Match report: Newcastle 2 – Athletic Bilbao 0: Bend it like Burn masks stuttering display
Newcastle United did a professional, if uninspiring job, in dispatching of a mediocre Athletic Bilbao side as they cruised to a routine 2-0 victory in the Champions League – their third in a row in the competition as they near qualification to the next phase.
While the prospect of criticising a winning performance in the Champions League may seem ridiculous to many, I am going to give it a good shot.
Yes, we won, and it is always better to win in any circumstance regardless of performance than to lose, we cannot be in denial that something is not quite clicking for the lads at this moment in time.
From ragged start to settled heads
Right from the moment the team sheet was announced you could almost hear the universal collective groan that Anthony Gordon, Joelinton, Dan Burn and Nick Pope had all retained their place in the starting lineup, and so it proved to be justified. Faced with, let’s be honest, a routine Bilbao press, our lads simply could not get their foot on the ball. Either misplacing simple passes or being incapable of taking the ball under control – with Gordon among the worst offenders. Everything and anything he tried failed to come off. He was not alone as Bruno, likely feeling the effects of an illness that has been doing the rounds, looked particularly sluggish and lethargic at times. I
In the opening exchanges it looked as though Bilbao were the more likely to make the breakthrough, but without the enigmatic Nico Williams on the wing, they had little threat in behind, with much of the play congested in the middle.
The congested nature of the play and Bilbao’s high-press meant there was plenty of space in behind to exploit, and so it looked as though Newcastle United had opened the scoring as a clipped ball over the top of the Bilbao defence was expertly taken down by Joelinton who controlled the ball well, before shifting it onto his left foot before cooly dispatching it to the bottom corner. While the assistant’s flag went up straight it, replays seemed to suggest that it was tighter than it first seemed. Either way, it was chalked off. It should have given us a clue as to the tactic that we should have sought to replicate – more on that later.
It felt as though an early goal was needed to settle heads, calm any tension in the stadium, and put a poor Bilbao side under pressure, and in the 10th minute, the lads delivered in style.
Kieran Trippier rolled back the years to deliver a beautiful freekick deep into the penalty area. Dan Burn peeled away from the defender and was left unmarked as he met the ball and seemed to defy the laws of physics as his headed effort bent outside in before nestling into the top corner. To say it was one of the best headed goals in Champions League history would not be an overstatement.
Caution or complacency?
Given that this Bilbao side have endured a miserable time this season, were beset with several injuries to key players and have been leaking goals in recent weeks, one would have expected the lads to kick on, grab the second and third and fourth. This is not what happened as Athletic Bilbao almost struck straight back a few minutes later as Unai Gomez was released with a through ball down the right channel that caught our defence on the hop as he ran in behind and tried to squeeze a ball to Pope’s near post. The ball cannoned off the post but was given as a corner that nearly cost Newcastle United as Adama Boiro unleased a thunderous effort from the resulting corner off Pope’s far post.
If Howe had drilled in the need to not sit back and rest on our laurels after taking an early lead – like we had done against West Ham – the lads hadn’t heeded the message.
The remainder of the first half was played out in a congested, low-quality manner. Our fullbacks offered zero width, or wingers provided no threat in behind, Woltemade struggled to get into the game, regardless of how deep he came into play – or precisely because of how deep he came into play, adding to the congested nature of the game.
Woltemade himself missed a glorious chance before the half-hour as a deflected Barnes cross found an unmarked Woltemade 8 yards out in front of goal, the ball delightfully begging to be buried, but the big German got his header all wrong and fired it wide.
On the few other occasions where it looked like Newcastle United would threaten were typically when clipped balls were played over the top of the Bilbao defence, exploiting their high line, something we did not do nearly enough. On the rare occasion we got at the Bilbao defence, the quality was lacking, with Gordon missing a glorious opportunity, before trudging off, seemingly still struggling with the hip injury that resulted in him being hooked against West Ham on Sunday, to be replaced by Jacob Murphy.
Which begs the question: why did Howe start him?
