Many a tear has to fall…but it’s all in the game | OneFootball

So sang the velvet voiced Tommy Edwards on his international Number One hit.

The song originally came out in 1951, the year Newcastle United won the first of our three fifties FA Cups, but wasn’t a hit until re-released in 1958.

After Newcastle United were dismantled/schooled by Bournemouth at Gallowgate, this would have been an appropriate record to have been played, as our disconsolate supporters left in their droves.

I was angry with our start to the game and there continued to be too much lethargy and sloppiness in our play throughout the first half.

Without naming names, players that have been cornerstones to our success over the past month, just weren’t at the races.

All we can do is hold our hands up and admit that we were well beaten by a far better and more disciplined side on the day. Well done the Cherries, who were far from Wild on the day (sorry, I cannot help myself with the musical references).

I must admit, I never expected such an overall insipid performance from United. This awful display should act as a kick up the jacksie to safeguard against even more complacency creeping into our forthcoming fixtures on all three domestic fronts.

All good runs come to an end and sometimes in the most unlikely manner. It happened to King Kev’s team after the exhilarating ‘Eleven in a Row’ start to the 1992/93 campaign.

Lowly Grimsby then beat United 1-0 at St James’ Park, courtesy of a last minute Jim Dobbin pearler from distance.

We’ll put this behind us, of that I have no worries or doubts.

Eddie and his coaches will have the players straight back into training on Monday to discuss and work on what drastically went wrong on Saturday.

Getting beat at home 1-4 isn’t very good at all but it isn’t the end of the bloody World. We are up at the top end of the table and have one foot in the final of the Carabao Cup.

All focus from a supporter perspective must now go onto our next game. We cannot dwell on a setback that is hardly major or catastrophic after the recent purple patch that has put us in such good stead.

I’m as well as over this result but one thing is beginning to niggle me.

After we sold Anderson and Minteh to comply with PSR, we then reportedly began bidding up to £70m for a fairly average Crystal Palace central defender. Is that money now not part of our January kitty?

The lack of incomings and outgoings so far in this window isn’t great. The team and squad need freshening up.

Newcastle 1 Bournemouth 4 – Saturday 18 January 2025 12.30pm

Goals:

Bruno 25

Bournemouth:

Kluivert 6, 44, 90+2 Kerkez 90+6

Possession was Newcastle 55% Bournemouth 45%

Total shots were Newcastle 13 Bournemouth 19

Shots on target were Newcastle 5 Bournemouth 10

Corners were Newcastle 7 Bournemouth 6

Touches in the box Newcastle 32 Bournemouth 35

Newcastle team v Bournemouth:

Dubravka, Livramento, Botman (Schar 46), Burn, Hall (Trippier 66), Tonali, Joelinton, Bruno (Osula 90+1), Murphy (Willock 66), Isak, Gordon

Unused subs:

Vlachodimos, Almiron, Kelly, Longstaff, Lewis Miley

(The usual suspects embarrassing themselves after Bournemouth 1 Newcastle 4 – Read HERE)

(All good things must come to and end – Newcastle 1 Bournemouth 4 – Read HERE)

Newcastle United upcoming matches:

Saturday 25 January – Southampton v Newcastle (3pm)

Saturday 1 February – Newcastle v Fulham (3pm)

Wednesday 5 February – Newcastle v Arsenal (8pm) Sky Sports (League Cup)

Saturday 8 February – Birmingham v Newcastle (5.45pm) BBC1 and BBC iPlayer (FA Cup)

Saturday 15 February – Man City v Newcastle (3pm)