Sam Allardyce - 21st Century Technology - 1920's Tactics!
Subs Not Used: Jones, Earnshaw, Todd.
NEWCASTLE UTD: Harper, Taylor (Beye 75), Cacapa, Rozehnal, N'Zogbia, Smith, Geremi (Faye 60), Butt, Milner, Owen (Martins 55), Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Given, Pattison.
Att: 33,016
Derby stiker Kenny Miller hit a stunning winner that Toon goalkeeper Steve Harper waved 'goodbye', and England international Michael Owen was substituted in a match he would rather forget.
But as Sam Allardyce sat up in the stands with his blue-tooth ear-piece; hi-tech TV that monitors heart circulation and how far players run; and probably showing "East Enders" as well ... he went for the tried and tested "boot the ball up to the centre-forward" ... just like his old Bolton Wanderers days.
And it was embarrassing to watch!
Derby had little quality, but set their stall out to win every 50-50 ball, and put the Magpies under pressure from the first whistle. United mixed it, certainly, but never got to grip with the match in any shape or form.
There was no shape, formation or any attempt to control a match that was there for the taking, against a side thumped 6-0 by Liverpool in their last fixture.
We saw 90 minutes of every player in a Toon shirt trying to hit Shola Ameobi, and we all know the man hasn't the build or strength to burst his way out of a paper bag. But Allardyce insists Michael Owen "needs a target man", and what a big shame we didn't have one!
Shola was pushed around like a rag doll, and the cruel fact is ... Allardyce didn't have a 'Plan B'. He changed personel - Taylor, Geremi and Owen - but didn't change the tactics.
"Boot it up front and see what happens", and you could feel from the moment Derby took the lead we were never going to get back into the game. But to be fare to Derby ... we were never in it to start with!
I'm sure Big Sam will blame the international lay-off, players injured, or whatever, but he got it sadly wrong.
If you want to play the "Bolton way" you buy thugs who hoof it forward, bypass the midfield, and find a numb centre-forward who charges in like a battering ram. Then you stand a chance.
Instead we had a back-line that looked slow on the uptake, and certainly clueless when defending on the break. A midfield that never got hold of the ball or made any attempt to dictate the play. And Michael Owen looking for scraps off a centre-forward who hardly got a touch.
Not one Newcastle player played well, and this was a match that anyone worth his salt should have shone like a beacon. We had no-one!
The game was won by a long punt from the goalkeeper - Bolton style - and Miller turned and hit a 35-yard volley in the first half to haul the Rams above Bolton with their first win of the campaign.
Apparently Mark Viduka had a hamstring problem and was not risked, and Obafemi Martins was put on the bench, as Ameobi led the line ... badly!
Allardyce took off Owen and replaced him with Martins after 55 minutes as United desperately sought someone to at least hit the target.
Smith was made skipper when Geremi was taken off.
Rozehnal could have won a penalty when he was grappled to the floor, but the referee (who was two yards away) bottled it.
All in all ... a horror show!
HIGHLIGHTS: At least Smith and Butt kicked someone (and that is the best I can come up with).
LOW POINTS: 90 minutes of 'Route One' garbage!