Brighter start, short-lived
The lads came out much brighter in the second half. Tonali looked like a man possessed, Bruno seemed to have the bit between his teeth, with Murphy now on the right it felt as though there was considerably more ability to exploit the space left in behind by the Bilbao high-line and it took only a few minutes in the second half for Murphy and Barnes to join up to set up Newcastle United’s second.
Murphy breaking down the right pulled a delightful ball back to Barnes on the opposite wing who’s initial attempted cross rebounded back to him. Barnes retained his composure and found Joelinton unmarked in front of goal with a delightful, clipped ball which Big Joe dispatched comfortably to give Newcastle United an unassailable two goal lead.
With energy conservation clearly front of mind, Howe rang the changes just after the hour, bringing on Lewis Hall, Anthony Elanga and Lewis Miley for Dan Burn, Harvey Barnes and Bruno Guimaraes, and the rhythm of the game suffered as a result. With the exception of the bright cameo from Lewis Hall, who immediately provided the kind of thrust, fluidity, ball control, and verticality from full-back that Dan Burn simply doesn’t offer, the rest of the game played out in a flat, uninspiring fashion.
Job (almost) done
Regardless of the nature of the performance, the fact that Newcastle United sit top 8 of the Champions League, with 9 points after 4 games, with 3 straight wins, conceding no goals in the process, is dreamland territory. The lads are in a fantastic position to qualify for the next phase of the Champions League, and with Marseille having lost to a late goal at home to Atalanta shows that we can go to Stade Velodrome and nick a result that could all but secure qualification.
However, fans are justified to call into question the nature of the performance against a dreadful Athletic Bilbao side struggling for form, bereft of confidence and missing their key players. For large parts it was turgid, lacking in quality, reliant on a gravity defying Burn header and shoddy Bilbao defending to get us over the line. In the context of the dreadful West Ham performance that was lacking in intensity, effort and quality, this was simply not enough of an improvement to reassure fans that a corner has been turned.
Next up is an away trip to Brentford – not a happy hunting ground in recent years. Last night offered little suggestion that a corner has been turned and that fans can expect a much improved away showing at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The game at a glance
Player ratings
Nick Pope – 6: Barely troubled all night. Did what was expected of him.
Kieran Trippier – 6: Aside from assisted free-kick, offered little.
Dan Burn – 6.5: Still wondering how that header went in. Replaced after the hour by Hall whose cameo exposes his limitations. Surely his time at left-back is coming to an end.
Sven Botman – 6.5: Still not looking as assured as he usually does.
Malick Thiaw – 7: Rarely troubled. Usual composed self. Played some nice balls into midfield.
Bruno Guimaraes – 5: Way off the pace. Looked sluggish and lethargic. Should not have started. Replaced just over the hour.
Sandro Tonali 6.5: Started brightly in the second half but went missing for large parts of the game.
Joelinton – 6: Looks out of place in games when we dominate the ball. Took his header well.
Anthony Gordon – 2: Arguably being generous. Was awful from start to finish. Replaced due to injury just before half-time.
Harvey Barnes – 6.5: Probably Newcastle United’s most consistent attacking outlet. Probably should have had two assists. Replaced by Elanga.
Nick Woltemade – 6: Missed a glorious chance in the first half. Got into the game more in the second half, but still not his most impactful performance. Replaced by Ramsey
Substitutions
Jacob Murphy – 6.5: Immediately provided more threat in behind. Unlucky not to have started.
Lewis Hall – 7: Rare bright spark in otherwise dreary game. Badly needed at left-back.
Lewis Miley – 6: Showed some nice touches. Probably should have started.
Anthony Elanga – 5.5: Another poor outing.
Jacob Ramsey – 5.5: Forgot he even came on.
Eddie Howe – 5: Loyalty to certain figures seems to be a liability more than a strength. Starting Gordon seems a baffling decision in hindsight.
Verdict
Being slightly frustrated with a performance in a routine Champions League win feels like a privilege afforded to very few football supporters, and we would do well to remind ourselves just how far we have come. However, this performance will not have done anything to quell concerns about the effort and attitude of the squad who have been well below their levels for several weeks. With a tough away trip to Brentford to come just before the international break, the mood is apprehensive rather than upbeat.
