Alan Shearer nails it with ‘very poor’ verdict as scary Newcastle stats emerge
Lee Ryder
5 – 6 minutes
Newcastle United have now laboured through four competitive matches without finding the net in open play – and 404 minutes since Harvey Barnes bagged a consolation at Craven Cottage.
Despite a worrying defeat at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion, there were things to like during a performance that ended in a narrow loss. If fully fit and firing, Alexander Isak takes one of his golden opportunities in front of goal and on another day Anthony Gordon’s shot flies past the keeper rather than Bart Verbruggen making one of his best saves of the season.
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You’d like to think that out of 21 goal attempts and 45 entries into the penalty area, something comes off for you regardless of Brighton’s quality? Well that’s what will be keeping Eddie Howe awake for the next week or so as he tries to find solutions after the disappointing 1-0 reverse at home to Brighton.
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When Newcastle were on top for the majority of the first half, it felt inevitable that a goal was going to be sucked into the Gallowgate End net. But after Isak had missed a one-on-one with Verbruggen, you wondered if it was going to be one of those days.
Alan Shearer hits the nail on the head
Soon after Danny Welbeck’s cool finish proved to be the deciding factor on a day in which Brighton defended well and looked a threat on the counter. The man who knows best when it comes to finding the net said it all in the immediate aftermath when Alan Shearer posted: “Newcastle very, very poor in front of goal again.”
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It is the last word of his snap verdict “again” that should be the concern for Eddie Howe. Too often, Isak had to create things himself as he took the ball wide of the penalty area and drilled in a couple of low efforts.
After missing one first chance there was a plea to those around him for “precision” and after spending more than £400m, particularly on players to go around Isak, you’d think there would be more of a system to feed the Sweden striker.
Eddie Howe presented with goal drought stats after the game
When the goal drought from open play was put to Howe, he said: “Yes, of course, that’s not a good stat and we’re well aware of that. I think scoring goals for any team gives you really confidence and belief that you can win any game.”
Although he then followed up with what sounded like a denial of sorts, with goalscoring and squandering chances clearly a trend in the team’s play, Howe said: “I don’t sense that becoming an issue for us, or it hasn’t been an issue to this point. I think it’s just been a period where.
“Of course, we were playing without a striker for a couple of those games, and I think that was potentially the issue in those games. I think today you can’t look a us and think we didn’t look like a good team. We did look like a good team which will score goals. We created chances today when we haven’t in previous games.
“I always think that’s the biggest judgment you can make. You can’t ever say whether you’ll take the chances when they come, but you need to create them. I think we did look creative today, I thought we had some really good moments, but it wasn’t to be.”
Newcastle struggling to match their prolific performance last term
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The really scary stats also lie beneath the surface with win-less Wolves having one more goal than Newcastle and even struggling Everton. No team in the top 10 have fewer goals than Newcastle and Harvey Barnes is the top scorer on three.
Remember even during last season’s slump to seventh, Newcastle blasted in 85 goals in the Premier League. They aren’t looking like a team that can score freely any more.
Regardless of transfer needs, it’s something that must be addressed on the training pitch and quickly with two difficult tests against Chelsea home and away on the horizon.
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