Richard Keys on time-wasting, cheating and Newcastle United | OneFootball

Richards Keys has been talking about Newcastle United once again.

He has also focused on ‘time-wasting and cheating’ after the opening weekend of matches.

Richard Keys quoting some ball in play time statistics from Saturday and Sunday, compared to the overall length of matches.

Richard Keys writing on his personal blog – 14 August 2023:

‘Time-wasting and cheating’

I’m a big fan of the clampdown on time-wasting and cheating. It’s long overdue and if it irritates players and coaches alike then we’re doing something right. My fear is that it won’t last. In fact – despite Howard Webb’s assurances – I can guarantee that it won’t.

But we made a start this past weekend. How did we do? Well, here are the official match-time/ball in play figures.

The ‘longest’ game was at Newcastle, but we still didn’t manage to keep the ball in play more than 54 minutes. I don’t think anyone at St James’ was bothered though. The entertainment was 5-star.

At Brentford the match ran for a little over 105 mins. The ball was in play for more than 60 mins. That’s what we should be looking to achieve everywhere. I should point out that the length of the match was, in part, determined by the clash of heads between Romero and Mbeumo and a lengthy VAR check to ensure Romero was on-side when he scored Spurs’ opener. More on that in a moment.

Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and *City all went past the 100 minute mark. What should we read into that? Look at the ball in play times. Interesting eh?

We didn’t get near the target at Sheff Utd, Everton, Brighton or Bournemouth though. There’s a theme here isn’t there?’

I think a lot of the above sums up how not only do you have to look at the basic stats, you also have to use what you see with your own eyes.

Richard Keys isn’t criticising Newcastle United here BUT the reality is that these stats will then later be used to have a go at NUFC, Eddie Howe and his players, at least as part of overall stats this season that supposedly ‘prove’ Newcastle United are cheating and/or time wasting, as we saw with some of the ridiculous claims and hysteria last season.

On Saturday, Newcastle v Villa was easily the longest match lasting 107.44 minutes and seconds but ball in play 54.16, only the sixth highest of nine.

However, when you actually look at the actual match, you would have to be pretty bizarre if you are claiming this was ‘yet another’ example of Newcastle United cheating and time-wasting.

Eddie Howe’s side attacked from the first second and your eyes tell you that Newcastle United are anything but a boring negative side trying to waste time and cling on until the final whistle.

There were 17 minutes and 44 seconds played over and above the normal 90 BUT almost 10 minutes of that was due to the unfortunate Tyrone Mings injury. you then had six goals (which you can ‘blame’ Newcastle for five of them!), at least two lengthy VAR delays, then all ten subs were used in the game as well!

In comparison, I can’t say for sure because I didn’t watch Sheffield United v Crystal Palace (no disrespect but how depressing does that fixture sound anyway…), but the ball in play only 52 minutes and 9 seconds with the away side scoring the only goal, maybe that was a case of plenty cheating and time-wasting going on? Who knows, I only watch every second that Newcastle United play and what I can tell you, is that both last season and in this opening thrashing of Villa, Eddie Howe’s Mags are anything but a negative time-wasting cheating team, whatever some distorted out of context stat might say.

Richard Keys was very complimentary about Newcastle United after what he watched at the weekend, well who wouldn’t be?

‘Newcastle were a treat to watch.

No problems with goal scoring there.

Isak is a player isn’t he?

What a lovely finish his second was.’

This is certainly one of those rare times when I can’t disagree with any of that from Richard Keys.

Stats from BBC Sport:

Newcastle 5 Aston Villa 1 – Saturday 12 August 5.30pm

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Tonali 6, Isak 16, 58, Wilson 77, Barnes 90+1

Aston Villa:

Diaby 11

(Half-time stats in brackets)

Possession was Villa 47% (44%)  Newcastle 53% (56%)

Total shots were Villa 16 (7) Newcastle 17 (5)

Shots on target were Villa 6 (2) Newcastle 13 (4)

Corners were Villa 5 (1) Newcastle 6 (1)

Referee: Andy Madley

Crowd: 52,207 (Villa 3,200)

Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Bruno (Longstaff 85), Joelinton, Tonali (Anderson 90+2), Gordon (Barnes 68), Almiron (Murphy 86), Isak (Wilson 68)

Subs:

Dubravka, Lascelles, Targett, Livramento

(Match Report – This season could be immense in a way none of us have ever experienced – Buckle in – Read HERE)

(Newcastle 5 Aston Villa 1 – Match ratings and comments on all the NUFC players – Read HERE)

(Unai Emery reacts to getting schooled by Eddie Howe – Aston Villa hammered by Newcastle United – Read HERE)