With our three best players injured and us facing a top four contender away from home, this feels like a good point for Newcastle United.
We controlled large parts of the first half, responded to Dawson’s goal – which was against the run of play – with a well deserved goal from Joe Willock and then defended superbly in the second half to secure a point that leaves us unbeaten in our last SIX games.
It was a concern to see Saint-Maximin missing through injury when the teams were released and a shame to see the tireless Fraser limp off, however it is very encouraging to see how we played without so many key players.
We had more of the ball, more shots, more corners and more chances to score. That in itself means we may feel frustrated we couldn’t come away with all three against a flat Hammers side who never really got going, but in the circumstances this is still a solid point and a performance that suggests we’ll have more than enough to stay up.
Matt Targett was outstanding at left-back – keeping Bowen quiet all afternoon – Dan Burn a man mountain once again and Joe Willock back to his best; not only scoring but making several burst forward with the ball that we saw so often last season.
Huge credit must also go to Eddie Howe, who is not only getting the best out of this squad but giving a previously pedestrian team real identity, confidence and belief. We also look nothing like the side who were shipping goals for fun a few months ago, with this another game where Dubravka barely had a save to make.
The result takes us five clear of the relegation zone as things stand, although that could change as Norwich face Liverpool, Watford travel to Aston Villa and Burnley take on Brighton at The Amex in today’s 3pm kick offs.
Eddie Howe made thee changes for this one, with Emil Krafth, Matt Targett and Jacob Murphy replacing injured trio Kieran Trippier, Javier Manquillo and Allan Saint-Maximin.
The Frenchman’s absence was a late surprise and huge pre-match blow, with it revealed just a few hours before kick off that he’d no travelled and could be missing for a couple of weeks. That said, Howe didn’t seem overly concerned when speaking to BT Sport before the game, suggesting it was a knock – from a few too many kicks against Villa – and not a long-term injury.
As for the game itself, the first half was both hugely promising, highly frustrating but ultimately ended in the goal we fully deserved.
To say we didn’t give West Ham a kick for the first 10 minutes would be no exaggeration. We were passing the ball with confidence, showing cool heads, winning second balls and playing with the sort of belief you’d expect from a side who’ve won three on the bounce.
Joelinton had a close range shot blocked after a lapse from Rice, Willock had a goal-bound effort deflected over and an unmarked Fraser dragged an unmarked volley into his own player in what was an outstanding start from our perspective – just one that was lacking that all important finish!
West Ham’s first glimpse of goal came after a moment of indecision from Krafth allowed a ball to work its way out to Antonio, whose shot was well blocked by Targett just moments before Bowen hit the bar from a tight angle. Dubravka got a glove to it, but it was a warning that West Ham had players with superior quality in the final third and could take the chances we were spurning if we gave them a sniff.
At the other end, Willock was in the mood, carrying the ball at speed like he did last season and getting Fredericks booked after a brilliant run down the left.
Soon after, Wood bullied Zouma – who was getting constant boos from the travelling Toon Army every time he touched the ball – and delivered a brilliant ball into the box…but no one in a Newcastle shirt gambled.
Sadly, our failure to capitalise on our impressive start was then punished. After Krafth’s blatant block on Antonio, Cresswell’s wicked delivery was headed in by an unmarked Dawson.
A horrid goal to concede and a real body blow given the way we’d been playing up until this point, however we dug in and got the goal we richly deserved in first half added time.
Willock had been the best player on the pitch in the first half and grabbed the goal in just 60 seconds before the break, reacting quickest to Rice’s mistake and poking an improvised finish past Fabianksi and in off the post!
His first goal of the season, a thoroughly deserved equaliser and a goal his performances over the past few weeks have more than warranted. Now it was time to build on this in the final 45 – as this was clearly a game that was there to be won.
The Hammers came out of the traps quickly after the restart and could’ve retaken the lead if it wasn’t for a strong block from Dan Burn – who got in the way of a powerful Dawson strike that looked to be heading in.
