Newcastle get a disappointing point in a 1-1 draw against Wolves at St. James’ Park. The Magpies suffered three more injuries that we can ill afford at this point. The injuries have to be taken into consideration, though this was a match the lads had ample opportunities to win and should have seen out.
Steve Bruce was forced into a change at halftime with Miguel Almiron unable to go after his first-half knee injury. Ryan Fraser came on for Almiron and stayed in the middle between Joelinton and Saint-Maximin.
Fraser’s introduction soon paid dividends. After a corner routine, Saint-Maximin dinked a few Wolves before playing a cross-field ball to Ryan Fraser, who had drifted to the right. Ryan delivered a superb cross that Jamaal Lascelles headed past Rui Patricio to give Newcastle the 1-0 lead in the 52nd minute.
In the 61st minute, Saint-Maximin went down with what looked like a groin injury. Bruce was forced to bring off another of his star players. He brought on Jacob Murphy whose pace suited the counter-attacking approach Newcastle adopted after the goal.
Soon after Allan came off, Emil Krafth suffered an apparent knee injury. The Swede soldiered forth until Bruce could figure out a suitable replacement. He ultimately settled on forgotten-man Matt Ritchie to come on in the 72nd minute which pushed Hayden back into defense.
As often happens, Newcastle conceded while adjusting to the change. Neto burst to the byline down their right on a counter. He launched a cross that Ruben Neves headed from inside the box. Martin Dubravka got a palm on the ball but couldn’t stop the momentum as it dribbled into the net to make it 1-1.
In the 81st minute, Jacob Murphy forged into the box and laid the ball off to Joelinton. The Brazilian’s shot was poorly placed as Rui Patricio got a hand on the ball before it bounded off of Romain Saisse and out for a corner. Joelinton should have done better after the outstanding work from Murphy.
Newcastle and Wolves both pushed for the defining goal, though Wolves looked the more likely to get a winner late. Martin Dubravka made a crucial reaction save in stoppage time from a Fabio Silva header.
This is a disappointing result as Newcastle played well enough to take all three points but didn’t convert their chances. Bruce will point to the misfortune of having three players come off due to injury. That’s a massive concern as Saint-Maximin, Almiron, and our only fit right-back, Emil Krafth, all were forced off.
All in all, we’ll take the point but it’s a deflating result and these injuries could turn out to be our undoing. Newcastle will stay 17th when we travel to West Brom next weekend. Let’s hope we are not without Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin at the Hawthorns.
79 comments so far
Adamn_92
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:10 PM
Comment #1Didn’t have high hopes for us before the game, so I’ll take a point. Disappointing considering how comfortable we seemed first half though and especially after getting the lead. Almiron so important for us, completely changed when he had to go off at half time, changed even further when ASM went. Is he made of glass btw?
Dubravka, yes of course he should have done better. Would darlow have saved it? Who knows. Keepers make mistakes, darlow has made some in recent games too. It happens. Bare in mind it’s his first game back I’m not going to get on his back about it. Also showed his quality to save us from defeat with an excellent save near the end. Don’t know why the commentators said it hit his shoulder and he was lucky, you could clearly see him react and move towards it. Great save.
Joelinton, I don’t think he done anything wrong with his chance. Done what anybody needs to in that situation, got enough power and put it to the side of the keeper. Just bitterly unlucky the defender got back and in the way, haven’t seen a decent replay to see if it hit a hand but it did look dodgy. Did play stop for VAR to even examine it?
All in all disappointing not to get the win considering how the game was going, but I thought we’d lose before kick off so can’t complain too much about a draw. Just hope almiron and asm aren’t serious injuries.
manxpie
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:12 PM
Comment #2Beckford giving cocky striker advice?
How did he do in the prem?
ChicoUSA
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:12 PM
Comment #3I voted Jamaal Lascelles MoM
gillmag
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:13 PM
Comment #4The reason we have so many injuries is that we just aren’t skilful enough to play real football without barreling into crazy challenges (just to get the ball back or prevent another goal against us) or that we aren’t quick enough, or savvy enough to predict where the ball will fall to win it .
JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH!
gillmag
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:14 PM
Comment #5From what I saw Joelinton played well. Still will never be a striker but not bad defensive midfielder???
JohnReese
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:15 PM
Comment #6Lascelles admitting no one had a clue what the hell was going on after Bruce’s changes.
jane
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:16 PM
Comment #7hopefully they will look at in the studio after the break.
JohnReese
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:17 PM
Comment #82 wins in 17 now. Unless you’re sleeping with the boss, how do you survive that?
jane
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:17 PM
Comment #9and ask Bruce about it.
Tsunki
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:17 PM
Comment #10Can’t vote man of the match for players who weren’t on for a lot of the game.
cleveleysbob
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:17 PM
Comment #11Joelinton, beat the goalie, but the ball ricocheted up and hit the defender on his arm which was down by his side, so not an unnatural position, so no penalty. Unlucky for Joe, and us, always on wrong side of rule interpretations.
Carson80
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:18 PM
Comment #123 points to make.
1 Special mention to Gollum thought he had a canny game.
2 1 point is better than nought.
3 Glad Netto was the only one playing tonight, if Lidl and Aldi had been playing as well we’d have been screwed.
GeordieTwo
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:18 PM
Comment #13A useful point but two needlessly dropped. Can’t hang on to leads, clueless manager and owner. Says it all really. Let’s see what Fulham does tomorrow.
jane
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:18 PM
Comment #14i thought the performance was ok and the result was fair and a point isn’t bad.
