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Atletico Madrid Beat Newcastle United to win the Sela Cup!
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Newcastle United's poor pre-season continued as Atletico Madrid beat them 2-0 to win the Sela Cup. Michael reviews the game and gives his thoughts on what might impact Newcastle's opening Premier League fixture against Aston Villa.
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Transcript
Introduction and Game Context
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Newcastle podcast. My name is Michael Graham. So, and today I'm here to give my immediate post-rack reaction of the fixture against Atletico Madrid in the Celeco.
00:00:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, while the lasses were also defeated 2-0 by Atleti's ladies, um... We are just going to be talking about the men's game against Atletico after Ian covered our 2-0 draw with Espanyol last night while while i was in Edinburgh, I seen Oasis.
00:00:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I never saw the game, which is why I wasn't on that. And I say that purely because I'm going to apologise in advance for my voice inevitably being atrocious in about 10 minutes' time.
00:00:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
First Half Analysis: Opportunities and Challenges
00:00:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I'm going to do my best, we'll get through, and well, I am really sorry if I sound terrible. But we'll get there. um So going into the game, um i don't think there was many surprises with the lineup.
00:01:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
We knew it would be youngsters on the bench. We knew going to see pretty much a completely different XI. ah But I actually thought the game started at a really good tempo. And actually on that note, before I go in too much into the game, I think we've been really quite smart about who we've played so far and how we've played.
00:01:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
um we've played teams that are really active high pressing for the most part which in theory doesn't matter who you play on the opening day or whatever you know you're gonna come up against a team that probably presses you quite high and if you're not prepared for that you're gonna lose the game we turn it it turns out that we're gonna play Aston Villa and Liverpool so you know in the opening weeks you kind of need to be up against them teams who are You're going to pressure high. And that's exactly what I'd let the Madrid did early on. They pressed us high.
00:01:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we made a number of errors at the back at the start of the game. um But I actually thought the first half we were pretty decent. There was a spell in the in sort of the middle 10 minutes.
00:02:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
10-15 minutes in the middle. Probably 20th to the 35th minute, should we say. where I'd let you on much to the better side. But other than that, I actually thought we were really good. um The first moment of real danger for us comes when Tino Livermanto loses the ball high on the left.
00:02:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Madrid double up on him. They did an excellent job of that all game. um But they're used to doing that against the likes of Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid. Probably some of the players that are there, you know they'll have watched the tapes of when Atletico Madrid did it against Messi numerous times. And there were you know they certainly weren't bad at doing that.
00:02:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But yeah, and we certainly don't have Lionel Messi up front. But yeah, they did an excellent job of playing through the lines after they won the ball back. It made it to Lorente, who oh isn't really a right back.
00:02:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'd say he's more of an attacking player, but he's played there quite a lot for Atleti. um He scored the ball across to the other side, and it was excellently cleared by Kieran Trippier. I did have visions of the same thing happening that happened with Alex Murphy while we were over in Asia, where I just went into the top corner, but now Trippier, as I pretty much said during that game, experience was the one that... The experience was the bit that shone through.
00:03:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Trippier just knocked it out for a corner. um Then few minutes later, was Tino again who made a mistake. ah He was pretty much bodied by Simeone's son, um which, yeah, it's it's it's weird seeing a father on the touchline and a son on the wing, but was actually quite nice.
00:03:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
um ah Yeah, he sent his shot, I think it actually went out for a throw-in. um It was a really, really poor shot. um But there was a lot of danger early on from Atleti.
00:03:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But our best move came pretty much when ah the centre-attack midfield, Almeida, just sort of gave up because he felt like he was fouled um in the centre of the pitch. And that's really not something you see a lot from Simeone's side. So,
00:04:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
If that starts to happen through the start of the season, you can imagine he's not going to play for them very much until he gets rid of that. But on our side, it was great from Gordon. ah He linked really well, actually, with Ashby to find Alanga.
00:04:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Alanga's touch just kind of let him down. um Which was a shame. That happened probably a few times during the game. Alanga wasn't the best on the ball in regards to final product.
00:04:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Dribbling was fantastic. I think first half, yeah I don't think anyone was getting near him. But second half, well, I'll get into that a bit later, I guess. um But yeah, the corresponding corner.
