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Toon Player Ratings Vs Wigan Athletic (a)
 Match
Date: 15 October 2005
By Howaythetoon
An in depth look at each individual performance from the 1-0 defeat
to Wigan at the JJB Stadium, rating the players, the manager, and
the referee. Also included in our match analysis are ratings for Wigan
with a brief review of their performance too.
Shay Given - 6
You have to feel for Shay. Once again he kept goal well yet had to
pick the ball out of the net. His handling, reading and general composure
in goal was of the usual standard. On that front, no complaints. But
I do have one slight niggle - his rushed kicking. Maybe he's so used
to hitting Shearer long or maybe he doesn't trust his back for to
use the ball? Either way lumping the ball aimlessly up field is wasteful.
Other than that, not a lot wrong.
Steven Carr - 5
Started the game very well, winning two corners in the space of a
few minutes and linking up well with Bowyer but as soon as Wigan started
attacking down our right, he had his customary mixed performance thereafter.
Good in patches, awful in other parts. Sloppy passing, lack of communication
and hesitation on one hand. Rugged, vital defensive interceptions
on the other.
Steven Taylor - 7
Did most of what was asked of him with his usual measured and solid
way and generally played well. Good in the air, played a few decent
diagonal balls and put in one or two good tackles. However, he was
at fault for Wigan's goal in a way and there were a few dodgy moments
that he got away with. Overall though, solid enough.
Jean-Alain Boumsong - 7
Started the game very nervously with one or two wayward clearances,
one which nearly resulted in a goal for Wigan but after his shaky
start he asserted himself and the dual with Camara and Roberts was
a fascinating one. With Boumsong coming out on top more often than
not with his power and pace. He got dragged out of position once or
twice and still isn't as assured as he was when he first signed and
throughout last season but he was instrumental in forcing his fellow
defenders up field 15-20 yards in the second half with his vocal leadership,
as we were playing very deep at one stage. Like Taylor, solid enough.
Robbie Elliott - 4
I don't want to be too harsh on Elliott because he's a good lad, a
tremendous pro and always gives his all but he was a thorn in our
side with his constant use of the long ball, balls that never reached
a Toon shirt, his sloppy passing on the deck - given it away time
and time again - and his poor positioning. He didn't know whether
he was a left-back or a centre-half and N'Zogbia bailed him out a
few times as did Boumsong. A really poor performance. But who else
plays?
Lee Bowyer - 6
Bowyer was arguably our best player before he went off with what looked
like a knee injury in the first-half. An injury that came from a fierce
block he put in following a Wigan free-kick - as ever fully committed
and brave. His passing was canny too and he hit the post. Looked the
most likeliest to create an opening. We now await progress on his
injury. Lets hop it's not as bad as it looked.
Scott Parker - 6
One of Parker's poorest games in a Toon shirt. Looked well off the
pace and while he worked hard, put in many blocks and won back possession
a lot, he was unusually wasteful on the ball, often opting for the
wrong selection of pass and over hitting the ball. Still, he does
an important job defensively and only because of his super performances,
can this one be viewed as a poor one in comparison which speaks volumes
really.
Amdy Faye - 4
Paired with Parker in the anchor role he looked quite lost before
going off at half-time to be replaced by Emre. With Parker doing the
defensive duties Faye didn't know where to put himself, other than
to aimlessly bump into home shirts or those of his team-mates. On
the ball, well, he gave it away three times with a team-mate less
than 10-yards away. He should never have started this match and the
way he's going, no other ones either. And I'm a fan, kind of.
Charles N'Zogbia - 6
Took a while to get started and when he did he often found himself
in a traffic jam, well defended against by the home-side who had obviously
done their home work. N'Zogbia had his moments, taking on several
unsuccessful shots and defensively he helped out Elliott a lot, but
overall he just wasn't involved and when he tried to (to his credit)
he was snuffed out.
