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Toon Takeaways from a scoreless draw for Newcastle vs. Norwich

By Carson A Merk

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 01: Nabil Bentaleb of Newcastle United reacts during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Norwich City at St. James Park on February 01, 2020 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 01: Nabil Bentaleb of Newcastle United reacts during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Norwich City at St. James Park on February 01, 2020 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images) /
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Against the worst club in the Premier League, Newcastle United had to settle for a scoreless draw at home.

Newcastle United and Norwich City played to a scoreless draw today at St. James’ Park in a match that lacked excitement and quality for large portions.

Which Club is 20th on the Table?

Newcastle United hosted the club residing at the bottom of the table today and they decided to play themselves like a team in the relegation zone. There wasn’t a lot of cohesiveness for Steve Bruce’s side today and they held less possession and allowed 20 shots from the Canaries at St. James’ Park. After the final whistle, the supporters booed the performance and it’s hard to blame them after what they witnessed for 90+ minutes against a club with less than 20 points on the season.

A Lot of Energy, Not a Lot of Effectiveness Out Wide

Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin both played their normal game. That includes a lot of pace, dribbling runs on the wing, and a willingness to go at defenders and also become defenders when needed. But, that also has included a lack of finishing quality or assists this season. Today was no different. Both players flew around and got the crowd on their feet, but ASM’s ambition shooting the ball was not matched by quality and Miggy couldn’t find the final ball.

This Month’s Three Company of Arrivals

We got to see all three of the new players that Newcastle signed this month: Nabil Bentaleb, Valentino Lazaro, and Danny Rose. Bentaleb started in the midfield and played the entire 90 minutes. He was decent in distribution and wasn’t afraid to get physical defensively. Lazaro was the first player off the bench, replacing DeAndre Yedlin as the right wing-back. He didn’t get a chance to do much in the attack. In the final substitution of the match, Rose replaced Saint-Maximin and defended well.

Quick Kicks

  • Miguel Almiron continues to draw a lot of fouls. His quick turns and slippery moves starting to break force defenders to grab a hold of his kit or shoulders or simply chop him down with a tackle.
  • Joelinton had a solid header from one of DeAndre Yedlin’s few good crosses, but the effort was saved and Almiron’s follow up went wide. The Brazilian worked hard as usual and covered a ton of ground. Unfortunately, he’s largely paid to score goals and he went another match without finding the net.
  • With Teemu Pukki pushing towards goal on the break, Federico Fernandez made a crucial tackle to keep Norwich’s leading scorer off the board.
  • The crowd seemed to enjoy the introduction of Lazaro and Rose and both players could be helpful down the stretch. Rose should be the starting left wing-back moving forward after a solid defensive shift today.
  • No surprise to anyone, but Martin Dubravka was the best player for Newcastle on the day with some big saves.

Newcastle aren't clear of relegation worries yet. dark. Next

What’s Next?

The Magpies will travel to face Oxford United on Tuesday in an FA Cup replay. Oxford defeated Blackpool today in League One action.