A second half horror-show and sobering reminder that real investment is needed this summer, as Newcastle United put in one of their poorest displays under Eddie Howe in today’s 5-1 defeat at Spurs.
The travelling Toon Army were in dreamland in the 39th minute after Schar rattled in a first half free kick, but Tottenham responded immediately to make it 1-1 before the break.
What followed in the second half was nothing short of shambolic, as we completely collapsed and got carved open with ease, conceding four times to hand Spurs an emphatic win.
Thankfully, our run of away games has come to an end, as we’ll now play three straight games against Wolves, Leicester and Crystal Palace at St James’ Park before travelling to Norwich.
However, this was a brutal reality check, a horrid display and a defeat we thoroughly deserved, hopefully reminding our players that our Premier League safety hasn’t been decided just yet – despite the nine-point cushion.
Howe made three changes from the side that lost 1-0 to Everton a few weeks ago, seeing Manquillo, Shelvey and Saint-Maximin come in for Krafth, Guimaraes – who’d not long returned from Brazil – and Almiron.
The first 15 minutes was a tough watch from a Newcastle perspective. Aside from the odd Saint-Maximin burst that ultimately came to nothing, we spent the majority of the opening stages camped in our own half and struggling to get a kick.
Our first big chance then came in the 22nd minute, as Joe Willock showed some lovely footwork to jink past two Tottenham players in the box, however his close range shot was superbly blocked by Romero to deny what was nearly the opening goal of the game.
At the other end, Burn and Targett had started in typically solid fashion, with the Geordie giant mopping up well and the Aston Villa loanee proving hard to beat whenever Kulusevski tried to attack down that side.
As ever, Saint-Maximin was our main outlet in attack and always look to run at Tottenham’s back line, getting Kane booked after he skipped past the Spurs skipper on the counter. He looked a little rusty, with his solo runs often having mixed success, but it was good to see him back.
So, after a slightly negative start, we were starting to look more comfortable on the half hour mark, pushing up the pitch and enjoying more of the ball. The challenge now was creating chances without allowing Kane, Son and Kulusevski to run riot on the counter, with the hosts often thriving when given space in behind.
After some good approach play and a sustained period of pressure, Willock was tripped on the edge of the box by Son, giving us a big chance to test Lloris on the 40-minute mark. Schar stepped up and he did exactly that – but the French stopper could only parry his low strike into the bottom corner!
A poor piece of goalkeeping, but brilliant scenes in the away end as our Swiss dreamboat ran the length of the pitch to celebrate with the travelling Toon Army.
Sadly, our lead lasted just a couple of minutes. After a Spurs corner was only half-cleared, Son whipped a ball across the box and Ben Davies got in between Targett and Joelinton and glanced past Dubravka. 1-1.
Saint-Maximin and Joelinton then went into the book along with Bentancur just before the break, with our big Brazilian flooring the Uruguayan after he went face to face with ASM in an off the ball incident.
The second half kicked off and it began just like the first ended, as it was Burn’s turn to go into the book for a late lunge on Kane.
We cleared the resultant free kick but it wasn’t long before the ball came back in, as Kane dropped deep and whipped in a brilliant cross which was headed in at the back post after just evading Son at the near.
Another quality cross, but it was yet another poor goal to concede, seeing us slip up twice in five minutes either side of the half-time whistle. 2-1 Tottenham – and it was only about to get worse.
A matter of minutes later, it was Kane once again who caused problems from deep. He released Kulusevski down the right and the winger’s cross was put on a plate for Son, who got in ahead of Manquillo and lashed past Dubravka.
We were leading on the 39th minute mark, yet just 15 minutes of football later and it was 3-1 to Spurs. A complete collapse and shocking start to the second half, seeing Spurs slice us open at will after struggling to break us down for much of the first 45.
Howe then made a double change just before the hour mark, seeing Joelinton – who was one foul away from a second yellow – and Manquillo replaced by Guimaraes and Murphy.
The changes saw us switch to a 5-2-3 formation, with Shelvey now playing in between Schar and Burn, Murphy and Targett operating as wing-backs, Willock and Guimares in midfield and ASM, Wood and Fraser in attack.
A new system but more woeful defending followed, as Doherty cut in from the left and found Emerson Royal. The Brazilian beat Targett to the cross and poked in past Dubravka. 4-1 Tottenham and a seriously worrying second half performance from a NUFC perspective was going from bad to worse by the minute.
Alarmingly, it should’ve been 5-1 just moments later. Kane was given too much space and picked out a stunning pass to release Son. He only had the keeper to beat but dragged a shot just wide to keep it at four.
Howe then made another change, bringing off Wood for Lascelles in a bid to stem the tide, as we were unravelling at quite a rate and in danger of losing by a cricket score if 4-1 wasn’t already bad enough.
