Everton 0-0 Newcastle: Toon waste big chance to win final game at Goodison

Our final game at Goodison Park and a missed chance to take all three points as a lack of quality when it mattered and missed penalty from Anthony Gordon saw the match end 0-0.

We came into the game enjoying our best start to a Premier League season for 13 years, but we had a point to prove away from home after such an awful display at Fulham in our last match on the road.

The performance was OK in patches – we controlled large parts of the game, our energy levels were far better than previous away days and we created enough openings – but our final ball or finish was often lacking and leaves us wondering what might’ve been. It was a decent away performance in two-thirds of the pitch, but feels like a chance missed and a game we’d have won with Isak or Wilson fit.

The result sends us into the international break sixth in the table and on 12 points after our opening seven games, although Spurs could go above us tomorrow should they win at Brighton.

As expected, we stuck by the same 11 that held Man City to a 1-1 draw last weekend, seeing Lewis Hall, Kieran Trippier, Sandro Tonali and Jacob Murphy keep their place in the side, while the Toffees were missing two first choice defenders in Jarrad Branthwaite and Vitaly Mykolenko.

We made a half decent start and came within a whisker of going 1-0 up on 10 minutes as a corner fell to Bruno at the back post from Tonali’s glancing header. The Brazilian struck his volley back across goal and Pickford was beaten, only for Ndiaye to somehow scramble off the line.

Calvert-Lewin was proving a handful for our centre-back, but it was Doucoure who headed the ball into the back of the net on 18 minutes – only to be flagged for offside after replays showed he’d gone just beyond Schar from Garner’s cross. That was our warning and a wake up call, lifting the Goodison Park crowd even if their celebrations were short-lived.

Gordon looked sharp and was picking up pockets of space when coming short, although we had to target Everton’s full-backs; a 39-year-old Ashley Young and a midfielder at right-back in James Garner. Tonali also had to sharpen up in midfield, as the all-action Italian had lost the ball poorly on a couple of occasions in the first 25 minutes.

Tonali hadn’t started particularly well but he was hauled to the floor by James Tarkowski as Murphy’s shot flew over the bar. It was a stonewall penalty and VAR agreed, as Craig Pawson pointed to the spot after a pitch-side review. Who else but Anthony Gordon stepped up and, after boos and jeers from the Blue majority of Goodison, it was a poor spot kick and saved by who else but Jordan Pickford.

A huge chance missed to take this game by the scruff of the neck, a horrible moment for our usually composed No.10 and suddenly the atmosphere shifted, sparking a bearpit feel to Goodison Park. Saying that, we – or Gordon – didn’t let the miss impact us and continued to look the better side.

I couldn’t fault or effort levels and enthusiasm in the first half, but quality in the final third was sorely lacking. Everton looked poor, had a patched up back four and seemed there for the taking if we could sharpen up our final pass or shot in the second 45.

We came out from the break much the same. We were the better side and had a good tempo to our play, but that final ball was missing again, as openings down the left side between Hall, Barnes and Joelinton all came to nothing despite us getting into some great positions. The lack of No.9 was telling, with us often missing that presence, run or finishing touch in the box.

That theme continued after a cut-back fell to Gordon, who left for Bruno before the Brazilian’s poor effort was scooped over the ball. It was a big chance, but it was another promising opening we couldn’t make the most of and Howe didn’t take long to make his first change minutes later as Miguel Almiron replaced Barnes.

Sloppy passes continued to be a theme, this time it was in our own half as Tonali gifted Everton the ball in an awful position. Calvert-Lewin forced Pope into a big save from the resulting attack and the rebound saw Burn and Calvert-Lewin collide before Gueye fired a huge chance over. He should’ve scored and Everton fans wanted a penalty, but VAR waved it away as replays showed DCL’s leg in fact kicked Burn’s.

More changes followed as Howe brought on Joe Willock, Sean Longstaff and Tino Livramento, with Murphy, Tonali – who had been strangely sloppy in possession –  and Trippier making way. The latter had clearly picked up an injury and signalled to the bench he needed to come off, giving us fresh injury concern heading into the international break.

Everton had managed just nine touches in our box and we’d had 10 corners to their zero, but only the scoreline mattered with 10 minutes to play as we pushed for a late winner. It looked like we were starting to tire, yet our biggest chance of the match, penalty aside, fell to Gordon once again. He broke down the right, burst into the box and just when you hoped he’d silence the home crowd and make up for that earlier miss, he blazed over the bar.

Another big moment came our way that summed up our night. Livramento did superbly to burst free before Bruno and Joelinton got the ball through to Almiron. However, he couldn’t get the ball out of his feet and scuffed a poor effort that was blocked by Tarkowski.

Before four minutes of stoppage time was signalled, another half chance came our way as Joelinton fired well wide. At the other end. an Everton counter attack then ended in a yellow for Schar, who brought down Calvert-Lewin with a blatant trip.

