Just got back via a pub where we ate, drank and watched The Man Utd W*nkFest that is ITV's coverage of the Premiership. We cut our festivities short as we knew you would be waiting with baited breath and legs akimbo for our reports ;). Basically, we started off as sluggishly as ever and were put under pressure from Bolton who took advantage of our watery midfield (if Rob Lee was applying for a new job, he needs to look at his CV). I was sitting right at the front, very low down, so could only really judge the back four in the first half and the front lads in the second. Dabs and O'Brien were good, although no better IMHO, than Distin and O'Brien on Tuesday. Dabs went missing once in a while but recovered well. Robbie Elliott had a scary first half but got better, despite the home fans' booing, in the second. Hughes started off a bit nervously but got into the role and was, ultimately, more convincing than anything else we've seen at right back this season (which admittedly isn't saying much). Solano had an off day, but I must say that this business of getting the ball to the left to give Robert means that our players gravitate over there leaving the RB and Solano hopelessly unsupported at times. We need to get a balance in that regard. Shay had worried me before KO by swinging on the crossbar (His months at Sunderland obviously still come back to haunt him). He spilled the ball once but not fatally and was otherwise solid enough. Speed did nowt much. Robert didn't have a great first half but was mint in the second and actually did a few good things defensively. As usual, Shearer was our deadball clearnace specialist and played way too deep but hopefully the goal will help his confidence. Bellamy was ace - he could have scored nine but scored eventually: if something could be done about his finishing, we would have a genuine world class player on our hands. The negatives were that Bellamy isn't a better finisher, that Shearer still isn't on the pace and that we really have a weak midfield. Oh, and our inability to play from kick off is poor, too. Also, we could have scored about 8 once their goalie went off. I know 3 points is three points but we could have secured our positive goal difference for months today. Bellamy, Shearer, O'Brien and Shola missed great chances - Shola's miss had Bobby going mental and will no doubt feature as a miss of the season. The thing is, we'd won the game by the time he came on, but there is no excuse for his lack of urgency or his shit finishing. Oh and Lolo was limping a bit at the end. The positives were that we created a terrifying number of chances, passed the ball really well once we'd got over our first half lull and defended well enough - there were one or two mistakes but we recovered well. I took heart from the back four talking now and then. Also, it was great to see how delighted Bellamy was to score - that boy knows he'll never play for a bigger club and is just made up to be here. He and Lolo had a massive hug when Craig scored and Lolo apparently went mad when Shearer scored, too. It's good that there's some team spirit. Incidentally, Rob Lee got a tremendous reception and led the clapping as the players went off. Possibly his last game in a blue away shirt.

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

Answers

AP.

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

Thanks for that, not quite legs akimbo but definitely moist with anticipation for the first eye-witness account. Come on Clarky, let's have an almost completely different point of view: "Robert, what a dud etc" come on, it's no good otherwise! ;-)

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

Well I was there and I don't disagree with anything Dougal has posted really.

I also think midfield is the problem area, with Speed particularly anon today.

Best bits - much like above, The good football we played most of 2nd half, Robert, Bellamy's perpetual motion and of course the score line. Seeing Wyn Davies, some good singing, nice atmosphere and oh yes, O Brien is looking better by the match.

Worst bits - bad misses by Shola, Bellamy and Shearer. Dodgy midfield most of game, Elliot clearly struggling from the whistle, Solano's ability to drift out of the game (but he scored so I let him off)

Didn't notice Robert limping but I hope it's nowt.

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

Ps. Chant of the day: "He turned you down, he turned you down, Distin turned you down".

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

Lynda, wish we'd seen you: we were spread out all over the place and really sober as we couldn't find an away pub (we were told this was because of the behaviour of the Makems but that may be an exaggeration).

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

Just off the Screachmobile after a fabulous day oot - life is good!

A thoroughly deserved win by unquestionably the superior team - after our standard slow start. We created good chances throughout the game - a good many of them engineered by Bellamy's incredible work rate and movement - and the only real negative was our inability to put more of them away.

We defended reasonably well, but still make far too many stupid individual errors, many through being too casual in tight situations - particuarly Dabz. Elliott had a dreadful first half, but was better after HT - however, his distribution is a problem. Hughes started shakily, seeming very nervous, but got stronger and better as the game progressed. Given didn't have a lot to do but made a couple of very important, in fact top-class saves.

We were good enough in m/f without ever being totally dominant - that is until their sending off. I thought Solano was yet again the weak link, despite his goal - constantly giving the ball away and underhitting his crosses.

At times Bellamy and Robert weaved neat, clever patterns - they really seem now to be on the same wavelength and enjoy playing together. Bellamy brought two terrific saves from the Bolton keeper when clean through in the first half - however as the blerk next to me in the p*sser at HT said ".....what would Pedro have done with those same two chances?" Nuff said!

Robert didn't contribute a lot in the first half, but BR appeared to have told him at HT to go looking for the ball, and he had a good 2nd half, creating all sorts of problems for Bolton. He really is a very clever player, but seems to lack motivation at times.

