A superb end to a successful pre-season for Newcastle United, as Eddie Howe’s Mags smashed Villarreal 4-0 to lift the Sela Cup at St James’ Park.
In a feisty affair against last season’s 5th placed side in La Liga, Jacob Murphy opened the scoring with a first half rocket before a Harvey Barnes brace and superb solo goal from Joelinton saw us rip the Spaniard’s apart in a devastating second half display.
As expected, Howe made 11 changes from yesterday’s 2-0 win over Fiorentina, handing a first home start to Harvey Barnes following his £38m move from Leicester
Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Sean Longstaff, Nick Pope, Callum Wilson and Dan Burn also returned, with Jacob Murphy filling in at right-back following an injury to Javier Manquillo.
STARTING XI: Pope – Murphy, Lascelles (c), Dummett, Burn – Longstaff, Bruno, Joelinton – Ritchie, Wilson, Barnes.
SUBS: Gillespie, De Bolle, Carlyon, Savage, J.Miley, Diallo, Turner-Cooke, Hackett, Ndiweni, Huntley, Parkinson, McArthur.
It was a fast start from Newcastle – who wore the brand new third kit and came out of the blocks flying. After Joelinton did well to win a free-kick down the right, Ritchie’s half-cleared delivery fell to Murphy on the edge of the box, who shifted it onto his right and lashed a thunderous effort past Pepe Reina at the Leazes end and into the roof of the net. 1-0 Newcastle!
Fans inside St James’ Park thought it was 2-0 on 10 minutes when Bruno’s quick free-kick was turned in by Wilson, but the offside flag denied us a quickfire second against the La Liga.
In trademark fashion, Joelinton went into the book midway through the first half after one too many ticking offs from Anthony Taylor. Some things never change, showing our Brazilian battering ram was well and truly back on Tyneside!
Harvey Barnes started well, showing a nice mix of power, pace and directness as he drove into space, made good runs and linked up nicely with Joelinton down our left. The winger’s movement in transition was noticeable, offering us an out ball and glimpse of why he regularly reached double figures for the Foxes.
We had the ball in the net once again just before the 30 minute mark, but Paul Dummett was adjudged to have fouled Reina before tapping into an empty net. Another few chances followed. First, Barnes’ driving run fed Wilson – who was unable to get a shot away after taking it on the turn – then Ritchie forced Reina into a save after more slick approach play from Barnes and Wilson.
It was a feisty affair for a pre-season friendly and one Anthony Taylor was taking seriously, as the Premier League referee dished out SIX yellow cards in the opening 33 minutes, seeing Joelinton, Longstaff and Ritchie all go into the book.
Villarreal’s first big chance of the half came soon after, as a defence splitting pass tested Murphy and Lascelles’ recovery pace. Thankfully, both did well and Dummett was also on hand to cut out the loose ball, but it could’ve easily been 1-1 had the visitors been more ruthless.
There were no changes at the break from Eddie Howe and it didn’t take long for another yellow to be brandished, as Dummett’s mistimed sliding tackle was rightfully penalised just 90 seconds into the restart.
Our first effort of the second half came from the lively Barnes after some tenacious work from Bruno regained possession on half way. Joelinton worked the ball wide the winger, who cut in onto his right and fired an effort wide of Reina’s post. Moments later, another turnover and perfect ball from Bruno created an ever bigger chance for our new No 15. This time, he was clean through and worked the ball onto his left, but his effort was too close to Reina and beaten away.
Straight down the other end, Lascelles was caught out by the giant Sorloth, allowing the giant Norwegian to burst clear. He only had Pope to beat, yet the former Palace loanee slide his low effort wide of Pope’s far post. A let off for Newcastle, although Lascelles looked like he may have pulled something in the process.
A few chances followed for the Spaniards. First, Pope’s outstretched leg was key to blocking Adriano’s near post effort that looked to be heading in, then the resultant corner was could and should have been converted at the back post. Unlike yesterday’s game, it was an action-packed start to the second half, as Barnes and the visitors both went close twice in the opening 10 minutes.
More changes followed from Villarreal. It looked like Lascelles would be forced off after receiving treatment, yet the skipper managed to soldier on in Schar’s absence. Either way, it was another reminder of how much we need another centre-back.
Moments later, it was third time lucky for Barnes and our new boys first goal in a Newcastle United shirt. Wilson got in down the right and squared for Joelinton, who worked the ball to the left for Barnes. After firing one wide and another too close to Reina, this one was buried into the far corner, creating a lovely moment at the Gallowgate and a goal on his first appearance for “super Harvey Barnes” – a chant that soon worked its way around St James’ Park!
