Newcastle United 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur (02/12/25) | post-match from pg. 46

[Displayname]

11 minutes ago, Pixelphish said:

We've had some awful performances this season but I think this is the first morning I've woken up properly pissed off. Keep replaying that dog shit overhead kick in my mind just casually bouncing in past the lot of them. Doesn't help my brother in law is a Spurs fan.

Same.

It's the hope that kills you.

 

It was far from our worst performance, other than poor finishing it was rather good actually.

But when things are finally looking like we are turning it around, we still end up again resigning to defend the lead and doing a piss poor job at it. 

[The Prophet]

There's definitely green shoots there, we've been much improved since the last international break, but we've still got a way to go before we're back to our best. Inconsistency from a side in transition is understandable.

[Big Geordie]

Playing 3 games a week is a struggle for us at the moment, particularly when our game is built around intensity and physicality. It's too much to ask to go full tilt and a drop off was inevitable. I guess that's where game management and keeping the ball better should come in. I also think we are a team in transition - shifting away from it being built around Isak and I also expect some of the old guard (Tripps, Big Joe, Pope, Murphy, etc) will be moved on in the next year or two. 

 

Will see though. 

 

 

Edited December 3, 2025 by Big Geordie

[Yorkie]

12 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

I'm not sure how that add up in terms of us going for a second and a third, mind. I'd get it if we were struggling to get the first, but we're doing that part of it which would suggest that in itself isn't a problem. Once we get that goal though we very noticeably change our approach instead of going hell-for-leather again.  

 

Aside from early goals at West Ham and Everton, we have to work really hard to score. We've drawn a blank in three away games and it's taken more than an hour to score in five of our seven home games. We're routinely getting at least one now but we're not free-scoring in any way and not having a fucking mint striker is clearly a contributing factor.

[samptime29]

Feel like this forum is way too negative and whiny atm. Too much abuse and not enough support. Said it a few times but there a stench of entitlement around here atm. Turning into everything I feared really. 

[Kid Icarus]

3 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Aside from early goals at West Ham and Everton, we have to work really hard to score. We've drawn a blank in three away games and it's taken more than an hour to score in five of our seven home games. We're routinely getting at least one now but we're not free-scoring in any way and not having a fucking mint striker is clearly a contributing factor.

Our early goal record at this point in the season is better than at this point last season and the one before FWIW. It's not so much early goals for me anyway, it's more that once that first one comes it used to be that we'd sort of cracked the code and would go and do it again. This season it's like we crack the code and immediately change how we play. Isak is a contributing factor for sure, but nowhere near as much as our overall mental attitude imo, it's happened too often to pin it on any one player past or present. 

[joeyt]

Thought our set pieces were dreadful last night and we were guilty of completely overthinking them

 

We know Spurs and their keeper can't defend corners yet the set pieces were constantly under and overhit

[JP]

1 minute ago, joeyt said:

Thought our set pieces were dreadful last night and we were guilty of completely overthinking them

 

We know Spurs and their keeper can't defend corners yet the set pieces were constantly under and overhit

Took a few awful attempts from Tonali, Hall and short ones before Miley got on them.

 

Bruno's 2nd half were much better

 

[TheBrownBottle]

54 minutes ago, stozo said:

I think you are underrating how technically good you have to be to do this. Apart from when opponents give the ball away, it’s really only Arsenal/City level teams that can kill games in this way. When the opposition put their full backs high and put defenders up front, you have to drop players back with them. But that in turn usually means that when the ball breaks you have very, very few passing options and none of them are usually easy. I think Tino had a moment in the 87-93+ period where he hoofed the ball away - really you only have three potential passes in that situation. And all of them involve moving the ball from the right back position into a central position within our half, which if you get it wrong is an extremely bad pass to make. All to say ‘keep the ball’ is not easy at all. 
 

Even last night you saw City concede a very good chance to Fulham late on at 5-4, which they got away with. So it’s not like even the best teams kill games all the time. It hurts because it has happened to us before but the late goal is just unlucky last night - Thiaw wrestling with Romero resulting in him ending up on the ground and leaving Romero free, ball breaking in a place where we had nobody, an unlucky deflection off Thiaw and then Ramsdale not making the save probably because he doesn’t see it coming through bodies and the deflection doesn’t help. 

Arsenal has roughly the same pass completion % as Villa.  NUFC are mediocre at ball retention in PL terms, and given the players we have available that shouldn’t necessarily be the case.  

[alexf]

Yeah corners were a waste considering how many we had. 

 

Agreed that there are some overly negative comments this morning. Yes it's frustrating that was can't seem to see out games properly like previous seasons but you can see we are trying to do the right things and rotate players where possible etc.

 

It's not brilliant but there is enough there to see where we can improve. Wissa coming back should help alot. Tino and Hall's return has already had a big positive impact. 

 

We were threatening to steamroll spurs last night but it just didn't fully clock in the final third. We missed Bruno's creativity first half and a couple of passes and his goal in the second proved that. 

