Chez

don't recall us getting between their lines once. A lack of space is a massive problem. Faster attacks sounds like the solution, but that in itself isn't easy. The very best teams can struggle to break teams sitting deep down. We ain't the very best. Not sure of the solution, but we certainly need to think it through.

Our record against the teams around (us 2 above and below) ain't bad: we won and lost against Villa We won and drew against Spurs Drew against Palace Drew against Leicester There are ten teams below us at the moment. That's quite a lot. We are bound to lose to some of them.

That is cynical. He's just been injured. Give him the benefit of the doubt. I am amazed by football fans' ability to read body language.

I don't always agree with your takes, but you make a god point. We ain't got enough quality/skill to break teams down that sit deep, so faster attacks (with longer direct balls) seems the only alternative.

Broja came on, was a handful, all be it unsuccessful, got injured and came off, yet you picked him out specifically for criticism. Why? I will tell you why. Because you have spent the last few days on here telling people that Che is the better player, so you thought you'd back up your argument by pointing out what Broja did or didn't do.

That's your take away from this game - that Broja was useless. Blimey. Try watching each game without your preconceptions blinkering what you see.

This. We don't have enough top class players to get us out of jail when things don't go right.

Not a waste at all. If we don't do that and win games, we go down.

Someone told me Smallbone was a genuine talent, but every time he plays I fail to see it. We always look weaker and more open. We don't create more. I don't see this amazing talent shining yet. Good that he is getting chances, but I don't see the team benefitting from it at this point.

the manager changed a wining team is the only thing I can think of. What worked well in one game doesn't in another. We are a mid table side. It's no surprise to lose to any team.

that's a pen for me. Very unlucky that it hit his hand, but he had his arm up high.

Beautiful pass from Armstrong

https://streamsgate.tv/ https://new.soccerstreams-100.tv/match/eng-1/watford-at-southampton/605757

woeful JWP corner, we are caught on the break, again, Perraud has to take the yellow. Sloppy.

miles too slow, the pass was on weeks before he saw it/thought about it/chose to do it/did it.

Villa to newcastle places are all up for grabs. That is 6 spots. A rise of one or a fall of four is a possibility. I'd start Broja, as he is the guy that will help us beat City, and dropping him after a couple of quiet games is a little harsh. But Armstrong did look sharp, so maybe he will get the nod. Hope his confidence has returned. Needs a goal probably to regain it fully.

`Very creative, exceptional passer, turns and runs past defenders' - are we talking about the same player? I'm going to take another look today, as I see a forward that doesn't have a lot of tricks, but creativity is different to flair, so you may be right. He may well create a lot of chances. Stats can be useful, but assist stats don't always tell the whole story. An assist is awarded if you touch the ball last before a player scores. A mis-control can count as an assist. If you still believe in that stat, then in 22 games this season, Che has touched the ball last before a goal is scored a total of 3 times. We've scored 30 times in those games.

winning stuff in the air is the bare minimum, we also need someone that is fast, strong, good on the ball, reads the game and makes good decisions. On our budget....bloody hell, the scouting system better be good.

You can ping a ball up to Che and with his back to goal he protects it, controls it and passes it simple. Sometimes that is exactly what you need, but in terms of creativity it's merely the foundations of a move, there's no flare or creativity there. Hold up play is important, but he doesn't bring it down, then ping a cross field ball to switch the play like Harry Kane does. So, in terms of build up, he can move us up the pitch, but not much more than that. Do the same (ping a ball) with Broja and sometimes the ball doesn't stick. It's not that his touch is worse, it's not, it's that he tries to do too much. Not always, just sometimes. However, unlike Che, with some available space, he can control, turn and then beat a defender all ends up. Che hasn't got that in his locker. Brojas hasn't got a pass in him either, and he's not terribly useful to a slow build up, but he gives us a new dimension - threat on the break. If an opponent drops deep, not sure either is the ideal player to unlock a defence.

we could easily drop 5 places. Not sure how much per place it is these days, around £2.5m a place perhaps, which is £12.5m. For a club of our size that's a big chunk of cash. A new CB perhaps, or indeed the funds to get another Broja through the door. AA needs to earn his place. Broja is a Saint at this time. We pay him, so lets make use of him, not least to try and win the cup this season. next season will look after itself, and without Broja maybe we are not as good and have less chance of wining it.

Nivea boy lasts five minutes. Ageing, injury prone players on £100k+ a week...no thanks.

Interesting point. `Not getting out of second gear' or `we did just enough' doesn't necessarily mean there wasn't enough work rate. Often the use of those terms is just indicative of a lack of flow/chances/goals created. Besides, those phrases are very subjective and don't take into account what an opponent is doing to prevent us scoring. Of course effort matters too, but just because you don't win doesn't mean you haven't worked hard. Working hard ain't enough. Fergie didn't say hard work equals talent. You are stating that they had more verve and energy. Neither of those are work rate. Maybe they looked faster (they didn't) but even that does not equal working harder. They didn't play with more verve or energy by the way. They struggled to retain possession, did very little and won because defensively they were rock solid. I watched Nigel Quashie completely down tools away at QPR shortly before he left the club. Believe me, I know a lack of effort when I see it. There was absolutely no lack of effort last night from what I could see. I didn't see anything to suggest Newcastle 'wanted it more'. Just a lack of quality and/or method to unlock their defence.

spot on. A game against Cardiff at SMS a few years ago now comes to mind, where we peppered their box with crosses, mostly from deep, but their two big CBs won header after header and we failed to score. If we had gone long, Burn would have eat that stuff for breakfast. We went for the tika taka approach and it largely failed, but we did create a couple of chances. It is tough to break teams down. Even City fail, every now and then, and they have the best players in the business to create chances. As you say, with more space, the likes of Broja are more of a threat.

funny how no ones mentions a lack of effort when we win. Lose a game and suddenly "disinterested", "don't want it as much", "lack of effort", "not fit enough" become immediately visible to the naked eye of football fans.

Interesting. Goal apart, I didn't really notice him or any of their players. It was all us. I will have to take a look at a Newcastle game in the next few weeks.