Shearer was a curious mixture of the sublime and the awful. As usual he worked hard, held the ball up well, and brought other people into the game, but he looked totally lacking in confidence in front of goal, and unusually some of his passes went astray. However, he was far more vociferous as captain today than I recall previously, seemed to clear nearly every Bolton corner, laid on the 1st goal for Solano, took his headed goal superbly, and then laid the 4th on a plate for Belllamy with a good run into the right side of the box and then an exquisite cross to the far post behind the defenders, that in this instance even Bellamy couldn't miss!

The wonderful HT tribute from the Toon Army to one of my all-time heroes - Wyn 'The Leap' Davies - was an emotional moment for me, and I'm sure for the man himself. This truly was the icing on the cake - especially seeing as most present will never have seen Wyn play, and some have probably never even heard of him. As I said - life feels good tonight!

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

Dougal - I was sat in the lower tier, where were you? Managed to find a pub before the game, about half a mile up road from Reebock. I can't remember the name of it though!

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

ps: forgot to say - at the end of the game Rob Lee certainly appeared to think he was saying 'farewell' to the Toon Army.

A sad moment for a Toon legend. However, time moves on, and BR & FS now need to firmly grasp the nettle, achieve the impossible, and find us a real replacement for the irreplaceable - 'The General', Robert Lee.

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

Lynda, I was right at the front in the lower tier - low enough to notice that the players aren't as tall as they look ;) Incidentally, amidst all the whingeing from the Bolton fans about Nobby's goal, I'm amazed we haven't launched a counterwhinge about three of their players lying down and playing dead within a three min ute spell.

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

Is this man a Geordie? http://www.soccernet.com/england/news/2001/1014/20011014bwfcreportnufc .html

-- Anonymous, October 13, 2001

Thanks very much for the reports.

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001

Was Alan Oliver at the game? He makes Elliott MOTM in the Pink...

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001

Not much more to say than those others who were present - and beat me to a keyboard - left the bliddy PC at home for once :-(

I know we scored 4 EPL goals for the 3rd time this season (2nd time away, but also against 10 men). However, if we are so profligate (I learned that from reading the Sunday Times) in front of goal in other games, it will be 1 or 2 points lost, not 3 gained. Let's hope the misses only happen when we're winning anyway!

With this in mind, I've been scouring the Sundays and have come up with an ideal training retreat for our little Welsh Wizzard. Madame Fifi's (surely a typo for Fifa??) accademy for young gentlemen up in Lausanne. It's about time Craig went to a finishing school methinks.

As said elesewhere, Nobby still frustrates. It's about time YBR told him to p!$$ off when we have a free kick, unless he's gonna have a shot, 'cos whenever he tries his trickery, it always fails, and as Sleepy (er sorry, Clarky) said, his crosses all too often fall short and hit the front defender. Yet again, we had the embarrassment of a cock up almost leading to a goal for them. Aarghh!

Defensively, we looked OK, but it could have been a different story had Notlob converted half the chances they had - but then again, so it could had we done so as well.

All in all, despite being up against only 10 men for the last 30 mins, I feel we'd have won this game anyway even against 11. Sorry to correct you Clarky (maybe you were asleep??) but Shearer had a hand in all four goals, being about to be on the end of the handball. Clearly his mere presence worried Jaaskalainen enough to cause him to flap outside the area. I'm sure he (or Nobby behind him) would have scored anyway - indeed Nobby did but his "goal" was after the whistle. Strangely, he didn't get booked yet Bellamy did for doing the same, albeit when the whistle was against him. A tad harsh I thought as the Toon Army were making an awesome noise at the time and he clearly couldn't hear the whistle (allegedly).

And finally, I was surprised how soft Bolton were. Having just come up from the Nationwide, you'd think they be used to rough and tumble stuff. Nah. Soft as sh!te. More at home n a swimming pool than on a football pitch.

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001

I thought that the ref got it wrong for the handball. Yes it was a handball and yes it was a red card but he didn't have to blow straight away. Nobby scored as a result and there is no way the goalkeeper would have got back in time. He should have played the advantage and if we had failed to score he should have then awarded the free kick. The keeper should have been sent off straight after the goal or before the free-kick.

It obviously didn't matter but if the score had been 0-0 and that was the last attack of the game it would have.

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001

I think perhaps Bellamy's finishing will improve over time - just as it did with Dyer.

We all used to watch in awe as Dyer took on the whole opposition team, only to see him shoot weakly into the 'keeper. Eventually though, he started putting them away, and I firmly believe that this will happen with Bellamy soon.

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001

Paul, I was thinking about that yesterday: Dyer's enforced spell up front seems to have improved his finishing.

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001

Bellamy's finishing could certainly improve - but if anyone doubts his value to us just check the goalscoring charts.

I thought he was really terrific yesterday. The two that he 'missed' when clean through, were I felt excellent saves by the Bolton keeper. In addition to scoring, he also had a good header well saved by the stand-in keeper.

Certainly MOTM for me.

BTW Screacher - I realise it was Shearer who forced the Bolton keeper to paw the ball away outside the box, but I didn't want to provide the anti-Shearer brigade with any ammunition by saying he was involved in all our goals - and in truth his general play wasn't really very good yesterday: he only made two and scored one. ;o{|

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001

I know Lee was picked on the basis that it could be his last game etc but surely Bobby R has to try Bassedas in the centre, he didn't play badly in the early games & must give the team something different if not extra to Speed & Lee together. Did Distin not deserve a decent go after the Barnsley game?

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2001