Newcastle United drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday evening at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. United turned in what was probably their best performance of pre-season against a fellow Premier League opponent.
In a match that was full of moments of encouragement and plenty of feisty challenges, goals from Harvey Barnes and Brennan Johnson cancelled each other out in the end.
Here are 4 things I liked (and 2 I didn’t) from the match:
**Liked****: Bruno’s commitment and Gordon’s renewed focus**
There were some really poor challenges during the match facilitated by a ref who was clearly out of their depth. None more so than Romero going through the back of Bruno in the box during the first half, which should’ve seen a penalty awarded to United.
Bruno’s reaction, which would’ve earned him a red card in a league match, showed why he was made captain (and how he has matured into the role after a shaky start), and that he wasn’t going to stand for that short of cowardly in-the-back-challenge, especially in a meaningless friendly that almost became a de facto Son testimonial.
Gordon, away from speaking well during the tour, looked sharper, fitter and focused in his 62 minutes, pressing from the front too and just needed to time his run better to score. He has had the complete opposite to the summer he had 12 months ago and you’d fancy him to have a big season.
Bruno and Gordon had a really positive game, and their actions, on and off the pitch, continue to highlight their commitment to our cause. Some other members of the squad could learn a thing or two from their behaviour…
**Liked: Fabian Schar rolling back the years**
Picking out another individual, the Swiss turned in his best performance of pre-season, spraying passes around, looking combative, and generally defending well. We are entering the twilight of Schar’s career with us and he has been one of the underrated, certainly under-appreciated by certain former managers, servants of Newcastle United.
The 33-year-old is entering his seventh campaign with the club, longevity not often seen in the modern game, and I really hope he can have another overall positive campaign to go out on as I just can’t see him getting another contract, although I’d personally love him to if he continues his overall trend towards positive performances.
He can be a bit hit and miss, but there aren’t a lot of centre-backs with his skillset, and the ones that do, they all go for £50m+. This is a well-trodden line from myself, but I just wish he was ten years younger.
**Liked: Lewis Hall’s return from injury**
It was short, sweet (in that he looked sharp), and it was brilliant to have the youngster return from a long injury layoff. Hall was probably on his way to having a shout for player of the season before the injury, and if he can continue his rapid development, we will have one of the best young left-backs in the Premier League.
His return to fitness has nearly come at the right time with two friendly matches left of pre-season, although I concede he is unlikely to play in both with them only being 24 hours apart. Is there a chance of arranging a behind-closed-doors game for the lad to build up his match fitness? Potentially, but it was just pleasing that he appeared in his short run-out to feel no ill effects from the injury.
**Didn’t like: The standard of refereeing**
Seems like having probably the best South Korean footballer ever in their ranks rendered the referee starstruck and blind, as there were some shocking tackles that went unpunished during the match. It’s a friendly and the players must be afforded a certain level of protection above the usual, but the ref went about his job like he was hoping to get Son’s shirt after the game.
The aforementioned challenge on Bruno, Tel’s obvious foul on Matt Targett that led to a clear-cut one-on-one chance that went unpunished, late fouls on Park during the second half, and countless others gave the game a very ‘unfriendly’ feel. Perhaps it was in part for the sell-out crowd – try to encourage a competitive game, rather than a friendly snoozefest – but it was a shocker from the ref.
Mind, we’ll soon be back with the English refs, and they’re not much better.
**Didn’t like: Matt Targett a shadow of the player?**
Matt Targett just seems like one of those players that a squad has left behind. It’s really no fault of his own but injuries have made him a shadow of the player we signed on loan who helped us stay up three seasons ago.
Targett has looked so slow in pre-season and he continued that today. Apart from one good cross he put into the box, the lad looks finished as a top-level footballer and the fact that he is the backup left-back in a Champions League-level squad is concerning. I’d wager that if his wages weren’t so astronomical, he’d be up on the chopping block this summer alongside Longstaff and Hayden.
Slightly concerningly: is there a lack of depth at fullback? Hall’s back-up is Targett/Tino (although you definitely want Tino on the right), and we have Trippier but he’s 34 and Burn isn’t an option at left-back anymore. It’s a debate for sure but one that’ll have to be kicked down the road as we have more important issues in the squad that need sorting.
**Liked: Much improved performance**
The early concession of a goal, and another couple of lapses in concentration aside, it was a much improved performance from Newcastle. Brennan Johnson’s goal was a poor one to concede, but from that moment on, United were the better team, showed an excellent attitude in punishing conditions, stood up to some unnecessary rough stuff, and a shocking referee.
Harvey Barnes was very effective in a floating, almost tucked-in left-wing/number ten role and scored a great goal, as he tends to do. Jacob Murphy was excellent, playing some brilliant balls in behind and putting in some dangerous crosses, and Joelinton was the physicality monster that he usually is and probably should’ve scored via a first-half header.
Gordon’s disallowed goal showed sharp movement, yet the yard he was offside also showed that he isn’t as effective up front as he is in wide positions, and United can’t go into the season with him as one of our striker options.
Park had another brief but skilful cameo, nearly providing an assist for Bruno late on, despite what the commentators said. Travis Hernes’ cameo was also positive in a position that’s up for grabs in the squad. Overall, it was much, much better and showed that despite all the noise around the club, its transfer policy, and a certain Swede, we do have a lot of excellent footballers in our squad.
Two weeks out from the start of the season, and there are a lot of issues still to sort out at the club, but Sunday’s performance was a tiny ray of light in what has been a difficult summer. Onto the Sela Cup and Atlético Madrid.