Topic: PL: Newcastle 0 v Liverpool 1 Keita 19'

[jillcwhomever]

Newcastle United vs Liverpool, Saturday 30 April 2021, St. James’ Park
Well, what a day! Where to start? After the victory against Everton and the sumptuous performance Villarreal, I cannot believe UEFA fined us 10,000 euros for kicking off a bit late against Benfica. Absolutely scandalous.

But I suppose having Klopp and his team sign new contracts today has swung this back into a rather fine week. I genuinely thought Klopp’d see out his contract and leave in 2024 (and he seems like he’d find it easy to walk away from football if he wanted) but thankfully, we’ve got at least an extra two years with him.

But more immediately, we need to focus on the next league game and it’s Newcastle away before the second leg of our Champions League semi-final, which sounds vaguely familiar. As with 2019, we’re a point behind Man City going into the final few games of the season and it’s another must win game. But then, they all are, albeit I wouldn’t be complaining much about a 0-0 bore draw on Tuesday.

In that game in 2019, Origi came on off the bench to head home the winner in 3-2 victory against a mid-table Newcastle side. However, it already looks like he’s done some of his patented magic this week; is too much to ask if could do some more on Saturday if we need it? Of course he followed up his heroics at St James’ Park in 2019 with the Barcelona game - I might be expecting too much here but, you know, it could happen again.

Newcastle are obviously not the same club right now than they were in 2019 and we all know they’re now unfortunately just a sportswashing vehicle for their owners. In the longer run, that means they’ll be throwing unlimited funds at trying to make Newcastle compete at the top but in the more immediate term, we have to deal with a team which is bang on form, particularly at home. Eddie Howe has got them to safety and in the top half - their January signing Guimares has started well there, Joelinton seems to be finding his best form since he signed and who knows with Saint-Maximin? He’s just likely as cause us huge problems as he is running down blind alleys before losing the ball. One of our exes Jonjo Shelvey has scored a couple of spectacular goals against us as well so he could very well make it a hat trick (I remember him celebrating after his first and then apologising for it afterwards which struck me as odd; why the need to apologise?)

Anyway, for us, we just have to keep on winning; any dropped points feels like it could be the end. We’re playing every 3/4 days now until the end of the season so who we’ll play is a bit of tricky one. We’re not quite there against Villarreal, with 2-0 being one of those odd scorelines where you’re in a strong position but not really over the line. Coupled with this game being the second in 7 days in between the Champions League semi-finals, I have absolutely no idea how Klopp will go. Elliott or Jones to come in after a few games out? Tsimikas or Gomez potentially? Matip to start  and score like he did against Leeds? Mane to continue centrally and continue is brilliant performances since he came back from AFCON? No idea but it’s all tremendously exciting.

Regardless, I do sincerely hope Firmino plays in this one, if fit. Sadly, he’s picked up a few niggles this season which has been frustrating and with Jota and Diaz now here, he’s finding his game time more limited. But he’s still a joyous footballer and his performance against Newcastle at Anfield in 2019 is one of my favourites of his. Basically, I just wanted an excuse to post this video:

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/RGFaJDAse1I" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/RGFaJDAse1I</a>
More of that on Saturday would do Bobby

[jillcwhomever]

[jillcwhomever]

0 Newcastle get the game under way,

[jillcwhomever]

2 Initially a quiet start to the game, Newcastle looking to put some early pressure on our goal, but we have handled it pretty well.

[jillcwhomever]

3 We have our first saunter in the Newcastle area which they clear and then break, but Gomez does a lovely job of pinching the ball.

[jillcwhomever]

4 We get a free kick in the Newcastle box, ball is initially cleared but then comes back and the ball reaches Jota, who can't keep his shot on target.

[jillcwhomever]

6 First sign of us finding our groove, a lovely move involving Hendo, Robb and Mane's shot is saved.

[BobPaisley3]

Fucks sake, two men over there.

[jillcwhomever]

7 We get another half chance, which ends up with a shot which goes out off a Newcastle player but for some reason its a goal kick. 

