Topic: Middlesbrough 0 - 0 Newcastle - 29/11/08 - post match reaction from page 17

[Golfmag]

Given 7
Enrique 4
Beye 6 (Downing MOTM imo)
Colo 7
Bassong 8
Gurthrie 6
Butt 6
Zog 5
Jonas 8
Martins 7 - Like Kinnear but that was a terrible decision taking him off
Owen - 6 - no service
Viduka - 5

Jonas 8, Zog 5 - which game did you watch?

He probably saw the whole game   Still I'd agree they shouldn't be that far apart, they had pretty similar performances really.

Enrique worried me at times today, seemed to struggle defensively and gave the ball away a fair bit.

To be fair to him he only really started to struggle once the fog rolled in on his corner of the pitch.

Just my opinion but I would stand by those marks and I saw the whole game. Zog is a liability on far more occasions than he is an asset, He loses the ball time and time again, whereas Jonas beats his man more often, particulalry in tight spaces, virtually never gives the ball away and tracks back better. Zog can only beat a man where he has space and can use his pace. The one time he did this well today, he hit a very weak shot, when a pass to Owen would have led to a goal.

[TRon]

Bolton, Fulham, Wigan occupying 7th, 8th and 9th. Mental.

Just shows you how a few wins can transform the season. Reason for hope.   

[Mowen]

Replace Butt with a Patrick Vierra type of midfielder and we'd do very well, and yes I know, that type of player doesn't grow on trees.

I agree, exactly the sort of player we need. I'm not suggesting him as a target as there's a less than zero chance of us getting him, but Essien would be perfect for us.

[Mick]

Just my opinion but I would stand by those marks. Zog is a liability on far more occasions than he is an asset, He loses the ball time and time again, whereas Jonas beats his man more often, particulalry in tight spaces, virtually never gives the ball away and tracks back better. Zog can only beat a man where he has space and can use his pace. The one time he did this well today, he hit a very weak shot, when a pass to Own would have led to a goal.

N'Zogbia played some excellent passes, especially in the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half.

[chicago_shearer]

Bolton, Fulham, Wigan occupying 7th, 8th and 9th. Mental.

Just shows you how a few wins can transform the season. Reason for hope.  

Currently 8 points between relegation and the CL spots.  It is guaranteed to be a lot more than that after the New Year, and we need to make sure we stay up close to mid table and aren't one of the sides that fall away.  The next few matches will decide whether this is another nail biter or a blissful return to mid table anonymity. 

[gazza ladra]

Very frustrating game; Enrique and Butt were quite poor.  Colo and Bassong were solid. Can't understand taking off Martins. Don't think that N'Zogbia showed a whole lot either. Looking forward to seeing Viduka in the starting 11.

Given 7
Beye 6
Colo 6
Bassong  7
Enrique 4
Jonas 5
Guthrie 6
Butt 4
NZogbia 5
Owen 5
Martins 7
Viduka 6

[Yorkie]

Bolton, Fulham, Wigan occupying 7th, 8th and 9th. Mental.

Just shows you how a few wins can transform the season. Reason for hope.  

Or a few losses, when you look at the likes of West Ham, Mackems, Blackburn.

We were in severe danger of going that way after the abominations of Fulham and Wigan, but in fairness to us we've done well to cling onto some sort of ledge with these last two results. Really is time to build on it now with Stoke and Spurs to come to us, aswell as a genuine opportunity of an away win at Pompey.

Like i've said in another thread, if Kinnear's ever gonna prove us wrong then this a massive chance. His last chance was Fulham and Wigan (post Villa). He can't afford to f*** it up again.

[Yorkie]

Bolton, Fulham, Wigan occupying 7th, 8th and 9th. Mental.

Just shows you how a few wins can transform the season. Reason for hope.  

Currently 8 points between relegation and the CL spots.  It is guaranteed to be a lot more than that after the New Year,

No it really, really isn't. I can't see how that's guaranteed. And that's what worries me most; if the league is still how it is come February sorta time, and we're still plodding along around here, it's worrying times.

[Teasy]

Bolton, Fulham, Wigan occupying 7th, 8th and 9th. Mental.

The league is insanely tight, we're only 4 points off 7th.

