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Capitulation

I reckon if you did a word map of all the reports from various media outlets for Newcastle United 15/16 season so far right bang in the middle in fluorescent colours, size 72 font, bold and underlined it would be this word CAPITULATION.

I just Googled “Capitulation Newcastle United” and 71,000 results popped up. The most recent articles in the search are not just from the diabolical showing against Chelsea yesterday but quite a few reports from matches this season popped up. Manchester City 6 - 1 Newcastle United, Newcastle United 0 - 3 Leicester City. And the most recent Chelsea 5 - 1 Newcastle United.

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It’s beyond a joke now. I don’t have the stats to hand but I’m fairly sure we have now conceded more than 3 goals in almost 30 games over the last 2 and a bit seasons. We now have the worst goal difference in the league (edit - second worst, just seen the Aston Villa v Liverpool score!) and are sat comfortably in the bottom 3. Relegation is looking a certainty.

Writing these blogs is a bit of a rollercoaster as once again we saw a glimmer of hope in the victory at home over West Brom a week ago and once again we have followed up a hard fought victory with a shambolic performance. Shambolic, there’s another word that would feature on the word map!

The finger of blame once again is out but who do you point it at? You could easily single out a few players yesterday but for me the major problem is leadership, not just on the pitch but off it too. Fabricio Coloccini, on his day, is a wonderful player, he really can be up there with the very best in the league, especially given his age; he has shown on a few occasions this season that he is more than worth of his place in the side but that is the very problem, we see it far too infrequently. Far often we see the performance he put in yesterday, absolutely useless.

I watched the match through my fingers and really thought that after the start Chelsea made, we would see double figures. Did Coloccini once try to rally his troups? Nope, not once.

I watched the Sunderland v Manchester United match at noon on Saturday and John O’Shea was vocal throughout, he organised his defence and midfield, he was screaming at every single corner telling his players who to mark, where to stand, what to do. He offered encouragement as well as scorn when needed. He was a captain and a leader. We have a captain but certainly not a leader.

The same could be said for Steve McClaren. All I ever see him do is berate the players when they make a mistake; he’s got quite a knack of throwing his chewing gum on the floor in disgust but you know what Steve? Most of what is happening on the pitch is down to you.

Players are consistently played out of position. We had an untried left winger as left back whose job was to stop Eden Hazard. Seriously?

The players don’t seem to respect McClaren, he doesn’t seem to have control over them; there is no shape to the side, noone seems to know where they are playing or what they are doing. When we concede a goal, which inevitebly happens most games, the players go in to their shell, they look like timid flowers on the pitch, lost school boys. The commentary on the match I was watching said it was like Chelsea vs Newcastle United under 15s and they were spot on. This is a side that is in trouble, they know it, but they don’t know what to do.

Newcastle United now have an 18 day break; the plan is to fly off to Spain for a training camp. If I was Mike Ashley I’d be using this break to find a new manager, and not another yes man, get someone in who has a proven track record, a manager who can control a side and play football the right way. It’s not often teams have the luxury of a break at this stage of the season and right now is the perfect time to get a new manager in who can potentially save us. Under Steve McClaren we are going down.

Enjoy your holiday lads. You’ve earned it. Tongue firmly in cheek.