Transcript
Global Sports Podcast Network: Welcome to the Daily Newcastle, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Ian Mackay. I'm joined by my friend and colleague, Mr Michael Grameslaw, to discuss yesterday's Two all draw at St James' Park between Newcastle and Chelsea. Michael, good evening. How are you?
Michael: Yeah, doing well. Certainly ah better than I was this time. Well, I'll say this time yesterday at about two o'clock yesterday. Absolutely seething at some referee decisions, but we've got all that to talk about more.
Global Sports Podcast Network: We have, we have. You could tell that was the instant match reaction. it was quite emotional. ah but ah But I was at the game and I felt so cheated. Everybody around me felt so cheated.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um And in reality, what I think we're going to look at is a very encouraging performance.
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: But timm we don't want to dive straight into the game, do we? We want to have a look at the way Eddie Howe lined up. And I think we got quite close to the starting line-up, actually, in when i when I did the preview.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um I thought Miley would fill in again at full-back.
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I thought he would continue with Ramsdale. There was nothing else to pick other than Chow and Shah, and we hoped Hall would start, which he did. Bruno and Tonali were straight in, and my guess was for Ramsey to take the left side, given how it was assuming Joel Hinton was injured.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I think he must be. Yeah. And then with Valtimada starting at centre-forward and Gordon starting on the left, which I guessed because Barnes had started against Fulham, it was so Murphy or Olanga. And I'll have to look back. I think I picked Murphy, which would have been picked the team. and Not quite so impressive when six or seven players are out through injury.
Global Sports Podcast Network: But was that the team that you would have picked, Michael
Michael: ah Definitely.
Michael: Yeah, for me, it pretty much was. I think you were looking at it and going, we've got no options at the back. Lewis Miley tens seems to be, should I say, our best right back option.
Global Sports Podcast Network: See you.
Michael: The only real other option you've got is maybe put Jacob Murphy there and play a Langer in that right wing role. I think you maybe you could maybe risk doing that maybe against sta Burnley.
Michael: or leads in the games coming up but you you're not going to do that against Chelsea, Garnaccio, Cucarea, Parma, Saicedo all can go on to that side so it was one of those right back is probably the most contentious area no one but Lewis Miley fit in there but for me Ramsey I was glad to see in centre mid should I say Willock probably deserved it more on recent performances but I thought Ramsey had a pretty decent first half so that justified that selection and then the front the front ah The front three, I think, kind of called itself after the the game in midweek.
Global Sports Podcast Network: think so.
Michael: Alanga, he's not quite there. Murphy has to really start because he's the main creator. And then Anthony Gordon, I i wasn't 100% sure he'd start after a few poor performances.
Michael: um But yeah, he had probably his best performance of the season as well. So It's one of those, ah i think, every every change Hale made was justified in that first half.
Global Sports Podcast Network: think so
Michael: And to be honest, I think at the beginning of the game, he got spot.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Well, yeah, and i I tried to have a look at who was missing and who was coming back to try and guess a little bit about Chelsea. Took about two minutes to identify the danger man as Rhys James.
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: he's a He's a wonderful player, isn't he?
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I mean, thank God he's English.
Michael: He's a go for
Global Sports Podcast Network: I'll be a big Rhys James fan when he's playing right back in the World Cup. But think he's a twat today.
Michael: a lot.
Global Sports Podcast Network: and Can I say that?
Michael: Absolutely.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I can say that.
Michael: Yeah, I can say it.
Global Sports Podcast Network: To pregnant goldfish.
Michael: It's fine.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Pregnant goldfish, that's what a twat is. I picked out that Palmer would be rusty and it wouldn't be very good, and he wasn't, although he was very good in the first minute.
Michael: Nah, worst game I've seen from.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Joe Pedro, though, you can see why Eddie Howe wanted him. what a What a forward he was. um
Michael: Yeah, he's very good player.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah, and then I thought Fernandes coming into midfield and Rhys James going to right back at the start of the second half was a big tactical change that...
Michael: Changed the game, didn't it?
Global Sports Podcast Network: that Eddie Howe possibly should have responded to quicker than he did. But again, we'll get onto that. um Was it a massive defining game for us, Michael? I mean, I was thinking we've got to win it.
Global Sports Podcast Network: weve got it We've got to win it because a second defeat on the bounce of the Premier League takes all the wind out of our sails. And we're coming in, I think, into a run of games through to the end of January where we could pick up...
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um another 10 points out of 12 or even 15 points out of... That doesn't work, does it? Four... God. 13 points out of 15.
