Newcastle United's 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano was the ideal preparation for the League Cup last 16 assignment against AFC Bournemouth on Tuesday night.
The impressive thing about it was that Eddie Howe continued to boom the orders around once the game became tight as he showed that even a friendly victory means the world to him as Toon boss. After the strange and unprecedented World Cup break, the real business is with us again from Tuesday.
And after a five-week drought with no domestic action the games now come thick and fast with Newcastle's season to be defined in the next month with progression in both cups on offer and the chance to cement a European spot. A quick look around St James' Park today showed that the Magpies look like they are in no mood to give up anything without a fight.
Here's a look at today's notes after the narrow win over the La Liga side.
READ MORE: Newcastle United player ratings as Longstaff impresses in Rayo Vallecano win
Is intensity still our identity?
On this evidence, you bet your life it is and not much has changed since the players broke up for the World Cup. For while that high-octane fitness still needs some fine-tuning, Newcastle had Rayo pinned in a corner at one point and were'n't allowing them much room to escape.
That was obvious as the visitors tried to play out from the back and Howe's front three held their offensive line extremely high up the pitch. It's clear that Howe is programming his players with winning the ball back immediately after losing at and his attack is the first line of defence.
Although, even after the Spanish visitors pulled a goal back - through Matt Targett's own goal - Howe was determined to hold on to the win. Friendly or not, the winning mentality was there for all to see.
Togetherness is there for all to see
No sooner had Targett, unfortunately, put the ball through his own net, he had two players around him in Nick Pope and Kieran Trippier to pick him up from the floor. If you needed to see the spirit in the dressing room in a nutshell there it was.
Pope didn't go to retrieve the ball he instead literally picked up the former Aston Villa left-back and assured him on the spot. Trippier was also quickly on the scene to encourage the defender.
Trippier showed his leadership qualities once again as he went off for youngster Lewis Miley when he simply said: "go and enjoy it". It's the smaller details that help build team spirit.
Chris Wood shows the bottle needed to lead the line at Newcastle
Wood has spoken about having a different role at United compared to his previous clubs, and knows he has stiff competition ahead of him in Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak. But with the duo not fit, he is getting his chance to impress.
He walked off with a back injury in the 5-0 win in Riyadh against Al-Hilal last week. And he had a handful of chances from open play against Rayo Vallecano.
Despite not getting on the end of them though he showed the striker's instinct by grabbing the ball the moment a penalty was awarded against the La Liga side. It would have been easy to hand the ball to somebody else but he stepped up and took on the responsibility.
Just like his penalty against Wolves last season and in the cup against Crystal Palace he showed how capable he is in front of goal. You certainly don't save those and he now goes into the Bournemouth game with a goal to his name.
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