Barclays Premiership - Match 31
 

Season 2005-2006

CHARLTON ATHLETIC

3 v 1

NEWCASTLE UNITED

  Read match preview  
     
  Date: Saturday 26th March 2006
  Venue: The Valley
  Kick Off: 3pm
  Australian Live TV: None
  Attendance: 27,019
  Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire)
   

Charlton: Myhre, Young, Perry, Hreidarsson, Powell, Kishishev, Holland, Hughes, Thomas (Rommedahl 76), Marcus Bent (Bothroyd 88), Darren Bent.

Subs Not Used: Andersen, Euell, Spector.
  Booked: Perry.
  Goals: Darren Bent 24 pen, Bowyer 37 og, Bothroyd 89.
   

Newcastle: Given, Carr, Boumsong, Moore, Ramage, Solano (Dyer 45), Bowyer, Parker, Emre, Shearer, Ameobi (N'Zogbia 71).

Subs Not Used: Harper, Faye, Clark.
  Booked: Carr.
  Goals: Parker 35.
   
     
  Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder:
"All three goals were really poorly defended and should not happen at this level. It's a body blow when you concede weak goals like we have and our problem has been our inconsistency. We have to set our standards much higher and for us to lose 3-1 isn't encouraging at all and for Newcastle it isn't good enough. This is not a case of shouting for the sake of shouting but constructive criticism, and when I feel there is a need to get angry I am not slow in coming forward."

 
     
  Match Report:  
 

Four defeats in 4 games for Newcastle United has seen any confidence build up during the run of 6 games unbeaten well and truely drained out of us. Given the fact that almost ever goal we have  conceded in the last 4 games has come from sloppy or comical defending makes this fact even harder to bare.

We have now suffered our 11th away defeat of the season which is our worst ever return in the Premiership and considering our next two away games are against the Smoggies and the Mackems this record can not afford to get worse at any cost.

The players are yet again letting down their manager, as they did Souness earlier in the season, they are now doing the same to Roeder. Our defence looks a shambles and our midfield seems incapable of creating any decent chances or breaking down opposition defences. Added to the fact that a old and tired looking Alan Shearer is left to plough a almost lone furrow upfront means we are lacking any sort of spark in the team.

 
 
 

Glenn Roeder said the following before the match...
"It would be totally unacceptable for any player to switch off in the middle of March and I will keep an eye on it. We would be selling the fans short if we didn't put on eight excellent performances between now and May. If we can finish well then it will give the fans something to look forward to next season."

It seems the players certainly weren't listening to these words of wisdom from Glenn, so what happens now?

The bottom line is the players need to get there act together and fast. The are playing for their future and the clubs future. Which new manager in their right mind would look upon these types of performances and relish taking the job?

Whoever the new manager is the first thing they will need to do is get our team to defend and the second thing is to stop this inherent inconsistent away form we've suffered from since coming back to the top flight. Having a quick look at the stats shows that even the great 'title winning' team of the 1995/96 season had an away record of 7 wins, 5 draws, 7 defeats, in 19 league matches.

A home match against Spurs on Saturday has us back on happier ground but given the fact that Spurs are flying high in 4th place you wouldn't bet much on us getting any points out of this one either.

AUSSIE MAGS