Michael: 15 points out of 12. We're just that good.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yes! 13 points out of 15 is what I mean. oh
Michael: Yeah, I get you. Don't worry.
Global Sports Podcast Network: With Wingo's Soil's, we could win at Old Trafford. We should be beating Burnley. We should be beating Leeds. We should be doing Crystal Palace at home, to be honest. We've beaten five near last year.
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um
Michael: Based off the performance against Leeds as well, they were absolutely dreadful. leads They made Leeds look like Pep Guardiola's Barcelona. So I think it's one of those where they might have the best away record in the league, but they're on the downturn.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
Michael: They've got a lot of players away at AFCON. Again, that's another one of those games where you're looking at and going... that's three points. And I think that might be why, to answer the question you're originally going to ask, why the Chelsea draw might not be as bad or as critical to Newcastle as you might think. Because great run of results coming up.
Michael: I think if you were going to drop points, there's a way to do it. And no, the way is not drop a two-goal lead, but it's to lose and be angry at the referee for decisions. and Because you still have all the momentum.
Michael: but you've got to take and that anger into your next game.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah. Now, I was taking issue a little bit when I watched your immediate match reaction. You were consoling yourself with the fact that you might have taken a draw if you'd been offered it before the game.
Michael: and All right.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I just think we always do Chelsea.
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: We did them twice last year, the Carabao Cup as well. um And, you know, I can remember a 4-1 two years ago, wasn't it? Sterling scored a great free kick in that, but we just kept going and we we battered them. I think we'd won each of the last four Premier League games at home to them.
Global Sports Podcast Network: So I thought, no, we've got to win this one. I thought it was one that we would get. um i think Chelsea of the top six are the one we get the best results against overall. ah So, yeah, you you were happy with the draw before the game, but you can't have been happy
Michael: Yeah, before the game I was content.
Global Sports Podcast Network: You can't have been happy with the way that we got the draw, given the way the game unfolded.
Michael: No.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Now, shall we dive straight into that?
Michael: Yeah, absolutely not.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Or shall we have a quick Ken and a bit longer in the second part to talk about football? I think that's where that's the way forward.
Michael: Let's have...
Global Sports Podcast Network: Let's have Ken.
Michael: Yeah, let's let have Ken have the spotlight.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Into the game. And I think you describe, because so i was worried for the first minute and a half, Michael, as Chelsea danced through our midfield and Cole Palmer put what I think is traditionally described as a delicious lob onto the roof of the net.
Global Sports Podcast Network: they They look really good.
Michael: Yeah. Nice stuff.
Global Sports Podcast Network: But after that, Newcastle clicked into gear very quickly and it was like, It was like that Newcastle Spurs game where we scored six. newke Everything Newcastle were going for, they were faster, stronger, braver.
Global Sports Podcast Network: It was wonderful. What did it look like on the television?
Michael: Yeah, great performance. Yeah, I think, to be honest, the first 20 minutes you were looking at it, in fact, not even the first 20 minutes, the first 45, you're looking at it and thinking, where's this Newcastle been all season? You know, we had the intensive press and we actually looked like the Newcastle United side we knew and love, not the Newcastle United side that has, what, six, seven injuries, hasn't kept a clean sheet in the Premier League for 77 days and, you know, has pretty much capitulated against every opponent we faced except from Everton.
Michael: recently in the league. But that first half, you were looking at it and going, this is our perform best performance of the season. And I was sitting there at half-time thinking... Is this the game, like Arsenal last year, where we've actually, it's after we've had our butts kicked in the in ah in a game that's mattered quite a lot.
Global Sports Podcast Network: so
Michael: Brentford was last year 4-2, absolutely. you know It was a bit embarrassing. Sunderland this year, the Fulham game doesn't really count in midweek because you know heavy rotation, people went didn't really seem that arsed. But it was a bit more of a reaction and you saw the reaction that everyone expected in that first half. And I was sitting there thinking,
Michael: we're actually going to we're actually going to make up for that Derby defeat and we're going to go into March in a great position and then obviously it only took four minutes of the second half for that to go so spiraling down but first half incredible best I've seen us in a long long time
Global Sports Podcast Network: there were so many There were so many good performances. were so many differences to what we're used to seeing. Valtimada not standing like a lamppost, I heard him described as, in the yeah um in the in the derby match.
Global Sports Podcast Network: but Not standing on the halfway line with his back to goal, but actually on the shoulder of the centre half, moving forward into the box, ready to respond to crosses that were coming in.
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Anthony Gordon transformed. We saw him play like that against Barcelona, I think.
Michael: Yeah. He was really good against Barcelona.
