2-0 to Tottenham. "Complete domination" according to the official site and they may actually be some truth in that, based on the grumbling I've heard from some Celtic types. Bentley came on as a sub in the second half and scored (cross from Bale); Bent got the first.

Dortmund on Sunday, then.

Newcastle lost to Hertha Berlin in another of these useless tin-pot pre-season tournaments every fucker seems to play nowadays.

I remembered at the last minute that I'd decided a few years ago that pre-season friendies are absolute bum-fodder, and I'm not going to watch them anymore. Instead I went to watch Manatees and got boozed up with old friends.

Judging by the match report on nufc.com, I made a wise choice.

QUOTE:

Hertha Berlin 1 Newcastle 0

Newcastle suffered a second successive 1-0 defeat in their pre-season preparations, as their hopes of a meaningless trophy success nose-dived in Spain.

Hertha Berlin had been in UEFA Cup action just over 24 hours before facing the Magpies, but in front of a sparse crowd the Bundesliga side found little to worry them from Kevin Keegan's toothless team.

With strike trio Viduka, Martins and Owen all absent, it was left to Ameobi and Smith to provide an attacking threat, which they singularly failed to do - save for Shola's miscued shot wide of the goal in the opening seconds.

Debutant Jonas Gutierrez (pictured) returned to his former home of the Son Moix and showed some good touches in the first half, tracking back and working down both flanks.

An early injury to 'keeper Christian Fielder forced Hertha into a substitution, but it was deep into the second half when replacement Jaroslav Drobny saw any action.

At that point substitute Damien Duff made a run down the and eluded a series of challenges, but was unable to add to his pre-season goal tally with an 18 yard effort that was straight at the 'keeper.

Other than that we badly lacked a cutting edge and with midfield creativity at a premium and set pieces ragged, a breakthrough never looked likely.

With the tie apparently set for penalties, Hertha broke forward and substitute Maximuliam Nicu beat sub 'keeper Tim Krul with a simple close range header to win it.

Doubtless the usual noises about a good workout in difficult conditions will appear, but aside from the missing players, our lack of a midfield playmaker was evident.

In the night's other game, Mallorca beat Hanover 4-2.

Team: Harper (Krul 63), Geremi, Taylor, Cacapa, N'Zogbia, Butt, Guthrie, Milner, Gutierrez (Enrique 70), Smith, Ameobi (Duff 59).
[b]Subs n/u: Edgar, Danquah, Tozer, Doninger, Donaldson, Godsmark, Bassong.

Hertha: Fielder (Drobny 12), Bezarra, Von Bergen, Chahed, Cicero, Pantelic, Caetano, Stein, De Lima, Arguez (Nicu 73), Lustenberger (Haartmann 66).
Subs n/u: Lakic, Domovchyski, Bigalke, Fardi.

Referee: Ivan Gonzalez (Spain).

Crowd: tbc including around 700 Mags - a long way short of the 7,000+ that the organisers breezily predicted.

Back to 4-4-2, Alan Fucking Smith and a steadfast refusal to create anything in terms of attacking football. I didn't have to watch this game to get an impression of exactly how this game went, the match report above and the tone of my dad's voice when I was talking to him about it are more than enough.

2008/09 is looking more and more like another relentlessly disheartening year for us. No great disasters, just more and more grinding mediocrity and disillusionment. Lord.

Why wasn't Barton playing?

Paul Ince must be a really shit manager if he let us score from a corner against his team. And fuck me if we didn't add another three, none of which came from Ebanks-Blake.

Cavalry Trouser Tips wrote:

QUOTE:
Why wasn't Barton playing?

Stood in the naughty corner with his hands on his head?

Having high level meetings with Willie McKay, planning some cunt's trick?

Considered unfair on the Spanish to set him loose on Mallorca?

Liverpool have just given Pope's O'Rangers a proper spanking. Even the Rangers website said it could have been much worse than the 4-0 drubbing it was.
About time we scored some goals.

2 Aug.

Shrewsbury 0-1 Stoke.

Stoke were big, ugly, cynical and nasty.

We were pretty (ineffective).

Jon Parkin was carrying the spare tyre for the team coach. That must be his role in the squad.

