A brutal end to a bad week for Newcastle United, who were 90 seconds from victory before a stoppage-time equaliser from Daniel Munoz drew Crystal Palace level after Marc Guehi’s own goal.
It wasn’t a classic as we looked toothless in attack once again, but it’s a huge blow to concede so late, denying us of back-to-back away wins and the result we’d been crying out for after Monday’s 2-0 defeat at home to West Ham. A massive shame and arguably the result Palace deserved following a flurry of missed chances after we took a 1-0 lead.
Yes, we were just over a minute from a precious three points, but we managed just ONE shot to Palace’s 16 and zero shots on goal. Against a side who started the day second bottom in the league, that isn’t good enough and must improve drastically.
Eddie Howe made two changes, seeing Dan Burn and Sandro Tonali replace Lloyd Kelly and Sean Longstaff. For the hosts, star man Ebere Eze returned after missing Palace’s last three league games.
It was a scrappy start and interesting to see Tonali starting in the No.6 role, meaning Bruno was in a slightly more advanced role on the right of our midfield three.
As both sides wrestled for possession and control of a scruffy, stop-start game in the opening 20 minutes, we suffered a number of knocks as Willock (foot), Isak (hip) and Joelinton (shoulder) all went down needing treatment. The biggest concern was Isak, who was forced off early and replaced by Harvey Barnes after failing to recover from an early whack to the hip.
This saw Gordon move into a central role up top, Joelinton remain on the left and Barnes come in down the right; a role he’s rarely played across his time with Leicester or Newcastle. In midfield, our build-up play from deep suffered slightly with Bruno in a more advanced role, but Tonali had started the game well from a defensive point of view as a couple of quick recovery runs helped cut out Palace attacks.
In the final third, though, we were struggling to really click or build any patterns of play, with not much coming off for the two Joe’s down our left and a couple of set pieces coming to nothing before Palace created the game’s first big chance 35 minutes in as a quick counter and ball across the box from Sarr was somehow fired wide by Munoz at the back post.
We didn’t test Fabianski once in the second half of Monday’s 2-0 defeat to West Ham and it was a similar theme in the first 45 here, where Palace stopper Dean Henderson didn’t have a thing to do aside from gathering a low Barnes cross a few minutes before the break.
A poor first half from both sides, where we were lacking quality or cohesion in attack and fortunate to go in at the break level given Munoz’s big miss. We had 57% of the ball and Hall continued to look sharp at left-back, but with just one shot and zero on target, it was a tough watch and match crying out for someone to take it by the scruff of the neck in the second 45.
Thankfully, we came out from the break with a bit more urgency and purpose to our play – and we were soon rewarded. After winning a free-kick down the right, Hall went short to Tonali and the Italian’s angled pass found Gordon on the overlap as he burst into the box. The angle was tight but Gordon’s fizzed ball across the goalmouth was bundled in by summer target Marc Guehi, who gave us our first ‘shot’ on target and a 1-0 lead!
The perfect response to a poor first half and a goal enjoyed by a packed out away end who created a worrying pile-on onto the advertising hoardings as Gordon led the celebrations.
10 minutes later and Palace should’ve equalised. Sarr snuck in down the left and had his effort blocked well by Pope, then we had Burn to thank seconds later as the big man from Blyth blocked Munoz’s effort from sneaking in at the near post. A fortunate escape that reignited the home crowd before Eze was forced off minutes later after lasting 65 minutes on his first game back from injury.
We needed to regain some control after a period of Palace pressure pushed us back. Guehi was the next to go close after his header flew over Pope’s bar and Schar then stepped up with a superb saving tackle to stop Mateta from pulling the trigger. After another Sarr effort was tipped wide by Pope, Mateta was the next to fire over as he couldn’t keep his shot down from six yards from the resulting corner.
An equaliser was coming if we didn’t turn the tide and Howe responded with two changes, as the booked duo of Gordon and Willock were replaced by Wilson and Longstaff with 15 minutes to play, giving us fresh legs in midfield and a focal point up top.
As the clock passed the 80th minute, we still hadn’t tested Henderson with a shot of our own – we’d had just ONE all game – but a couple of free kicks and a flurry of corners won helped run down the clock as we approached the 90-minute mark.
