Newcastle v Brentford - afterthoughts

Roberto Di Statteo
Sep 16, 2023
4 min read

First of all, this is a comparison worth a look:

2022/23

6 points after 5 games
Goal difference of +1 after 5 games
12th place after 5 games

2023/24

6 points after 5 games
Goal difference of +1 after 5 games
11th place after 5 games

In Eddie Howe's first season in charge, we still only managed 6 points at the same stage, and we finished 4th. We'd played:

Nottingham Forest (H)
Brighton and Hove Albion (A)
Manchester City (H)
Wolverhampton Wanderers (A)
Liverpool (A)

This season, we've played:

Aston Villa (H)
Manchester City (A)
Liverpool (H)
Brighton and Hove Albion (A)
Brentford (H)

The only difference is that we've lost 60% of our games, rather than only 20%. But, same points and more goals scored. Please stop worrying, those of you that are. It's not like we're going to get drawn into a relegation battle. We need to start getting used to the idea that that's probably never going to happen again!

Anyway... onto the Brentford game. It wasn't an exhilarating thrill-ride so I'll be brief, but here's how I marked the players (based on plusses and minuses awarded throughout the game).

22. Nick Pope - 7.1

2. Kieran Trippier - 7.7

5. Fabian Schär - 8.0

4. Sven Botman - 6.8

33. Dan Burn - 7.2

36. Sean Longstaff - 7.2

32. Elliot Anderson - 7.6

39. Bruno Guimarães - 7.1

10. Anthony Gordon - 8.3

9. Callum Wilson - 7.9

15. Harvey Barnes - 7.8

24. Almiron - 6.4 (subbed on 82')

Burn looked vulnerable in the first 20 minutes or so and he and Botman struggled to cope with Brentford's right-sided attack. They managed, just about, but creativity was lacking from both sides for most of the game, to be honest. That said, Brentford frightened us early when Mathias Jensen found himself put through after a clever pass from Aaron Hickey; the shot was thankfully straight at Pope who barely had time to react. Those first 15-20 minutes were tough, with Brentford playing a high press and closing down our players very quickly. When Newcastle got the ball, Brentford's organisation allowed for 2-3 players to attack the ball yet somehow limit the space into which Newcastle could play, giving us no opportunity to create. In addition, referee Craig Pawson seemed determined not to give us anything with Aaron Hickey and Mathias Jensen, in particular, committing several unpunished fouls. As the first half wore on, however, Elliot Anderson and Anthony Gordon caused the right side of Brentford's defence all kinds of problems.

The best chance of the first half fell to Bruno on 26 minutes - he saw his quick-reaction header, from a flicked-on Trippier corner, cleared off the line. Brentford held, though, and frustrated us for all of the first half. With 63% of possession, you'd hope we would do more but, to their credit, Brentford shut us out very professionally albeit eventually picking up yellow cards (Nørgaard and Wissa). They looked dangerous when counter-attacking, too, but failed to create much in the first 45. Rico Henry went off injured on 41 minutes and was replaced by Mads Roerslev.

The second half started more brightly for Newcastle and we began to frustrate Brentford's defence and midfield with passing and movement. After several connected passes in the box on 50 minutes, Harvey Barnes was very unlucky to see nobody quite get a toe onto a very inviting cross, and Callum Wilson had the ball in the net on 57 but it was disallowed for a push... soft as clarts, apparently. Brentford almost scored when a Mathias Jansen cross came off Fabian Schär's head - Pope adjusted well to catch it comfortably in the end. It was mostly Newcastle, though, and Brentford's frustration continued as they picked up another two yellows (Hickey and Flekken) in the first 20 minutes of the second period. After 64 minutes, Anthony Gordon was brought down in the box (which is when Flekken picked up his yellow for arguing) and Craig Pawson hesitated before awarding a penalty, presumably after a VAR recommendation in his ear. Callum Wilson stepped up, and put the penalty away with confidence for 1-0.

Fewer than 10 minutes later, Brentford had made a very attacking set of subs, with Mee, Janelt and Nørgaard replaced by Maupay, Schade and Onyeka, respectively. As a result, Brentford did try to attack more and ended up out-shooting Newcastle in the second half and over the 90 minutes (9-11 in the end) but, thankfully, Pope barely had a save to make due to a brilliant performance by Newcastle's defence, who mostly limited Brentford to speculative efforts. The Magpies had two penalties discounted by VAR (correctly, by most accounts) and then, on 82 minutes, Keane Lewis-Potter replaced Hickey for Brentford, and Miggy came on for Harvey Barnes for the Toon. Nathan Collins saw yellow for a foul on Wilson on 85 minutes, and then on 93, Brentford got probably their best chance when Wissa, at the far post, grounded a free header wide of the goal from a Jansen free kick. Newcastle picked up their first cards 5 minutes into injury time, with Wilson and Gordon both booked for arguing. Bruno was also booked for a petulant foul towards the end. Sensible corner play by Newcastle saw the last couple of minutes out, and Newcastle doubled their points total for the season, making sure we go into our first Champions' League game on the back of the win.

Incidentally, Milan don't go into their first Champions' League fixture on the back of the win, because they got smashed 5-1 tonight... by arch-rivals Internazionale.

Bring 'em on.

- Roberto Di Statteo