Key events
68 min Since the break, Isak has touched the ball four times; in the first, he had 22 in the Forest half. Meantime, Forest have a free-kick which they’ll pump into the box, and when they do, Burns’ header reaches Anderson, whose shot hits Miely’s hand, but from too close for the ref to perceive a penalty; Gibbs-White isn’t happy and nor is Nuno, but this isn’t comparable to the Aina one.
66 min Can Newcastle rediscover their first-half intensity? I’m absolutely certain the thing they’ll have had drummed into them at half-time was not to sit off, the perils of so doing made clear. But here we are, and if Forest score next, who knows how this might end?
65 min Good work from Wood, dropping off to feed Elanga, who bounces into the box, but Burn slides in and pulls off a superbly-timed recovery-challenge.
GOAL! Newcastle United 4-2 Nottingham Forest (Milenkovic 64)
Well! Anderson, warmly applauded as he goes to take the corner, swings out towards the back post, Wood does well to forces back into the middle, and Milenkovic adjusts feet and body well to hook in from an awkward height. That was coming, and might this not yet be over?
62 min I wonder if we might see Sandro Tonali soon – Nerwcastle could use his composure on the ball. Meantime, Forest have a corner…
61 min By way of comparison:
59 min We see this a lot, I guess: a game is finished by half-time, so the second period is sleepy. And that’s what this is, Forest huffing and puffing, Newcastle doing as little at they can.
57 min “Gordon’s Beehive,” begins Dan Christmas. “Surely he went in to the barbers with a picture of Princess Di circa 1992.”
I was thinking more Brigitte Nielsen.
56 min Forest have improved but Newcastle are too relaxed, Elanga finding space to cross and narrowly missing the men in the middle.
55 min A lax first touch from Livramento means he’s now tanking into a 50/50 with Dominguez, missing ball but not man; he’s booked.
54 min What a chance for Forest! Gibbs-White hangs up a cross to the back post, Williams is up well and way above Murphy to knock back across, and Elanga is there … but opting for a leaping shot, not a header, he skews the ball sideways from in front of the net, keeper naewhere.
52 min Willock beats Anderson, who scythes through him and is booked – though, given the ball had broken to Gordon, the ref might’ve played advantage.
51 min In comms, they’re discussing how well Hall’s played, and they’re right – he gives Newcastle balance, as well as aggression at both ends of the pitch. With Livramento looking a lock for the right, Eddie Howe’s men are well-served at full-back and could be for a decade.
49 min …and it picks out Schar, somehow left unattended inside the box; he loops a header that cannons the far post, just below the angle, and once more that is very poor defending from Forest.
49 min Newcastle win a corner down the right…
47 min “The combo of possession loss and goalie out of position was League 2 level defending by Toon,” says Mark Turner of Forest’s goal, which seems a while ago now. ‘“But don’t take it away from Hudson-Odoi, that was a top class finish from a lightning-fast thinker. Forest bought him for peanuts, got him back to form and confidence, he’ll go back to a London club with an extra zero on the price.”
A few years ago I was on a train and an agent-type was loudly advising whoever he was talking at that “Jadon” was further along than “Callum”, but “Callum” was by the far the bigger talent. I hate to admit it, but he was right.
46 min I doubt Nuno was all that pleased with his charges, who got a little silly after going behind. Well though Newcastle played, it shouldn’t have been as easy as it was for them to find spaces to attack.
46 min We go again…
Half-time email: “I stepped away from the screen for 15 minutes with Forest one-nil up,” admits Kári Tulinius. “When I got back I thought the score-counter was glitching. Lesson learned: never stop watching football.”
I hope this confession lightens your guilt. Bless you my son.
Half-time entertainment:
HALF-TIME: Newcastle United 4-1 Nottingham Forest
Not that long ago, Forest were in front; now they’re hoping to avoid a humiliation.
45+7 min “Is there a stat to show the percentage of favourable refereeing decisions that were made by the St James’ Park crowd?” wonders Tom Gould.
I dunno – obviously the foul on Gordon was harsh, but there was a lot to do for Newcastle to score from there. They’ve blown Forest away, I’m afraid, and it isn’t the ref’s fault.
45+5 min Newcastle are still going for more goals, Willock skirting around the outside of the Forest defence and cutting back; Isak then takes a terrific first touch that looks heavy but in fact takes him away from the defender and towards goal, his eventuating shot blocked behind for a corner … which comes to nowt.
45+5 min Can someone please confirm that Murillo’s dressing-room nickname is Raquel; I’ll also accept Lisboa.
45+4 min Pope gives it away, a poor kick intercepted by a stretching Gibbs-White, who finds Hudson-Odoi, collects a return, and drills low … but too close to the keeper.
45+2 min Forest win a couple of corners, wanting a penalty from the first when the ball is whammed into Willock’s midriff; the second comes to nowt, then Milenkovic is booked for leaping into Guimaraes, arm out.
45+1 min We’ll have seven additional minutes.
45 min Another error from Aina, who’s having one – well done me – sees Gordon take the ball and fire into Murillo’s arm, but he was way too close for the ref to appraise a penalty.