Tonali was the standout player and came on strong just as others were starting to tire, whether it be his ability to snuff out danger quickly or get to loose balls first, but our resistance broke in stoppage time as Palace equalised in the 94th-minute. Guehi was the provider and Munoz the scorer, with the Colombian heading in at the back post to deny us the win. An absolute sickener and the first points we’ve dropped after taking the lead all season, but it’s no more than what we deserved on the balance of play.
Next up, top of the table Liverpool at St James’ Park on Wednesday before a trip to Brentford – who battered Leicester today – next Saturday. HWTL.
Newcastle XI: Pope – Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall – Tonali, Guimaraes, Willock – Gordon, Isak, Joelinton. SUBS: Dubravka, Kelly, Osula, Longstaff, Almiron, Wilson, Barnes, Murphy, Trippier.
Crystal Palace XI: Henderson – Chalobah, Lacroix, Guehi – Muñoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell – Sarr, Eze – Mateta. SUBS: Turner, Ward, Clyne, Richards, Kporha, Schlupp, Doucouré, Devenny, Nketiah.
If you don’t invest then you recieve no returns. PIF must invest more (either by shonky deals or otherwise). You don’t think the Big Six got to their positions by abiding be the rules (most of which did not exist as they but their financial power bases). We are at the moment a mid-table team and sadly going nowhere.
Baratone(Quote)
Toothless indeed. We haven’t been credited with a single shot on or off target in 95 mins today – after a very poor attacking performance against WH on Monday night.
No European football so Howe is getting to work with the players, and minimal injuries so pretty much a full squad to work with – certainly on the attacking front at least.
Isak gets injured & for the first time in Christ knows how long, Howe has TWO forwards on the bench & he puts a winger on to play a winger as CF?!?!!! – very strange!!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I suspect since Mitchell & Bunce have came in they have altered the levels of intensity in training to try & reduce the number of injuries – and that seems to have worked injuries wise.
But that reduced intensity has leaked into match days & we look serious poor this season.
Howe has a decision to make coz it’ll be his job ultimately. Stick with the changes and risk a mid table finish and potentially his job at the club, or go back to his way and risk injuries – which in turn could put his job at risk. But this way of playing doesn’t seem to be his & isn’t winning football matches 🤷🏼♂️.
Sharpy17(Quote)
We were shi.te today. No shots on target. None. No chances created apart from the one that lead to the own goal. Don’t know what’s going on but it’s like watching an Ashley team all over again … I don’t understand why Osula is not getting a game. He’s looked canny in the few cameos he’s made. Only games will tell. Games like this against bottom three opponents would be ideal for him. … Liverpool will absolutely destroy us on Wednesday.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
I watched MOTD last night & it highlighted just a few of the bad decisions we made in the final third – Bruno, Gordon, Joelinton, Barnes and that was just the ones they showed.
But what’s most worrying is this isn’t just 1 or 2 players off their game – it’s all of them!! If Isak had stayed on he’d have made the blooper reel as well I’m sure.
It was the execution of passes or not making the pass when it was clearly the better option – awful decision making time and again.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I’ve come to terms with selling to buy as well now I think.
We have the 3rd or 4th oldest squad and are still having to offer 30 plus players contract extensions. I’m not saying they are no good after 30 – but it’s hardly building for the future or cashing in is it?!.
The odd one for the benefit & balance of the squad yes – be we all know we’ve extended players who should have been moved on.
Our ‘high value’ players are obviously Bruno, Gordon & Isak. Now I’m not saying sell all 3 – but for the sake of this let’s say we do.
I think that raises around £250-300m and that would allow us to buy 6-7 quality players imo.
Ok those 3 would need replacing, so an example – give Lille £80-100m for Angel Gomes & Jonathan David and get Mbeumo from Brentford – there’s around £150m and decent replacements imo.
But it also leaves £100-150m to buy players to improve the quality of the squad. Tino & Hall were around £35-40m so looking at players in that price range there’s another 3 in to improve things 🤷🏼♂️.
