It’s been a relatively uneventful first half with both sides being defensively sound. Newcastle lined up in their familiar 5-4-1 with Joelinton wide left and Atsu on the right. Isaac Hayden adopted the Shelvey role getting forward more while Sean Longstaff played deeper.
There have been few shots from either team with the goalies having to do very little. Though Martin Dubravka was forced into an early save from a Dwight McNeil effort that he had to push wide for a corner.
Andy Carroll has been a handful for the Burnley defenders, winning numerous balls in the air. He’s put in a great shift leading the line.
This game is missing that bit of quality that can open up the defenses. Newcastle’s set-piece deliveries have been very poor, rarely beating the first man.
We have had a couple of half-chances with Andy Carroll being involved in both. He had a golden opportunity to get on the end of a cross early but pushed it wide.
In a brilliant piece of play, the big man gathered a Jetro Willems long ball and played it off to a surging Christian Atsu. However, Atsu chose not to strike the ball with his weaker right foot.
We would like to see more out of Joelinton and Christian Atsu, who are not creating enough chances.
Steve Bruce will be pleased with the effort in the first half. It’s a scrappy affair but a very even one with both teams sharing around 50% of possession.
This is one that can go either way, so the lads will have to come out and keep grafting in the second half.
145 comments so far
JP...from The Rock
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:47 PM
Comment #121The match could go on for another 3 hours and we still wouldn’t score. Abysmal.
DeanToon88
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:49 PM
Comment #122a disappointing result against an ugly Burnley side with a crappy little team and crappy stadium, absolutely livid with this result, it should have been an easy 3 points. raging.
lochinvar
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:49 PM
Comment #123If we were in the Championship Gayle would have scored rather than missed
nufcursed
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:50 PM
Comment #124Newcastle United Rollercoaster Club
BenArfa the magician
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:51 PM
Comment #125Longstaff is fcuking useless hasnt managed a cross into the box hits the first man every time
Hail Wor Ashley
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:51 PM
Comment #126Longstaff shouldn’t be on set-pieces after today. One good if ill-gotten set-piece from them has been the difference in a dire game, ours have been wasted time and again.
toonbrother
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:51 PM
Comment #127Caroll has been embarrassing today
Longstaff has also been poor
Bleatin' n Bruced
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:52 PM
Comment #128I think asm and almiron create chances whereas atsu hasn’t.
davetoon
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:52 PM
Comment #129I don’t get what muto offers the team
nufcursed
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:53 PM
Comment #130Everyone has been poor today.. all 22!
Sports Direct FC
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:53 PM
Comment #131Not sure if this or villa was worse
Sports Direct FC
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:54 PM
Comment #132davetoon
The same thing Joelinton does only he dost 30 million less
nufcursed
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:54 PM
Comment #133Muto offers as much as Gayle carroll atsu or joelinton: nothing
Bleatin' n Bruced
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:54 PM
Comment #134Eye gouging horror – we lost by one mistake to nil.
Moonraker15
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:55 PM
Comment #135LCBP
Unfortunately we have to watch Newcastle every week! I think I’m going off football! Not one shot on target!
Abysmal!
TomaKaThor
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:55 PM
Comment #136Just clueless attacking wise, Saint Max literally carries us…end of day Linton made our one glorious chance all game and Gayle missed when it was harder to score
JP...from The Rock
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:55 PM
Comment #137Thank God that shit is over. Awful is an understatement. Manquillo the only player that can keep his head up after that.
davetoon
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:56 PM
Comment #138Muto barely gets a touch of the ball and when he does he just passes to closest player or loses it. Can’t compare him to Joelinton.
Hail Wor Ashley
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:56 PM
Comment #139A match which nobody deserved to win. A critical poor decision by the ref and resultant poor defending/goalkeeping the difference.
ASM and Almiron will be missed.
Need 3 pts against Palace now to maintain the above average first half of the season. 25pts would still be good to build on, but we need at least 1 challenger to ASM/Almiron and a ST.
Without them I think we have to look at changing the formation.
TomaKaThor
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:56 PM
Comment #140Easier to score*
cyprus
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:56 PM
Comment #141Cursed spot on. All players were poor, but it was an expected scrap. No one deserved to win.
It happens.
TomaKaThor
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:57 PM
Comment #142But yes ref poor decision led to there goal
Moonraker15
Dec 14, 2019 at 4:58 PM
Comment #143I say again! Without goal scorers we’re going down. Joelinton’s got to be dropped! He’s useless!
Moonraker15
Dec 14, 2019 at 5:01 PM
Comment #144TomaKaThor
If it’s any consolation Joelinton would have missy the chance as well!
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 14, 2019 at 5:08 PM
Comment #145Bleatin,
Atsu has created more directly than Almiron per game this season. Less than ASM. Why you would pick Almiron over Atsu is more the industry, and the pace that can carry us higher up the pitch for others then to make the most of that. Decision making, limited for all 3 so far, but ASM looks the more likely and more productive so far.