It was a second loss in succession for Newcastle on Saturday against Everton. However, it was a much-improved display from the defeat at Old Trafford just two days earlier.
The Boxing Day match had a great goal by Matty Longstaff but little else to get excited about. At least against Everton, we had a good performance, even if the result was very disappointing.
Martin Dubravka again made the saves to keep us in the game. We also got another set-piece goal from a defender. This time it was from Fabian Schar, who rebounded after a very poor display on Thursday.
Despite not getting much of a whiff on goal, our two strikers played very well. Andy Carroll had a terrific performance winning 24 aerial duels. He also got his fourth assist in his last five appearances when he headed the ball to Fabian Schar for our lone goal.
Joelinton started upfront with Carroll, but Bruce tweaked the system, and the 23-year-old moved out wide. We thought he looked very comfortable playing out there.
With their performances, Carroll and Joelinton both top our best player poll for Saturday’s match. However, it’s Andy Carroll who wins quite handily. Joelinton has to settle for second place in consecutive polls.
Out of 1,378 total votes, Andy collected 525 for 38%. Joelinton followed Andy with 15% while Martin Dubravka came in third with 13%. It was certainly a towering display by the big Geordie.
Who Was Newcastle's Best Player In 2-1 Defeat To Everton?
- Andy Carroll (38%, 525 )
- Joelinton (15%, 207 )
- Martin Dubravka (13%, 180 )
- Miguel Almiron (11%, 158 )
- Jetro Willems (7%, 94 )
- Fabian Schar (6%, 80 )
- Isaac Hayden (2%, 33 )
- Jonjo Shelvey (2%, 25 )
- Federico Fernandez (1%, 20 )
- DeAndre Yedlin (1%, 16 )
- Florian Lejeune (1%, 12 )
- Dwight Gayle (1%, 12 )
- Christian Atsu (1%, 8 )
- Sean Longstaff (1%, 8 )
Total Voters: 1,378
146 comments so far
lesh
Dec 29, 2019 at 10:23 PM
Comment #1Online
Earlier, you referred to playing a young midfield at ManU…… Brucie knows he’s got to sell to raise the money for Charnley to waste on another dud or two, so what better shop window than Old Trafford to put the Longstaff lads in.
Just a thought… bearing in mind Ashley doesn’t do long termism when there’s millions to be made now.
toon22
Dec 29, 2019 at 10:26 PM
Comment #2Lesh
Yeh thought the same
To be fair i thought AC would be a total dud, i was wrong as he seems to be an asset
But for our club to have to rely on said player shows just how bad things are
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 29, 2019 at 10:33 PM
Comment #3toon22
Interesting read that about Brucie, much better than accusations and innuendo, please continue in that vein.
Trouble is, regardless of whether he is a tactical genius or not he is our current manager and the one who we/I want to keep us in the EPL.
He aint a R (the R word) or a Jurgen but for the moment we’re stuck with him, so he’ll get my support as long as he’s here.
lochinvar
Dec 29, 2019 at 10:33 PM
Comment #4West Ham sign up Moyes for all of 18 months which probably coincides with the time Rafa’s contract in China finishes .
Nice to know you’re first choice.
By then Moyes will either have them in Europe so no need for Rafa or they’ll be playing the Mackems in Division One and Rafa won’t take that on.
More likely the latter.
Munster Mag
Dec 29, 2019 at 10:39 PM
Comment #5West Ham seem to be giving up on the West Ham way” by going for Moyes. So Rafa’s compact, low on style or short passing football might not grate so much by then.
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 29, 2019 at 10:39 PM
Comment #6Lesh
I doubt that the Longstaffs performances would have enhanced their standings with the ManU hierarchy, hardly a shop window.
Saying that I agreed and indeed said what OLG said about chucking them into the ManU arena I thought it was a bad gamble by Brucie and does nothing to help their development, unless he wants them to get used to disappointment that is.
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 29, 2019 at 10:43 PM
Comment #7Moyes was a good manager with Everton, it wouldn’t be a surprise to me if he pulls them out of the sh!te, they’ve got some decent players so just a few tweaks should do the job.
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 29, 2019 at 10:46 PM
Comment #8By the way WHam have to have the worst signature tune ever, imo.
NY Mag
Dec 29, 2019 at 10:56 PM
Comment #9Bill,
Moyes will only likely stay at west ham until the end of the season, 18months salary for 4.5 months work ain’t bad 🙂
lesh
Dec 29, 2019 at 11:11 PM
Comment #10Essex
The ManU footballing guys’ll know what potential there is in the Longstaffs. They’ll also know that as youngsters on the big stage, they might underperform.
Don’t ddiscountat least one of them leaving before next season – and who could blame them!
Nicky the ball tosser
Dec 29, 2019 at 11:11 PM
Comment #11Carroll was our best player v Everton, fantastic at what he does, and really puts in a shift for us. He’s obviously not at all quick though, and when you have Shelvey in there too, we really aren’t that mobile relatively speaking, and that’s a weakness. They are both great footballers in their own way. Carroll among my all time favorite Newcastle players. But I’m not sure our best side has the pair of them in it.
I think this might be our best 11.
………………Dubravka.
……….Scharr…Fede….Lejeune.
Manquillo……Hayden……..Willems.
…….Joel……Almiron…..St Max.
………………..Carroll.
NY Mag
Dec 29, 2019 at 11:19 PM
Comment #12Nicky,
I would make room for lascelles (not sure who I’d drop though). He’s not our best defender, but he’s our best communicator and leader. The defensive unit is better when he’s part of it.
