Good afternoon to everyone on this fine New Year`s Eve Eve. So this is a bit of a late report from the game earlier on in the week, which is unfortunately only arriving now due to a combination of a lack of availiable WiFi on Quentin`s behalf, and some manflu on mine. However, we will treat you to two articles today, with the Wolves Preview (and the sad news about Gary leaving) reaching your computer screens a little later in the day.
In the buildup to the Boxing Day clash, there was so much optimism that we may finally be able to buck our unenviable trend of failing to get a point the game after a win. And despite bad play on our part, we still for most of the game looked like grabbing a point. Until Owen Coyle cost us the game.
My optimism started to decline before kickoff, when I saw that Boyata had replaced Steinsson in the starting lineup. In fact, Gretar didn`t make the squad despite a decent performance against the Dingles. I, like the majority of you I imagine, do not know the full story of the personal problems that are blighting the Icelandic`s season, but I hope that Coyle has a plan once he sends Boyata on his merry way back to the Etihad.
From the off we were awful. It made me quite angry to see the lack of passion just six days after the Blackburn game. It was the same old team that displayed no direction, creativity, or ability to play at this level, and I am getting sick of it. The only thing keeping us in the game was Newcastle`s inability to finish. Cabaye and Tiote ruled the midfield, but with Muamba on the pitch we were just about able to cling on for a much needed, confidence-building point.
But with 25 minutes left to play, Owen finally decided that his team was being outplayed and that he needed to do something about it. But he got it all so wrong. He replaced Muamba with Eagles, moving Mavis into the centre. Fabrice may not have had the best game, but against such a creative yet battling team he was doing all that was required alongside Nigel Reo-Coker. Once he left the field, Cabaye (and later Ben Arfa) were free to play their game, with disastrous results for us.
Ben Arfa`s goal was the result of yet another defensive mistake, and from play down the wing. And once we conceded we gave up and conceded again almost immediately. How typical of us!
I am in no way anti-Coyle, but the manager must accept that reason we didn`t get a point on Monday was because his bad decisions. We can blame the players for never looking like getting into a winning position, but not for the loss. It`s got to the point where I`m not looking forward to the game tomorrow.
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