The next 2 games...

[HL]

So we lick our wounds and carry on.

The loss against Sunderland is water under the bridge.

Up next are Norwich (away) Dec. 29th ; and Stoke (at home) Jan. 1st. No game is easy.

The results of these two games will determine if we hold on to the EPL Championship.

Up next for the forces of evil are West Brom Dec 29th (at home) and and lowly Wigan Jan 1st. (away).

I was very disappointed with NewCastles' performance. The take-away is that the evil ones are quite vulnerable:

"That's all I have to say about that"
--Forrest Gump

[Peter R]

Newcastle only have themselves to blame for coming away with zilch... Pardew IMO should have parked the bus in the last couple of minutes but maybe making the transition was not all that easy... you have to admire their desire and intent though given that they were in the lions toilet so to speak

And to be fair to the evil ones... you also have to admire their "sticktoitiveness" .., while the result rankled me ( wuss yet you ) it was a very good match ... entertaining to say the least!

[Paul Marin]

Newcastle only have themselves to blame for coming away with zilch... Pardew IMO should have parked the bus in the last couple of minutes but maybe making the transition was not all that easy... you have to admire their desire and intent though given that they were in the lions toilet so to speak

And to be fair to the evil ones... you also have to admire their "sticktoitiveness" .., while the result rankled me ( wuss yet you ) it was a very good match ... entertaining to say the least!

No question that Manu** has that "sticktoitiveness" in their DNA. Interestingly enough, both teams had similar stats - same shots/shots on goal, same yellows, same corner kicks but Newcastle fell short in posession, goals of course and had more fouls. They missed the mark to me when they went up 3-2. At that point, with 22 minutes left in the game, they should have brought on another defender for Ba, not a virtual like-for-like with Ameobi. I am not sure what Pardew was thinking. In the end, Chigatoe's goal was a result of poor defending, I don't understand how a defender can stop running to leave a forward to feast on a cross unchallenged. P*ss poor, especially when Chigatoe had so many chances, sooner or later, he was bound to score.

[HL]

I think Newcastle went for the win.

What it shows though-- is that you can't go to Old Trafford and play defense. You have to eliminate the forces of darkness!

[Peter R]

I don't know what the "modern" thinking is but at times marking specific players can be effective...

[HL]

Paul..Pardew was going for the win. If he had pulled it off--he would be seen as a genius!

Fully agree with the level of poor passing >>>

[Paul Marin]

I think Newcastle went for the win.

What it shows though-- is that you can't go to Old Trafford and play defense. You have to eliminate the forces of darkness!

Part of going for the win was to have a more secure midfield. Had he kept his back four in place, taken off a striker for a defender and put two holding midfielders in front of the back 4, there would have been no way to come up the middle which is where they showed vulnerability all day. RVP's equalizer would NOT have scored with that system I don't think. The only way to overcome the evil forces of darkness is to keep them outside the box. Easier said than done, but that's what i think.

[Rockman]

Oh I wish they did exactly that,Newcastle transition game(switching from defense to offense)was the only thing they had going.We already have the lion's share of possession which likely would increase with such a change.

[Lazie]

So we lick our wounds and carry on.

The loss against Sunderland is water under the bridge.

Up next are Norwich (away) Dec. 29th ; and Stoke (at home) Jan. 1st. No game is easy.

The results of these two games will determine if we hold on to the EPL Championship.

Up next for the forces of evil are West Brom Dec 29th (at home) and and lowly Wigan Jan 1st. (away).

I was very disappointed with NewCastles' performance. The take-away is that the evil ones are quite vulnerable:

"That's all I have to say about that"
--Forrest Gump

LOL no easy games. Weclome to the real world HL. Norwich did beat the Empire, I certainly hope they extend the same punishment on your team, those recent stats don't support that outcome.

Lowly Wigan? The fact is the last time MU went to Wigan they beat MU 1-0.

[Paul Marin]

Oh I wish they did exactly that,Newcastle transition game(switching from defense to offense)was the only thing they had going.We already have the lion's share of possession which likely would increase with such a change.

Really? That transition game lead to the third Manure goal when the baggies marched up the park and didn't recover in time. Not only that, all of the back four came back into the box with no holding midfielder cover as Marveaux was pressing too high up the park giving RvP two bites at the apple. Secondly, with regard to possession, you all had 61% possession - if you had gone to 100% it wouldn't make any difference if the defenders were successful at preventing a shot. Go back and watch Chelsea in the semi final against Barca - it is a well known tactic called "parking the bus".