5 Things we learned from Liverpool’s last-gasp draw with Newcastle
Well, that was a lot of fun. There’s been a lot pessimism surrounding Newcastle in the build-up to the Premier League season but you could feel that fear lift when the two teams played a brilliant tribute to Kevin Keegan before kick-off who passed away earlier this year, it didn’t take long for us to get our first goal as Gravenberch was dispossessed on the edge of the Newcastle box by new signing Amar Dedic who sent Will Osula on the gallop towards the Liverpool defence with the Dane playing Anthony Elanga clean through on goal who finished brilliantly past Alisson to lift the roof off St James Park in just the 5th minute. Liverpool were stunned but built back into the game dominating possession but were struggling to create anything clear-cut other than a Wirtz half-chance which was saved well by Hornicek in the Newcastle goal, by half-time Matthias Jaissle would have been the happier manager with his side looking deadly on the break through Wissa, Osula and Elanga. Andoni Iraola could have been tempted to make changes at the break but his decision to keep the same team paid off just ten minutes into the second half when Gravenberch played the ball inside to Gakpo on the edge of the box who had far too much time and fired a missile past Hornicek into the bottom corner to equalise for Liverpool, it looked like Liverpool had all the momentum to grab a second but it was Newcastle who scored again just two minutes later when Wissa held up the ball brilliantly in his own half before setting Willock away who held off the challenges of the Liverpool defenders masterfully before curling a beautiful shot into the bottom corner. It looked like for all the world that Newcastle were going to see out a memorable victory but a loose ball was picked up by new Liverpool signing Victor Munoz who was then taken out by Lewis Hall in the box with the referee awarding a penalty, Dominik Szoboszlai stepped up and struck a perfect penalty into the top corner to break Newcastle hearts but earn Iraola a valuable point on the opening day.
A huge point for Liverpool but worrying signs in the opening game. To come out with a point in the last kick of the game is huge but Iraola will undoubtedly be worried about a lot of aspects of the game, first of all just how attacking his team was in the game with Gravenberch on an island by himself in midfield whilst Szoboszlai and Wirtz bombed forward along with Frimpong and Kerkez who were absolutely awful at full-back for Liverpool today, Newcastle hit them on the break time after time and it led to both goals for the home side which were two transitions. I felt sorry for Jacquet and Van Dijk at the back for Liverpool who were left by themselves to deal with the threats of Osula, Elanga, Wissa and Barnes. There’s no way Liverpool can play that midfield again along with the flying full-backs because they’ll just get killed on the break over and over, if they are to continue playing like this they’ll need so much more from Isak and Wirtz. They’ve had a season now to bed in at the club so there’s no excuses for performances like today for the both of them, maybe for Isak the atmosphere might have affected him which was ferocious but he only has himself to blame for his behaviour last summer when he left the club. I don’t know about anyone else but there was a part of me that wanted to see him grab that ball for the penalty at the end, a show of character from the Swede might have gone a long way for Liverpool fans. I suppose we’ll never know if he was close to taking it.
Plenty of positives to take for Newcastle despite the late equaliser. I think once the dust settles over the next few hours and days that Newcastle fans will take the positives from today’s performance which there were plenty off, the attack being the biggest one of all with the likes of Wissa, Elanga and Osula all having really good games for Jaissle’s side. Wissa and Elanga really struggled last season after coming in for big money but with a season under their belt they looked completely different players with Wissa winning man-of-the-match and Elanga scoring his first Premier League goal for the club, Amar Dedic as well had a very solid debut along with Hornicek who looked solid in the Newcastle goal. The midfield did look a slight problem though with Lewis Miley and Sean Steur but they have a combined age of 37 so you can’t expect them to play at a consistent level game after game, Nico Gonzalez is apparently on the way from Man City which I think would be a superb signing in that midfield alongside one of their young guns like Miley and Steur. Overall whilst a draw does hurt in the end I think Jaissle will take plenty of positives from that first game in the Premier League, looking forward to seeing them next week against Spurs, should be a good game.
Has Matthias Jaissle found Yoane Wissa’s best position? I was interested before the game about whether or not it would be a front two for Newcastle today or Wissa in behind Osula, we saw straight away that it would be Wissa playing just off Osula and it worked an absolute treat for the Geordies today. His ability to ride challenges when carrying the ball is priceless and led to a number of opportunities on the break including setting up Willock for the second goal, he’s had a tough year at Newcastle which has been ravaged by injury but with a World Cup under his belt along with a pre-season he is all set to have a really good season under Jaissle in the Premier League. The same can be said for Anthony Elanga who looked electric on the right-wing today albeit up against a pretty poor full-back in Milos Kerkez, we saw glimpses of what he can bring last season like against Barcelona at the Nou Camp so Newcastle fans will be hoping this game allows him to build momentum for the season going forward. They will both play a huge part in any success Newcastle have this season in the Premier League, how high can they finish this year?
Any business left to do before the window closes? Undoubtedly Liverpool still have plenty of business left to do with the first and most important of all being Bradley Barcola from PSG, it’s been rumoured all summer and with Luis Enrique freezing the Frenchman out his squad at PSG I can’t see any other solution than Barcola being a Liverpool player by the end of the window. There’s also been talk of Cody Gakpo leaving but I can’t really understand that outgoing considering he’s guaranteed output on that left-wing no matter if you rate him or not, Ibrahim Mbaye might be the other incoming from PSG but he’s more of a one for the future than a player that is ready to go right now. I suppose we’ll see by the end of the window next Tuesday, I still think they need a midfielder as well. For Newcastle I think Nico Gonzalez is a perfect signing for that midfield and adds something that they don’t have in there right now which is experience, other than that I can’t see any more incomings as they actually have quite a big squad on paper. Possibly a striker if Nick Woltemade leaves the club? Looking forward to Fulham vs Chelsea tomorrow, should be a good one.