Newcastle created the chances in the first half, but a combination of poor refereeing, good goalkeeping, and pure bad luck meant we went into the break at 0-0.
Bournemouth sorted themselves out at halftime and were a much better side in the second half – but by then the game should have been wrapped up by Newcastle.
But it wasn’t, and we ended up losing the game because we didn’t take our chances when they came along.
Matt Ritchie has not scored for us yet this season but could have had a goal in the first half when Asmir Begovic made a world-class save to tip the ball behind for a corner.
Eddie Howe with former player Matt Ritchie on Saturday
And Richie was playing against his former club and tried to be positive about the surprise defeat after the game as reported in the Chronicle:
“I think it’s a bit harsh to say we haven’t been clinical enough, as you are playing against top defenders, some of the best defenders in the world, and you have to work hard for your chances.”
“It would be wrong to say we haven’t been clinical enough, but each to their own, everyone will have their own opinions.”
“But my opinion is that, yes, it would be nice if when you create a chance you score a goal, but it doesn’t always work like that.”
“You have to continue to create chances and hopefully the more chances you create, the more goals you will score.”
“I think we performed really well in the first half, good off the ball and we were good on it too.”
“I was a little bit disappointed not to score, Asmir Begovic has obviously made a fantastic save for the first one.”
“With the second one, I have just set it off a little bit too far outside the post, and it has not come in enough and hit the post.”
“That could have been a defining moment but it wasn’t to be.”
“I think it’s positive that we’re creating and getting into goalscoring areas though, we created some good chances but then in the second half you saw a reaction from them.”
“We became a little bit stretched but that is the Premier League for you, they are a good side and it was always going to be a tough game.”
“It’s a horrible way to lose in the last minute, but we’ll go again.”
“If we continue to perform the way we played in the first half, we’ll pick up points for sure.”
Sometimes we will get some luck with our finishing (hopefully) but we just don’t have enough goalscoring in the side, and that has to be a top requirement for Newcastle in the transfer window.
We hope the club are working on new arrivals for January – whether or not we have new owners by then.
Rafa has to sort out this team quickly, and he knows that, but the next game at Old Trafford will be a tough one.
A draw in that game would be a great result for us.
Comments welcome.
2 comments so far
magscar
Nov 6, 2017 at 9:00 AM
Comment #1From last thread
magscar
Nov 6, 2017 at 8:58 AM
Comment #18
Tsunki@10
Whew !!!
I know I have a rep on here for many things but hoped Rafa disliker wasn’t one of them
?
Another thing I do share with Jail – Rafa is at the present time the only candidate to stabilise the club and take us forward on strong foundations. Others could manage parts of the equation but not all.
The other thing Jail and I share?- our like of NUFC.com an always sane unhysterical voice in the chaotic world of NUFC
0
magscar
Nov 6, 2017 at 9:07 AM
Comment #2Tsunki @12 last thread
Game is now science rather than the art when I first started going- it was no subs so get on with it! No wonder several players from earlier eras have physical health problems from injuries and playing with injections to get them through.