The Magpies head coach got his first-half tactics spot on in France but costly errors again hit their ambitions
Newcastle United goalkeepers Nick Pope (left) and Aaron Ramsdale
Newcastle United goalkeepers Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale
View Image
Bashful Newcastle certainly aren't football's Casanova. They can't play away! United blew it again in the Champions League on France's south coast and as a consequence have recorded just one solitary win on their travels in the last seven months.
They chuck away an advantage like confetti in a high wind. In their last three fixtures outside home territory they have led 1-0 at Marseille, Brentford, and West Ham and lost the lot conceding eight goals in the process.
A reassuring thought I must say given that United go to Everton on Saturday and quickly follow with a visit to Bayer Leverkusen in the CL and a derby at Sunderland for bragging rights.
The manner of capitulation to Marseille will spark a heightened debate on Tyneside: should Nick Pope be dropped?
Newcastle had been magnificent in the first half employing a back three with Jacob Murphy and Tino Livramento on his wrong side acting as wing-backs and a front three using pace to counter attack their confused opponents. That they walked down the tunnel at half-time a goal up was only justice after a tactical master class.
However within 24 seconds of the restart Pope had his usual rush of blood. He came so far out of his penalty area to try and meet a Darryl Bakola slide rule pass that he was stranded like a traffic island with all going round him.
There was no hope of him ever getting there especially against a crafty striker like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and the game was turned on its head. It wasn't a lapse in concentration, it was shocking decision making.
The former Arsenal striker scored a second four minutes later - both good finishes admittedly - and everyone had red faces, not just Pope.
Not for the first time Geordies had watched with heart in the mouth a keeper charge like a runaway horse into no-man's land. This time there was no rescue.
Maybe Thomas Tuchel has put him back in the England squad as his third keeper and the World Cup finals beckon but our German national leader had better not seek opinion on Tyneside. More and more United fans want the first team jersey to be handed over to Aaron Ramsdale.
Admittedly Pope is a good shot-stopper but he is now making mistake after mistake. This was a game changer.
Eddie Howe has tried everything to try and bring consistency to United from unexpected tactical switches to tub-thumping and unquenchable loyalty. Now he must be bold and brave . . . starting with his keeper. Players are letting him down, not the other way round.
Former England manager Glenn Hoddle, a shrewd tactician, was gurgling at half-time over United's game plan but shortly afterwards was choking on the remains of his half-time sandwich as the Mags imploded.
Harvey Barnes, man of the moment, must have been gutted. He notched yet again to become United's top scorer this season with seven goals in all competitions and netted a second only to be whistled up offside. Yet all his good work was undone.
United couldn't handle the nous of Aubameyang who may be 36 years of age but class is permanent. He was clever. United weren't. And in Mason Greenwood he had an able outrider and provider.
Maybe United snuffed out the best striker in Europe at the weekend when Erling Haaland didn't get a kick but Aubameyang took them to the cleaners.
All is not lost for United in the Champions League of course. They stand on nine points but two of their remaining three matches are away at Bayern Leverkusen who have just beaten Manchester City on their own ground and then European champions Paris Saint Germain. Without question the Mags must win their final home fixture against PSV Eindhoven.
Right now, however, Everton loom like the ghost of Christmas. United cannot, dare not, lose again on the road. Indeed a draw, usually seen in football as a good result away from home comforts, would be little consolation. Nothing short of outright victory is required. It is a stark fact of their own making.
Talking of Marseille, a Geordie and former NUFC star Chris Waddle, who has remained a hero in those parts after playing in their very successful side winning the French league title three times and making the European Cup final, is coming home.
I'm hosting a very special reunion at the Tyne Theatre of February 13 which brings Waddle, Peter Beardsley and Paul Gascoigne together for the first time on stage.
There are limited tickets still available from the box office tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk. To see in a new year with gusto I'll also be sharing a platform with another legend Malcolm Macdonald at the Tyneside Irish Centre on January 23. Tickets on Wowcher or direct from www.nufcmatters.co.uk. Come along and say hello on both nights.