[Mick]

Very frustrating game; Enrique and Butt were quite poor.  Colo and Bassong were solid. Can't understand taking off Martins. Don't think that N'Zogbia showed a whole lot either. Looking forward to seeing Viduka in the starting 11.

Given 7
Beye 6
Colo 6
Bassong  7
Enrique 4
Jonas 5
Guthrie 6
Butt 4
NZogbia 5
Owen 5
Martins 7
Viduka 6

I'm surprised that you award anybody less than Owen, for me he was the poorest player on either side today.

[TRon]

Bolton, Fulham, Wigan occupying 7th, 8th and 9th. Mental.

Just shows you how a few wins can transform the season. Reason for hope.  

Or a few losses, when you look at the likes of West Ham, Mackems, Blackburn.

We were in severe danger of going that way after the abominations of Fulham and Wigan, but in fairness to us we've done well to cling onto some sort of ledge with these last two results. Really is time to build on it now with Stoke and Spurs to come to us, aswell as a genuine opportunity of an away win at Pompey.

Like i've said in another thread, if Kinnear's ever gonna prove us wrong then this a massive chance. His last chance was Fulham and Wigan (post Villa). He can't afford to f*** it up again.

The key is to keep picking up points, which we are for the most part. I know it's frustrating not to win these games but two draws at boro and Chelsea are still pretty good results.

[Skirge]

Given 7
Beye 6
Colo 7
Bassong  8
Enrique 5
Jonas 6
Guthrie 6
Butt 5
NZogbia 6
Owen 4
Martins 7
-----------
Viduka 6

[Teasy]

Bolton, Fulham, Wigan occupying 7th, 8th and 9th. Mental.

Just shows you how a few wins can transform the season. Reason for hope.  

Or a few losses, when you look at the likes of West Ham, Mackems, Blackburn.

We were in severe danger of going that way after the abominations of Fulham and Wigan, but in fairness to us we've done well to cling onto some sort of ledge with these last two results. Really is time to build on it now with Stoke and Spurs to come to us, aswell as a genuine opportunity of an away win at Pompey.

Like i've said in another thread, if Kinnear's ever gonna prove us wrong then this a massive chance. His last chance was Fulham and Wigan (post Villa). He can't afford to f*** it up again.

The key is to keep picking up points, which we are for the most part. I know it's frustrating not to win these games but two draws at boro and Chelsea are still pretty good results.

Picking up points away is good yes, but we need to start winning more at home.  Draws at home against the teams around us aren't good enough and too many of them would see us relegated no matter how many good draws we get away.

[Mick]

Given - 8, did everything asked of him.
Beye - 7, I can't remember him doing much but he produced 1 brilliant tackle and clearance in the 2nd half.
Colo - 7, he had very little to do because of Bassong but did what he had to.
Bassong  - 9, he had almost a perfect game.
Enrique - 5, wasn't bad at defending but his passing was a joke.
Jonas - 7, not bad and again showed some excellent close control.
Guthrie - 6, he probably made the best run of the game when he virtually went from our box to the Boro box.
Butt 5 - 6, nothing spectacular and horrible on the eye, he could have won it from a free-kick.
Owen - 3, that's about a point for every time he touched the ball.
Martins - 6, he looked the most likely to do anything up front and taking him off showed that Kinnear picks players on reputation.
NZogbia - 7, I thought he did very little wrong and needs a few more games, he made one brilliant pass inside at the beginning of the second half which should have brought a goal.

Viduka - 6, he could have scored, I hope he stays fit.

Kinnear - 7, picked the right starting 11 but bottled the substitution.

[Begbie]

Given - 8, did everything asked of him.
Beye - 7, I can't remember him doing much but he produced 1 brilliant tackle and clearance in the 2nd half.
Colo - 7, he had very little to do because of Bassong but did what he had to.
Bassong  - 9, he had almost a perfect game.
Enrique - 5, wasn't bad at defending but his passing was a joke.
Jonas - 7, not bad and again showed some excellent close control.
Guthrie - 6, he probably made the best run of the game when he virtually went from our box to the Boro box.
Butt 5 - 6, nothing spectacular and horrible on the eye, he could have won it from a free-kick.
Owen - 3, that's about a point for every time he touched the ball.
Martins - 6, he looked the most likely to do anything up front and taking him off showed that Kinnear picks players on reputation.
NZogbia - 7, I thought he did very little wrong and needs a few more games, he made one brilliant pass inside at the beginning of the second half which should have brought a goal.

