Newcastle must correct defensive errors to survive in Premier League, says Kevin Nolan

28 September 2010 11:35
Nolan's side were on course to move into fifth place in the table thanks to his penalty against Stoke last Sunday but Tony Pulis' set-piece specialists exploited local weaknesses to hit back and record their first win on Tyneside since March 1976 as Newcastle fell apart in dead-ball situations. [LNB]'There is a lot of disappointment around after the Stoke defeat, but if you defend set-pieces badly you will get punished in this league,' said Nolan whose side head to Manchester City on Sunday. [LNB]'We've come unstuck because of two badly defended set-pieces and that has to be a massive lesson for us to learn because we cannot afford to give goals away as sloppy. [LNB]'We'd been working on that all week; they didn't come with any surprises. We controlled the game for long periods and then we got sloppy at the back. We gave them more set-piece opportunities than we would have liked and they punished us. By our standards, it wasn't good enough. [LNB]'We've got to make sure we learn from it because a lot of teams will come here looking to do the same. We can't get away from the fact that, no matter how well we have played, we've been beaten twice at home now. Teams will look to absorb the pressure here and attack us through set-pieces. It's a harsh lesson, but we have to take it onboard quickly.'[LNB]The defeats means that Newcastle have lost their last two home games since Aston Villa were thrashed 6-0 at St James' Park but Nolan cautioned against reading too much into the latest loss. [LNB]'It's another setback at home, but that is all it is, a setback,' Nolan said. 'Obviously we wanted to continue from the two great results we've had a way from home, we wanted to keep the ball rolling. [LNB]'We're back where we belong in the Premier League. We have set our targets and we know what we want to achieve this season. [LNB]'We have to keep looking at the bigger picture. We're in a new league and we're a new Newcastle if you like and we will keep working towards our aims. We're there or thereabouts at the moment. [LNB]'We know we could have had more points on the table and we probably should have more points on the table if you look at the games we have lost at home, but that's what this league does to you. [LNB]'I'm sure we will win games we probably don't deserve to along the way. We've already lost games we should have won, but that's why the Premier League is so punishing. We've got to look forward now and get on with it. [LNB]Nolan also defended manager Chris Hughton's policy of deploying a lone striker in the shape of Andy Carroll. [LNB]'People make a massive thing about this, but every Premier League team play like this. Manchester United and Chelsea play like it at home, so why can't Newcastle play it at home,' he continued. [LNB]'Why are we always a 4-4-2 side? I've never understood why Newcastle have to play two up front. We've got two wingers who ran riot in the first half. Even when we put Shola on in the second half, it didn't change anything. We've got to be adaptable and I think we are. [LNB]'We can play different formations, but we're living in an era and a league of 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 if you like. You know, last week we were brilliant at Everton and nobody moaned about playing 4-5-1 then. [LNB]"We started off well against Stoke in a 4-5-1, but we let sloppy goals in and suddenly the formation is being questioned. The formation wasn't the problem; the little mistakes at set-pieces were the problem. They were costly.'[LNB]

Source: Telegraph