There is this myth that when you’re diagnosed with cancer, people will rally around you. You see the adverts on TV of people coming together and being supportive. It all…
The midfield is my main cause for concern, especially this 4-3-3 thing, as I really don’t think they understand where they should be playing, who picks up who, who’s tracking, who sits deep etc.
We have controlled the 2nd half without really threatening, it’s all too pedestrian and lacklustre, just nowhere near good enough for the Premier League, in watching the game I quite honestly can’t explain the formation or who’s playing where or what the tactics are.
We knew that the new signings would be existing players coming back from injury and having them available, we knew the new signings would be the ones bought in January (even though we were promised an overhaul), we all knew from JFK’s comments that we weren’t in a position to spend without a plan being proposed.
Basically, all we need is someone who is controlling the flow of communication, otherwise there will always be chaos – especially when the top of the tree is an idiot.
I can take it, because that’s how we are, we know who we are and what we’re about, we’re realistic about what Newcastle will achieve on any given season, but we colour it with bravado and big ourselves up because we want to believe how good we could be.
I firmly think our problems have been the midfield this season – that’s the engine room for defence and attack, we haven’t found the right balance, and just chucking your best players on there doesn’t work.
With Tiote and Perch, one of them has to sit in front of the back 4 and not take it in turns, you never saw Bracewell, Batty, Venison leave their position and get dragged here there and everywhere, someone needs to sit and follow the line of the ball, that gives freedom to the other central midfielder to join between attack/defence.
Well, I think Tiote is the better player, but we get more balance from a Perch/Cabaye partnership. With Perch in the team, Cabaye tends to get more advanced and pick the passes out, when Tiote plays, Cabaye sits deep.
