BBC Sport comments from ‘neutrals’ – Very interesting on Newcastle United after Arsenal defeat | OneFootball

Intriguing to read through these BBC Sport comments, following on from Newcastle United’s 4-1 defeat to Arsenal.

The comments from neutrals especially telling…

A lot of it different to what Newcastle United fans had come to expect from the BBC Sport ‘neutrals’.

The BBC Sport comments from neutrals in the past had been overwhelmingly a catalogue of abuse aimed at NUFC supporters.

Particularly stuff about the Newcastle United owners and the media inspired pile-ons that NUFC fans have become used to, when blamed for who now owns their club.

On this occasion though, the politics almost totally absent.

Instead, pretty much just about the actual football.

How Newcastle United performed…

A lot to debate in this game.

The BBC Sport readers comments from neutrals, Arsenal fans and the odd Newcastle supporter also contributing:

‘Shame on the PL making Newcastle fans travel nealy 300 miles for an 8pm ko away game. Fans put last as per usual. Safe journey home Geordies.’

‘Let them enjoy the journey back home.. Deserved to be battered and got served for the disrespect earlier in the season.’

‘Astonishing how the arsenal fans still haven’t got over a well deserved win for Newcastle at St James’s Park.’

‘As the most northerly team in the PL we have had 8 away games with ko’s after 7pm so far…tonights game finished at 10pm with last train 9pm – over 300 miles to get home! And what’s our next away PL game Monday 8pm Chelsea…utter joke!’

‘That first half was terrible from Newcastle. Wave after wave of Arsenal pressure. Fair play to them for making it more of a game in the second.’

‘Newcastle fans a deluded. The Saudis will sell up before Newcastle win a trophy.’

‘You (Arsenal) were good because you were playing idiots. You will blow it for the title like you always do.’

‘Lots of talk about Eddie Howe’s job on the line, he’s a great manager. When Emery left Arsenal, I would have been excited to see Eddie in the job and I still wouldn’t be disappointed if he was ever offered the job.

Newcastle were poor this evening but it wasn’t down to Eddie, they were beaten by a superior Arsenal team at the top of their game at the moment.’

‘How many Geordie fans will be willing to admit that maybe they were wrong about Dan Burn (who provided the assist, made a goal-line clearance and didn’t concede while he was on the pitch)?’

‘A healthy mix of mostly sportsmanlike comments from Arsenal fans, typically humble Newcastle fans, Arsenal’s rivals and Sunderland trolls. Enjoyed it. Goodnight.’

‘Some of the weaker Newcastle players get really found out against a decent side. Looked outclassed tbf.’

‘If we had to pick a league champion based on who played the best football against us, it would be Arsenal by a country mile.

It doesn’t work that way. Man City will just steamroller everyone to the title as usual. Gooners are a good shout for runners up though.’

‘Dubravka was only out with a cold, I imagine he’ll be back on Tuesday. Interesting that Bruno and Botman were hooked early, wonder if it was with Tuesday in mind.

Isak getting minutes in his legs and Willock coming back with a goal were a couple of positives from tonight. We should have too much for Blackburn but we said that about Bournemouth, Luton, Forest…’

‘A lot of people are correctly pointing out that this is now the third time this season that Newcastle United have lost a game by 3 clear goals (the others being Tottenham and Everton) and that this is proof (?) of some sort of decline.

How about the games we’ve won by 3 or more goals this season? Villa (4), Sheff Utd (8), PSG (3), Palace (4), Man U (3), Chelsea (3), Fulham (3), Sunderland (3)…’

‘Willock was a good player when he was Arsenal, so bittersweet him scoring against us. Good innings!’

‘Referee won it for Newcastle in November. Welcome avenge by Arsenal.’

‘An independent panel reviewed all the VAR checks for the goal in the other fixture and confirmed there was no clear and obvious error, and VAR was right not to intervene.

The only mistake made re: that game was Arteta somehow worming his way out of his deserved touchline ban for his comments about the ref.’

‘Newcastle have the 9th highest wage bill in the division. I think they’ll finish 7th or 8th in the table, which is still overachieving, just not as much as last year.

It’s been a difficult year with some bad luck and a few mistakes. I’m sure the club and especially Eddie Howe will take it as a learning experience.

Clubs are too quick to sack managers. Stick with Howe and push on next season.’

‘It’s easy to sack a manager but who you going to replace him with? Eddie is good for a long term plan.. stick with him…

It was painful to watch Arsenal in the first few seasons with Arteta but sometimes it needs steps back to move forward in the right direction.’

‘In the words of the immortal Alan Shearer , “Pretty hopeless really “.’

‘As a Manchester United fan I hope Arsenal win the Premier League. Newcastle the richest club in the World however their fans are not calling for Howe to be sacked .’

‘Newcastle are not the richest club in the world. They have the richest owners, but their owners money is not the clubs money’

‘I don’t know if Newcastle were that bad. Arsenal were just very very good.’

‘Remember when the geordies were shouting burn for England? Still shouting ?? No I thought not.’

‘Newcastle Utd fairytale story crashing to reality. All that hype.’

Stats via BBC Sport:

Arsenal 4 Newcastle 1 – Saturday 24 February 2024 8pm:

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Willock 84

Arsenal:

Botman OG 18, Havertz 24, Saka 65, Kiwior 69

Possession was Arsenal 55% Newcastle 45%

Total shots were Arsenal 18 Newcastle 3

Shots on target were Arsenal 8 Newcastle 2

Corners were Arsenal 9 Newcastle 0

Referee: Paul Tierney

Attendance: 60,298 (3,000 Newcastle)

Newcastle team v Bournemouth:

Karius, Trippier, Schar, Botman (Lascelles 73), Livramento (Burn 73), Longstaff, Guimaraes (Willock 73), Miley, Almiron (Murphy 64), Gordon, Isak (Barnes 64)

Unused subs:

Gillespie, Ritchie, Krafth, Hall

(I have to laugh at what all these football ‘experts’ are now saying about Newcastle United – Read HERE)

(Arsenal 4 Newcastle 1 – Match ratings and comments on all Newcastle United players – Read HERE)

(Arsenal 4 Newcastle 1 – Instant Newcastle United fan / writer reaction – Read HERE)

(Arsenal 4 Newcastle 1 – A bad night at the office must be followed by a better one in Blackburn – Read HERE)

Newcastle United confirmed matches to end of March 2024:

Tuesday 27 February 2024 – Blackburn v Newcastle (7.45pm) BBC1

Saturday 2 March 2024 – Newcastle v Wolves (3pm)

Monday 11 March 2024 – Chelsea v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 16 March 2024 – Crystal Palace v Newcastle (3pm) ***If Newcastle beat Blackburn, NUFC will be playing in FA Cup sixth round this weekend instead.