...but I didn't think we were as magnificent last night as some of yiz are suggesting. Yes, we controlled the game from start to finish, yes we defended and passed extremely well, but I still feel we have a problem on the edge of the opposition box. The freedom we had in midfield was down more to Boro's failure to close us down than our own movement - few other midfields in the Premiership would give Dyer the freedom of the centre circle the way we saw once or twice last night - and I still feel we don't see the ball played into space often enough. That movement we saw in midfield last night tends to run out of steam when we get near the D - I'd like to see more pace in the final third, something I felt was noticeably added when Lua Lua came on.

We had something like eight or nine shots on target, and to score from three of those is disproportionately high - there'll be other matches, as there already have been this season, where we have that much possession but fail to convert the chances, which is why I feel that with the extraordinary amount of possession we seem to keep having, we should be creating more goal scoring opportunities. Don't get me wrong, a dozen or so goal attempts in an away match is pretty damn good, but with the kind of possession we had, we can still do better. Tho I hate to say it, I'd like to see us creating what I'd call more typical Man U goal chances - a player around the D slipping the ball into the area, for a teammate to run onto, splitting the defence. There was virtually none of that last night - fortunately we were able to exploit crosses, while our other approach seems - particularly from Dyer - to be to make those futile diagonal runs into the area while taking on four defenders.

Baically, I suppose I'm saying two things - most teams aren't going to make it as easy as Boro did last night, and while we've got passing to feet sorted out, we still need to work on passing into space.

Mini-whinge over. Apart from all that, we were bloody great. ;@)

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2000

Answers

Can't agree I'm afraid.

Without getting too carried away I'd say that was our best peformance away fron StJames' since young Bobby took over. Yes Boro were poor but we were creating chances from every area and a scoreline of 5 - 0 wouldn't have been unwarranted.

Will Cort manage to force his way into this side? Not sure personally, and as for Mr Lua Lua, he's the first toon player since Ginola who can actually make defenders look ridiculous.

Yes, it's good to be a Mag this morning. Roll on November 18th

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2000

Hitting someone on the break depends on nicking the ball off the opposition and spreading it about quickly....Smoggies couldn't get the ball so we couldn't nick it. We were defending on the halfway line. Murdered the buggers :-)

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2000

I am gonna have to throw me hat in the ring along with Geordie Jew, to be frank I thought Boro were awfull. There were many times when we had the ball in the final third only for them to force us all the way back to Given, time and again we were left without much going on infront of us. I didn't think we played that well I'll even go as far as to say that we never really got out of second gear. Sure some of our passing was great but it doesn't mean much without a goal does it. Ok so we scored three, the first was due to some great work by speed to put it on shearers plate the next was a great first time ball back in the box when no one expected it and the last was a goal created due to boro not being able to deal with a lua lua/dyer combo. I am looking forward to seeing Bassedas and Acuna pushing into the side, Solano didn't look interested last night. Having said that it was well worth a day off work.. Ps. All those lads and lasses that were there last night did us proud, outsung everyone. A rendition of the Blaydon Races that gave me a shiver of pride.

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2000

Geordie Jew, I have to disagree on one point - 3 goals from 9 shots on target is NOT disproportionately high. That is the standard for almost all premiership sides. However, I agree that the final ball into the box was not as good (apart from crosses) as it should be. When Lua-Lua ordered Shearer to run diagonally onto a forward through ball, I thought that was the first time I've seen a move like that from Newcastle in a long while. Maybe Shearer needs to work on that type of movement aswell.

However, the midfield and defence were as solid as you could hope for. Boro made us look like worldbeaters - which we're not - but if we play as well as last night for most of the season, we'll still be up in the top 4.

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2000

I watched the game on sky last night and thought they were showing a repeat from the Keegan era. Excellent performance. I was actually quite relaxed going into the last 30 minutes and had confidence in the defence!!! Is it just me but in a way Im glad that barton and dabs got injured (not in a sadistic sense but as in the overall picture) as the defense has gone from strength to strength since these two are out. Now that charvet is fit ( Ive been very impressed with his performances since returning) and griffin pushing for a place, where does that leave barton?? Would you like to see barton sold, I think I would, ive never been convinced about his positional play!!!

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2000

I mentioned this last night. I think we should have won by far more. What would 'pool, Arse or ManUre have done? I don't think it would have bee 1-3.

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2000

Should have been 1-4, there was nothing wrong with Cordone's goal.

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2000

There ain't no pleasing some folk. None of the smoggies failings were due to weather, pitch, act of god, whatever. They played as well as we let them.

That's one of the best displays I've seen for donkies, and what's more important, hopefully the start of something really good, so I ain't getting sucked into no deep analysis.

I'm just going to wander round for the rest of the week with a supercilious arrogant dopey grin on me mush, and revel in it, it's been a helluva long time coming. Youse what know me might need proof it's me coming out with something so up beat, but honest it is me. Thoroughly enjoyed last night, Andy Gray and the other nakka notwithstanding - Bobby certainly put them in their place.

Roll on Saturday.

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2000

I have to agree with AWAY MAGS point regarding Barton and Dabizas' abscence being the key to new found defensive confidence.

I said it a few months ago on here and I still believe that for all Warren's fighting attributes his positional sense is questionable and it was his positions which were making the central lads look crap. Dabs is in the same mould, they give everything but lack in real quality. I don't agree that they should move on.

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2000

Some people are never happy.

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2000

I AM happy, I'm just saying there are still things we could do better, and that Boro were woeful and played into our hands. Remember when we won 5-0 at Cov and it meant feck all. Things are much much better now and players like Lua Lua and those we've yet to see are making the prospect of watching the team more exciting than its been for years, but we're not the Keeganesque class act some people are suggesting - yet.

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2000