00:04:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
um From that move, it finds Joel Linton, who peels off to sort of the back post. Free header, the first of about five during the game. um And he just it heads it over the bar. um Probably the worst header he did out of the lot, to be fair.
00:05:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But yeah, it was pretty harmless, unfortunately. the The move afterwards, pretty much straight after. was um Gordon being fouled by Hanko. We got a free kick.
00:05:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hanko's the centre-back that's just signed from Feyenoord from about 30-odd million. um He got a yellow card because of it. um ah the so if he got the ball in the centre of the park he moved it quite nicely out of Joe Linton he's caught late Joe Linton then finds Ashby um who again beats his man gets the ball past his man but he's brought down Newcastle get the free kick um fired in low by Trippier it's really smart save from Jan O'Black but it's probably one that you expect Jan O'Black to make um the ball went out um not out for a corner out just out to the far side
00:06:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Great little ah ball from Harvey Barnes to get the ball back into ah the a the danger area. And it's Joe Linton again who leaps and just a little glance and header.
00:06:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Tries to get it into the but ah bottom corner, but unfortunately just... Bellity just wasn't really there on the day. Joel Linton's finishing was pretty atrocious today. um Speaking of which, he hits the bar with his third effort.
00:06:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Alanga, I think he beat um the full-back, Ruggari. about four times in five minutes. ah The last time he finally got a free kick, Trippier fired in what was actually really delightful cross.
00:06:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Joel Linton's head just scrapes the ball um just couldn't get under it enough. I was just a bit too over it. um And then pretty much had the same issue with the next attack.
00:07:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Joel Linton probably could have had a hat-trick within 10 minutes in that first half. um he's next had a pretty much uh same situation a langer gets to the byline i think i can't remember who if it's a langer who puts a cross in um but the ball comes to him about four five yards out he just heads it straight down at all black um gets too good of a contact on it if anything in that moment um And i you know I guess that's why he wasn't the striker we needed um when we signed up for 40 million. But I do just want to say, I know I've said the last couple of minutes have sounded probably quite harsh on Joel Linton.
00:07:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
he was just It was a decent first-half performance. He was just let down by his finishing. And as a box-to-box midfielder, I'm okay with that most of the time. um
Second Half and Tactical Struggles
00:07:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
when it leads to a When it leads to the team losing 2-0 and you've got your central midfielder missing...
00:07:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's say two good, good chances. The other three were probably half chances. Then... at the end of the game, your mindset is completely different to what it is at halftime at nil-nil.
00:08:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But at that point, I've just mentioned that that was the halftime. um First half is going to be a bit longer. Obviously, we were, I thought, quite good in that first half.
00:08:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Second half, pretty abysmal, but I will get on to that. um For now, I'm going to go to our first, well, and only advert of the episode, and that one is from Bionique.
00:09:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Excellent stuff. So at halftime, there was one change made by Newcastle United, and that was that Sven Bottmann was substituted for Alex Murphy. ah Similar to what it was a few weeks ago, think it was substituted as a precaution.
00:09:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
um With Anthony Gordon going off at the end of the game, we certainly hope it's just a precaution. Otherwise, you know, ah a fun little Cellar Cup friendlies. potentially led to two of our best players being out for the first game of the season.
00:09:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, but yeah, it didn't take long for I'd like the code to take the lead in the second half on a ah beautiful counter attack, to be honest. Um, Actually, it was probably more our errors than anything else. Anthony Gordon's caught napping after a couple of errors at the bar at the back. Not really.
00:09:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Communication was probably lacking. Atletico just hit us with pace. Alex Buena and Julian Alvarez linked beautifully with a a one two Alvarez into Buena and then Buena.
00:10:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
while being closed down by Tonali, just puts in a beautiful little through ball to the point where Pope and Tonali can't do anything about it. And well, Alvarez couldn't really miss.
00:10:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
So yeah, that was 1-0 to Atletico. I do have to say... those do have to say Sandro Tonali trying to get back, busting a gut. It's the bare minimum that you expect, really.