The goal will be great for his confidence an hopefully a sign of things to come, but it was already clear that he was offering something different. Not only was he carrying the ball at pace, beating his man, creating space for teammates and getting shots away, his movement off the line offered something Saint-Maximin rarely did and another dynamic to our elusive, all-action attack.
Next up it was Joelinton who got in on the act, as the big man left the Villarreal midfield for dead before firing an edge of the box shot in off the post. He could’ve set up Barnes – who was available once again to his left – yet it was a stunning finish from big Joe. 3-0 Newcastle, but we weren’t done there!
This time, it was Wilson who turned provider. Our No 9 burst down the right, picked his head up and weighted a low cross into that man Barnes, who did the rest with a smart low finish beyond Reina at the back post. 4-0 Newcastle!
A few late changes followed, as Barnes, Lascelles and Wilson were replaced by U21 trio Ben Parkinson, Remi Savage and Amadou Diallo. Barnes went off to a standing ovation – he was outstanding all afternoon – and ‘Hey Callum Wilson’ echoed around the stadium before the referee blew the final whistle, signalling the end of our pre-season schedule as we ended on a high as Sela Cup champions.
Murphy deserves credit for filling in impressively at right-back, big Joe and Bruno ran the show in midfield, Longstaff’s dirty work was influential on his return, Pope made another important save before we ran riot and Wilson was a constant handful, as he ran the channels and created several openings for others.
Two days, two wins, no goals conceded and six goals scored, seeing Miggy bag his third of pre-season, Isak get in on the act, Anderson shine, Barnes bag a brace on his first home start, Murphy score a stunner and Joelinton produce another moment of magic of his own.
Next up, our first game of the new 2023/24 Premier League season, as Unai Emery’s Aston Villa come to town next Saturday!
Excellent write up Olly. Were you there at SJP mate?
2 excellent assists for Wilson today. And Joelinton’s goal was superb. Barnes is definitely a step up from ASM, much as I liked watching Maxi, he usually lost the ball and fell over. Barnes is fast, direct, and scores! Looking forward to Villa next week .. I thought Ritchie did well too! Eddie has a big headache now as we certainly have a lot of options in midfield and attack now. Defo need a central defender.
And scum losing 2-0 too 😂😂
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Great result, watched the highlights. Thought Wilson was so unselfish, lovely player. Murphy impressed very much and pleased for Harvey getting 2.
Well we have a cup, lets hope it’s the first of many going forward.
kimtoon(Quote)
You have to applaud whoever is responsible for the scheduling of our pre season. They seem to be brilliant preparation for the season ahead.
They have given Howe a chance to look at the whole squad against competitive opposition. He even got the chance to experiment with a different formation in periods of games.
For me that’s what a pre season should be – and building the players match fitness of course.
I thought 2nd half yesterday we went up a gear. We looked sharp, our passing was crisp & our offensive play was excellent.
Let’s not forgot Villarreal finished 5th last season.
I’ve twisted about how long our transfer business has taken – and I still find that frustrating.
Livramento still hasn’t been announced – he is a player that could definitely have benefited from some game time with the lack of match time he has after his injury.
But for the preparation of the rest of the squad – I think pre season has been a success.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Good game picking players for Villa game is going to be tough
These pundits haven’t got a clue imo a few saying we are after another m//f and name a few,my moneys on a centre back
Icedog(Quote)
I hope CB is where Newcastle are focussed as it does look a little light there. The defence overall feels like the first choice is nailed but any changes will be stopgap cover rather than options to change
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Got to have a centre back with real pace as we are really slow at times in defence been caught out a couple of times in pre-season
Icedog(Quote)
Anyone would think we had the worst defence in the PL last season! Good positioning and awareness is as good as pace if not better. A lot depends on the midfield ahead of them.
georgio(Quote)
I think we definitely need another CB. I’d like us to get a striker on loan too if we can. Wilson is still susceptible to injury and we need more than just Isak if we’re playing 2 games a week. I know Gordon can play there but I still think another striker will give us options… let’s see.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
I see Shearer reckons we need a CB, LB & CF – I tend to agree but not necessarily all in this window.
Certainly a CB – and I like the link with Andersen from Palace. I think he’d be excellent alongside Botman. I’m just not convinced by Lascelles if we needed to put him in for a run of games – and while the links of Murphy has done well through pre season (Alex that is) I don’t think he’s quite ready for that step up to the PL yet.
Burn & Target are fine at LB for now, but as we add real quality in other positions, I think it will highlight our need to improve that position.
CF – I’m really happy with Wilson & Isak – but it would be great to get a 20ish year old in similar to what we are doing with Tino & Trips.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Good to see Tino finally confirmed. I hope his injury doesn’t plague his career – especially now he’s a toon player. He’s got a first class mentor in Trippier so could really develop into a top player.