Global Sports Podcast Network: We saw him play like that in another game but another cup game, which I can't remember which one it was. Was it against Leverkusen that he was looking good?
Global Sports Podcast Network: can't remember.
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: He's done it once or twice.
Michael: He was decent. Yeah. yeah
Global Sports Podcast Network: Now, but i don't know if he just turns up for the Hollywood moments because it's on the telly and it's against a big team. but I don't know why he would do that because he never used to do that but he should still be able to turn up come Boxing Day when we're away at Old Trafford because that's that's the only game of the day that's a real under the lights job I think we've got to stick with Gordon now he's discovered this and encourage him ah it's harsh on Barnes because Barnes wasn't bad in the second half when he came on and
Michael: Maybe. Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Missed his chance to score the winner twice, of course. But, um yeah, I think that was certainly Valtemar playing 20 yards further up the pitch. Anthony Gordon looking like he can play when he plays for England, for Newcastle, for a change.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Jacob Ramsey, what did you make of his performance? I thought he was head and shoulders above anything I've seen from him yet.
Michael: Yeah, I actually thought first half he was our best midfielder. um And to be honest, maybe that's not setting the bar very high. I think we played over the midfield rather than through the midfield like we normally do in that first half. And to be honest, it worked a treat. When the ball did end up going to Bruno or Tonali, Chelsea's players weren't really expecting it because we were playing diagonals and we were playing down the wings a lot more frequently than what we have seen this season. I think when you play a little bit when you When you play a little bit more direct and you make the game more about athleticism, let's be honest, um there was something that they'd mentioned on the telly. I didn't pick it up until during the game, but Chelsea were the least athletic team in the Premier League this season, which means they'd covered the least amount of ground.
Michael: And we set out to to really press that with the likes of Ramsey, playing that direct ball over the top and then having Ramsey run into space, having Bruno run into space, Tonali still covering.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Hey.
Michael: And it was one of those where Newcastle were dominating because we were just so much more athletic, which is what Eddie Howe wants. But Ramsey was a massive part of that for me. I think he covered a lot of ground, or at least if he yeah if he covered the same amount with Bruno and Tonali, he was doing a lot more getting forward quick in those role that attacking sort of midfield role, which it's where I see him a lot more for Newcastle on that left-hand side, getting closer to Gordon, potentially doing the overlap.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Thank you.
Michael: Because we saw what we've seen in previous years, Hall's played left-back, Gordon's played left-wing, and Joe Linton's been there in the the midfield. And the three of them linked up so brilliantly.
Michael: I think Chelsea, we saw that Ramsey can be that option. But again, he just looks one of those that's not devoid of confidence. this season but I think Saturday the early kick-off I think that's a big big game for Gramsci getting his confidence back because he looked very good no
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah, and I think he hasn't played loads of football. um So maybe it's taken this long for him to get up to full match fitness, or full Eddie Howe team match fitness, which we like to think is a little bit higher than most Premier League teams.
Michael: yeah he's probably not even there yet
Global Sports Podcast Network: um that might be I think that's why he hasn't um been picked to start very often. But he was picked to start on Saturday. I thought he did really well. And that's three.
Global Sports Podcast Network: performances of the season we've mentioned without talking about Lewis Hall, who I thought was fabulous. um
Michael: Yeah, whole lot of really good games.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And England's next right back, Lewis Miley, who was a so wonderful.
Michael: Well, first off.
Michael: ah
Global Sports Podcast Network: The pair of them are so technical that that they there's no Trippier hoofed up the line straight out of play. There's no Dan Byrne, put it out wherever it can go.
Global Sports Podcast Network: These guys, in sometimes they're in such tight situations and I'm going, just move it up the line, get it safe. But they won't. They can control it. They can beat a man. They can cut inside with a pass and accept it back with no space and work it out.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I thought Miley, for somebody who was just getting coached how to be a right back on Monday, is incredible, incredibly gifted to be able to do that.
Michael: He was us, ne?
Global Sports Podcast Network: So intelligent to read the game. They read the game with a different mindset to how you do it when you're playing in midfield. um I thought he was very good. Garnaccio didn't have a sniff in that first half.
Michael: Nah. ah To be honest, Matt, i completely agree Miley. Absolutely fantastic. you might and Is it weird that we've got three right back well three full-backs and now I'm sitting there going, you know what, Lewis Miley might be better than all of them. as I love Lewis Hall. I love Tino Levermento. I love Kieran Trippier.
Michael: But Lewis Miley, that performance against Fulham, followed up by the performance against Chelsea, you're sitting there and thinking, this kid is still, I i can't remember if he's, I think he's 20, 21.
