elliot and Willo marshaling the D I believe the squad will be in trouble. I was pleasantly surprised with Ba's performance up top after his play against Monaco. Yes he scored, but his movement off the ball was poor and there was a mark improvement yesterday in this area. Bigirimana impressed again and I can understand why Pardew thinks he'll get first team minutes. I wasn't as impressed with Vuckic and Gosling as I was with Abrid and Bigirimana. Vuckic ran his butt off and I can't fault his motor, off ball movement, or pace with & w/o the ball. His decisions with the ball at his feet and his passing was average and I was hoping for more from him at this point in his development. Gosling seems to me to be more of a box to box mid and in that role I just didn't see him do a lot to help the attack. D wise he did a decent job but was expecting him to impose himself a little more. SAMeobi, Marveaux, Obertan, & Jonas all looked lively going forward and did a good job of attacking with the ball at their feet but I would have liked them to give a little more width to the attack. They seemed to pinch in with the ball at their feet most of the time and attacked centrally vs staying wide and crossing the ball.
The problem with GolTV is they call each and every game from a box in Miami and pretty much rely on a single stadium feed. That's why they're left behind in that the rest of the USA market has finally gotten with the program and sent people to the ground to call the games (except the FIFA junior tournaments).
Vuckic looks like a terrific athlete but an inexperienced footballer. I can understand why Bigirimana is called mini-Cheick. We're pretty sharp but just need some in the final third, which will come.
Algarve Tournament: engage. XI for Olympiacos -- Krul, Perchinho, Willo, Saylor, Santon, Squidward, Mini-Cheick, Gosling, Amalfitano, Vuckic, MackemSlayer. Olympiacos' home kits are red and white. Subs: Colo, Simpson, Raylor, Jonas, Papisto. Ba and Cabaye were on the sub sheet but withdrawn, reported to be team decision, no injuries.