Just saw his interview. Might sound harsh but we’ve not signed players for their craic & charisma this window like have we 😂
Sharpy17(Quote)
There’s a lot of chat about Nicolo Zaniolo at the moment. Looks a decent player, but is he one we need just now?!
Another Italy lad, is he Tonalis mate maybe?!. Is he known to this fella we are bringing in to help Tonali settle?! – or is it just transfer talk 🤷🏼♂️
Sharpy17(Quote)
Nicolo Zaniolo
Not heard of that one, but it has to be a low-priority position
another AM
PremAndUp(Quote)
Prem – I agree, I think he may be a player we’ve shown interest in earlier in the window but not now 🤷🏼♂️.
I’ve made my feelings known about how long I think the deals are taking, but I have to say, since the new owners have come in and all the business we’ve done – I don’t think they’ve got 1 wrong so far.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Hmm most of the links are still with attacking players. Not many stories on central defenders other than the Palace guy.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
See scum getting beat at half time at home to Crewe,shame NOT
Icedog(Quote)
So Chelsea have breached FFP rules – but not necessarily now.
This came to light when the new owners done the due diligence before buying off Roman Abramovich – they found HE breached between 2012-2019 & it was reported the UEFA – who fined Chelsea €10m.
The Premier League are only NOW opening an investigation – the club was bought nearly 2 years ago so the information of the breach has been know since that time.
My question here is who decides when the PL aren’t fit for purpose???
Man City breached over 100 rules over a 10 year period & the PL never picked up on it.
It turns out Chelsea had breached over a 7 year period – uncovered by a potential buyer studying their books over a matter of weeks. UEFA fined them so there is obviously evidence enough to prove it – and who’d be surprised?!.
The Premier League carry out fit & proper testing for new owners – but are themselves neither of those things!!
We know that Everton have financial issues too – so what the hell do the PL actual do???.
Sharpy17(Quote)
So, at it for seven years Chelsea are fined £8m. What are we so worried about?
georgio(Quote)
Georgio – I’ve been watching SSN talking about it – so that £8m fine is from UEFA who can only go back over the last 5 years. They have backdated to 2017.
But the due diligence done shows breaches going back as far as 2012 – and only the PL can investigate that far back.
My point being that NO governing body of organisation has uncovered these breaches – which are under the table agent payments and in one case a payment to a family member of a player they signed – so proper dodgy dealings, not just spending money they don’t have!!.
Boehlys lot took these breaches to UEFA knowing they’d get fined but wanting to start with a clean slate for their part. I have to believe they also shared their findings with the PL as well – who, instead of investigating it as well, have allowed them to go out and spend 3/4 BILLION on players.
Now they want to investigate breaches from 10 years ago but realistically, what ‘punishment’ are they going to dish out – another fine??? – like £10m mattered to an owner that could take his spending to over a billion by the end of the window 🤷🏼♂️.
Who holds the PL to account for not doing their job properly??? Chelsea, City, Everton – there’s bound to be others!!.
I’m not saying we should go and breach rules – not for a second. I like what we are doing – I’d just want us to do it a bit quicker when I rant.
It was Boehlys team who coughed to Chelsea breaches & it was a French journalist who uncovered City’s – so these governing bodies to speak of FFP do nothing to monitor or investigate it by the looks of things!!
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sorry to rant on about this but I feel really passionately about this.
This is a time period where Leicester won the league against all odds – only for clubs like Chelsea & City to buy up most of their players. A similar thing is happening with Brighton now with a lot of their better players being bought up by the ‘top 6’ clubs.
But it feels to be like the PL don’t want clubs like Leicester or Brighton to succeed because they don’t carry the same financial weight as the likes of City or Chelsea.
It feels to me like the PL turn a blind eye to keep their poster boy clubs up there regardless of how well ran they are.
FFP will be used for clubs like NUFC, Villa and Everton or anyone else who dare stick their head up & make a challenge – but the big 6 who manage to keep spending – it’s never mentioned.
Also – whilst SSN report this, they NEVER question why or how these breaches have been allowed to happen – why the PL have not known about them??
Sharpy17(Quote)
Makes me fume to Sharpy. So unfair!
Gilly Toon(Quote)
There must be more to it or our lot would just join in. PIF aren’t going to complain over an additional £8m.
georgio(Quote)
If Kane does go to Munich, would we sell them Wilson for say £30-35m and loan to buy Hugo Ekitike with an agreed fee???
