Newcastle Utd (a) Moving on up
5 changes and the absolute terrorising thought of Michael Keane going up against Andy Carroll. Don Carlo said he would make changes and this was a great opportunity for Moise Kean to get minutes.
A characteristically bad opening 5 minutes almost saw Newcastle take the lead through Almiron, but Keane did just enough to put him off. For all his pace and promise, Almiron is as bad as Mane and Salah for falling over, perhaps Paul Joyce would like to produce a hatchet job about him.... of course he won’t!!!
After that chance, it was all Everton. 9 attempts on goal in the first 30 mins. Attacks down the flanks, attacks through the middle. It’s been such a step change since Ancelotti’s arrival, in total over his 2 games, Everton have had 43 shots at goal, that’s an attempt just over every 4 minutes. Incredible statistic.
On 13 minutes we get a free kick, Gylfi doesn’t get it over the wall, hits the rebound and it breaks to Calvert-Lewin who is half way towards the floor and he manages to get his right foot to the ball and beat Dubravka. The away end so high up in the stand behind the opposite goal that they qualify for air miles went beserk!! Carlo Fantastico, Carlo Magnifico ringing out. Ancelotti on the way to being only the 3rd Everton manager to win his first 2 PL games since 1992. Scandalous statistic.
Moise Kean for me had a great first half, he ran, he made himself available and with a little more luck he could have scored his first goal, it will come. What was evident about him today was he knew what to do and where to run!!
Up until the half hour mark there looked only one winner, but Newcastle have only lost once at home this season and there was always going to be a reaction. They have such directs runners in Almiron and Willems that it’s easy to get overloaded and they caught us so many times during the final 15 minutes of the first half. Chances for Shelvey, Carroll, and a rocket from Schar that Pickford did superbly to keep out. And more importantly a disallowed Carroll goal for offside!! The returning Davies, Keane (thankfully) and Walcott doing well, Baines his magnificent self. Halftime 0-1
No changes for the second half, Newcastle had to chase the game. A very brief early flurry from Everton that saw Kean go close in a 1 v 1, Newcastle began to play a lot more to their strengths. Carroll winning 20 of his 24 arial duels. A very soft free kick on the left from Walcott brushing Willems gave the home side the equaliser. Obviously the target was Carroll who intelligently headed back from the far post to Schar just off the penalty spot and his half volley flew into the corner. 1-1 and you’re looking at the reaction of the Everton players... The first set back under the new manager.
Kean off, Delph on. Enter in game management. Delph slowed the game down, right down to almost walking pace. This relieved the stress on Keane and the once again fantastic Holgate, but more importantly stopped the Newcastle wingers getting at Baines and Sidibe. Delph allowed Davies to run around, and Gylfi to drift into wide positions and this pulled Newcastle midfield out of shape, which lead to the winner. Richarlison broke down the right, Calvert-Lewin lost his marker, and ghosted to the far post, the cross from Richarlison was in between the defenders and keeper, DCL on the stretch 1-2, he’s Brazilian now coming from the God’s!!
So that’s how we react under Ancelotti, no panic, organisation and stick to plan. He’ll manage the pressure not the players, he’ll think our way out of the problems. That’s what good managers do, that what we haven’t had for years.
Now we’re seeing the game out, smart fouls and running diagonals. Mina on, Coleman on and Sidebe ahead of him like the Burnley game. No dramas, just concentration and belief. Fulltime 1-2
How on earth Newcastle paid £40m for Joelinton is an absolute masterstroke from Hoffenheim, a better fleecing than Palace gave us for Bolasie. They are limited, but effective just like Burnley, and these are the teams that so often stunt our progress. We’ve managed to go through and around these two teams to gain victories, that’s thought as much as hard work.
2 wins from 2 with City next. Thankfully they have a game before playing us, it’s likely Sheff Utd will feel the backlash of the Wolves game. The added benefit we will have is facing Claudio Bravo in goal instead of Ederson. A shoot on site policy must be employed!!!
4 weeks ago, battered and humiliated at Anfield, 5 games later, 3 wins, 2 draws, out of the bottom 3 and into the top half. Positivity everywhere, a goalscorer emerging and a world class manager in the dugout that has unified the fanbase.
The next decade will be massive on and off the field!
UTFT - Happy New Year 💙