Allardyce plays the blame game

AS a man who treats each team he sends out as an extension of his not inconsiderable ego, it comes as little surprise that Sam Allardyce is someone who takes defeat rather personally.

So a comprehensive trouncing by a side previously without a victory at St James’ Park in 58 years did not sit easily with the glum-looking Newcastle manager, who professed himself “gutted” by a first home defeat of his reign played out before a rapidly emptying stadium in the aftermath of Niko Kranjcar scoring Portsmouth’s fourth goal late on.

Not that Allardyce was taking defeat on the chin, more deflecting the blow towards his hapless players, most notably Claudio Cacapa.

The defender, brought in by Allardyce from Lyon during the summer, gifted goals to Benjani Mwaruwari and John Utaka in a breath-taking three-minute show of ineptitude by the hosts following Noe Pamarot’s stunning opener.

“Claudio’s one of those you thought wouldn’t make that type of mistake,” insisted Allardyce after hauling the Brazilian off with just over 15 minutes played. “He has enough experience to accept he has made mistakes and he will pick himself up.”

Cacapa joins the lengthy list of scapegoats for defensive frailties previously hung out to dry at Newcastle. Jean-Alain Boumsong performed that task for Graeme Souness, while for Glenn Roeder, Titus Bramble proved to be a regular, if unwilling, stooge.

“I can’t cut out basic errors,” added Allardyce, absolving himself of any blame to continue the trend. “When it boils down to two basic errors like it did there’s very little as a manager you can do.”

Allardyce, who will be without Shay Given for three weeks following a fresh groin injury for the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper, left his charges in little doubt as to his feelings, even if most of his players had been stunned into silence.

Midfielder Nicky Butt was also unhappy with the performance, but will be denied an immediate opportunity to help rectify the damage, a fifth booking of the season ruling him out of Saturday’s derby trip to Sunderland, managed by his former Manchester United team-mate Roy Keane.

Harry Redknapp feared Portsmouth might fall victim to a spectacular comeback when Sol Campbell deflected the ball past David James to give Newcastle brief hope with the contest’s fourth goal and more than 70 minutes left on the clock. He needn’t have worried.

Instead, the manager can reflect on fourth place in the table after a seventh Premier League game unbeaten. Ever the realist, he is not allowing himself to be carried away by his side’s sterling start to the campaign.

“In this game, if you get carried away then you end up getting kicked in the teeth,” he said. “At the start of the season I’d have been happy with a top-half finish, and I’ve not changed my view. I think we can get into the Uefa Cup.”

Benjani, the Premier League top scorer with eight goals, concurred.

“I’m not sure about qualifying for the Champions League, but the Uefa Cup is a realistic goal,” he insisted.

“It was all a little surprising at the start and I can’t remember being three goals up so early in a game. I think the last time it happened, I was at school.”

NEWCASTLE (4-4-2): Harper 5, Taylor 5, Faye 4, Cacapa 3 (Rozehnal 18, 4), Jose Enrique 4 (Martins 57, 5), N’Zogbia 5, Butt 5, Barton 5, Milner 6 (Emre 69, 6), Smith 5, Owen 5.

Subs Not Used: Forster, Geremi.

PORTSMOUTH: James 6, Pamarot 7, Distin 7, Campbell 8, Johnson 7, Davis 6, Muntari 8 (Pedro Mendes 87, 5), Diop 8, Utaka 8, Kranjcar 7, Mwaruwari 9 (Kanu 76, 5).

Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Lauren, Taylor.

REFEREE: Chris Foy (Merseyside) 6: Portsmouth made his life easy by exerting such complete control: supporters had no cause for complaints.

MATCH RATING: *** Pompey continue to thrive in the Premier League’s higher reaches and will stay there if they maintain this sublime form. Newcastle have serious problems.