Chris Hughton is concerned about defence
Jul 26 2010 by Mark Douglas, The Journal
CHRIS Hughton admitted that his back four was a cause for concern as Newcastle United slumped to their first pre-season defeat.
With injuries to James Perch and Steven Taylor – the latter’s shoulder injury is likely to rule him out of the first month of the season – Hughton’s options were thin on the ground at Carrow Road.
He gave Mike Williamson and Fabricio Coloccini a half each to build up match fitness but with a lack of senior defensive cover, it was left to promising Academy graduate James Tavernier, usually a specialist right-back, to partner them.
Wayne Routledge was also pressed into emergency service as a right-back, while Shane Ferguson – normally a left-sided midfielder – ended the game at left-back. It left Hughton in no doubt about the area that will be a priority when he tries to push through transfer business this week.
“Probably defence is the area where we’re a little bit light with injuries to Steven Taylor and James Perch,” he said.
“When you think we had young James Tavernier, who is normally a right-back, playing at centre-back, young Shane Ferguson at left-back and Wayne Routledge playing in a very unfamiliar right-back position, defensively we are stretched.
“I was disappointed that we didn’t keep the ball well enough. There were spells in the second half when we did, but we needed to do better.”
The defeat emphasised how far United still have to go before the start of the season, but Hughton was not particularly concerned. Fitness and finding a rhythm were the main priorities, the result was of secondary concern for the United chief.
“You can’t read too much into it. You only have to look at other results,” he said. “I won’t name names but I’ve seen other Premier League sides who’ve already lost a couple of games and I’m sure they’ll be prepared right for the first league game.
“At this stage Norwich are ahead of us with their games and that was the kind of competition we want at this stage of pre-season.”
Among the black-and-white bright spots of a competitive game was a clinical goal for Shola Ameobi, in many ways one of United’s forgotten men after seeing Andy Carroll usurp him towards the end of the season. He notched within a minute of coming on as a second-half substitute; Hughton (right) said he would be an important player this season.
“Shola is a goalscorer,” he said. “You know that if you get the ball to him in the right areas he’ll score goals. He has good qualities, he’s two-footed and there is his height too.
“He could be an important player for us this season – he’s an important part of the squad. He showed that last season.
“His argument might be that if he hadn’t had the injury he might have been a bigger part of it. He would certainly have scored more goals.”
