Back-to-back defeats at St James’ Park as an out of sorts Newcastle United were beaten by Fulham.
Jacob Murphy handed us a 1-0 lead in a generally unconvincing first half display, but the second 45 was a total mess as Fulham turned it around, capitalising on a turgid Toon display lacking in energy, ideas, organisation or quality.
The result leaves us six points behind Nottingham Forest after they thumped Brighton 7-0 in the early kick off and is an unwanted setback ahead of Wednesday’s semi-final at home to Arsenal. With Man City, Forest and Liverpool also to come in our next three league games, it’s a setback in our push for a top-four spot.
Howe named an unchanged side and it was such a strange first half. We took a lead midway through it as Gordon broke down the left and set up Murphy to smash home at the back post, and we could’ve had others.
Tonali smashed the bar from range with what would’ve been a goal of the season contender, Schar went close from Bruno’s through ball and Livramento also had a decent chance smothered. But, despite our lead and sporadic openings in front of goal, we were so sloppy on the ball and too stand-off-ish for much of the first 45.
Joelinton had a stinker – he was either giving away the ball or needless fouls – and both full backs didn’t get close enough to Iwobi, Robinson and Traore, who had moments of joy out wide without much final ball to punish us.
Ultimately, we went into the break ahead and in a strong position, but there were shades of Bournemouth in the way we lost the ball in bad positions far too often.
If we thought the first half was a bit sloppy, the second half was abysmal. We invited Fulham back into it by sitting off them, we weren’t winning our duels, there was a worrying lack of intensity to our play – on and off the ball – and we had no control of the game.
There was a period where we came back into it after Jimenez’s equaliser, which had been coming, with Willock missing a big chance from Isak’s low cross and the Swede clipping the bar with a lovely effort that had beaten Leno. But that was about it in a second half Fulham dominated.
They deserved the win and, like Bournemouth, outplayed and outworked us in that second 45 especially. Their winner was a bad one to concede – Murphy’s silly foul, a weak wall and Dubravka beaten at his near post – but it was what our weak, lethargic and sloppy display warranted.
Defensively we looked open and struggled to play out from the back – Schar was so wayward at times – our midfield trio couldn’t grab control of the game and our attack was largely lacking in ideas. Our lack of options on the bench was a frustration and adds to the frustration that PSR won’t allow us to strengthen, but that’s no excuse for the display we put out today.
Next up, Wednesday’s huge cup semi final second leg at home to Arsenal, where we’ll have to buck our ideas up after back-to-back defeats at St James’ Park.
Olly :-
Joelinton had a “stinker”
I would sell him in a heartbeat for PSR purposes, he is a professional fowler at best.
Willock is no replacement for him either.
Give Miley a run in the team, both fullbacks don’t know when to stay or go and need to wise up quickly.
On this display could fancy Arsenal to turn it around, but we are talking Newcastle aren’t we.
Joseph(Quote)
I’d be selling Willock too. Has offered nothing since coming back from his injury. Bruno falls down too much expecting fouls and he needs to stay on his feet more often.
The thing is, we have been found out. That starting 11, that’s our team. We have no viable options that Howe will play. No major game changers and no new first team players in 3 windows now. We are well and truly stuffed in terms of transfers. I’d rather spend like Forest did, take a points hit for a Season and come back stronger like Forest have done. I’m very gutted right now. That second half performance was truly awful. Another Bournemouth
Gilly Toon(Quote)
It’s prem league on their day any team can beat each other .. we are still 5 th or joint 4 th on points so let’s hope this is a blip with some difficult fixtures coming up
Mike(Quote)
Sack Paul Mitchell! Doesn’t have a clue being a sporting director!.
Full of **** and will get Eddie Howe sacked… PSR or not, our squad is lacking and tired… Our bench is woeful, definitely not champions League worthy, prove me wrong…. Singapore’s handicapped toon army fanatic.
S. Bhupinder Singh(Quote)
Arsenal are destroying City. If they play like this on Wednesday and we play like we did on Saturday, we are in big trouble. Wednesday’s game is probably our biggest of the season. We absolutely must not blow it with a 2-0 lead from the first leg.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Some “fans” are clueless! Re PSR and transfers!
And some, the ones racially abusing Joe Willock, are absolutely vile despicable creatures who need to be found and banned from our club forever, if indeed they are actually ‘fans’ of NUFC.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Kelly gone to Juve for a reported £20million! Good bit of business that. We got him on a free and he was on high wages. Not sure what they saw in him mind.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Sadly yesterday wasn’t uncommon this season. We have had a good few games where we have played really poorly in the second half – and often it’s when we are taking a lead in from the first half.
I’m not sure it this is an approach this season, to play more reserved to try and avoid as many injuries – sit back, protect the lead & avoid offensive sprints that can cause muscle injuries.
Some of our passing and decision making with the ball is atrocious. We have no European football so our coaches have all week to work with our players – it’s shocking how bad we have been at times this season.
Play like that on Wednesday & Arsenal will make short work of that 2-0 lead we have.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I have no issues with Miggy & Kelly being sold this window – I think £30m for the both is very decent business for 2 players.
But I have to be honest, I can say I know what our recruitment strategy is at all. Maybe it will become more clear in the summer.
Moving these players on is all well and good but giving aging players contract extensions puzzles me when we don’t have younger players developing behind them.
We seem to be signing some decent U21 players which is great – however, none of them (other than Miley) are getting close to the first team.
I know Mitchell went into Monaco & completely changed how they recruited – moving away from big money signings & developing so outstanding young players. I expect he’s been brought in with a similar idea in mind for us – but that could well be a few seasons process.
Sharpy17(Quote)
February all of a sudden looks a massive month after back to back home defeats.
Wednesday night speaks for itself. We should be good enough with a 2-0 head start and if we can add at least 1 more to that I think it would be too much for Arsenal 🤞🏼.
Birmingham in the FA Cup after that – you’d hope we are still in 2 cups.
Then league games against City, Forest & Liverpool.
That’s a month n a half that like.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Not at all confident about Wednesday mate.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim – we are such a mixed bag this season. We are either very good or dog awful – I mean, we are taking a 2-0 lead into this game 🤷🏼♂️.
But the last few games have been such poor performances that who knows if it’s enough.
It’s another huge moment for Howe – he HAS to make Wembley with a 2 goal lead.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Agreed Sharpy.
kimtoon(Quote)
On Wednesday we have to score the first goal. If Arsenal get it, I think we will go on to lose. I was confident of getting through, but after Bournemouth and Fulham I’m not confident at all. On top of that we have no new signings to boost the team either.
Gilly Toon(Quote)