Dressing room harmony at Newcastle

[Gilps]

'Sub Pub Standard'

 

Given slates Bramble and 'sub-pub standard' defence

 

Louise Taylor

Tuesday September 12, 2006

The Guardian

 

Titus Bramble is unlikely to choose to sit alongside Shay Given on Newcastle United's flight to Tallinn this afternoon after proving to be the subject of scathing criticism from the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper yesterday.

 

Given branded Newcastle's defence "sub-pub standard" in the wake of their concession of the two late goals which turned a 1-0 lead into a 2-1 defeat at home to Fulham on Saturday, when Bramble was culpable in both instances. Although the goalkeeper refrained from naming the former Ipswich centre-half it seemed obvious who his message, delivered via the club website, was intended for.

 

"If you looked at the Sunday league football yesterday around Newcastle you wouldn't even see the kind of goals we gave away against Fulham," said Given. "We've given one of the best players in the Premiership in terms of heading the ball [Fulham's Brian McBride, who was supposedly being marked by Bramble] the total freedom of the six-yard box. It just isn't acceptable. They didn't even carve us open; we handed them the goals on a plate. It's amazing but we have to talk about it privately and get it sorted out within the camp."

 

Given also pointed out that Newcastle will need to improve if they are to win their next three games, which are all away. Glenn Roeder's side face Levadia Tallinn of Estonia in the Uefa Cup on Thursday before travelling to West Ham and then Liverpool in the Premiership.

 

"We need men around the dressing room," Given said. "We've got tough games ahead and as a team we have to improve. Before the Fulham game we felt we really had to get three points but we gave away two bad goals and now we've got to bounce back as quickly as possible."

 

Roeder, meanwhile, has urged the Newcastle fans to give the £10m striker Obafemi Martins time to prove his worth. The 21-year-old Nigerian struggled to impose himself against Fulham and two games into his new club career has yet to make an impact.

 

Roeder is hoping fans who have seen the recent big-money arrivals Albert Luque and Jean-Alain Boumsong fail to live up to their reputations will remain patient with the former Internazionale striker. "There are a couple of things we have to take into consideration: he is trying to regain full physical fitness from when he arrived from Italy having been unwell for two weeks with flu," the manager claimed.

 

"I never expected him to get through 90 minutes - I always thought he would do well to last 70 minutes or so. He has come from Serie A. We have got to be patient. It will take him a little bit of time to settle into the high tempo of the Premiership, but I saw enough promise from him that when he plays with Shola Ameobi there is going to be a successful partnership."

 

With Alan Shearer retired and Michael Owen facing months on the sidelines following two bouts of knee surgery the pressure in on Martins, Ameobi and Giuseppe Rossi to deliver goals. Newcastle have only managed three in as many Premiership games, and two of those have come from the midfielder Scott Parker.

 

"Goals change people's opinions. Because we lost [against Fulham] it will probably be said we did not play that well when I know there were lots of times during the game when we played very well, very well indeed," Roeder added. "We had good possession, we passed the ball well and there was lots of urgency in our play. If we had won 1-0 we would be having a completely different conversation.

 

"But of course it is stating the obvious that we lost two goals, we were beaten 2-1 and people feel completely different about the performance. But I know there were enough players out there who played very, very well."

[Stevie H]

i'm amazed given has kept quiet as long as he has, given the s**** he's had to put up with. maybe he's on commission for saves made or something.

[Bootle Buck]

Bramble's effort for the second goal was laughable. He left his man totally unmarked and did the most hideous effort to get to a ball I have ever seen.

[jimmylibel]

Given is overhyped - there's a reason he's been stuck at Newcastle for so long. Good shot stopper but his positionning isn't great, he doesn't convincingly deal with shots (ie he knocks them back into play in dangerous areas) and his distribution isn't great to say the least.

[smithdown]

Given is overhyped - there's a reason he's been stuck at Newcastle for so long. Good shot stopper but his positionning isn't great, he doesn't convincingly deal with shots (ie he knocks them back into play in dangerous areas) and his distribution isn't great to say the least.

 

 

Yet he's still their best player.

[Leo No.8]

Here's a good example of Titus' high levels of concentration which I posted a little while ago. He marks like he drives...

 

Bramble Schumacher

 

Football player crashes into home

A Norfolk couple were woken in the night after a car driven by Newcastle United defender Titus Bramble crashed into the wall outside their house.

It happened on the A140 in the village of Newton Flotman on Saturday night.

 

A Norfolk Police spokesman said five or six people were travelling in the BMW but no-one was injured. Mr Bramble was given a breath test which was negative.

 

Eddie Sargent, 55, who lives in the house, said he and wife Linda, 54, were concerned for the people in the car.

 

The couple were looking after their grandchildren at the time of the crash.

 

'Good looking'

 

Mr Sargent said: "We just heard an incredible bang.

 

"The car was full of people and they all got out and went across the road.

 

"I never spoke to Titus, he kept a low profile. I was more concerned about the damage."

 

Mr Sargent said he and his wife did not recognise Mr Bramble: "The police handed us his details for the insurance claim and my wife said 'what a lovely name' and 'wasn't he good looking'.

 

"It wasn't until we telephoned the insurers this morning that they asked 'Is that the Titus Bramble?'"

[jimmylibel]

Yet he's still their best player.

 

 

Fair point.

[CarraLegend]

I honestly dont know how Bramble is a Premiership defender. He's one of the worst defenders I have seen at any level.

 

He's already cost them 4 goals this season (They've only conceded 5) his positioning is absolutely horrendous, he has 0 awareness of whats around him, he cant tackle, he cant head and he's slower than Sami. The fact when he come on against us last year he come on to a standing ovation of clapping and laughing says it all.

[jimmylibel]

I honestly dont know how Bramble is a Premiership defender. He's one of the worst defenders I have seen at any level.

 

He's already cost them 4 goals this season (They've only conceded 5) his positioning is absolutely horrendous, he has 0 awareness of whats around him, he cant tackle, he cant head and he's slower than Sami. The fact when he come on against us last year he come on to a standing ovation of clapping and laughing says it all.

 

When he was at Ipswich though he was regarded as one of the best up and coming defensive talents in the game. You've got to wonder was he always this bad and needed the bigger stage to show it, or did Newcastle just wreck him?

[floyd]

Barcodes bringing Titus on last season at Anfield. Felt sorry for the millionaire football player...