Newcastle relied on some unlikely heroes to gain a valuable point against Spurs on Sunday. Steve Bruce handed some forgotten Magpies an opportunity and they definitely grasped their chance.
Matt Ritchie, Jacob Murphy, and Sean Longstaff have played sparingly over the past few months. The trio were surprisingly named in the starting eleven and by the game’s end were some of the standouts.
However, one name and one claim has echoed since the 2-2 draw on Sunday. That is Joelinton and what some are calling his best performance as a Magpie. It started straight after the match when Alan Shearer tweeted the following.
A point was the least @NUFC deserved. A much better performance. Joelinton had his best game in a ???? shirt. Well done Joe Willock ????#NEWTOT
— Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) April 4, 2021
Bruce’s take on his number 9’s performance was along the same lines saying this after the match:
“I am delighted for him because he has had it tough and the one thing about Joe, he doesn’t shy away from it.
“The chance he missed in the second half, he does all the hard part, he controls it and you’re just hoping that he hits the back of the net.
“But the one thing he does, he doesn’t shy away from it, he keeps rolling up his sleeves.
“Yes, we have to improve him on his goals tally, but over a tough period of eight, nine, 10 weeks when we’ve been without Almiron and Allan, he’s done very, very well in certain games and today, arguably, was his best.”
Joelinton put in a Man of the Match display at St. James’ Park. It was possibly only bettered by Harry Kane whose two quick goals following Joelinton’s first-half strike gave the Magpies a second hill to climb.
But the lads regained their composure and resolve to get an unexpected result. Joelinton played a key role in Joe Willock’s equalizer by heading Matt Ritchie’s deep delivery back across the face of goal. Almiron got a slight touch before Willock powered the ball in.
For his exploits, Joelinton has topped our poll as Newcastle’s Man of the Match. He collects 38% of the votes with the two wing-backs, Matt Ritchie and Jacob Murphy, coming in second and third.
116 comments so far
carltoon
Apr 6, 2021 at 11:54 AM
Comment #41I think it was “five live”
Adamn_92
Apr 6, 2021 at 11:57 AM
Comment #42Bruce reverted back to a formation that Rafa hammered into the players and also reverted back to players that trained and played under Rafa in that system; Longstaff, Ritchie, Murphy. So yeah, no praise to Bruce i’m afraid.He used a system the previous manager drilled into the players and chose a few players who knew that system. Ritchie motivated the team on the pitch and Jones probably coached them leading up to the game. All I heard Bruce shout again was “come on -insert name here-” and just chewing his face off as usual.
carltoon
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:00 PM
Comment #43His exact words ” he wanted to stay and clear the mess he’s got them into ” Luke Edwards on talking to his mate Steve Bruce.
cleveleysbob
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:04 PM
Comment #44At least there’s an admission that it’s a mess “he got us into” – that’s something, not much, but something 🙂
Tackle from behind
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:06 PM
Comment #45Sounds good to me.
We get a new manager
Bruce gets to be the janitor
cleveleysbob
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:09 PM
Comment #46My feeling for Burnley is:
Darlow or Dubs, happy with either, dubs will get better with more games.
Fed, Lascelles, Dummet (if he’s sticking to “new” Rafa-esque format)
Murphy, Willock, Sean, Ritchie
Joelinton, Wilson, Almiron
Bring on ASM and Fraser for last 20minutes.
Regan
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:20 PM
Comment #47Johnj…
It’s getting a bit congested mid table..
4 or 5 scrapping for promotion. .
I need the points mate..lol…
If I don’t get promoted it’d be a pleasure to fight it out again next season mate..
Best of luck..
lesh
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:22 PM
Comment #48simon376
Jane and her alt ego must appear together!
But, joking aside, let’s not forget the fact that Jib has been banned from Ed’s Blog TWICE and that’s quite an achievement which shows his arrogance and contempt for Ed and his family.
lesh
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:24 PM
Comment #49Simon
For the sake of clarity, my post @48 is not pitched at you but to all readers and posters.
lesh
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:27 PM
Comment #50cleveleysbob
Having seen the ‘Great Rafa’s’ system work, sure as hell he’ll dump it and revert to type.
lochinvar
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:32 PM
Comment #51Tackle
Bruce gets to be the janitor…
No way.
