Fabian Schar pulled no punches after Newcastle United's goal-less draw with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Schar won the Chronicle's man of the match award after a sturdy display which included four clearances, three key blocks and 31 passes.
The Switzerland international was the hero for the Magpies after a stunning overhead kick denied Aaron Connolly in the second half following his deft chip over Martin Dubravka.
The Irish youngster was actually wheeling away in celebration but Schar's crucial intervention turned a home defeat into a draw and a point by just millimeters.
Schar, who has been one of the stars of the season so far, was still seething after the game, and felt that the Magpies had allowed their standards to drop.
In an open and honest response when asked about his verdict on the game, Schar told the Chronicle: "We played a **** game - what can I say?
"We were lucky to get a point.
"But we played a bad game, that's it.
"We move on to the next game but we have to improve on this."
United were booed off at half-time and full-time but the fact that fans tried to rally their side in between was a fact not lost on Schar.
The 27-year-old said: "It's a positive that the fans stayed with us.
"But we need to do more for them in the home games.
"We need to play much better.
"Today was a really bad game for ourselves and that's all I can really say."