Oxford 2 Cheltenham 1

All the goals scored in the last 6 minutes of the first half, in which both sides played their first teams. United made 10 changes at half time, while Cheltenham changed about 7 players in dribs and drabs throughout the second half. Even our "2nd string" (featuring a few regulars, a few youth teamers, a few triallists, and pariah duo Alex Jeannin and Eddie Hutchinson) looked better than Cheltenham, who hardly threatened our goalies throughout. If I were a Chelt fan then I'd be very concerned. In fact, I wouldn't be much surprised if the Oxford fans' chant "we'll play you again next year" turns out to be accurate (well, I'd be a bit surprised if we went up, but I expect to see Chelt back in the basement in 09/10 on that showing).

County 2-3 Forest





This was a bizzare game for every reason imaginable. Firstly the away supporters outnumbered the home. Secondly the result, which flattered County beyond belief.

Forest bossed the game and barely allowed County a shot. Although I will admit, this was helped by Counties completely hopeless crossing and final balls. Forest scored three well constructed goals, and were waltzing to an easy 3-0 victory. Forests first came from a knock-down from Luke Chambers, into the path of Earnshaw, who 12 yards out used his quick feet and struck hard toward goal. Kevin Pilkinton got a hand to the ball but it squeezed past him into the net. Forests' second came from a corner, where Chris Cohen put in an inviting cross for Julian Bennet to head home convincingly. Forests third came from a good through ball by youngster James Reid to Earnshaw, who one-on-one with the keeper slotted the ball home into the corner.

Then at 85 mins Forest's sub-goalkeeper went completely mental. A simple backpass was laid back to the goalie. He had all the time and space in the world, to play the ball anywhere he liked. For some reason he decided to scuff the ball straight to the feet of Forrester, who tapped into an open goal from 10 yards. It was one of those moments that you know will be on a future edition of "Gary Lineker's Football Hillarious Moments DVDs".

Three minutes later, to add insult to injury, a left wing out-swinging cross by Fairclough sailed over the lumbering sub keeper, straight into the far top corner. It was like watching Ronaldinho v Seaman, but from a much more difficult angle.

The score flattered County, who in the second half were being booed by their own fans as well as Forest's.

Forest: Paul Smith(Dale Roberts, 45min HT), Julian Bennett,(Joe Heath 77min) Luke Chambers(C)(Brendan Moloney, 60min), Wes Morgan, James Perch(Kelvin Wilson, 60min), Robert Earnshaw(Ian Breckin, 77min),, Matt Thornhill, Garath McCleary(James Reid 60min), Arron Davies, Chris Cohen(Guy Moussi 77min), Adam Newbold(Emile Sinclair60min)
Scorers: Earnshaw 27min, 74min, Bennett 34min

Notts County:Kevin Pilkington, Jason Beardsnoley, Paul Mayo, Adam Nowland(John Curtis,69min) Mike Edwards, Adam Tann, Matt Hamshaw(Jay Smith 87min), Richard Butcher(Neil Mackenzie79min), Jamie Forrester, Spencer Weir-Daley,(Ben Fairclough, 62min) Myles Weston.
Subs: Tim Sandercombe,
Scorer: Forrester 85min, Fairclough 88min,

Referee: Mr R Booth:
Attendance: 7,665

just got in from OT

espanyol probably better team second half

utd should have been 4-0 up at the breaK

1-0 utd

strange experience going to OT for the first time for a utd match (been for england wales)

all those different accents and languages is quite bizarre. seeing the norwegian reds, the icelandic reds, the chelmsford reds and the maltese reds in a pub by OT before the game sing 'fivvvvvvve eric cantonas' was odd

harbinger of hope, I am sorry but I have to insist that you list it as County 2 - Forest 3

How do you feel about the Earnshaw signing?

why were forest not on the usual away end?

always one of the best stands when i went with cardiff on the 2/3 times

I think they gave us the big stand purely because of the sheer numbers. We definately outnumbered the County fans spread across the other three stands.

I wasn't entirely sure about Rob when I first heard of his signing. He hasn't done a lot in recent times.

Having said that, he did look sharp against County, and took his two goals well. I was also amazed at Andrew Cole's pace. I thought he was too old to be sprinting past defenders. I was wrong.