Panionios 0-1 Newcastle United |
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Date:
Thursday 21 October 2004
Kick Off: 7.30pm BST
Venue: Nea Smyrni Stadium
Att: 8,000
Ref: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)
Comp: UEFA Cup Group D |
| Premiership
Match Report In Association With Toon
Ale |
|
Souness Smelling
Of Roses After Testing Week
In my Charlton match report I touched on how problems are just starting
to surface after a relatively low key start under the new man and
that Souness would have to deal with these problems. Well, after what
has been his first true testing spell in the hot seat since he was
appointed as Sir Bobby's successor back in September, he has passed
his first exam with flying colours. Another win (away from home too),
a clean sheet and a smiling Craig Bellamy at the end can leave the
Scot feeling pretty pleased with himself and us supporters that little
bit happier.
A potentially damaging and negative week has ended on a positive note
for once.
Not a vintage performance from United, far from it, but more than
enough to come away from the bobbly, grassy pitch of the Nea Smyrni
Stadium with all 3 points to give us a winning start in Group D of
the UEFA Cup. Had the defensive approach of Panionios, playing with
a lone striker in Mario Breska and getting all 11 men behind the ball
at all times, of been less cautious we would have almost certainly
chalked up a bigger win and not needed a late late winner from the
spot - a chance that Shearer buried for his 180th Toon goal and his
21st in Europe.
It's not hard to understand just why the Greek team are struggling
domestically - they aren't set up to score goals but to keep them
out. News that their manager Carol Pecze has bitten the bullet on
the grounds of their defeat to our lot and the manner of their negative
football can leave Panionios' fans with a smattering of hope that
they can progress from the group, don't put any money on it however.
Spirited, hard working and solid enough at the back they were. Skilful,
inventive they weren't. Had they come out to play and actually went
at us with attacking purpose, we would have slaughtered them.
Mind our lot weren't that skilful or inventive either - especially
in the first 45. We started the game in a lackluster fashion and struggled
to get to grips with both the pitch and the defensive shield of Panionios.
Sloppy passing, hesitant movement and rushed play was a feature of
the half. The home team were happy to sit back, defend in numbers
and try to hit us on the break. The only time they looked remotely
capable of puncturing the back of our net come from set-pieces with
centre-half Panagiotis Giannopoulos, the man who scored a brace against
Udinese in the 1st round, looking particularly dangerous. As was Mario
Breska who tested Given with a clipped header that looked like going
wide but to be sure, Shay tipped it around his post for a corner to
be on the safe side. And that was about the only real test all night
for the father to be.
At the other end we should have scored a few before the break, with
JJ missing a glorious opportunity just before half-time after nifty
footwork created an opening, but the England man blasted over. That
was systematic of our performance really. Good in patches but not
good enough. Robert and Milner, in for Ambrose and Butt, just weren't
being found on the flanks with Bowyer guilty of quite a few over hit
and wayward passes and JJ not too far behind either. When we did get
it to the flanks Robert looked capable of delivering the service that
Shearer was largely starved of - the No.9 falling foul to the whistle/flag
happy antics of the ref and his linesman whenever he jumped for a
highball, stood tall to guard the ball, or looked to spin his man.
A frustrating half.
After the break, no doubt with a pep talk from Souness wringing in
their ears, United come out and did what they failed to do in the
first-half. Control the game, kept possession and created openings.
Lead by JJ who dropped deep in the anchor role - it was he more than
anyone who got our game going with a variety of passing to feet and
space which was took up by those in yellow. A marked improvement from
all with Robert seeing more of the ball, Bellamy finding more space
and Shearer linking up play impressively. Yet for all our possession,
half chances and dominance it wasn't until the introduction of Shola
Ameobi for Milner with just over 20 minutes remaining, that we really
pressed home our superiority. With the big man giving his team-mates
different options and avenues to play the ball into.
With Shola on, Bellamy found himself back wide right, his favourite
position... yet for a 5 minute spell he hovered and operated mainly
in the centre in a free role and this in a way helped our game as
it meant he could get on the ball and drag his marker deep into the
midfield - which left a gap up front for Shola to exploit. The Panionios
defence didn't know what to make of him. He held off their challenges,
flummoxed them with his unpredictable dexterity, control on the ball
and his forcefulness in the box eventually won United a penalty at
the death. After a previous shout was waved away when he was adjudged
to have made a meal of his fall. He was clipped but he did go to ground
easily. No arguments about the 'proper' pen however, clear as glass.
Up stepped Big Al to win us the game.
A deserved win. It wasn't pretty nor easy. We didn't play overly well.
Bowyer had a poor game and could have saw red for a daft challenge
that came just a few minutes after picking up a yellow. Milner was
disappointing and Bellamy was unusually quiet. In defence we were
largely untested and although the back four played well, especially
Elliott and Bernard, lets not get carried away. But like I said in
my preview for this match, a win on foreign soil will always put a
positive gloss over any cracks. Cracks that have been plastered over.
Whether those cracks will resurface anytime soon, remains to be seen.
No doubt there is another series of the Toon soap opera planned for
production with a highly paid cast of stars lined up to play the leading
role. However if the past week is anything to go off, the director,
Mr. Souness, is more than capable of running the show and getting
the best out of his stars. Well played lads and keep it going Souey.
Slowly but surely the masses are being won over and although sterner
tests are around the corner and an inevitable defeat never far away,
he can't do anymore than what he has achieved thus far. Lets hope
it keeps going.