Michael Owen - 5
Looked like he was playing in concrete boots, slow to turn, slow to
react and that fizz, that burst was lacking in his game. Those things
aside however, he was never going to have an impact in this game anyway,
not with all those long balls aimed up front and the lack of service
from midfield - not to mention Shearer's immobility. There was no-one
to give and return to, to link up with. It's a painful sight seeing
a player of Owen's class scrapping it out with 6ft plus defenders.
Alan Shearer - 5
Whenever one of those aimless long balls reached him he won all his
headers but no-one was there to pick them up and when there was, he
just doesn't have the mobility to link up with play anymore. Like
with Owen, it's a sad sight to see Shearer look so ineffective, even
against what are, without being disrespectful, average defenders.
And even when he did what he always has done - score - it didn't stand
despite quite clearly crossing the line.
Subs
Shola Ameobi - ZERO
Came on for the injured Bowyer and despite playing out of position
on the right, he proceeded to do absolutely NOTHING all game and words
fail me to describe not only how utterly pathetic a performance this
was but also how I feel seeing him ponce about in our shirt like he
did with no thought and no effort whatsoever. The worst performance
I have seen from a Toon player and he has had many poor games in his
170 plus games. The straw that broke the camel's back for me.
Emre - 7
Came on for Faye at half-time and had an immediate impact on the rest
of the team. His presence lifted the players (although not enough
to raise performances to an acceptable standard) and he wanted the
ball and tried to create and to get forward. He also drew a tackle
or two which resulted in a red card for one of their lot. My
man of the match simply because he looked a class above and
tried to change the game by playing football. He will be a huge star
if we can keep him fit for any length of time.
The Boss Man
Graeme Souness - 4
He selected a team designed to get a point and by the time we needed
to create to pick up something, it was too late. Starting Faye and
Parker together should never happen unless forced upon the Scot. With
Clark fit and able to play, he should have started, at least he can
pass the ball. The whole team started slow and one has to question
Souness' preparation (for the umpteenth time!). We were awful, no
communication at times, passing was woeful, tactics non existent and
it's becoming a fortnightly thing now. He couldn't have done anything
with Shola, who else was he going to play on the right, Clark? But
he should hand the player a fine for his abject performance because
we may as well have played with 10 men such was his 'impact'. Not
good enough Graeme, not by a long stretch. No NUFC side should go
into a game to earn a draw, regardless of the circumstances. Time
is running out.
Referee
Phil Dowd - 5
Dowd made some bizarre decisions and seemed to wage a vendetta against
Shearer, blowing up for every climb the No.9 made. That goal that
wasn't given, shocking decision. Overall, same old same old refereeing
performance we have come to expect from all but a select few these
days.
The Opposition
Wigan
Filan - 5 - Nowt to do but flapped at one or two things.
Chimbonda - 7 - Kept N'Zogbia quiet and got forward
well.
De Zeeuw - 7 - Dominated in the air by Shearer but
wasn't troubled much.
Henchoz - 7 - Kept his old team-mate quiet and defended
well when called on.
Baines - 6 - Defensively did well, didn't do much
going forward.
Bullard - 6 - Got stuck in.
Kavanagh - 7 - Defensive force in midfield.
Francis - 7 - Enjoyed himself with a decent performance
at both ends.
McCulloch - 5 - Red carded for crude challenge on
Emre.
Roberts - 7 - Used his pace and power to good effect
and took his goal well.
Camara - 7 - Caused lots of problems with his pace
and trickery.
In many respects Wigan, despite their Premiership status, are a Championship
side but they have adapted well and Paul Jewell must take most of
the credit. They are well organised, fit, disciplined, hard working
and they play football how it should be played - simple. Jewell has
fashioned a well balanced side who are defensively strong and I think
they will stay up with a bit to spare. But they could struggle for
goals which I'm sure will be looked at in January. A refreshing change
and good luck to them and their amiable manager. They fully deserved
their win. |
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