I don’t want to talk about it.
There’s not even really anything to get annoyed about, it was just an absolutely lifeless performance once again from Newcastle United. The worst part is I’m struggling to even see where a turnaround is going to come from.
Player ratings below, if you can stomach them. Pre-warning, there’s no nicey-nicey around here…
Lukas Hornicek - 4
Hornicek should have done so much better with the goal, but the fact that George had that much space to get the initial shot off was a travesty in itself.
The Czech made a couple of good saves apart from that and the score could have been worse for the Magpies had he not been there. For that reason I do think it’s difficult to feel too much negativity toward his performance today.
Amar Dedic - 4
Dedic didn’t really have too much to do today. He looked lively going forward at the beginning of the game but quickly faded into the ineffective background that plagued so many of Newcastle’s starting XI.
I must admit I do worry about him defensively, but it was mainly his anonymity today which gets him a low score.
Dan Burn & Fabian Schar - 4
A usual combative showing from both and they strangely weren’t actually troubled much defensively throughout the 90 minutes.
I’m pairing them together because I don’t think much separated their performance tonight and they are probably both wondering how on earth they can actually put their experience to good use during performances like that.
Lewis Hall - 3
That may actually be the worst game I have seen Lewis Hall have for Newcastle United.
He looked lazy, gave the ball away needlessly on a good few occasions and offered almost no creativity down the left flank.
Nico Gonzalez - 5
How on god’s green earth Nico was dragged and Joelinton was left on the pitch I’ll never know.
He struggled to really get involved in the game but constantly showed between the lines and could have impacted the game to a much greater level had we just trusted him with the ball.
I know Jaissle has an aversion to playing him and Steur alongside each other for some strange reason but dear me, surely it can’t hurt anymore than watching that rubbish at this point?
Joelinton - 3
Joelinton was absolutely fine when he had good players all around him, because his job was to be that battering ram. But now he doesn’t have that same quality playing with him and he has some more technical responsibility, he might as well not exist.
There was less bite in his performance too and I’m almost certain he was told to tone it down after his antics in the Carabao Cup.
Anthony Elanga - 3
Hit the post, that’s about all I can say positively.
Elanga looked every bit of the clumsy, thoughtless and uncomfortable player we saw last season on the ball today. I’ll give him an extra point because he at least looked to get on the front foot, but I do think how quick he moves flatters to deceive at times.
Joe Willock - 2
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a worse performance live in the flesh and I promise I’m not joking.
Willock spent most of the game unable to find the space he should actually be in, getting in Osula’s way, or what appeared to be literally avoiding the ball and standing behind players instead of looking to receive it.
Some of it must have been down to the instructions he was given, but I still don’t think I’ve ever seen a supposed number 10 effect the game as little as Willock did.
Harvey Barnes - 6
Looked our most likely player to impact the scoreline throughout the game but did fizzle out a little towards the back end.
I think I’d genuinely be looking at trying him in the 10 in the coming weeks, he seems to me the only player who is capable of receiving the ball between the lines and playing forward.
Will Osula - 5
No service, a number 10 who actually made his job more difficult, and a series of long balls straight onto the head of Everton’s two 6ft 6in centre-backs… what on earth was the poor bloke meant to do today?
Substitutes
Yoane Wissa - 4
Had a shot, if that means anything? It would have been difficult for him to look any worse than Willock in fairness.
Sean Steur - 7
JUST PLAY THE KID. Instantly changed the dynamic but the change should have been earlier and he should have gone alongside Nico rather than replacing him.
Bazoumana Toure - 6
Usually wouldn’t give a score for a player who played less than 15 minutes but I felt the little spark he brought needed mentioning. Definitely deserves more minutes in the coming weeks, no doubts about that.
Jacob Ramsey - N/A
Jacob Murphy - N/A
Add us as a preferred source on Google