Lack of quality sees Newcastle United lose at Everton

The Magpies huffed and puffed but it wasn’t enough.

Newcastle United will feel slightly hard done by after losing 1-0 in their top-half clash with Everton on Monday.

A poor showing from both sides, it took until the second half for hosts Everton to record their first and only shot on target. The Goodison Park crowd were understandably audible in their frustrations at manager Sam Allardyce and the negative style of football on display, and there is a sense of inevitability over the future of the former England manager given he was a short-term appointment – brought in to secure the Toffees’ Premier League status following a disastrous start to the season under Ronald Koeman.

But, for all the concerns on Merseyside, there can be no doubt over their results at home. Everton have the best home record of those not in the top six, and despite Newcastle United’s impressive performances away from home, it wasn’t enough to defeat what was in truth a very beatable Everton side.

Toon fans should take confidence from the competitiveness of Newcastle’s players, as certainly in theory the two sides should not be so closely matched. Before the game, Everton were a mere one point above the Magpies, despite a gulf of £140m between both clubs’ expenditures in this season’s transfer market.

January loanees Martin Dubravka, Kenedy and Islam Slimani all played for Newcastle on Monday, with the latter given his first Premier League start in black and white. Whilst both Dubravka and Kenedy have played vital roles in the Magpies’ brilliant 2018, Slimani has struggled with injuries and looked ineffective before being replaced by Dwight Gayle in the 63rd minute versus Everton.

In a game where Newcastle had only 43 percent possession, chances were at a minimum. In truth neither side deserved much from the game, but there were a couple of key moments that were crying out for a glimpse of quality, and the Magpies were unable to convert.

Ayoze Perez has always been a polarising figure in Toon circles, but a fantastic run of form in 2018 has coincided with Newcastle’s rise up the table. It was this new Ayoze that fans would’ve been hoping to see when he was gifted the ball with the Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford completely out of position.

The Spaniard hesitated however, his reluctance to take a first-time shot at goal compounded when he decided to instead pass to his forward team-mate to take advantage of a two-on-one situation (the pass was awful). Hit far too long with little control, the chance was wasted, and it was a microcosm of the attacking midfielder’s poor performance, as he too often lost possession through both poor decisions and poor technique.

Dwight Gayle had the other glaring opportunity for the Toon, as he blazed a wild shot over the bar from a great position in the penalty area. Perhaps the most frustrating player to watch in a Newcastle shirt, Gayle can produce some excellent link-up play and has played a part in some of the Toon’s most important goals this season, but strikers will always be judged primarily on goals and he has failed to deliver too many times at the top level.

A bad day at the office for both Perez and Gayle then, but Newcastle United as a team were far too wasteful, especially in possession. So too were Everton, as Sam Allardyce was all too eager to admit post-match to draw attention away from the disjointed manner in which he set up his side.

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But Everton were still able to complete 76 percent of their passes, a much higher number than Newcastle who managed an embarrassing 63 percent pass completion rate. It’s not up for debate that Rafa Benitez isn’t the world’s biggest fan of tika taka football, but it wasn’t simply a case of too many long balls that caused such a statistical eyesore.

Jonjo Shelvey was unconvincing in the centre of the park, and Mohamed Diame cut an aimless figure in midfield despite the usual graft that Toon fans have come to expect from the former Senegalese international. Both Matt Ritchie and Kenedy had quiet evenings, but some of the most positive moments of play for Newcastle came from the latter’s left flank – encouraging if Mike Ashley opens his wallet to make the Brazilian’s stay on Tyneside permanent.

Questions could perhaps be asked over the defending for Everton’s goal, as DeAndre Yedlin misjudged the flight of the ball following a deep cross and could only help it onto Theo Walcott. Captain Jamaal Lascelles was far too eager to dispossess Walcott, committing early to a challenge that was easy for the ex-Arsenal player to avoid before firing confidently into the back of the net.

The game was lost in these fine margins, but it would be harsh to lay the blame at the hands of Newcastle’s defence who have been magnificent all season and for the majority of Monday’s game looked comfortable, stifling the threat of Everton’s £27-million striker Cenk Tosun.

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It’s perhaps telling that, in a game devoid of attacking ambition or class, the side who have spent the most on bringing quality into the side won the match. Newcastle United’s players, for all their effort, were undone by a ruthless finish from Theo Walcott, a player who scored 19 goals last season for Arsenal and arrived for an undisclosed but rumoured £20 million fee.

When viewed in this light, even a drab and depressing late-season fixture between two safe Premier League sides tells a moral tale, and has a silver lining for Toon fans. Rafa Benitez has spent a net £22 million on bolstering his side this season, yet he has his team competing in the top half of the table and rueing missed chances against one who’s net spend reads a ghastly figure.

Given the backing of Mike Ashley or even a new ownership group at St. James’ Park, Rafa Benitez could have Newcastle United displaying the kind of quality that tens of millions of pounds can buy you in top-flight football.

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Only time will tell, but with the miracle season almost over, how many more results such as the loss on Monday will it take for the message to hit home in the Newcastle United boardroom? Unfortunately, I don’t think the bookies will give you a good deal on that one.