Shots from Newcastle United's 0-0 draw at Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon.placeholder image
Shots from Newcastle United's 0-0 draw at Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon. | Getty
Newcastle United opened up their Premier League campaign with a point at Aston Villa - and here’s what we thought about it.
A point at Villa Park is a positive, right? Well, it kinda felt like that, but kinda didn’t when you add the context that the hosts were down to 10-men for much of the second half.
We’ve delved into the contest a little deeper here at NewcastleWorld - and this is what we thought about it, including a healthy bit of chatter about Alexander Isak, even though he was unsurprisingly not present again for Newcastle United at Aston Villa.
Alexander Isak chants by NUFC fans - what does it all mean?
Eddie Howe has been desperate to keep the Newcastle United door ajar for sulking skiver Alexander Isak, but have fans just pushed it shut? Only time will tell, after their two-pronged attack on Saturday afternoon.
While the lads on the park gave their all and just came up short - and were given warm praise and applause for it - fans waited for the players to disperse before making their feelings known for the man who couldn’t even bother his backside to turn up.
First it was ‘there’s only one greedy...’ you know the rest. Then it was a rendition of an old Mike Ashley classic, ending in ‘all we care about, is NUFC’. If the wider world didn’t know it already, Newcastle fans will not be slighted by anyone, £150million price tag or not. It was a pointed message, perfectly timed and I thought it struck the right tone.
Will Isak even hear it, will it make the club change their stance on the player? It might mean nothing, but at least Saturday gave the fans the chance to have their say, while Isak takes anyone and everyone associated with the club they love for a ride.
Anthony Gordon wasted up top - but it’s not his fault
Anthony Gordon is one of the brightest left wingers in European football. His pace, direct running and ability to beat a man can be an absolute joy to behold. None of that is possible as a lone striker.
Obviously, he’s doing it selflessly, for the team. And the hard work is still there. But it’s not right, and needs fixed. This team loses so much with Gordon alone up top. The moments he drifted left were a timely reminder of this, especially one mazy second-half run that ended with a bit of a tame shot. It didn’t produce the goods, but it showed his home is left, not centre.
NUFC are not a one-man team - it’s time to show it
And that kind of nicely brings us on to the absolute lack of cutting edge in this team at the moment - and we all know, it’s no fault of their own.
Take one of the world’s top three frontmen out of any team and they’d struggle. Howe has some job on his hands to work out some answers ahead of Liverpool - and, of course, the rest of the season.
While outside influences will help - Yoane Wissa being the main one - more needs to come from within, too. Newcastle’s aren’t - and should never be - a one-man team. Isak does not define this XI, and nor should they allow that narrative to grow. Gordon can bring goals, Elanga must provide some, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, too.
'Infuriating' Elanga - but it’s early days
It is, of course, too early to judge things. It really is, as bad as that 78 minutes was for a first offering from Anthony Elanga.
He was involved plenty, and his pace us not in doubt, but he was definitely lacking in quality on far too many occasions, a whole lot more than the player himself would like.
Look, it was only one outing, so it's no judgement on his ability, but he'll know if he's to keep Jacob Murphy out the team early season, he'll need to produce a little better than he offered up in the Midlands.
Dan Burn is turning into NUFC’s Mr Basics - and we love him for it
I find it so hard, so often, to rate Dan Burn after his performances. He’s never flashy, but always does the proper basics of defending so, so well.
He’s set remarkable standards in this back four - and it’s hard to see how anyone, even two £30m+ continental defenders push him out of this United unit. He’s a constant revelation at Newcastle United.
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