With little under 10 minutes remaining, it was five. Saint-Maximin lost the ball too cheaply and Burn got dragged out into no man’s land, allowing Moura to release Bergwijn – who slid the ball into the bottom corner to make it 5-1.
The hosts had scored with all of their shots on target, but this was a shambolic second half display and a side who approached the final 45 minutes like a team on the beach in Dubai.
Next up, a clash with Wolves at St James’ Park next Friday, handing us an opportunity to respond after three straight defeats.
Howe’s Achilles heal sticks to 4 4 2, can’t do that against class teams!
Formation against Chelsea far better, St Max once again gives the ball away, Wood hopeless and midfield couldn’t string two passes together.
If we play like this against Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal we could be back in the mix big time.
Joseph(Quote)
I’m a big fan of Dan Burn. I was pleased when we signed him & think he’s been excellent since he came in – including todays first half.
But I don’t know what happened to him that second half. I don’t know if someone got under his skin, but he had a nightmare half – arguably to blame for all 4 goals – certainly could have done better on all 4.
He wiped out Emerson running back to defend a break away – he could have got sent off. When Emerson got up Burn blew him a kiss – we were 4-1 down … where’s ya head at lad???.
I know he’ll be hurting tonight & will have to face his Geordie family.
I only hope he watches it back & realises he can’t get sucked in like that again. He’s a leader in that team & needs to be someone keeping those around him right.
It was an awful 45mins from him.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I agree with Joseph as well. Wood was really poor again today. He proved nothing up front – and I get that he was facing 3 CBs. But there was no conviction in his closing down, no physicality in his ariel duels and no aggression in his play at all. I’m done with stats or whatever else people use for him – my eyes tell me enough & he’s not contributing enough.
As for ASM, I’m pretty sick of the whole show there as well to be honest. He spends as much time on his backside as Perez did, and when he’s on his feet he’s limping round pretending to be injured.
The lad just needs to get on with it & play his game. All his talk of going to the WC or Balon D’ors – forget your own hype & play PLEASE!!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
All I can say about that mess is – at least Everton lost.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Well, it was a ***** show second half, no one came out of it with any credit, lets hope it doesn’t effect morale too much for the Wolves game which will be hard enough anyway.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Got 3 home games in a row Kimtoon. We will win at least 1 and be safe. We are still inconsistent. I dont want to raise Eddie too far up to the rafters but he is still dealing with a Bruce coached squad. Our results have been what you might expect.
Brighton – lucky win
Soton – lucky win
Chelsea – defeat (but unlucky)
Everton – unlucky loss
Spurs – expected loss
Wolves – emphatic win
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Hope your’e right Eric, I really do.
KIMTOON(Quote)
I usually watch a couple of Youtube NUFC channels for reviews after our games. NOT TODAY!!!
I know they will go on a rant about certain players and forget who we played. A schizoid team managed by one of the best 5 managers in the world with 2 of the best strikers in the world!
The question was always which Spurs team would turn up? 1st half Nuno team, 2nd half Antonio team.
I dont think we were outcoached as many will say, but maybe a little. We were OUT-SQUADED. They have real strikers and we, sadly, dont.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
We capitulated but if you look at the squads and the fact that Spurs were at home, we might have expected this. They have 2 world class strikers. We have a guy from New Zealand.
My hope was always about Spurs’ inconsistency. Most of their players would get in our current team! We met them on one of their good days (halfs). They are better than Man U and Arsenal on their good days.
Spurs have a better squad than Arsenal and Man U so should be the 4th CL spot. But, who knows.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
We still should have had at least a draw with Chelsea and beat Everton so the doom and gloom merchants after this defeat can all F-OFF.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Ed Harrison’s has become some sort of male dating site now. All of them just playing footsie online with each other and not talking football at all. It used to be b!tchie and now is all lovey dovey and totally boring, talking about knee replacements. I have always hated that Blog and all of the people on it.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
I said yesterday no player scored higher than a 3 in that second half – and I maintain that.
But Howe got off lightly with all the players taking the flack.
I said at HT yesterday that Spurs would come out fast in the 2nd half – it was so obvious that was going to happen. It’s the 2nd or 3rd game now where we look a different team in the 2nd half – and by that I mean awful!!.
Howe has been brilliant since he’s came in, he’s saved our season – and I don’t think it’s too dramatic to say he’s save the club. If we went down after the takeover it would have been devastating. I know he keeps saying we are still in the battle but it would take league winning form from Everton, Burnley or Watford to drag us back in now.
But, if Howe wants to attract better players in the summer, he has to improve our performances – I’m not saying win every game, I’m saying perform to our highest levels every game. We aren’t close at the moment.
He also HAS to get more from Wood. Whether that’s changing how the rest of the team play – in terms of getting the ball wide and getting crosses in, or bringing ASM and Fraser more in field so they are closer to him, or drop him for Gayle – but he needs to do something coz Wood is providing the team with nothing at the minute.