00:10:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
But when you see a player even in a friendly, given 120%, it's great to see, particularly when there's the issues with alex Alexander Rezac at the moment. um But I'm not here at all about that. I'm here to talk about Newcastle Atleti.
00:10:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So, yeah, at 1-0, Atletico pretty much changed everything up. ah They made 10 changes on the 60th minute. um I'm not going to go through them all. um But two of them do combine to make it 2-0 about two minutes later, actually.
00:11:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's sort of a long ball up to Alexander Sauloth, who, if you've listened to this podcast where we've spoken about transfers, I'm a great admirer of. I think he's an absolutely fantastic player. He shows great composure just to hold the ball up.
00:11:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
we'ves For some reason, we've got three defenders in literally about a 10-yard radius, um maybe less, probably less, actually,
00:11:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I guess we're worried about the bursts of pace in the first half and then when Solov's come on, we've not really changed things up a little bit because although he's got that little bit of pace where he can you beat one man, you certainly don't need three, one, two, three um here, right there. So it's it's one of those where realistically you're looking at it and going...
00:11:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
you could have had Alex Murphy out a little bit further and that stops him from making that pass to Griezmann. But he does make the pass to Griezmann and Griezmann has a pretty delightful little poke of the ball knocks it past Pope.
00:12:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Pope gets a hand on it but the reflexes just aren't there enough to give him a strong hand. um And Griezmann scores at the stadium that he's won thousands of games on on Football Manager.
00:12:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
um If he'd ever like to play there again in a black and white shirt, I'm sure Newcastle United would be more than happy ah to have him. ah But yeah, excellent player. ah the issue The issue with the game is I can spend all the whole time here saying that Atletico Madrid were absolutely fantastic in the second half, how good their players are. But the reality was that we were really, really scrappy in that second half. And it'll be a big concern to Eddie Howe because fitness is realistically all that matters in these pre-season games.
00:12:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
we weren't at it at all in that second half. We were beaten to every single ball. And it's all right. You can say that after the 60th minute when they make 10 changes.
00:13:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And, you know, they've got fresh legs the whole time. But so not to not really be at it in the 55th minute when you've all played pretty much the same minutes is probably unacceptable.
00:13:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he he will say that. He'll let them know. um But, yeah, I'd let the goal dominate at the second half. They converted their chances. Newcastle had the better of the first. We just didn't take ours.
00:13:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
Player Performance and Injuries
00:13:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
which is fine. It does just mean that we've gone the whole pre-season without a a win, which will be worrying. And it does emphasize the need for a striker very, very soon.
00:13:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
But ah again, I'll get onto that again bit later. um We tried switching things up a a bit towards the end. um with Alanga going central, Gordon went on the left, Barnes on the right.
00:13:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
In theory, that should be electric. But when you're against a low block, it wasn't really a low block, but they were playing pretty much five at the back with a bit more of a higher higher line.
00:14:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
But realistically, we couldn't get behind them. um they just because whenever we tried to, that ball was either poor or we just didn't really have the legs. um And when you're playing in against Atletico Madrid, five at the back,
00:14:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Barnes, Gordon and Alanga not really the front three you want to see. ah But again, it's a friendly against Villa when it's going to be a higher-paced game, fast-paced. We're going to be against the run of play most of the game.
00:14:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
That front three would have been pretty good. Unfortunately, the worst moment of the day comes about 10 minutes before the end. Anthony Gordon pulls his hamstring and it likely means that Anthony Alanga or William Asula will start up front and against Aston Villa.
00:14:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I would probably suggest it's going to be Alanga and we'll see Barnes, Alanga and Jacob Murphy as the front three. That's my early call.
00:14:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's what I would personally do just because, as I mentioned, you're going to have... We're probably going to be backs against the wall for a lot of that game. You need electric counter-attacking pace to be able to to pull off those kind of wins, to pull off game wins in those games.
00:15:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we all know what Barnes and Jürgen Murphy can do against the runner play. So that's it for me. Gordon, the positive is that when he was walking off the pitch, he didn't have too much of a limp.
00:15:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
If anything, it was more of a frustrated power walk. um So it doesn't look disastrous. But I think when you're if you're ready, how you looking at that and going, how disastrous could that injury have been for Newcastle?
