Newcastle Utd 2-1 West Ham Utd (16/01/16)

[Colours never run]

The movement wasn't great but that wasn't the reason why Payet was poor today. I lost count the amount of times he lost possession and a lot of the time in dangerous areas needlessly with over elaboration. Yes he can showboat and look good a lot of the time but there's also a time and a place to play a little more clever. Today wasn't it.

I'm not defending Noble before this next comparison is made as I thought he wasn't great today but if you consider these important stats to back up what I saw during the game, you'd be surprised to think they are not back to front with people's perceptions of each player...

Payet:
Tackles 0 - Key passes 0 - Passes 58 - Completed 72%

Noble:
Tackles 4 - Key passes 0 - Passes 61 - Completed 91%

Payet deserves to be criticised today based solely on that display today. And I'm one of his biggest fans in general, so I won't hold it against him. He can be just as wasteful in possession as others when he's not in it like today.

And before anyone highlights all of Nobles passes are backwards/sideways, it's a myth.

[kalashnikov]

Watford all over again. We quite simply didn't bother showing up.

3 points dropped, given our respective positions.

Bilic needs to sort out our starts, 3/4 matches now we've been totally outplayed first half.

[Colours never run]

That is something I very much agree with many on, the poor starts to games is a nasty habit we've got into.

On the flip side of that, our 2nd halves are usually the complete opposite.

It's rare sides have consistently good 90 minutes for many games, so it's not critical, but would be nice to see it addressed now and again, so we can catch teams on the hop instead of having to constantly chase games too often.

[Monkeybubbles]

Antonio looked totally cream crackered when he came off. And everyone else did too.

[Monkeybubbles]

Btw, Noble can only make a pass when somebody gets in a position to receive one. Lots of people slagging off his Parker spinabout but often there's no other option for him. Please get well soon, Lanzinin

[Colours never run]

we only seem to lose games that we absolutely thoroughly deserve to lose.

not sure what to make of that.

That it's a good sign of a good team that we've only lost 5 times all season long. Just 5 times we've deserved to lose (Leicester game I'd actually argue we deserved a draw out of) is some going past the halfway stage.

[hammers92]

If you beat West Ham this season then you're quite clearly a small club because only they are the ones that beat us. So well done to Newcastle, Spurs etc

[kalashnikov]

Btw, Noble can only make a pass when somebody gets in a position to receive one. Lots of people slagging off his Parker spinabout but often there's no other option for him. Please get well soon, Lanzinin

This is correct. It is why we've seen Payet coming so deep the last few games, trying to play the Lanzini role.

The problem is neither Valencia or Kouyate make themselves available for a pass.

[hammers92]

Look we were rubbish today, we've seen it before and we'll see it again. Put it behind us and get ready for next week

[Colours never run]

Antonio looked totally cream crackered when he came off. And everyone else did too.

Yep, it's understandable when he's worked tirelessly in attack and defence since he broke into the team properly. He's entitled to look shagged out after the massive efforts he's put in of late.

[bubbles1966]

Noble's "Not Passing Sideways" Pass map



Payet's "Reckless trying to create a goal and giving it away in dangerous areas" pass map



Blue = completed pass
Red = Incomplete Pass

[Colours never run]

Quote me properly if you are going to do it.

'And before anyone highlights all of Nobles passes are backwards/sideways, it's a myth.'

That Snapshot of Noble proves my point that you were trying to quote. There's roughly 20 forward passes on that map.

Also there is plenty of incomplete passes made by Payet all over the park which has gifted them possession to attack us, particularly the middle third of the pitch. Compare that to Nobles care of the ball and it's night and day.

Not sure it's evidence to be grinning about. I'm actually grateful to you for supplying more evidence to what I saw during the game.

[Canadianhammer]

Couldn't deal with the speed of play in the first 20 mins.
Slow and predictable in the second half.
As others have said, Noble farting around again and slowing the game down.
A poor performance today.

[Colours never run]

Couldn't deal with the speed of play in the first 20 mins.
Slow and predictable in the second half.
As others have said, Noble farting around again and slowing the game down.
A poor performance today.

He was slow recycling the ball at times, that was frustrating me a lot too. Shelvey showed both Payet and Noble up in that instance and far more incisive. It doesn't surprise me with him being a quality midfielder and eager to impress on his home debut for his new Club, fresh as a daisy. That's still no excuse for others who struggled to compete with him. We're better than that usually.

[DDHammer]

Keep bringing up Nobles pass map or his pass completion percentage as an indicator he's doing the business for us, watch the games with your own eyes without C&B specs on and you'll see how badly he influences games.

He's been ever present in a mid table/survival team, you can keep banging this drum about him being the heartbeat or the one who ticks us over but you're talking absolute bollux. His transfer value hasn't moved in 7 years, give me £50k a week and I'll celebrate every goal like I've won the lottery.

He's slow, he doesn't lift players when we're playing badly, he's played awful football for at least 45 minutes most halfs this season because he drifts out of position and leaves us with holes in the midfield.

His pass percentage was so high tonight because he was basically playing CB and passing back and forwards to Collins.

We've never had to worry about people stealing him because most clubs see his defenciences, it's an unpopular opinion so I expect to be slated for this but open your eyes. An ever present in midfield that struggles to dictate games from the start until the opposition gets tired. I cringe every time someone tells me he's the heartbeat purely because he's a fan. You're the problem and the reason we won't progress as a team.

[Monkeybubbles]

Noble's "Not Passing Sideways" Pass map

I think that illustrates the point I was trying to make about people not showing for passes. If you look at the area between the halfway line and their penalty box: hardly any passes. In our best games this season, Lanzini and Payer have been buzzing around in there, giving Noble someone to move the ball on to. Today everybody was playing statues, Payer included. I don't recall any moments today where Noble had a pass on but held the ball instead.

[Colours never run]

Keep bringing up Nobles pass map or his pass completion percentage as an indicator he's doing the business for us, watch the games with your own eyes without C&B specs on and you'll see how badly he influences games..

I had to stop reading after that, if you truly believe he badly influences games. Particularly when it's the opposite and how influential to the side he is during games for us this season. With or without 'the glasses'. You're welcome to borrow a pair though, as your eyes seem to be giving up on you if that's your true belief of the lad.

[spyinthesky]

Watford all over again. We quite simply didn't bother showing up.

3 points dropped, given our respective positions.

Bilic needs to sort out our starts, 3/4 matches now we've been totally outplayed first half.

Start Most games poorly and it depends a lot on whether the opposition through luck or quality or defensive mistakes take their chances and pretty much kill the game, Bournemouth, like many others did not, while Newcastle and Watford did. When they don't we tend to get stronger and the class of Payet in particular takes effect especially as they tire. All a little predictable and if the team really wants to step up that problem needs to be solved not that I really understand why we keep giving up the initiative in this way. Not sure Bilic does either given his reactions to it.

[the pink palermo]

Payet was piss poor today.

I think he wanted to make sure the Manager understood where he prefers to play .

Right message, wrong way to deliver it .

[DDHammer]

I had to stop reading after that, if you truly believe he badly influences games. Particularly when it's the opposite and how influential to the side he is during games for us this season. With or without 'the glasses'. You're welcome to borrow a pair though, as your eyes seem to be giving up on you if that's your true belief of the lad.

Really? Show me where he was in the second half of last season? Where was he during our awful Europa spell? Where is he during the first half of matches when he keeps closing down players and leaving his position as a DM so we keep getting overrun. Open your eyes, loyal servant he may be, captain leader legend he is not. Our inability to upgrade him is hindering us whether you want to see it or not.