Viduka - 6, he could have scored, I hope he stays fit.

Kinnear - 7, picked the right starting 11 but bottled the substitution.

Totaly agree with all u said here.

[Yorkie]

Yeah, agree entirely with that evaluation, Mick. But i mean, is that 'Butt the Fifth' or what? Confused.

[WarrenBartonCentrePartin]

it'll have been said a million times already, but f*** me Kinnear is a f***ing muppet for taking Oba off for the totally AWOL Owen.

But by god we've f***ing missed Viduka.  Him and Oba to start against Stoke for sure.

[Mick]

it'll have been said a million times already, but f*** me Kinnear is a f***ing muppet for taking Oba off for the totally AWOL Owen.

But by god we've f***ing missed Viduka.  Him and Oba to start against Stoke for sure.

Our starting 11 could beat Stoke 5-0 or lose 1-0.

[Tooj]

Given - 8, did everything asked of him.
Beye - 7, I can't remember him doing much but he produced 1 brilliant tackle and clearance in the 2nd half.
Colo - 7, he had very little to do because of Bassong but did what he had to.
Bassong  - 9, he had almost a perfect game.
Enrique - 5, wasn't bad at defending but his passing was a joke.
Jonas - 7, not bad and again showed some excellent close control.
Guthrie - 6, he probably made the best run of the game when he virtually went from our box to the Boro box.
Butt 5 - 6, nothing spectacular and horrible on the eye, he could have won it from a free-kick.
Owen - 3, that's about a point for every time he touched the ball.
Martins - 6, he looked the most likely to do anything up front and taking him off showed that Kinnear picks players on reputation.
NZogbia - 7, I thought he did very little wrong and needs a few more games, he made one brilliant pass inside at the beginning of the second half which should have brought a goal.

Viduka - 6, he could have scored, I hope he stays fit.

Kinnear - 7, picked the right starting 11 but bottled the substitution.

I thought Colo was the pick of the bunch for me. Bassong had a couple of dodgy moments but his athleticism gets him out of things, which is a good thing to have. Colo just looked so assured.

[Mick]

I thought Colo was the pick of the bunch for me. Bassong had a couple of dodgy moments but his athleticism gets him out of things, which is a good thing to have. Colo just looked so assured.

I should have also added that N'Zogbia cleared a ball off the line.

[Ridman]

Given 8 (one decent save, commanding in the box)
Beye  6 (struggled with Downing, still made some good recoveries)
Bassong 9 (impeccable today)
Colo 8 (solid)
Enrique 5 (ok defensively,  AWFUL passing)
Butt 5 (meh)
Guthrie 5,5 ( could have helped more in the attack than he did, still managed to set up Martins for the crossbar shot and had one decent effort just wide of goal)
Zogbia 6 (2-3 good runs, a little selfish losing the ball on some occasions when he could have passed it)
Gutierrez 6 (nothing special, decent backtracking)
Owen 4 (no support)
Martins 6 (no support, still showed a lot off hunger and had two good efforts)

Viduka 7 (think he did really well after coming on,  looked fit and held the ball up well. Got himself into two good shooting positions in the short time he was on)

Kinnear 7 (good 1st team selection, should have brought Geremi on for Gutierrez or N'Zogbia in my opinion and Owen definitely should have gone off instead of Martins)
 
Don't think people can be too critical on our wingers today. Butt and Guthrie were glued to the halfway line and our fullbacks weren't offering much support either, meaning Boro could easily double team on Zogbia and Gutierrez.

[Chris P]

As i said at half time .Viduka should have come on for Owen, but by the end of the game that Viduka Owen partnership looked good.

Another 15 mins and we would have had them.

[Umer]

But by god we've f***ing missed Viduka.  Him and Oba to start against Stoke for sure.

Nah I think he'll be on the bench for at least one more game. Owen & Martins got more chance of working as a partnership at home anyway.

[Nixon]

Be interesting to see what will happen we are on the verge of 4 fit strikers with Smith to come back.

[Ashley17]

Then we'll have 4 fit strikers and Smith.