Newcastle’s allergy to the fourth round of the FA Cup still lingers with Eddie Howe unable to find the cure for the second season running.
Howe put out a much-changed side with some fringe players given their chance to shine. A chance that absolutely none of them took.
Jamal Lewis proved beyond all doubt that he is not good enough for Newcastle United giving the ball away more often than he won it. Elliot Anderson showed us why Eddie Howe hasn’t given him more of a chance this season despite us fans thinking he should be given more game time. Jacob Murphy also demonstrated yet again that pace is his only asset.
It wasn’t all negative as Javier Manquillo looked up to the task in the first half, getting up and down the right flank and putting in dangerous crosses for Alexander Isak, who looked sharp despite his long layoff. Isak forced two great saves from Cameron Dawson as he looked to mark his return with a goal. Eddie Howe’s game plan was always to sub Isak off at half time which he did, bringing on Chris Wood for the second half and that’s when, for me, any hope of scoring evaporated.
Sheffield Wednesday took the lead seven minutes into the second half with a well-worked team goal that ended with a finish from son-of-Dean, Josh Windass. Replays showed that Windass had drifted offside but without the benefit of VAR the goal was allowed to stand.
Chasing the game, Eddie Howe called in the cavalry on the hour mark and Bruno Guimaraes, Joe Willock and Miguel Almiron were brought on to replace Sean Longstaff, Elliot Anderson and Jacob Murphy. The changes immediately changed the tempo of Newcastle’s play as they went on the offensive.
However, the lead was doubled less than five minutes later as Newcastle surrendered possession in a dangerous position allowing Josh Windass to burst through the defense in acres of space and put the ball beyond Martin Dubravka.
The two-goal lead lasted only four minutes as Kieran Trippier entered the field and with his first touch of the ball swung in a corner that was met by Chris Wood and directed goalward by an unaware Joelinton. The ball was parried away by Dawson into the path of Bruno Guimaraes who poked it home. Again, replays showed that Bruno was probably offside but with no VAR in play, the goal stood.
With a goal needed to take the tie to a replay Newcastle found themselves with a golden opportunity as Joelinton broke free with the ball in a two-on-one situation with Chris Wood in support. Joelinton squared the ball to Wood who lashed the ball over the bar which put out Glenda Benson’s kitchen window in Rotherham. If Chris Wood never plays for Newcastle again it will be too soon. I wrote the other day that he won’t be allowed to leave in January as we have no back up if Isak and Wilson are unavailable, but you know what? It doesn’t matter. Play with ten men, it’ll be just as effective.
From then on it was constant Newcastle pressure as they looked for a way through, but credit where it’s due, League One Sheffield Wednesday wanted it more and defended with their lives.
This game will have shown Howe just how weak his squad is and how much work there is to be done. We have a first team capable of beating anybody, but one or two injuries and we’re knackered – we simply do not have the quality in reserve to sustain an assault on any competition.
Hopefully the team we put out against Leicester on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup Quarter Final will be more reminiscent of a Premier League side as that competition is a great chance to lift some silverware.
So it’s another year another third-round exit for Newcastle, but hopefully now Howe knows which players need to be shown the door ASAP.
As for man of the match – I’ll give it to Bruno Guimaraes. He only played half an hour but he was better than anyone else on the pitch. Actually, no, I’ll give it to Sven Botman as he had to do the job of four men for the most part until Kieran Trippier came on.