Pohang Steelers 6-0 Newcastle Jets (read as: dayamm)

By: Kieran | June 26th, 2009

Pohang Steelers 6-0 Newcastle Jets, or alternatively, dayamm

So..where to start. To be honest I didn’t watch the game, couldn’t get access to a TV showing it, and was away from my computer, but I’ve read through a few match reports and am ready to give you my take on the game.

A defensively weakened Newcastle Jets team were ‘tanked’ by a vastly superior Pohang team in Korea on Wednesday. A team missing key defenders Ljubo Milicevic and my favourite Jets player Nikolai-Topor Stanley were always going to struggle, but I don’t think anyone expected a 6 nil thumping. The night started badly for the Newcastle team, when Jason Hoffman was penalised for a shirt pull on Brazilian Denilson, who promptly put the spot kick past keeper Ben Kennedy. Things then went from bad to really really bad when Choi Hyojin scored. This second goal was mainly a result of poor defending, after Jobe Wheelhouse had the ball stolen at the halfway line by Hyojin, who proceeded to sprint towards the goal and score. Things kept on getting worse, but a denied penalty shout and a disallowed goal from a Denilson free kick kept Newcastle slightly in the game.

Then, after half time it looked as if Newcastle manager Gary van Egmond had pulled off an act of tactical genius when he brought on youngster Sean Rooney, who had an immediate effect. However this bright start, and any chance of an amazing comeback, were once again in ruins after Jae Sung Kim put another one past Kennedy. Humiliation then began to appear likely when Hyojin added his second seven minute later, and he then completed his hat trick with a 65th minute header which evaded Kennedy. And finally Macedonian striker Stevica Ristik came off the bench to put a sixth goal past Kennedy in the 85th.

So…way to suck alot Newcastle. After the game manager Gary van Egmond spoke to the media: (taken from AAP via Fox Sports)

‘It was very disappointing obviously, we copped two goals in the first half which were from our own bad defensive mistakes…The first one is a penalty and the second one is a mistake at the back which allowed Pohang to score…In the second half we played with two up front and you are trying to force the game a bit…Pohang played it very smart they’ve got some very good players to play on the counter and exposed us defensively…It’s a shame in regards to the result, because of a lot of good work that we have done in the group stage, for us to go out this way…But again I want to give Pohang full credit.”

He then went on to add that the build up to the game had not really been ideal,

“We’ve not had the best of preparation because of the fact our domestic season was not on…We’ve got a number of injuries to key players which obviously doesn’t help our cause as well….But at the end of the day, we were naive in our defending and, where in prior games two or three of our players really stepped up and played outstanding, unfortunately today it was probably the opposite.”

But at the end of the day, they still played like crap (pardon my French) and don’t really deserve any excuses. I personally think its sad that the world has to see our so called ‘best’ A League team play (and get thrashed) like that. While I realise it would be difficult, I think it would be so much smarter to have this years first and second team (i.e Melbourne and Adelaide) playing, rather than this years wooden spooners.

What do you think? Agree, or think I’m a crazy idiot? Let me know in the comments

Ohh and with that I’m off to sunny Hamilton Island for a week and a bit. So until then adios, and I’ll be back soon with some more articles written up while living it up in the warmth.