Toon Player Ratings Vs Panionios
Next up:
NUFC Vs Man City (Sunday October 24 2004 Premiership 3.00pm K.O)
| Panionios |
Newcastle
United |
Match
Facts & Stats
Half-Time: 0-0
Full-Time: 0-1
Yellow Cards: 4
Red Cards: 0
Goalscorers: 0
Yellow Cards: Stuart (75)
Red Cards: Zimonjic (68), Lagonikakis (86)
Substitutions: 2
Goundoulakis (for Zimonjic 69), Lagonikakis (for Parodi
75)
Injuries: N/A
Goalscorers: Shearer
(90 pen)
Yellow Cards: Carr (24), Bowyer (56)
Red Cards: 0
Substitutions: 1
Milner (for Ameobi 67)
Injuries: None |
| Colceag |
Given |
| Dodd |
Carr |
| Domoraud |
O'Brien |
| Giannopoulos |
Elliott |
| Makos |
Bernard |
| Spiropoulos |
Milner |
| Vlcek |
Jenas |
|
Zimonjic |
Bowyer |
| Parodi |
Robert |
| Tsiolis |
Shearer |
| Breska |
Bellamy |
| Substitutes
Bench |
| Sotiriou |
Harper |
|
Exouzidis |
Hughes |
| Lagonikakis |
Bramble |
|
Mitrou |
Taylor |
| Goundoulakis |
Brittain |
|
Mantzios |
Ambrose |
| Meszaros |
Ameobi |
James Milner made his first start under Souness. Shearer grabbed his
7th goal of the season and now has 180 goals for Newcastle. 3rd clean
sheet of the season. Panionios were the first side we have played
from Greece in European competitions.
| How The Goals Were
Scored |
NUFC Goal 90 Minutes: Alan Shearer (penalty)
Shola Ameobi was brought down in the box leaving Shearer to step up
and take the penalty, dully slotting it home for his 21st European
goal for Newcastle and his 180th altogether.
| Match Reaction From
Souness & Bellamy |
Souness said:
"We have to be satisfied with the three points in difficult conditions.
The tactics of the opposition tonight made life difficult.
"They were similar tactics to the Greek national team when
they won the European competition. They didn't get people forward
and tried to play on the break.
"We dominated the game throughout and were worthy winners. They showed
us great respect by playing like that.
"We thought one goal would be enough. They were never going to step
out and make it an open game.
"It would have been better for us if they'd come out at us.
I think their tactics were very good tonight. If they'd tried to take
us on, we would have scored more than just one goal.
"Their supporters got frustrated and that was a reflection
of the way they played, but that's the way they wanted to play and
fair play to them.
"I thought we were disciplined throughout, controlled things
throughout and the longer the game went on, it was all about whether
we were going to get a chance to get a goal."
Souness on the penalty:
"I'm 70 yards away, but it looked like a penalty to me. But
you have to give great credit to the Greek team.
"They defended well, they were organised, but we have some
very good players and you can't stop all of them all of the time,
and that's exactly what happened."
Bellamy said:
 "I
love this club, everyone knows that. I love Newcastle and this is
the only place I want to play.
"It's been difficult for me with everything going on, but you
saw me out there running all over the place, even defending at the
end.
"It was always going to be tough tonight, it was a very bumpy pitch.
We knew if we could keep a clean sheet then we would have a chance."
| Match Reaction
From Carol Pecze |
Pecze said:
"When you're playing in a group stage, you always try to estimate
how many points you will get at home.
"We wanted to get as many points as we could at home.
"These three have gone, but there are a lot more to play for
and we'll keep going."
Pecze on the penalty:
"It's always a very difficult decision in a tight match, but the referee
had to make it and he gave the penalty."
Pecze was sacked following this defeat...
| Your Shout: Toon
Army Match Reaction |
Cla1dwa wrote:
They were lucky they didn't get stuffed. We could have easily
had another penalty. Jenas and Shearer had a great strike and two
good headers respectively that went straight at the keeper. Another
night we'd have thrashed them. And they were awful going forward.
Plus Points? Good game defensively, with Elliott impressive and Bernard
superlative. Bellamy ran like mad and caused problems (from up front
and midfield). Jenas looked good and Robert hassled really well for
about 75 mins. Shola did well when he came on. Not too many negatives,
though my attitude may have been different if the game hadn't been
won. We created enough chances to steamroller them, and in the end
only got one. Also, and I know people will say I'm having a go again,
but Bowyer should have been sent off. 1 minute after a clear booking
and he goes in wildly that, had he not been booked just prior, would
have seen him booked at the least. Needs to get his head sorted.
Skeletor wrote:
Elliott and Robert had really good games. I wonder if it's because
European football is a lot slower that Elliott can look so composed?
Robert did lots of hassling and tracking back, just what we want from
him. Bernard was superb, getting back to form hopefully. Jenas 2nd
half looked alot better when he had a defined role instead of being
everywhere on the pitch. I don't think Milner did that badly but something
had to be changed to get a goal. Ameobi always looks better in Europe,
I've always thought if he was playing on the continent in say Italy
or Spain he would be superb. He missed an absolute sitter though.
Dived for the penalty but I was getting so desperate that I don't
care. Lee Bowyer should have been sent off, very lucky and that would
be the last thing we needed with Butt still missing from the next
European match! Bellamy reacted well to all the criticism by putting
in a good performance. The whole team did well really...with one glaring
exception. Andy O'Brien. He's not Franz Beckenbauer or David Beckham,
please no more long balls. He was even struggling to make simple short
passes. He was beaten in the air alot as well. Really needs replacing. |
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