Alan Shearer reveals “worrying” things he’s noticed about Newcastle
The game plan for Newcastle United against Manchester United should have been so simple: create big opportunities for Nick Woltemade against a makeshift team, like we did against Chelsea, and come home with a result.
Instead, we were treat on Boxing Day to perhaps our most frustrating attacking performance of the campaign, as we became just the second team in the league this season not to score against the Red Devils.
And after the loss to Ruben Amorim’s side, it feels like supporters and pundits alike are really getting frustrated with the inconsistent performances, particularly up top, from some fully-fledged international stars.
Alan Shearer in particular has been very critical, revealing his disappointment with Friday night’s display and his biggest criticism of our toothless attack…
Shearer hits out at attacking troubles
Speaking on the latest episode of Match of the Day, Shearer analysed our misfiring display at Old Trafford on Boxing Day.
With the exception of one dangerous cross from Jacob Murphy, and exciting efforts from Lewis Hall, there wasn’t much to write home about, but Shearer has questioned our lack of movement in the box when the odd good delivery was swung in:
“When you’re putting 46 crosses into the box, or attempting 46 crosses, then someone has to get on the end of them.
“This is a brilliant ball (Jacob Murphy in the first half). There weren’t that many great balls but this was one of them last night. (Anthony) Gordon or Woltemade have to get on the end of that. The movement has to be better.
“It was the same thing again here (Gordon’s chance). Gordon might be looking to score but look at the four or five Newcastle players there. There’s not one of them in the six-yard box.
“If someone is and they’re attacking that, they’re getting a tap-in. So it’s decision making as well as the lack of quality. Again that (Harvey Barnes’s ball to Gordon) has to be rolled across to Wissa.
“It’s not a difficult ball. He chooses the more difficult chance to pick Gordon out. It is worrying, there’s no doubt about it.”
Woltemade’s lack of natural No 9 instincts show at times, while Gordon is sometimes too deep or wide and not getting himself into dangerous positions as a result.
Against a Burnley side who may sit deep and look to get the first contact whenever we put crosses into the box tonight, our movement and decision making in the final third must improve.
Who should start tonight?
The fixtures are coming thick and fast in the festive season, and our next game comes Tuesday night away at Turf Moor.
We got all three points when we met the Clarets just a few weeks ago, but we’ll need to produce a much, much stronger performance if we want to secure the win in the North West.
So, who should Eddie Howe start up top? Yoane Wissa showed that he can score when given the nod from the get go, as we saw against Spurs in the Carabao Cup, so it would make sense for the DR Congo star to be the striker and fox in the box.
Harvey Barnes has seen his minutes harshly reduced since Gordon’s return to the starting XI, and he had some bright moments on Boxing Day. Another start should be on the cards, and against Scott Parker’s relegation candidates seems like the best time to reignite his form from November.
Meanwhile we still await confirmation over whether or not Anthony Elanga will return from the injury which ruled him out of the Manchester United clash, so it’s likely that Murphy will again start in the right wing spot on Tuesday, unless Howe looks to get Gordon and Barnes into his XI.
