Had the referee let them carry on, you suspect Monday’s transfer deadline would have passed before the ball crossed the goal-line. Elland Road is always high on noise, but this was terribly low on quality. A stadium that roared and a football match that wheezed.
Newcastle will be glad to see the back of this summer, but left behind with all of the transfer trauma is a bagful of points. With a striker, it is not a stretch to say they would have taken the maximum of nine. As it is, they have two.
‘Play well, don’t score’ is the mantra of their season to date. Yes, they scored twice against Liverpool on Monday, but that was amid chaos, not control. When Anthony Gordon was sent off, they replaced him with a kitchen sink.
But with 11 on the pitch, they are yet to score in three matches. The patterns so familiar to Eddie Howe’s side are there, as are some of the partnerships. But when it comes to potency, they are as blunt as a spoon in a sword fight.
A first half in which they were the better team with better players brought one shot on target. It feels like the further up the pitch they get, the more belief is left behind. They are not playing poorly. Yes, this was scrappy and felt as much like a northern derby at times, but Newcastle had enough territory to take what would have been a deserved lead before half-time. Yet, come the end, it would have been no surprise had they lost. Their second half performance was their worst so far. The worry for Howe is that, when he introduced a pair of wingers in Harvey Barnes and Anthony Elanga – who cost a near-combined £100million – they looked even less like scoring.
William Osula was making his first Premier League start for the club, but he could be sent out on loan if Newcastle bring in another striker in the next 48 hours, on the back of Nick Woltemade’s arrival. Howe confirmed afterwards he would ‘love’ one more player. Osula playing the full match shows what has become of their attacking pool – it is shallow to the point of drought warnings. For even amid the monsoon that swept around Elland Road, Newcastle were parched in the final third.
Eddie Howe will be concerned with Newcastle’s lack of attacking threat against Leeds
Tino Livramento impressed for Newcastle but nothing came of his endeavours
Despite the introduction of Harvey Barnes, Newcastle didn’t pose a major threat
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Tino Livramento was exceptional on the left, be that at wing-back or on the wing. But for all of his endeavour, weaves and dribbles, nothing came at the end of them. One early cross skidded to safety without any takers. It was the same when Jacob Ramsey and Kieran Trippier delivered.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin was on Newcastle’s long-list this summer, but never the short-list. He was sat on the bench for Leeds for 70 minutes but would have started had he been a Newcastle player. Not that his cameo proved any sort of point. He was sent clear a few minutes after coming on but his touch was heavier than the rain. He had another shot soon after that terrified those behind Nick Pope’s goal, but not the man guarding it.
At the other end, Lucas Perri made one smart save when smuggling a Jacob Murphy strike around the post in the second half, but that was it. When Elanga got clear in the 94th minute, his cross was as wilder than the weather. Moments later, mercifully, came the final whistle.
Woltemade, the £69m signing from Stuttgart, was watching from the stands, not registered in time to play. Alexander Isak, the man he replaces as the club’s record signing, was watching from home. One striker, never mind two, would have been enough to win this game.
Will Isak ever return? That is looking increasingly unlikely, especially given the X-rated chants delivered in his direction from the away end. Where is his Liverpool transfer? The ducks are starting to assemble and we’re all just waiting for the Premier League champions to produce their mallet.
The idea that they will not return with a second offer is like going to Vegas and refusing to gamble. They have not come this far to abandon him now, especially not when the odds are so heavily in their favour of getting a deal done.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin could have joined Newcastle but featured as a substitute for Leeds
New Newcastle signing Nick Woltemade was in attendance for the game at Elland Road
There are serious concerns for Newcastle if Alexander Isak completes a move to Liverpool
If you think Arne Slot has some intricate strategies on the pitch, that is nothing compared to the moves made by Liverpool’s transfer committee off it – this is a summer-long strategy we are seeing unfold. Isak has fulfilled his end of the bargain, sat behind the picket line, and now it is over to Liverpool.
Newcastle, in signing Woltemade and pursuing a second striker, have as good as moved on from the Swede. Not that it looks like it on the field, at least not yet.