Paul141726
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:18 PM
Comment #15As good a shout for MoM as any, ChicoUSA/
manxpie
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:19 PM
Comment #16Yep John pretty clear that at least he wasn’t happy with it!
GeordieTwo
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:19 PM
Comment #17Is Brucie sleeping with the boss JR? That would explain a lot of things…..
Reilly
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:19 PM
Comment #18https://mobile.twitter.com/NUFC360/status/1365786354160910340
jane
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:19 PM
Comment #19Waitrose and Sainsburys out of our league.
TomaKaThor
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:20 PM
Comment #20We have lost the most games in 2021 in the league, we have the 3rd worst goal difference in the league, 10 worse than Brighton…. Keep up the good work Bruce.. 100 million on new players you have had… Remarkable manager
Rotonda heights
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:20 PM
Comment #21Another de jong
We didn’t go to a back 5, hayden went to right back and Ritchie was tucked in midfield.
Lewis for 15M is a shocker, lost count the number of times he turns and plays the ball backwards and Neto had him toast all night. Kid just has no reading of the game and positioning whatsoever. Dummet surely has to come back in. Ditto Manquillo for Kraft. Who recruits these people?
First half was very good apart from not being able to hit the proverbial. Second halves we morph into something not nearly as good, as if they’ve knackered themselves out. Still it wasn’t a loss and we may still just scrape over the line.
Slatymag
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:21 PM
Comment #22Murphy had a couple of half decent spells but doesn’t offer the threat of ASM or Miggy, so if the latter two are out for any more than two or three games I think we will drop too many points to recover from.
Fraser must start more. Joelinton less – yes he holds up play now and then but contributes little in an attacking sense.
ASM, Miggy, Fraser in my opinion need to be grafting together on the training ground as a front three to gain an understanding. As in boxing speed kills, if nowt else all three can stretch defences with pace.
GeordieTwo
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:21 PM
Comment #23And don’t forget Mikey finds him very attractive TomaKa.
cleveleysbob
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:22 PM
Comment #24Clearly, Shelvey’s crawling article about Bruce kept him on the pitch, but to be fair, he played a lot better than in recent games. We really need Manquilo and Dummet playing to stop teams getting past us on the flanks.
Tackle from behind
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:22 PM
Comment #25Adam
Good summary, liked that mate.
Cheers
GeordieTwo
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:23 PM
Comment #2612 more to go. I don’t know if I can survive this again. I’ve bitten me nails up to me elbows already….
manxpie
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:23 PM
Comment #27Bruce says great until miggy was injured on 30!!! mins so why was he on till half time
Looks absolutely embarrassed to be brought up on the miscommunication after 3rd sub
Plus FEARS THE WORST OVER MIGGY ( look at my 1st point)! IDIOT!!!!
Carson80
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:24 PM
Comment #28https://youtu.be/yac79Anlm0E
For the night shift.
Night night everybody.
Tackle from behind
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:24 PM
Comment #29Reilly
That’s interesting, did that match in timing with the Bruce and Jones contact that we saw on a clip?
Confusion over subs positioning and markers?
Ritchie was all over the place, didn’t have a clue what position he was supposed to be in.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:26 PM
Comment #30Not going to blame Bruce totally for our predicament most of it is due to our don’t give a shut owner – everyone knew that we a needed at least three or four players in the window to improve our chances of staying up
But he f**ks off abroad and Charmless goes AWOL
Sign a young kid on loan last day
Ashley had know intention of spending money to keep us up
So serves the idiot right if we get relegated and he loses millions
Ha f**king ha
Paul141726
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:27 PM
Comment #31Manxpie,
Maybe Brucie treats his players like one of his tractors. Well, if they sputter
and start to smoke, just keep going with them.
JohnReese
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:27 PM
Comment #32Almiron – We fear the worst apparently and he’s thrown Ritchie under the bus for not picking up the direction quick enough.
Slatymag
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:28 PM
Comment #33All in all happy with a point.
That’s the Brucey effect. A point is like a win. A shot on target is like a draw. A loss screams unity and a future, but never realised, determination to correct faults.
Rotonda heights
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:28 PM
Comment #34i never know why bruce leaves injured players on far too long and the 3rd sub mix up was Willems from last season all over again, going on not knowing where he was meant to be playing. Amateur hour big time.
jane
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:29 PM
Comment #35good analysis of the Brighton dissallowed goal. seems it was a correct decision.
Adamn_92
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:29 PM
Comment #36Haha cheers tackle, I try!
Thanks for the video Reilly, unacceptable that players on the field aren’t sure what the instructions are. Doubt we’ll find out why though, Bruce either won’t get asked or will just reply from some waffle in an angry voice. Might just be me but lascelles seemed genuinely a bit annoyed in that video and not too confident when he said results will come.
Tackle from behind
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:30 PM
Comment #37JR
Add to that, ASM looked liked he’d picked up a groin strain and Lascelles pointed a finger at Bruce – he’s supposed to be boss on the side line – got to be clear in what he wants the players to do.
JohnReese
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:30 PM
Comment #38Adamn_92,
He’s already blamed Ritchie for it.
Reilly
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:33 PM
Comment #39Miles Starforth
@milesstarforth
·
7m
Steve Bruce on injuries to Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron: ‘It’s too early (to say how bad they are). For him (Almiron) to come off, and be in the state he’s in, we fear the worst.
Adamn_92
Feb 27, 2021 at 10:33 PM
Comment #40JohnReese
Sounds about right! Captain admits confusion on the field when the sub was made, manager blames the sub. Classic. Even if he gave Ritchie that instruction before coming on, the team need to know what’s happening. As mentioned it happened with Willems too, so sorry Bruce but I think the buck falls with you.