DeAndre Yedlin scored Newcastle’s equalizer on Saturday for his first goal in over a year. Yedlin last scored in August of 2018 against Chelsea in a 1-2 defeat at St James Park. It was also just Yedlin’s third goal for Newcastle since joining in the summer of 2016.
While a Yedlin goal is somewhat of a rare treat, a goal by a Newcastle defender has not been this season. In fact, Newcastle defenders have scored 7 of the team’s 11 goals in the league this season. No other team’s defense has scored over a quarter of their total goals.
Goals from defenders this season:
Crystal Palace – 20%
West Ham – 21.4%
Arsenal – 25%
Newcastle – 63.6%MOUNTAINS! pic.twitter.com/vWE5TBE3aV
— MansionBet (@MansionBet) November 12, 2019
However, it’s not just the defenders contributing in front of goal that has Newcastle turning their fortunes around of late. It’s the attackers who put in a shift at the defensive end that are also paying dividends.
Speaking in the Athletic, DeAndre Yedlin touched on how both attackers and defenders have played a part at each end of the pitch lately:
“We’re definitely rediscovering the defensive solidity we have had for the past couple of seasons.
“If there’s one thing this team has always strived for, it’s being defensively strong. Everyone contributes defensively, that’s exactly the kind of team we are.
“In order to be the best we can be, we all have to do everything together; be that attacking or defending. There are no individuals in this team.
“What goes unnoticed is how much defensive work the attacking guys are doing for the team.”
We’ve seen the work our center-backs have done in the final third, especially on set-pieces. We also witness the effort that players like Miguel Almiron and Joelinton put in on the defensive side. It’s Almiron’s willingness to track back that allows Yedlin to bomb forward so often.
While our front three have not quite met the standard required in getting the goals, their tireless work rate is a key aspect of Newcastle’s recent success.
They seem to be edging closer to unlocking the door to their potential. Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron are getting close to bagging their first Newcastle goals. Just as importantly, Joelinton got more than three shots away against Bournemouth.
The dynamic trio have yet to put it all together, but the progress is starting to show. Once they do, we can hopefully see some comfortable wins soon. Eking out these one-goal victories is a little hard to take on a regular basis.
79 comments so far
Bleatin' n Bruced
Nov 13, 2019 at 12:15 AM
Comment #1Erm no DeAndre I don’t think I’m alone in noticing how much defensive work every man jack is doing. While it’s admirable and we are grinding out valuable results I for one would like to see this team expand a bit and start looking like it has a bit of shape and depth. We are currently playing like a tightly coiled spring and it’s going to be heavy going trying to keep this up. We’ve seen it before, unless we pull forward and start being smarter on the deck in midfield our forwards will get no service, no goals and will continue to be a forward line of defenders, while our actual defenders tear themselves (or their ligaments) to shreds pummeling the wings week in week out. we’ve been doing it for three seasons now and I think we were looking forward to starting this season the way we finished the last, more confident pressuring forward and taking the game to the opposition. Ok we’ve had setbacks up front but we have all the same mids and ASM so why are we drilling them back?
Bleatin' n Bruced
Nov 13, 2019 at 12:17 AM
Comment #2Where’s this night shift??? (looks impatiently at watch) I can’t hang around here all night chucking bait out for Munster while you lot take your time at breakfast! Get a move on!
Bleatin' n Bruced
Nov 13, 2019 at 12:37 AM
Comment #3Right me bus is here I’m off night night. 🙂
Mirandinha
Nov 13, 2019 at 12:50 AM
Comment #4A winning goal by one of the front 3 away to Villa would be nice mind…
Mirandinha
Nov 13, 2019 at 12:51 AM
Comment #5Can’t wait to see Miggy’s goal celebration. Think he’ll take off!
dougie
Nov 13, 2019 at 1:03 AM
Comment #6Sports Direct FC is a shambles from top to bottom.Its a total embarrassment.It doesn’t exist as a sporting enterprise,it’s just an advertisement vehicle for a parasite billionaires tat shop empire.The sole aim is to achieve 17th with as minimum investment as possible.Bruce is the second worst manager in Premier League history and by the end of the season if he lasts that long he will be the worst.Has any team in world football ever achieved anything except abject failure when the so called strikers cant score or even assist and the defenders are the best attackers and providers.The mind boggles.Its a zombie club with no ambition but you still get tens of thousands lapping it up.Fat Mike loves a captive audience that he can shit on and he’s hit the jackpot here so of course its not even for sale.
lesh
Nov 13, 2019 at 1:12 AM
Comment #7Jane’s taken the baton from.Jiblets and with it, the rubbish. Posting links to July Chronic articles. Is that the best they can do? Jiblets must be plastered after a gruelling day on Google.