He’ll leave the gates unlocked, the taps running and forget to feed the sheep grazing on the pitch.
I’d rather see Groundsman Willie in the job, being a distant cousin of mine.
DrGloom
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:32 PM
Comment #52Bruce went back to Rafa formation and included Ritchie who whatever anyone says is up for the fight and shows it, Murphy played well too.
I thought it was poor defending for both Spurs goals , obviously Krafth gifted then the first but Dummett and Ritchie were both ball watching rather than watching Kanes positioning leaving him the freedom of the box.
Linton played okay but he was literally useless in or around the box other than his goal
Expected zero points so happy with one although seeing how bad Spurs were I
DrGloom
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:34 PM
Comment #53Regan – Yup , I’ve reverted to type after a decent run and now dropped to 10th – it’s gonna be tight to get promoted
Jail for Ashley
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:39 PM
Comment #54BSIB,
So you’ll give credit to Bruce for reverting to his predecessors tactics after getting 2 wins in 21 games using his own, despite been given a new coach to do his coaching for him. You might as well give credit to Ashley while you’re at it for letting the players know he’s not sacking him.
simon376
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:41 PM
Comment #55Lesh
I know mate and thats a worry about the blog at least no disruption now. I’ll keep my youtube thing clean and safe I hope
Adamn_92
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:41 PM
Comment #56Dr Gloom,
A little harsh to say Joe was useless in and around the box other than the goal. If it wasn’t for him finding and running into space before putting a header back into the danger zone, we wouldn’t have got an equaliser!
Regan
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:42 PM
Comment #57Dr gloom..
Squeaky bum time mate..lol..
Mund
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:43 PM
Comment #58Simon
I’m looking forward to put a few faces to words like mate.
Definitely a brilliant idea tho as all podcasts and stuff nowadays are the negative crap over and over where as you bring up the good times and talk games and old memories it will thrive IMO.
But they do say negative sells lol no wonder we have countless YouTube channels linked to us 😉
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:44 PM
Comment #59Murphy has deserved starts for quite a while now would be interested to see what his game time to chances created ratio is compared to some of our other attackers!!
As I imagine he would be pretty high in the rankings as he always seems to create at least 1 or 2 proper chances that should be scored every time he plays recently
Reguillion a 25 million left back was skinned by Murphy all game he has to play against Burnley hes one of our form players
Mund
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:45 PM
Comment #60Jail no well played or GG? That’a the same as last time fella.
Are you a bit of a sore loser?
Tackle from behind
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:46 PM
Comment #61Loch
Well if he does that, he will just have to dust himself down, get back to doing it his way, take his gloves off and start again.
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:49 PM
Comment #62I would also keep Richie in against Burnley as its likely to be a bit of a battle you need someone on the field who will get stuck in and set the tone thinking about that first goal we scored against Spurs would we have scored that without him hounding their players to win possession?
Means you then have a plan B of ASM and Wilson who won’t be fully fit coming on against tired defenders
Jail for Ashley
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:52 PM
Comment #63I’ve just woke up Mund and going through the scores.
Sore loser ha ha ha ha pmsl. Coming from the man who had the biggest Just William tantrum the blog has ever seen, a full on cyber melt down, the furthest a dummy has ever been spat when he posted the very worst score of the week and blamed me for giving out advice to his opponent . Ha ha sore loser. YCMIU 😀
scott
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:53 PM
Comment #64Before this season started I’d wrote Murphy off & would have sold him off a decent offer came in, but now I’m totally won over by him & his attitude! I just hope now he gets a run of games so a true judgment can be made on him!
carltoon
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:53 PM
Comment #65I’d love Murphy to get a run in the team, he’s done well when he’s played.
