Meslier reigns in the rain
Keeper frustrates in-form Newcastle
JUST like the incessant rain, Newcastle United did not let up. But as relentless as Eddie Howe’s side were in pursuit of a seventh straight victory, Leeds United proved to be equally resistant.
Water resistant? No chance amid this downpour. But if their yellow jerseys were not already sodden to the skin come the end, they would have been soaked in sweat, such was the effort needed to repel the country’s most in-form team.
This was two points dropped for Newcastle and one gained for Leeds — 16 shots to eight tells you that much. Still, it would be hard to argue there was great injustice in the outcome.
The home side’s finishing was as wild as the weather at times. The good folk of the Gallowgate End were taking cover from both the rainwater and Sean Longstaff’s shooting in the second half. When they did find the target, Illan Meslier was as stubborn as the monsoon.
Leeds offered precious little at the other end but, when they are routinely knocked for being too open and chaotic, a more disciplined display and a first clean sheet in nine matches should at least be applauded. The draw moves them three points clear of the bottom three, while Newcastle remain in third.
Jesse Marsch, unlike Jessie J, says that it is all about the money when it comes to Newcastle’s recent rise. What he forgets, or conveniently ignores, is that Howe has coached his team into one of the most cohesive and energetic in the Premier League. The criticism of Marsch is that he has not.
This, then, at least felt like progress for the American, in terms of a gameplan being executed. It was not pretty, however. Indeed, little was on an afternoon when the conditions aided slick approach play but were far from kind to those attempting to apply some finesse in the final third.
‘It was a frustrating afternoon and all that was missing was the finish,’ said Toon boss Howe. ‘We created enough opportunities, but it wasn’t to be.
‘Set-plays were a massive threat for us today. Recently, we’ve taken one of those chances and it’s changed the game. But there was a feeling of impatience. We were desperate to score and we controlled the game. The weather perhaps suited Leeds, as it made the game stop-start.’
One year ago, Newcastle were 19th. Howe smiled when reminded of this afterwards. ‘It is important the players keep that perspective,’ he added. ‘There’s no need for any negativity from me towards them or them towards each other. They have given everything. They created the chances but, sometimes, football works like that. I’d back us to win that game comfortably if we played it again.’
Not that anyone would want to sit through that deluge for another 90 minutes. Marsch, with his wet sweater still stained, was certainly happy to escape with a point made and a point proved.
‘Before the World Cup, we gave goals away cheaply and wanted to do better with that,’ he said. ‘We talked about the tactics and mentality needed to achieve that. Newcastle went very direct in the second half and, for us, it became about bending but not breaking.’
Of Meslier, he added: ‘That is probably his best performance since I’ve been here. We’re seeing a goalkeeper growing right before our eyes.’
Newcastle had the better of a feisty contest, but it said much that the majority of their chances came from set-pieces, as Howe alluded to. Twice from Kieran Trippier corners they could have scored in the opening half hour, first when Fabian Schar headed wide and then when Dan Burn swiped at fresh air. Trippier’s free-kick then presented a sliding Sven Botman with an opening but his close-range poke was smothered by Meslier.
It was the same story after halftime. Trippier’s free-kick was nodded down by Burn and Chris Wood, with just Meslier to beat, prodded straight at the keeper. It was both a good save and bad miss and, for Wood, just about captured a disappointing outing against his
former club. He was replaced by Callum Wilson and the striker’s arrival, along with Allan SaintMaximin, raised Newcastle’s tempo still further. They could not be faulted for desire and intent. Schar was then denied by Meslier, the defender’s header blocked by the keeper’s shin on the goal-line.
Longstaff then failed to test Meslier with two good chances. Even if he had found the target, the Frenchman would have probably kept them out, so inspired was he here. For Newcastle, it was such inspiration they were lacking.