Well that Chelsea renaissance did not last long.
Losing at St James’ Park, especially since the Saudi money rolled in, is nothing to be ashamed of, but Newcastle United did not earn victory against Chelsea through any blistering display, roared on by 50,000 blood-hungry Geordies – Mauricio Pochettino’s team lost this encounter of their own accord.
They had done all the hard work in battling back from a goal down to turn the tide in their favour. At the start of the second half, there really only looked likely to be one winner. Raheem Sterling had hit top form and was head and shoulders above everyone on the pitch, Enzo Fernandez was controlling the ebb and flow on his terms, while Thiago Silva cruised around in his effervescent manner at the back.
Two very early Christmas presents – Newcastle’s game-clinching third particularly gifted by Silva – in 90 second-half seconds reminded everyone just how far this Chelsea team still have to go.
Four goals conceded and a man sent off, in a game that was so evenly poised – the inquiry into capitulations like this will take some time and will provide Pochettino with arguably his biggest challenge yet.
One look at the benches ahead of kick-off should have given every indication as to which way the result was going to go.
While Chelsea could boast £300m worth of talent in reserve, with international superstars galore in the dugout, Newcastle had to name three goalkeepers and four academy players on the sidelines, Matt Ritchie being the most recognisable name, and he has not started a league match all season.
Alexander Isak has that natural, God-given talent that mere mortals can only envy— (EPA)
The home side’s first 11, however, had a much more formidable look to them. Several of the big-money signings since the takeover at St James’ have certainly made a real impact in their short time at the club, but the one with the real standout star quality, when fit, remains Alexander Isak.
He just has that natural, God-given talent that mere mortals can only envy. His fitness problems deprived him of a move to a European giant before Newcastle took the risk on him last summer – a move that has paid off handsomely, even with the Swede’s injuries persisting.
The finish, his seventh goal in seven league starts, that edged the hosts in front belied a player who had not seen any match action in a month. The pass from Lewis Miley, a 17-year-old thrown in at the deep end given the Newcastle injury situation, was sublime in the extreme.
Yet, after Sterling had found the net for the third time in four games from a free-kick 23 minutes in, Chelsea assumed control. Conor Gallagher should have scored after a mistake from Nick Pope in the home goal, before Fernandez almost finished off a sweeping move late in the first half only to be denied by a recovered Pope. The football was being played by the Blues.
In the blink of an eye, however, the game was inexplicably taken away from Chelsea.
Firstly, Jamaal Lascelles was allowed to steal into the box and head a simple Anthony Gordon cross home before, 90 seconds later, on the day he became Chelsea’s oldest-ever outfield player, Silva seemed to stub his foot into the ground, allowing fellow countryman Joelinton in to latch onto the ball and stroke it into the net.
Joelinton celebrates scoring Newcastle’s third goal— (AFP via Getty)
Reece James’s dismissal for two bookable offences and Gordon’s late fourth ensured a miserable trip north became a potentially damaging one.
Chelsea still remain a team of individuals. Pochettino is making strides and is finally starting to settle on a starting 11 at least. There remains, however, too many gaps in the game plan.
Newcastle have a blueprint that they adhere to by the letter. Just watch one of the set pieces, which would not look out of place in the NFL, where most of the players are in there as blockers, creating space for their aerial dangermen, tells you all you need to know about the thorough preparations from Eddie Howe and his staff.
It is of course far too early to be judging Pochettino yet, but if they resembled his Tottenham side in their pomp against Manchester City last time out, they reverted back to the Frank Lampard days on Tyneside. Back very much to square one.
