Quite possibly one of worst performances in recent time as Newcastle United slumped to a spineless 1-0 defeat against bottom of the league Derby County. The home team were looking to restore some pride into their aptly named Park after a shameful 6-0 pounding against an impressive Liverpool side, very soon before the tedious international break descended upon us. On the contrary, the break couldn’t have came at a worse time with Newcastle starting to excite through two comfortable wins and newly found clean sheets against Barnsley and Wigan correspondingly.
Big Sam made just the one enforced change from our home victory against Wigan – Shola Ameobi replacing the injured Mark Viduka. And it was the gangly striker who came under most criticism, most notably in the post-match comments from Les Ferdinand and Steve Mcmanaman live on Setanta. Ameobi did very little right, wasting a chance in the second half and seemingly loosing the ability to either head or hold the ball up. In his defence, Newcastle’s midfield created very little with ‘utility man’ Alan Smith wasted on the right-hand side. Fellow striker Michael Owen was replaced early in the second-half with a reported groin strain, his replacement Obafemi Martins patently lacking in confidence. Newcastle’s back line looked solid enough and could do very little about Kenny Miller’s long-range strike. Worryingly for United, it now seems we have too many defenders – a bench consisting off: Given, Beye, Faye, Martins, and Pattison. The latter, for some uncanny reason, still at the club.
Chances were few and far between - Geremi tested from a free kick and Rozenhal missed an open goal subsequent to a gallivanting seventy-yard run. And it was the Czech defender who was clearly fouled in the box seconds before Miller struck. A Newcastle corner seen Derby centre-half Leacock jostle the United defender only for referee Peter Walton to ignore Rozenhal’s appeal. Nevertheless, supposedly a penalty kick was awarded and converted; it would have been underserved on a tigerish Derby display with Billy Davies’ side clearly more committed and up for the game than Allardyce’s team ever were. As the game went on I half expected Souness or Roeder to be barking instructions from the sideline – the performance synchronising the dark days of both managers.
But let’s not be too critical, shall we? The team is still gelling, players have just come back from internationals and Joey Barton is approaching full fitness…I hope.
P.S. Shola Ameobi's offical rating on skysports.com was 3/10. The lowest on our team and the words 'No Threat' describing his performance.
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