It was another mad day at St James’ Park but there were some plus points
Malick Thiaw of Newcastle United and teammate Nick Woltemade celebrate with Aaron Ramsdale after winning the penalty shootout (Image: )
Are Newcastle United drama queens or what? Do they love to win the hard way? To shred Geordie nerves before sending them home on a cloud of euphoria? Can this old heart of mine take any more?
I mean against Leeds we were behind three times before striking a 102nd-minute winner. So late the pubs had closed!
Then a few days later United go again before the faithful and require a 92nd-minute equaliser to remain in the FA Cup and trudge exhaustingly into extra time. What happens then? Harvey Barnes appears to be the match winner once more completing a two goal haul only for Bournemouth to equalise a couple of minutes later with the very last kick.
On and on it went into penalties – and deep into penalties before United edged it 7-6. Deary, deary me. Let me lie down in a darkened room and take a couple of aspirins.
Cover keeper Aaron Ramsdale, who had been beaten three times in open play and looked distinctly suspect at times, became the end-of-the-day hero with a trio of penalty saves including the crucial 18th of the shoot-out to end the drama.
This really was whacky races stuff even if joy came again as the clock struck twelve.
On the plus side, apart from getting through of course, we had confirmation that Harvey Barnes is at last proving to be the real deal. These were his 10th and 11th goals of a fulfilling season when he has put Anthony Gordon, Jacob Murphy and new boy Anthony Elanga in a deep shade.
I was also well chuffed for Nick Woltemade. Playing him as a sole through-the-middle centre-forward has been almost like cruelty to animals and I’ve pushed for the lad’s sake to pick him as a No 10 because that’s what he is.
Suddenly out of the blue Eddie Howe, who said he wouldn’t do it in the foreseeable future, selected both him and Yoane Wissa in the same starting 11 and what we got from Woltemade for over an hour was a cameo of what the promised land might look like before the inevitable tactical substitutions saw him revert to playing up front like a No 9.
He was involved in play so much more when he could drop deep naturally with someone ahead of him. He looked energised and enthusiastic, his good touch came much more into play, and United were not compressed by the lack of someone running in behind. The way Woltemade set up Barnes for the game’s opening goal with a pass from the outside of his boot was a joy but his creativity had been on display as early as the sixth minute when he slid in Wissa only for the keeper to save brilliantly when in truth he ought not to have been given a chance to get a glove on it.
The trouble is can Nick overcome the rigid thinking of his manager who reluctantly went with the two in tandem and has stated his resistance to repeating the experiment. A lot of critics have said it didn’t work as though that’s some sort of justification for not pairing them before now but in my opinion it was not an outstanding success because Wissa lacked the sharpest of cutting edges after his long lay off rather than down to his big German partner. Still, I await with eagerness to see Nick play once again where he belongs.
On the minus side Howe has a major problem with his defence. Playing at home which was once a fortress they have of recent times let in two goals against Spurs, two against Chelsea, three against Leeds, and three against Bournemouth. That is as water tight as a colander.
To add concern United are losing members of the back four at a rapid rate. Dan Burn had already gone and now Fabian Schar and Tino Livramento have quickly followed him. It is not the reason for leaking goals but it is not helping when trying to find a solution. How many positions can Lewis Miley play at the same time?
Alarmingly United are proving to have a soft centre. Malick Thiew had been regal since signing but blew it big time against Leeds and was at fault on Bournemouth’s second goal. Sven Botman along with Ramsdale was far too weak on their killer last gasp third.
Still, we are through in one cup. Now we must get through in the other. Newcastle have the opportunity to unbelievably beat what the club achieved way back in the Fabulous Fifties. Then we made three Wembley FA Cup appearances in five years, admittedly winning them all. This would be our third Wembley final in four seasons.
However if Bournemouth were overcome in sudden death then Manchester City are altogether a different kettle of fish. Habitual winners and with the advantage of a home second leg to come.
That being so United must carve out the biggest goal advantage possible on Tuesday night to give them a genuine chance of making the Carabao Cup showpiece once again.
What is for certain is that United cannot keep riding their luck as they have done in their last two matches – they will come out on the wrong side of the result if they continue down that dodgy path.
Man City of course hadn’t to break sweat while we were flirting with breaking hearts. Admittedly it was only against a hapless Exeter City but a 10-1 scoreline will have put an extra swagger in their step.
However let us remember two things: United are the current league cup holders so not to be dismissed as also-rans and a year ago faced with Arsenal, an equally tough proposition, Newcastle won home AND away.
Oh, and a third thing. The Mags have beaten Man City up here already this season when…Barnes scored two!