Michael: And you're sitting there thinking,
Global Sports Podcast Network: He's 19. He's 19, Michael.
Michael: is he just Is he still 19? I thought he turned 20, but I thought he'd had a birthday.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I don't think so. He might just have just had his birthday.
Michael: I still said 21, to be fair, so it doesn't.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Okay.
Michael: But even then, he is so, so young and have the composure to play right back when you're normally playing you know the Bruno Gamares role or the Sandro Tonali role. They sit there and go, oh I'm going cosplay as Kieran Trippier and do it better than Kieran Trippier.
Michael: It's truly remarkable. That's no slate on Kieran Trippier, by the way.
Global Sports Podcast Network: he's a remarkable man now I didn't see you were watching the telly I was on the ground so I didn't hear this but somewhere on the television someone was comparing him to Maldini
Michael: He's great as well.
Global Sports Podcast Network: which isn't a bad comparison.
Michael: Yes. Jokel.
Global Sports Podcast Network: in in the middle In the middle of your second performance as a right-back, I think that might be a little bit over the top. But no, he's assured.
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: He's calm. That calmness. The thing is, I think that Tino comes back and takes over right-back and we've got ah Lewis Miley in the central midfield. We've got somebody who steps in step with confidence into Bruno's shoes or Tonali's shoes without everybody thinking,
Michael: hundred percent
Global Sports Podcast Network: Tonali and Bruno aren't playing, so we're going to really struggle. That's what I think, the confidence that not just he'll have, but the whole of the Newcastle crowd, because he's one of our own, you know.
Michael: oh
Global Sports Podcast Network: We do love him.
Michael: That's a thing. I think everyone has said over the last year, ah we're terrified. We're screwed if Bruno or Tonali leave. I'm no longer certain of that because I think Bruno would be a massive miss, um obviously. I think both kind of would be, but Bruno's been the standout this season. Tonali, I thought, had a pretty poor game yesterday. um I thought his passing him was pretty shocking.
Michael: But I'm looking at Lewis Miley and I'm going...
Global Sports Podcast Network: Amen.
Michael: That is a player that's maybe not in six months' time, but let's say 18 months, 30 months, could be at the quality to replace Sandro Tornali or Bruno Guimaraes.
Michael: And if you sell one of them for £60 million and it means Lewis Miley gets more game time, I'd actually be relatively okay with it.
Global Sports Podcast Network: and
Michael: Obviously, you've still got that a third central on midfielder spot, but... I'm interested to see how Miley, Tonali, and Bruno work as a three consistently before any of that happens. um Because it doesn't sound like it'll work when you watch them, but they're all so clever that they'll find a way to make a work, Arang.
Global Sports Podcast Network: and
Michael: It'll be brilliant.
Global Sports Podcast Network: The thing is, Miley knows no nothing else other a than playing.
Michael: We've just got to wait.
Global Sports Podcast Network: with Bruno and Tonardi. Coming to the first team squad as a 17-year-old when the boys were there, he's just trained with them. That's why there's a little bit of telepathy going on between them when he is in midfield.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um But don't get too far ahead and too over the top, but Lewis Miley looks like he's winning a first team starting berth wherever it is that Eddie can fit him in.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um Maybe Eddie Howe has learned... What might happen when he's got another Elliot Anderson type on his hands and he doesn't want to make the same mistake twice?
Global Sports Podcast Network: Because Elliot Anderson is the third midfielder, by the way.
Michael: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: That's who you were talking about. Anyway, Newcastle went in leading at 2-0. Volta Marder, brace. An assist from Gordon, which is almost in the in the Premier League, which is the first, I think, since January.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Correct me if I'm wrong.
Michael: Yeah. Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: m
Michael: You're right.
Global Sports Podcast Network: So, you know, it was all looking up good. 2-0, I think, flattered Chelsea. I can remember Shah's volley. hit Shah hit that volley so well. If he'd hit it less well and it had gone along the ground, it would have been much more difficult for Sanchez to save.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Fulton Mato almost got a hat-trick. It was just past the post. ah
Michael: Should have had a hat trick.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Lewis Hall, of course. Lewis Hall, of course, did have the ball in the back of the net, which nobody's mentioned, but that came from some corner that was recycled. He took it really well outside of his left foot from the right side.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um And I still don't know what it was disallowed for.
Michael: yeah
Global Sports Podcast Network: I think there was a foul in the box or something, some wrestling in the box.
Michael: Yeah, so when when Sanchez is going to throw the ball out, Fabian Scher just basically gets in the way. So Sanchez's throw, instead of going high, it just bounces against the floor and goes straight to Lewis Hall. It's a definite foul, unfortunately. But yeah, and i i have from hearing the uproar in the ground, I could tell people hadn't really seen that Fabian Scher had been a little bit naughty there.