Simple maths I know and very football manager – but you get my point. Other teams have done it so we have to be open and even embrace the idea imo.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy, I don’t think we’d sell all of them together. Maybe one. I’d be okay to sell Isak if we get £115mil plus for him, and as long as he goes abroad. I’ve heard rumours of Barca. We could get a very good replacement for that with change. I’d be a bit miffed if he went to Arsenal or Chelsea though.
I’d like to see Barnes and Tonali get more starts. There’s a hundred mil between them. I think we should be exploring other formations too, like a 442 perhaps.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Gilly – I did say I’m not suggesting we’d sell all 3 it was more to make the point really.
Of the 3 I think Bruno would be the easier to replace, but I think the other 2 are more likely in demand and more likely to bring a fee of £100m or more.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I have to say, I think Eddie Howe is now on shaky ground. I’m not saying he should be sacked, I like him but we are in the bottom half now with another defeat looming when we play Liverpool on Wednesday. We’ve had a pretty strong squad to pick from, with nowhere near the injuries of last season and we are not scoring and not playing well. I’m pretty sure PIF will be very unhappy right now. It may be coincidence, but this poor run goes back to when Merdhad and Mandy left the club.. could it be anything to do with them leaving? Probably not but Eddie needs to figure it out somehow and very soon.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Yes, mate I know. You’re probably right re Bruno too. I don’t think he’s been great and I don’t think he’s been a good captain either. Tonali can step right in, in place of Bruno if we do cash in.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Howe seems to be getting a pounding from fans – the same fans who would probably go mental if he was replaced with Jose or Poch – which is who I’d predict replaces him (or Potter 🤦🏼♂️🤢).
It needs the senior players to get the lads together and repay the loyalty Howe and his coaches have shown them!!.
They’ve all been getting tidy little contract, captaincies and international call ups thanks to Howe and his team.
This is on the players & id be deeply disappointed if Howe paid the price for them underperforming personally
Sharpy17(Quote)
You got in one mate
Icedog(Quote)
Ice – I’ve even read one plank saying a free transfer from Bmth was the extent of Howes ambition in the transfer window!!
Some people are right in the head.
Howe has been let down 3 transfer windows in a row now.
Howes worked miracles with a group of players, most of which he inherited and got them playing out their skins.
We’ve wanted previous managers sacked because we’ve thought they could be achieving more than battling relegation – now we’ve got a manager who’s doing that & people want him sacked coz the players are letting him down – madness.
Sharpy17(Quote)
The main issue I think, is being hamstrung by a combination of the criminal PSR rules, the septic 6 combining with the PL and the fact we had 14 years of non investment from Ashley, leaving us with nothing/no one of any value to sell and balance the books. We’ve been forced to buy big players with nothing to sell and now those big players are not performing. We’ve still have players on the books taking big salaries like Hayden for example, that we cannot move on. How many of those Ashley era players have gone for nothing? Way too many.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Gilly – the Ashley thing is an interesting one now we have money & are trying to break in.
He said he couldn’t compete with clubs owned by Countries – he was right. Now we have PIF backing us we can see it’s impossible against the PL and their favoured clubs.
It wasn’t just that Ashley didnt invest, it’s that he completely lost interest and allowed the club to go stale.
I hear Simon Jordan say Ashley left the club in a good position by not spending, meaning we could spend when the takeover happened.
But what Ashley didn’t do was invest in player development. Our youth system was neglected.
As a businessman he should have seen that getting young players in cheap to develop & sell for big profit was something he still could have done with the club – but he lost interest.
No doubt we are still suffering his neglect – but I still don’t get fans turning on Howe.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Just wanted to post & say every time I come onto this site either to read or post – Kim is in my thoughts.
Whilst the footy chat rumbles on, I hope you know that we are all thinking of you & hoping you are ok (I know ok isn’t the right word but I hope you know what I mean)
Sharpy17(Quote)
Fully agree mate. I don’t get fans turning on Eddie either. He still has credit in the bank I think. Us we need to be top half and ideally in Europe by the end of the season or I think PIF may start to get itchy.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Yes I’ve been thinking about Kim too. I hope you’re still popping on from time to time Kim, to see that all the regular posters on here are thinking of you and sending thoughts and best wishes.
Gilly Toon(Quote)