Five takeaways from Forest 1-3 Newcastle - Big Joe, Taylor and best 90 yet?
Newcastle United came from behind to beat Premier League high-flyers Nottingham Forest on Sunday afternoon with goals from Alexander Isak, Joelinton and Harvey Barnes.
On Eddie Howe’s three-year anniversary of becoming boss, he outcoached manager of the month Nuno Espirito Santo thoroughly to see United surge up the table to be only a point off the top four.
Here are our five key takeaways from the game:
- Most Complete 90 mins of the season so far?
Despite trailing to a Murrilo header at half-time Newcastle had looked dangerous in attack, had controlled possession in a solid and dynamic performance which was falling just short with the final pass, cross or shot on goal. The only frustration would be with the level of finishing, but the game was there for the taking as Forest has offered very little, aside from the one freekick.
Fast-forward to full-time and three goals without response, a defence which kept player-of-the-month Chris Wood shackled, a dominant midfield display with marauding wingers and counter attacks showed just how good a team United can be when they get it right.
It has been a stop start season in terms of performances, but Eddie Howe has found something in the last three games which climaxed in Sunday’s excellent, almost complete performance. United now have the third best defensive record in the league and have scored three in a game for the first time this season. Long may it continue.
- Joelinton Cássio Apolinário de Lira
Let’s get it out of the way. Moving Joelinton back out to the wing as part of the front three has solved so many of the issues United had in the five games without a win which culminated in the awful Chelsea defeat. Add in Joe Willock’s ability to carry the ball a huge number of progressive yards aiding in the attacking transitions and the Brazilian is thriving in an Eddie Howe team again.
The left side triumvirate of Hall, Willock and Joelinton is really starting to bear fruit with confident displays from all three before Joelinton shifted to the right wing. The man mountain was then confident enough to put in a man-of-the-match display from the right and he was integral to the huge victory at the City Ground. Beast.
- Are we back?
A mad stat doing the rounds after the game was that when Willock, Longstaff, Joelinton, and Bruno all start for United they haven’t lost a game. Now football is not that simple a game, but it shows just how much the team missed Willock and Joelinton for extended periods last season. Also, clearly something is working behind the scenes as injuries are mercifully short on the ground and the squad is starting to look strong and deep again.
United finally scored from a corner, have banished the not being able to score from open play stat, Isak has scored in four games in a row, Harvey Barnes has bagged another from the bench and the lads are back within touching distance of a precious European spot. Add-in Lewis Hall’s meteoric rise (and fair play to Eddie Howe’s development of the lad) and things are looking positive again.
Are we back? Too early to say but all the ingredients are certainly there.
- Going in on referees pt. 2
The fact the Anthony Taylor is a FIFA accredited referee tells you all you need to know about his quality. To quote Mikel Arteta ‘it’s a disgrace’, he’s a disgrace and he should be stood down or retrained.
He’s garbage, he’s dangerous for professional footballer’s health (missing two shocking ‘tackles’ by the thug Ryan Yates) and he’s terrified of making decisions. Seriously surely, we can do better than this?
- Onwards and (hopefully) Upwards
After the international break, United have games against struggling West Ham and Palace as well as games against Ipswich, Liverpool, Brentford and Leicester in a run which screams points.
At home Newcastle can beat anyone, and beating Brentford in the cup would provide encouragement and momentum to a season which could still see dreams achieved as literally everything is to play for. Back the manager in January with the players we sorely missed in the summer and who knows where we will end up.
Eddie Howe has already got us back to the Champion’s League and a cup final hopefully he can take us onto that next step and Sunday was an excellent first step on that journey with the international break arguably coming at a bad time for United.
Happy Anniversary Gaffer.