Michael: LAUGHTER
Global Sports Podcast Network: you know Well, after just straight after Valtimara had opened the score, Gordon had a shot that came over. He let it bounce and he wellied it. And Sanchez pulled off a very good tip over.
Global Sports Podcast Network: But he should have just... I mean, that was just a side foot. He should have done a side foot like Valtemar did for his second to either side of the goalkeeper. That would have been very difficult to save. So I do think we we could have been we could have been three or four ahead at half-time.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And of course, if that's a different second half, Chelsea are totally deflated at that point and not thinking about coming back.
Michael: some.
Global Sports Podcast Network: They must have felt up having having had a little... period at the end of the first half where they did find some spaces where they probably were expecting to find them before the 40th minute and going in just two down that that probably gave them a little bit of a lift certainly when Maresca said it's only two we get a goal early and look I've got Enzo Fernandez to bring on um
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: He might have said, and Eddie Howe will just watch what happens until we score two two and get equal, and then he'll make some changes, which will counteract that. But um anyway, getting a little bit ahead into the second half, Michael, and we are 2-0.
Global Sports Podcast Network: We are strolling this, lasted for about three minutes. I thought the foul that, um I think it was Ramsey that fouled Palmer,
Michael: It was, yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: really soft wasn't it Palmer was looking for a free kick straight away it went down like somebody had shot him from the stands but still yeah
Michael: Yeah, understand. He's bought but he's done well. We do it every game, so i can't be I can't be too angry about it.
Global Sports Podcast Network: yeah
Michael: But he's done very well to buy the free kick.
Global Sports Podcast Network: But it was still, it was it was, I've seen 30 yards, don't if it was that far out. I still thought it was a chance of a good shot because far enough out to get the ball up and down. um But I thought, I thought Ramsey had set up right. I thought he covered that right-hand side with the wall, but obviously not.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um A fantastic free kick though. I mean, in off the base of the post, which is close for ram Ramsdale, but and Not close enough.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And that to one after just three minutes.
Michael: I think
Global Sports Podcast Network: Took the wind out of Newcastle's sails a little bit.
Michael: Yeah, I think for me, just on the the note of that goal, I did briefly mention it yesterday, they but Ramsdale's position in four is pretty terrible.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And... i
Michael: um I do have to blame him. I do have to say Bruno doesn't jump and it goes over his head, which is not great. I'm not sure if he does jump, whether he gets anywhere near it anyways.
Michael: it is a good It's a well-taken, well-placed free kick. There's not really a lot of pace on it, but Ramsdale's starting position, he's practically touching the far post.
Michael: And it's one of those where I've said this three times, I think, already on this podcast this season.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Thank
Michael: If Ram still has one more step to his left, Instead of covering his near post, overly covering his near post, he saves it. And unfortunately, Ramsdale's had, don't know how many starts now. It'll be maybe five, six, seven, maybe, maybe more. But have a save percentage in the Premier League of 43%.
Michael: And to have conceded the amount of goals Newcastle United have, Ramsdale is really coming under scrutiny, particularly for me, because i think his positioning is pretty terrible. His reflexes are great.
Michael: In fact, you know what? I wouldn't even go as far to say that because... The one minute one thing we haven't mentioned in the first half, Pedro Neto's handball goal, where the the cross comes in, it's recycled from a free kick.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
Michael: Neto heads it, it drops down, it hits him on the hand. And a bit like Romero's goal again ah for Spurs, it just sort of trickles over the line. And then Ramsdale just goes, ah, it just falls to his side. And it's like, what the are you doing?
Michael: a how slow are you diving for a goalkeeper and for me i'd love to see a goalkeeper coming because ramsdale has probably cost us um four points already in my opinion uh and while a lot of people will disagree it's at least four points for me uh and that's almost as bad as nick pope so yeah for me big ramsdale howler
Global Sports Podcast Network: Well, I think you need to find a keeper from Europe. i don't think there's a keeper in the Premier League that comes in that's much more of an improvement on those two without pinching one of one of one of the big boys.
Michael: I agree.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And we ain't going to do that.
Michael: Completely agree with that.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um
Michael: Completely agree.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Now, it wasn't a complete capitulation like you might have expected. Chelsea did come out. They came out with a sense of purpose. They were much, much better at the start of the second half.
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And they raced at us. But it didn't knock us completely off our stride because we came racing back just five minutes after that their first goal with quite a nice ball across to Gordon coming into
Global Sports Podcast Network: the goal line to be able to do a pullback. But that was a penalty, wasn't it? Chalaba took him out.