Nicky the ball tosser
Dec 29, 2019 at 11:54 PM
Comment #13Fede or Lascelles in the middle NY. Lascelles also adds a bit more pace, as of course does Dummett. I like Scharr, Fede and Lejeune for their superior distribution though, and Fernandez is a rock defensively and very experienced at a very high level.
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 29, 2019 at 11:54 PM
Comment #14Lesh
That might well depend on what league we’re in although if a certain someone smells a big profit who knows?
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 29, 2019 at 11:56 PM
Comment #15A bit pointless speculating about Jamal, he’s not near fitness at the present, is he?
Nicky the ball tosser
Dec 29, 2019 at 11:58 PM
Comment #16Well, that’s another thing, you play Scharr, Fede, Lejeune, Shelvey and Carroll, then you clearly don’t have great pace in the spine of the side.
NY Mag
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:03 AM
Comment #17Bill,
I’m not sure when lascelles is due to be back, although, I don’t think it’s imminent
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:05 AM
Comment #18Nicky
I don’t think you have to have great speed as a defender if you can pass the ball accurately, that’s where we’ve been falling down lately!
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:06 AM
Comment #19And Carroll is faster than he’s given credit for.
carltoon
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:10 AM
Comment #20Lejuern needs to be rested. Schar can’t defend sorry, because he’s great bringing the ball out of defence. think he’s ok next to Lascelles. Fernandez was terrible on Saturday. Hopefully just an off game. all three defenders too slow. definitely need a Dummet or a Clark in there. Lascelles when he’s fit.
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:10 AM
Comment #21It’s a great shame about St Maximin I reckon we’d have picked up at least two more wins with him in the side.
carltoon
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:12 AM
Comment #22Please please get some one to put the ball in the back of the net.
carltoon
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:15 AM
Comment #23St. Maximim. How long is he going to be out? Yes we really need him.
carltoon
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:17 AM
Comment #24Bill it’s when the defence try to push forward. God they were left for dead, it was embarrassing.
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:20 AM
Comment #25I wouldn’t mind us trying to sign Bamford, he’ll score goals at any level!
Nicky the ball tosser
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:21 AM
Comment #26Speed is a big asset for any player though, including centre backs. You’ll get caught out playing a higher line for example with relatively slow centre backs. You often see Lascelles and Dummett keeping pace with attackers and getting in last ditch tackles, more so than our other centre backs. But Fede and Lejeune read the game well and so their lack of pace is not so apparent. Scharr is ok defensively, but at his best in possession, quite often brilliant. Fede was below par against Everton, as were Scharr and Lejeune, but you really do need to factor in tired legs.
NY Mag
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:23 AM
Comment #27Carltoon,
I agree, we need st max back ASAP….he lifts both the supporters and his teamates.
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:24 AM
Comment #28Carltoon
Aye maybe, but defending solidly and playing the ball out to the midfield should be what we are trying to do but they aint.
As someone else said, do they actually practice passing routines on the training ground, it don’t look it to me.
carltoon
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:26 AM
Comment #29Of course Nicky I agree. All them games in a short space of time was a factor. If we had took our chances or got the penalties I’m sure we deserved at least a draw.
NY Mag
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:27 AM
Comment #30Nicky,
I agree…it’s a tad harsh to lay blame on lejeune when he’s played three games in a week after being out for eight months.
It’ll do him good though in the long run…..
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:28 AM
Comment #31Te second Everton goal was a bad case of ball watching by our defence, it was far to easy for Calvin Lewin to sneak in and score, that was what was really embarrassing.
NY Mag
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:30 AM
Comment #32Carltoon,
We’re you at the game yesterday?
For me, watching from afar – I enjoyed it, I thought we played quite well and the game could have gone either way.
carltoon
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:30 AM
Comment #33Do we think we’ll get any new players. If we do I hope it’s a goal scorer in as early as possible, not the last second of the transfer window.
Online Guy
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:34 AM
Comment #34Lesh
I had a bee in my whatsit over Bruce chucking the Longstaffs in against Pogba ..mata later and Mc Awhattsisname …dirty sod .
Bruce threw the game straight off…could read his face wondering if he would be found out .
Shambles! Second half I was feeling distraught almost watching on. Shameful.
I like Bruce as a man a decent bloke but this submission to Man Utd when they themselves were under pressure after Watford and an up and down season, one could say Man u were there for the taking.
Jib started a little ruck Lesh because I made , spellcheck made, an error on the word lose..loose.
He was abusive for no good reason ..actually I had a laugh by pretending I was offended ..I wasn’t, I don’t give a damn .
After that I tried to get a bite and did .. had both Munster and Jib well hooked ..Iv just let them out of the keep net .. I will deal with both of them later .
carltoon
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:35 AM
Comment #35NYmag I was there, I thought the first half we were the better team. Really we should have won, they weren’t that good. It’s just so frustrating when the passing is hopeless, and we get a stupid Referee.
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:35 AM
Comment #36carltoon
Divvnt worry about it lassy, Brucie says he’s got the plates spinning and the backing of a generous owner, what more can you ask for?
NY Mag
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:36 AM
Comment #37Bill,
The making of Everton’s second goal was really down to Richarlison breezing past willems. His pace really showed in that move.
I get that the defending wasn’t great after that, but the damage was already done.
Online Guy
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:37 AM
Comment #38Move Rafa Upstairs ? Lol.
Ha ha !
Essex Geordie Bill
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:39 AM
Comment #39Carltoon
Aye the refs have done us no favours for several seasons now, I aint joking when I say that there’s a special rule in their handbook that says give NUFC nowt!
carltoon
Dec 30, 2019 at 12:41 AM
Comment #40Fancy Moyes going back to West Ham. Honestly he kept them up and they let him go.