NUFC Player Ratings v Hull City
By Wasim
March 14 2009
Steven Taylor was judged Man Of The Match for his performance against Hull City earlier today, by Tyne-Talk's resident player rater Wasim4nufc. Read on to see how the rest of the team faired......
Player ratings
Steve Harper (6.5) - Did what was required of him and can't be at fault for the goal.
Steve Taylor (7.5) - Took his goal superbly, and what a big goal it could prove to be. Also supported the midfield nicely on attack. A decent defensive performance too.
Fabricio Coloccini (7.5) - I thought he defended well for us. Grew in confidence as the game went on, even though he had some lively attackers against him.
Sebastien Bassong (7) - Strong and composed in defence. Really has been our best player this season.We need to get him signing a new contract soon.
Jose Enrique (7.5) - Another excellent performance from the Spaniard. He put some dangerous crosses in, and he really should have been given the ball more. He was strong on defence too.
Geremi (5) - He really had a bad game. It was him who lost the ball, in the build up to their ball, and for one so experienced he never really did what we needed him to do. He wasted many of set pieces and he needs to be dropped.
Alan Smith (5) - All he does is slide in and give freekicks away, without really adding anything to our attack. He doesn't have that creative spark that we need, and with Butt in the team, we don't need him in the team as they too similar.
Nicky Butt (6.5) - He managed the assist for our goal, and although he didn't have a great match, he did try and get the ball out wide when he could.
Jonas Gutierrez (4.5) - This was in my opinion his worst game for us. He just didn't get any dangerous balls in the box, while he also gave the ball away a lot, which was a surprise. His one of my favourite players, but today was not his day, as he wasted many chances.
Michael Owen (6) - For one only coming back from injury, he did okay. I don't think he should have started though, as Martins and Lovenkrands looked so dangerous against Man Utd. Thats not his fault though, and atleast he came through unscathed.
Obafemi Martins (6) - He tried hard, but today wasn't his day either.Himself and Owen just can't play together, and the sooner the managers recognise that, the better.
Substitutes
Shola Ameobi (5.5) - Had no impact on the game, and gave away his usual needless freekicks. I didn't understand why Lovenkrands wasn't brought on.
Ryan Taylor (6) - He did a bit better, and we could have done with someone with his range of set pieces. Should have been brought on earlier.
Positives
* An away point, even when falling behind.
* Owen getting some much needed game time.
Negatives
* The team selected by the interim managers. I for one, thought Lovenkrands should have played, while Alan Smith should never have started with Butt and Geremi, as they all too slow.
* We now play two top 5 teams next, so it doesn't get easier.
* We also equal on points with a team in the bottom three, so there'll be more pressure with each game.
Man of the Match: Steven Taylor
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I thought he couldn't get any worse, but he has.
Can't shoot , can't score , can't stay!



Wasim's Sport Blog
Toon4life

What the @#$%& makes our managers think that Smith is a midfielder. I think they bottled it again going with Smith butt and Geremi. I could just about handle it if Smith had to fill in at centre today but had taylor or Loven on the right but what do you expect to create with them three. Geremi should be put down along with cacappa and smith should have a cauliflower @#$%& he spends so much time lunging into players.
Against man u we were pinging the ball around then today were just clueless. Why play owen and martins if your midfield cant create a thing. We should have went down and tried to play them off the park.
If Haughton thinks playing Geremi or Smith is going to add steal to the midfield he is wrong. We need players who can keep the ball and create. Agree or not but our defence is not the problem for once. No defence in the land would keep a clean sheet with the way our midfield is at the mo.
Desperate for Nolan, Barton and Guth to come back.
Bassong and Enrique looked quality again.
I challenge any of his deluded followers to go and find a youtube highlight video of this season that you can say, wow, in these 5 matches he was immense.
He is one of the main reasons we are staring relegation in the face.