Speed dating? A recruitment consultant? So Ashley’s employed a consultant? What’s happened to Wise?
The under 21s and 23s are nowt to write home about – the club’s knackered and if Ashley gave more priority to it than stripping out land from it, the club’s be in better shape.
lesh
Nov 13, 2019 at 1:13 AM
Comment #8dougie
Coincidental thoughts.
lesh
Nov 13, 2019 at 1:22 AM
Comment #9Bleatin
The night shift’s always been a forum for thinkers who can and do talk about whatever comes along. Since the anti-politics brigade have scored a victory, I’m afraid you’ll be left with the ‘footie’ experts in the form of Jiblets and whatever halts it goes by.
Banning certain topics is tantamount to censorship and that’s the way reality deniers want it. Stifling discussion ain’t healthy.
Bye all. I’ll miss the crack from Online. Chico, Carltoon and other good people who can and do see the bigger picture.
Genjikai
Nov 13, 2019 at 3:04 AM
Comment #10Lesh
Dont make this a goodbye
Come join in with the magpie group.
NY Mag
Nov 13, 2019 at 3:10 AM
Comment #11Lesh, I would echo genji’s sentiment….the blog needs its long standing members more than ever.
The next Mike Williamson
Nov 13, 2019 at 4:38 AM
Comment #12has constantly calling people a shill and pr over and over again for a period of two years been censored? has campaigns to rid the blog ofPR (everyone)been censored? theres only so much of reading the same rubbish day in day out people will take. for the people being attacked its offensive and most have gone to the detriment of the blog and for the rest of us its boring as hell and puts people off coming on for a friendly chat. relentlessly hounding bloggers should not be encouraged. and arguments should be short and sweet not raging daily for years. this is a football blog not a war zone or a witch trial.
Online Guy
Nov 13, 2019 at 5:21 AM
Comment #13Lesh
Good morning .
Don’t you dare leave !
Your the voice of good reason on this site of Ed’s…even Ed’s family would miss your valuable insight and take on all things Newcastle United ..and putting the world to rights .
I would bloody miss you .
Hannibal
Nov 13, 2019 at 6:14 AM
Comment #14Close Yedlin but not the reason for our improvement.
Answer is pace, it’s a leveler. You can have inferior technical talent but if your faster than the opposition your always a threat. In Maxi, Miggy and Yedlin there is always a threat.
Never understood why we never followed the Robson formula is Bellamy, Dyer always have 2 or 3 real pacey players.
Anyone ever played Sunday league football and had to mark a player who is clearly faster than you, there ain’t much you can do about it.
Nufc-83
Nov 13, 2019 at 6:41 AM
Comment #15Hannibal I think that’s a good post and if we lost ASM we would struggle to get up the pitch and create anything.
Jib
Nov 13, 2019 at 7:21 AM
Comment #16The Wife
I don’t think it’s wise to mock our trophies
living in a country that has
Nascar’s – SpongeBob SquarePants 400 trophy
Jib
Nov 13, 2019 at 7:27 AM
Comment #17Online Guy
I think if you think lesh has
“valuable insight and take on all things Newcastle United”
you should show a bit of solidarity and join him in his boycott
Jib
Nov 13, 2019 at 7:30 AM
Comment #18If you think it’s down solely to pace you haven’t been watching
ASM’s dribbling skills and Shelvey and Schar’s pinpoint passing
Jib
Nov 13, 2019 at 7:32 AM
Comment #19The two Longstaffs and Willems have all scored and
that’s hardly the fastest trio in the PL
The overrated Frenchman
Nov 13, 2019 at 8:18 AM
Comment #20Has Sean Longstaff scored?
