After battering Paris Saint-Germain on their residence return to the Champions League, Newcastle United have been introduced again all the way down to earth by Borussia Dortmund, who received 1-0 at St James’ Park.
Felix Nmecha put the German aspect forward after 45 minutes of a pulsating first half and Newcastle may by no means get stage, shedding Alexandra Isak to harm within the first half and Jacob Murphy within the second.
The end result leaves the 2 groups on 4 factors in Group F after three video games, with PSG two factors clear on the prime and AC Milan backside on two factors.
Our writers analyse what occurred and what it means for each groups.
Bellingham’s alternative Nmecha has his second
Felix Nmecha has had a gradual begin. One of many complaints about him has been his tendency to play solely in moments, or to tease his expertise fairly than run video games with it.
This efficiency confirmed all his potential. He benefited from the way in which Dortmund got down to play and was capable of break into house virtually at will within the first half. He lined the pitch extraordinarily properly, on each side of the ball.
However Nmecha will not be solely a runner. He isn’t Jude Bellingham both, even when he has been damned with making an attempt to exchange him, however he has loads of technical potential — and his objective confirmed that. A half-volley on a really moist pitch, from a go drilled in the direction of him; that was not simple.
He truly did little to seek out the house from which he scored; he ambled into place with out Newcastle seeming to note. However his objective capped a efficiency throughout which he confirmed what he may be as a No 8 and why it was that Dortmund spent practically €30m (£26.1m, $31.7m) to signal him from Wolfsburg. It had a little bit of every part. The onerous working and the advantageous end, sure, but in addition little flecks of talent and, when wanted, a physicality that Terzic’s workforce wanted on a dirty night time, a good distance from residence.
Nmecha has thus far performed with out presence this season and with out performing in a manner that expressed his persona. That modified this night.
(Picture: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar through Getty Pictures)
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor
Attacking Trippier caught out by Newcastle shedding possession
Newcastle are usually not a workforce who make sloppy errors, particularly not in harmful areas. However with Kieran Trippier pushing up on the best, plus Fabian Schar and Jamaal Lascelles not being the quickest centre-back pairing, Dortmund would have sensed the chance to harm Newcastle in transition.
Significantly within the first half, Trippier had 48 touches, of which 31 have been within the Dortmund half. As defensively stable as we all know Newcastle’s right-back is, there was house in behind to be exploited.
A warning got here after 10 minutes, with Sean Longstaff dispossessed in midfield. Cries rose out of the East Stand for a foul, however the problem appeared truthful — and Newcastle relied on Nick Pope to clutch at parity.
His first save from Donyell Malen was instinctive, playing on a route and deflecting the ball off his hip — however the second was excellent, with Niclas Fullkrug’s low drive someway stopped by a rotating turbine of an arm.
The alarm was not heeded — or fairly, Dortmund did properly to isolate particular person gamers with their tight midfield three. Gordon lower in from the left and Schlotterbeck’s intervention was completely timed. The centre-back moved upfield with the poise of a participant carrying double the shirt variety of his No 4, racing onto the sting of the field to chop again for Nmecha. Dortmund’s precise No 8 let the ball run throughout his physique earlier than firing previous Pope.
Jacob Whitehead and Mark Carey
Isak limps off on return from harm
Alexander Isak’s frustration was palpable, a double-handed slap of the damp grass as he lay close to the centre circle.
The 24-year-old striker arrived at Dortmund as a callow 17-year-old, by no means afforded a correct alternative as greater names arrived within the Ruhr Valley. It took a mortgage spell at Willem II and a everlasting switch to Actual Sociedad to reignite his profession.
After all, every part is round. Now at Newcastle, his return to the Champions League was heralded by a reunion with Dortmund — one which lasted barely quarter-hour. The flashes have been temporary — an acceleration, a ball slipped by way of to Anthony Gordon.
He had injured his groin through the closing minutes of the 2-2 draw with West Ham United on October 8, his best efficiency of the season thus far. That day, his two targets dragged Newcastle again right into a recreation which their flat efficiency didn’t benefit. Dominated out of worldwide responsibility consequently, Eddie Howe was cautious sufficient to begin Callum Wilson in opposition to Crystal Palace on the weekend.
Isak sat down earlier than departing injured (Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Pictures)
These measures didn’t show sufficient. An innocuous coming collectively, and Isak was down clutching the identical leg. Newcastle journey to Dortmund in lower than two weeks. His return to the Westfalenstadion is now up within the air.
Wilson had two second-half alternatives, stabbing one at Gregor Kobel from shut vary, and flicking the opposite onto the bar. They have been Newcastle’s finest — and virtually solely — sights of objective, with Anthony Gordon’s strike on the very finish deflecting onto the bar.
