After three-straight Premier League wins, five clean sheets in our last six in all competitions and Wednesday’s 4-1 demolition of PSG, we had to settle for a point in an up and down affair at the London Stadium.
Alexander Isak scored a second half brace following Tomas Soucek’s early opener in a flat first 45 from a Newcastle perspective, but a 89th minute strike from super sub Mohammed Kudus rescued a draw for the home side.
Callum Wilson returned to the bench after missing our last three, Joelinton missed out entirely and Anthony Gordon sat out through suspension, meaning Alexander Isak kept his place up top, Sandro Tonali started again in midfield and Elliot Anderson came in down our left.
We started with plenty of the ball, but West Ham scored with their first meaningful attack just eight minutes in. A dinked ball down the left saw Emerson drift in behind Lascelles all too easily, Pope came out into no man’s land and got nowhere near the Italian, who went beyond the keeper and squared to Soucek for a tap-in. Schar was on the line but it was an easy finish for the Czech and a really poor goal to concede out of nowhere.
Bruno Guimaraes was booked for a cynical foul on Emerson and should’ve received a second yellow a matter of seconds later. It was a blatant trip on Ward-Prowse that stopped their counter after a poor ball from Tonali, yet he somehow escaped a red. A huge let off that would’ve left us with a mountain to climb less than 20 minutes in.
We hadn’t hit our stride in the final third and were missing Gordon’s pace, intensity and directness, with Burn, Tonali and Anderson struggling to get anything going down our left. The lack of cohesion was summed up just before the half hour mark, when Tonali swung in a cross that was nowhere near anyone in a black and white shirt. We did go much closer moments after, as Miggy let fly with an effort reminiscent of his goal against Burnley, only this shot went the wrong side of Areola’s far post.
Lucas Paqueta then hacked down Jamaal Lascelles, who did well to step out of defence and win a free-kick Kieran Trippier would whip into the box. It was a good delivery a Dan Burn, whose glancing went just wide once again. We looked more lively in patches when Isak drifted over the to the left, allowing him to get into a game he’d previously been on the fringes of, but so many of our attacks were limp and quickly broke down against West Ham’s low block. Our play was a little too predictable and slow, giving Howe plenty to ponder heading into the break.
Our biggest chance of the game came 55 minutes in, as Isak’s lobbed a cross into Burn at the back post. It was a good header from the big man, but Areola got down low to palm it away. We were finally beginning to build some sustained pressure and it paid dividends, as Trippier’s delivery was headed into Isak’s path by Aguerd. The Swede made no mistake and finished emphatically, handing us an equaliser with more than half an hour remaining.
A big momentum swing and it showed a few minutes later, as 1-1 became 2-1 Newcastle! This time, a first time cross from Trippier found its way through to Isak, who poked home at the back post to turn a game that threatened to get away from us on its head.
Just a few minutes after Trippier’s fifth assist of the season, he almost got a sixth as his open play cross to Anderson was miscued by our local lad. What a response to that first half display, as we suddenly looked far more positive, intense, assured and aggressive in everything we did on the ball.
With 20 minutes to go, Isak came within a whisker of his first Newcastle hat-trick, latching onto a smart through ball and rounding Areola. His effort from a tight angle was a decent one, but clipped the outside of the post before rebounding off Aguerd for a corner. So close to 3-1 and a stunning second half hat-trick for our record signing. Looking back, that felt like the defining moment.
We conceded a clumsy free kick with 78 minutes on the clock and Longstaff went into the book, giving Ward-Prowse a chance to equalise. He’s usually lethal from these positions, but his effort was tame by his usually high standards and flew safely over Pope’s goal.
West Ham had made a double change at this point, bringing on Mohammed Kudus and Said Benrahma. We responded with a substitution of our own, as Jacob Murphy replaced Miggy with 10 left to play, followed by Callum Wilson coming on for Isak a few minutes later, helping us run the clock down as West Ham piled on the pressure without actually testing Pope.
However, with 89 minutes on the clock, Kudus made an instant impact with a superb equaliser for the Hammers. It was a brilliant finish from the edge of the box, but we didn’t do enough to close down the Ghanaian, with Tonali too slow to get out. He should’ve done better, but on the bright side looked much better in the second half in the right side of our midfield three.
Six minutes were added on and the London Stadium was suddenly rocking. Bowen almost made it 3-2 in added on time, as his effort across the box just evaded the far corner and Edson Alvarez; who so nearly tapped in at the back post. We’d gone from looking in control at 2-1 to holding on and made another late change, as Matt Targett replaced a tiring Anderson.
