Painful commentary, untidy Toon and VAR - Five takeaways from Brighton 1-1 Newcastle
Newcastle United drew 1-1 at the Amex on Sunday afternoon keeping Champions League qualification in our own hands.
United have struggled on the south coast ever since the sides were promoted together back in 2017, and whilst the result means we are still winless there in the Premier League, avoiding defeat was vital on a weekend when other results went against us - with Forest still to play.
Here are our five key takeaways from the game:
- Cut-backs issue
United frequently made poor cut-backs from the byline, resulting in wasted chances and limiting Isak’s opportunities. Isak had no touches in the box during the first half, with minimal touches in the opposition box across the entire game.
Barnes and Murphy’s cut-backs often unravelled like promises unkept, leaving Isak a stranded figure amidst a sea of Brighton defenders. It was puzzling; they just had to pick someone out with the final pass but failed.
United’s repetition of awful cut-backs mirrored a Sisyphean struggle, rolling the stone uphill only to watch it tumble back with relentless, deflating inevitability. Tactically something may have to change next weekend and, especially, next season.
- Lethargy returns - or does it?
In a game that felt like a symphony missing its crescendo (and despite dominating the statistics) United’s performance was at times lethargic and predictable against a Brighton side who' conceded 15 in their previous six games, with decision-making lacking the sharp edge of conviction.
If you just look at the match statistics on paper, you might think United were unlucky not to win. United had 1.75xG to Brighton’s 0.62, 13 shots to their five, 32 touches in the opposition box to their 17, and four corners to their one — yet it didn’t really feel like that watching.
Brighton really should’ve won it too via Gomez, who missed the target when it was easier to score from point-blank-headed range in second-half injury time.
Three times we’ve played Brighton this season and we’ve faltered, as if bewitched by a curse, and they almost managed it again on Sunday. United must do better.
- Three penalty decisions
It’s not often a side gets awarded three penalties in a game but only gets to take one; however, on the balance— just— I think the awards or non-awards were right.
Unfolding like chapters in a contentious saga: the first was outside the box and was right to be overturned; the second was an example of poor referee positioning as he was looking around a Brighton player to make the decision. Contact is minimal, but there is contact, and if he was wearing a red shirt, the cynic in me would suggest it wouldn’t be overturned.
The third really left me angry, even if it was given in the end. A blatant handball, but it was still checked by the VAR with claims of them looking at an offside. The handball’s the first offence, the offside is irrelevant, much like the Jota offside against Everton a few months ago. It did begin to feel a little like they were just trying to take it off us, but in the end, Isak was able to step up and grab a valuable point.
- Painful co-comms again
I’m thoroughly sick and tired of having to watch Newcastle matches with co-commentators who played for one of our rivals in the race for Champions League football.
Lee Hendrie was awful, crowing about decisions being wrong or how they should be overturned - a reminder that objectivity often fades in the white-hot lights of rivalry.
Funnily enough, I’ve never watched an Arsenal, Chelsea, Villa, Forest, or Man City game with a Newcastle-supporting co-commentator ever…
- Two wins from three required
And then there were three (games left). With two at St James’ Park, six points from nine should be enough to cement a top five finish and will be a testament to the lads’ resilience and ambition.
Talk of second place is wonderful but ultimately meaningless. Getting into the top five at the expense of either Villa or Chelsea halts their progress (and delights our football tribalism with its schadenfreude) but it’s meaningless too, all that matters is that United get one of the five.
Thankfully, the Brighton game is out of the way, and I can’t be the only one (through gritted teeth) who is hoping that Arsenal can turn the tie around against PSG so that they have other things to focus on!
‘The Amex’ is fast becoming Newcastle United’s new ‘The Dell’, so a point is a welcome outcome, and it just about keeps our destiny in our own hands.
Keep the faith. HWTL