Next up, another international break before we welcome

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

19 thoughts on “Everton 0-0 Newcastle: Toon waste big chance to win final game at Goodison

  1. Disappointing result but decent performance.

    Def pen for nufc which Gordon executed poorly and nufc very lucky not to concede when burn clattered dcl.
    Wasteful and poor decision making cost the team two points today
    I know nufc miss isak but
    The big miss today was Wilson to avoid those wasteful cut backs

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  2. We really Lacked a striker today. Very poor in the final third and I had a strong feeling that we would regret that poor penalty. It’s a point and we didn’t lose but for all our possession we did very little.

    And what’s happened to our corners? We had at least 10 and didn’t threaten little arms with any of them. Awful on set plays again..

    Never a penalty for Everton. It was clear that DCL kicked Burn’s leg then fell over.

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  3. “I think we had a very good shout for a second penalty when Joelinton was brought down. But hey ho, the refs are not going to award us 2 pens”

    Hmm who said that ??
    Yet never a penalty as BDB lays on dcl’s leg.
    Gotta love that black and white perspective 😉🖤🤍

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  4. It’s not just a black & white perspective though – it’s the refs … and VARs … because the replays show the incident quite clearly 🤷🏼‍♂️

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  5. Gilly – I agree entirely about your point on corners & it was my drum to bang last season. It blows my mind how few goals we get from set plays in comparison to the likes of Arsenal.

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  6. Sharpy17:
    Gilly – I agree entirely about your point on corners & it was my drum to bang last season.It blows my mind how few goals we get from set plays in comparison to the likes of Arsenal.

    Especially when we have the likes of Burn who’s 6’7” … 🤷🏻‍♂️

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  7. Wow. Atletico Madrid stadium to be renamed SaudiAir Metripolitano.
    Nets the Atletti £300m over 9 years. That got past the UEFA FMV test and SaudiAir ( never completed a commercial flight) are current front of shirt sponsor for Atletico

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  8. Jonesy:
    Wow. Atletico Madrid stadium to be renamed SaudiAir Metripolitano.Nets the Atletti £300m over 9 years. That got past the UEFA FMV test and SaudiAir ( never completed a commercial flight) are current front of shirt sponsor for Atletico

    Wow, can you imagine the other PL clubs if we did that.

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  9. kimtoon: Wow, can you imagine the other PL clubs if we did that.

    MmmHmmm .. yup my thought too.
    Off the back of the furore around the manc/PL ruling we get this deal announced. Very interesting that it passed uefa FMV “rules” ( which apparently are tighter than PL )
    It does feel like if they can be smart, not too greedy and a bit bullish now might be the time for nufc to test the PL “rules” (liberal use of the word given how 5h1te they are)

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  10. Jonesy – I hope not mate. Front of shirt is one thing, but renaming my beloved SJP that monstrosity of a name for any amount – no thank you!!.

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  11. I share the attachment to the name SJP and its position as the cathedral on the hill. PIF @ SJP .. yeuch.
    I hope they can redevelop at SJP or within the city. That said, i do think renaming is coming.

    Must admit I wasn’t thinking explicitly about the stadium in my post but more generally that the chaos around the FMV and APT rules may be the moment for nufc to be aggressive and take a risk on putting big commercial deals in front of the PL.
    It’s all speculative tho🤔

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  12. Eddies staying put then – Tuchel for England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿.

    Have to say I think it’s a good appointment. I know people want to stay English managers for England – but Tuchel wins cup competitions at club level & it’s as close to tournament football as you can get really. He knows the English media & has managed at the highest level so can handle the pressure I reckon.

    But most importantly – Eddie is staying put!! 🙌🏼

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  13. I think Tuchel could be decent. He cannot be worse than what England have had recently can he!
    And as you say, at least Eddie will not go to England…

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  14. GNev is such a g0b$h!te.

    He bangs on about elite English managers for the England job – he’s not shouting for a British manager for Man Utd though is he?!.

    Tuchel is a world class manager – who he’d absolutely have at Man Utd. Probably why he’s gobbing off – he wanted Tuchel to replace ETH.

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  15. Sharpy17:
    GNev is such a g0b$h!te.

    He bangs on about elite English managers for the England job – he’s not shouting for a British manager for Man Utd though is he?!.

    Tuchel is a world class manager – who he’d absolutely have at Man Utd.Probably why he’s gobbing off – he wanted Tuchel to replace ETH.

    Exactly mate

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  16. I won’t have this argument that English managers don’t get the chance at top jobs either.

    Howe at NUFC
    Lampard at Chelsea & Everton
    Gerrard at Villa
    Potter at Chelsea

    Who’s the other candidates?. Expand it to British managers – well firstly my argument would be what’s the difference in a Scottish or Irish manager than a German one?! But who? – Rogers?, Moyes?.

    I think the FA have got this one bang on!!.

    England get a first class manager, we keep a first class manager and Man Utd are left with Southgate or Potter if they sack ETH 😂 brilliant!!

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