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Graeme Souness slaughters Newcastle player for weakness in Huddersfield defeat

7 years ago
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Graeme Souness commented after the final whistle that it was a ‘great day for Huddersfield’ and that they had ‘deserved to win’.

The former manager stated that there was next to no quality at either end and the one piece of magic did indeed win the game.

However, he was scathing of one Newcastle player’s attempt to prevent Aaron Mooy scoring the winner.

Graeme Souness said about the contribution of Mikel Merino to the goal…’It is weak and it is like what you see in schoolboy football’.

The Spaniard turning his back and an easy one-two opening up for Mooy to have a free shot to score and win the three points.

Merino actually did ok overall, especially considering this was only his third start in the top league of any country.

Of more concern for Rafa Benitez was the almost total absence of real quality throughout his entire team.

Graeme Souness speaking on Sky Sports:

“When he (Mikel Merino) comes out to confront Mooy (before the goal), his sole intention is not to have physical contact with Mooy, or to get hit by the ball. It’s a joke.

“You are defending 20 yards from goal, take a blow for the cause and make yourself hard to beat.

“You can’t win games of football when people are making decisions like that.

“It is weak and it is like what you see in schoolboy football.

“Someone needs to speak to him and say ‘take a blow for the cause’…if you do that we are still in the game, it’s 0-0 and we might sneak something.

“It was a great day for Huddersfield.

“They deserved to win, even though there was not a great deal of quality in the final third from either of the teams.

“There was lots of endeavour and lots of organisation, which is what you expect from teams coming up from the Championship.

“Neither of them really showed that little bit of imagination, apart from Aaron Mooy for Huddersfield with that goal.”

Stats from BBC Sport:

Huddersfield 1 Newcastle 0

Goals:

Huddersfield: Aaron Mooy 50

Possession was Huddersfield 53% Newcastle 47%

Total shots were  Huddersfield 7 Newcastle 13

Shots on target were Huddersfield  3 Newcastle 5

Corners were  Huddersfield 7 Newcastle 3

Newcastle United:

Elliot, Manquillo, Clark, Lascelles, Mbemba, Ritchie, Hayden (Diame 76), Merino, Atsu, Perez (Murphy 80), Gayle (Joselu 52)

Unused Subs:

Darlow, Aarons, Saivet, Mitrovic

Crowd: 24,128

Referee: Craig Pawson

(To view and to add your marks to our Newcastle v Huddersfield interactive ratings go here)

(Instant NUFC fan/writer reaction to the match, read it here)

(Read Alan Shearer’s reaction after the final whistle here)

(All contributions from Newcastle fans welcome, send articles (as well as ideas/suggestions) to contribute@themag.co.uk)

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