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:56 PM
Comment #66He’s obviously not as good as him but the way Murphy plays does remind me of Keith Gillespie a little bit
Just that direct pacy winger who can ping in a cross from pretty much any angle little bit of a throwback
I also love the fact hes never gave up on his dream of playing for the Toon when it looked like he was out the door hes knuckled down and worked on his game
Mund
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:57 PM
Comment #67Haha Jail exactly my point lol
Grow up man. You couldn’t even say it last time because of your old bitter way. Why do you pretend to be someone you are not on the blog?
All that crap you spouted clearly shows how bitter of a person you are it’s pathetic for a grown up
I can see through your BS a mile away.
You came on last time we played and laughed at me on the Saturday for the lead you had but karma is a bitch and I guess it favours the Mund :thumb up thingy:
Deep down it’s annoys you that I’ve done the double but you will never admit it
Mund
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:58 PM
Comment #68You knew last night you lost so don’t talk BS
If you had beat me both times I would of gracefully said well played but you can’t do that and I find it hilarious
toonbrother
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:59 PM
Comment #69@Bills son
Anything short of a win v Burnley will be disastrous
If this season has taught us anything, it’s that we cannot win without ASM and Wilson
I don’t see how we fit both players into the 3-5-2 formation without dropping Joelinton which would be harsh
We need to go for broke and play a 433
with linton, asm and wilson upfront
carltoon
Apr 6, 2021 at 12:59 PM
Comment #70Yes I’d keep Richie, he’s fired up, loved his reaction to the goal, got to have players, who want to give their all. Just seen a clip of Lascelles running back from midfield, crikey didn’t realize he was so quick.
Mag52
Apr 6, 2021 at 1:01 PM
Comment #71We need to press Nick Pope at every opportunity on Sunday.
I thought he looked pretty shaky against the Poles, a mistake waiting to happen when under pressure.
simon376
Apr 6, 2021 at 1:03 PM
Comment #72Mund
Yeah mate keep it retro and positive for a change
carltoon
Apr 6, 2021 at 1:03 PM
Comment #73Who ever plays, we have to go for it, no bloody sitting back. It’s the only way, i hope Dubravka plays better.
Mund
Apr 6, 2021 at 1:04 PM
Comment #74Like I said Simon owt you need pushing on Twitter let me know and I’ll push the foot out of it.
Regan
Apr 6, 2021 at 1:05 PM
Comment #75I would take another 3..1 win that we dished out to them earlier in the season..
Wolves beat Fulham…6 points clear with a game in hand..
Would look a whole lot better..
Jail for Ashley
Apr 6, 2021 at 1:05 PM
Comment #76Mund,
Well done Mund.
You don’t deserve that at all after your outburst just now, but there you go. I never said well done last time because you celebrated like you’d won the league after beating me by a point.
Seriously calling someone a sore loser. Your tantrum was so severe that time you lost, even the mild mannered martoon had to ask you if you were the type of kid that took his ball home when he lost.
Sore loser ha ha 😀
Pottsclock
Apr 6, 2021 at 1:06 PM
Comment #77I’d love to see the stats of how many miles each NUFC player runs each match. Does anyone know if they are publicly available anywhere?
I’ve got my own views of who puts the effort in and who doesn’t, would be good to see what the actual figures are.
Mund
Apr 6, 2021 at 1:07 PM
Comment #78Eh???? Haha jail you might as well sign up for Jackanory the amount of story telling you do on the blog.
I was amicable as could be so please go copy and paste me celebrating over the top because you won’t be able to.
Your such a bullshitter jail it’s embarrassing lad
Why do you make stuff up? Is your life that crap you have to life a fake one online?
carltoon
Apr 6, 2021 at 1:08 PM
Comment #79Regan, that would be the ideal scenario, but it’s Newcastle we’re talking about. If only we could build on a good performance, but we never do.
Mund
Apr 6, 2021 at 1:08 PM
Comment #80Why bring Martoon into it haha because you love to spread hate but you will never have anything on me jail as I look out for others you just speak absolute BS behind a screen on your very tall stool