You cant play Smith Butt and Geremi together...Jonas very poor today.
I really dont know what Smith brings to any team... lunges in, doesnt win the ball, gives away free kicks... and nothing going forward.
Plus bringing Ameobi on for Owen...should have brought Lovenkrands on.. we needed more pace up front with Martins.
This is going to be very tight at the bottom... Stoke have to play Boro, then Brom, then us, then Blackburn for their next 4 games. We have to pick up something from Arsenal and Chelsea games and wins at Stoke and Spuds!
Quote:ToonBart
Im really p i s s e d off with people making excuses for Jonas. Like him or not he has done nothing all season.
I challenge any of his deluded followers to go and find a youtube highlight video of this season that you can say, wow, in these 5 matches he was immense.
He is one of the main reasons we are staring relegation in the face.
i'm not going to claim he is any better than any of the others. i would like to know if you could make such a vid of any of our players though.
in fact, i know you cant...
Nicky Butt did nothing other than a very poor ball into the box that Steven Taylor did a remarkable job taking care of. I realize he's "experienced" but just as Smith brings nothing to your side, Butt seems to do even less. He repeatedly gave the ball up on the defensive side of half-field.
There were too many times where our back line didn't close down the ball quickly enough, and we were lucky we didn't pay the price. Geovanni tore through the back four all game by just running straight. Set pieces looked troubling at times, but admittedly Michael Turner is a hard man to mark.
Quote:Toonbart
Im really p i s s e d off with people making excuses for Jonas. Like him or not he has done nothing all season.
I think what you are failing to recognise is the fact that Jonas requires one or two players to mark him, and thus if our attackers are wise enough they should find space in behind the defence. I think against Man Utd it was a good example in that Lovenkrands and Martins looked dangerous because they ran into space a lot. Space created by Jonas in my opinion. Yes he doesn't have as many assists as a Fabregas, or as many goals as Steven Taylor, but he does worry opposing teams with his trickery.
Quote:Toonbart
I challenge any of his deluded followers to go and find a youtube highlight video of this season that you can say, wow, in these 5 matches he was immense.
He was brilliant on his debut against Man Utd, he did superbly against Aston Villa (remember is assist for Martins), he played well against Stoke at home (again beautifully assisting Owen), he also played well against Portsmouth in our mauling of them, while he had a top game against Man Utd (again being involved in our goal). I know you not a fan of his, but theres many reasons why we starring relegation in the face, and it does not include Jonas Gutierrez.
Quote:cappen
I really dont know what Smith brings to any team... lunges in, doesnt win the ball, gives away free kicks... and nothing going forward.
Plus bringing Ameobi on for Owen...should have brought Lovenkrands on.. we needed more pace up front with Martins.
Couldn't agree more with that.
Quote:Biffins Bridge
If Haughton thinks playing Geremi or Smith is going to add steal to the midfield he is wrong. We need players who can keep the ball and create. Agree or not but our defence is not the problem for once. No defence in the land would keep a clean sheet with the way our midfield is at the mo.
Desperate for Nolan, Barton and Guth to come back.
Bassong and Enrique looked quality again.
Exactly what I was thinking.

Wasim's Sport Blog
Toon4life
The likes of Smith, Butt, Geremi, who have plenty of PL experience, struggle to maintain possession and execute a five yard pass let alone a killer through ball.
Also, I think Jonas is an improvement on Milner/N'Zogbia as he is quicker, stronger, has better technique and can go past defenders easier.
If you want to start pointing fingers at players who are to blame for our situation there are better options than Jonas. On top of that Jonas is working with a manager who couldn't set a table let alone set tactics.
It's probably not a massive stretch to say, from the midfield that started yesterday the only player that the club would be keen to keep for next season would be Jonas, as Butt, Geremi, and Smith have had their chance(s) and haven't proven themselves.
If you deluded ones were right , I'm sure you would be backing you arguments up with official stats on pass percentage etc. Go get em or as they say in the states, put up .....
Lostmekeys, you ain't got pockets big enough.


He cant pass, He cant cross, He cant score and he regularly loses posession. I love anyone in black and white who helps the cause, but this guy is a liability.
Another Viana, Emre, whoever. All fluff and water with no bite. He can consider himself very lucky he hasnt had Barton playing along side him!!!
The midfield is deffo the problem and lets be kind and say he needs resting.
For me he is now one of those players that when they receive the ball, I know the attack has broken down.

Many problems about the whole Hull which I think everyone has touched on.
Couldnt believe Shola came on at the end and that we have actually gave him a new contract. Why did they think they had to move so quickly to tie him down? Was somebody going to come in and steal him. The F%$£$G tide wouldnt take him away.
Quote:Not sure if it was a typing error TB but would you rather have S Taylor as a winger than Jonas!
Which one of the two is on form, which one of the two is scoring, etc etc
Madness..... Is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result....Jonas

I think if he had a few players around him nearly on the same wavelength unlike the inept f£$%s that are there at the minute then he would add more to the team. But, as I said on my first comment on this thread, he is getting a little frustrating. Especially going down like a girl at times.
Taylor has played well at right back and scored two important goals, both from set pieces I think, recently. But to play him further out of position when we have players to play there would be daft.
Quote:Biffins Bridge
there is far worse around him which you rarely seem to comment on.
I think if he had a few players around him nearly on the same wavelength
Think you may have heard me call duff / butt etc before. The problem is he is supposed to be the creative.....I would even rather have duff in the team and i really cant stand him.
And once again as a jonas apologist your off again blaming other players "not been on the same wavelength" ffs.
A bit of reality and perspective needs to be brought to bear with Jonas. Lets judge him on his game, his crosses, his passes, his ball retention, his assists and not blame others, his boots been too tight or global warming.

[www.4thegame.com]
I have also listed this stats home page for anyone who wants to dig and delve.
[www.4thegame.com]


Wasim's Sport Blog
Toon4life
I have critisized duff and butt.
How many opportunities have smith and geremi had this season compared to guttertrash?


TB, I dont have my blinkers on but this assist crack can really be twisted. I know he hasnt but what if Jonas (or any other player) played a part in every goal but set up the player who actually got the recorded assist.

Wasim's Sport Blog
Toon4life
