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Opinion

Anyway, it’s 2.30am and I’ve just about recovered my composure after arriving back home from St Mary’s

1 year ago
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The match programme rarely gives much of a clue to what we are about to receive. Last night was the exception.

I quote: “We need to have a little bit of a more aggressive side to us and I think the manager is definitely bringing that. It’s up to us to put that on the pitch.”

The words of James Ward-Prowse, captain of Southampton AFC, in a lengthy interview.

And after the words, the action. Rarely have I seen a team start with such determination to kick their opponents into submission.

Did the referee, Stuart Attwell, have time before kick-off to read the programme? If he had, perhaps he would not have let several offences go unpunished in the first half hour. The late block as Fabian Schar cleared the ball could easily have caused serious injury. Not until the ref belatedly issued a first yellow card for a shocker on Miguel Almiron did Southampton rein back a little.

From my perspective a few yards back from the corner flag farthest from the travelling Toon Army, Nathan Jones sent out his team to knock us off our stride. Nothing wrong with that. Football is a physical game and crunching tackles are sometimes essential.

However, Attwell seemed overly keen to let the game flow rather than call a foul a foul. And in doing so, he didn’t help the game to flow, he helped Southampton to stop us playing by fair means and foul. Almost inevitably, that led to the second-half dust-ups as tempers flared and frustration grew. By the end, he had shown eight yellow cards and a red. Whoever takes charge of the second leg will have their work cut out.

Bruno Guimaraes was a clear target. In response, our midfield maestro started to play first-time passes, some of which gave away possession in dangerous areas.

The home fans near me appealed long and hard for Nick Pope to be sent off, when he had the temerity to rush from his area and head the ball clear. A split-second later, he collided with Moussa Djenepo, who had to leave the field with suspected concussion.

To summarise, one player dives up and forwards to head the ball, then crashes into an opponent. Red card? Don’t be ridiculous, it was not even a foul (and to be fair, the referee didn’t give one, correctly awarding Southampton a throw-in instead).

However, you can hardly blame the “Red Army” for trying it on. Pope is the real-life incarnation of a comic-book hero called Bernard Briggs, whose exploits in The Hornet in the 1960s earned him the nickname The No Goal Goalie.

While our keeper had yet another outstanding game, the finishing was as wayward as it has been since, well, since we scored from all four attempts on target in the 4-1 win at St Mary’s in November.

Little Joe and Big Joe seemed to be running a two-man competition for worst miss of the match. Sean Longstaff was off-target with a decent chance. Other attempts from, in no particular order, Kieran Trippier, Alexander Isak, Sven Botman and Jacob Murphy, flew high or wide, or both.

Time and again some slick passing would rip holes in the hard working Southampton midfield and defence, only for the opening to be squandered.

The second half was more free-flowing than the first, as so often happens when players start to run out of gas or fear a second yellow.

Che Adams was twice foiled superbly by Pope when the hosts concentrated on playing rather than spoiling. The quick feet of Adam Armstrong tested Dan Burn more than once on our left flank.

With the game in the balance, Joelinton found the net a second time. And this time it was not cancelled out by a dubious handball call. Big Joe has a big chest. Watching the less than conclusive replays, I see no evidence his arm touched the ball in that first-half incident.

In contrast, Armstrong’s hand pushed the bouncing ball towards goal as Burn lunged in. United’s defenders seemed bemused, though Pope knew all along it was never going to count.

When you’re The No Goal Goalie, clean sheets are taken as read.

Stats from BBC Sport:

Southampton 0 Newcastle 1 – Tuesday 24 January 8pm

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Joelinton 73

Southampton:

Caleta-Car Red Card 86

(Half-time stats in brackets)

Possession was Southampton 44% (40%) Newcastle 56% (60%)

Total shots were Southampton 13 (3) Newcastle 15 (6)

Shots on target were Southampton 3 (1) Newcastle 3 (2)

Corners were Southampton 4 (2) Newcastle 1 (1)

Referee: Stuart Attwell

Newcastle United:

Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Bruno, Longstaff, Willock (Saint-Maximin 67), Almiron (Murphy 78), Joelinton, Wilson (Isak 67)

Unused Subs:

Darlow, Lascelles, Ritchie, Manquillo, Lewis, Anderson

(3 Positives and 3 Negatives to take from Southampton 0 Newcastle 1 – Read HERE)

(BBC Sport comments from ‘neutrals’ – Very interesting on Newcastle United post-Southampton match – Read HERE)

(Southampton 0 Newcastle 1 – Match ratings and comments on all the NUFC players – Read HERE)

(Southampton 0 Newcastle 1 – The instant NUFC fan / writer reaction – Read HERE)

(Halfway to Wembley – Southampton 0 Newcastle 1 – Read HERE)

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