Yes, it still hurts. Sunday was a sobering experience and the biggest reality check we have had to date. We had Liverpool exactly where we wanted them. We had a goal and a man advantage. It should have been three points for us. When Darwin Nunez scored his first goal, it was a hammer blow. A point would have felt like a missed opportunity. To take nothing from that game isn’t comprehendible.
A lot of the instant reaction around the ground and on social media was confusion. Liverpool’s turnaround happened so quickly, it felt like a nightmare. Surely that didn’t just happen to us. Frustration and anger quickly followed. Online, criticism was directed at Eddie Howe, with some incredible takes questioning his long-term suitability for the role.
Sven Botman, Bruno Guimaraes and Dan Burn faced criticism for their errors in the build up to both goals. Miguel Almiron was chastised for his missed chances, as he quickly becomes the target of choice for criticism.
Results are everything in football. It is fun to look deeper into the metrics, but the ‘Proper Football Man’ is right. The scoreline is the only thing that matters.
However, once the match has ended and the dust has settled, it is too simplistic to focus on just the result. In the modern game, too much analysis works backwards from the result. There is a huge bias in a lot of the reporting and the accompanying discussion on social media.
Sunday made me think about an article I read by Juanma Lillo following the World Cup. The current Manchester City assistant manager was writing for the Athletic and the following passage sums it up well:
“I’m talking about those who sit in front of a blank page and say, “My friend, I’m going to explain ‘why’. The result happened because of this, this and this…”
“Whys are like arses: everybody’s got one. You have your ****, I have mine, and once the game is over, I can apply whatever ‘why’ I want in order to explain what happened.”
If the ball doesn’t deflect for a second time off Sven Botman, Liverpool don’t get their equaliser and we may hold on for the three points. If Alisson Becker doesn’t make the ‘best save’ Eddie Howe has ever seen live, we likely win the game. If Almiron’s shot just before their equaliser is a shade to the left, we win the game.
The margins were tight on Sunday. If the game was played 100 times, Newcastle would have won the game more often than not. This wasn’t like the loss to Liverpool at Anfield last season. On that occasion, it felt like we were hanging on. This time, football happened. Liverpool score from two very difficult chances and steal the three points.
On reflection, it seemed like Jurgen Klopp’s plan worked. He set up in a deep block and stayed in the game, before sending on Darwin Nunez to cause chaos. People that focus on that result have carried out that narrative. However, Liverpool relied on the best goalkeeper in the world and our own profligacy in front of goal. They needed luck and they got it.
Instead of the reporting after the match focusing on how we ground Liverpool into a state of desperation in the first half, it focuses on their brilliance. Nobody learned anything new about the Reds on Sunday. Everyone knows they have a lot of individual quality and they can win any game due to that, regardless of the game state.
There have been calls about them being title contenders based on that display, but their performance with eleven men suggests that is unlikely.
Eddie Howe tried to be upbeat after the game. Although it annoyed people when he said we played well, he’s right. There was a lot to like about our performance. There were points of frustration and errors made, but for a lot of the game, we were the better team and deserved our advantage.
Newcastle United left points on the field on Sunday. Nobody will be more annoyed than the coaching staff and players. They will know it was theirs for the taking and they didn’t.
The score line is important. There were mistakes made, but there were against Aston Villa too. The score line that day made them irrelevant. If you look for errors and mistakes made in a match, you’ll find them. As Juanma Lillo said, you can apply whatever why you like after the fact.
Sometimes, the run of the ball doesn’t go your way. The way Almiron’s strike rebounds off the post and the ball deflects off Botman’s body onto his ankle perfectly into the path of Darwin Nunez is difficult to take. It was just one of those days.
It wasn’t Newcastle United’s day. We need to move on.
If’s, but’s and maybe’s played 3 lost 2 won 1 that’s the reality
PremAndUp(Quote)
I think we’re ok to be disgruntled – it shows how far we’ve come.
We can even be critical without doubting Howe – it’s a fan’s entitlement imo.
But if you lose sight of the fact our defeats have been against City away & Liverpool – or read more into it for our season as a whole, you’re mental imo.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Let’s remember that we have had the same results in these fixtures as last year. We beat Villa at SJP, lost to City away and lost to Liverpool at SJP. I’m content to lose the same 5 as last year and convert some draws to wins. No cause to panic yet.
Brian K.(Quote)
Agree to a certain degree with you Jake it is fine margins at times think it was more the manner of the defeat that got most fans even if a minority went way OTT with the criticism we got really sloopy in the final half hour yes Barnes should have played the ball quicker to Wilson and Almiron was unlucky with the one that hit the post but there is no excuse with the one he blazed over the bar that was a total lack of composure and that unfortunatly is when you go from fine margins to becoming big margins but on the whole do agree with most of what you said
Darren Bebb(Quote)