Daniel Wales and Joe Buck discuss Newcastle’s victory at Southampton, the imminent departure of Miguel Almirón, and preview Newcastle’s fixtures against Fulham in the Premier League and Arsenal in the League Cup.
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00:00Well, hello and welcome back to the Magpies Nest Newcastle United podcast with myself
00:16Daniel and my co-host Joe Buck from the Shields Gazette. Joe, how are you this morning?
00:20I'm good, thank you. As we said, just off-air, just before we start recording, it's much
00:24better to be talking to you after a win than a defeat like last week. So yeah, I'm happy.
00:28Yes, Newcastle did get back to winning ways in the Premier League, a 3-1 win away at
00:33bottom side Southampton. Two goals from Alexander Izak and then one from Sandro Tonali. Got
00:39the win on the south coast. Now Joe, you were there, so I'll come to you straight away.
00:43What was it like? And obviously we've all seen the highlights, but I'm not sure Newcastle
00:48were overly brilliant as they can be, but against the Southampton side who leave a lot
00:54of space, a lot of wide open gaps, they just sort of did what they had to do.
00:58Yeah, exactly. I think it was very much like the win over Wolves two weeks ago. They don't
01:04have to be at their best to beat teams like Southampton and Wolves anymore, which is good.
01:07I think that shows the level of quality from Newcastle that they don't have to put in 8
01:12out of 10, 9 out of 10 performances to get comfortable wins. And that's what they did
01:17the weekend. Obviously, the early setback was far from ideal. You know, the defensive
01:22laps, I think, from Dan Byrne and then obviously a big defender just got above Tino Liberomento.
01:27But from that, even before that, they were on top. That was Southampton's one chance.
01:31And then after that, they were really good clinical. You know, the penalty, it didn't...
01:37I was in the away end, so I was in the press box, so I didn't see the penalty until afterwards.
01:42But it didn't seem a penalty from us, but we were on the other side of the ground. But
01:45as soon as you see the replay, you see it catches the leg and it's a definite penalty.
01:49And then from then, you know, Isak put that away. And then his second goal was brilliant,
01:53his touch and Murphy's pass. And then even the third goal was fantastic. So yeah, a little
01:57bit towards the end, a little bit of nerves. I think if that goal hadn't have got ruled
02:00out for offside, it would have been a nervy five minutes. But yeah, it was a very, you
02:04know, standard performance from Newcastle, got the win, and that's all they needed to do.
02:08After Bournemouth, we spoke last week, they just needed to get a win. And now it's 10
02:12from 11 games, it's a brilliant form. And yeah, got the win. That's all they needed to do.
02:16Yeah, just interestingly on that last point there regarding the goal that Southampton
02:22scored their second, that obviously was ruled out for offside. It's a bit of a theme at
02:25Newcastle, obviously playing very well, as we know, but they do tend to tip their foot
02:29off the gas a little bit in sort of the last 15-20 minutes. Is this a bit of an issue in
02:33your opinion?
02:34I don't know. I think it would have been an issue had they conceded that and gone in the
02:39last five minutes one behind. I think for me, it just seems that they're just trying
02:43to control games a bit better than they did last year. I think a lot of things with injuries
02:47and, you know, they weren't in control of any games, even the ones that won, they were
02:50barely in control of it. So I think that's a style that Eddie Howes tried to implement this year.
02:54One player who of course came on towards the end of the Southampton game was Miguel Almiron,
03:00in what was probably his last appearance in a Newcastle shirt. Nearly got a goal at the
03:04end as well. It would have been a fitting finale for him. But now it would seem that
03:09his move back to Atlanta United in the MLS is going ahead. Joe, it's a case of Miguel
03:15Almiron where a really likeable person, character, always gave 100%. Of course, looked like a
03:21world-beater when he first came in under Rafa next to Perez Rondon, then had the purple
03:25patch under Eddie Howe in the Champions League season. But for the most part, despite the
03:31hard work, his end product never quite matched up, did it?
