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Newcastle United’s tale of two halves against Watford

By Roy Emanuel

WATFORD, ENGLAND - MAY 05: Rafael Benitez, Manager of Newcastle United arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Watford and Newcastle United at Vicarage Road on May 5, 2018 in Watford, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
WATFORD, ENGLAND - MAY 05: Rafael Benitez, Manager of Newcastle United arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Watford and Newcastle United at Vicarage Road on May 5, 2018 in Watford, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) /
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Newcastle United dug an early hole at Watford, but showed excellent determination in the second half on Saturday.

“A tale of two halves.” It is a common phrase used throughout football, and is the perfect way to summarise a squad that turns it on in the second half of a match. This was certainly the case for Newcastle United yesterday against Watford, and manager Rafa Benitez deserves praise for making the effective changes that allowed the Magpies to get themselves back into the game.

The day started off heading downhill, as the Hornets opened the scoring within the first two minutes of the contest. Roberto Pereya beat goalkeeper Martin Dubravka with a low shot, after the Toon defence did little to make the sequence difficult for him.

The pressure was mounting and by the time that Andre Gray added a second strike in the 28th minute, Newcastle’s afternoon was completely falling apart.

But then it all changed. Dubravka saved a penalty-kick from Troy Deeney, and Benitez focused on what needed to be modified.

One can imagine that his half-time talk did not feature many positives about the team’s performance. The coach’s players clearly responded, and it was seen immemdiately in the second half.

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On top of an increase in overall effort and better positioning (including five at the back), substitutions that introduced both Matt Ritchie and DeAndre Yedlin helped in the Toon’s battle to level the match.

The final two games

Wednesday at Tottenham and hosting Chelsea next weekend can feel a bit “unimportant” in some respects, as results are no longer critical for the Magpies.

However, even considering that aspect, Benitez’s team are fighting for both their manager and their club. While the victory did not arrive, it was a sign that the squad can push through adversity.

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Newcastle United and Rafa Benitez did not earn three points this weekend, although respect definitely was earned amongst the supporters.