After Derby, Manchester City and then Reading Allardyce's honeymoon period with the Newcastle fans is beginning to show a few cracks. Matches against Sunderland have had some defining moments in the recent past, just ask Ruud Gullitt and Alan Shearer. So what will Allardyce do about our away form before then?
So far Sam Allardyce has proved to be shrewd in the transfer market, a good organiser with a modern innovative approach and a good man manager. But if you're reading this Sam then look away now because they are the last complements you'll be getting for now.
After strong support for Allardyce all season from the Toon faithful things finally snapped after the Reading match. A poor performance, a demoralising defeat, strong criticism of the team selection, frustration at the long ball tactics and booing for Allardyce when fans favourite Obafemi Martins was substituted for Alan Smith. Coupled with rumours in the press that local boy and England U21 captain Steven Taylor is dissatisfied with his new contract offer and may seek to leave. Things are beginning to look a bit uncomfortable for Allardyce and his backroom team.
After the 3-1 destruction of Tottenham at home expectations were high against Reading. However worry set in immediately the team was announced against the premierships worst defence. The two main stars and the main attacking threats of the season (Milner and N'Zogbia) were left out and we started with a rather lopsided Geremi, Butt, Barton, Emre midfield of 4 central players. Then the long ball tactics kicked in and the inability of the team to pass along the ground to each other. Then the substitutions caused some puzzlement i.e. you are 1-0 down to the Premierships worst defence with 32 minutes to go and you replace your main goal threat (Martins), then virtually admit to getting it wrong by belatedly bringing on N'Zogbia and Milner, at which point we quickly equalised and then almost won the game before Reading's rather fortunate winner in the 84th minute.
The growing concern amongst Newcastle fans is two fold, the long ball game (a la Bolton) which Allardyce seems to want the team to play and the favouritism he seems to show individual players despite constant woeful performances.
The concern over the long ball play is not helped by rumours in the newspapers that Newcastle are interested in the unsettled Peter Crouch who has hardly played for Liverpool this season. No prizes for guessing how the tactical plans will be shaping with a 6 foot 7 inch centre forward in the team renowned for getting on the end of long, high balls. This is a problem that is not going to go away for Allardyce. Many years ago a certain Gordon Lee arrived as manager on Tyneside and introduced functional football, sold Malcolm McDonald to Arsenal and got us to 2nd in the league with a team of journeyman. He was probably one of the most unpopular figures ever to manage Newcastle (and there is some competition for that over the years !!). The Toon army will not stand for functional football from a bunch of journeyman so if that is what Allardyce is planning to introduce then he might as well leave now. Entertainment is the name of the game and we like to win as well (oh those Keegan glory days !!)
The other problem concerning Allardyce's favourites is slightly linked to the functional football concerns. Allardyce's favourites who seem to play regardless of current form, tactics or opposition are Butt, Geremi, Smith, Owen and now seemingly Barton. The players who he seems to see most disposable and frequently rotates out of the team or out of position are Martins, N'Zogbia, Milner and Emre. No prizes for guessing the common denominator of the favourites, dour, functional, dull etc and no prizes for guessing the common attribute of the dispensable group i.e. flair. But the most worrying aspect of this is the complete denial of current form. Butt has been unable to distribute the ball, Smith has been woeful, Owen is just not performing, Geremi anonymous and Barton just back from injury. Yet amongst the disposables Martins always looks a dangerous threat because of his pace and sheer goal scoring ability, Emre creates great things with his left foot and has been playing well, N'Zogbia and Milner give the team balance, width and shape, N'zogbia is shown as the 7th most effective player in the Premiership according to the ratings. So if you pack your team with out of form, dull, functional players, as night follows day, you will get a performance like we put out at Reading.
Well fast approaching for our next away game is Sunderland and given Allardyce once played for them then he will be well aware what this means. If ever he wonders on the difference between Bolton and Newcastle he will find out on this day. Under Roy Keane Sunderland are a tough team to play, especially at the Stadium of Light. Another away performance from Newcastle like the Derby, Manchester City or Reading games and the first calls for Allardyce's head will be coming from the terraces.
Welcome to Newcastle United Sam, it's a big job and your going to find out just how big very soon, good luck !!
