Alan Shearer insists ‘something doesn’t look right’ at Newcastle after shaky display at Bournemouth…
Harry Bamforth
5 – 6 minutes
Alan Shearer insists ‘something doesn’t look right’ at Newcastle after shaky display at Bournemouth – as club legend pinpoints where Magpies need to strengthen in final week of the transfer window
09:13 BST 26 Aug 2024, updated 10:10 BST 26 Aug 2024
Newcastle drew 1-1 away at Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday
The Cherries’ Dango Ouattara had a stoppage-time strike ruled out by VAR
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Newcastle legend Alan Shearer believes that something is going wrong at his former side following their 1-1 draw away at Bournemouth.
The Magpies came away from the south coast with a point thanks to a 77th-minute equaliser from Anthony Gordon, following Marcus Tavernier’s first-half opener.
However, the visitors thought they would be leaving the Vitality Stadium with nothing when Danga Ouattara seemingly netted a 93rd-minute winner for the Cherries.
Eddie Howe’s side could then breathe a sigh of relief after VAR controversially ruled out the strike due to handball. Despite the late reprieve, Shearer criticised Newcastle on the latest The Rest Is Football podcast episode.
‘Newcastle were lucky. I don’t know,’ said Shearer. I hope I’m wrong, but I just get the feeling as if there’s, something doesn’t look right, you know? I don’t get the feeling that it’s all perfect at the football club.
Alan Shearer has raised his concerns about Newcastle after their shaky start to the season
Anthony Gordon salvaged the Magpies a point with a 77th-minute equaliser at Bournemouth
But Shearer thinks that Newcastle were lucky to come away with a draw on the south coast
‘Last week, there was lack in energy, there was lack in a spark. Even when it was 11 v 11, but it was a great result against Southampton.
‘But even, even 11 v 11, they were second best. So I was thinking they’ve had a week to work on things but then today, apart from the first 10 minutes in the first half, I thought they were pretty awful. I didn’t like what I was seeing.
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‘The body language was really poor from a lot of the players. Then he [Eddie Howe] made changes and for 10 or 15 minutes in the second half, they were the better team, they got the goal.
‘But I expect a lot more from [them]. Eddie is always about the energy and the pressure and everything, I didn’t see any of that.
The decision to disallow Ouattara’s late strike caused uproar in the footballing community with Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola among those incensed to see it overturned by VAR.
Many of the Bournemouth bench were unhappy with the decision with one staff member shown a red card by referee David Coote for his protests.
Shearer criticised the decision on social media following the game and doubled down on his thoughts when speaking to Gary Lineker and Micah Richards.
Bournemouth’s Dango Ouattara saw his stoppage-time header ruled out for handball
The ball was adjudged to have hit Ouattara on the arm on route to the Newcastle net
Newcastle legend Shearer insisted it was an ‘awful decision’ for the goal to be chalked off
He said: ‘They got really, really lucky. I thought it was an awful decision from the VAR to chalk off Bournemouth’s goal. And you know me, I’ll always tell it how it is.
‘And I don’t think I’m biased. I just tried to be as honest as possible. I think Newcastle got really lucky with that decision.
‘I didn’t think it should have been disallowed at all. If that was Newcastle, I’d be sat here raging that it was chalked off.’
Newcastle have taken four points from their first two games in the Premier League this season, but fans have been left underwhelmed with their performances.
Howe’s side have had a fairly quiet transfer window for their standards with Lloyd Kelly the only new signing to start for them yesterday.
The club have been fighting for the signature of centre-back Marc Guehi all summer, but have seen four bids rejected by Crystal Palace.
Newcastle have had four bids for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi rejected this summer
‘They need to bring Marc Guehi in,’ added Shearer. ‘They need to have a statement signing. It would be really embarrassing for those two in particular who have been not promoted, but who are now running the football club.
‘For them to go into September without bringing a big hit or a big statement signing in, I think would look really, really poor on those two.
‘They’ve made several bids for Guehi at Crystal Palace. They just need to get it over the line. They cannot go into September without bringing a big signing in because I think it would reflect really bad on those two.’
