Newcastle's past failures overshadow positives from Arsenal defeat
On paper, whether it be when promotion to the Premier League is confirmed or the fixtures are announced a month or so later, games against the top six clubs are what it is all about. When reality hits, though, that could not be further from the case.
The celebrations on that late spring evening at St James’ Park when Newcastle United finally completed their long slog through the Championship with victory over Preston North-End were so far away on Saturday afternoon.
The Magpies faced Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, one of the glamour ties that supposedly make being in the top flight worthwhile. In the midst of a run of one point in eight games, with no win since late October, travelling to a ground where they have only won once before, against a team who only recently lost their unbeaten home record for the season, it would be fair to say Rafa Benitez would have welcomed a kinder looking fixture with open arms.
Relegation was always going to be an issue this season. Benitez set out for it not to be, demanding a squad that could challenge and do as he asked, just as he was afforded last season. Although he felt he was promised that again, realisation dawned it wouldn’t be the case.
He knew he was coming into the season with an inexperienced and slim squad which lacks the punch needed to assure themselves. After an initially bright start, it now looks like even a Champions League winner with his tactical nous may not be enough to prevent the most turbulent of ships from sinking again.
Newcastle unable to build on bright moments
In a parallel universe, where Newcastle continued their assault on the top six beyond their last win at home to Crystal Palace in late October, a narrow 1-0 loss to the Gunners would have been accepted. It was about par, truthfully; the Magpies battled hard and defended well, only to be undone a piece of quality from Mesut Özil - a volley of the highest order and the kind of goal expected of a man who cost £42.4m.
Just for context, Arsenal paid more for Özil, Alexis Sanchez, and Alexandre Lacazette combined than Newcastle did for their entire starting XI. Even if Benitez had got the backing he wanted last summer, it would have tough to compete.
As it was, results transpired against Newcastle and they slipped into the bottom three for the first time this season. There was a tinge of frustration that Arsenal were poor enough to be got at, and a team with superior quality in the final third would have snatched at least a draw.
But that is the story of the season on Tyneside in a nutshell; sitting 18th was a result of previous missed opportunities and mistakes like failing to put Bournemouth away in the first half before they took the initiative, or making individual errors that cost so dearly against Leicester City and Everton.
Blindly looking for positives can create delusions, but the fact is those individual errors dried up on Saturday. Arsenal have spent all of that money to produce quality like they did in a split second; that can be expected in these games.
Newcastle do have something to build on if they continue to keep mistakes at bay. As Benitez pointed out, the effort and the work rate of the team cannot be faulted, something that Newcastle fans know is far from a given.
The situation is certainly an alarming one; far too often this season have Newcastle failed to show the kind of spark Palace did at Leicester on Saturday, or fellow newly-promoted side Huddersfield did at Watford.
Part of that is just low confidence, and the team did show they can create chances on the biggest stage. Taking the lead at Manchester United and Chelsea, too, shows Newcastle have it in them, but they need to keep those levels up for longer in games.
Benitez is not the problem at Newcastle
Panic is setting in; Benitez is not the king he once was, not for everyone anyway. Short-termism could be the killer for Newcastle if they are not careful, because they are on the brink of a project that could see the best of them and their manager.
The message was clear from the man himself this week. Benitez is far from perfect; but gaining a little perspective could go a long way for fans and pundits who seem to be placing a far bigger slice of the blame on his plate than he deserves.
Mike Ashley, once again, is responsible for replacing the joy and excitement of Premier League football with fear; the very reason any positives from a tough afternoon on Saturday feel hollow at the moment.
Newcastle need points more than rose-tinted glasses, and no game can afford to be seen as a ‘free hit’ right now. That is why a trip to face a resurgent West Ham next Saturday is so concerning, let alone the clash with record-breaking Premier League leaders Manchester City just after Christmas.
Without points, the negative feeling will only grow and people will continue to look for other explanations for failure, ignoring the biggest one of all, the same explanation over the majority of the last decade.
For all of the poor results, mistakes and slip-ups in recent weeks, Newcastle aren’t that far away from stability. Other teams in the relegation mire are beginning to show what one or two results can do for confidence and league position.
Nobody can lift this team like Rafa Benitez; turning on him is a fruitless endeavour. There is only one man responsible for Newcastle being unable to praise a battling display away at a top Premier League team; hopefully Mike Ashley’s reign will soon be a thing of the past.