Our first trip to Wembley in 24 years ended in disappointment, but we leave the capital with our heads held high and full of hope we’ll be back again soon.
Cup finals are decided by big moments and, sadly for us, Man Utd took their chances when we didn’t. Our two first half lapses were punished and we struggled to break down a stubborn Red Devils defence after that.
We huffed, puffed, had more possession, more shots and gave it our all in front of 33,000 Geordies who’ve been in brilliant form all weekend. However, we ultimately failed to test David De Gea, lacking that sprinkle of quality or creativity to unlock the door in key moments. In truth, the damage was done in that first half, where Casemiro headed home from a cheap set piece and Marcus Rashford’s deflected effort looped in past Loris Karius.
There were moments for us to get back into it. Allan Saint-Maximin almost scored from the angle after skipping past Diogo Dalot, Dan Burn glanced a big chance wide, Joelinton had a second half shot blocked by the dogged Martinez and sun Jacob Murphy saw a long range effort flash wide. ASM was lively in flashes, yet ultimately frustrated as his mazy runs often came to nothing. The same could be said about our set pieces, with Kieran Trippier regularly failing to find a black and white head.
I thought Alexander Isak was very bright – it won’t be long until he explodes in a Newcastle shirt – while Bruno Guimaraes did all he could on his return, only to be forced off late on after struggling to shake off a heavy knock to his ankle. In the end, Howe turned to the likes of Murphy, Anderson and Ritchie late on, while ten Hag had the luxury of bringing on over £150m of talent in Sahcho, Sabitzer, Wan Bissaka and Maguire.
Speaking after the game, Eddie Howe sent this message to fans: “We’ve felt nothing but support and love from the fans all weekend long. The scenes coming in on the bus were exceptional – my words don’t even do it justice. We are truly sorry we couldn’t win a trophy for them, but it’s a big thank you from me.”
It wasn’t the fairytale end we all hoped for after no domestic trophy since 1955, but it won’t be long until it’s our name on the cup. New owners have been in less than 18 months, yet we’ve already come within 90 minutes of ending that drought and can now turn attentions back to our European push after licking our Wembley wounds.
It wasn’t to be this time, as experience and quality told in a generally tight affair, but we’ll be back. This is just the start of this exciting new era for Howe, Bruno, Botman, Isak and a city full of supporters believing again.
Bitterly disappointing, but the gulf in class was entirely evident.
World Cup & trophy winners versus relegation battlers (in the main).
The board members have been outstanding this weekend. But for all the good they have done so far, I hope today was realisation of just how far off we are from being a top PL club.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Think that hits the right tone for a write up and you’ve got the key points
Disappointed? Yes
Surprised? Not really
I love that Newcastle were at Wembley and that’s enough .. for now😉 A quick look back to remind us how far Newcastle have come helps and if Eales and co are half as committed as their sound bytes, the future will be bright
Now back to securing a top 6 spot please
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
We have just got on the Bus at the start of the journey( No we’re not there yet) But I’ll promise you an exciting time hold on to your hats
Norman Hudson(Quote)
Gutted! Totally gutted! But in context, one year ago we were fighting relegation, today we played at Wembley! Man United scored from a dubious free kick and most likely offside, and a harsh own goal. They had over £150 million of players on the Bench!! We had … Ritchie, Murphy, etc…
We can now focus on the league. Rome wasn’t built in a day and we are ahead of where we thought we’d be! Onwards and upwards! 💪💪
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Manu didn’t even have to play well to beat us. They simply have better players than us, starting with Casemiro.
Wilson toiled all game (I think he’s finished) Miggy was poor. We were just awful all game. Sad.
georgio(Quote)
I said throughout last week that the cup final was always a bonus this season.
From an off the pitch point of view, the club get the bad press for the Saudi ownership & we’ll never change that.
But everybody saw what our fanbase is all about this weekend – they were sensational.
I’ve seen comments from both Liverpool & Arsenals fans bigging up our fans this weekend & saying we deserved to win for them.