Sharpy17(Quote)
It was a real horror show yesterday. It sickens me how biased the commentators are against us but yesterday we did not help ourselves at all. The key moment for me was that first Spurs goal just before half time. Going in at 1-0 I think we’d have been far better in the second half.
Wolves will not be a pushover. They have a decent side now, but hopefully that trouncing will be a wake up call.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
We also have a problem with ASM, every team doubles or triples up on him and renders him ineffective, he doesn’t pass when he’s in these situations enough for me. Also spends a lot of time on his **** or limping after a challenge and yes I know he gets a lot of nasty tackles on him but it’s now obvious he’ll get zero protection from refs so needs to just get on with it.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Gilly – I don’t think the goal helped, but I don’t think it may much difference either.
Spurs offered very little up front in the first half. It was obvious (imo) that Conte was going to get into them – I think there goal and ours were the only shots on target in the first half.
To me it was obvious that Kane was going to drop a bit deeper and get between our midfield & defence – he was easily marked in the first half.
Dan Burn went chasing after him and left huge gaps in our defence which ultimately resulted in them scoring.
Howe (imo) should have said to one of the midfielders to almost man mark Kane and leave our back line to stay solid. Trouble is we don’t really have that midfielder – but it shouldn’t have been Burn.
I think he tried to do it with the shift to the 3 CBs but that point it was too late.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Spurs scored some very good goals and overall have much better players than us. They outplayed us in midfield, making Joelinton and Shelvey look slow and ordinary. They are.
The alarming thing though is the total lack of firepower. One free kick goal in the last three! Maxi, Wood and Fraser can be so poor as we saw at Spurs. Surely Gayle would be a better option than the waste of £20m Wood. I didn’t notice Fraser at all and have had enough of Maxi sitting on his **** as the ball hits our net. Pathetic.
We’re a long way off a top half team.
georgio(Quote)
Looking at the form table over the last 6 games for all clubs at the bottom and the overall table I think the season will end like this:
Newcastle – 41
Brighton – 39
Leeds – 37
Everton – 32
Burnley – 28
Watford – 28
Norwich – 21
Imo we already have the points to stay up, but would love to see another 6 points from the next 4 games to make it less stressful going into May.
John Mac(Quote)
How we play against Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal is irrelevant. It’s how we play against Wolves, Leicester, Palace and Norwich that will define our season.
Personally I see 6 points or more from the next 4 games and mission accomplished before the summer reset takes place.
John Mac(Quote)
I’ll settle for 6 points from our remaining games, but I think 10 is possible
PremAndUp(Quote)
Imagine what SJP is going to be like this Friday against Wolves? Who have good fans. FCK me!
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Well Arsenal have been well and truly smashed there like
Sharpy17(Quote)
Yeah fair play to Palace tonight.
KIMTOON(Quote)
There are no easy games coming for us. The bottom teams will fight like hell. If palace can do that to Arsenal, anything can happen. We are not safe yet.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
So, I bought a dinosaur toy. A T-rex. Plastic and about 10 inches long. I was going to take it to the Pub next time we play Everton. But, I went out to dinner with friends last Friday and they have a 3 year old boy.
3 year olds like dinosaurs for some reason so I came back to my apartment which was 400 hundred yards away and got it for him. Now he has a T-Rex named Jordan. I didnt get into the details because he is only 3 🙂
I bought the replacement toy and it is waiting in my lobby now.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
There is a 3-year-old boy with a T-Rex toy called Jordan in Chicago. And it is not Michael Jordan!
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Love that Eric
KIMTOON(Quote)
We keep getting linked with this Darwin Nunez from Benfica. I have never seen him play but their CL game against Liverpool is on the Spanish Channel here today so I will have a look. I sort of want us to sign him so I can say when we are pushing for a CL place that it will be “the survival of the fittest” or that he is the “natural selection” to be our number 9.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
The thing about Charles Darwin is that from the photos I have seen of him I am shocked that any woman would ever fck him. But yet, he had like 13 kids.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Darwin Nunez has scored and should have had a penalty when Van Dijk dragged him back. I think he would help in the evolution of our team next year. Probbaly cost like 60 mil though.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
This Luiz Diaz player will be a superstar!!!
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Eric – I don’t think he comes to us mate. I hope so, but I think the way we look like limping over the line, I think if WH go after him – he goes there, especially if they get European football.
This thought that we have bags of cash so can attract whoever – I think Botman proves that’s not the case.
I know I keep going on about it, but the fact we STILL don’t have our backroom staff in place and working on these deals already is a real problem imo. I think we will miss out as a result of it.
There are free transfers we could and should be working out & we could be negotiating with Nunez agents now in readiness for the summer – AC Milan have done it with Botman ??♂️.