 

However losing Tonali is always is going to have a negative impact on us defensively. And maybe it's mentality but we sit in after we scored each time. Having Wissa or even Osula to help add energy would have helped. 

 

Although felt we should have put Ramsey or Willock in after we went 2:1 up.

 

 

Edited December 3, 2025 by alexf

[bobbydazzla]

12 minutes ago, samptime29 said:

Feel like this forum is way too negative and whiny atm. Too much abuse and not enough support. Said it a few times but there a stench of entitlement around here atm. Turning into everything I feared really. 

 

It's not just this forum, a lot of the people in the stadium are way too negative and turn up just to piss and moan.

[Yorkie]

9 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

Our early goal record at this point in the season is better than at this point last season and the one before FWIW. It's not so much early goals for me anyway, it's more that once that first one comes it used to be that we'd sort of cracked the code and would go and do it again. This season it's like we crack the code and immediately change how we play. Isak is a contributing factor for sure, but nowhere near as much as our overall mental attitude imo, it's happened too often to pin it on any one player past or present. 

 

Basically I don't feel like we really have the characteristics to stand on throats like we could when we had a fast and deadly striker who'd push defenders back or pull them out of position. 

[TRon]

9 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Arsenal has roughly the same pass completion % as Villa.  NUFC are mediocre at ball retention in PL terms, and given the players we have available that shouldn’t necessarily be the case.  

 

 

Maybe we overrate the players then. Bruno is great at ball retention, Hall as well for the most part. Not sure how many others you could put in that bracket. Thiaw and Tino maybe, Tonali on a good day. Miley is good but he plays very safe mostly so easier for him. 

[Mikky]

15 minutes ago, joeyt said:

Thought our set pieces were dreadful last night and we were guilty of completely overthinking them

 

We know Spurs and their keeper can't defend corners yet the set pieces were constantly under and overhit

When we have had success via Miley a few days prior, why take it off him?

[Lush Vlad]

Trying to remember my own words from the other week and not go off on one too much.  It is quite hard, though.  I posted this in the Joelinton thread:

 

Quote

As I said the other day. The result massively dictates how we judge the players and the performance. I don’t think anyone was particularly bad tonight. Although I think Murphy, Ramsdale and Burn had below par games. Along with Hall from a defensive point of view. Woltemade also faded out of it. 
 

But if they don’t score that comedy second goal. Nobody cares and there aren’t really any complaints. 
 

I’m trying not to boot off and remember my own words. But it is hard after that. Feels like a defeat and fully self-inflicted. 
 

Fine margins at this level. 

 

[The Prophet]

Did VAR check the Romero foul before the overhead kick?

[SteV]

Howe’s post-match presser:

 

https://youtu.be/oCrgKZkvbwE?si=WsnwOXBE9ptMWBEr

 

I’d encourage people to watch it. He references many of the points/issues raised in here.

 

Whilst just being aware of them doesn’t really help unless he finds solutions, it should correct anyone that thinks he doesn’t see them, or is too stubborn in his methods to try and change to solve them.

[Fak]

20 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

Did VAR check the Romero foul before the overhead kick?

 

According to Carragher (I know..) they'd have been checking it for a penalty before he scored.

[Kanj]

Honestly as annoying as the goals conceded were, found many many positives in our play. Some of the best stuff we have played in a long time and it’s beginning to click more. Win Saturday and I’ll be very happy with how we have responded in the league. 

[Earp]

52 minutes ago, bobbydazzla said:

 

It's not just this forum, a lot of the people in the stadium are way too negative and turn up just to piss and moan.

Bloke next to me sat and said nothing first half - didn't even reappear after half time

[Kanj]

54 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Basically I don't feel like we really have the characteristics to stand on throats like we could when we had a fast and deadly striker who'd push defenders back or pull them out of position. 

We need new wingers. 

[SteV]

2 minutes ago, Kanj said:

Honestly as annoying as the goals conceded were, found many many positives in our play. Some of the best stuff we have played in a long time and it’s beginning to click more. Win Saturday and I’ll be very happy with how we have responded in the league. 

The only games we’ve been ‘poor’ in IMO this season were West Ham and Brentford (and they were really poor).

 

Other games we’ve maybe been a bit flat (Leeds) or there’s been individual errors or bad luck that has cost us.

 

So, we’re not that far away. But I suppose if you want to be challenging with the big lads, you need to be doing better.

[The College Dropout]

It’s the margins that are killing us. Lack a bit of quality up front.  Lack a bit of football in midfield. Lack a bit of defensive stability. 
 

Last year we win that and hold on. The tactics wouldn’t be much different. But we probably score 3 and don’t concede the second.  

[JP]

Watched the goal back and cannot hide my frustration at Elanga and Gordon man.

 

Romero is on the floor when Ramsdale punches into the air, Elanga and Gordon nearest to it yet Romero gets a free overhead kick in our box? 

 

Lack of commitment issue.

 

[The Prophet]

I just don't think they're expecting him to try the overhead kick.

 

I know it's flavour of the month to stick the boot into Gordon and Elanga, but Burn is by far the most culpable on what was a poor piece of collective defending.