We ran out of steam from an attacking point of view in the second half. We weren’t camped in our own half and accepting of a point, but we didn’t cause enough problems for that West Ham defence in the second half, instead relying on a huge effort in midfield and big effort from a back four that didn’t let us down in that second half.
Krafth is the clear weak link and was at fault for their goal, but Schar was solid again, Burn outstanding – bringing an air of confidence to our previously edgy back line – and Targett superb in the way he dealt with Jarrod Bowen.
Dubravka didn’t have a save to make in that second half and we dug in for a decent point, with Almiron and Guimaraes coming on in the closing stages for Fraser and Willock; two players who ran themselves into the ground once again.
Here’s what Howe had to say after the game:
It says a lot when we’re without several key players yet frustrated to come away with just a point from a West Ham side battling to finish in the top four…
Next up, a trip to Brentford next weekend!
STARTING 11: Dubravka – Krafth, Schar, Burn, Targett – Shelvey, Willock, Joelinton – Fraser, Wood, Murphy.
SUBS: Darlow, Dummett, Lascelles, Fernandez, De Bolle, Almiron, Longstaff, Bruno G, Gayle
I am going to repeat this. Every time I see a NUFC fan make a comment about Bruce I see another “fan” say “move on”. Why should we not have a look at how he is doing now and make a comparison to the new Manager? That is what football fans do. We were called delusional and ungrateful by every pundit and national journalist out there. Why not have some fun now when we can watch from a distance as Bruce repeats the cycle, this time alongside his brussels sprout to assist the other 2 vegetables (Steves). Meathead and 3 Veg.
We should be throwing Bruce’s current failure in the faces of the National media. We know the pattern and we know it will continue. There may be a blip and he might even win a couple of games but that will be followed by the inevitable death spiral and the sacking.
If Shearer was in Management we would follow him as well. I even kept an eye on Pards when he was at WBA and he did about as well as Brucie is now.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Sham – I did consider him to be fair & would take him ahead of Richarlison. But the workrate and way Fraser has linked up with Trippier keeps him ahead of him I think.
Fraser needs to become more of a goal threat though that’s for sure.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Move on man ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: I knew someone would say it 🙂 I will move on eventually, just wanted a bit of a gloat 🙂
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
I will move on. Looks like an unchanged team against Brentford. I think Eddie will hold ASM back even if he could play, I doubt he will be risked. I reckon we will see Bruno on 60-65 mins. It has to happen and one of our MFers must eventually have an offday to let Bruno in.
Fernandez is back in training. I think he is one of these players who have benefitted from not being seen. The fans think he is better the LESS they see of him. He is pretty average and I have no doubt Lascelles would be ahead of him in the pecking order anyway. I dont really get the love for Fede, his 1st instinct is always to hoof it out for a corner which is not Eddie’s method. I think he will be gone in the summer and will hardly feature much unless there are injuries. I reckon even Krafth might be in ahead of him at CB.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
I dont mean to be too hard on Fede because he has done a decent job for us but he is not exactly the most mobile. Still done better than Lascelles and Clark this year, but we are playing a different system now.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Eric – I’m only messing mate, you go for your life. I prefer the Andy Dufresne approach – for the Shawshank Redemption fans, it’s the scene where he’s sat on the roof while the crew drink their bottle of suds ?.
It baffles me why the likes of Richard Keys still get articles dedicated to him on this site. Keeping his name in those click bait articles is exactly why he says the nonsense he comes out with.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Eric – I think he’s a better CB that Lascelles but has lost his pace now which is likely why he reverts to hoofing it as often as he does. But that said, I think he takes less risks that Lascelles & Schar for that matter, and isn’t as rash in his tackling – some of the stupid tackles Lascelles makes to give freekicks away in dangerous areas is mental.
I also think Fede is a better passer of the ball.
I don’t rate Lascelles at all really & certainly don’t think he should be captain.