A frantic end to a pretty even game and it ended all square, seeing Eddie’s Mags go into the international break with a decent point. It could’ve been more had we held on at the end, but we were lucky to keep Bruno on the pitch at 1-0 down and keep the momentum going with a solid result at the end of a hectic run of fixtures.
STARTING XI: Pope – Trippier, Schar, Lascelles, Burn – Longstaff, Guimaraes, Tonali – Almiron, Isak, Anderson.
SUBS: Dubravka, Dummett, Wilson, Ritchie, Targett, Manquillo, Hall, Livramento, Murphy.
Next up, Crystal Palace away in two weeks time, followed by Borussia Dortmund at St James’ Park in the UEFA Champions League.
HWTL.
Both their goals was bad defending from us need Botman back asap
Icedog(Quote)
To be fair, had you offered me a draw before kick off I’d have snatched your hand off.
WH isn’t an easy place to go, we have injuries & suspensions & I expected a bit of a hangover still off PSG.
So us going 1-0 down didn’t surprise me – but the nature of the goal did. Bit of a rush of blood from Popey who has started the season a little under par for me.
But we showed that fighting spirit again & scored 2 very good goals through Isak.
I thought we were about to pull off a very impressive victory – but to be fair, it was a nice strike by Kudus & we ended up with the draw I would have taken at the start of the day.
3 points dropped I guess when your 2-1 up. But far from a disaster in the grand scheme of things.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Starting to worry a bit about Pope. He seems very stiff to me and very slow at getting down to shots. Doesn’t do well in the air either. Most of his saves are with his feet I guess and it’ll be hard to find someone better.
Wasn’t a great performance and that equaliser should have been closed down. We conceded a few like that last year, slicing between bodies and legs.
georgio(Quote)
Nufc needed to get things right between international breaks and 5 wins, 2 draws including 5 clean sheets is an excellent return.
This is especially true considering the disruption through injuries and it’s great to see long term fringe and squad players stepping up.
As much I dislike international breaks for meaningless games, it’s come at a good time for the squad and it looks like the only player long term out is Barnes so let’s hope those others who’ve been injured can be rehabbed back to fitness and Barnes has no long term problems.
I’ve loved watching this squad develop and figure out a way get through a pretty tough schedule over the last 6 weeks and im properly looking forward to the run up to Christmas games and into the NY
HTL
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Go West – I look at our remaining fixtures for Oct and fancy our form to continue.
Palace away
Dortmund home
Wolves home
With players returning to fitness over the break, I can see 3 wins there.
November looks a difficult month mind:
Man Utd away (cup)
Arsenal home
Dortmund away
B’mth away
Chelsea home
PSG away
Aside from that being a heavy schedule, they are tough fixtures too.
So our up may continue through Oct, but I expect it to come down through Nov – by how much will be tough to say, but best to be realistic.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I just can’t get worried about the team irrespective of individuals perceived lack of form or if nov is tougher than oct as the players are good, the team epitomises being more than the sum of their parts and at some point to be successful they’ll need to rip through schedules be they viewed as tough or easy.
It’s not apathy but more a sense of assurance that they’ve got a plan, are UNITED in seeing it through and are really smart so should the able to do so
Sure, in the moment of a game I’ll get frustrated and excited with everyone else but I do try to reflect afterwards.
I get a real joy from watching the squad gel and develop be they new signings or existing players. It’s fab Seeing them problem solve ( like against Brentford) where they lacked a bit of confidence and still figured out how to win and also longer term problem solving like overcoming unfair protection approaches like FFP
And finally on this 2nd anniversary of the takeover it’s great to acknowledge how far NUFC have come on as a football squad
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Is it just me or is the problem of weird character set at your end
£10m spend – Report
PremAndUp(Quote)
What do you mean mate? Sorry, just trying to understand issue you’ve had / are seeing
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
Hi guys,
Just to let you all know, the site transferred over to our new hosts last night. They’ll be working through any issues so hopefully they are sorted ASAP.
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
Good News
PremAndUp(Quote)
From the Harrison Ashby thread
After joining Championship side Swansea on a season-long loan over the summer and starting their first five games, he’s played just one minute of football since being hooked at half-time at the start of September.
His last start came in a 2-1 defeat to Bristol City over five weeks ago, where he was taken off at half-time. Since then, he’s been an unused substitute five games running, before coming off the bench for 60 seconds in last weekend’s 3-1 win over Plymouth.
PremAndUp(Quote)
Similar problems with the training ground thread, but not with the Adam Wharton or Tonali Threads
PremAndUp(Quote)
Good news Olly! Let’s hope it solves the issues mate!
