Newcastle Town v Vale

[PV1973]

You can only beat whats in front of you and in other football cliches it was very much a game of 2 halves.

 

The first half was a more physical and quite tight affair. We didn't play that much football and were quite direct. Boote didn't have a lot to do. I thought the centre half pairing of Kay and Gunning were good talkers and liked to get stuck in too, I like that. You can tell the right back hadn't played for a while, his touch was off a few times, but clearly he must have some pedigree. Equally our young left back looks just that, a young player just starting out and he made some poor decisions at times that he'll learn from. I thought Reeves did well carrying the ball at their back 4. Pugh was tidying up nicely and kept the ball well. The right winger huffed and puffed and saw much more of the ball than Montano but wasn't able to produce too much. We hardly went down the left, but when we did Montano produced one good cross I think and then obviously a great strike for the first goal. I thought Walker looked promising, although he reminded me of how Dan Turner plays. Pope was Pope, always an outlet and I think wih him in the team it dictates that we have an out ball all the time who the defenders can just hit. Plus he is what we missed last season, someone to hold the ball or win free kicks. Newcastle were up for the battle for first half and they didn't threaten much at all, but even so it was still quite tight.

 

Second half was totally different. We changed the entire team and I think they near enough did too. We kept the ball much better and were much more free flowing in our atacking and I think without Pope it meant we didn't go long as much. Lainton liked to to have the ball at his feet off the defenders and used it well, he also produced one unbelievable save from a free header from a corner, not sure who was supposed to be marking him but the defenders were bollocking someone for the lax marking. The back 4 didn't really have too much to do, but they had a lot of time to play the ball around, I thought the left back Kelly seemed a bit rushed at times conceding setpieces and possession a bit too easily, but having said that they didn't really threaten down that side. Davis and Smith could have put some slippers on, Gibbons didn't have much to do either and kept the winger quiet, he pushed on quite a lot too as the game opened up. I don't think Green took his man on once, but linked up well with the forwards and kept possession, maybe his recent injury is still an issue for him? ADF was everywhere and it was too easy for him, same with Tongue, they controlled the midfield. Turner looked sharp and produced some good skill at times and created a couple of the goals. Gaeton on the left wing looked quick and had the beating of their right back. Pyke is clearly someone whos a goal scorer, it'll be interesting to see how he does against better opposition though and that same sentiment applies to all the team, because we made Newcastle look rubbish in the second half. I liked that we looked like we can adapt our style, mix it up and go long and be physical or be patient and keep the ball. I would say that we have more physical presence than last season too. But its early days and it would be wrong to be too judgemental yet I guess.

[PVTony]

Maybe Brown will become a good manager and silence his critics after a few games.

These two good results, albeit against none league clubs and the gathering of a potentially good squad show signs of Browns ability.

A better test for the players will be against Nottingham Forest in the soon to be friendly game.

[Trampilot]

Pay the P(ope) & P(yke)

 

and they will deliver.

 

 

Ok that was crap.

[Tomo]

You can only beat whats in front of you and in other football cliches it was very much a game of 2 halves...

 

Not quoting your entire post to save room PV, but agree with pretty much all of that. Would be nice to have elements of both sides in our squad for this season, so if things aren't working, we could switch from the kind of system that we played in the first half, to the one in the second.

 

It's refreshing to see us trying things that are completely different, & there was a very clear change to the way we played in each half. Too often in the past few seasons (with Page away especially), we came out for the second half & there was little to no change, with no plan B available when we conceded or things went wrong too.

[darren1810]

Pay the P(ope) & P(yke)

 

and they will deliver.

 

 

Ok that was crap.

 

Stick to the day job Tram

[Trampilot]

Stick to the day job Tram

 

I'm a professional comic.

 

 

 

 

(This is a lie)

[ArtyTheValiant]

I'm a professional comic.

 

 

 

 

(This is a lie)

 

Please don't take that title away from Knockavelli