Wilson is mostly thought-about Isak’s equal as a finisher — however there was nonetheless a tangible sense of “what ifs”.
Jacob Whitehead
Brandt absence makes Dortmund… extra artistic
Dortmund could also be unbeaten within the Bundesliga this season, however they haven’t created possibilities on the anticipated charge. They’ve additionally scored fewer targets from open play than every other aspect within the division’s prime six and with out Julian Brandt of their lineup, who might be their finest participant and definitely amongst their most technically expressive, this recreation promised little to appropriate that development.
Curiously, it appeared to learn BVB, with Newcastle uncertain of the place the attacking thrust was coming from. Inside quarter-hour, Dortmund had created two glorious possibilities with decisive, vertical motion of the ball, and raiding events breaking by way of the center of the pitch. Malen was distinguished, Fullkrug ought to have scored and Nmecha appeared extra liberated in his assist working than he has all season.
That will sound typical to English followers who nonetheless affiliate Dortmund with the Klopp-Tuchel model of soccer, however that’s not who they’re anymore. Their type of play is often a lot slower and over the previous few years has change into extra dependent upon people. Like Jadon Sancho, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and, presently, Brandt.
The harm compelled a dependency upon the system, it appeared, and a counter-attacking construction — three gamers unfold throughout the pitch, one or two gamers supporting behind in central positions — which Newcastle didn’t initially deal with. By the point Nmecha took one of many possibilities, on the finish of a transfer typical of the primary half, Terzic’s workforce might need already been a objective or two forward.
And no one noticed that coming.
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor
Accidents hinder impression of Howe’s substitutions
Newcastle followers rightfully arrived at St James’ Park filled with confidence after their earlier residence conflict within the Champions League. The momentum didn’t fairly construct in the identical manner in opposition to Dortmund, with some clever counter-attacking play from Edin Terzic’s aspect.
Within the Newcastle dugout, issues have been busy — partly out of necessity, however partly in an try to discover a spark within the recreation. Alexander Isak’s harm after quarter-hour didn’t assist proceedings, however it took till the sixty fifth minute for Eddie Howe to vary system in addition to personnel.
On got here Jacob Murphy and Sandro Tonali for Joelinton and Sean Longstaff, which meant Newcastle shifted to a much less acquainted 4-2-3-1 system as a way to get extra our bodies round Callum Wilson — with Miguel Almiron drifting right into a central space to spark extra artistic risk along with his relentless power. Nevertheless, that plan lasted all of roughly 90 seconds.
(Picture: Owen Humphreys/PA Pictures through Getty Pictures)
A nasty-looking shoulder harm to Murphy meant additional modifications have been required, with alternative Joe Willock that means Newcastle rapidly shifted again to a 4-3-3. Sure, the climate circumstances didn’t assist, however Howe’s aspect have been unable to seek out that very same magic that noticed them squash PSG firstly of the month — regardless of their finest efforts to have an effect on the sport on a blustery night on Tyneside.
Mark Carey
The night time Schlotterbeck wanted
No query who authored one of the best piece of play of the night time: Nico Schlotterbeck.
His contribution to the Dortmund objective was the proper demonstration of contemporary, progressive defending. First in the way in which that he robbed Anthony Gordon of the ball in his personal half, then within the ambition he confirmed in making the supporting run ahead to create the overlap that led to Nmecha’s objective.
Schlotterbeck has not had a simple time since transferring from Freiburg. For membership or nation. His slender body and technical type of defending has at instances left him open to criticism. A number of the errors he’s made have additionally broken his self-belief and inhibited him.
What a second this might show to be, then, due to all of the gamers anticipated to wilt at St James’ Park, he would certainly have been prime of the checklist. Not so; he was magnificent. The objective was the spotlight, however Schlotterbeck was impressively resolute alongside Mats Hummels and handled all of the physicality that Newcastle may muster.
Dortmund wanted this win. Schlotterbeck wanted this night time. Each shall be higher for it.
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor
The place does this depart group F?
Finely balanced. Paris Saint-Germain prime the group on six factors after a 3-0 win over AC Milan, however their frailties have been laid naked at St James’ Park three weeks in the past.
However because of this Group F was the one circled after the draw — each aspect has the potential to embarrass one other.
Dortmund sit forward of Newcastle on head-to-head file, each groups on 4 factors, with AC Milan backside on two.
Crucially, Newcastle have now performed two of their residence matches, and face successive away journeys to Dortmund and Paris. It already appears as if Newcastle might want to win their remaining recreation, at residence to Milan, to make sure of progress.
Jacob Whitehead
(High picture: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Pictures)
