Newcastle Utd analysis: Lewis Miley, the local hero, and Yoane Wissa offer hope, but Magpies are far from perfect
On Wednesday, December 17, Newcastle were far from perfect. Still, Lewis Miley proved to be the difference maker with a stoppage-time header that sent the Magpies into the Carabao Cup semi-final.
An improvement from the horrific defeat against Sunderland, as Newcastle are one step closer to defending their title at Wembley.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Mosaddek Abu discusses the takeaways from Newcastle’s significant victory.
Yoane Wissa offers attacking hope
Yoane Wissa made his first start for Newcastle since signing for the club on deadline day.
The Magpies looked much livelier and more comfortable on the front foot.
Wissa was hungry, and it only took him ten minutes to get his first goal for Newcastle, as he slotted it home after a Jacob Murphy low cross and Benjamin Lecomte's spill.
Yes, Lecomte got a hand to Murphy’s low cross, but it was the fact that Wissa made himself an option to be picked out by Murphy, which made it a positive opening spell for the Toon.
Even when Wissa didn’t have the ball, he was shouting at his teammates to get it to him; he has poacher's instincts, getting into forward positions. He wants someone to deliver a ball to him.
There was one moment where Wissa got in front of the Fulham defence and was ready to receive a pass from Bruno Guimares, whose instinct was to continue to build up the attacking play instead of playing it forward.
The 29-year-old had a smile on his face when he walked out and received a standing ovation from the St James’ Park crowd after Nick Woltemade replaced him.
Only fit to play 70 minutes, Wissa offered a glimpse of what is to come because of what he had to offer, even when they had to chase the lead again after Saska Lukic’s leveller.
Wissa was in demand by his players and continuously positioned himself, ready for any ball coming his way.
He finished the night with a 0.92 xG and could have had a second.
READ MORE: Premier League news: Red and White delight as Sunderland defeat Newcastle in Wear-Tyne derby
Lewis Miley, the local hero
It was a big night for Lewis Miley as he played at right-back.
The 19-year-old stepped up as the contingency plan with no other right-back available, and he seized the opportunity.
With a big game ahead against Chelsea, Miley made a case for why he should be in the starting eleven on Saturday.
Recording an 86% pass accuracy, made the most tackles, won the most duels, and made four ball recoveries, a man-of-the-match performance, capped off by scoring the winning goal.
It was a last-minute decision on the day of the game, and Howe mentioned that Miley had to take in a lot of information.
A Magpies resurgence was needed from the derby day disappointment, and it just so happened that Miley answered the call, showing desire and responsibility.
It’s worth asking: with a lack of right-backs available and Tino Livramento coming off with a knock, is it worth trying Miley again in that role against Chelsea?
An improvement from Derby Day defeat
Newcastle’s performance against Sunderland was their worst under Eddie Howe.
All the pressure was then on delivering a result against Fulham. Whilst the performance was an improvement from Derby Day, it still wasn’t perfect.
Wissa being on for 70 minutes was an encouraging sign ahead of a prominent League fixture against Chelsea, and Miley playing at RB is promising too.
However, decision-making and Newcastle’s threat going forward were still off because after that first goal, they dropped off again, and Lukic scored an equaliser.
When Fulham played deeper, there was a hesitancy to make quick movements with the ball, as we had seen at the start, when Wissa was running at defenders and helping lead the press.
Their play just halted as the clock ticked down, and they were getting close to injury time, with slow movement and questionable passing.
A few times, they should have just driven into the box and attempted to get a shot away.
Again, lack of clinicality; Wissa was only fit for 70 minutes, and he isn’t at 100% yet, so we aren’t seeing him at full strength.
He was subbed off for Woltemade, and the dynamic changed: they worked better as a defensive unit, but their attack dwindled until the dying minutes of the game.
Fulham posed a threat, but the Magpies weren’t tested or threatened like we have seen in some of their other games this season, particularly when they have been away from home.
They can get away with it in a cup fixture, but not in the League.
Chelsea bounced back from their 3-1 defeat against Leeds with a 2-0 win over Everton, which saw Cole Palmer score his first goal in the League since September.
The Blues ended their four-game winless run with Palmer back firing. They are only behind Newcastle in points dropped from winning positions, with 10.
The inexperience within the side has shown a few times this season; however, the Magpies have not been shy of issues either in defence or attack.
Newcastle are back at home, and they are nine unbeaten at St James’ Park in all competitions.
They saw out the game against Fulham, with the defence tightening up and doing their job in the key moments.
It now needs to transition into their league campaign, or they risk drifting further from their European football ambition.
Howe’s Mags want to write wrongs of losing to Sunderland; it doesn’t get any bigger than a home game against fourth-placed Chelsea.