Michael: Yeah, 100%. Shallowabouts, shoulder barges them. It's far too much pressure. And the funny thing for me, based on this, by the way, is every single person on this planet, and there's two sets of fans that don't, think this. Think it's a penalty. Joe Cole was even saying, oh yeah, it's a penalty. Ali McCoyst was going livid. The only two sets of fans that don't think it was was Chelsea fans, obviously.
Michael: And Arsenal fans who just seem to have such a hatred for Newcastle that it even exceeds rivals from the sea from London.
Michael: They hate us more than they hate teams in London. And it's it shows so frequently. And it's like every single other person on this planet thinks that's a penalty.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Thank you.
Michael: And it's it's ridiculous. Well, except from the VAR.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Well, I think, to be fair, conceding that goal so early and then not getting that penalty very, very deflating, I could understand how the spring went out of Newcastle's step a little bit.
Global Sports Podcast Network: However, sitting in the ground watching it, we could see just from the sheer energy expended that the spring was getting out of the step of one or two players that we had good substitutes on the bench for.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
Michael: yeah
Global Sports Podcast Network: I think Volta Mata should have come off at 55 minutes and Witter come on. I think Ramsey was like a spare part for most of that game. His touch was appalling. Just as I was screaming for him to check that he should have been off, he then did an absolutely fantastic dummy to get round the back of...
Global Sports Podcast Network: Cucurella made him look a right Charlie but he didn't do very much his crossing wasn't brilliant and he certainly couldn't he couldn't find a teammate when it came to it so I would have brought somebody in do you know what i might have brought Barnes on the right and left Gordon on unless Gordon was really knackered or Howe was thinking I need him at Old Trafford I don't know why Gordon came off he was in such good form I didn't think his performers had i don't think his performance had dropped off
Michael: Not in the second half now.
Michael: Maybe it was our best player.
Global Sports Podcast Network: They must have been thrilled to bits to see him being taken off and a langer being brought on.
Michael: No, not at all
Global Sports Podcast Network: Anyway, I think we should have done that at least 10 minutes early, Michael, and not doing it meant that we were tired. And it' says it's it's from ah one of our free kicks, I think. The whole team's up.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Sanchez gets the ball, does a really quick kick. Jao Pedro is clever, outjumps Chau, and Chau does slip to give him a couple of yards head start.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And Jao Pedro does...
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: what Eddie Howe would have expected them to do and why Eddie Howe wanted them up at Newcastle at the start of the summer.
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Took it really well. No blame on Ramsdale there. It's just a very good goal.
Michael: No.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um ah think two touches from the goalkeeper's hand to the back of the net, though, which is which is poor when we've got 11 players in but in between them.
Michael: It's abysmal.
Michael: Yeah, and my one goal up.
Global Sports Podcast Network: yeah. but yeah
Michael: When you're one goal up, there is no reason why, if you if you've got a set piece or you don't, there is no reason why you leave, what was Joe Pedro, a £40 million pound striker, £40-50 million. You do not leave a £40-50 million striker one-on-one with your centre-back when you're ahead in the game.
Michael: If you're chasing the game or it's, you know, let's say if it was 2-2, I'd understand it because you're pushing for the winner.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Should it be?
Michael: There is no need to leave a prolific player like Joe Pedro up front on his own alongside, oh well, sorry, one-on-one with Malik Chow because just in case something happens, like Malik Chow slips, you leave yourself in the gutter. And I'm not saying, oh, prepare for everyone to slip and prepare for the worst.
Michael: but there should have at least been another player close enough that if the worst did happen, there's covering.
Global Sports Podcast Network: should it be
Michael: It's amateur from Newcastle, and unfortunately, it's another bit of, I don't want to say a lack of common sense, but just not being smart enough while we're in the lead and not being able to withstand pressure in other games. Not in this game, because there was no pressure, really. But we just can't hold on to a lead, and we're not smart enough to do that at the minute.
Michael: I don't know if it's because...
Global Sports Podcast Network: you know
Michael: We're missing a ah true, true, i don't want to say leader because Bruno is a leader, but ah a clear head in the 60th minute to go, right, why are we doing that? Let's not do that.
Michael: Let's leave another man back. And I know that people are going to say, oh, well, actually, we've been sitting back on leads ever since the start the season and and we've been saying not to do that. Having two players against one, it's common sense.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I've been
Global Sports Podcast Network: Having defensive cover is common sense, as you say. It should have been there. And unfortunately, we didn't do that. So it's two all. And there's about half an hour to go with um but the injury time that we've got.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I am going to interrupt you, Michael, because I have found, and I forgot to ask you to do it, so I found it to do it myself, the Zencastr advert.
