Eddie Howe’s Magpies delivered three crucial points to end a turbulent week on a high and into the top four, ensuring we go into the international break still undefeated.
It wasn’t the prettiest win we’re likely to see but the team showed great defensive discipline and resilience to hold off a very strong Spurs side. For all of our mistakes on the ball, we saw heroic defensive displays Dan Burn and Emil Krafth, who stepped up just when they needed to after weeks of trying and failing to sign Marc Guehi.
On another day we could’ve easily shipped three or four goals. Spurs controlled the game with 66% possession and caused all sorts of problems with their inverted wing backs making life difficult for our midfield, but winning isn’t always about good football and possession. It’s also about surviving tough periods, defending for your life and being clinical when chances come.
Newcastle started the game brightest and an audacious chip from Isak after four minutes almost caught Vicario out as it bounced off the bar. The crowd was up and our high intensity was too much for Spurs in opening exchanges.
The lively start continued as Gordon fed Barnes on the left whose curling effort just went wide of the far post. It was so close to a trademark Barnes finish.
Spurs did have the ball in the net but was rightly ruled out for offside, as Romero strayed beyond Newcastle’s last man before heading past Pope.
An untimely injury to the assistant referee allowed Ange Postecoglou a chance to get a message across to his players and from that moment Spurs were in the ascendancy. A quick fire double save from Nick Pope kept out two stinging shots from distance by Sarr which was then followed by a yellow card to Lloyd Kelly for dragging down Son.
The tactical battle was fascinating as Joelinton would slot in at left back to allow Kelly to come inside to watch the runs of Pedro Porro from right back as we reverted to a back 5. Spurs had plenty of the ball but were restricted to shots from outside the box.
Then against the run of play, Newcastle took the lead. A quick throw caught the Spurs defence napping as Kelly played a great cutback into the back to Harvey Barnes who finished with aplomb! 1-0.
A much needed confidence boost for a player who’s Newcastle career has yet to really get going and a great moment for Kelly who looks very comfortable at left back, despite an early booking.
1-0 is how it stayed until half time as the players were given a warm reception by the home crowd. A first half that started and ended well but a performance that could be improved upon. We look like an accident waiting to happen playing out from the back at times and often when Pope goes long, it’s nowhere near a player in black and white!
The second half followed a similar pattern to most of the first half with Spurs dictating play and Newcastle looking to hit on the counter attack.
It was from a counter attack that should’ve given Newcastle a 2-0 lead as Isak was clean through on goal until a desperate last ditch tackle from Dragusin stopped a certain goal.
Spurs got a deserved equaliser as Maddison cut in off the left and his shot was parried by Pope into the path of the impressive Brennan Johnson, who’s effort was turned into his own goal by Dan Burn; an unfortunate moment for him given how good he was all afternoon.
A series of sloppy giveaways in dangerous areas by Burn, Murphy, Guimaraes and Gordon invited pressure and a second Spurs goal seemed a foregone conclusion. We were defending superbly in many ways, but our inability to keep the ball was a regular source of frustration as we kept gifting it back to Spurs.
Enter Joelinton, who used his strength to turn away in midfield and played a sumptuous through ball to Murphy who squared it to Isak for a tap in to send the crowd wild.
That would prove to be the difference as the magpies held on for a huge three points and go into the international break on a high.
Howay the lads!
Dry good write up Luke! Thank you. We are very disjointed these days. Our free flowing attacking football has deserted us, but we found a way to win. Need to sort ourselves out though. Not sure what’s going on but we just don’t look right. Great win though and another three points at home vs Spurs.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Oops, that should say very good write up 😬😂
Gilly Toon(Quote)
You have to feel for Chelsea though, that they were not able to bring in enough new signings to win against a lowly Palace side …. 😖😳😂😂😂
Gilly Toon(Quote)
I think it the team will do fine this season. Only because we have less fixtures and hopefully less chance of injuries to key players. I don’t think the team have played well as of yet
Stem(Quote)
Brilliant win against a competitor for stated ambition of European qualification in a niggly game. It was important too as the run of home games to December looks a bit challenging; manc, Brighton, arsenal, West Ham and Liverpool.
Hardly their fluent best and rode luck at times but I’m not having the narrative of spurs lost due to their missing strikers given nufc’s centre backs were 3rd and 6th choice (at best ).
I especially liked Guimaraes as a dedicated DCM altho he’s still prone to turning over possession cheaply at times and thought Livramento was decent too. However, Krafth really stood out for me. It will be good to see if they can be better with the ball once tonali and schar are back regularly.
Jonesy(Quote)
So Leceister beat PSR after challenging the PL punishment suggested for them.
