After having spent Saturday night shouting on the tv within the firm of some outdated (Newcastle United) mates who now reside in East Anglia, and having spent the entire weekend speaking about soccer, meals, music, politics, journey and usually placing the world to rights whereas partaking within the occasional hop and malt based mostly refreshment… I felt mentally ready to confront AC Milan.
Or anybody.
We’ve nothing to lose.
We’re the underdogs with no current European pedigree to dwell as much as. In actual fact, our supervisor hadn’t even been to a Champions League match… till Tuesday!
We’re the undertaking that acquired means forward of schedule.
Everybody expects us to fail and we probably will.
I definitely don’t delude myself that we will go all the best way however it might be good to get out of the group, or no less than end third, in order that the European journey may proceed a bit of bit longer, albeit in a unique competitors.
It might be good to stay it to all the naysayers: however all I’ve ever anticipated, is that the staff tries and does one of the best that they presumably can.
Having now spent my first Champions League night (in current reminiscence) shouting on the tv, this time powered by my trusty Raspberry Pi, and hoping for a efficiency, I wasn’t disillusioned.
(Due to David Jonson for the video)
Issues may have labored out otherwise had our final (solely) shot heading in the right direction not been hit so near the substitute keeper, that he was the hero of the day and never Sean Longstaff .
Trippier was magnificent and appeared to all the time be in the suitable place on the proper time.
The defence did their work however I nonetheless had the sensation that the midfield weren’t absolutely on the races.
Isak needed to spend an excessive amount of time working again to gather the ball, a lot in order that later when he was moved out to the left he didn’t have the vitality to trace again and surrendered possession too simply.
There have been occasions final season if you puzzled, had everybody left their taking pictures boots at house? Resolution making within the last third was additionally at occasions an issue. This stuff might be put proper in time as Eddie finds the best way to get one of the best out of his present squad. That hasn’t occurred as but and has been evident for the reason that begin of this season. And Tuesday evening was one other step on that journey. Thus far, our Champions League studying curve has not but proved to be painful.
I do know everybody has their very own opinion and no two individuals appear to look at the identical match! Nonetheless, I’ve seen some ridiculous issues on social media within the aftermath of AC Milan 0 Newcastle 0.
It was a sizzling evening in Milan and on the finish of the sport the gamers appeared completely knackered.
They tried.
How can anybody complain about that.
That was in any case what we the place crying out for throughout all these years within the soccer wilderness: a staff that attempted.
We got here away from Milan with a tough fought level however it wasn’t fairly or thrilling… or no less than not thrilling in an pleasant means.
Nonetheless, what did individuals actually anticipate: that we have been going to storm into the San Siro and run off with all three factors?
This was a a lot worse end result for AC Milan than it was for us.
We needs to be happy with the progress we’ve got made to this point, with largely the identical squad that have been preventing relegation.
Clearly there have been a whole lot of drained legs and our bodies on the market on the finish of our first away jaunt in Europe. It is going to be fascinating to see how Eddie rotates the squad on the weekend and the way he units up in opposition to PSG at house.
It’ll even be fascinating to see if Eddie makes use of zonal marking at set items once more, appropriate me if I’m flawed however I don’t assume he has used this beforehand in his time in Newcastle.
I’m additionally fascinated by altering ways for the match in opposition to PSG by substituting the Jupiler for Duvel. Hopefully that does the trick!
Howay the Toon.