Man Utd fans still chanting Glaziers out despite winning & the huge investment they’ve put into the club.
If we can get top 8 this season it’s probably where we should be having fought against relegation last season. I think top 6 is realistic & would be an excellent season if that’s the case. But I think we are further off than some think.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Georgio – you’re dead right mate. I was thinking on it last night and our players have been outstanding this season – worked their backsides off.
But of our current squad, who’s good enough to be in a top 6 side on a consistent basis?
In my opinion it would be Pope, Trippier, Botman, Joelinton & Bruno … and Trippier is 32.
We have a few who could be decent squad players, but not good enough to make a team top 6 on a consistent basis.
There is a lot of paper talk about us going after young players – teenage Brazilians.
But in my opinion there is an awful lot of first team investment needed before we try and start attracting the worlds hottest prospects.
When I say first team investment, I don’t necessarily mean half a billion spent. There will be good free transfers available as well – but we have to be smart in our recruitment.
But we also have to be a bit ruthless with the current group. It’s no good keeping players who aren’t good enough.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Very disappointing. I doubt that any spending in January would have made much difference to the result.
However, back to the league where a top 4 finish is stioll in our own hands. I doubt that Saturdays game will be positive. It depends whether we can get back to our winning ways. If we can we have two games in hand over Spurs and they have to come to SJP which IF, big if, we take advantage of would give us a five point cushion over them.
If we fail to recapture our form, whilst a finish of 6th or 6th is not a failure, it would highlight the lack of spending in January as a significant factor. And has Eric has said already, with Chelsea and Liverpool unlikely to get top four, this season has to be our best chance until we have a squad with as much depth as the top clubs,
PremAndUp(Quote)
https://youtu.be/kmG6GGQmwFI
This is an excellent podcast & like him or hate him, Henderson is a winner.
But I loved this after a defeat in a major final. Seems very appropriate today & I hope our lot did something similar last night.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Prem – I agree the 2 or 3 signings we should have made in January would have unlikely changed the outcome of yesterday – but it may have made it more of a competition.
I think the same could be said about our charge for top 4. If we fail to do it & end up 6th, or even worse – I don’t think that would be solely down to a lack of signings in January but more an indication of how far off our squad is.
We needed to strengthen in January but really, we will likely need the next 4 windows to get our first team squad to where it needs to be – depending on how aggressive our recruitment is.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Can’t disagree with that list of players to keep .
could potentially add schar but he’s on the cusp at best and in any case is as old as trippier.. so it feels like limited time for him too
Jury out on Gordon but I’d have him in before st maximan, almiron or willock
I look at isak and the risk of jan spending is apparent and could be an indicator of what the club are trying to balance . A huge investment and a year on, how convincing is he?
Clubs Approach this summer should tell us is if they stilll looking 5years out or want to go quicker
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
We could start by giving Anderson more of a chance. Let’s actually see what he’s got.
georgio(Quote)
The issue is that we are behind the top 6 already – by that I mean City, Lpool, Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal & Spurs.
City can win titles & go out and buy Harland.
Liverpool will come again, no question. They will strengthen again in the summer.
Man Utd will strengthen in the summer too – a forward for sure.
Chelsea have a dream team squad. They get a forward in the summer & with the right manager could be the main title contenders next season (as likely no European football).
Arsenal will strengthen again and remain top 3 next season imo.
Spurs will also strengthen.
I know we will strengthen too, but they all have a head start.
If we can get top 8 consistently over the next 2 or 3 seasons while we improve our playing staff then we have a chance of becoming an established elite PL club – but it’s not going to be easy imo.
We may have money – but go after any player that any of those 6 want as well & at the mo I think we lose out more often than not.
Meaning we continue to recruit the best of the rest – Gordon for example who Chelsea didn’t quite fancy. So we need to coach them to be as good as the top players the elite clubs buy – that’s so much easier said than done.