Add to them the fact that Everton also had a points deduction reduced & I think it’s fair to say that the PL don’t really know the boundaries of their own rules!!.
I really wish we’d have taken them on in the summer & not reacted with the fire sale of 2 of our best young prospects – selling a local lad in exchange for a keeper we don’t seem to want (can’t understand that one at all) and strengthening a team that have quickly become a rival for those European spots. (Not to mention unsettling Gordon).
If it resulted in a 3 or 4 points deduction then so be it – at least we wouldn’t have been punished around trying to adhere to rules that clearly aren’t fit for purpose.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Not to mention Sharpy, the Premier league have just approved Chelsea’s selling of their own hotels to themselves to get around the rules.
So basically, whi think we need to do, is sell every seat in our stadium for £1m each to PIF. It appears this would be a perfectly legal thing to do so we can get around the rules. 🤔🤔🤔 😂😂😂
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Gilly – how can that be right man?!.
They also overlooked Chelsea confessing to rule breaking when Boehly bought the club – that was when the Russian had them. They were penalised by UEFA but the PL bottled it.
City are still to be punished and they allowed Man Utd special dispensations through COVID and Radcliffe coming in.
The PL are a disgrace & I can’t understand why clubs haven’t taken them on. Will anything come from City charges – I really doubt it.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Crooked men in crooked positions doing crooked things, that’s the PL and big 6 owners.
kimtoon(Quote)
Indeed, it just stinks of corruption and favouritism.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Leicester were very very cute and I’m not sure the precedent they set helps nufc at all.
To sum up, they argued the PL could not charge them because they weren’t a PL club at *the moment ( accounts submission) the rules are applied.
They clearly prepared for the scenario a year in advance by shifting their year end accounts submission the previous season from a May deadline to a June deadline. They then transferred their PL membership to Luton who’d been promoted two weeks before that June deadline.
They’ve been playing these games with the PL and EFL for around 10 years btw and keep coming out on top.
Outcome is that they were subject to EFL rules not PL rules at the point in time of PL financial rules apply. It was a ******* masterstroke.
The PL were left with an argument that Leicester didn’t behave in the spirit of the rules which is a laughable legal case and so look stupid. So yes they’re incompetent fools and PSR is clearly not fit for purpose. No surprise as it’s being used to protect the cartel.
Back to nufc and those wrinkles don’t apply as the rules about spend are clear and definitive. All that nufc are left with is that those rules are unfair. Thats a tough legal case to make esp as they’ve signed up to them. There is also no guarantee the points deduction is four points.. and aggravating factors include wilfully ignoring those rules so it’s likely in the scenario of aggressively overspending the penalty would be higher than previous especially as the overspend looks like it was at least twice what Everton had and it’s nufc ( yup I’m paranoid).
I too wish they hadn’t sold minteh and especially Anderson’s but before trying to take on the PL the club really do need to look at improving the trading approach adopted by staveley / guodoussi which is why Mitchell needs more time to settle in.
I can offer no explanation for how Chelsea get away with their business other than they are one of the controlling cartel of the PL
Jonesy(Quote)
All well stated and agree.
kimtoon(Quote)
imo they are trying (slylike)to work howe out of club they have worked nickleson out and hes made some good signings he wanted Mich job before he came so hes worked at getting him out,things are starting to stink at the club
icedog(Quote)
Gordon starting for England. Good opportunity for him
Jonesy(Quote)
Gordon did very well. Exactly what we missed in the Euros. If only ….
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Yeah I think Gordon did ok last night. I’m pleased Carsley came in & put him straight in.
Gordon seems to be a confidence player – plays with emotion. So not getting his chance in the summer I think has affected how he’s started this season for us. Feeling the love from Carsley and getting his minutes will hopefully get his head up & kick him on.
On another note – has anyone seen Tonalis Italy performance 😮.
That boy is on a mission!!. He was head & shoulders the best player on that pitch last night & if he keeps this up – what a player we have 🤯
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’m quite enjoying being interested in international teams; England; Brazil; Sweden and now Italy.
I like how carsley structured the arrowhead of Kane with Gordon, grealish and saka in behind. Wonder if Howe could experiment something similar using Gordon & Barnes rather than the flat front 3 he employs. The three are smart and good enough to keep that fluid.. With tonali/ guimaraes deeper lying and willock /joelinton rotating, it feels pretty tasty.
The Italian manager ( spalletti??) made some notable comments about the aggression and speed( of play) tonali has developed following his time with nufc and how much he values those attributes. It’s a very enticing prospect of how much sharper he’ll get as he plays regularly.
Jonesy(Quote)