Michael: Let's go.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Which I've got to slot in here because we've been going half an hour and we've only had one advert and that can't be right. Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform.
Michael: Go ahead.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Zencastr came out a clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
Global Sports Podcast Network: If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencastr. Thanks, Ian. You're welcome, Ian. Improvised.
Michael: ah
Global Sports Podcast Network: Part three. it's two There's half an hour to go. um Chelsea brought Enzo Fernandes on, taken Gusto off, I think, and moved Rhys James back to right-back, who then came and played in midfield anyway.
Michael: Yes.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And they were running right through us. they were They had an extra man and they were running through the middle of the team. And at that stage... I would have taken a point straight away at that stage because it looked like Chelsea could have gone on scored number three, number four, number five.
Global Sports Podcast Network: But they didn't because I think we were defending well still. I think we still had it. um It's about that time that Howe makes his substitutions. It's Barnes for Gordon, Alanga for Murphy, Wissler for Valtemada, which we could have done...
Michael: yeah
Michael: yeah yeah
Global Sports Podcast Network: um 10 minutes earlier, easy. um And actually, although it's a basketball game, we do get more of a foothold in that.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And I think after Ramsdale has...
Michael: we do
Global Sports Podcast Network: um made one very good save from Garnaccio, and then Garnaccio, sniffing blood, has decided to whack two or three good openings way over the bar for us. Thank you very much, Andre, Alejandro, whatever you're called. and um But we had the best chances, I think, in those last 10 minutes.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I was thinking, you know, the
Michael: Yeah, 100%. Yeah. Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: the move that I thought was absolutely delightful, probably where I was sitting, I could see it unfold, was the one that ended with Bruno doing a fabulous curling cross that Barnes ran onto and volleyed so well.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And from the angle I was at, that was in. i was on my feet with my arms in the air, together with the rest of the Leeser's Corner, um only to realise it had gone the wrong side of the post.
Michael: yeah
Global Sports Podcast Network: Couldn't believe it.
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: But don't think that would have been us stealing them any points if we'd scored that.
Michael: No, definitely not.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um
Global Sports Podcast Network: There was a fantastic throw as well from Ramsdale, by the way, right down the centre of the pitch. We saw Alanga's pace as he got to it and ran through and he chopped back and Barnes, 10 yards out, just to the square of him and he shot wide.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Oh, it was so disappointing. We had the chances in the last 10 minutes to win it.
Michael: I am going to Yeah, I've seen a lot of criticism about that Alanga chance, and I am going to leap to his defence for a change. But if you look at the chance again and think of the point where Anthony Alanga will have decided, I'm going to take on my man and I'm going to get a shot away.
Michael: Barnes and Wisser are 25 yards behind him. Even if they're shouting and screaming, he's got no idea where they are they are because they're 25 yards behind him. At the point of where he takes the shot...
Michael: Maybe if he hesitated a little bit, he would have noticed someone was there. But the entire time he's making that run, he's 25, 30 yards ahead of everyone else. And the he hasn't got eyes in the back of his head, unfortunately.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Michael: I've seen a lot of... There was no unjust criticism there from you, but I've seen a lot online where it's like, Alanga's an absolute effing idiot. How did he not know they were there? because he hasn't got eyes in the back of his head.
Michael: And unfortunately, his decision-making is a big um negative in his game, but that wasn't an example of it. And I actually thought he came on and did quite well.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Well, also, that decision was... um a few seconds earlier than when he actually took the shot as well, because he's got to make that decision to chop back in to get it on his right foot to shoot.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I agree entirely with you.
Michael: Exactly.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I wasn't criticising him. I was just counting those chances in the last 10 minutes, which could have given us a 3-2 win, a which would have evened things up for the biased...
Michael: I know.
Global Sports Podcast Network: That referee, by the way, has Chelsea tattooed on his arse, because it wasn't just it wasn't just the penalty that we didn't get.
Michael: ah
Michael: No, there was a lot, wasn't there?
Global Sports Podcast Network: It wasn't the handball. The the handball I wouldn't think was a penalty in the first half, but other refs would have given it.
Michael: Potentially, yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: The little pullback on Harvey Barnes right at injury time.
Michael: In the Champions League, it's given.
Global Sports Podcast Network: That was, he knew that happened.
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: He thought, oh he's pulled him there. And he looked over to his linesman said, did you see him pull him there? And the linesman didn't do anything. He oh, you didn't see it.