Sharpy17(Quote)
aye Georgio ..time to be candid and give Anderson a chance or advise him he should look at other options from the summer
Thanks for the link sharpy .. wasn’t Klopp one of the mangers Howe sought out while he was out of the game so he should’ve learned from that
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Georgio – we did & Pope got sent off 😂. Irony is that was he on the bench that day he would have likely came on & got more game time than he did starting 🤦🏼♂️.
But with injuries, suspensions and fatigued players, I’m pretty sure if he was good enough – Howe would be playing him.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Go West – I’m not sure mate.
But as much as I think Klopp can be a moaner in his press conferences, I actually rate him as the best all round manager in football.
Pep is class no doubt – but he’s done it with the best clubs providing him with the best players.
Klopp has done it with ‘lesser’ clubs – though still very good ones.
I know some people don’t like Henderson coz of his Mackem connections, but I have a lot of respect for the lad.
He reminds me of Roy Keane, in that neither were the best footballers but they grafted to get the most out of what ability they do have – and inspired their team mates to do the same.
The weekend game will be interesting to see the reaction. Don’t expect a win necessarily, but want to see them energetic and going after City that’s for sure.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy as you know I’ve already highlighted that TM values our squad about £250m below Man U and £400m below Liverpool in 3rd place. But it’s not only about squads. Eric Ten Hag has transformed the results they are getting without radical purchasing . And we saw how Fergie founded a dynasty there. Managers are as imporatant as squad depth.
Our starting eleven is a good team, but there is very little behind it.
There are many factors at play. In the short term a good first eleven is more important than squad depth. Squad depth is a long term factor.
We have seen what we can do with Howe managing our first team. We just have to find that form and maintain it until the end of the season.
PremAndUp(Quote)
Prem – I agree with you regarding managers & how a team is coached.
But I’m afraid I don’t agree about our starting 11. It’s good for where we were last season, but if we’re serious about becoming the next Chelsea or Man City (and by that I mean a club that has broken into the elite level and stayed there) then only Pope, Trippier, Botman, Joelinton and Bruno make the grade imo.
There are a few that would make reliable squad players – but first 11 we are well short.
Before you challenge that – ask yourself who of the top 6 does Schar, Burn, Longstaff, Miggy, Maxi or Wilson get into.
Are you convinced by Isak? – and if he’s that good, why did none of the top 6 go after him?
What about Gordon? … they may come good but there’s £100m plus right there on potential rather than ready to go first teamers.
Like I said earlier, I’m not saying go spend half a billion.
But we have to be honest about the players we have and then go out and buy players ready to go. We did that with Pope, Trippier, Botman & Bruno and they have been the foundation of our success imo.
They may well go get the likes of Maddison in the summer – which would be great – exactly the type of player we need, but he would need to be the start imo.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I just hope that yesterdays loss doesn’t effect them going forward. It’s done, gone,onwards and upwards should be their only thought now.
We need to start taking our chances when presented, we were doing it start of season so why not now?
Partly we have been found out and partly tiredness coming into play. We play pretty much the same 11 due to quality only being really in those first 11. The other top 6 teams have an abundance of quality to weather a poor start to a season or game and ability to change it up where needed, we don’t have that luxury and it may be several years until we do due to ffp rules.
I do worry for us going forward if we did manage top 6 as fighting on several fronts can wreck a season as we have witnessed with other clubs with sides with limited quality in full squad.
The only positive is that top 4 or 6 even would ensure our ability to attract a higher calibre of player .
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim – happy birthday for tomorrow. Hope you have something nice planned 🥳🥳
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy, thank you, at home tomorrow couple of mates calling round and my brother but out for a meal with cousins on Wednesday lunchtime. Won’t see my daughter as she has covid and has been ill for last 7 days and still positive poor thing.
kimtoon(Quote)
Sharpy by first eleven I am merely talking about the remained of this season. There is no way that it is anywhere near good enough for Champions league
PremAndUp(Quote)
Happy birthday Kim! Have a good one.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Have a great day
PremAndUp(Quote)
I always thought the WC would wreck the season and so it’s proved. Such a weird decision to award it to Qatar. Look at our form pre and post WC.
georgio(Quote)
all the best KIM,21 again eh lol
icedog(Quote)
Our form post WC is exactly the same as the form we had after a similar number of games at the beginning of the season. The question is can we recapture the form that lead to the great run thereafter.
