Newcastle United’s three wise men watched on from the Gods at Anfield as the Magpies spluttered to another defeat against Liverpool.
There’s nothing new or shameful about losing to the Reds and even Newcastle’s greatest managerial figures such as Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson have suffered the same feat as Eddie Howe last night. A couple of rows along from sporting director Paul Mitchell, performance guru James Bunce and PIF’s Jacobo Solis, sat Kenny Dalglish.
As much as Dalglish will have analysed Newcastle’s current status compared to his beloved Liverpool, even he could not lead the Magpies to a win in front of the Kop. Keegan is the only man to do it in 1994 in the Premier League but also suffered defeats here in 1995 and 1996, most infamously 4-3 against the Reds in a game the nation loves to rerun but true Newcastle fans can’t stand the sight of.
Liverpool will saunter to the Premier League title to become English champions for the 20th time and did not need to get out of second gear on Wednesday night. That is the most worrying part for Mitchell and co who have to assemble a Newcastle United team that can get closer to challenging the likes of Liverpool.
At the moment, Newcastle are nowhere near. A glance around the pitch showed that Newcastle can’t cope with injuries to their top players.
Take Alexander Isak, Joelinton and Sven Botman out of the equation and Newcastle are half the team. There was plenty of promise on show with the likes of Lewis Hall, Tino Livramento, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon a solid base to build a team around.
But when Gordon has an off night and those around Tonali in midfield fail to show, Newcastle are always going to struggle. The performances of Livramento and Hall were the highlight for Newcastle but we’re clutching at straws when looking for positives.
Mitchell must spend carefully this summer and after getting the green light to spend after high-level meetings between PIF and Newcastle at Maften Hall this week, he can’t flaunt the Saudi millions around in nonchalant manner.
Mitchell and Bunce made their way down to the dressing rooms shortly after full-time at Anfield. It would be interesting to know what the purpose of those visits were. Were the pair sympathising with Eddie Howe and his backroom team? Or were they delving into an instant critique of the display?
The latter would be surprising given the post-game dressing room domain should belong entirely to the head coach and his staff. But Howe is only working with the squad that Mitchell has made available to him.
Remember the former Monaco supremo suggested that the scouting department was not fit for purpose last autumn. Back then he said: “Is it fit for purpose? Not last winter gone, the winter before that. Is it fit for purpose in the modern game?
“Because other clubs that have adopted a different approach over time, with more intelligence, more data-informed than we are, actually prospered in this window. That’s where we have to grow to be now.”
If Liverpool are a benchmark, then Newcastle are trailing in their wake while even a faltering Man City easily dismantled the Magpies recently. Howe can argue that he hasn’t been backed in the last three transfer windows.
He is ill-equipped to take on the big boys but doesn’t grumble about it. On Wednesday what was clear to me was that Newcastle can’t deal with the loss of Isak, they lacked a Plan B in terms of supplying their forward with ammunition on nights like that and defensively they look like they’re creaking a bit.
Nick Pope may not have covered himself in glory but how badly exposed was he? In comparison Álisson may as well have unfolded a deck chair and flicked through the Liverpool Echo, he was untroubled for most of the night.
Mitchell’s post-game dressing room visit was brief and unless Newcastle start winning soon in the Premier League again, their dream of Champions League football will be just as fleeting. The question is, are the Magpies really equipped to deal with fighting on three fronts?
I’ll leave that one open to the audience.
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/newcastle-uniteds-transfer-needs-laid-31093189
