The worst thing you can accuse Newcastle United players of – Simply not backed up by the reality

The Mag

·22 septembre 2024

The worst thing you can accuse Newcastle United players of – Simply not backed up by the reality

There are a lot of things you can ‘accuse’ Newcastle United players of this season.

Whether that be as individuals, or indeed in many ways as a team.

Vidéos OneFootball

I am sure you will have your own list.

Whether that is Newcastle United players out of form, not clicking as a team, losing focus at times, poor touch, caught in possession, making errors, or choosing the wrong option. Take your pick.

I think at one or more times, all of the above would be valid criticisms this season, for one or more players, or as I said, as a team in certain ways.

What I can’t agree with or accept, is the very worst thing you can accuse Newcastle United players of.

It is simply not backed up by the reality.

That is, those fans I have read and heard, claiming Newcastle United players aren’t bothered, aren’t trying.

Never mind all the past evidence we should all be able to point to as to why this is simply not the case, with the characters they have shown themselves to be, what we have seen this season massively reinforces that, at least it does for me.

As I said, I think there is an awful lot of room for improvement on what we have witnessed so far this season, but I don’t think the generally less than perfect performances in the six games are due to the Newcastle United players not caring, not willing to put in the effort.

With the game goalless at St James’ Park, Eddie Howe’s side had to play for 73 minutes with 10 men in the opening match of the season, despite that they scored the winning goal and kept a clean sheet. Indeed, the workrate and desire of the nine outfield players on the pitch at any one time helped restrict Southampton to minimal clear chances.

At Bournemouth, United went behind after a promising start, they were second best for a large chunk of the match but dug in, then came into it as the stronger team again and scored the equaliser, plus had other chances that could have potentially won the game.

In the cup at Forest, a very strong start as Newcastle took the lead and very quickly should have made it 2-0 through Tonali’s chance, instead the keeper saved that and then Willock was forced off after only 15 minutes before Forest added to that setback by equalising. Again, United second best then for a large part of that game but still committed and giving it their all, before just like at Bournemouth, becoming the more dominant team again and creating the chances that could have won it in normal time. After going behind in the penalty shootout they could easily have folded, only for the players to show their bottle by eventually coming out on top.

Against Tottenham, it was a case of second best for much of the game apart from small spells of quality, yet making sure they didn’t fold when Spurs had been largely gifted their equaliser. The spirit of Eddie Howe’s side showed through, as they showed the character to then go on and win it.

Started the better team at Wolves, then like Bournemouth rocked by a breakaway goal after losing possession. Again though, they didn’t fold, fought back and when yet again becoming the more dominant side in the second half, Newcastle completed the 2-1 comeback having been 1-0 down.

Even on Saturday, totally second best in the first half by a distance and going two down, but coming back after the break to not give in, at least matching Fulham in that second half and it wasn’t through lack of effort that say Schar failed to make it 2-2, it wasn’t because he didn’t care that he missed the chance, or didn’t have the composure in the moment to play Isak in for an easy finish.

I really hate this thing of certain Newcastle United fans so quick to turn on players who have given us so much.

Especially players such as Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon and Fabian Schar, who were for me the trio who really held it together last season for NUFC when United were down to the bare bones for so many months.

It is completely disrespectful and shameful for me, to see some supporters so desperate to accuse these individuals, this team, of not caring, not trying.

Sometimes it just doesn’t happen when you go out on the pitch and that is when you need the fans to stay with you, not turn on this Newcastle United team and Eddie Howe. I know it is only a minority of fans who have gone on like this but it still doesn’t make it right.

Fulham 3 Newcastle 1 – Saturday 21 September 3pm

(Stats via BBC Sport)

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Barnes 46

Fulham:

Jimenez 5, Smith-Rowe 22, Nelson 90+2

(Half-time stats in brackets)

Possession was Newcastle 61% (60%) Fulham 39% (40%)

Total shots were Newcastle 15 (4) Fulham 22 (13)

Shots on target were Newcastle 4 (1) Fulham 11 (7)

Corners were Newcastle 0 (0) Fulham 6 (3)