SUPERMAC Dubravka helping me keep the faith
GOALIE THE STAR IN A FINE TEAM DISPLAY
TYNESIDE has had a spring in its step this week thanks to one of the best performances from a Newcastle side I can remember for a long while.
I think their brilliant defeat of Manchester United was the finest all-round display from a Newcastle team for three or four seasons.
There have been other days when individuals have been excellent but last weekend, from one to 11, they were superb.
It was a joy to watch a Newcastle team commit, go for it and play with no shortage of heart, skill and effort.
You know the moment whichswung it for me?
After two minutes when the new goalkeeper Martin Dubravka came out of his six-yard box to claim a Manchester United cross with real authority and bravery.
The crowd responded and you could see the same from every player in that team.
Dubravka hasonly been at the club a week or two but from that moment his fellow defenders just grew in confidence.
It was a pivotal moment in the game – and hopefully a sign of things to come from Dubravka.
For some reason, goalkeepers in the Premier League do not seem to want to come off their line and claim crosses like that any more.
Yet in Dubravka I saw the first goalkeeper since the Shay Given days who had that confidence and authority to claim crosses.
What a difference it made to Florian Lejeune, who posted his finest display in black and white.
I think his biggest problem so far has been positionally.
He is a good defender with excellent technique but you can see uncertainty in his game.
He has not always known where to play – should he be deeper to pick up crosses or should he be on his man, making life difficult for him?
From the moment Dubravka claimed that cross, I think the uncertainy evaporated from his game.
Lejeune could get on with the job of marking his man out of the game and in turn Jamaal Lascelles, Paul Dummett and DeAndre Yedlin could play their own game and did not have to worry about mopping up for others.
Dubravka was not the only one who impressed me. I thought Ayoze Perez and Dwight Gayle worked ever so hard and the Newcastle No 9 responded to the criticism which has come his way with a performance of real potential against Manchester United.
Granted, he needs a goal - but that touch for the goal capped a really excellent performance and showed top-class awareness and ability.
Have you ever seen a player in the opposition’s penalty area with the amount of time and space Matt Ritchie had for the goal?
I cannot remember anyone having that kind of space to play in it – and that is a testament to the quick thinking of Gayle, who showed he is not going to give up his place to Islam Slimani anytime soon.
In the centre of midfield, Mo Diame continues to impress.
I will freely admit I was worried for him and for the team when Rafa Benitez first started picking him again - but his performances have thoroughly justified the manager’s faith. He would be one of the first names on my team sheet now.
Overall I was so impressed with Newcastle. Benitez got his tactics spot on and I was so pleased to see the Magpies really go for it against one of the top teams.
The only thing which disappointed me was that the reaction afterwards from a lot of the national media seemed to be Manchester United were unlucky. I don’t agree.
They had chances but really until the final ten minutes of the game Newcastle were far the better side.
I would have loved to see someone give Newcastle the credit their performance deserved.
It bodes well for the future but Newcastle still have a lot of hard work to do. Bournemouth will be a tough game again but now they have illustrated what they can do against Manchester United they should be full of confidence going there.