Newcastle 4 Girona 0 – United blow away Champions League side in 16 minutes

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The Mag

·10 August 2024

Newcastle 4 Girona 0 – United blow away Champions League side in 16 minutes

It ended Newcastle 4 Girona 0.

A 7.30pm kick-off at St James’ Park on Friday night with 31,958 watching on, as usual with the home friendlies, a very youthful/family crowd making up the bulk of the attendance.

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With friendlies you always have to not get too carried away with it, either positively or negatively.

However, having said that, Newcastle United couldn’t have been more impressive in the opening half.

Comparisons made with the Tottenham match of April 2023, when Newcastle were 5-0 up after 21 minutes.

This time it was 3-0 after 16 minutes and 4-0 on 38 minutes, but it could and should have been more, as United repeatedly caught out the visitors in possession with the familiar Eddie Howe high press.

Difficult to gauge how good or bad Girona were and all we can really judge, is how good Newcastle were in that opening half especially.

Eddie Howe spitting his first-team squad over the two home friendlies, as usual, although it definitely looked as though Howe had gone stronger with this Friday night one – Pope, Livramento, Krafth, Burn, Hall, J Miley, Joelinton, Longstaff, Murphy, Isak, Gordon.

It only took three minutes for the first goal as Krafth played the ball out well from the edge of his own box, Murphy getting possession in midfield, he carried the ball and released Isak, he pulled the ball back for Livramento who squared it for a cool Longstaff left foot finish.

On 14 minutes it was Murphy making it five goals in five pre-season friendlies, as Joelinton won possession on the edge of the box, a great cross from the left by Isak was headed on to Murphy who smashed it home from around 10 yards out.

Very much like that Tottenham demolition in April 2023, it was Newcastle dominant, though not total domination. As Giona did threaten at times, Livramento got crowded out of possession in the middle of the pitch and some smart football ended with a Girona forward hitting a powerful low shot which Pope met with a very decent save diving to his right. The United number one going on to make another couple of good saves to preserve his clean sheet.

United went straight up the other end and made it 3-0 on 16 minutes.

Looking very impressive, Joelinton once again won possession on the halfway line, the Brazil international intercepting a pass and fed Isak, he released Gordon and a very good low left foot finish returned the winger to scoring form on home ground, ahead of the new season.

Isak was on fire and tormenting the visiting defence, Miley’s ball down the left and the Swedish striker turned two defenders inside out, several times, before one of them dragged him to the ground as he ran into the box.

The striker from Sweden stepped up himself to make it 4-0 but a poor penalty easily saved on 19 minutes, as the keeper dived to his right.

The smart incisive attacking football continued, chances created, yet somehow it took until the 38th minute for 4-0.

Joelinton driving forward with the ball once more, played it to Isak and his edge of the box shot saved well by the keeper, only for Murphy to get the rebound wide right in the box, he dropped his shoulder and left the defender for dead, his pinpoint cross should have been headed in by Joelinton but his effort hit the bar, Longstaff lashing home for his second goal of the match.

Just before that fourth goal, a wonderful flowing move that started from Nick Pope, saw seven or eight passes later, Dan Burn somehow appearing at the edge of the box, he ran on to a pass and from 20 yards saw an excellent effort tipped over.

As so often happens when you play so well and get the goals in the opening 45, the second-half was a big drop-off. No surprise and especially when it is a friendly, players not wanting to overdo it and risk injury.

Not a case of lack of effort, just energy levels dropping and no need to get the adrenaline pumping to make up for that, in a friendly where they’d put the game to bed so well.

One player who can’t be said to have any problem with his energy levels, is Trevan Sanusi.

Anthony Gordon had put in a very good 45 minutes having just returned to training this past week, great news ahead of next weekend. However, his 17 year old replacement staked his own claim for first-team involvement this coming season.

We were told Sanusi was a very exciting prospect when Newcastle signed him and his pace and skill was on show at St James’ Park.

Newcastle coming closest to making it 5-0 when Sanusi fed Isak and yet again, our centre-forward ran at the Girona defence and they couldn’t deal with him. Isak ended up drawing the last defender and he put Parkinson in on the keeper, he should have scored but the goalkeeper making a comfortable save.

Girona finished third in La Liga last season and will play Champions League football this coming season. They won 2-0 away at Napoli in a friendly last Saturday, although they do also play at Bournemouth today with a 4.15pm kick-off, so fair to say they may have been splitting their squad as well last night.

The Premier League’s best referee by far, Michael Oliver, got a rare chance to ref the team he supports, he and the other 32,000 Newcastle United fans can’t have failed to be impressed by what they saw.

A very good night and fingers crossed Saturday’s 4pm against Brest will give a similar outcome, Will Osula set to make his debut and the likes of Bruno, Schar, Barnes and Trippier all hopefully able to get valuable minutes in.

Final scoreline:

Newcastle 4 Girona 0

Pope (Ruddy 76), Livramento, Burn (Stanton 89), Krafth, Hall, Longstaff, Jamie Miley (Parkinson 63), Joelinton, Gordon (Sanusi 46), Isak (Hernes 89), Jacob Murphy

Unused subs:

Gillespie, Alfie Harrison, Heffernan, Munda, Shahar

Newcastle United schedule to end of October 2024:

Saturday 20 July 2024 – Newcastle 3 SpVgg Unterhaching 1

Saturday 27 July 2024 – Hull 0 Newcastle 2

Wednesday 31 July 2024 – Urawa Red Diamonds 1 Newcastle 4

Saturday 3 August 2024 – Yokohama F Marinos 2 Newcastle 0

Friday 9 August 2024 – Newcastle 4 Girona 0

Saturday 10 August 2024 – Newcastle United v Stade Brestois 4pm kick-off (SJP Sela weekend)

Wednesday 14 August 2024 – The Carabao Cup second round draw will be made around 10pm.

Saturday 17 August 2024 – Newcastle v Southampton (3pm)

Sunday 25 August 2024 – Bournemouth v Newcastle (2pm) Sky Sports