[Rush 82]

Being hemmed in a bit. Alisson being pressured at every opportunity.

Newcastle have started quickly.

LFC Robbed of a corner there.

[jillcwhomever]

9 We are getting more and more possession now and we get a corner on the right. Milner takes but Van Dijk can only send it over the bar.

[jillcwhomever]

11 Newcastle are working very hard at closing our space when they can, but we are doing pretty well at keeping the possession going. We break down on the right but Gomez's ball goes out.

[jillcwhomever]

13 We are starting to take control of the ball mostly now, been trying at putting the long balls over Newcastle's midfield just need to find the final touch.

[jillcwhomever]

15 That was the best move by us, coming from midfield a lovely quick ball from Diaz and Gomez puts a lovely in ball in the box that Newcastle do well to clear. Offside flag goes up, but a really nice move.

[Rush 82]

Newcastle not quite as energetic as they were in the first 8m.....ie they're basically settled into a  semi low block.

[jillcwhomever]

16 Two great bits of keeping by Alisson there. First off he sees a break coming in the form of a long ball, it takes him well out of the area but he clears it. Then has to run back into the box quickly yet still manages to catch a dangerous ball beautifully.

[Rush 82]

Diaz a bit wasted on the right so far - I'd like to see him and Mane swapped around.

[BobPaisley3]

Never a foul.

[Rush 82]

Nice one Naby - much control, so clever

[jillcwhomever]

18 That was a great move which ends in a good goal by Keita. A lovely move involving most of our front player and Keita does beautifully to flit through the defence and score. 0-1.

[jillcwhomever]

BT trying to state it was a foul earlier on, but it wasn't.

[jillcwhomever]

21 Game about to resume after a lengthy stop for treatment for a Newcastle player.

[jillcwhomever]

22 Newcastle attempting to build but we are all over them putting pressure on them.

[jillcwhomever]

23 Over to Sir Bob.

[Rush 82]

BT trying to state it was a foul earlier on, but it wasn't.

commentators on my feed very clear that there was no foul there.


BT are such twats these days

[jillcwhomever]

commentators on my feed very clear that there was no foul there.


BT are such twats these days

Sadly very true always want a controversy.

[BobPaisley3]

24 Joel beats ASM and the crowd go mad wanting a foul. Nothing given and then we get one to compound the fury.

[BobPaisley3]

26 Diaz down the right, gets chopped but doesn’t go down and his cut back is cleared. Might have gone down but was honest.

[jillcwhomever]

Liverpool boiling piss on Twitter again even though there was no foal. Love it.

Love to see it. 

[BobPaisley3]

28 Millie concedes a free kick out on the right. Shelvey takes but we clear

[Rush 82]

24 Joel beats ASM and the crowd go mad wanting a foul. Nothing given and then we get one to compound the fury.

Crowd are feral today - need to put 3 or more past them to stop the noise.

[jillcwhomever]

Some awesome pressing from Milner there. 

[BobPaisley3]

32 We create good pressure and Newcastle clear two crosses. Ball out for a corner which is cleared

[BobPaisley3]

34 Great break from Diaz carrying the ball 70 yards. He squares it to Mane who’s finish is poor and easily saved by the keeper.

[jillcwhomever]

It was such a great move that, shame that for once Sadio fluffed the finish.

[Rush 82]

Some match stats

31'
Possession: Newcastle 28% Liverpool 71%
TOTAL PASSES: Newcastle 93 Liverpool 228

[jillcwhomever]

Some match stats

31'
Possession: Newcastle 28% Liverpool 71%
TOTAL PASSES: Newcastle 93 Liverpool 228

Gomez is putting in some good crosses again this game as well.

[BobPaisley3]

37 Nice build up play and Mane is hacked down on the edge of the box. Free kick. Not many set piece takers out there so a crowd of unlikely heroes around the ball. It’s Hendo and it’s well over.

[BobPaisley3]

38 Almiron scores but miles offside

[Rush 82]

Miles offside - why they allow these to continue for so long just boggles the mind