Newcastle United drew 1-1 with PSG on Wednesday night and will play either Monaco or Qarabag in the playoff round of the Champions League. United finished on 14 points, which is an excellent return in what has been a league phase campaign to be proud of.
After Nick Pope saved an early penalty from a shambolic refereeing call, Vitinha gave PSG the lead before Joe Willock scored with an excellent header just before half time.
Here are three good and one bad from the game:
Bad: The Opening 20 mins
You’d be forgiven for watching the opening 20 minutes from behind your sofa, such was PSG’s domination. It was a period of the game that should’ve seen them three nil up as the lads just looked confused by the formation and style they were being asked to play.
Pope’s excellent penalty save aside, United were clearly second best in the opening 20 minutes as PSG had brilliant chances to kill the game, but Pope made another brilliant save from Ousmane Dembele, and Barcola threatened to tear Miley apart at RWB.
Kvaratskhelia, who assisted Vitinha’s goal, going off was a big moment as he is a hell of a player, and his replacement in Doue wasn’t allowed to get into the game in an effective way as we grew into the game from that point onwards.
Good: The next 70 mins
Thus, we grew into the game to finish the first half the stronger side, and we were rightly rewarded for our improved endeavour with an equaliser just before halftime. Willock grabbed it with an excellent header from a Burn head back across goal, and the Englishman showed some strong running to burst beyond his marker and nod it in.
Willock continued his improved display in the second half as he nearly grabbed a second as he finished well from a quick freekick after he ran in behind, but he was a yard offside. Harvey Barnes had two great chances he just couldn’t quite finished and Gordon had a decent long-range effort and probably should’ve got a penalty in the second half too.
It was the kind of defiant away display United have been missing all season and that’s now three in a row against PSG without defeat, with the lads deservedly getting something from a hugely improved performance after a dodgy start.
Good: Willock, Elanga, and Ramsey
Willock, Elanga, and Ramsey had what was probably their best performances for United either in a long time, ever, or this season; delete as appropriate. Ramsey, despite some sloppy touches and giveaways, looked composed in his preferred central midfield berth, and Willock found a way to approach some of his best form in almost two years with some excellent reading of the game and powerful running from deep.
Elanga made some intelligent runs, some of which were ignored, but he was also dictating play to his teammates at times, pointing where to move, and showing where he wanted the ball played; and that was the first time I’ve seen that from him in Black and White.
Burn and Hall also had decent games, but the night belonged to the triumvirate of Ramsey, Elanga, and Willock who really stepped up when we needed them to.
Good: Howe’s plan B
Whether it was 5-3-2 or 3-4-3, the starting lineup was hotly debated before the game, as Eddie Howe threw a real spanner in the works with a setup that not many, if any, would’ve predicted pregame.
It certainly had teething problems in the opening 20 minutes but once we got to grips with it we became the better side as PSG were reduced to long range efforts (Dembele effort aside in the second half) and they really seemed to wilt in the face of our better mentality and calm application of a game plan they can’t have been prepared for.
United reduced the European champions to a group of individuals as they struggled with their team cohesion and they started to throw their arms up in frustration as they just couldn’t really break us down.
It was heartening to see and surely sets us up nicely for Anfield on Saturday night.
Keep the faith. HWTL
I thought the Paris based referee was fair but should have worn the psg kit , his decision making was fair and balanced entirely towards his beloved psg , Newcastle were lucky to even be on the same pitch as the behemoth that is PSG.
Elanga was lucky not to get a red card for getting fouled and the psg player injuring himself ,never mind only the yellow he got ( very lenient)
On the whole though I thought Platinis brother who was refereeing had a very decent game and would definitely be welcomed in some way at St Jameses park
Ruprecht von erfridge(Quote)
Very funny.
SteveM(Quote)