Nunez will end up somewhere bigger imo.
Totally agree about Diaz though – what a player.
Liverpool clutched him from Spurs when that looked a done deal as well.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy: You never know with Nunez. Sacks full of cash can be very tempting. And I wanted to get Darwin and evolution in the same sentence.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Eric – I hope so, but I fear as a club we are way off where us fans think we are.
Footballing wise we aren’t close enough to European football to be attracting those bigger named players.
As a club we are so stripped back from Ashley’s time that commercially we aren’t a big club – we can be again, but we are a good few years away from that yet.
The Stadium is old & in desperate need of modernising & the training facilities are little better than a community centre.
I’m not saying we can get good players in, but attracting the best young players in World football – we are a good 2 or 3 years off that imo – and that’s depending on those years being a great success – as in building the club up structurally, commercially and having a team that finishes in the top 6-8 in the next 2 or 3 seasons.
Sharpy17(Quote)
We should have beat the Blue Bindippers. There will still be panic on the streets of Liverpool if they lose to Burnley. A goal down with 12 mins played.
SUPER FRANK, SUPER FRANK.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Mike Dean!!!
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
I dont think that was a penalty.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Mike Dean, 54, now has big rolls of fat around his belly. He is slow, he is old, he should not be a Ref.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Mike DIDNT give that 2nd penalty – was it such a CLEAR & OBVIOUS mistake???.
Tramere fan I think – doing his fellow scousers a favour here I reckon.
Sharpy17(Quote)
get in Burnley, good equalizer
KIMTOON(Quote)
Sharpy, the second was NOT a pen , he threw himself on the deck
KIMTOON(Quote)
Oh dear Everton you are so in the clarts
KIMTOON(Quote)
bottom of the table getting very interesting now
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim – I agree.
Best possible result for us that. I thought we were safe anyway but that pretty much makes it a 2 way battle between Everton & Burnley I reckon – and my money is on Dyche.
Watching Everton is like watching us under McClaren. All the players are there but the manager just can’t get it out of them.
Sharpy17(Quote)
The Blue Bindippers must be bricking it now. And then they have their mates supporting a team with Jota and Diaz as their back up strikers. Bloody hell.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Mike Dean said he is retiring. For some bizarre reason he will be doing PL VAR next year.
How about VAR in League 1 for Everton against Tranmere (who he pretends to support).
(I know there is no VAR in League 1, but they would make an exception for Mike Dean’s games. They currently make an exception for him Reffing PL games now, the fat, slow and ugly tw@t).
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
I think I am going to give Eddie a free pass on the Spurs loss. I looked at their record and they have won 57% of their games. That is not bad considering Nuno had them playing in a coma for the 1st part of the season.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
Eric – is was just more evidence of how key the right recruitment is going to be in the summer. Yes we need quality, but we also need leaders. Nobody stepped up in that 2nd half – that was hugely disappointing.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Disappointing in the 2nd half Sharpster, but not devastating like if we still had Steve Bruce 🙂
He beat B’mth last night though. That was a shock to me.
Eric+Sykes(Quote)
There is clearly a hold up in appointing Dan Ashworth – and the talk today is our reluctance to pay the £5m comp.
If that is the case then it’s really disappointing & frustrating imo.
If he’s the fella they have identified as who they want to get our club on track – and he certainly has the credentials, so I can see why – then £5m is a mere drop in the ocean.
I understand not wanting to get mugged off by clubs – but we went after him. He left his role at Brighton believing he would be joining us – and now it could be November!!.
The summer window is so important for our foundations going forward. Both players coming in & going out – there is so much work needs doing to just wing it.
That £5m would pay for itself if we get that recruitment right.
I’ve never been confident they had a plan or a blueprint of how they wanted the club to look when they came in, and things like this does nothing to convince me otherwise.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Eric – that 2nd half was as bad as I’ve ever seen us play under any manager mate. It was awful.
Aye I saw the result against Bmth. Typical Bruce mate – absolutely no rhyme or reason to what he does.
I was looking at that league last night – Luton are 4th, WBA are 11th but Bruce will convince his bosses he’s only 7 points off & there are plenty of games still left ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’m not having Man Utd are still this super force club anymore. A well ran business maybe, but a well ran football club – not anymore.
Their no.1 target for manager was always Poch – they failed to lure him from PSG when they got rid of OGS and it appears they have failed again and settled for Ten Hag. There is no way he’s the best man for that job with his lack of experience. One thing winning the Dutch league with the best team in it – but competing in the best league with the 2 best managers in world football – plus Tuchel & Conte, I don’t fancy his chances at all.
I even put him behind Moyes, Rodgers and Arteta right now.
If Man Utd can’t attract Poch or lure him away from PSG they have fallen further than I thought.
Sharpy17(Quote)