00:15:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Anthony Gore now for six months and that derails a lot of your campaign, particularly with you know it we're expecting alex Alexander Ezek to leave. um But then the final bit of the game, really, ah Nick Pope makes an excellent save to stop it being three ill to Atletico.
00:16:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
and The ball comes out to Sadio on the edge of the box and he wraps his foot around it and ah put it he's putting it in the top corner. It's an excellent save from Nick Pope. um do have to say, in a proper game, Seydou probably would have seen red.
00:16:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
Concluding Thoughts and Future Prospects
00:16:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Same as Joe Linton against Spurs. um But these are the physical games that Eddie Howe wants us to have. And what we learned is that Atletico Madrid simply are better than us right now.
00:16:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And you know what? That's fine. I'm not too disheartened by that because they are an excellent, excellent side. Yeah. who, to be honest, I really don't want to play it in the Champions League after that.
00:16:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But yeah, ah that's pretty much it for the game. and i'm going to go I'll go into player ratings. I'll do a quick player ratings for each player. um And I'll just give you an insight on how I thought each player played. So Nick Pope, I've started off with a 6.5. He made some good saves.
00:17:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was probably at a 6.5. Maybe leaning closer to a 6 than a 6.5 before that save towards the end. But in that spell where Atletico were very strong in the middle of the first half, he made two or three good saves.
00:17:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
The issue for me, again, is footwork. um He made a mistake in both halves with the ball at his feet. And off what I've heard from Ramsdale's performance yesterday, unfortunately i did miss the debut, as I said, it certainly won't have helped his case to start next Saturday.
00:17:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
He couldn't do anything for either of the goals. But when you're number two, or 1.5, should I say, as he was at Arsenal alongside Raya, He'll probably be the same here. When you're 1.5, be fair, having a great game with a penalty save and then little bit of PR afterwards as well where a young Ben gets hit with a ball, but he gets hurt in the crowd.
00:18:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ramsdale gives his shirt to him straight away. You're sitting there and going, this guy gets it. um The crowd's going to be behind Ramsdale if he starts. It's one of those where Eddie Howe's already got a decision to make.
00:18:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
While I think before this weekend, maybe, just maybe, he was sitting there thinking, I could ah could probably embed Ramsdale a little easier. I do think it'll be Pope that starts against Aston Villa, but Ramsdale's definitely done himself a a few favours this weekend.
00:18:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Trippier, I've gone... I am going to go for 6.5. Again, i wanted to go 6. um But I think that's just recency bias in my brain. First 30 minutes, I thought he was excellent.
00:18:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
But his influence game certainly faded. And he really struggled in that second half. So I could have easily gave him a 6. But am going to stick with a 6.5. LaSalle's, I'm going to give him a six.
00:19:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Defensively, he was pretty sound, suspect with ball his feet, as we expect. um But I do think on another day he gives away a penalty.
00:19:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
When Tino Liveramento makes the mistake, he pushes the Atleti striker in the back. um And realistically, it's a penalty all day long.
00:19:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
In the Premier League, it's a penalty. So, yeah, six for Jamal Asselst. Bottman, I'd give it 6.5. ah for thought To be honest, his rating probably would have gone up if I'd done these at the end of the game. But I did Bottman's at half-time.
00:19:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Yeah, it was a really poor second half and it made Bottman look so much better because we were so solid with him in that back line at the first half. And then when he was replaced with Alex Murphy...
00:19:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
We looked terrible. So you're sitting there thinking, is Bottman the difference there? Probably not. Probably Atletico just played a lot better in that second half, but it makes Bottman look so much better.
00:20:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And Tina Liveramento on the left, um I've gave him a five. And to be honest, I kind of wanted to give him lower. It was probably the worst game I've seen him have by his standards.
00:20:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Usually, he's pretty exceptional in that left-back position. And if going to have a bad game, have it in pre-season. So I'm not too bothered. um But he looked very awkward on the ball, I thought. His movement wasn't the greatest.
00:20:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know if he was playing with a bit of a knock. But he just seemed a bit awkward and a bit clumsy. um Much like I would have expected Matt Target to after just getting off the flight back from Korea after everyone else.