03:35No, it didn't, you're right. The fact he had to wait sort of 11 months for that first goal
03:39suggests that, you know, that was a warning sign early on. But yeah, as you say, he's
03:43a likeable player. As you saw the scenes at the wee end, you know, with Eddie Howe pushing
03:47him to the front to get all the plaudits, it was really good scenes. And you could see
03:50that the 3,000 fans there were appreciative of everything he's done for six years. You
03:55know, he came in as the club's record buyer. Obviously, it didn't last long. Joe Linton
03:58came in sort of six months later for £40 million. But at that point, he was the most
04:02expensive transfer. And, you know, for £20 million or £21 million, the signing for six
04:07years, I think it's been a good deal. They're going to get sort of £10 million back as
04:10well. I think it's good. He'll be remembered fondly. I think, as you say, his goals and
04:16assist stats maybe don't tally up to what you might have expected, but he always give
04:21his all and that's what you hope from any player. And as you say, it would have been
04:25fitting on Saturday had he scored. It would have been, I mean, if he'd scored that with
04:29his right foot, that shot, that would have been, it would have been a bit weird. It would
04:32have been like, where's this armour I've been for six years? But yeah, he'll be someone
04:36that's looked back on, I think, semi-fondly. I don't think he'll go down as one of the
04:40club legends, but he might, you know, people will appreciate what he did for the club.
04:44And as you say, you'll always have that month, that October 2022, where he was unplayable.
04:49So yeah, very good servant, always give his all and Newcastle have done well to get the
04:54money. You know, they're going, he'll leave with his head high and, yeah, with the best
04:58wishes of most fans.
04:59Indeed, yes. Now, I mean, if you look actually at some of the goals he's scored, I think
05:03it's about 30 goals he's scored for Newcastle in his six years there. Some of them are really,
05:07really good goals. And you'd think if you take that in isolation, you think, well, blimey,
05:10what a player he was. And then of course, you've got that moment against Paris Saint-Germain,
05:14you know, the first goal back in the Champions League for so many years. So there are some
05:18moments of him where you just have to stand back and applaud because fair play to him.
05:23Right, if we move on then, next fixture for Newcastle is back at St James' Park against
05:28Fulham, who have had a decent enough season. They did get beaten by Manchester United at
05:32the weekend, though, which is probably quite a disappointing result for Marco Silva's side,
05:36actually, given how well they've played against other sides this campaign. So for Newcastle,
05:41I think it's very much a case of just putting the Bournemouth Blues behind them and getting
05:46another win. I know obviously we say this, but it is just a case where the league is
05:50so competitive around those European spots where every three points, every win, every
05:54victory matters so much now. And yes, Fulham are a good side, but it's a team that Newcastle
06:00need to just show their quality against, isn't it?
06:02Absolutely, especially at home. They haven't had a brilliant record at home this year compared
06:06to previous seasons, but they need to just get back, again, what we said last week, just
06:10get another win on the board. Their performance at Fulham back in September was probably their
06:16worst of the season. I don't think they've played worse than that over 90 minutes. I
06:20include Bournemouth in that. Bournemouth were just much better than them on that day. Fulham
06:24were better than Newcastle on that day, but Newcastle were really bad. So they'll want
06:26to put that right. But they'll have nothing to fear against Fulham. As you say, they're
06:30a good team that can cause you problems. They've got good players. Someone like Emile Smith-Rowe
06:34had a field day against them last time, but I told them they would fancy themselves to
06:38get that win. And then if they can't get that win against a good team, that'll give them
06:41all the confidence in the world going into the two Cup games next week.
06:45Yes, yes, indeed. Just on Fulham, I think, clearly Marco Silva's a talented manager and
06:50he has a lot about him. And Fulham have some good players, but as I mentioned there, Newcastle
06:55do have more quality. So again, obviously, we mentioned there that killing games off,
07:02it's a game where you just like Newcastle to go out and get the job done nice and early,
07:05I think, isn't it?
07:06Yes, absolutely. A hundred percent. If they can get a couple of goals lead and then do
07:11what they did, whether you manage. I mean, that was a luxury on Saturday. He didn't seem
07:14too happy about it when he came off, but taking Bruno off and being able to e-sack off a sort
07:18of 15, 20 minute spare is a good thing. You can keep them fresh. And yes, if they can
07:22do that Saturday, that will be ideal. Of course, I don't think it'll be that. I think it'll
07:26be a close game. I don't remember, it could be against Fulham, you know, they were very
07:31lucky not to get a point with the e-sack sort of last minute goal. I think it'll be a similar
07:34game with that. I hope that Newcastle have got enough and that, as you say, they can
07:37go a couple of goals up and be able to rest these players. But yeah, it's going to be
07:41a tough game.