Gilly Toon(Quote)
I see Tierney is out for six months with bad hamstring,very pleased we didn’t buy him he was always injury prone
Icedog(Quote)
I hope there is no ban or issue with Tonali. Quite worrying, these stories coming from Italy, and the fact he’s been sent back. Two others as well. Illegal betting …
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Footballers betting on football . . . whatever next? Hope it’s not a Toney situation but corruption in Italy never happens.
georgio(Quote)
Are we looking at a suspension for Tonali here like???? 🤦🏼♂️
Sharpy17(Quote)
Who knows what’s been going on with Tonali but it appears there are some significant penalties if rules are breached;
Gambling is not a crime in Italy as long as bets are placed on platforms recognised by the Customs and Monopolies agencies. Do otherwise and it is punishable by three-month sentence or a fine of between €51,000 and €516,000
Article 24 of the FIGC’s (Italian football governing body) sporting justice code forbids the placing or taking of bets, directly or indirectly on events organised by the FIGC, FIFA and UEFA. Anyone who does risks a three-year ban and a fine of at least €25,000.
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Perhaps that is why we are showing an interest in Emile Smith Rowe
PremAndUp(Quote)
Surely there is an obligation to disclose any pending/potential prosecution before we shell out on a player?!?!!!
I’m sure the club will standby & support him & help in anyway they can – explains why he’s been such a bl00dy misery though 😂
Sharpy17(Quote)
SHARPY aye he’s had face like a smacked ***
Icedog(Quote)
The Newcastle fan of the Ashley era is coming out in me – I fear a scenario that sees Sandro Tonali banned for 3 years & Barca activate Bruno’s clause and he leaves for £60-70m 😖.
Maybe it’s the lack of football giving me too much time to think.
England certainly aren’t a distraction!!
I know it was just a friendly but they just aren’t enjoyable to watch.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy, England are an awful watch mate.
As for Tonali , well if he’s been a naughty boy then he’ll just have to take his punishment on the chin. Bad luck for us, but that’s football nowadays .
kimtoon(Quote)
Still not able to see featured discussion on the blog website, anyone else not seeing it at top of page ?
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim – you’re right but it will still feel like we’ve had our pants pulled down.
It might also explain how we were able to sign him with such little competition.
He was like AC Milan’s golden child, then all of a sudden they were fine to let him leave – I’d even go aa far to say as it felt like they turned their back on him – there was little fight to keep him at least, and to my knowledge there was no release clause in his contract.
I’m sure our legal team will fight to make any ban as short as possible – and even push for a bigger fee over the ban.
But I agree, if he’s done the crime then, as Ivan Toney has had to, he must face his punishment.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Very true mate play with fire at some point you get burned,surely it’s not greed,been with his girlfriend for a while you would think she would show him the error of his ways?
Icedog(Quote)
With Ivan Toney still serving his ban & now Tonali and the lad from Villa – it does beg the question of how much support there is for footballer with addiction.
I know addiction exists outside of football too. My friend is an addict with the fruit machines & has suffered badly over the years.
But football is an industry where you are lining young lads pockets with large amounts of cash.
Agents make huge sums of money off the buying & selling of these players they ‘represent’. It may sound a bit Jerry Maguire but I think they need to take more responsibility for the players.
I know people will say families too but a lot of the time these boys are from work class families who have no experience or the footballing world or the management and effects of such large amounts of money.
I mean in some cases you can have a teenage boy earning more than their parents.
Agents know the footballing world & should be more invested in the players they represent.
I’m sure NUFC will help & support Tonali through this & im sure the Geordie nation will show their love & support too.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Pretty sure the club will give him plenty of support, and hopefully the fans too. My anger is with Milan who must of known this was coming.
kimtoon(Quote)
I don’t know about Milan and knowing it was coming . . . it was a nice big cheque coming!
icedog(Quote)
sorry Ice – the new fixed website gave me your details along with these co.uk – a bollocks.
icedog(Quote)
The new host of the site is working on these issues now they’re in. Are you still having same problems?
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
Olly (and Ice) – it was me. The website switched my details for Ice’s.
I have this ongoing problem though as the site substitutes weird characters for quote marks. It’s a typographical problem. Most probably to do with wrong fonts
georgio(Quote)
Olly I still don’t see featured discussion threads on website, everything else is there though.
kimtoon(Quote)
Oh and my comments don’t show up when I post unless i go back to facebook and click on the link !
kimtoon(Quote)
Newcastle negotiating deal to sign ‘ideal’ partner for Sven Botman – Report
This issue would seem easy to solve!