I know it may not read this way but I’m not slagging the kid off because I do think he puts the effort in & gives a **** – I just think he’s limited.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Wheels are coming off for Leeds. Down 3-0 after 35 mins.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
I think Leeds are even behind us on GD now. There was that 7-0 against City. Leeds are not safe.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Sharpy: I have never trusted Lascelles since the first game I saw him live in a friendly in Milwaukee. In the 1st 20 mins he gave away a free kick on the edge of the box and then a pen – led to 2 goals. He had one purple patch of about 10 games where I thought he might be maturing but he has gone backwards this season.
A lot of people think the reason we needed to play 3 CBs was to make up for Lascelles’ deficiencies.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Eric – I’m saying Fede has lost his pace, coz he’s 34 or something like that. But I’ve never seen a defender with a slower turn of pace than Lascelles. Once he’s got up to speed he’s ok, but over the first 10-15 yards he’s like a steam train.
I agree about the 3 at the back. The trouble with that though is he doesn’t seem to understand his role in that system either.
We definitely need to improve our CBs – I won’t say spend big because there are some decent ones available on a free in the summer. But I’d be keeping Burn and maybe Schar (for now) and upgrading the rest.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Hells bells Burnley are clawing their way out of trouble as well here.
Good on Dyche, but Spurs are so sh!te. How do you go from putting 3 passed City to not being able to score against Burnley.
It’s not looking good for Watford & Norwich – but who goes with them???. Brentford?, Leeds?, Everton? – or does our or Burnley’s bubble burst?.
I think Burnley’s win makes the Brentford game even more important now. We need a bit of a gap coz we’ve got some tough fixtures coming up.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Just looking at the Spurs game and the only 2 Spurs players to have a shot on target was Ben Davies (defender) and Steven Bergwin – who didn’t come on until the 79 min.
Sharpy17(Quote)
6-0 in the end for Leeds ??♂️. When both Liverpool CBs are scoring against you, you know you’ve got problems!!.
It’s Leeds or Brentford taking that 3rd spot imo – providing we beat Brentford at the weekend.
Sharpy17(Quote)
My God don’t mention the colour purple on here Eric!
Shamrock(Quote)
I’ve been saying Burnley will climb out of it for a while now. Fair play and it keeps Newcastle players’ minds focused. It’s a tight battle now at both ends of the table.
Re: Rafinha, I like Fraser’s work rate but he’s just not creative enough for me. Great squad player for sure but we need match winners in the advanced positions and he is not one.
He’s like Ritchie mark 2. You need a few players like that in and around camp but he’ll never set the world alight.
Shamrock(Quote)
Ouch .. that’s gonna hurt. Hope your mate gets it sorted.
Let’s hope hydrogen replacements are cheaper if they take hold .. fires around hydrogen get messy ???
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Burnley finding form is a tad worrying for teams down there and we could do ourselves a world of good with a win this weekend as we could go past Everton, Leeds and Brentford and A win against Brighton to follow will keep Burnley at arms length
I quite like dyche .. knows his stuff , doesn’t take prisoners and a hefty dose of steel in there without the ready made excuses that some managers love.
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60501859
Wasn’t this predicted on here recently ?
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Sham – aye you’re right mate. Where’s the Fraser that was up there with the likes of Hazard gone???.
I know right side attack is one to need to improve on. I suggested Doku the other day but I think Dembele & Raphina are out of contract in the summer – so either would do ??
Sharpy17(Quote)
Just watched the highlights of the Liverpool v Leeds game & my money is now on Leeds going.
The defending is none existent. Soon as the first went in their heads go down and they stop tracking back – very unlike Leeds.
Maybe the Bielsa bubble has burst, but they keep playing like that & they are gone.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: I watched the whole game and Leeds were shyte. Had 2 chances.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Eric – without Bamford they seem to have very little goal threat – but that’s similar to us without Wilson to be fair.
The biggest difference is just how open they play. They are so cavalier in their play & are getting punished heavily for it this season.
Everyone raves about the Bielsa way last season & seem to still encourage it, but I only see it getting them relegated. It might work in the championship, but PL teams punish it.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Well the shi.t has really hit the fan in Ukraine today, hasn’t it? I’m not sure sanctions will work either. ????
