Newcastle 2 Hull 1: Positives & Negatives

After a sensational start with two goals in the first seven minutes a missed penalty and a goal pulled back by Hull turned a canter into an uphill struggle to hang on to all three points.

Hull's Homework Lacking

After watching our first half collapse at Leeds I was expecting Hull to employ the same high line and high press tactics that led to Newcastle being bullied and overrun.

Not so.

It was immediately evident from kick off that Hull would keep the shape and low block style that had seem them unbeaten this season and there was virtually no press on our back four until Hull pulled a goal back.

That lack of pressure just made it all too easy for a fired up Newcastle team to get right into the heart of Hull's defence from the off and they were punished by two excellent finishes from born again Willock and a first goal at SJP from Lewis Hall.

More goals could and should have followed to put the game to an early bed and Wissa had the chance to do just that on the stroke of half time - but his penalty was saved after Hull's keeper did everything he could to put Yoane off.

Being Newcastle, you just knew that penalty miss could come back to bite us and the jaws tightened around us when Hull pulled a goal back.

As often happens when 2-0 turns into 2-1, the whole structure of the game changes as the team seeking an equaliser pour forward and ask big questions of the team previously in control.

These are the situations where cool heads, experience and retaining possession are the difference between staying in control or handing that control to the chasing pack.

Just as in the Leeds game, once Hull poured forward, reverted to a high line and pressed our defenders we were found wanting, and it's not exaggerating to say that a degree of panic set in as the ball was all too often hoofed into no man's land and straight back to Hull.

That's not to say we didn't defend well, the problem that Jaissle needs to address is what we do once we get possession when under pressure.

Booting the ball upfield is what pub teams do.

A Big Win & Some Big Positives

The most important thing is that we held on for three points and that is exactly what was needed to go into the international break on a positive note.

Having a bench full of youngsters yet to make their debut meant that Jaissle's sub options were severely limited and there were some very tired legs defending our lead in the later stages of the game.

But, there were also some excellent performances in our early dominant phase.

I am in awe of young Steur. He is the best youngster at his age I have seen in a black and white shirt since Paul Gascoigne and I actually don't think he is far behind.

This lad rarely takes the easy 'play it back' option with his passes, with a little quick jink he creates the space when marked to move forward and always looks for a pass that advances our position.

If Elliott Anderson is worth £116M. Steur by comarison could be worth £300M in a couple of years time.

And what about Joe Willock? He is playing like a man possessed and it wasn't just his goal, he was rampaging all over the pitch and causing havoc in that early spell.

Lewis Hall continues to make a mockery of not being taken to the WC, and another positive was Sven Botman who carried the ball forward and made the incisive passes that he did at the start of his time at SJP.

And step up Lewis Miley. The difference to his game at RB to midfield is stark. In midfield he plays it safe and rarely makes a difference. At RB he not only defends well but gets forward, links play and makes a nuisance of himself. Is RB his best position?

The Real Test is Yet To Come

As welcome as yesterday's win was, Hull in the first half didn't pose the problems that this Newcastle team have found hard to handle leaving us to go in 2-0 up.

After Hull scored and poured forward those issues rose to the surface again.

The real test for Jaissle and the team will be when we next come up against a physical team playing a high line and press from the off.

What helps is that after the international break we will have had three weeks of training on routines and shape and, hopefully, most of those eight injured players available.

In the meantime, ,let's enjoy yesterday's win and being joint 4th on points gained so far this season.

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