giimps
Nov 13, 2019 at 8:34 AM
Comment #21I think he scored vs a Scottish team in pre season, (Hibs) and last season before he got injured, I may be wrong though 🙁
Jib
Nov 13, 2019 at 8:36 AM
Comment #22Ron
Quality nit-picking
(doffs cap)
Sean hasn’t scored for Bruce
He’s rattled the woodwork a couple of times
Jib
Nov 13, 2019 at 8:39 AM
Comment #23Whoops sorry Ron it was the man from beyond the black stump
Jib
Nov 13, 2019 at 8:40 AM
Comment #24sunderland
Jib
Nov 13, 2019 at 8:41 AM
Comment #25nil
Jib
Nov 13, 2019 at 8:41 AM
Comment #26Scunny
Jib
Nov 13, 2019 at 8:42 AM
Comment #273
Jib
Nov 13, 2019 at 8:43 AM
Comment #28ha ha ha
the filter won’t allow
s c u n t h o r p e
Jail for Ashley
Nov 13, 2019 at 8:46 AM
Comment #29Reading through the mornings posts. I like lesh, long standing member of the blog, could really do without him leaving, same with swallocks and AncientC. But if he can’t understand that politics has no place on here along with religion and other stuff then I’m afraid that’s his problem, I’m sure he’ll be posting on a Guardisn forum if you want to catch up with him. As I say it will be a real shame if he does leave along with Graeme, WW…, Ibiza, tequila mag etc etc etc.
Jail for Ashley
Nov 13, 2019 at 8:50 AM
Comment #30Jiblets,
Correcting someone on a blog where we share information is not picking now is it? When you first arrived as Jeff from Benwell your goal was to rid this place of anti Ashley posters and anyone you didn’t like. How do you think you’re getting on with that.
The overrated Frenchman
Nov 13, 2019 at 8:52 AM
Comment #31How is a perfectly civil question nit-picking Jib?
Jail for Ashley
Nov 13, 2019 at 8:57 AM
Comment #32Yesterday, I asked G about the work permit situation and he told me how it works here. Last year I went to see the Falcons against some team I’d heard of but didn’t know if they were any good or not anymore, I can’t remember who. When I asked on here the response I got from the blog know it all was a sneering “you clueless know nowt” . That’s the difference between posters like G and Jib from Benwell.
RobLeenio
Nov 13, 2019 at 8:58 AM
Comment #33The next Mike, spot on with that post re hounding, arguing etc.
Lesh, stick around for the footy and the craic matey. It’s not censorship, it’s an application of pre-existing rules as a response to a growing issue – some of the worst rancour and bitterness on here has been caused by the discussion of the ‘P’ word. Although I’ve been guilty of bringing it up in the past, I’m pleased that a stand has been made – a clear line has been drawn. After all, it is a footy blog.
Jib
Nov 13, 2019 at 8:59 AM
Comment #34Frenchy
Your civility wasn’t in question
It wasn’t rude at all
but
it was pernickety and trying to
find fault with the thrust of my point
in your usual small-minded manner
martoon
Nov 13, 2019 at 9:00 AM
Comment #35Morning Jail- well you trounced me at FF at the weekend – I think the main difference was your captain got 24 points and mine got 4! 🙁
Jail for Ashley
Nov 13, 2019 at 9:01 AM
Comment #36RobLeenio,
Football, football.
Jib
Nov 13, 2019 at 9:03 AM
Comment #37Jail
I was going to come in on the work permit situation
but couldn’t be arsed as it was you.
He was wrong
Under tier 5 arrangements a US sports person is allowed
6 months in the UK without a visa
Jib
Nov 13, 2019 at 9:04 AM
Comment #38That’s how boxers can come and train and fight
Jib
Nov 13, 2019 at 9:11 AM
Comment #39Jail
Your lack of sports knowledge is breathtaking
It would be hard to think of any one who
evinces an interest in sport who hasn’t heard of
Saracens
RobLeenio
Nov 13, 2019 at 9:13 AM
Comment #40Hah, that’s twice you’ve picked me up on ‘footy’.
*makes a mental note in category ‘ways to annoy Jail’ (other than slagging Rafa, praising Ashley, being pleasant to Jib, mentioning seals)
😉