5 thoughts on 5-1.

1. OLD VALUES TRUMP NEW SYSTEMS. How do you win a Derby ? You drink in the atmosphere and you thrive on it. You let the occasion propel you to a higher level of performance. You let the wonderful, visceral, tribal noise fill your heart and soul and inspire you. Newcastle United did all of this on Sunday. You absolutely MUST NOT be afraid of it. You absolutely MUST NOT retreat into your shell and hope your team mates will get the job done for you. You absolutely MUST NOT allow the game to pass you by. Sunderland did all of that on Sunday. It meant the much-anticipated battle of the formations was completely irrelevant. Tactical anoraks were wondering if Sunderland's modern 4-5-1 would confuse and frustrate the Magpies more straightforward 4-4-2. But it just didn’t matter in the end and anyway, Newcastle’s formation was slightly looser than it looked, with Barton, Guttierez and, crucially, Nolan all encouraged to roam.
2. YOU CAN’T WIN A DERBY WITH KIDS. Who were the best players on Sunday ? For me, it was Nolan, Barton, Ameobi and one other. I’ll come to that name in a moment. But the other three were totally in control of their emotions. They embraced the occasion, but they didn’t play the occasion. They sized up the opposition and played cleverly, managing the game for Newcastle in crucial areas of the field. Nolan and Barton are aged 28. Ameobi is aged 29. Compare and contrast with Sunderland. 6 members of their starting 11 were aged 23 or under and not one of those players had a game they would want to remember. I admit, it’s not a hard and fast rule, largely because the other name on my list of the best players on Sunday is 21-year old Andy Carroll, who was simply immense. But you get the point, Sunderland didn’t have enough old heads in key positions. Newcastle did. Steve Bruce admitted as much in his post-match press conference.
3. GIVE THAT MAN A CONTRACT, BUT DON’T WORRY TOO MUCH IF HE DOESN’T GET ONE YET. Chris Hughton has done a remarkable job at St James Park and the tittle-tattle last week was shameful really. The rumours about him losing his job were a new media/internet creation rather than a story with genuine substance. It’s ridiculous to suggest his job should be under threat. On the back of Sunday’s result there’s been a big emotional appeal from fans and players to get the contract situation sorted out. It’s a persuasive argument and it really does feel like a good time for the men upstairs at St James Park to give their manager what he deserves. But these are the Ashley austerity years at Newcastle. Money isn’t splashed around Gallowgate as freely as it was ten years ago. Hard bargains are driven with agents, players and managers. The club have already said they’ll renegotiate Hughton’s deal at the end of the year and they might well feel there’s no need to bring that timetable forward. They’re also fortunate that Hughton is a manager almost without ego, so they know he’s unlikely to rock the boat. Especially when everyone in the boat seems pretty happy right now.
4. DON’T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER. BUT CONSIDER CHANGING THE BATHWATER. The only credit Sunderland took from Sunday is that they were very honest in their response to it. They adopted a mea culpa approach. They had no choice really. It was a terrible day for the Black Cats and there were no excuses given for their performance. There must be a reaction to this, but they must be careful not to over-react. The system that has served them well for two months was ripped apart and gigantic flaws were exposed. But that doesn’t mean they should abandon everything they’ve done up to now. The Black Cats have played some very good stuff so far this season and they’ve got to trust themselves to put this right. The fans need to trust them too. Personally I think it’s now time to get Asamoah Gyan into the team, as Darren Bent is far too isolated up front. But it’s up to Steve Bruce. He has to make at least one change next weekend with Titus Bramble suspended, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he was considering another 4 changes. I don’t think he’ll abandon the 4-5-1 system completely, but a little shake up might be good therapy for everyone right now.
5. BEWARE DERBY DAY FOOLS GOLD. It’s not just three points. It’s not just another match. It IS a special occasion which offers a big payoff in terms of emotion and good will. It IS about pride in your team and your city. It definitely IS about lording it over the neighbours if you win and taking it on the chin if you lose. But it’s unlikely to define your season. Newcastle aren’t definitely going to run roughshod over the premier league just because they put five past Sunderland. The Black Cats aren’t definitely going to suffer a huge crisis of confidence and get drawn into a relegation battle. The emotional high of a Derby win can make it seem like everything. But it’s only 1/38th of the premier league season and Newcastle haven’t cracked it just because they hammered their nearest and dearest, just as Sunderland’s campaign isn’t a complete write-off because of this one result. Two years ago Wearside dined out on a famous Derby win at the Stadium of Light and considered it a launch pad for future success. About six weeks later Roy Keane had gone, they were back in the bottom three and back to square one. I don’t actually think the players or managers on either side will get carried away with this result, but there is a danger that the fans will. The nature of the result means it'll be talked about for years, but in terms of the long term progress of both teams, it's unlikely to mean that much. It’s different in the short term though. Newcastle fans are absolutely entitled to revel in their glory this week and Sunderland fans just have to take it on the chin. Those are the rules of engagement on Derby Day.