00:20:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's a joke. I didn't fall for Francis Chipper. ah But yeah, it's it's ah it's a difficult one. um But yeah, not Tino's greatest game. I'm sure he'll bounce back.
00:21:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was just a friendly. He's usually brilliant for us. um Then on a player that I never thought I would say has impressed me in a Newcastle shirt, and that is Harrison Ashby.
00:21:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
um It was a quiet-ish first half. if you compare his play to a central midfielder, which is where he played.
00:21:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But we've played a lot of our play sort of down the left with Tonali and Joe Linton, and then we wanted to get it out to the right-hand side for a longer. um But every time Ashby was on the ball, he was very composed.
00:21:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah He put quite a few tackles in from what I remember. um And generally, every time I heard his name from Comte, I was going, actually, that was quite good. And for a player that I thought,
00:21:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
was destined to go on loan to probably a top league one side or a mid-table championship ah once again for the the third year in a row.
00:22:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
He actually played quite well. um ah don't want them I don't want to see him starting there in the Champions League, obviously. um But yeah, Harrison Ashby actually had a really good game today for me.
00:22:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So yeah, maybe he does have a future in black and white. And so then from Ashby a player who I hope never leaves the black and white, Sandro Tonali.
00:22:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Gave Sandro Tonoli a 7. I probably could have given him more. I think if it's a win, you probably give him an 8 or an 8.5. But he was definitely the best of a bad bunch. He was our best player on the pitch. He's so tidy.
00:22:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Gives 120% every single game, as I mentioned. And it was a good performance against really tough opposition. um So, yeah, Sandro, ole, ole, ole.
00:22:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Then to a player who is one of my favourites but ultimately didn't have a good game today. and That's Joe Linton. 5.5 is what I gave him.
00:23:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
I could have gave him less. um I could have gave him more. It just depends on how you look at the performance. um He had a good first half. I thought on the ball, he was quite he was a bit sharper than what he normally is.
00:23:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
He had a few good turns in a run half to sort of get us off the press. um And I genuinely thought his all-round play was arguably some of the best we've seen in a while.
00:23:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then you have the four chances where realistically every shot is coming to Joe Linton and he's missing the target more often than not. um He's not a goal scorer, we know that.
00:23:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
But if we're going to lose Izak, which it looks like we're going to, our midfield players need to be more clinical. um And for that, think Howe is going to have to be harsher on these players in those positions.
00:23:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But he's not the only one. He's just the example from today, unfortunately. Alanga
00:24:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah makes me laugh because I'm realising after every game, I'm realising more and more that he's going to be one of the most frustrating players I've ever seen in a Newcastle shirt.
00:24:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
A bit like Alain Sam-Maximin because when it comes to dribbling and getting past players, is He's definitely one of the best I've seen in black and white. um But then when it comes to hitting the first man with every cross or shot, he's up there with the likes of Florian Tovan, Remy Cabela.
00:24:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's Kieran Trippier for that spell when he was on corners and hit the first man every every every game. Yeah, it's um it's it's frustrating.
00:24:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
But what I will say, it was pre-season, as as I've already said. And if you can fine-tune that man's ah final product... 55 million is a bargain because that Ruggieri, who played for Atletico Madrid, he played for Atlanta last season, season before as well, and he was absolutely fantastic in a league where they have a lot of decent wingers.
00:25:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So realistically, looking at it, he probably gave them a harder game than I've seen anyone else. um So... For me, was very good performance by Alanga.
00:25:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just needs to fine-tune that final product, he'll be fantastic. I will say second half, he was a bit non-existent. um But that first half was great. And then on to the final two starters. I'm going to start with in the centre with Anthony Gordon.
00:25:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I gave him a 5.5, unfortunately. And I will say, if Anthony Gordon's performances up front were as good as his PR has been in recent weeks, we'd have a 30-goal-a-season striker.
00:26:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Because, honestly, the PR has been fantastic. It seems like everyone's forgotten about how they felt, up how well, what I was seeing being read before the Man City game.
