COLUMNIST PAUL TRAILL

Match Report - I've had about enough

Gary and I arrived pretty early for this one, parking up and getting into the pub even in time for the early Stoke City vs West Ham game to kick off.  As always when Newcastle United are in town, they come in their numbers and there were certainly plenty of them in the pub today.  Plenty of singing from the Geordies?a nd then fighting from the Geordies.  Prior to launching into some older bloke a lad had unnecessarily barged past us for no apparent reason.  I guess you?ll always encounter the odd idiot somewhere.

With the rain pouring down, we headed on to the game, all relatively confident, it' fair to say, that we?d finally get this season under way.  Just the one change from last weekend?s heroics ? Cahill out injured and replaced by Beckford.  Yakubu, Neville, Bilyaletdinov, Coleman, Gueye, Mucha and the apparently promising Ross Barkley all making up the substitutes bench.

Newcastle Utd began with Andy Carroll in attack and the Scouse double-act of Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan in central midfield, both of whom were roundly booed on their introduction.  Hatem Ben Arfa also featured in midfield.  Andy Marriner refereed.  Everton attacked the Park End in the first half.

Both teams appeared to settle into the game quite comfortably though you didn?t really expect Newcastle (backed by vociferous support) to really get to grips with things as quickly and as easily as they did...  Andy Carroll was a real handful up front and is very Big Dunc-esque the way he struts about.  Noland and Barton seemed very able in the midfield whilst Ben Arfa and Tiote both appear to be really decent players whom can bring the ball forward with pace.

Given how established we?ve supposedly become over the last few years, I for one find it a bit insulting that Newcastle are able to sign players of this ability (one on a season-long loan!) whilst we have to rely on two free transfers and a young French lad we know nothing about.  I find it insulting that I?m pretty darn skint at the moment and having splashed out nearly £500 at the moment I?m forced to horribly watch a newly-promoted team, just spanked at home by an even worse newly-promoted team completely dominate the game in our own back yard.

Let?s not kid ourselves here ? we were awful and can have no excuses for today?s display.  We can?t blame an unlucky goal or a bad refereeing decision.  What can we blame?  The fact that we?ve no capable strikers?  The fact that we?ve no pace throughout the midfield?  The board for providing no money?  Moyes tactics?  All of the above?

I?ve just about had enough already for this season.  Yes, we?ve had some bad luck here and there... but, unless we get the formula right and quickly, we?ll do very well to even get to 10th at all this term.

Further to Ben Arfa'sexcellent drive just on half time (why didn?t someone give him a bloody good kick early on in the game by the way?) there had been little to shout about at either end really.  Jagielka headed wide from a Tony Hibbert cross and, after finding space for himself, Osman side-footed tamely into the keeper when well positioned.  Steve Harper was stretchered off injured following a clash with Beckford and was replaced by Tim Krul. 

I found it criminal that we failed to test the substitute keeper despite him being on the field for an hour.  At our end in the first half, a Joey Barton free-kick was well kept out by Howard, and he had to be alert again when a cross whipped up into the air off the head of Distin and looped towards goal? Howard tipping over. The goal came when Ben Arfa crafted good space for himself and unleashed a brilliant drive which flashed past Howard.  We just hadn?t done enough.

Half-time yielded two changes from Moyes with Yakubu on for Beckford and Coleman for Hibbert.  Unfortunately, despite umpteen hoofballs up to Fellaini and a little spell of pressure around midway through the second half, we just had nowhere near enough about us to create anything meaningful in this game.  During injury-time, Yakubu was unlucky to find the post with a side-footer.  Certain the chance had gone, we made an early dart after that, though did hear a big groan when outside the ground? apparently Fellaini nearly scored also.  Either way, we got exactly what we deserved today.

So where do we go from here? You don?t want to ring the alarm bells too loud and too early but I do worry where the goals are going to come from whilst, if we continue to concede goals every game, we?re going to struggle to win any games. 

This is Newcastle United?s first win at Goodison since 2001.  I remember that game and at least then we forced a bit of pressure on Newcastle Utd and made Shay Given make a couple of decent saves.  Fast-forward nine years... and (despite somehow scoring three last week) it?s impossible to see how we?ll be scoring goals this season.

I?ve had about enough for one day.  I haven?t checked the other scores and I'm not watching Match of the Day tonight.  Toys and rattles out of the pram?  You betcha!

Still, tomorrow?s another day and next week's another week.  Maybe this time next week, I?ll be toasting a terrific away win at Fulham and progress in the Carling Cup... but I'm not exactly counting my chickens.

Player Ratings:

Howard: Helpless with the goal though fine otherwise. 6

Baines: Stuck at it I guess but didn?t get forward as much as you?d like him to. 6

Distin: Distribution hit and miss though did look a bit more keen than most to get things moving. 5

Jagielka: Not one of his better games I?m afraid. 5

Hibbert: Will probably wonder what he did wrong before being subbed at half time. 6

Heitinga: Anonymous really before subbed. 4

Arteta: Failed to impose himself on the game but would have appreciated greater protection from the referee I?ll wager. 5

Fellaini: Won countless header but all to no avail. Perhaps lucky to stay on the pitch following his altercation with Williamson, but did show more of a willingness to fight for the result than most of his team mates. It?s a tough call because nobody really deserves the accolade but he?s my man of the match. 6

Osman: Worked. Too weak at times but at least worked to get into positions. 6

Pienaar: Not at his most effective at all but did show flashes of what he?s capable of. 6

Beckford: Hardly had a touch really before substituted at the break. Has a lot to learn and to prove but really does need to be given more time. 4

Coleman (for Hibbert): Looked a bit raw basically but did battle away down the right. 6

Yakubu (for Beckford): Unlucky to hit the post but didn?t quite do enough for me. Regardless, he has to start all games at the moment as he?s the only goalscorer we?ve got. If he?s not fit enough to play then give him games anyway?it?s the only way he?ll get fit?and that we might just get some goals. 5

Bilyaletdinov (for Heitinga): Offered nothing. 4

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