Seems I’m Ice again. Please stop it.
georgio(Quote)
Well that’s England off to the Euros😊
kimtoon(Quote)
Seems like Tonali has now admitted to betting on Milan games. I can see a long ban coming. It’s Newcastle he plays for now so the authorities will have a field day. I’d say at least a year ban. 🤷🏻♂️.
However we seem to be on the brink of WW3 so it may not matter much in the big scale of things. 😔😔😔
Gilly Toon(Quote)
And all the problems we had before are still there, missing comments, having to refresh all the time, wrong or missing details and now a new one of strange symbols in place of punctuation marks
Gilly Toon(Quote)
The technical incompetence of those building and running this site is beyond belief.
georgio(Quote)
Hi guys,
The new hosts are on the site but are in the process of fixing the pre-existing issues. They don’t all disappear the second they gain access.
I know it’s frustrating, as most of these have gone on too long, but there’s not much more I can say. Hopefully sorted ASAP. We have several tickets open that they’re working through.
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
Still can’t see featured discussion and my comments are now not showing for me.
kimtoon(Quote)
Is this on your phone? Really confused as to how/why you aren’t seeing this part of the blog.
Screenshots or screen recordings would be great if you could email this to [email protected] ?
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
NUFC have to support Tonali through this period – he’s our player & it’s the right thing to do.
But we also have to look into how much knowledge AC Milan had of all this at the time of the sale & go after them imo.
We’ve had our pants pulled down on this one I think. It all happened very quickly & it seems they got in touch with us knowing we were in Milan looking at the lad at Inter.
If they knew about it & didnt disclose it the time then that’s bad craic. I’m sure there will be nothing we can do about it now – and I’m also aware it was our responsibility to do our due diligence on the player as well.
We look like amateurs on this one imo. Really annoying – especially when Diaby was an option at the same time & went to Villa for the exact same amount.
It also leaves a bad taste that Tonali himself didn’t come forward – this has only came about because his mate at Juve has come forward asking for help.
Really disappointing.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I have my opinions on Tonali’s situation but will hold my own counsel and instead assume he’ll be out for a while
When fit nufc have guimaraes, longstaff, joelinton, Anderson willock as a rotating MF with options to integrate Miley, livramento and hall.
Do they want to court Phillips (major question marks), smith Rowe (expensive), neves ( hugely controversial) and mctominay (puhlease 🙄)
My feeling is none of them are better than guimaraes at DCM but the question is will one of them coming in allow guimaraes to be even better in a more advanced position( and what do nufc do when tonali returns next autumn)
I think nufc should not knee **** react to the current situation and instead prioritise a CF in Jan as both isak and Wilson have already shown fatigue injuries. Oh, and a centre back if possible
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Wow .. kneeJ-E-R-K was starred out in my previous post
GoWest!Mag(Quote)
Olly , I am on my laptop, never had an issue before .
kimtoon(Quote)
Go West – I imagine if ESR came in it would be for an initial loan, maybe with an option to buy.
He’s a pal of Willock, so it might just be paper talk – but he doesn’t seem to be in favour at Arsenal for whatever reason.
He plays further forward though & on the right.
I agree he wouldn’t be a priority though – nor would any central midfielder.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Ime sorry if he gets a three yr ban we should cancel his contract,that’s £21million in wages and because of ffp rules we cannot bring another one in for that kind of money if you cannot do the time don’t commit crime.he new it was unlawful what he was doing.end of
Icedog(Quote)
Second attempt at posting this
Olly, I have sent them a photo as you suggested.
Thanks Kim
kimtoon(Quote)
From my perspective, if you pay £55million for something, be it a work of art, property or in this case, a player for our team, you treat it well, take care if it and protect your asset. Even more so when it’s a young 23 yr old lad. He’s clearly made some bad choices and will pay the price. But as the “owner” of that asset, that player, you take good care of him, give home the very best guidance possible, to get the best out of him. This will not make him a bad player. If he’d got his leg broken on the pitch, he’d also be out for a year or so. Ok, so this is his own making, but still, as long as he is repentant, getting help, and willing to stop, we need to take care of him.
As for Milan, and whether they knew, that’s a different thing entirely and maybe we can pursue that legally, but Tonali is still a great, talented player and will still be just 24 in a years time. I for one wish him well.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Thanks a lot. I’ve got the email and will pass it on.
Very odd, as I use the blog all the time via desktop (on Google Chrome too) and have never seen anything like this either.
I’ll get back to you.
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
Thanks Olly
kimtoon(Quote)
There’s a new thread Kim …
https://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2023/10/20/crystal-palace-h-pre-match-thoughts-team-news-possible-line-ups-prediction-3/
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Thanks Gilly
kimtoon(Quote)