3 Positives and 3 Negatives to take from Ipswich 0 Newcastle 4 | OneFootball

Saturday’s match ended Ipswich 0 Newcastle 4.

Ahead of each match we ask one of our writers to come up with three positives and three negatives following the game.

Plenty to talk about after this one…

On this occasion it is ‘Matt Busby said to Joe Harvey…’:

A 4-0 win on the road and a great performance.

The positives are many and varied, so much so that I’ve struggled to limit them to three, but that is the challenge that the Editor poses to someone each week.

Just like the difficulties that arise in finding three positives when we lose, finding three negatives after such an impressive performance at Portman Road has been equally challenging…..

POSITIVES

What a start

How often have we fallen behind this season?

Not so on Saturday.

It took less than 30 seconds for Alexander Isak to open our account and that was after Ipswich had kicked off!

Okay, I appreciate VAR intervened and there was an anxious wait, but no matter.

It was then said that we haven’t lost this season after going in front and so it proved.

Hat-trick Hero

Gimme, Gimme, Gimme a striker from Sweden…..

Ten Premier League goals and four assists in fifteen games and if we’re being honest, our man from Solna on the outskirts of Stockholm, hasn’t got out of second gear yet. That’s truly frightening.

I’ve been critical of some of Isak’s finishing this past couple of weeks and he missed another one-on-one yesterday, but his three goals were despatched with aplomb, reminding us just how clinical he can be.

Clicking into gear

Just like Alex, Newcastle United have been more than a bit inconsistent this season, but that win takes us to within a point of Man City and with Villa on Boxing Day, we can head towards the end of the year on a real high.

With a two-legged semi-final against Arsenal in the League Cup to salivate over once the festivities have ended, you never know, that long wait for that damned elusive trophy could be over in a matter of weeks.

It isn’t going to be easy but we’re getting into a nice little rhythm at precisely the right time.

NEGATIVES

It should have been more

Once again, I’m left lamenting a 4-0 win thinking, we should have scored more.

Isak could have had four and headers from Gordon and Bruno might have crept in on another day. That’s me being greedy I guess.

Murphy the Enigma

Murphy has had his fair share of criticism from me over the years.

I still offer up a wry smile whenever I hear John Anderson’s exasperated co-commentary from the game at Vicarage Road in the dying embers of the Bruceless era, when Jacob should have won it for us in added on time.

Yesterday, the boy from Birtley and graduate of Carrow Road was unplayable. Come on Jacob, ‘let’s be ‘aving you’ perform like that every time from now on in.

Calm Down, Calm Down

It’s not like me to pour cold water on proceedings!

It’s been a great week, with an 8-0 aggregate score in our last two Premier League outings, but let’s face it, both our opponents have been very poor. Bah Humbug!

Ipswich 0 Newcastle 4 – Saturday 21 December 3pm

(Stats via BBC Sport)

Newcastle United:

Ipswich:

(In brackets the half-time stats)

Possession was Newcastle 59% (52%) Ipswich 41% (48%)

Total shots were Newcastle 15 (10) Ipswich 10 (4)

Shots on target were Newcastle 7 (5) Ipswich 2 (1)

Corners were Newcastle 1 (0) Ipswich 2 (1)

Touches in the box Newcastle 35 (20) Ipswich 20 (10)

Dubravka, Livramento (Trippier 64), Schar, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Bruno (Miley 80), Willock (Longstaff 64), Murphy (Barnes 64), Isak (Almiron 73), Gordon

Unused Subs:

Vlachodimos, Targett, Osula, Kelly

(Ipswich 0 Newcastle 4 – Match ratings and comments on all Newcastle United players – Read HERE)

(Ipswich 0 Newcastle 4 – Instant Newcastle United fan/writer reaction – Read HERE)

(Ipswich 0 Newcastle 4 : Absolutely brilliant and Alexander Isak first NUFC hat-trick – Jingle bells! Read HERE)

Newcastle United upcoming matches:

Thursday 26 December – Newcastle v Villa (3pm) Amazon

Monday 30 December – Man U v Newcastle (8pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 4 January – Tottenham v Newcastle (12.30pm) TNT Sports

Week commencing Monday 6 January – Arsenal v Newcastle TBC

Sunday 12 January – Newcastle v Bromley (3pm) BBC iPlayer (FA Cup)

Wednesday 15 January – Newcastle v Wolves (7.30pm) TNT Sports

Saturday 18 January – Newcastle v Bournemouth (12.30pm) TNT Sports

Saturday 25 January – Southampton v Newcastle (3pm)

Saturday 1 February – Newcastle v Fulham (3pm)

Week commencing Monday 3 February – Newcastle v Arsenal TBC