44 min “Toon better attacking than defending,” reckons Mark Turner. “Forest haven’t been bad, Toon have been brilliant.”
Erm, I’d go with a bit of both. In general play Forest have been OK, but I didn’t like the defending for the first Newcastle goal, and obviously Aina’s error for the penalty was poor. But the home side have been relentless going forward and Isak is a complete menace.
42 min We’ve been made to wait – events, and all that – but we finally see a replay of the foul Aina conceded that led to Newcastle’s first goal. There’s definitely no contact, so we can assume Gordon, who went down shrieking, was looking to buy one; I guess we might say the defender’s foot was high with his studs bared, but I’m reaching.
41 min You’ve got to credit Newcastle’s intensity – if we consider their fourth goal, for example, they were leading by two yet Pope still acted quickly to initiate a counter and, as I type, they force another corner that Forest clear.
39 min “Let’s get physical,” begins Rick Harris, ingratiating himself by quoting my favourite Dua Lipa tun. “Big chance for Forest to leapfrog Arsenal in the race for second place. Not sure I agree that Newcastle are the most physical side in the PL though, I mean they were pretty cuddly against City last time out. Everton would be my pick as top bruisers.”
It’s not just about bruising, I don’t think, but about physical power and hard running. Everton might kick more, but they don’t seem more exhausting to face.
37 min We know Isak has a beautiful touch, and that he can do the really, really difficult stuff. And that’s working for him today, of course, but what’s facilitating it is the desire to run in behind and the intelligence to do so at the right time. Rasmus Hojlund, who cost about the same money, would do well to take heed.
GOAL! Newcastle United 4-1 Nottingham Forest (Isak 35)
Oh my days! Four goals in 12 minutes! Pope rolls out, Hall finds Willock down the left, and he gambols away before sliding a pass in behind for Isak, whose willing movement is exceptional. Sels has no choice but to come up, the finish takes a nick off Murilo, seeking to block, vaulting over the keeper and in! An incredible response from Newcastle.
GOAL! Newcastle United 3-1 Nottingham Forest (Isak pen 32)
Isak strides backwards, runs up, stutters, looks to pass down the middle and into the roof, and somehow Sels, who doesn’t dive, can’t quite leap high enough and fast enough to claw it out. Isak is a lucky boy, but he scored because he didn’t dink, he punched. Long way back for Forest now.
32 min Isak has the ball, grinning to himself like a man who knows. But does he?!
30 min PENALTY TO NEWCASTLE!
Aina’s arm is up, he turns into the ball, and though I don’t want a team to get an 80% chance of a goal for this infringement, these are the laws. Nuno doesn’t look happy but I do’t know what the counter-argument even looks like.
28 min Isak lays back to Hall, who crosses, and Aina leaps to block, turning body into ball, playground-style; it hits him on the arm, and there are appeals for a penalty. The ref says no but VAR wants a look and I don’t see how this won’t be given; I don’t see how it wasn’t given to begin with.
GOAL! Newcastle United 2-1 Nottingham Forest (Murphy 25)
Redemption for Jacob Murphy! Newcastle have responded superbly to going behind and this time the impetus comes from Isak, who runs the channel then, when the ball comes to him facing the touchline, a cunning backheel into Gordon’s burst has Forest facing their own goal. The cross isn’t great, but a block takes it past Sels and, at the back post, Murphy runs it in, finishing on the crouch with his chest, just about keeping his arm out of the road. Two in two-and-a-half minutes for Newcastle!
GOAL! Newcastle United 1-1 Nottingham Forest (Miley 23)
The free-kick goes to the back post and Guimaraes might head for goal. But instead he goes across, a poor decision, only for Murphy to regain possession down the left – he’ll feel much better for that – before setting back for Hall to sweep a pass into the box, Miley’s excellent first touch creating space for him to swivel and direct a fine finish across Sels and into the far corner.
22 min Newcastle win a free-kick out on the left for an iffy foul on Gordon…
21 min In co-comms, Any Hinchcliffe wondered if Livramento gave the cross too much, but much softer and Gordon slides past it, or has to do something when he arrives at the ball; the way it was delivered to him, any touch and it’s a goal.
19 min Good work from Livramento down the right, running into the channel to open the crossing lane. The feed from Schar duly arrives, he punches into the corridor, and here come Gordon at the far post, sliding in … but the ball passes under his outstretched leg. That was a good chance.
18 min Off the ball, Forest look to be settling into a 4-1-4-1; it’s so satisfying to see how comfortable they are, and how naturally they do what they’re meant to be doing.
16 min It’s all Newcastle and Isak, down the left of the box, looks to dink a cross into the middle, but Forest have men there to clear, then Murphy sends the ball into touch.
15 min On which point I’ve been so impressed with Aina this season and last, a one-man right-flank and a threat going forward. I can’t think of too many better in the league.
14 min More Newcastle pressure, then Gordon runs away from Elanga and at Aina, the defender stands his ground to challenge well.
Article by:Source: Daniel Harris
