Roeder raps his under-achievers and promises a summer clearout

The Newcastle manager would not name and shame, but it was not too hard to pick out the culprits as Portsmouth took an early lead but could easily have been three or four to the good.

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Craig Moore was so at sea against Benjani Mwaruwari and Kanu that he was replaced by Oguchi Onyewu on the half-hour, while Charles N'Zogbia was hauled off at the break.

But chief among the guilty parties was Emre. Looking like a player with his mind already on potential moves to Bayern Munich or Hertha Berlin, the Turkish midfielder might just be granted his wish despite offering Newcastle hope with a penalty in the 69th minute following Dejan Stefanovic's foul on James Milner.

"There were very, very harsh words said," admitted Roeder about his half-time team talk.

"Certain players didn't show enough energy, drive and desire. We have shown it a few times, especially away from home this year and I am not going to have it.

"The easiest thing to bring to a game is a desire to win and a motivation to run. In the first half there were talented players who didn't do that.

"I let them know at halftime and they came out and were a different team. But if you have to keep doing that every game, those players have to move on."

Major rebuilding is urgently required at St James' Park again this summer. The forward line is not the priority, while the arrival of Steve Sidwell on a free transfer from Reading will more than make up for the departure of the under-achieving Emre. Yet the perennial problem of acquiring a half-decent defence will remain.

Harry Redknapp's side still have their minds on this season, and the hunt for a UEFA Cup place.

Portsmouth were ahead through Benjani after seven minutes when he muscled Steven Taylor off the ball and powered a fierce shot past Steve Harper, while Matthew Taylor added another spectacular strike in the 59th minute, this one a 25-yard rocket to take his tally to nine for the season.

Obafemi Martins, who had an effort cleared off the line by Lauren right on half-time, was denied a late equaliser following Emre's spotkick by a spectacular David James save, but Newcastle did not deserve a point.

Pompey are up to seventh, but Redknapp insisted: "We keep being linked with Europe next season but my plan was always to finish in the top 10. I don't think about Europe."