00:26:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
And don't get me wrong, I love the fact that Anthony Gordon's in a Newcastle shirt, but we know that he wanted to leave. And yes, he went about it in a better way, but he went about it in the way that you would expect someone to.
00:26:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah That's about it. um But in the actual game today... he looked somewhat dangerous at times. So of when we won the break in the first half, every time we got the ball, you were thinking, all right, he's he's going to do something here.
00:26:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh, and sometimes he did. He's, his press was okay as well. Final product wasn't bad. Um, but it is so obvious that he is not striker.
00:26:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
And if he is, he's not a striker that works in our system. um, Yeah, it doesn't work there for us, unfortunately. I did think in the short spell that he was on the left, he looked so much better, um which is annoying because I think two of our better players are sat there on the left in Barnes and Gordon. um But yeah, on Barnes, I ended up giving him a five um just because ah thought he started well in the first half, but genuinely it got 65 minutes into the the second half.
00:27:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
um and I actually had to look to see if he'd been substituted because i don't think he touched the ball, and I couldn't see him on the pitch. So it was a was a bit of a worry. In fact, it was when Gordon moved out to the left, I thought we'd made a substitution at half-time that I'd not mentioned.
00:27:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So, yeah, it was ah it was a worrying one ah for Barnes. I tipped him to have a brilliant pre-season. it hasn't been great at all for him.
00:27:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
The signs of excellence, ah just not not consistent enough for me. And then the two youngsters, Murphy and Harrison, I've gave them both fives as well.
00:28:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah I wanted to give Alex Murphy... lower but I really hate being harsh on youngsters it was a bad performance for him but it again we've put him in at the deep end against Bukayo Saka for Arsenal and then we've put him in the deep end against Julian Alvarez Antoine Griezmann and Alexander Soloff and So you know what, I'm not going to judge him too much on that game.
00:28:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was a bad performance, but you know it's it's one of those where we'll probably see him have some excellent games. There is signs of a good young centre-back in there.
00:28:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
um He just needs to keep it up, and if he can keep his head high and learn from experiences in these kind of games... he could be very, very good, or at least he could be Premier League standard because he was very good when he was on loan at Bolton.
00:28:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah They loved him there. if they can If he can sort of grow, continue to grow, he could well play in the Premier League for you know four maybe four Newcastle ah in the next three years or so.
00:29:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But he's not at that level yet, unfortunately. And then Alfie Harrison, i give him as i said, I mentioned it, I gave him a five. As well, he just couldn't impact the game when he came on. um didn't really see him do all that much didn't seem to get involved the game just seemed to pass him by and it's not from what trying you could see he was making the moves to try and get on the ball he was trying to close players down but just didn't work for him today and unfortunately he came on when the whole team was playing bad and that's pretty much how that goes if you come on when the whole team's playing bad it's quite more often than not it means you don't play very well either
00:29:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then ah Leo Shahar and Sean Neve, they both came home like 10 minutes to go. So can't really give them anything. The two exciting prospects. um I want to see more of them.
00:29:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I wanted to see more of Murphy and Harrison as well. And that hasn't really worked out. The player I didn't want to see more of was Harrison Ashby. And now I do. um So it's probably the only positive from that game.
00:30:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Maybe that and Alanga's dribbling. um But all in all, Atletico Madrid fully deserved their win. They won the Cella Cup. First team other than Newcastle United to do so.
00:30:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
What a prestige for them. I'm sure that goes up there with the La Liga title. um Of course it doesn't. um But yeah, ah they're a fantastic side.
00:30:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Atletico Madrid are definitely the best team to play in red and white. And the only team but playing in red and white that I actually remotely like. So fantastic side. I really don't want to play them in the Champions League. um But we'll find out at the end of this month whether or not we do or not.
00:30:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Tomorrow, as for the podcast, should I say it, for tomorrow, you'll see Ian and I doing a roundup of the weekend. ah That'll go up on Monday. And then the the rest of the team will go through a few up a few more elements at the end of the week.
00:31:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, that's pretty much that. um For now, it's goodbye, goodnight, and of course... Winless Newcastle go yet another game without a win.
00:31:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
But we're just saving it all for the Premier League. It's going to be fine. I think.