PremAndUp(Quote)
You’re right there but it was the seven straight wins that opened the door to paradise. Very difficult to repeat.
georgio(Quote)
Said the exact same thing mate. I could curse the shocking decision to award it to them and play in the middle of bloody winter.
kimtoon(Quote)
Thanks for the birthday wishes lads.
kimtoon(Quote)
The thing I take encouragement from is that by no way have we fell off a cliff.
We are still have large amounts of possession & we are still creating chances – probably averaging mid to late teens for shots.
It’s shots on target & obviously shots converting that is letting us down at the moment – but I’d be far more worried if we weren’t creating & teams were overpowering us.
Wilson is coming in for a lot of stick but he’s feeding off scraps.
Almiron slows play down by not crossing the ball in early & by the time he’s played it to Trippier or Longstaff their defence is set.
I’ve also noticed that a lot of the time there’s only Wilson in the box.
I’d drop Miggy for either Isak or Gordon.
Maxi played quite well against Man Utd but there was at least 3 times he passed infield without looking and passed it straight to a Man Utd player – he needs to be more aware or be dropped too.
Finally, I’ve noticed in the last few games that Trippiers set pieces have been awful.
It’s criminal that we have so many tall, physical players & yet pose little threat from a set piece – we have scored only 6 goals from set pieces so far this season – Spurs have double that.
Sharpy17(Quote)
So Tierney fancies a move to Newcastle.
Really good player & exactly the type of character our club needs imo but is he too injury prone?.
Given the option who would we prefer – Tierney, Grimaldo or Sosa?.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Simply looking at stats, Tierney isn’t the option. £30m for a LB with no goals or assists this season.
So Grimaldo is 27 to Sosa 25. Both £20m Grimaldo 2g and 7 assists; Sosa 2g and 6 assists.
Nowt to seperate them really.
Other options
de Cuyper 22 Belgium, 5 goals and 6 assists in a poor league £2.5m
Udogie 20 Udinese 3goals and 2 assists in Italy £22m
Truffert 21 Rennes no goals 6 assists £15m
PremAndUp(Quote)
Prem – Grimaldo is free in the summer mate which would obviously free up cash for other positions.
At 27 he probably has a good 4 or 5 seasons still in him.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Hadn’t spotted that
PremAndUp(Quote)
Off topic I know but what do we think about Wor Flags? I’m not a fan of this over orchestrated, over planned (almost bullying) approach. I like some flags, lots of the individual banners but to see the whole of one end showing black and white stripes? Not for me.
georgio(Quote)
getting serious deja vu with that Manure leveller, even down to VAR offside review
This time it doesn’t go Manures way
kimtoon(Quote)
And an own goal by west ham that’s so weird
Manure are lucky sods
kimtoon(Quote)
jammy gits, I hate Manure with a passion .
kimtoon(Quote)
What about Grimsby? 😳. A league 2 side into the quarter finals of the fa cup. Amazing!
Gilly Toon(Quote)
.
Brilliant mate, this is why we love the FA cup
kimtoon(Quote)
Grimsby’s story is Fairytale stuff and complemented by sheff utd dumping out spurs, altho that prob not best news for Newcastle as spurs’ll have more time to focus on top four now.
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
I think staveley’s comments are quite telling about the problems the club faced in jan and validates imo that the club didn’t so much miss an opportunity but didn’t have much of an opportunity to strengthen the squad to the level that was perceived as necessary
Not only in respect of limited finances but not being able to afford to make a mistake in recruitment at present. They seem to be very deliberately not stretching the rules (ala Chelsea) and i wonder if that’s coz they want to play nicely to avoid provoking the PL
It also feels like it emphasises their positivity about Gordon that they chose him to spend money on
GoWest!Mag(Quote)