Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News 
Sigh. Lifeless and despondent, Newcastle had been thrashed soundly by an albeit considerably resurgent Metropolis facet in Manchester on Saturday afternoon.
It’s a Premier League away league fixture that United haven’t conquered in over 20 years, but going into the weekend, it felt like (to this supporter, at the very least) that one thing would possibly give. Off the again of that wild, chaotic, lovely semi-final in opposition to Arsenal and a hard-fought victory away in Birmingham, absolutely this facet wouldn’t bend and break so simply on the Etihad.
4 targets and a horrendous efficiency later, we’re pressured to ask questions of simply the way it went so mistaken. Techniques? Complacency? One eye on the ultimate? Stale squad? Absolutely one thing has to alter if Howe’s facet are to understand their Champions League goals on the finish of the season. As at all times, my title is Sam and welcome to the Toon Assessment.
There’s not a lot constructive to say about this one. Actually, it was presumably probably the most disappointingly adverse efficiency from the Eddie Howe period to this point. A drained and largely uninspired United discovered themselves down three targets after simply 33 minutes, courtesy of an Omar Marmoush hat-trick, and Metropolis teen James McAtee would add a fourth simply earlier than the sport was up. Newcastle inexplicably determined to strategy the sport overly negatively and defensively, as an alternative of taking the sport to a defence that has had well-documented struggles this marketing campaign. It could come again to chew them, as they created nothing going ahead and allowed the house facet to dominate the ball and discover the online 4 occasions.
For the entire immense reward that Howe rightfully and justifiably receives, one shortcoming with the supervisor could possibly be his unwillingness to adapt tactically. That is what made the choice to alter form in opposition to Arsenal such a shock to many; it’s not typical of the boss to alter his strategy typically all through the season, if in any respect. If Newcastle had performed the way in which they did in opposition to the Gunners within the Metropolis sport, it may have turned out in another way for them. Granted, we have now the present of hindsight on our facet, nevertheless it’s actually value desirous about. Metropolis are displaying particular indicators of progress after their dismal begin to the season, however there was no motive for Howe’s facet to easily roll over the way in which they did on the weekend.
United should now navigate what’s probably, on paper, the hardest stretch of their season thus far. On Sunday, they’ll face a high-flying Nottingham Forest facet at house, earlier than travelling to Merseyside for a mid-week check at Anfield. All of that is, after all, constructing as much as the Carabao Cup ultimate on sixteenth March. Each sport between from time to time is essential not simply by way of factors and league place, but additionally by way of momentum. Each kick of the ball simply appears that rather more necessary now, and Newcastle can sick afford extra dismal showings just like the one we noticed final weekend.
“Disappointing sport. Disappointing end result. Disappointing efficiency from us.”
“We got here right here with excessive expectations of what we are able to ship, nevertheless it wasn’t there right now.”
“We turned fatigued. We had been chasing the ball for lengthy durations of time.”
“We have now winners within the dressing room, and nice opponents who satisfaction themselves on being aggressive. I don’t assume we had been right now. You wish to see the fireplace and dedication to place it proper throughout the group.”
“We have now to take all of the ache from the defeat and the efficiency and try to use that in our subsequent efficiency.”
Newcastle didn’t intend to let Lloyd Kelly go away the membership throughout January, however discovered Juventus’ supply of a mortgage plus £20 million buy obligation an excessive amount of to refuse. (The Athletic)
Newcastle, together with Tottenham and Bournemouth, are thinking about signing 24-year-old Brazilian winger Igor Paixao from Feyenoord. (Solar)
Alexander Isak has NOT rejected a brand new deal at Newcastle and the membership don’t have any plans to let him go (Luke Edwards)
Newcastle can be supplied Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface and Villarreal’s Thierno Barry this summer season (The Chronicle)
The Magpies have joined Brentford and Brighton within the hunt to signal Celtic’s 25-year-old German ahead Nicolas Kuhn. (Teamtalk)
On at the present time in 2003, United had certainly one of their extra memorable European nights, defeating Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 in Germany. This was a tie within the second group stage, a section that Newcastle reached by ending second in an preliminary group that featured Juventus, Dynamo Kyiv and Feyenoord. Within the second section, nevertheless, the Magpies fared barely worse, ending third in a gaggle topped by Barcelona and Inter. They did end above Leverkusen, their opponents on this evening, who completed with a measly 0 factors.
Newcastle’s targets in Germany included a brace from cult striker Shola Ameobi, and a strike from Lomana LuaLua. Ameobi had put United two targets to the great inside quarter-hour. França pulled one again for the hosts earlier than LuaLua prolonged the lead again to 2 within the thirty second minute. There have been no extra targets after that.
Nottingham Forest (H)
On Sunday afternoon on Sky Sports activities, United will return house to face a Forest facet who’re actually not quick on confidence this season, however who had been overwhelmed final weekend by an equally stunning Fulham. This actually is a six-pointer within the top-four race; win and we’ll be three factors behind Nuno’s Reds, however lose and the hole could be 9.
The important thing man to nullify can be Chris Wooden, who has scored 18 Premier League targets this season. The previous Magpie scored a hat-trick in opposition to his former facet a few boxing days in the past, and has been top-of-the-line finishers in Europe this season.
Again at house in entrance of their very own followers, Newcastle can be trying to put issues proper right away. It received’t be straightforward, nevertheless it by no means is within the Premier League. HWTL.
Time for some trivia! Nicely carried out to these of you who received final week’s query right. The scorers in Newcastle’s 3-3 draw with Manchester Metropolis in August 2022 had been Miguel Almiron, Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier.
Nottingham Forest loved their Golden Period within the Eighties. Who did they famously defeat within the 1979 European Cup ultimate?
That’s all for now. See you all subsequent week for one more version of the Toon Assessment!