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Gilly – any political leader who genuinely thought sanctions would work on Putin clearly didn’t know the man. This was always happening after he took the Crimea without challenge.
Sharpy17(Quote)
His speech to take over at the beginning of his reign promised he would rebuild greater Russia and claw back all the states that had left with the collapse of the berlin wall.
PremAndUp(Quote)
Now out of the European Union, Britain are still a major voice to negotiate with Putin – and we send in that bumbling clown ? and Lizzy Truss.
I wonder if Bojo, Rishi and Raab have spent all of the £2m the Russian gave them yet?! ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
I can’t stomach another Churchill speech from Bojo sat at his desk addressing the nation like we give a **** what he has to say anymore.
We all know what he says and what he does are 2 very different things. We also know that his and his parties pockets have been lined with Russian money.
Sharpy17(Quote)
It’s a very sad and scary situation. This needs more than sanctions, but all out war would be catastrophic. Letting Putin just crack on can’t be an option though, surely.
Shamrock(Quote)
Yep this Ukraine situation is very scary, feel for the poor Ukranian people, they must be terrified.
With Russia hand in hand with China and N. Korea we are pretty well stumped as far as sanctions go, it will have zero effect since Russia will form more lucrative trade with China. There are huge mineral deposits in Ukraine and Russia will probably offer it to China once they have control.
China meanwhile have been sitting back for the last god knows how many years watching the west get lazy and quietly gone about building themselves into a mass global trader.
Russia now sees the West with weak leaders in Biden and Boris and a European union that is fighting within itself and saw this as the perfect time to expand it’s territory . Putin won’t be satisfied with Ukraine either he will want other states Russia lost, even the likes of Finland are not safe from this madman ( and he really is bonkers ) because it was once part of Russia too.
He reminds me of some deranged bond villain .
Boris , Biden and Europe are toothless because they cannot afford to send in troops and start WW3 , poxy sanctions are all they have.
We and Europe and the US are too poor to fight this thanks to covid.
China will be watching with interest cause they will also be thinking about taking Tiawan soon I would think.
I do wonder if the Covid thing was deliberately released from a lab sometimes, it’s certainly done a good job of weakening world economies .
KIMTOON(Quote)
At least West Brom fans dont need to worry about anything.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Global conflict, global warming, nah, we’re all ‘appie. We have that fat lad from Corbridge, ee’ll see ooz roight.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
It’s sanctions or WW3 unfortunately! And Putin knows we will not risk ww3. He’s a total psychopath. This will be bad. There is no good option. Perhaps if the Russian people that actually don’t want war, rise up against him in huge numbers but that is very unlikely. I think we should start by taking 50 points off Chelsea.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Sham – the only answer (and I’m not sure how it’s achieved) is civil war in Russia. Turn the Russians against Putin – it’s the ONLY thing he fears is losing control. All out war is playing into his hands & sanctions is little more than a Chinese burn.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I am not sure about The True Geordie now. I think I preferred his rants and the panel discussions he does now with his mates from other teams are a bit blah. His Shearer interview was brilliant though, and was not a rant, so there is still hope.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
😆
KIMTOON(Quote)
Eric – whether you like the lads content or not, there is no defining he has turned his drunken ranting into a real success.
I don’t know him at all, but I’m pleased for him. I do watch quite a bit of his stuff & think he’s got a stong team/panel around him.
He’s done some excellent interviews to be fair – the ones with Nile Ranger & Dyer were good too and he has Isreal Adesanya & Sam Fender coming up too – good guests.
I like to see a Geordie success story ??
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: I do not begrudge anything to someone who has made a success of what they do like The True Geordie. As I said, and will go even further, I LOVED his Shearer interview. I might watch a bit more of the panel stuff if you say it is good.
I think I just preferred the rants 🙂
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Just so there is no mistaking what I am saying about The True Geordie. I thought the Shearer interview was the best interview I have seen in at least the last 5 years. Shearer was brilliant and The True Geordie was a brilliant interviewer. It was a masterclass in how you should interview a true legend and Big Al was all up for it.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
OH, HAPPY DAY.
