Newcastle United line up at Brentford
Newcastle United have conceded 10 goals in their last four Premier League games
Pop went two proud records. Pop, pop. Newcastle had won their last five league visits to Brentford and Eddie Howe had never lost a Premier League fixture against the Bees. Neither stands true any longer.
While Storm Darragh was lashing vast parts of the country it was Brentford's Bombers who eventually blew a fragile Toon away. Pop also went the feel-good factor created by a defiant and exhilarating draw with champions elect Liverpool midweek.
This is turning distinctly depressing. United are not even in the top half of the Premier League table never mind in a European qualifying position. They have harvested a mere two points out of the last 12. Not good enough, not by far.
What on earth has happened when it comes to doing the defensive basics? Two seasons ago when United soared to fourth and a Champions League place they were magnificent misers - only 33 goals were conceded in 38 fixtures but last season United were as watertight as a colander leaking a massive 62. And this campaign is heading only one way again. United have now conceded seven in their last two matches over three days to bring the total given up to 21.
John Anderson, an out and out defender who played well over 300 games for the Magpies, sees all games live as an analyst for BBC Radio Newcastle and he calls the current trends of conceding piles of goals as "frightening."
United are proving to be easy to play against. They possess England's two latest full-backs Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall, a 6ft 8in centre-half Dan Burn, and Fabian Schar who has 86 international caps for Switzerland to his name backed up by an England international keeper Nick Pope. Yet more often than not we play like a basketball team. You score, we score.
Are the two central defenders too old and are the two full-backs too inexperienced? Tough love but is it true?
Midfield provides no defensive blanket of course while the whole side is making basic mistakes. Hall was done on Brentford's first goal, Harvey Barnes under no pressure criminally gave the ball up on the second, Schar missed his header on the third, Livramento was poor on the fourth. In between Pope was lucky to get away with a clanger which ought to have produced yet another Brentford goal. Need I go on?
To score three against Liverpool and two away to Brentford yet win neither match tells its own story of where a significant weakness exists. There are problems elsewhere of course. Barnes is a good impact sub but poor when he starts. He doesn't track back and consequently leaves Hall unsupported. The young boy is assured in possession but defensively is still learning his trade and in the last two games has been stood up by Mo Salah and Bryan Mbeumo.
Jacob Murphy runs backwards as much as forwards which Howe loves and is commendable but he cannot finish like Barnes. There is a lack of legs in midfield when Joe Willock doesn't play and his form is so way off the radar he hasn't deserved a start. It is a predicament.
For all his basic talent, for all the waving of arms frantically at supporters, Bruno is not a natural captain of driving inspiration who organises and terrifies potential slackers like say Bob Moncur or Joe Harvey. Then there is the question of substitutions. As so often in recent times far from making an important difference United's subs at the GTech Stadium made no impact at all despite the bench looking powerful.
Brentford, a club of limited financial clout, lost a huge asset in Ivan Toney but somehow came up with the perfect response in Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa. Maybe they are homers but they are ruddy good homers.
There are Newcastle fans who think that any criticism, however well intentioned and born of concern through love, is sacrilege but there is a considerable growing number who feel the only way a change in fortunes will be forthcoming is through facing facts and acting positively.
Whatever way we dress it up this is the biggest challenge Howe has faced since he came to NUFC. It is the first long run of negativity he has had to combat. How he does it will determine his standing and the standing of a proud club which had looked to be on an upward trajectory since the takeover but has lost its way.
Politically Howe talks well in public, never throwing individuals under the bus and always stressing positives, but in private there has to be harsh words of realism. Laps of honour on the final whistle and team photos in the dressing-room roaring appreciation of a good result is all well and good but wears thin in times of regular adversity.
Leicester to come at home is a must win and Brentford up here again to reach the semi-finals of the league cup equally leaves no room for error.
Where are United going? What will they do in January? What will they do before that? How do they keep top players happy? Do they accept some reputations are being shredded and more importantly do the players who are falling off their high perch? It is time for a brutal reassessment by all and sundry.