Sharpy17(Quote)
Oliver Kay has drafted a good article about so called big 6 becoming 7 and how the established 6 have shaped and influenced elite football in England, suggesting its not just footballing but influence on how the game is run
the article is balanced and he doesn’t appear to have an anti nufc agenda in it; praising the club for their success while referencing distaste of the majority owners
He offers thoughts on how the six shape and influence things things and some insights on how football governance is more challenging for Newcastle than others have had ( Chelsea / manc ) which could explain why some of the inconsistencies highlighted by posters here are in play
It offers rationale why Newcastle operate the way they do and implies Newcastle currently don’t have the influence of the 6 yet as well as suggesting that’s why the 6 really fear Newcastle; without the influence Newcastle out performed them by being smart and having top drawer management and are in it for cthe long term
I believe Once established, Newcastle are positioned to outstrip several (at least) of the 6 and the impressive thing is Newcastle have a clear plan, and ambition with the talent and money to do just that. That’s why I’m relaxed about not hitting top four again yet and why I trust the long term ambition.
article also drops in a lovely nugget of Newcastle board being shunned by one of the six’s directors (and, less juicily, warm relations with Chelsea).
Anyways it’s a good article, albeit behind a paywall, and maybe the regular bloggers here will offer a better commentary than mine of the article as they have with other articles
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
I like Wilson a lot & he’s an obvious goal scorer – but he’s 31 now & has always had his injury problems.
I know Ekitike seemed to cuff us for PSG – but a young French player?! – who can really blame him 🤷🏼♂️.
But he’s not getting the game time there & in terms of what he can bring to us – his style is very similar to Isak imo. Is that a good thing? Is having Wilson as a different type of CF better for being able to mix things up?.
Ekitike is still only 21 as well so we would be recruiting another top prospect.
But when fit, Wilson is a proven PL goal scorer – is it obvious that I keep changing my mind on this one?! 😂
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ekitike hasn’t convinced anyone he’s improved since he signed for PSG. I’ve always had doubts about him (and his style). Not fussed and I don’t think EH fancies him.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio – fair enough mate, but would you sell Wilson to look for a replacement?
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ordinarily I wouldn’t contemplate the idea, but I think Wilson is probably one of our few sellable assets & with Spurs having pocket full of cash & the season kicking off, we could possibly get good money for an ageing player who does miss decent portions of our season injured.
My only fear is that we were heavily linked with Calvert-Lewin and if he ended up replacing Wilson we’d be no further forward.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I would quite like to see us loan to buy Ferran Torres from Barcelona… we were linked with him at the start of the window. For sure Wilson will get injured during the season and I feel we need another striker.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Gilly – I’d take Ferran Torres on loan mate – good shout. He’s predominantly a right sided forward & we could be on the look for an upgrade of one of them – but can also play CF (in a similar way to Gordon).
He’d be an excellent option off the bench.
The only thing is I think Barca paid around £60m – but if it was loan first, we may be fine paying that next summer 🤷🏼♂️
** I’ve just had to replace Prems details with mine** usually they are blank & I have to add my details.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Interesting stuff mate and pretty accurate too.
kimtoon(Quote)
Poor Liverpool can’t keep up with the Arab backed clubs according to Klopp – there they are about to spend £111m on 1 player – British record & a disgusting account of money … and let’s be right, if that was Newcastle paying it we’d be destroying the game this morning!!.
Oh and in a final twist of irony – they are buying him with SAUDI money thanks to the sale of Henderson & Fabinho.
But no journalist will point that out to Klopp should he start bumping his gums
Sharpy17(Quote)
Seems willock out for the first part of the season. Must admit I didn’t realise he was almost ever present last season until his hamstring went and he missed the last couple of games
Think he’ll be a miss but I guess with Anderson coming through and tonali added Newcastle have a bit of that depth that was missing last year. Shame he’s out though and hope he comes back stronger
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
I just cannot see how Caicedo is worth that much! Brighton paid £4.5 million! That’s a hell of a profit! The amount of money these “big 6”, clubs are spending is just insane. But LiVARpool now we’ll over £200 million spend. And poor Klippety Klopp says they cannot compete, 😂😂😂😂😂 I see Chelsea still trying to buy every available player on the planet with them now going for Tyler Adams from Leeds! You can only have a squad of 25 😳😳.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
According to TM squad values
City and Arsenal over £1bn
Chelsea, Liverpool with Caicedo, and Man U all about £900m
Spurs, without Kane £700m
then Us and Villa just under £600m
Who is it he can’t compete with exactly?
PremAndUp(Quote)
New thread
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2023/08/11/aston-villa-h-pre-match-thoughts-team-news-possible-line-ups-prediction-2/
First proper match preview of the season!
Olly Hawkins(Quote)