Five takeaways from Newcastle 0-2 Yokohoma - Kelly, Sanusi and no need to overreact
Newcastle United lost 2-0 out in Japan as they continued their preparations for the new Premier League season against Yokohama F-Marino’s in front of 50,000 fans.
In a game, which was played in boiling 35°C heat in Japan’s national stadium in Shinjuku City, United went behind in the 34th minute through Marino’s’ Brazilian forward Elber before Amano added another in the 54thminute for the former J-League Champions. Here are my five key takeaways from the game:
- Lloyd Kelly at CB
Lloyd Kelly, the free transfer from Bournemouth, made his debut as the lads wore the new Adidas third kit for the first time. Kelly is a versatile footballer and showed it this afternoon with 45 minutes at left-sided centre-back, despite playing a large proportion of his career at LB.
Despite being in a backline that conceded a goal, and getting booked, Kelly looked decent, with forward passes into midfield, one vital block, a couple of dribbles with the ball, and winning it back in more advanced positions. However, …
- Come in Marc Guehi
The team were generally poor at the back, especially in a sloppy and disjointed second half performance. News broke on Friday that the club have opened talks with Crystal Palace for the transfer of Marc Guehi – the one consistent positive about England’s performances this summer.
The 24-year-old showed his composure during the Euros, showing calmness, strength and recovering excellently whenever he made a mistake, which wasn't often. Composure was certainly lacking in the Newcastle defence in Tokyo with an admittedly rotated, second choice backline making mistakes, conceding chances and putting in rash tackles.
If a £60million-deal is agreed and Guehi comes in, he should be the long-term replacement for Fabian Schar, and his calmness and pace will certainly improve United’s defence.
- Can Trevan Sanusi breakthrough this season?
The 17-year-old England youth international looked sharp in the first game of the tour against Urawa Red Diamonds, and he continued that trend in the second half today.
Sanusi was neat and tidy, with an excellent turn inside leading to a shot in the 80th minute and a couple of delightful flicks. The left-winger impressed in 22 appearances for the U18s last season, where he chipped in with three goals and three assists, and he was the standout performer in a productive 45 minutes out in Japan.
Time will tell if Sanusi can build on his positive performances so far in preseason, but one thing is clear, if he can reach his undoubted potential, he will be an impressive player and conceivably soften the blow of losing a talent like Yankuba Minteh.
- A lack of cohesion, but no need to overreact
Unfortunately, there were a few familiar failings in the team today with Almiron, Longstaff and Krafth underperforming. Undeniably, the conditions were hard to play football in, especially against a side that are two-thirds of the way through their domestic season, with the difference in fitness levels clearly on display.
Yet, there was a concerning lack of cohesion throughout the team, with the passing moves not quite clicking, a disorganised defensive display and nothing really of note up front.
A positive: it’s more minutes in the players’ legs, with the new season now just two weeks away. A poor performance overall but there is no need to overreact, the game was an ultimately a meaningless friendly. Unquestionably, full confidence will be restored when a first team RW and RCB come in.
- The Value of United’s Japanese Tour
Pre match, social media was full of accounts online from Japanese fans sharing their stories of how they became fans. One recounted how Alan Pardew’s infamous headbutt on David Meyler sparked his love for the club – in what is, perhaps, one of the strangest reasons to end up supporting a club ever.
But it is also in these stories that we see the value of tours to the Far East and United States et al. If Newcastle are to be as successful as we hope they will be in the future, they are going to have to overhaul several clubs with substantial financial advantages over them, in the full glare of PSR.
International fans play a huge part in modern day football at the elite level, and with the scarcity of live experiences throughout the regular Premier League season we’ve seen how the tour events have been lapped up by the locals, and the marketing of the third kit has echoed some of the excellent work Adidas did during the Entertainers era.
These types of tours are how Newcastle can potentially close the gap to the other top sides and start to take advantage of its large international fanbase, something that was severely neglected under the previous ownership.