Liverpool are in the League Cup final. That means I can go to the pub and watch us on Saturday without the Red Bindippers being annoying. I was thinking about not going, BECAUSE OF THEM, as they were scheduled to play at the same time as us.
Blue Bindippers play after us, but they arent as bad or pushy.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Yeah mate I think fear will prevent a civil war – plus his propoganda machine will brainwash a lot of people. (The irony is not lost on me that our own propoganda machines does the same with us to some extent)
I reckon sanctions to bring the key movers and shakers to their knees followed by an assassination. Cut the snakes head off so to speak – and then there is no appetite from those around him to continue his ego driven ideals and we can foster more cordial and hopefully mutually productive relations moving forward.
Either way, Ukraine will be left without key infastructure, a smashed up economy and heavy casualties regardless of what the outcome is, which sucks.
We just don’t bloody learn as a species.
Shamrock(Quote)
Couldn’t agree more mate.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I can’t believe Conte hasn’t come back out and tried to retract his post match comments from the Burnley game.
I understand why he was upset. They played so badly, but to effectively call for his own sacking just mental.
The fact he or the players haven’t commented on it is very strange.
Sharpy17(Quote)
On an NUFC note – anyone know what the hold up on appointing Dan Ashworth is??
Sharpy17(Quote)
Howe has pretty much confirmed it will be an unchanged team. I doubt we will see St Max even on the bench. Hope to see a bit more of Bruno but reading between the lines of Eddie’s presser there is no way he will start against Brentford.
Everybody that supports NUFC is expecting a win which has me worried. I need Lawro, Owen or Merse to predict a loss to make me feel more comfortable. At the moment I am leaning towards 1-1.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Phew! Lawro goes Brentford 2-1.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
I made the mistake of reading one of Ed’s articles and venturing below the line to the chat. That lot can create an argument over absolutely nothing. It is depressing to think they are NUFC fans.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Thinking back to that 3-3 against Brentford, we really should have won that. Wasnt it the game where Darlow had a howler? I thought Darlow had turned the corner last year but I dont trust him again now and think he should leave in the summer. But, we had one of our better games then and their only real threat was Toney who may not even play.
There is always a team that starts well and then sinks like a stone. Luckily (hopefully) for us there are 3 this year – Brentford, Leeds, Everton. Others, like Watford and Norwich have been pretty **** all year. How we only got draws against Watford I will never know. That makes it all the more necessary to beat Brentford.
I am going to change my prediction. 2-1 the Toon.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
So Brentford say Eriksen will play against us. Good I think he will be a distraction for them.
Sharpy17(Quote)
As far as I know (which is not very far!) they are discussing the amount of compensation for Brighton to enable him to shorten his garden leave and join us.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
How bigs his bleedin garden????
Sharpy17(Quote)
Massive. That’s the problem, the deal is all agreed but despite best efforts they just can’t bloody find him out there!
Shamrock(Quote)
? if it’s that big mate I bet Eunice had some of that fence down as well ??♂️. As long as he’s in before the summer ??♂️??
Sharpy17(Quote)
I would imagine that Ashworth will be on gardening leave for six months from the date he handed his notice in at Brighton.
Nufc could probably have started him earlier but they would have had to pay Brighton compensation to do that.
Sidekick(Quote)
Send in search and rescue!
Shamrock(Quote)
Michael Owen predicts 1-1 so I feeling much more comfortable about a NUFC win. All I need is for Paul Merson’s Giant Balloon Heed to predict a loss and I will be happy.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Send in Titchmarsh & Garden rescue! ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
LEEDS AND EVERTON?
As usual the pundits have it all wrong. They act like they are both too good to go down but their recent form says otherwise. I even fall into this trap because of the pundit drumbeat, but both teams have been total dross this year. The only bright spot for Everton was when they played Leeds 🙂
I dont trust Super- Frank and Leeds have totally lost the plot.
I am still finding it hard to see them relegated but they have overrated squads and I am sick of their fan-boys on TV and in the press. I think one of them will go down. I keep wavering on this.
Hope it is the Blue Bindippers.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)