Michael: ah
Global Sports Podcast Network: I probably have imagined it then. i didn't do a thing. So the the ball's out for a goal kick at the Newcastle end when you suddenly see on VAR that somebody's checking whether there's a denial of a goal-scoring opportunity.
Michael: Yeah, it's annoying, isn't it?
Global Sports Podcast Network: and
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I mean, surely they've already in their head said that must be a foul. For them to decide that's the denial of a goal-scoring opportunity, in which case the game should have restarted with a free kick on the edge of the box.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And clutching at straws here, it's the 95th minute. We've already played injury time, but that's how long we kept going.
Michael: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I think overall, Michael, thick Newcastle came out of the game with great credit. A very, very encouraging result.
Michael: Oh, I agree.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I think they were caught... by a really good performance, particularly from Rhys James. But I thought Fernandes was very good when he came on.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Cucurella, he's just a shit-colour cheerie, but he played very well as well, as he always does.
Michael: Yeah.
Michael: That'd be good game. Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: God, sideshow Bob, we don't like him. and For no justifiable reason other than he's identifiable by the crazy hair. That's the only reason he gets booed.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I take a lot of positives out of it. I'm encouraged, I think, having watched Man U look wide open at the back still against Villa today and watched Bruno Fernandes limp off with a bad hamstring.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I think we've got a chance of winning at Old Trafford on Boxing Day, which, you know, which, to be honest, we should if we beat Chelsea and got a draw Old Trafford, we'd think that was a good four points.
Michael: Yeah, I agree.
Global Sports Podcast Network: So we can can keep going, keep the momentum going. What do you take away from the game, Michael?
Michael: I think it's one of those we've. We've shown that even with a game in midweek, we can come out and have the best performance of a season. The only issue is is that it's so unpredictable.
Michael: and But I think we only have four defenders, but we can be very confident in those four. I know we conceded two, but Miley, brilliant at right back. The other three are great as well.
Michael: Up front, Valtomar is finally scoring again. It was one goal in 11 games before this. Now he's got two.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
Michael: Might get back on it. Gordon, best game we've seen from him as well. um So it's one of those where there are a lot of positives. i mean, I was... dreading it before the game because Valtomar wasn't scoring, Gordon wasn't really doing anything and we yeah I was thinking we were going to have to play Alex Murphy but I came out of it gutted that we didn't get the three points and that's because it was a very good performance we could have had five or six if it was ah a different day, we could have lost on a different day as well So, all in all, we were unlucky, but I'm excited for Old Trafford. And if we play like we did against Chelsea, then it's just going to be another Ruben Amarum defeat.
Michael: And I would love it.
Global Sports Podcast Network: It's going to be another basketball game, isn't
Michael: I would love it if we beat them. 100%. ah hundred cent
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yes, indeed. Yes, nice impersonation, Michael. Thank you very much indeed for joining me to discuss that game. We have rattled on a little bit longer than we should have done, but hey, there was a lot to talk about.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Personally, i agree. That was the best game I've seen for, I don't know,
Global Sports Podcast Network: That was the most exciting game I've sat through then since I've got to remember his name. Matty Longstaff scored the winner against Manchester United. And I think Steve Bruce was my job then.
Global Sports Podcast Network: That's how long ago that was. That was an absolutely wonderful game to sit through.
Michael: a
Global Sports Podcast Network: um So up and down incredible. um And yes, i got I got hugged and punched by the guys sitting either side of me in the crowd.
Michael: Great football, man.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And I hadn't met them beforehand.
Michael: At the same time. Well,
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah. um No, what a good game.
Michael: I hope you're all right.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah. Oh, no, it was all good. It was all done in good spirits. And we all left talking about how cheated we felt. You say we could have won 6-0 on a different day. We definitely could have won 6-0 with a different referee. But that's for other people to argue.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um Thanks for joining me, Michael. If you've liked what you've heard, you can obviously can like and subscribe. Don't want to miss any of this gold. um Follow us on all the social medias.
Global Sports Podcast Network: If you're checking out our show description below, you'll see our link to all of those. We're on them all, I think. Oh, we Michael, I don't understand them all.
Michael: We are indeed.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Look. Look how old I am. Bloody TikTok. What the hell's that? That's the noise my watch makes. m Join us. Who are we playing with?
Global Sports Podcast Network: Oh, Manchester United. We might have some...
Michael: it there.
Global Sports Podcast Network: tang to sit back and look at what we need in the transfer market before we do another game preview it's just been preview and review over and over again for the last couple of weeks but anyway thanks for joining michael thank you everyone for listening and we shall see you just but just after christmas so merry christmas
Michael: Yeah.
