Dire display lacking drive and danger
NEWCASTLE United failed to offer any Christmas cheer at St James’ Park after spluttering to a goal-less stalemate to end 2018 on Tyneside in disappointing manner.
On a day in which Rafa Benitez’s side were unable to register a single shot on target, they were accused of being too defensive against rock-bottom Fulham.
To make matters even worse this was Fulham’s first clean sheet in 22 attempts in the Premier League.
But the Magpies’ inability to create any danger in the final third was more worrying and a striker should be right at the top of Benitez’s festive wish-list.
Newcastle looked like they were doing their best to lose the game in the closing stages but old boy Aleksandar Mitrovic fluffed his lines.
It was Mitrovic who had the first goal attempt of the afternoon as he latched on to the ball on the left-hand side before gliding into the box and stroking a tame shot straight at Martin Dubravka.
There was a slight penalty appeal from the man Benitez brought in to replace Mitrovic a couple of minutes later as Salomon Rondon went down in the box after a challenge from Tim Ream, but the cries for a spot-kick were in hope rather than expectation as Martin Atkinson’s stern reaction signalled play on.
With 11 minutes played, Fulham tested the Magpies down the right as Jean Michael Seri’s deflected cross flew in the direction of Dubravka but he gathered comfortably.
Newcastle mounted another attack seven minutes later with Fabian Schar fouled mid-way in the Fulham half.
Ki’s floated free-kick picked out Jamaal Lascelles but his knockdown was cleared with the ball landing tantalisingly in the six-yard box.
Newcastle operated with a back five in the opening exchanges and were arguably too cautious to begin with, prompting a few groans from pockets of fans as Fulham edged possession.
On 32 minutes Christian Atsu’s deflected effort indicated the visitors needed to be tested a lot more as goalkeeper Sergio Rico clumsily looked to push the ball clear but clashed with own defender in Alfie Mawson resulting in treatment for the Fulham man.
Three minutes later, Ki dragged a shot wide that only resulted in ironic cheers from the Fulham supporters in Level 7 of the Leazes End.
Fulham earned themselves a dangerous free-kick five minutes before halftime after Joe Bryan was fouled, but Seri hit it straight at Dubravka.
A Matt Ritchie shot then seemed to ricochet off a Fulham defender’s arm at the other end while Ayoze Perez’s shot moments later was blocked.
The half ended in frustration for the Magpies but they couldn’t exactly say they pushed Fulham to the limit.
Mitrovic had the first attempt of the second half but after getting free down the left his side-footed effort went into the hands of Dubravka again.
But United started to apply some real pressure on the Fulham goal after the break but struggled to find their clinical side.
Indeed, the game nudged past the hour mark with Rico still waiting to face his first shot on target of the afternoon.
With 21 minutes to go, Benitez called Kenedy off the bench as he looked to pave the way for victory with Atsu making way for the Brazilian.
Ritchie’s 74th minute corner picked out Schar in the centre of the six-yard box but his header was flicked over the bar by the Swiss international.
Kenedy’s first contribution was a run in the box that was ended by Bryan but after trying to connect with Perez’s cross, again Atkinson waved away protests.
At the other end Bryan’s shot, after Mitrovic’s flick, had hearts in mouths at the Leazes End but it bounced harmlessly wide.
Benitez made a second change with seven minutes left as he looked to inject some pace to his team with Deandre Yedlin coming on for Manquillo.
Kenedy picked the ball up on the edge of the box with five minutes remaining but his effort was smashed hopelessly and helplessly wide with the effort troubling the Gallowgate stewards more than the Fulham defence. Mitrovic had two good chances late in the game to take the headlines. First, he should have taken advantage of Dubravka’s casual response to a Lascelles back-pass but failed to cash in. Then after getting space in the box he was thwarted by Lascelles who blocked at just the right time. Kenedy’s ball into the box in stoppage time evaded everybody in the United frontline as neither Perez nor Rondon managed to get a bobbling ball under control. However, as sub Aboubakar Kamara burst through in the last throes of stoppage time things could have been worse had Lascelles not slid in to nick the ball and deny him a golden chance.
Sadly, United signed off in 2018 at St James’ Park style here. in awful