07:42Indeed it is, yes. And of course, after that, you go straight from Fulham, you go straight
07:46into what is probably Newcastle's biggest game of the season so far to this point, at
07:51least. Of course, the second leg of the League Cup semi-final against Arsenal, 2-0 ahead
07:58after the first leg. What a night that was at the Emirates for the black and whites.
08:01But nothing is guaranteed yet, but they are putting themselves in the best possible position
08:07to go through. So Joe, it's going to be a nervy night, isn't it? I think from everyone's
08:13point of view. But I think Newcastle just need to come out the blocks absolutely flying
08:18in that game. The atmosphere needs to be electric because Arsenal, they're not going to hold
08:22anything back. They're going to go straight in for it. They know they need to go and score
08:26straight away or at least as early as they can to have any chance. So if Newcastle can
08:31match that intensity that Arsenal might bring and get an early goal, because of the advantage
08:36they've got, Newcastle could kill this tie in the first half if they go about things
08:39in the right way.
08:40100%. I think the atmosphere starts from the fans. I think it needs to be a bit PSG-like.
08:45It needs to be everyone up for it and really make it uncomfortable for Arsenal. It's weird
08:50because you are 2-0 up and I know Newcastle fans were just bred into it. The fact that
08:54something's gone wrong is going to happen. But that game against Arsenal was a completely
08:59different against United. It was a really good performance in the first leg and hopefully
09:03they can do it again. The worry with Arsenal is the fact that they are good from set pieces
09:06and you can dominate the ball and all that, but all it takes is for them to put a corner
09:10in and then all of a sudden it's nervy again. But as you say, I think the start's going
09:14to be really key. If they can get the first 20 minutes, half an hour, if they can be on
09:18top and maybe even get a goal, then I don't think they'll have too many problems. But
09:23it's going to be, I'm hoping it's going to be a memorable night and one that people look
09:27back fondly on, like the PSG game and like the others. And it feels a bit different.
09:31I think the last semi-final against Southampton and even the Leicester games felt like an
09:37occasion like, oh, we don't do this often, so let's enjoy it. But now it seems very clinical,
09:41like the win against Brentford last month and even the one against Chelsea. It felt
09:45like this is actually what Newcastle do and this is what they need to do. So I'm hoping
09:48that that's the atmosphere on Wednesday, that actually it's not just, oh, we're here
09:52against Arsenal too and the little business, it's great. It's actually, no, we're here
09:55at the win. We're going to get a Wembley again and then hopefully they can continue that
09:58attitude if they get to the final next month.
10:01Yeah. As I say that, I think they could make it very easy for themselves, Newcastle. If
10:06they go and score early, if they go and maybe get one, even two goals early, the tie is
10:10dead by half-time. Arsenal aren't coming back from 4-0 down on aggregate at all. Well,
10:17you've made me doubt myself now, but I mean, on paper, at least, you wouldn't expect that.
10:24But you are right, Arsenal are dangerous from set-pieces, of course they are. Newcastle,
10:28though, they've shown they can beat Arsenal. They've beaten them twice this season, both
10:32home and away in the Premier League and the League Cup, so clearly they've got something
10:36over them and if they can repeat what they did, perhaps, at St James' Park back in November,
10:41Isak got that early goal in that game and yes, Arsenal had moments after that, but never
10:47really, again, looked like scoring too much.
10:50And as you say, because of the 2-0, if you get an early goal, you're right, Arsenal are
10:54going to score three. That's probably not going to happen, I say that, then they probably
10:58will, but I think it's one of the ones, as you say, the start is going to be really important
11:03and hopefully they can get confidence from a good start.
11:07Indeed, yes, that is key, the first 15-20 minutes are key in that game and if Newcastle
11:12can get that all-important third goal on, I think it might just be enough for them,
11:18to be honest. Even if Arsenal were to get one at some point of the match, you've still
11:21got another two-goal advantage, that's the thing.
11:23So yes, that is all for now, though we'll be back, not next Tuesday, obviously at the
11:28time of recording, we'll be back next Thursday, actually, because, of course, the League Cup
11:34Semi-Final is on the Wednesday night, so we'll be looking back at that and then looking ahead
11:38to a trip to St Andrews in the FA Cup. As you said before, Joe, two cup games in a row,
11:44Newcastle, no Premier League action after Fulham for at least a little bit of time.
11:48So yes, that is all for this time, thank you Joe once again and we'll be back after Arsenal
11:52to see whether Newcastle have made it to Wembley and whether they've got three points against
11:56Fulham. But until then, thank you all for watching and we'll see you next time.